Don't You Dare

Chapter Thirty-Seven:

"Okay, so tomorrow we take 'em out for lunch, buy 'em some drinks..." Tanner raised an eyebrow and looked at me.

"Then I let it slip and act like I didn't mean to say it." I shrugged my shoulders and looked back down at my phone.

"That's stupid." He said crossing his arms.

"Well I don't see you coming up with anything." I slapped my phone down on the couch and whipped around to look at him.

"Why don't we just tell them? The way your mom was acting, I don't think she'd mind." He sat down beside me.

"What about my daddy?" I said with a little more attitude than intended.

"Look, Shelby, there ain't nothing we can do about you being pregnant. Whatever he thinks is whatever he thinks, and we can't change that. Shit happens and, of all people, you father should understand. Didn't you say you were an accident?"

I looked away from him as I felt my cheeks blush. I heard his chuckle and I looked up at him. I never understood why he was so nice, so understanding. Where had he been my whole life? I sighed at the warm feeling that crept across my chest.

"Tanner?" I asked him shyly.

"What's up?" He said, turning the volume down on the T.V.

"Why are you so nice to me?"

He looked over with a shocked look on his face. It quickly turned to a goofy smile, "Because I love you."

"I...I love you too..." I said hesitantly.

I thought he'd kiss me or try something else, but instead he just smiled and held out his arms. He still had a goofy look on his face and I giggled while I fell back into his arms.

"Do you want to sleep in my bed tonight?" I asked after about an hour of silence.

I felt his body jolt, "Are-are you serious?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"You ready for bed then?" I could hear the excitement in his voice.

"I thought you weren't tired." I smirked.

"I lied." He said like it was nothing and jumped out of his seat.

"Well okay." I watched him strip down to his boxers in under five seconds.
"That was a little scary." I said, my whole face turning red.

He flung his clothes over his shoulder and winked, "Was it?"

I stood and walked over to him. He was emanating with happiness, "C'mon."

We skipped down the hallway like a couple of kids; That night was probably the best sleep I had ever gotten.