He hadn’t said a word for the last five minutes, and neither had she. The air was silent, save for their soft breathing and the chirp of the birds in the fields. She found herself glancing at his legs again, then quickly pulling her gaze up. He was looking right at her. Had he noticed her scrutiny? Thank god her face was hot already and he couldn’t notice her blush.
When they reached the town square, she expected him to turn off and take the direct road home, but instead he ran next to her, taking the parallel street that led to her house. She gave him a questioning look and he shrugged. His thick, dark hair was ruffled by the breeze, lifting it from his chiseled face.
When they reached her street, Van slowed down to a walk, her breath shallow as it tried to catch up with the oxygen her body needed. Tanner slowed, too, and she turned her head to look up at him.
“You can carry on running,” she said between pants. “You’ve barely broken a sweat.” From the look of him he could probably handle at least another ten miles.
Van, on the other hand, was beat.
He shrugged. “I’ll walk you to your house.”
She blinked. “Why?”
“Because I want to.”
How many times had he walked her home in their lifetimes? First from grade school, then as she grew older and her mom was more neglectful, from his house after dinner, when his Aunt Gina insisted on feeding her. And after she started working at the drive-in, he’d arrive every evening when her shift ended and insisted on making sure she got home safely.
But that was then. When they were kids. Best friends.
More.
Something they hadn’t been for the longest of times.
They reached the edge of her mom’s front yard, and the messy, overgrown lawn made her feel exposed. Another thing to add to her list of things to do. Did her mom even have a lawn mower that worked?
She noticed he was staring, too. Heat stung at her cheeks.
“I’m going to cut it later,” she told him. “Craig’s left and Mom’s not well.”
He frowned. “You need any help?”
“We’re good. She’ll be okay. Zoe and I have it covered.” She inclined her head at the tiny house. “I should go inside.”
“Sure. But if you need anything, I’m around.” The ghost of a smile passed over his lips. “Same place as always.”
“Okay then…” she trailed off, knowing she wouldn’t take him up on his offer. “I guess I’ll see you sometime.”
“I guess you will.” He sounded certain of it. And damn if that deep, warm voice didn’t send a shot of pleasure right through her. Stupid, betraying body. It was so easily pleased.
She walked along the cracked path to the dirty front steps of her house, ignoring the way her heart was clamoring against her ribcage. It was the exercise, that was all. A simple physiological reaction to a five mile run.
Nothing to do with the six-foot-three muscled guy who was watching her from the end of her front yard.
What the hell was he still doing there anyway?
“So, bye,” she said, lifting her hand up. She crouched down to find the key she’d stashed back in the dry plant pot, then stood and slid it into the lock.
When the door creaked open, she allowed herself one last glance over her shoulder.
Luckily for her heart, he’d gone.
Chapter Six
“These are all overdue,” Van said, passing the stack of bills to her mom. “They need paying or everything gets shut off.”
“They won’t shut us off,” Kim said, sounding certain of herself. “I’ll call and tell them Craig’s left. That should give us some time.”
Van blew out a mouthful of air, trying hard not to get frustrated. Her mom still didn’t have a clue how the real world worked. She never had. As long as Van could remember, she pushed responsibility onto other people.