Page 66 of Fall I Want
“We should play a game,” I tell him, smiling, even if my cheeks feel numb.
“Truth or dare?” he sarcastically asks.
“No. It’s called twenty-one questions. We get to ask each other twenty-one burning questions. And you have to answer the ones you ask.”
“Wouldn’t that be considered forty-two questions?”
I chuckle. “Smart-ass.”
“And what happens if one of us refuses?”
“Then a piece of clothing gets removed,” I admit, making thatpart up. However, I’m curious to see what he’s hiding under those clothes that hug his body.
A mischievous grin meets those gorgeous lips and he holds out his hand. “Deal.”
I take it and we shake, sealing it.
“I have no limits,” he warns. “I hope you don’t either.”
Fuck.I grab the bottle, knowing I need more of this. Another shot down. Now, how many are we in? Four? Five? More? There is no turning back now. I’m in too deep.
“Go first,” he offers with narrowed eyes. It’s a warning, a temptation. “Ask meanything.”
I stare into his blue eyes, wondering about his deepest, darkest desires.
“Let me note, this is fucking exclusive. You’re the only person on this planet who haseverhad the privilege.”
“Well then, I consider myself lucky.” My alarm rings, but he takes care of flipping and returning the seeds to the oven. I hop up on the counter, swinging my legs, and he moves toward me as I admire every inch of him.
He’s artwork in human form with his dark, messy hair and bright blue eyes. Not to mention his deep voice that nearly brings me to my knees. Yep, I’m drunk.
“What was your first love like?” I ask.
“Interesting question. Not what I expected you to start with.”
“I’d like to know your origin story. I’m curious.About everything.”
Zane licks his lips and his eyes pin me in place. “I haven’t thought about that in a long time. It was temporary. Fun. We snuck around my family’s home in the Hamptons before I left for Princeton. I would’ve changed the trajectory of my life for her, but I was nothing more than a summer fling. She was almost twenty-three.” He pauses for a moment. “What we had was obsessive, toxic love. Ithink all of my relationships have been like that, though. Fast, furious, and fleeting.”
“Who was she?” I ask.
“My ex–best friend’s older sister. Her name is Miranda.”
“Scandalous.” I can tell he’s lost in a memory. “Wait, are you still in love with her?”
“No. Absolutely not.” He laughs. “Miranda is happily married to a good man and they have three cute kids. I was young and didn’t know how the world worked yet, but I learned my lesson quickly. Thirty-seven-year-old me knows I have to write my own rules and not give a fuck what anyone else thinks when it comes to my life and relationships.”
“That’s the way it should always be.”
“It wasn’t.” Zane nods. “Your turn.”
I’m brought back to memories I haven’t thought about in fifteen years.
“His name is Teddy, and we were biology partners. Dissecting frogs made me squeamish, so he took it upon himself to make me laugh the entire semester. It was puppy love, the kind that when you look at them you’re shocked that they’re actually yours. He was smart, but also a football star, popular and completely out of my league. Everyone loved him, knew him, and still does. He plays quarterback professionally now, one of those MVP Super Bowl ring wearers.”
“It sounds like it was great. Why did it end?”
I meet his eyes. “Long distance isn’t for me and never will be. When I’m with someone, I’mwiththem. I was accepted at Columbia and he was attending LSU to play college ball. We set clear expectations, and after our final summer together, we broke up and went our separate ways. To date, it was the most adult relationship I’ve ever had. We still exchange Christmas cards and he comments on my social media posts sometimes, but that’s about it.”
