The air between us grew thick and suffocating. My hands were shoved in my pockets. I wanted to pull them free and reach for her, but I didn’t. She stood a few paces away from me, looking awkward and shy. She was waiting for me to ask. I knew she was, but I couldn’t form the words. I didn’t want to play her games anymore.
Finally she sighed. “Okay, well I’ll see you on Monday then, I guess.”
Her non-smiling wave nearly killed me. Before I could stop myself, I caught up with her retreating form and grabbed her wrist. Screw the games, I’d keep playing them if it meant wiping that forlorn look off her face.
“Wait.” Spinning her around, I pulled her towards me, holding her tight to my side. “Can I give you a ride home?” My soft question was laced with humor.
A relieved grin spread across her face. “Nope.”
I gently touched her cheek, my thumb caressing her jawbone. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to kiss you goodnight here instead.”
“I guess you will,” she whispered, running her fingers into my hair and leaning towards me. Our lips met for a warm embrace that was mostly tender, but tinged with a hungry desire that couldn’t be denied. She wanted me, I could feel it in the way her lips moved, in the opening of her mouth and the willingness to let me in. I pulled her close, running my hand up her spine and cradling the back of her head. My tongue darted into her mouth, tasting her sweetness. She was divine. Her body against me felt right, my senses reeling in my exploration.
I could have stayed there all night, forgetting the world and who this girl might be. Her touch made me lose all sense of time and place. The truth didn’t matter when her tongue was grazing my bottom lip and her fingers were dancing through my hair. She tried to pull away twice, but kept diving back towards my mouth before she finally managed to separate herself from me. Her blue eyes were on fire, her narrow lips puffy and beautiful.
I looked into her ignited gaze, my resolve to find out who she was faltering within me. I didn’t want to know, until her face flushed with realization. Her eyes suddenly went skittish as she touched her lower lip like she’d just done something she knew she shouldn’t have. She swallowed back the emotion, but then caught my eye and I saw it again, that starry-eyed euphoria. Yep, she definitely wanted me, she just didn’t think she was allowed me.
I had to find out why.
Initially I wanted to find out her secrets to give myself a reason not to fall for her, but now I wanted to prove myself wrong. I needed to discover that my imagination was on overdrive. I needed to find out that this girl was just Dani. The girl I was falling in love with.
“G’night, Zach.”
“G’night Dani.” I kissed her lightly one last time and took a memory shot of her dreamy smile, tucking it away forever. No matter what I would find out tomorrow, I’d always have this moment. As her body disappeared into the darkness, I pulled my phone free. I didn’t have the energy to talk, so instead sent a three-word text.
See you tomorrow.
The message swooshed away to Uncle Alex along with half my soul.
Chapter 20
ZACH
May 2014
Uncle Alex answered the door with a steaming mug of coffee in his hand.
“Don’t suppose you have a second one of those?” I asked him, bleary-eyed.
With a chuckle, he led me up the stairs and into the kitchen of his small apartment. I looked out the window, a little in awe as always. His apartment may be small, but it had the best view of the bay I’d ever seen. I could even see the edge of Alcatraz.
“Sugar, right?” Uncle Alex called over his shoulder.
“Just one.”
I picked up the newspapers sprawled over the table and read a few headlines. Nothing captured me. I could barely soak in the text. I’d been up half the night reliving the feel of Dani’s sweet tongue in my mouth.
“So.” My uncle placed a bright red mug on the table beside me before pulling out his chair and spinning it around. Throwing a leg on either side, he leaned his elbows against the back and gazed at me with those sharp blue eyes of his.
His wayward curls, unshaven face and easy smile made him look like a surfer, but those eyes — they were all business.
I blew on my coffee and took a quick sip, buying a few seconds to gather my thoughts. His eyes never left my face. I felt them drilling into me and eventually sighed.
“Her name’s Dani, at least I thought it was until I looked through Luke’s yearbook. He’s adamant the girl’s Riley Mitchell.”
“And you’re positive it’s not two different people?”
From my back pocket, I pulled out the photo I’d scanned and reprinted. Opening it up, I handed it to my uncle. “I’ve been looking at that girl for the last ten weeks. I know it’s her.”
“She’s pretty.”
“Yeah.” That thought should make me happy, but it just made this whole thing so much harder to bear. I was nervous about what we’d discover today. Part of me wanted to pull out now, but how could I let myself fall for a girl who was obviously hiding something pretty huge? It would be irresponsible. I wasn’t going down Stalker Chick Lane again…and besides the day was all about proving myself wrong…right?
“She means a lot to you, doesn’t she?” Uncle Alex passed the photo back.