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"Is that so?" I tease, trying to keep the atmosphere light even though something heavy and thrilling settles in my chest. "Maybe one day you will."
"Maybe," he muses, and there's that promise again, hanging between us, alluring and unspoken.
"Molly," he says, and my name on his lips feels like a caress. "I've had a great time talking to you. I hope we can do this again sometime."
The sincerity in his gaze pins me in place, and I nod, words lodged in my throat. There's a gravity to his words, a silent acknowledgment that this isn't just idle chit-chat by the avocados. This is something else—something with a heartbeat.
"Absolutely," I breathe out, the words a little more than a whisper. Excitement buzzes through me like I'm a live wire, and it's all I can do to keep my knees from buckling under the weight of his gaze.
He steps closer, and I can almost count the shades of blue in his eyes before they close slightly, his face inching toward mine. "Until then, Molly," Tanner murmurs, his voice a seductive rumble that vibrates straight to my bones. The warmth of his breath tickles my ear, sending a cascade of goosebumps down my neck. And then his lips press softly against my cheek, a promise as much as a caress.
I'm frozen, breath hitched, as he pulls back. There's a slow burn where his mouth just was, an ache for more that blossoms in my chest. Tanner's smile is knowing, laced with a hint of danger, like he's well aware of the chaos he's stirring up inside me.
"Goodbye, Tanner," I manage, the world tilting a bit as he turns away. Goodbye? More like see you in every daydream for the foreseeable future.
“No,” he shakes his head, his eyes darkening. “Never say goodbye to me, Molly. Not goodbye. Until later,” he corrects.
I swallow, heat blossoming low in my belly. “Until later then.”
I watch his retreating silhouette, a broad-shouldered shadow that etches itself into the canvas of my memory. Each step he takes is confident, sure—a rhythm that echoes in the suddenly too quiet space around me. My heart hammers a wild beat, and I press a hand to my chest, wondering if he can hear it too, like some kind of distress signal only he's tuned into.
"Wow," I mutter under my breath, the word dissolving in a laugh that bubbles up unbidden. This—the fluttering in my stomach, the heat on my cheeks—it's all new territory. And Tanner? He's the undisputed explorer, planting flags in parts unknown. I can still feel the ghost of his lips on my cheek, an imprint that sears through my skin and stirs something deep within me.
The cool metal of my car door handle grounds me for a second, a brief reprieve from the high I'm riding. I slide into the driver's seat, the leather familiar and comforting against my back. I'm half expecting the ignition to protest, to sense the seismic shift in me and refuse to start. But the engine purrs to life, obedient and unaware of the tectonic plates rearranging themselves beneath its wheels.
As I drive off, my smile's pretty much permanent, etched onto my face for the foreseeable future. The rearview mirror gives me a glimpse of the store fading away, but every cell in my body is keenly aware of where this road could lead. Hope blooms fierce in my chest, a wildflower stubborn in its will to grow.
I hope Tanner comes to visit my brother again tonight.
CHAPTER THREE
Tanner
I'm on my third set of push-ups, sweat dripping off my brow like a leaky faucet when my phone buzzes against the hardwood floor. The caller ID flashes Jake's name, and I hesitate, knowing that picking up means stepping into an emotional minefield I've been avoiding for days. But loyalty is a bitch with sharp teeth, and it bites hard. I answer with a grunt.
"Bro, where you been?" Jake's voice barrels through the line, casual as a Sunday morning.
"Been busy," I lie, pushing up into a sitting position and wiping my face with the back of my hand. Images of Molly, laughing in the cereal aisle with her hair cascading like a chocolate waterfall, flicker behind my eyelids. Damn, even the thought of her sends a twitch down to my groin. “What have you and Moll been up to?”
"I’m doing the same old shit, and Molly's got a date tonight with some guy named Leo."
His words slice through me. My hand tightens around my phone so hard I’m surprised I don’t snap the fucking thing in two.
"Leo, huh?" My voice is a steady drawl, but inside, my stomach twists into a pretzel. "Good for her."
"What about you? What you been up to? Why haven’t you dropped by the house lately?”
“Just busy taking care of some things, man,” I lie again. I’m not in the mood for small talk. Not even with my best friend. Not when the reason for my sole existence has my entire body going up in flames right now.
“Hey, listen, man. Gotta go. Talk later?” I like to my best friend yet again.
"Sure. Don't be a stranger, okay?" Jake's concern is genuine, but it scrapes against nerves already frayed by longing and unspoken truths.
"Will do." I hang up, drop the phone, and let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
Alone again, I flop onto my back and pull my phone close, opening the app with Molly's smiling face staring back at me from the screen. I start scrolling through her posts, each photo and status update a breadcrumb leading me through the forest of her life. It's like a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart, seeing her smile, the way she throws her head back when she laughs, the glint of mischief in those big brown eyes.
I double-tap a picture of her at the beach, sunlight kissing her skin. My thumb hovers over the comment box before retreating. Can't leave any traces, not when I'm supposed to be keeping my distance.
