“Instead, I get breakfast and a show.” He winks and I press my palm against his chest, a dismal attempt to move him out of my way. Tanner tips his head back and laughs, and I lean my forehead against his chest. “Who sings that song?”

I glance up through my eyelashes. “You’re kidding right now? Shania Twain!”

“Why don’t we leave it to her from now on?”

“Hey!” I swat at his chest. “I wasn’t that bad!”

I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this carefree, so if he’s laughing at my expense, I’ll let him. This side of him doesn’t come out very often.

“Okay, my dark knight, let’s get this show back on the road. I’m starving.”

He steps back with furrowed brows at the new nickname I just gave him before he slaps my ass. I busy myself, whisking eggs and smashing some avocado with seasoning, whilst Tanner cooks fresh bacon. We are deep into a new and foreign domestic bliss when the app on his phone alerts him that someone is at the door.He glances down to see who it is on the camera as I hear the front door open.

“Brace yourself, Pip,” he says, possessively drawing me back into his arms.

“T, I’m home!” A bubbly female voice sings.

Footsteps travel through the house until a tall, thin, supermodel looking girl props herself up at the breakfast bar. Her mousey brown hair is perfectly highlighted around her face, falling down over her shoulders in bouncy curls. She must be a year or two younger than me.

“Welcome home, Sis,” Tanner greets her. “I wasn’t expecting you, does Mu—”

She sighs. “Mum doesn’t know I’m here, I just needed to get away for a few days. Anyway, it looks like a visit is well overdue.” Her kind eyes glance my way. “Are you going to introduce us?”

Tanner places his hand low on my back, guiding me alongside him, over to his sister. Sister … Wait, Emma? The one he mentioned whilst braiding my hair? He reaches out and drags her off the stool and into his arms, and she melts against his chest.

“Missed you, Squirt.” He looks at me before he continues, a sparkle in his eyes. “This is my girlfriend, Kinsley.”

“Girlfriend?!” she squeals, and almost knocks me off my feet, grabbing my hands and pulling me into a hug. “I’m sorry, but Tanner has never had a girlfriend, so this is kinda a big deal!”

Tanner just called me his girlfriend.

“It’s really nice to finally meet you, Emma, right?” I manage to say, and I think it comes out relatively calm.

“That’s me.” She beams. “Wait, did Tanner mention me?”