Page 108 of Nothing to Do

The only way to not be the stranger was to spend time with those close to him. If Zane’s people were anything like Roxie, it wouldn’t take long to become familiar. Yeah, the group had experience with each other, but this was the start of her journey with them, and it was one she planned to be on for a long time.

THIRTY-THREE

TALK ABOUT AN early start! They were in Honolulu by eight in the morning, and LA by five p.m. local. Some people were staying the night in California, others had connecting flights to catch. Alessia’s tears were expected, she hated goodbyes, but it was nice she’d made friends she promised to keep. Whether they would or not was anyone’s guess. Good intentions and all that.

By the time she got home, it was almost two a.m., that’s in the morning. Oh-two hundred. Usually, she’d unpack. Not then. What a day. She hopped in the shower for less than three minutes, brushed her teeth, and crawled into bed.

Even as she relaxed, she missed him. Being in his bed, their bed on the island, felt weird without him, but at least they had memories and the scent of him was in the air. Her own bed came with none of that joy.

Had he been in LA when she passed through? In her and Alessia’s hour between flights, she had a fleeting thought of calling him. Meeting up with him for mere minutes would only be torture; a reminder of what she missed, what she needed so badly.

Oh, sleep, sleep. This was sleep time. For sure she needed it. Needed to recalibrate for work in the morning. It already was the morning. Work was coming in fast. Too soon. Like a meteor hurtling toward her, or was she the meteor? Who even knew? Everything was too soon while so bone weary.

What was that…? The buzz of her phone vibrating in its dock was so alien, she almost didn’t recognize it. Who’d be calling that late? No one who’d known about her being on theisland or the time she got back. Who would know she’d just got home?

She sat up. Alessia or her mom.

“Hello?” she answered before her tongue was really ready to move.

“I got you something.”

“Got me…” She frowned into the darkness. “Who is this?” A guy, that’s who it was. Not her mother or her sister, it was… “Drift?”

“Good, you got me worried there for a second. How many other guys would be calling this late? It’s not three yet, should I call back then to tell you something?”

“Something trivial?” she asked, recalling one of their early conversations. “Tell me anything, any time.” Loosening, she lay down. “How did you know I was home?”

“I’m tracking your location.”

Her lips curled as her eyes closed. “That’s kinda hot.”

Or Red Flag City, but, hey, optimism had treated her well of late.

“Wait ‘til you see what else I can do,” he said. “Your present’s in the hall.”

“Present?” Right, he’d got her something. “I don’t have a hall, it’s a bedroom, a bathroom…”

“On your doorstep then.”

“Oh.” Suddenly, she didn’t mind standing up so much. Tiredness could wait. “Is it flowers?” Leaving the bedroom, she hobbled across the living room. “Candy? Who delivers this late? Pizza?”

She opened the door, gaze down, expecting a box or bouquet. Instead she spied his boots.

“Dyce,” he said, hanging up the phone as her eyes ascended, absorbing his presence.

Her wonderful, excellent, amazing—

Throwing open the door, she jumped up, wrapping her arms around him. “Oh my God.”

“Guess you’re pleased to see me.”

She heard the door close, so assumed they were inside. Who cared anymore? Oh, her Drift. Their mouths met and she tried to hook her leg up around him, but it was just too awkward with her boot.

Against her will, she relinquished the kiss to drag him through to her room. “How did you know I’d need you?”

“By always needing you myself. You are no less mine today than you were yesterday and the day before. We spent the night together there, why not here too?”

And, damn, she loved his logic. “God, I’m so tired, and so horny, I don’t even know which to—how to—”

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