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“It will.”
“You calling me a liar?”
“Maybe.”
His lips curled deviously as he reached for her, his fingers digging into her side in the place she was most ticklish. Powerless against the sensation, she threw her head back as her laughter exploded into the high school parking lot. Her breath created a cloud in the air around them, but TJ didn’t let up until she was gasping and pleading for mercy. Then he surprised her by pulling her into his arms. “There’s no sound I love in all the world more than your laugh.”
Her mouth was dry, her heart racing against the inside of her heaviest winter coat she’d gotten at the thrift store. Why was he standing so close to her? “What’s so special about my laugh?” Her voice wobbled as he drifted impossibly closer.
“Because it’s yours.” As his hands slid against Melody’s chin, cupping her face tenderly until his fingers burrowed into her hair, Melody’s stomach tangled up in such a tight knot, she thought she would faint. He was going to kiss her. TJ was going to—
And then he did, stealing all thoughts except one.
She loved TJ Halverson.
Melody swallowed with painful longing at the favorite memory. TJ had made her fly that day. It had been the most beautiful experience in her entire life. That kiss had made her feel like the world’s greatest treasure. Like a precious jewel. He’d communicated every feeling he had in that kiss.
TJ Halverson didn’t like Melody Reed as a friend. He liked her as something much, much more.
He loved her.
Oh, she kissed him back all right, not hesitating, relishing the rush of feelings coursing through her, the sweet touches and soft looks. The feeling of being enough. More than enough. Everything.
The feeling of being everything to TJ.
In the darkness of her bedroom that night, panic set in. If TJ was more than a friend, he would know everything eventually. Everything about her mom. Everything about her.
He would see all the things her mom saw.
And she’d lose him.
She would become nothing to TJ.
The next day she did the most painful thing she ever had up to that time and until now. She told TJ they would be better off staying friends. She didn’t give a reason. Seeing the agony in his eyes almost changed her mind. But he nodded and never mentioned it again. Not once.
Not a day had passed since without her thinking of it. Not even when she dated other guys. When they kissed her, she thought of TJ every single time.
No one had ever kissed her again the way TJ had.
No one had loved her.
But would he love her if he truly knew her?
Terror enveloped her, stronger than the cold, stronger than her feelings, and she stepped back, forcing TJ to break his hold on her.
“I’m freezing.”
“Right.” He cleared his throat and lunged toward his car, opening the passenger door and all but shoving her in. The second the engine purred to life, he turned the heat vents to the highest level, pointing them all at Melody. Her teeth chattered and after some time, pain began shooting up and down her legs and arms as feeling slowly, excruciatingly, returned to her nerves.
“How’d you find me?” she asked after they sat in silence in the idling car for more than five minutes.
“You never replied to my text messages. I went to your house, and you weren’t there, but your car was. So, I started driving. I was worried I’d find your frozen body.”
Melody closed her eyes. She’d been an idiot. So foolish. So reckless.
Stupid, stupid, stupid!
With stiff hands, she reached for her phone, snug in her pants pocket. There was a string of text messages, all from TJ, each more worried than the last.
