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I want to take it; I want to feel his skin against mine more than anything in the world. So, I take a deep breath, and place my palm in his, gasping at the shot of electricity that travels through my whole body from the point of contact.
Tyler stills, his eyes widening as if he felt it too. Then he smiles and tugs me toward his car.
I should probably be worried that I got in a car with a virtual stranger and he’s taking me to God knows where. But I’m not. I’m so Zen right now, just being this close to Tyler after all these years. It’s like I haven’t been able to take a full breath all this time and now that he’s here beside me, I finally can again.
He watches me from the corner of his eye as he drives, a small grin tugging his lips the whole time.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“The first time I saw you, my family had just moved to town. My brother and I went for a walk, bored out of our brains. We walked around the entire town, then on our way back to our new home, I saw you. You were sitting under a huge tree, a massive breath-taking smile on your face as you played with a ferret.”
My brows furrow, that’s not how we met. But before I can call him out on it, he pulls the car over at the park on the outskirts of town.
He gets out, rounds the hood, and opens my door. I look up at him, still frowning because I have no idea what he’s doing. Then he extends a hand and smiles.
“Come on, I’ll show you,” he says, curling his fingers around my palm and leading me to a large oak tree.
We sit under it and I stare at him, waiting for him to continue his story.
Tyler picks a long blade of grass and twists it between his fingers, seemingly lost in his memories when he begins to speak. “You were the first girl I’d ever really taken notice of.” He looks at me from beneath his lashes, smiling shyly. “I pointed you out to my brother, Leo. He was more interested in the ferret.”
“Jojo.” I whisper the name of my beloved ferret. He was the cutest thing in the world. He started my love affair with the mischievous little critters.
“That was his name,” Tyler says, grinning. “Do you still have him?”
I shake my head, looking at my hands in my lap. “He died a few years ago. His grandsons keep me company now.”
His eyes sparkle and he grins wickedly. “Damn, Jojo got busy, huh?”
I chuckle. “He did indeed. He was a right dog with the ladies,” I say, waggling my brows.
When Tyler laughs, it travels right through me. I used to live for that sound. I can’t take my eyes off him as he throws his head back, holds his stomach, and laughs his ass off. I didn’t think it was that funny, but whatevs.
He eventually settles, but the grin stays on his face. “Okay, so Leo was all, ‘check out that ferret, it’s so cool’. And I was like, ‘no, dickhead, the girl, look at the girl.’” Tyler rolls his eyes and mutters, “Idiot.”
This time, I chuckle.
His eyes fix on my mouth as he continues. “Anyway, as much as I wanted to approach you that day, I smelt like ass from wondering around town in the blazing sun. That was not the first meeting I wanted, so we went home. I knew how small the town was, so I had no doubt I’d see you again.”
Well, that explains why I don’t remember this being our meet cute. But I’m not ready to drop my amnesia act just yet. I’m enjoying this walk down memory lane from his perspective.
My gaze stays locked on Tyler as he relaxes back on his outstretched arms and inhales deeply, then releases it slowly. “I’ve missed this place. I didn’t think I would when we had to ship out. I thought you were the only thing that made me like it here. But now that I’m back—” He takes another deep breath. “—the air here is so fresh and clean.”
I side eye him. “Fresh and clean? Where have you been living?”
His attention strays toward the sky as he answers. “Here, there, everywhere. We moved around a lot.”
I seize my opportunity to get some answers. “Why’d you move so much?”
He swallows, hard, and my eyes fix on his Adams apple as it bobs. “It’s a long story.”
My brows furrow, he’s being deliberately obtuse. But before I can call him out on it, he stands and offers me his hand. “Come on, time for our next stop.”
My fingers slide over his palm, I feel that zap of energy at our connection once more, and I lick my lips, averting my gaze.
Christ, she’s gorgeous.
That thought runs through my brain on repeat. She’s got curves for days and legs I can’t wait to have wrapped around me again.
