Page 31 of Finding Fate

Her expression softened as he stared into her emerald eyes, and she flushed with the sincerity she saw there. It was hard to look away; and Tucker knew she was as drawn to his gaze as he was to hers, but just as he wanted to lean in, she looked away, handing him the bag of ice from his jaw.

“I think I’m going to go take a shower. My shoulder’s starting to ache a little.”

His heart dropped a bit at the disappointment, but he wouldn’t push her, especially not tonight. He stood up, intending to leave when he felt Izzy’s hand grasp his arm.

“Don’t go,” she said, her eyes pleading and scared.

“Okay, I’ll stay,” he assured her and went to sit back down. He wouldn’t leave her by herself if she was frightened. She had every right to be tonight.

“Actually, do you think you could wait in the hall upstairs? Or in Tyler’s room?” She fidgeted as she spoke, tugging at the ends of her hair behind her back then crossing her arms as she waited for his response. “I don’t want to be up there alone.”

“I’ll sit outside your door,” he told her. Whatever she needed.

* * *

Isabel stood beneath the steady stream of hot water, letting the heat work its way into her sore and bruised muscles. Being struck and feeling defenseless against someone who intended to hurt her had given her a bitter aftertaste of herself.

She had been incredibly stubborn these past several weeks and for all the wrong reasons. Wesley had seemed so perfect at first, and she just kept blowing things off when he would do something that didn’t sit right, ignoring what her gut had been trying to tell her. And for what? To prove Annie wrong? To have a boyfriend she’d been happy without in the first place?

“So stupid,”she degraded herself.

After the soreness in her muscles eased, she proceeded to wash, her thoughts switching to Tucker. He liked her. He had been there for her tonight, saved her from a horrifying experience. She thought of him sitting right outside her bedroom door and felt a strange mixture of excitement and comfort.

“Is it possible for four childhood friends to grow up next door to one another and end up together?”It was for Annie and Jet, she knew that much, but was the same in store for her and Tucker? “What would happen if we started dating and broke up?” She couldn’t bear the thought of losing one of her best friends that way. “And don’t forget about those boundaries. You set those up for a reason.” But if they truly mattered, why had he been in her head so much?

Stepping out of the shower, she towel-dried her hair, wrapping the terrycloth around her body before bracing herself for the mirror. The damage, however, appeared more internal than anything else. Brushing her hair next and then her teeth seemed to center her a bit. She at least felt more put together when she stepped into her room, yet she stopped dead in her tracks, her heart going to her throat as she spotted someone by the window.

Tucker turned around, his eyes widening in surprise as a wave of relief rushed through her again. “Of course it wouldn’t have been Wesley. Tucker wouldn’t have let that happen,” she thought as her friend’s gaze dragged up and down her body. He swallowed hard, stumbling for words.

“Uh,” his eyes met hers before he finally snapped them shut. “I’m sorry, Izzy. I-I thought I’d be out of here before you were done.”

It dawned on Isabel that she wasn’t wearing anything but a towel, and her hand flew to where she had tucked the two ends together at her chest. “What are you doing in here?” she asked, her embarrassment starting to stake its claim in her cheeks.

Standing awkwardly in front of her window, Tucker kept his eyes clenched shut. “I thought I heard something outside, and I wanted to check.”

“What was it?” she asked, involuntarily starting to shake.

Tucker rushed to her side at the panic in her voice. “Nothing. It was nothing. Just one of the neighbors coming home.”

She nodded, forcing the breath back to her lungs.

He gently held her elbow, steadying her. “You okay?” he asked, ignoring her state of dress to search her gaze.

“Yeah,” she breathed, noting the tingles that shot through her arm with his touch. She wondered why he didn’t leave, why they didn’t move, but she was lost in his stare again and this time couldn’t find it in herself to look away. She’d pushed it away before, but there was honestly no denying it now.

There was something between them, a connection. She could feel it drawing her toward him and him toward her. The moment felt intense, deep, and the will to resist was gone. She closed the distance between them, her lips meeting his, stupid boundaries be damned.

His kiss was soft and warm, yet somehow urgent. Her heart raced in her chest, and the butterflies in her stomach swarmed at the connection. All doubts about being with Tucker were gone as every feeling she’d been shoving back for so long came rushing in.

She felt heady with her decision, and quickened her lips, moving them vigorously with his. Her hands reached up to wind her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer as he tightened his arms around her.

The raw emotion Wesley had left her with melted away as she kissed her best friend. Something new was filling her and driving her now, and all she could do was follow it. She had ignored her gut too often lately and refused to do so anymore.

Her hands reached down and found the buckle on Tucker’s belt. His lips slowed, his body tensing. She knew he would wonder if she really meant it, if she was ready, and she knew that she wanted, needed, to be with him at that moment.

Tiptoeing to press her lips against his ear, she whispered, “I’m sure.” The buckle released at last, and she tugged it from his waist.

Tucker needed no more encouragement than that. He lifted her from the ground, and her legs wrapped around him as he carried her to her bed. He was pleased to see all traces of embarrassment gone from her cheeks when he removed her towel and only saw desire in her eyes as she hastily pulled the clothes from his body.

---