“Tanner, I won’t allow it. You need to be in Colorado if you’re going to make the team.” I pull back from his embrace, placing my hands on his face, the stubble pricking my palm. “We’ll figure it out.” My confidence even surprises myself, but it feels nice being the decisive one.

He maneuvers on top of me, kissing my shoulder. Resting on his elbows, his eyes study me for a moment. “When do classes start?” he asks.

My breath hitches and I rock into his hardness. “September. After Labor Day.” My arms wrap around his waist, grazing up and down his bare back with my fingertips.

“Then, come back with me for one month.” He bends down, his lips scatter moist soft kisses along my collarbone.

“Okay,” I agree.

His head bolts up. “Really?” he questions, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

“Yeah.” I giggle because he resembles a kid at a candy store.

“Then, we’ll figure the rest out after. Once I’m on the team, we can come up with something permanent.”

“Okay.” I continue to appease him, only pulling a wider smile across his mouth.

He slams his lips on mine, muting my laughter at his overzealousness. Breaking apart, he pins me with his eyes again. “Don’t worry. I’ll make the time for you. You won’t be sitting next to the pool all day, watching me swim back and forth.” His determination and promise that he can carve time out for me, warms me further if even possible.

I smile. “That doesn’t sound so horrible,” I joke.

He kisses me again, making the pit of my stomach whirl with arousal.

“Hey, I like hearing you say that.”

He tilts his head. “What?”

“Once you’re on the team. I like the confidence because you’ve been tossing comments about you being a shoo-in off your shoulder all week.”

He face goes somber. “I hate to get my hopes too high, you know? I did that once, two years ago, and then my whole life crumbled in my hands.”

His body slumps, and I slide my hands up until I’m holding his head to mine.

“All is forgotten now.”

He leans down, our foreheads resting on each other’s once again. “I love you, Piper Ashby, and I promise never to ruin us again.”

“Me, too.”

His fingers dig into my hair, tilting my head back. His tongue licks up my neck until it reaches my earlobe. “I can’t wait to have your clothes in my closet, your toothbrush next to mine, and your body in my bed,” he whispers.

My body melts into the cushion. “Kiss me,” I demand softly.

His lips linger over mine, claiming them.

“Shit! Seriously?” Brad’s booming voice rings in my ears.

Tanner pulls the towel tighter around our bodies as he laughs.

“Sorry.” I cringe.

Tanner continues chuckling while shielding me.

I glance at Brad, who has his hands over his eyes.

“Is this what I’m going to have to deal with?” he asks, his phone in his hands. “I’m guessing neither of you have your phones?”

Tanner looks down at me, and I shake my head.

“Nope,” he answers for both of us.

“Didn’t think so. Get dressed, and come into the house. News isn’t good.” He spins around and disappears.

I hear the door shut behind him.

“What do you think is up?” Tanner asks.

I shrug.

“You don’t think . . .” Maybe there’s a chance Brad came to his senses and called off the wedding.

Tanner shakes his head. “I know the boy is confused, but that’s not exactly something Brad would do. He’s not one to admit his bad decisions.”

I nod, agreeing.

Climbing off of me, Tanner picks up my clothes and places them on the chair. Then, he grabs his trunks, sliding them up his legs. He eyes me as I shimmy my shorts up my body, and I play seductive kitty by biting my lip, and dropping my chin to my chest, as I push my ass out a little more. .

He laughs. “Keep going, even if those are moving the opposite way I prefer them to go.”

I toss the towel at him, and he swiftly catches it. As I slide my shirt over my head, his hands flow up my stomach before the fabric falls.

“Can you spend the day with me today?”

The feeling that he wants so much of my time and body is indescribable. I’m on cloud nine, and I don’t want to come down anytime soon.

“Yes,” I answer.

He beams. “Let’s go up to the university.”

“Okay.” I don’t care where he takes me as long as his hand is in mine.

“I guess we have to get whatever Brad’s doing out of the way. Don’t want him to think I ditched him for his sister.” He laughs.

I nuzzle into his strong arms one last time. He kisses the top of my head, and I push back from his warmth, turning around and walking into the house.

I open the door to my parents’ house, ready for the barrage of questions sure to be thrown our way. My mom isn’t one to miss her daughter in clothes she wore last night. Plus, Tanner is in his swim trunks. Not to hard for them to put two and two together.

Tanner smacks my ass, and I glance back at him, the permanent smile he entices splashed across my face.

When I step in, the smile fades for the first time since last night. Sitting at the table are Tanner’s parents, Dylan, my dad, and Brad. The television is on in each room, and my mom is pouring coffee for everyone. They all silence when Tanner and I walk in, and my mom shoots me a sympathetic look.

“Good morning,” Tanner greets everyone. .

No one says anything. They just stare at us.

I back into his chest, and his hands find mine at my sides. Squeezing tight, we prepare ourselves for whatever has everyone so depressed. Lana stands up to help my mom with cutting the coffee cake.

“What are we missing?” I ask before swallowing deep.

Brad grabs the remote and turns up the volume on the television. My eyes flicker to the screen as I listen to the anchor say Tanner’s name. Barely able to comprehend everything, all I hear are the words angry, fists flying, knock out, damages, lawsuit. Tanner’s hands tighten further in mine, hearing the same thing. Then, she says one sentence, and my eyes close, willing the tears to stay back. I need to be the strong one now.

“Tanner McCain admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs two years ago, his senior year at Michigan University.”

Unable to breathe, my body slumps into his strong arms.

“Shit,” he mumbles. His breathing labored, his hands fall out of mine.

Swiveling around, I hold his face in my hands. “It’s okay,” I reassure him.

He inhales a huge breath and his face reddens with every second.

“Damn it.” He doesn’t move, frozen in place. Then, his eyes pierce Brad across the room. Stepping back from me, the anger pours off his every muscle as they tense. “You fucking ruined it.” His voice is so calm, so even, that I’d never guess the words he spoke.

Brad stands up, his vision pinning Tanner. “I’m sorry, man.” He shakes his head.

We all see the devastation on Brad’s face, but sorry doesn’t seem like enough right now.

“What’s going on?” Lana looks between the two of them.

My mom mimics Lana and peers over to me. Her eyes are sad because she knows exactly what’s about to happen. I’m going to either lose the man I love or my brother. There’s no way she can miss the rage creeping out of Tanner toward Brad.

“Fuck!” Tanner steps forward.

I instinctively place my hand on his chest, stopping him.

“Everything I’ve worked for is gone.” He pushes my hand off of him, never looking my way, storming for Brad.

“Tanner, you need to tell us what’s going on,” Lana tries to intervene.

Tanner shoots a look to his dad, and then he bumps Brad with his shoulder but walks past him without saying a word.

“Tanner!” I scream, running after him.

I catch him in the foyer, and his hand is on the doorknob with his back to me.

“Talk to me,” I plead.

His hand grips the knob in his hand. “I just need space,” he mumbles, facing the door.