He fluffed around the kitchen, pulling out everything he needed and feeling completely inept at the same time. He was just reaching for a mixing bowl when Dani entered the room and cleared her throat. He jerked, bumping his arm and nearly dropping the bowl as he pulled it out.
Placing it on the counter with a blush, he leaned against the island in the middle of the kitchen and smiled at her. She looked cute in his baggy clothes. Her straight, wet hair hung long over her shoulders, creating wet patches in the fabric. He was glad the shirt was a really dark orange.
"Thanks for these." She swallowed, tugging at the bottom of his shirt before crossing her skinny arms over her chest.
"You're welcome. Sorry about the underwear thing. I'll take you shopping later if you want."
"That's okay." She flicked her thumb over her shoulder. "I just need to do some laundry."
"Oh yeah, yeah sure." He'd forgotten about her bag at the door. Moving past her, he snaffled it up then walked back into the kitchen and led her to the adjoining laundry room.
Dumping the bag on top of the dryer, he unzipped it.
"I can do it if you like." Dani gently nudged him out of the way.
"Okay." He stepped back and quickly pointed out the different detergents. Laundry was one thing he did know how to do. It had been his household chore since he turned twelve.
She nodded at his instructions and he left her to it, slowly making his way back to the eggs. He'd cracked three into the bowl and was just measuring out the milk when she returned. She slid onto one of the kitchen stools and watched him whisk up the eggs and then dump in some salt and dried herbs. He hoped that was right. That's the way his dad always made them.
The silence became unnerving, he sensed more for her than him. That lip biting could not be good for her wasted mouth. Clearing his throat, he leaned the whisk against the edge of the bowl and looked at her.
"So, where've you been?"
Yeah, it was an awkward question, but no more awkward than their silence. He figured they may as well get it out now and then they could work out what was going to happen next.
Dani's hands began to shake again as she ran her finger along the edge of the counter.
"I headed south." Her lips puckered for a second. "When you broke your promise, I had to go. I had to..."
She trailed off and Zach closed his eyes, hating himself briefly. When he'd discovered how she'd been living the life of a con artist, collecting identities as if they were baseball cards, he'd been furious. She betrayed him pretending to be someone she wasn’t. But then she'd told him the truth about why she did it, about how she'd had to lie and steal to survive. The story of her parents' murders had near killed him and he'd wanted to fix it. He'd ignored her pleas for confidentiality and spilled the beans to his uncle.
"It's okay, Zach." She touched his arm and his eyes popped open. "Yes, I was mad. You'd broken my trust, but that was forgivable. I mean, I'd broken yours, right?"
His nod was miniscule.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she sniffed them away before they could spill. "I made it all the way to San Diego, you know." She shook her head with a wry chuckle. "Mexico. That was my plan, but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't stop thinking about you. I hated the idea that you were mad with me or that I'd hurt you." She drew in a shaky breath. "I know it's selfish to be back. I could be putting you in danger, but I just had to see you again."
"Hey." Zach's insides crumpled in time with her expression. Racing around the counter, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. She swiveled on the stool and buried her face into his chest.
"I'm so over hiding out in the woods and eating scraps from restaurant trash cans. I just want to be normal, Zach. I don't want to steal or con or do any of that stuff anymore. I just want to live." She pulled away, tears turning her eyes to a vibrant blue. "And I want to be with you."
Her soft words filled Zach with an overwhelming warmth. Any hurt he'd felt before fled. She belonged in his arms and he wanted to keep her there forever, if possible.
"I'll keep you safe, Dan--Lu--" He chuckled. "What do I call you now? Dani...Lucy?"
Her smile was tentative. "I haven't been called Lucy since the day my parents died...but I kind of like the way it sounds on your lips."
"What, you mean these lips?" Zach leaned forward with a grin, pressing his mouth against hers. She leaned into him with a muted giggle that soon morphed into a soft moan. Her eyelids fluttered closed as she gripped his t-shirt and pressed her body against his. He ran his hand over her shoulders and held the back of her neck, gliding his tongue along her bottom lip. She opened up to him, their tongues dancing together, the familiarity of the move sparking a passion within both of them.
Lucy let out another soft moan, but it was cut short by a knock at the front door. She jerked away from him, her eyes large and fearful.
"It's okay." Zach soothed, rubbing her shoulder gently. "It'll be okay."
He reluctantly shifted away from her and approached the door, hoping that his words were in fact true.
Chapter 3
LUCY