The Bar Stool

End. Of. Story.

Tanner's POV

Falling hard, hurts.

End. Of. Story.

When you're a man with many needs, many wants and this one woman steps out of the light into your dark world and tries to better you. It's f*****g insanely hard to give her what she wants when you have these expectations on what you already desire.

I watch her head fall back as she laughs at my horrible attempt to tell a joke, her black vans propped up on the dashboard of my truck.

As cheesy as it sounds her smile and her laugh opens up something in me. I want to hear it as much as I can before it becomes faded and lost.

When she sings along to my country music and taps her hand on her knee I have to stop myself from watching for too long because I'm driving in the busy streets of Indy.

She's amazing, the most kind hearted person - when she wants to be- I've ever had the f*****g opportunity of getting to know.

And I almost f****d it up.

Almost. My inner self repeats.

The light snow falls against my windshield, the sound of Tayzleys very well keyed voice floats through the cab of my truck.

I reach over, catching her off guard when I bring her soft hand to my lips and kiss it. Intertwining her fingers with mine before lying them in my lap.

I feel almost greedy.

For wanting her more than just this.

This.

Exactly what we're doing.

Laughing, singing, having a decent time without removing any of our clothes.

It's hard not to want to rip her dress from her curves and toss her against the hotel bed when I was watching her put it on. Even after she asked me not to.

She also attempted to slither her thighs into her leggings but I grabbed them before she could even get a foot in.

I can feel the way her hand tenses slightly when my thumb brushes the back of it. But slowly she relaxes into it. As if it's a natural act of intimacy.

I hear the click of her seatbelt, her hand slipping from mine just to move the compartment divider up and back so she can scoot closer to me. Her fingers find mine once more, resting in my lap.

How can I be so stupid? Letting her almost slip away.

She hasn't exactly said the words 'I forgive you Tanner.' With a smirk and an over exaggerated eye roll. I don't really blame her.

But if I get to kiss her, hold her, kiss her more, then that's what I'll take till she gives me the full forgiveness speech.

I don't have any clue as to where we are going. I thank god the roads aren't bad or else we'd be stuck in the hotel all day. Which wouldn't be a bother to me.

You know women they are always on the go. She'd murder me by noon if we stayed there.

So driving around and just listening to her sing along to almost every song that comes on is more than enough for me.

"Are you hungry?" I finally ask at a red light.

"I could eat something. What did you have in mind?" Her green free of makeup eyes look up at me, her lashes bat slightly. I resist the urge to kiss her and make her smile appear against my lips.

"Anything is fine with me. What sounds good to you?"

She shifts her body, now sitting up straight fixing her red beanie around her head. Not many people can pull them off, but Tayzley looks good in just about anything

"Food." She laughs.

"No s**t Tayzley." I laugh at her. "I'm driving in circles here."

"You know you don't need to take me to a fancy place, just to impress me right?"

"Who says I was trying to impress you?"

"Heyyyy!" She whines.

"You said I don't have to. That was on you babe."

She rolls her eyes. "Whatever Tanner."

Smiling I mock her. "Whatever Tayzley."

∆∆∆

When we finally decide on the Hard Rock Café since we've both never been. It takes us at least twenty minutes to find a parking spot. Once we do she jumps down from my tuck and walks over to my side meeting me.

"You know maybe we should call Ashlyn and see if her and Avry want to join?" She shrugs her shoulders at me.

I take her hand as we being to walk the sidewalk closest to the Café. "Sure." It's not that I don't want at least Ashlyn here, but I being the selfish person I am only want it to be us. I have some making up to do.

"That wasn't very enthusiastic Tanner...."

"I mean they can I guess." I shrug.

"Forget I even asked."

Good going.

I can't help but just watch her face as she watches her feet as she walks. I know she's already annoyed with me, but that's my goal right?

"Listen, I just want it to be you and me. Just for tonight. Then I'll drop you off and leave. Deal?" I hold my other hand out to her for her to shake.

She looks at my hand, but doesn't take it. "Let's just see where the night takes us."

"Yes ma'am." I slide my hand back smoothly into my pants pocket before we enter the building and the tatted waiter leads us to our seats.

The whole night Tayzley bobs her head to the rock music bouncing against the material covered walls. I watch her and almost lose myself.

I'm slowly being pulled into the river of Tayzley. Her beautiful soul is going to consume me in the worst and best ways possible.

I love seeing her laugh at me when I steal her food even though I have a plate full. Or the scowl I receive when I kick her feet to annoy her.

I love how her eyebrows knit together when she studies the memorabilia of rock legends scattered against the wall. Or how her glasses slide down the bridge of her nose and she pushes them back with her index finger.

She's antsy, her hands are tapping at the table and her leg is bouncing out of control by the time we get out bill.

"Tayzley?"

"I'm good, just happy is all." She smiles at me from across the table. "And really well..." Her cheeks turn as red as her hat and if the place wasn't crowded she'd run for the hills.

"It's normal. I believe I need to make up for loss time I'm sure." I add, standing to help her up. Not to quickly, but quick enough I lead us out the door. The night air invading our lungs.

Leading her to my truck, its dark now and the chances of someone catching us at this time of night is hopefully slim to none. With both of us climbing into the cab I start the engine, the vibrations causing Tayzley to clamp her thighs together.

My hands grip the steering wheel to confirm myself from sliding my hand up her thighs to relieve her much like I did a week ago.

"I'll text Ashlyn let her know we're going to be out much later than planned." As she speaks her demeanor in her tone lowers to a whisper. Her hands are slightly shaking as she types out yo her cousin.

"Baby," I calmly say. "I'm not f*****g you in my truck." Although I want to...

"That's too bad, I was really hoping it would end that way," she surprises me by saying.

But the wire holding me back from grabbing her plump waist and pulling her into my lap, snaps and f*****g hard.

As her back hits my steering wheel the horn sounds causing her to jump and laugh at the same time. Her head falling against my shoulder before I finally lead her pink lips to mine.

If there is anything I love about this f*****g women are these damn lips that captured me the first night we met. Her curious drunk mind asking too many questions to even remember. But as soon as her soft lips erupted over mine, I lost it. I lost everything in me and yet she still doesn't know that I sat at home trying my best to drink away how her eyes watched me as I stood inches away from her lips.

I couldn't get her out of my mind that night. And I still f*****g can't.

And to be completely and utterly f*****g honest I don't think I ever will.

∆∆∆

Getting a hotel room was easy. But getting Tayzley to actually stay with me was hard. After a moment of persuading and my famous eyebrow wiggle to caved in.

Turns out Ashlyn was a little preoccupied herself so that gave us both the opportunity to make things right in this...relationship.

Tayzley's shoes hit the chair as soon as she kicks them off and lays back on the king size bed.

"You're lucky, you know?" She says to me as I remove my keys and wallet from my pocket and lay them on the sink next to the coffee pot.

"Why is that?" I question, leaning up against the wall watching as she trades her fingers up and down the outside of her dress.

She then sits up and says, "that I'm still here.... I shouldn't be. I should actually listen to myself and run, but I can't seem to do it."

"Looks like we're both suckers when it comes to that."

"It seems so."

I walk forward, her legs hang over the bed. I kneel down in front of her, the pads of my knees pressing flat afaint the carpet. "If I ever give you another reason...you should probably run." The words stung me a little. She nods.

But her hands lies on the nape of my neck pulling me up to meet her eyes. She searches mine with hers before her teeth dig in to her bottom lip and her legs wrap around my torso.

The electricity the shoots through my veins as she does so releases something in me. My lips are on hers and my hands are pushing up the fabric of her dress to bunch around her hips.