Free Moments in Time by Karen Stivali

Have to. I don’t have a choice. You do.”
    “Well, I choose to get to know your family better. Unless you don’t want that.”
    The underlying hurt in his voice made my stomach roll. It was so much more complicated than he made it seem. “I just don’t want things to be….”
    “What?” He slowed his hand and pulled back enough to look at me. Those dark eyes didn’t do anything to make it easier for me to focus. “What are you worried about?”
    Loaded question. What wasn’t I worried about? “I don’t know. Questions. Them doing or saying something stupid. Arguing. Someone… noticing.”
    “Noticing what?”
    “You know. Us. The way we are now.”
    Tanner grinned. “Don’t worry. I think I can play the role of roommate and manage to keep my hands off you for a few hours of a religious family event.”
    My face tingled. “I know. I’m sorry. I just….”
    “I know.” The stroking resumed, and this time he moved to my back. Kneading tension out of my shoulder as he spooned behind me. “I do get it, you know, but trust me. People can’t tell by looking. I’m your roommate. That’s all you need to tell anyone. I promise I won’t embarrass you.”
    “I’m not worried about you doing anything. I’m worried about them. My mom may seem nice, but she can be a nutcase.”
    “All moms can.”
    “Maybe. But you have no idea what it was like growing up at our house. Do you know how it feels to explain to your friends why your parents don’t allow locks on the doors, even to the bathroom?”
    “I can imagine. But look, I already know about that. And you know your mom likes me. I’d like to meet your brothers. See where you grew up. That’s all. If you don’t want me to, I’ll stay here.”
    I knew he meant it. If I said no, he wouldn’t go. But he wanted to, and I didn’t want to say no to him. A part of me wanted him to meet my brothers. And an even bigger part of me didn’t want to be away from him even for a few hours. Shit. When had that happened? When had I become the type of person who couldn’t be away from their… my heart did a funny beat and seemed unable to get back on track. What was Tanner? Definitely more than a friend. The word “boyfriend” rolled around in my brain, but I couldn’t grab hold of it. Not yet. Besides, even if I thought of him that way, which I wasn’t sure I did, did he think of me the same way?
    His lips were back on my neck, right below my ear, making my body press against his. “You can come if you want to,” I said, hoping that was the right decision.
    I could feel him smiling against my skin. “I love it when you say those words.”
    I laughed as he pulled me on top of him. “I’m serious.”
    “So am I.”
    He kissed me hard and deep. I didn’t care if we spent tomorrow in jail or on a trip to the moon. All I could think about was right now and getting more of Tanner.

C HAPTER T EN
     
     
    T HE SERVICE was typically long, and it didn’t help that the sight of Tanner in his black suit and gray dress shirt had my body on high alert. It seemed like this idea was even worse than I’d anticipated. Even something as simple as standing up had become a danger—a challenge. I’d gotten boners in church before, but never like this. Never raging ones where my cock seemed to be attempting to do anything necessary to attract someone’s attention. Tanner’s attention. I shifted in my seat and saw the smirk play at Tanner’s mouth. He knew. That wasn’t helping. How would I make it through a few hours at my house?
    “Doing okay?” he whispered into my ear, and every hair on my arms stood at attention, just like my cock.
    “Sort of.” I could tell the priest was almost done. We’d be heading home soon. Home. Not our home. My family home. I must have lost my mind.
    When everything wrapped up at the church, Tanner followed me out to my car. He swung into the passenger seat, as relaxed as if we were going on a goddamned picnic. “How long’s the