Reluctantly, we got dressed and I drove her home. When we pulled up to her house, I kissed her slowly, wanting to remember everything about the way she felt.
“Keep doing that and I’ll never get out of the car,” she joked.
“That’s the plan,” I told her with a playful grin.
She laughed as she pushed the car door open.
I watched her curls bounce as she made her way across the yard and disappeared inside.
I shook my head and tried to pull myself out of the memory. That night had been one of the best of my life. Hell, even after five years, it still stood out in my mind. There were so many things I loved about being with Alicia, but the way our bodies melded so perfectly together was by far one of the best. She had a way of captivating me completely, mind, body, and soul.
CHAPTER 8
Zane
When I looked up, my eyes searched for Alicia, but she was no longer sitting at the table with Allie and Jordan.
Frowning, I looked around, but she was nowhere in sight. Against my better judgement, I took a step forward. Allie watched me with narrowed eyes as I approached her.
“Hi, Allie,” I said. “Jordan.”
“Zane,” Jordan nodded. He openly glared at me and slid his arm protectively around Allie.
“What do you want?” Allie demanded. “Why the hell are you here?”
“I heard about your uncle and I wanted to—”
“To what?” she snapped. “Pay your respects?”
“Something like that.” I shrugged. Feeling my face flushing, I looked away for a split second. There was nothing that could turn me into a shell of my former self faster than being face-to-face with Alicia’s fiercely protective older sister.
“Thank you,” Jordan said, his jaw tight. “We appreciate you coming.”
I nodded. “Where’s Alicia?”
Allie laughed derisively and shook her head like she couldn’t believe I would dare speak Alicia’s name in her presence.
“She ran out when she saw you,” Jordan explained.
“Oh.”
“Are you surprised?” Allie demanded.
“A little,” I answered honestly. “I don’t know what I expected to happen when we saw each other again, but I didn’t think she would run away from me.”
“And why not?” Allie asked.
“Well, things didn’t end that badly,” I said quietly, speaking more to myself than to her.
“Maybe not for you,” Allie hissed. “But for Alicia, it was—”
“Al,” Jordan said warningly, shaking his head.
“What?” I pressed. “For Alicia, it wa
s what?”
“Nothing,” Jordan said with a tone of finality in his voice. “For Alicia, it was nothing. She just doesn’t want to see you. Can you respect that?”