Raw Burn (Touched By You) Read Online Free PDF Page B

stopped and plowed into the limo, damaged the rear bumper. Judging by the impact he must have been going over thirty miles an hour. It was a pretty good impact. The cab driver’s air bags deployed…said he wasn’t hurt…didn’t have any passengers.”
    “An accident? Is Tanner alright?”
    “Yes, yes. He’s fine. He didn’t want to worry you, so wouldn’t allow anyone to call. He seems ok ay. He claims he is fine, but he’s in the back seat, asleep now. I put up the privacy panel so I could call you without him knowing. He might be upset at me. But I didn’t want you to be caught off guard. He’s a bit rumpled, and has a headache.”
    “Oh no, h ow far away are you?”
    “Just a couple of miles; we should be there very shortly. We would have been early, but were delayed by this mishap. Insurance will cover the damage, and no police came to the scene since there were no injuries. Otherwise, we would have been much later.
    When we arrive , I’ll let you come out and wake him up.”
    As soon as the limo pulled up , Natalie ran out before Andre called for her. She’d been waiting outside, frantic with worry. Tanner woke up when Natalie placed her hand on his cheek. He looked groggy, but had no signs of serious injury. At least not that she could see. Andre followed him to the house to be sure he was okay then waited with the limo. Natalie noticed the damage to the rear bumper.
    Fortunately, some of the new furniture they’d bought had already been delivered. She took him into the living room and he sat on the new sofa, leaning his head back. Natalie got him some water, and sat down, anxious to hear the whole story.
    “It was just a mi nor accident. I’m really fine…just a bit of a headache. But now, seeing you, it’s nearly gone,” he smiled.
    “Oh, don’t give me that. You need to see the doctor.”
    “No, you’re making too much of this.”
    “I can’t help it. I pan icked when I saw you lying in the back seat. I’ve never thought of anything happening to you. But if it did...” Tears welled in her eyes.
    Tanner sat up and wrapped his arm around her. “It’s okay, baby. I’m okay.” He held her for several minutes, giving her time to see that everything was alright.
    Natalie knew she was overreacting, but something might have really happened to him. Her realization that he was vulnerable, just like anyone , rattled her. He was her life, and she couldn’t bear the thought of harm coming to him. She placed her palm on his cheek, and pressed her head against his chest.
    The idea that Natalie worried about him was reassuring. Not that he wanted to see her distressed, not at all. But it never occurred to him that she’d react as she had. Really, he’d never thought of it either way. Having confidence in his strength, and still young enough not to be concerned with physical weaknesses, it was a new experience to be cared about in that way.
    Oddly, the situation provoked a new perspective, and Tanner was stunned at his own though ts. The strength of their union and power of the love they’d found with each other, begged for something more permanent - sharing life’s good and bad, all of it. Conceiving of life without Natalie was impossible. He could no longer drift into another relationship, should his current one cease to satisfy.
    The direction his mind was taking him was unc omfortable, certainly more uncomfortable than any insignificant rear-end accident. The pain he was feeling had nothing to do with a physical impact. It was an emotional tidal wave, and he shifted in his seat causing Natalie to sit upright.
    “What?” She said, trying to read the look on his face.
    Desperate to shift the focus, h e pulled her over to the piano, and sat on the bench to play. “Here, let’s try out this new piano. I want to see if I can tell a difference in the sound. I’m so used to the antique piano at the cottage.”
    Natalie stood, leaning against the piano, looking down at him. Sometimes he was a