Around the World in 80 Men Series: Boxed Set 21-30 (126 page)

“I
know, baby. But I hope you also understand, I would very much like to
come with you.” Tanner's mouth grew into a wide smile as he
watched Morgan's eyes sparkle with his words.

“Really?”
She hadn't thought of Tanner going with her, but the idea wasn't bad
at all.

“I
didn't come all the way out here to punch Kole in the face. Although,
let me tell you, that felt absofuckinglutely wonderful, but I wanted
to see you. I'll be damned if I only get two days with you.” It
was actually only one full day, but he wasn't going to get technical.
He winked at Morgan and added, “besides, I've never been to
Costa Rica.”

“Okay!”
Morgan jumped up from her chair and walked behind Tanner and wrapped
her arms around his neck. “But I have to call and say bye to
'Ele first.” She kissed his cheek and told him she would be
packed in an hour. “I'll find us a flight.” Tanner told
her he would do it, but she argued. “You're only here because
of me, just let me do it.” He finally agreed, only because he
knew it made her happy to take care of things.

Morgan
crammed all she had removed from her bags back in, and sat on the top
to get them zipped. “I really need to lighten the load.”
She smiled at the thought of going to Australia soon. “My
room.” She did have a room, and she knew that Tanner had never
stopped considering that part of the house as Morgan's.

The
next flight to Costa Rica left in three hours, which left her
scrambling to get her things together and call 'Ele. The conversation
was nice, albeit short, and 'Ele understood Morgan's reason for
leaving. Morgan had told her that she had to go home for a family
emergency, but 'Ele knew the truth and didn't blame Morgan at all.
The older woman promised to keep in touch, as did Morgan, and after a
few tears, the call had ended. She also promised herself to return
soon, but she would only do so when Kole wasn't going to be anywhere
near the house. Or Hawaii for that matter.

She
had just stood for the last time, double checking under the bed after
doing another sweep of the bathroom, when her phone rang. It was
Michael, and she smiled as she quickly ignored the call. “I
adore you, Michael...but I'm not talking about Kole for one more
minute. She would call him next week and explain everything, and let
him know that she was alright in a text later that day. As she put
the phone in her pocket, she also decided that Tanner, Angel and
Julianne would be the only people to know of her change of plans. She
also hoped that she could change the week with her client to start
Friday, in just two days, instead of the following week. With no
period to worry about, and having some much needed time with Tanner
that week, she was almost ready to work again.

“Almost.”
Spending quality time with Tanner was most certainly the most
important thing on her to-do list.

Chapter
Six

Morgan
yawned loudly as she sat up in her chair, finding a smiling Tanner
not six inches from her face. “Whoa big fella... my breath and
I have been sleeping, you might want to stay back.” Her fingers
wrapped around his chin and she gently tried to push his face away.
He shook free of her grip and moved in closer.

“I've
smelled every inch of your body, Morgan. I love it all,” he
took her bottom lip between his, and when he finally pulled away from
their kiss, “even your morning breath.” She giggled and
shooed him away, even though his kiss left her heart pounding.

Their
flight was nearly over, which left Morgan making a mental list of all
the things that she needed to do. First on her list was to call
Julianne and tell her where she was, then to ask her boss if she
could arrange for the week to start that Friday instead of the
following one. Her next move would depend upon that call, so her
mental list came to an abrupt halt.

*****

Carlos
handed his phone to a young woman, and listened intently as she began
to speak. “Yes, this is Morgan Holland...uh.. I'm a guest in
your hotel. I've misplaced my key and I need a new one.” The
girl blew a bubble then popped it loudly before pulling the gum back
into her mouth. Carlos quickly grabbed the last bit of the pink goo
and ripped it away, then threw it on the ground. The look he gave her
told the girl to at least pretend to have a bit of class. “She
did? I mean, I did?” Carlos quickly pulled the phone from her
and listened. He heard enough to realize that Morgan had already
checked out, and that he had missed his opportunity.

He
had found the girl panhandling on the street and paid her one hundred
dollars to make the call and say what he'd told her. He was finished
with her services, but realized that he had a whole new set of
problems. Morgan was gone, and he had to start completely over. He
walked away from the girl and ended the call with the hotel, then
immediately called Mendez. “She's gone. Find her.”

*****

“Yeah,
that's right.” Morgan nodded and paced to the other side of the
room as she answered Julianne. It was the first time she had been out
of earshot of Tanner, and she knew her time was limited to the few
moments it would take him to get their coffee. She didn't want to
lie
to Tanner, but she also didn't want him to know she was purposely
asking to take her week early. He already assumed she was starting
the job on Friday, so she didn't want to tell him she technically had
a whole other week that she was giving up. It was nothing personal to
him, but Morgan was ready to get on with her job. “This Friday,
instead of the next.”

“I'll
see what I can do, child. You know, it will be up to Mister Segura if
he would like to take you at that time instead?” Julianne
reminded Morgan, even though she already knew the answer. If he
decided to wait until the original time, that was fine, but she
really hoped otherwise.

“Yes,
I know. Thank you for asking him, I really appreciate it!”
Morgan had already told Julianne that she was in Costa Rica, so their
call ended with two short goodbye's and an
I'll let you know.
Morgan sat down on the bed and smiled down at her phone. Julianne
was the best boss she could ever imagine having, and if the woman had
been in the same room as Morgan right then, she would have hugged her
tightly. “So...
Anthony.
” Morgan navigated to the
photos in her phone, and to the image she had saved of her client.
“Well, hello.”

Anthony
was going to be fun, she could tell already. In his picture, he was
standing next to a chain-link fence, with one tanned elbow propped up
beside him, and one leg bent, touching his foot to the fence. He had
the kind of smile that could light up a whole room and it was that
kind of confidence that Morgan loved. His eyes looked kind, and
although she guessed him to be around Finlay's age, Morgan assumed he
lived young like Tanner.

The
fact that he was wearing a nice pair of jeans that accentuated a
tight behind and thick, muscular legs and a white button-up shirt
that gave her a hint of what was underneath only added to the allure
of the handsome man. With a ball cap on his head, she wasn't so sure
about his hair, nor could she tell the color of his eyes from the
photo, but he was certainly her type of guy.

“I
know who else would like you.” She giggled as she sent the
picture to a person she knew would enjoy it greatly.
Meet
Anthony...or shall we say, Mr. Costa Rica.
She sent the text off
to Angel, just as Tanner came back into the room.

“Just
so ya know,” Tanner stopped right behind her, wrapping his arms
around her waist, “I heard everything.” Morgan started to
turn her head but he quickly put his chin on her shoulder. “It's
alright, I get it.” Tanner assumed, as Morgan thought he would,
that she only had a few days with him until her next job. Hearing
that she could technically spend the entire next week with him, but
chose to work, had instantly bothered him. He quickly shook it off,
however, when he realized that he'd barged into her life unannounced
and she had still offered to spend all of her free time with him.

“I'm
sorry.” She leaned her head against his as a long loud sigh
filled the otherwise silent room. “This last week has
been....,” she thought carefully about her next words, “well,
let's just say that I've had enough time off.” Tanner laughed
and squeezed her tightly. Yes, her ordeal with Kole would probably
send anyone into work-mode, and he couldn't blame her at all.

He
placed a soft kiss on her shoulder, then spoke against her skin. “But
the next two days are mine.” Tanner heard the slight giggle
from Morgan right before he turned slightly and gently bit her neck.
She tried pushing him away as she laughed loudly, but he pulled her
tightly against his body. “I said,” he licked her skin
from ear lobe to shoulder, “that you,” his teeth scraping
against her collar bone, “are mine.” Tanner spun her
around quickly and scooped her from her feet. Morgan wrapped her
arms around his neck and laughed into his chest as he carried her to
the bed.

Morgan
was still holding her phone, and as Tanner allowed her body to fall
on the soft mattress, the device sounded with a loud text
notification in her hand. Both she and Tanner looked down to see a
word bubble appear with Julianne's words,
This Friday is good.

Tanner
let out a soft, nearly inaudible sigh and fell to the bed beside her.
Morgan heard his angst and set her phone aside without responding to
Julianne. She propped herself up on one elbow and leaned in close to
kiss his neck, up to his ear. “And you are mine,” she
whispered.

He
turned his head toward Morgan, unable to avoid the smirk that took
over his lips. Her words sent sparks of heat through his body. It had
been far too long since they had been able to fully enjoy one
another, and the thought of finally having her drove his desire.
Tanner threw one leg over Morgan's body and pulled the rest of
himself up, until he was directly over her.

His
mouth came down hard on hers, and his hands held hers above her head.
She tried to move, and his fingers laced around hers, as he held her
tighter to the bed.

“Let
me touch you,” Morgan spoke against his mouth and she felt him
smile against her lips. Tanner broke from the kiss and slowly shook
his head back and forth.

“Me
first.” His hands slid down the length of her arms, over her
shoulders, to her breasts, down her stomach. Morgan arched her back
as he lifted the shirt up to her waist, and over her chest. “No,”
he warned, as Morgan tried to move again to help with her shirt. “Not
until I have kissed,” his lips moved to her stomach and he
kissed her lightly. “Every,” further up, he kissed her
again. “Inch of,” his hand moved under her body and he
easily undid the clasp of her bra, as he kissed her body again. He
pushed the lacy material over her chest, until her beautiful breasts
were exposed to his mouth. “Your body.” He finished his
words, as he took one of her hardened nipples between his lips.

Morgan's
back arched again, her hands took their place on his head and her
fingers curled around his long hair. He didn't stop her that time,
but he bit down with a warning that made Morgan moan loudly with
pain, and pleasure.

He
lifted his head and smiled at Morgan, over her heaving breast. “I
can't leave the other one out.” She closed her eyes and braced
herself for his mouth, but her phone rang out beside them.

After
a few rings, Morgan still hadn't felt his hot mouth on her skin, and
she opened her eyes to see him staring at her phone. “I don't
care, just...” Morgan sighed and let go of his hair. Tanner was
already sitting up as the ringing stopped.

“Where
were we?” He lowered his head again, and Morgan could feel his
breath against her skin, but her phone starting ringing again.
“Fuck.”

“Turn
if off, I don't care!” Morgan insisted, and giggled as Tanner
picked up the phone. Her smile faded though when he held it out to
her.

“Answer
it.” He nodded toward the phone. “It's Angel.”

“More
of a reason
not
to answer it!” She laughed again and
took the phone from his hands and silenced the call. No sooner did it
hit the bed, was it ringing again.

“Answer
it,” Tanner told her again. “Or I will.” He picked
it up and threatened over the answer button. She didn't really care
if he
did
answer it, but he knew he would just press the
button and hand it to her anyway.