Page 68 of Finding Fate

“I love you. I’m sorry I hurt you,” he whispered softly.

Isabel sighed, relieved and content. She could see the love emanating from him and knew, could feel that the effects of their quarrel were being wiped clean from both sides.

“I love you, and I’m sorry, too,” she whispered back.

They hugged each other a little tighter then, Isabel burying her face into the lean, sculpted contours of Tucker’s chest. The familiar and somehow intoxicating smell of his body, a smell she couldn’t describe, a smell that was simply Tucker, relaxed her. She suddenly felt awfully tired and wished her night was over.

“Walk me to the parking lot?” she asked.

Tucker stepped back from the hug, keeping Izzy’s hand in his. “Actually, Jet and I were planning on going out to Bob’s with some of the guys for something to eat. Do you mind riding home with Annie in my truck?”

Her face fell a little, disappointed he’d made plans, but she knew that he and Jet wanted some guy time. She wasn’t going to stand in the way of that. She couldn’t stand girls who dictated what their boyfriends could or couldn’t do.

“Sure. Go have your guy time.”

“Are you sure, Izzy?” Tucker asked, his suntanned brow creasing at her disappointment. “You seem a little upset about it.”

“No, really, it’s fine,” she insisted. “I’m being ridiculous anyway. I made plans myself, so Annie will have to take your truck. Food does sound really good, though. Will you grab me something?” she asked, pulling out a ten.

He tucked the money back into her bag. “You don’t have to pay me. I’ll get you something.”

“Thanks,” she smiled. “By the way, I really did mean the thing about my nickname. I hate it.”

“Really?” It didn’t make sense. They’d been calling her Izzy for years.

“Really,” she replied. “Will you wait at your truck with me a bit?”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led them out, curious at what plans she could possibly have and why she hadn’t shared them. They had just reached his truck when Isabel felt the muscles in his arm tighten.

She looked around quickly for the cause of his tension and saw Wesley walking past with a girl on his arm. He looked over, meeting Isabel’s gaze only a moment after she had found him and sent a wink in her direction. She glared in return and placed her hands against Tucker’s abs to calm him, praying he wouldn’t freak out. They didn’t need to start another argument. Even though she had a feeling Wesley was purposely trying to antagonize her boyfriend this time.

Tucker scowled at Wesley, a look of warning and irritation searing through his glare. Isabel could feel his anger rushing through his body from beneath her hands and knew she needed to diffuse the situation.

Leaning back against the lifted Chevy, she tugged at the front of Tucker’s shirt, dragging him down to meet her lips. He responded quickly, and soon, neither remembered the source of their tension as it melted away. Tucker took a step closer, pressing his hand against the cab and lowering his head to deepen the kiss. Isabel shook with his intensity, her hands tangled in Tucker’s shirt against his chest. Tired of bending, he lifted her, her legs wrapping around his waist as he pressed her gently against his truck.

“Izzy?” someone interrupted, shattering the moment.

Blushing, Isabel peeled herself from Tucker as he set her back down. “Hey, Leo!” she cried.

“Leo?” Tucker mouthed, giving her a curious look.

Isabel smiled at her boyfriend, reassuring him. “I have to tell him,” she explained.

“Wow, it is you,” Leo smiled as he walked up. “You must be the infamous Tucker,” he greeted, reaching out to shake the taller guy’s hand.

“Hey,” Tucker took it cautiously, still surprised. “You’re the dance partner I hear about?”

“That’d be me. You don’t mind if I steal your girlfriend for a bit, do you? She texted me earlier that she had something important to tell me.”

Isabel placed a hand to Tucker’s chest, tiptoeing to press a quick kiss to his jaw. “I’ll be fine, Tuck. Go meet the guys, and we’ll talk later,” she promised.

He nodded, realizing she needed to talk to Leo sometime or other. But now? At night? She had a relationship with this guy he knew nothing about, that he had nothing to do with. That was hard to process, especially now that he’d met him, and he seemed like a decent guy.

“Hey, I brought you one of those chicken wraps from the deli,” Leo said as they turned for his car.

“Oh, my God; I love you,” Isabel gushed as Tucker watched her walk away. “I’m so starved.”

“Love the get up. Think we could use it in our next routine?” Leo teased.

“Shut up,” she laughed.

“Hey, man,” Jet greeted as they fell out of earshot. “Finally got Annie away from Emma and Megan. Where’s Izzy?”

“Is that Leo?” Annie asked in surprise.

Tucker shrugged. “I guess she texted him. Said she needed to tell him.”

“About time,” Annie commented, sticking her hand out. “Keys.”

---