Chapter Six
Tanner scanned the growing crowd on the wide, expansive lawn behind the courthouse. He’d never been to one of the movie nights before, but Hayley had talked him into bringing her and Meghan tonight. At least it got him out of the house where all he was doing was staring at the walls and thinking about Izzy. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had consumed his thoughts like she had since he’d met her last week.
His plan to scratch an itch at FitzGerald’s had failed miserably. Instead of releasing a little stress, he was even more wound up now. Kevin had been bugging him all week, asking for the details of his hook-up. Not that he and Izzy had hooked up. But Tanner hadn’t told his friend anything. He wanted the space to figure out whether this could turn into something. And he couldn’t do that with Kevin on his back. It wasn’t his fault. Kevin didn’t have any way of knowing that Izzy was different.
He shook his head. He shouldn’t be thinking about Izzy when he should be focused on his daughter and her friend. Hayley and Meghan were standing a bit away from him, their heads together. A sign of things to come? Tanner dreaded Hayley’s teenage years.
Hayley tugged on his hand. “Come on, Dad. We found a place to sit.”
He stumbled behind Hayley, blanket in hand, as she wove through the crowd. She and Meghan ran ahead until she stopped in front of another blanket stretched out beneath one of the large oak trees that shaded the park. Had she found a friend from school? She was so shy at times that he worried about her. To see her seeking out friends was encouraging.
But it wasn’t her school friend sitting in front of Hayley when he reached her. On the blanket were Izzy and her friend from the studio. Izzy’s eyes were locked on Hayley and didn’t budge the entire time Hayley talked. Maybe that was why Hayley connected with Izzy—she had a way of putting people at ease. She certainly had Hayley opening up. Hayley was waving her hands in the air, sharing something about one of her and Meghan’s adventures. Izzy smiled up at his daughter, asking questions.
Just like a mother would. Well, a good mother. Hayley’s mother hadn’t shown interest in her daughter from the day Hayley was born. Vanessa had barely tolerated the infant years, had checked out when Hayley was a toddler, and had left altogether by the time Hayley was four. It was no wonder he hadn’t found anyone else. He couldn’t put Hayley through that again.
Izzy’s hair framed her face, much like it had at FitzGerald’s. The image of her moving to the music in front of him flashed in his mind. She danced with her entire body, as though she didn’t have a care in the world and didn’t care who saw.
He stepped up beside his daughter and rested his hand on her shoulder. “Hey, Izzy.”
Izzy’s eyes sparkled as she lifted her head. Her smile grew and she hopped to her feet. She wore a T-shirt that hugged her curves just right and shorts that barely covered her delicious ass. What he wouldn’t give to wrap his arms around her, to…
“Hey, Tanner. Hayley was just telling me about her teacher at school.”
Really? He’d barely gotten two words out of her about her first week of classes. “That’s great.” He turned to his daughter. “How about we leave Miss Harper alone now? I think the movie’s about to start.”
Izzy gestured to the patch of grass beside hers. “Nonsense. There’s room here if you want to spread your blanket out beside ours.”
Hayley’s eyes brightened. “Can we, Daddy?”
As Hayley grabbed the blanket out of his arms, his gaze shot to Izzy’s. Was that hope in her eyes? He wasn’t sure if this was better or worse. He’d come to get his mind off the woman who had occupied his thoughts all week… only to end up joining her. He mouthed her a question. “Are you sure?”
She nodded and bit her lip. She could be uncomfortable about how they left things. She’d said she was nervous about risking her relationship as Hayley’s dance teacher to pursue a relationship. Tonight was the perfect opportunity to show her that they could have both.
He helped spread out the blanket and lowered himself to the ground, crowding close to Izzy’s blanket. She sat down again.
The woman beside Izzy extended her hand. “I’m Natalie. I don’t think we met. I’m Izzy’s best friend and a teacher at the studio.”
He took her offering and recognized Natalie’s gesture for what it was. She was looking out for her friend. Putting him on notice. “Tanner Ross. And this is my daughter, Hayley, and her friend Meghan.”
“Hey, Dad, can we go get some lemonade?” Hayley motioned across the park toward a lemonade stand.
There were a lot of strangers milling about. Tanner had never been comfortable letting Hayley get far out of his sight. More than once she’d called him obsessive and rolled her eyes at his cautiousness. He didn’t care. She may hate him but she would be safe. Between growing up on the ranch with the risk of coyotes and wolves, then living in the city where you didn’t walk alone at night, his protectiveness of his daughter was hard-earned.
He pressed his hands to the ground and started to stand. “Sure, honey. I’ll go with you.”
Haley had opened her mouth to surely object when Natalie jumped up. “I was just going to go myself. I’ll take the girls… if that’s okay with you.”
He lowered himself back to the ground. He didn’t know Natalie, but she was Izzy’s friend and the drink stand wasn’t all that far away. He could keep an eye on the girls from a distance, and it would give him a chance to spend a few minutes with Izzy outside of the prying eyes of her friend and his daughter.
He nodded, and the three of them skipped across the park, one girl on either side of Natalie, their hands linked. He couldn’t help but chuckle.
The silence thickened around him and Izzy. He searched for the right words to put Izzy at ease. He was out of practice. He’d grown detached in the past few years, keeping his emotions bottled up and his hook-ups just that—hook-ups. But from the minute he’d laid eyes on Izzy, it was like a switch had turned on deep inside him. She’d stirred up feelings that he hadn’t felt for a woman in a long time. “I’ve never been to a movie in the park. How does it work?”
Izzy’s long hair formed a curtain that hid her face from him. She hadn’t met his gaze since the girls left. Was she remembering dancing at FitzGerald’s, their bodies pressed together, the feel of his lips on hers?
He certainly was, and was considering ways to taste her again.
She finally lifted her head and gestured across the expanse of grass. “Now that the sun’s going down, they’ll project the movie up on the big screen at the front of the park.”
As if on cue, the street lamps that surrounded the park darkened, and the screen in front of them illuminated. Bright colors flashed across the screen, and the cartoon images of a movie title followed.
He chuckled. “Moana?” He hadn’t even asked Hayley what movie was playing when he’d agreed to bring her and Meghan. “Hayley’s been dancing around to the songs from this movie all summer.”
Izzy beamed. Damn, he could get addicted to that smile. He just had to think of more ways to bring it to her face again. “It’s got some great music. I’m sure I’ll be incorporating several of the songs into my classes this fall. The girls really like dancing to songs they recognize.”
Crap. Hayley had gone to the lemonade stand and he lost track of her. What kind of parent did that? His head snapped up and searched the crowd around the concessions, but he didn’t see Natalie or Hayley anywhere. He leapt up and scanned the surrounding areas.
Izzy hopped up and her hand landed on his shoulder. She pointed toward the front of the park. “She’s all right. They’re sitting right up there with Natalie.”
Sure enough, Hayley and Meghan, with their matching braids, flanked Natalie near the front of the park. Natalie finger-waved to the two of them and then leaned toward Hayley. Both of the girls spun and gave him a big wave… but then turned their attention to the movie, their backs to him.
He slumped onto the blanket and pressed his hand to his chest. Just the thought of losing Hayley... He sucked in air, trying to calm his racing heart.
This was why he hadn’t tried to date a woman since Vanessa left. A few minutes talking to Izzy and he was ignoring Hayley. What kind of father did that?
Izzy rejoined him on the blanket. “I’m sorry you were scared. I suspect Natalie is scheming to give us some time alone.”
Now that his heart had calmed down, he could kiss Natalie. He’d expected only a few minutes, and that had turned into the prospect of almost two hours. Hayley seemed safe and happy for the time being. He wasn’t about to lose this opportunity to get to know Izzy even better.
“So tell me more about dancing in New York. How long were you there?”
As soon as he’d spoken, her jaw clenched and her shoulder stiffened. It was only for a second, but he’d seen it. She lifted the corners of her mouth, but the expression was forced, with none of the excitement that she’d had when talking about her studio. “Eight years.”
“Is that the normal career for a dancer?”
She shook her head, rounding her shoulders and lowering her head even more.
He hadn’t meant to upset her. He just wanted to get to know her better. Isn’t that what couples did when they first went out? Not that this was a date or anything, and they were certainly not a couple—yet—but he refused to let this opportunity pass him by.
“Not exactly. I, uh, was injured and announced my retirement after that.”
“And moved home to open a dance studio.”
She nodded. “I always wanted to be a dancer. From the time I was a little girl. My Dad pushed me to work harder, to be the best at whatever I wanted out of life. Dancing was my passion. And I made it to prima ballerina.”
“Congratulations. That sounds like a huge accomplishment. I’m sure your father was very proud.”
She looked down at her hands again. “He died before I was named prima. But he did get to see me dance in the company.”
She looked so small and vulnerable, as if she’d turned in on herself as she spoke about her father. He covered her hands with his. “I’m sorry about your Dad.” He searched his mind for a new subject. “What about your family? You mentioned a nephew.”
That did it. The smile was back on her face and bigger than ever. “You remember that? He’s my older brother’s son. He’s five and just started school this year. I also have twin younger sisters—Serena and Alexis.”
“That sounds cool. I’ve never known twins before.”
“They may look alike, but that’s where the similarities end. Alexis is deep and brooding. She keeps to herself a lot. I worry about her sometimes. I think she took my father’s death the hardest. But Serena is the exact opposite. She runs Helping Hands Animal Shelter out on Starkey Road. Maybe you know it? Anyway, she’s fully committed to her work. Everyone in our family has at least one foster animal.” She chuckled and he couldn’t help joining in.
“So, you’ve got a pet?”
She nodded and slid the straw from her drink into her mouth. Her lips curled around it, and his eyes locked on her throat moving each time she swallowed. Who knew that watching a woman drink could be so sexy?
She scooted a little closer to him, her hand brushing against his. The little bit of contact had his skin tingling and his fingers itching to curl around hers. “Yeah. His name is Freddie. He’d been at the shelter for a while, and Serena was afraid no one would adopt him. So I took him in.”
“Why wouldn’t he be adopted?” He laced his fingers with hers. Now that his heart rate had returned to normal, he wanted to take full advantage of this time Natalie had given him. He slid until their thighs were pressed together. Her gaze fell to their joined hands and then locked with his. He’d forgotten how fun it was to flirt with a woman. A woman he was actually interested in.
He leaned in so his body brushed against hers and was rewarded with a gasp. If that was how she responded to his slight touch, how would her body react when he was perched over her, lowering his lips to hers, taking her in a tender kiss?
“Freddie was hit by a car. He lost a leg and sight in one of his eyes. But he’s the cutest little Jack Russell and he’s so loving. He runs up to me every time I walk in the door and loves on me. He sleeps in a bed in my room every night.”
“He sounds wonderful. Hayley has been bugging me for a dog for months.”
“When you’re ready, I’m sure Serena can help you find the perfect one. If you’d like…” She bit her lip.
What was she going to say? He wanted to nibble on that lip she had caught between her teeth, to soothe the nip until he had her panting his name. He released her and propped his hand behind her back so he could move even closer. “What?”
She turned toward him, her mouth a breath away from his. All he had to do was stretch out and he could feel her lips on his.
“I could go with you.”
Go where? Oh yeah, they were talking about a dog. He couldn’t focus on anything but the sexy woman in front of him. Her gaze dropped to his lips and she licked her own.
He took the action as an invitation and lowered his head. Her lips were soft and giving, opening up for his taking. Her arms snaked around his neck as he swept into her mouth, the sweet taste of lemonade on her tongue. He pulled her into his body, as close as he could sitting side by side. Damn, he could kiss her for hours and barely come up for air. This was what he had been missing all these years, the intimacy of a simple kiss with a woman.
She melted into him, her soft curves pressed against him. He could get used to this. She made a little sound as he trickled kisses down her cheek. If only they had a little more privacy… He nuzzled behind her ear and was rewarded when she gasped.
He paid little attention to the movie while he took advantage of this opportunity to get to know Izzy better. She talked about her years of dancing as a child and how nervous she was at her first audition. He shared about growing up on the ranch and some of the pranks that he and his brothers and sister had pulled on their dad. Talking to Izzy was easy and the time passed quickly.
The darkness of the park shrouded them in a cocoon as though they were alone. The wide branches and thick leaves of the oak tree gave additional cover and a sense of intimacy. He returned to her lips, and she opened for him, her tongue tangling with his.
It felt like it had gone on forever when she broke the kiss and whispered against his lips.
“Tanner.”
He didn’t open his eyes, just bathed in the sultry sound of her voice, the heat of her breath across his cheek. “Unh-huh?”
“We have to stop.”
He brushed his lips over hers, his mind still a haze of attraction. “Stop what?”
She braced her hands on his chest and pushed.
His eyes flew open and his gaze locked with hers. “What’s wrong?”
“The movie’s over.”
His head flopped to her shoulder and he drew in a ragged breath. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had him so turned on and tied up in knots all at the same time. “I need a minute.”
What in the hell was he doing making out with Izzy in the middle of a public park where anyone could see?
She laughed. “I guess we got a little carried away.”
“I don’t regret it.”
“I don’t either. But I think we better move before Hayley and Meghan come back.”
Izzy’s words had him sliding away in two seconds flat. He rested his arms on his knees and hung his head between them. That’s right—Hayley.
He finally opened his eyes to find the street lights had been illuminated again and people packing up their picnics and folding their blankets. This night had ended way too soon. He wasn’t finished exploring what could be with Izzy. “Go out with me?”
She furrowed her brows. Finally, she bit her lip and nodded, not saying another word. He loved when she did that. Now that he knew what she tasted like, he couldn’t wait until he could kiss her again.
He scanned the park and spotted Hayley and Meghan still gabbing with Natalie. He leaned forward and kissed Izzy, a quick chaste promise of something to come. What, he wasn’t sure.
He handed her his phone. “Give me your number.”
She tapped on the screen, and a few seconds later her phone laying on the blanket lit up. “Now I have yours, too.”
He stood and pulled her to her feet beside him. How easy it would be to haul her to him, to pick up where they’d left off?
“Dad! Dad!” Hayley called from across the park as she and Meghan ran up, Natalie on their heels.
He slung his arm around Hayley’s shoulder and kissed her hair. “Hey, honey. Did you enjoy the movie?”
She and Meghan giggled. “Yep.”
Natalie cleared her throat behind the girls and swiped at her lips. Izzy’s hand flew to hers, swollen from his kisses, and she smoothed out where he had smeared her lip gloss. Her gaze landed on his and then her eyes dropped to his mouth.
He turned away from the girls and swiped at his own lips. Once he was sure the evidence of his make-out session with Izzy was gone, he turned back to the girls. “Okay. Time to go.”
Natalie and the girls skipped ahead of him, and he and Izzy followed at a much slower pace. Like she didn’t want tonight to end any more than he did. His hand brushed against hers, and he longed to lace their fingers together, to wrap his arm around her and walk arm in arm. Damn, when had he become such a romantic?
Probably about thirty seconds after he’d laid eyes on Izzy.
But they had to worry about Hayley and how their relationship could affect her. Until they knew for sure, they couldn’t show affection like that. At least not in public.
They reached the parking lot, and the girls darted off in one direction while Natalie headed in the other. He took that chance to squeeze Izzy’s hand, just for a moment.
“I’ll call you.”