Cori
I can’t believeI’m in a tizzy over that man again. I’ve had to stop and start counting the register three times already because I can’t get him out of my head. The way he looked at me when he talked about my family like he truly meant what he was saying. Of course, I believe him, but so much time has passed. Where was he when my dad was sick? Or when Dave tried to start his own tech company and had to file for bankruptcy.
Shit. I lose count of the stack of twenties in my hand once more. I tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear, knowing that it’s totally useless trying to completely wipe him from my thoughts. The worst part of all of it is that I just want to be with him again, but it’s pretty apparent that won’t happen.
I forgot how good it felt to be around him—not just because he’s the most gorgeous man on the planet with a body that puts Jason Momoa to shame, but because I can be myself around him, warts and all.
Finally, I get the drawer counted. I grab my purse and double-check everything on my closing list. The winter chill sends a shiver through me as I lock the door behind me.
“Geez, took you long enough.”
“Fuck!” I scream and spin around. Ty leans against his car, hands in his pockets, smiling a victorious grin. My hand flies to my chest. “You can’t do that, Ty. You about scared me to death.”
“I know,” he walks toward me. “Because downtown Thunder is so teeming with serial killers.”
“That’s not it, you jerk.” I slap his chest, hard as steel against my palm. “Anyone could sneak up behind me and…what do you want?”
“I thought maybe you’d like to show me around?” He shrugs those massive shoulders, scrunching his nose. It’s amazing how sometimes he looks exactly like the guy I used to know, and at other times he’s completely unrecognizable.
“Ty, you grew up here. News flash, nothing’s really changed.”
“Jesus, your purse looks like it weighs a ton.” He reaches for it, sliding it off of my arm before I have a chance to object. “It weighs a ton. What do you have in here, bricks?”
I roll my eyes, noticing the dimple in his cheek. How could I have forgotten about the dimple in his cheek? “Books. It’s a perk designed to make up for the low pay.”
“Sounds like a jip.”
“Not when you read as much as I do.” My sudden empty-handedness feels strange. I don’t know what to do with my hands.
“So where should we go? Are you hungry?”
“Ty cut the shit.”
“What?” He unlocks his car and sets my purse in the backseat. “I thought maybe it’d be fun to revisit some old haunts and, I don’t want to do it alone.”
My brain races. Of course, I want to go with him, but I also don’t quite understand his motives. My heart wants to believe that he’s doing this because he wants to hang out with me, but my head wonders if he’s doing this so that I’ll be the middleman in his scheme to talk my brother out of requesting the money.
But as the old saying goes, the heart wants what the heart wants…
“Fine,” I say and make my way around to the passenger’s side. To my delight, the car’s been on the whole time, including the seat warmer. “Wow, that feels good,” I say. My car’s ancient and still boasts a CD player.
“Nice, huh?” He says, checking his rearview before driving off down the dark street. With all the shops closed, we don’t have too many options on where to go. “I thought we’d drive by the high school.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah,” he says and turns in the direction of our old alma mater. When I was a freshman, Ty was a senior. My crush really kicked up around then. Of course, I was brace-faced and acne-prone. He and my brother had their own agenda, and it wasn’t until after I’d graduated from high school, and Ty would stay with us for part of the summer break between semesters at college that he started noticing me back.
I sneak a glance at him, at the man he’s become. He’s still so beautiful, with his romanesque profile and pronounced cheekbones. He’s truly gotten better with age. His thick build is meant for cuddling, and I wonder what it would feel like to have him pressed against me now, when I know what I like and am not afraid to tell him how to get me there. If he even needs the help. The vivid thought dampens my panties.
“It looks so small,” Ty says, pulling into the parking lot of the high school. We stop near the front entrance. “Isn’t it funny how time and perspective changes with experience?”
“Actually, it is funny,” I say, unable to tear my eyes from him. When he turns to meet my gaze, my body erupts with pure desire. The silent purr of the engine acts as a comfort blanket between us, neither of us able to tear our eyes away from each other. “Things got weird, huh?”
“Yeah,” he says, raising his eyebrows. “Things got really weird.”
“Ty, are you just hanging out with me because you want me to tell my brother to call this whole thing off?” I can’t believe I just blurted my truth out like this, but I don’t feel bad. I’m too old, too mature to play games. My heart is more important than my ego, regardless of whatever answer Ty gives me.
“Cori.” His low voice vibrates when he says my name; it sends shivers down my arm. I say a silent prayer that his motives are about me and not persuading my brother. I’m weak for him, always have been.
He shakes his head and licks his full lips. “No. I wanted to see you. The truth is that I can’t stop thinking about you. About us, and that one night we had. I came here to stop your brother from trying to sue, but there’s so much more to the situation than that.”
“Like what?” I say, my voice barely a whisper.
Ty leans closer, resting his arm between us. “Like you, Cori.” His eyes flicker down to my lips. “I forgot how good it feels to be around you. How I can be myself and…”
“And what?”
“And the man I am when I’m with you? That’s the kind of man I want to be all the time.”