Page 71 of Fire
“No!” I exclaim, acting offended. “But this grown-ass adult can still call dibs. And look who now has herself an entire serving of lobster mac and cheese!” I proceed to dig into said mac and cheese, and dear fucking god in heaven, it’s delicious.
“You know, I’d be more put out over the mac and cheese if I didn’t find this side of you so damn sexy.” My fork stops mid-bite, and I just stare at him. “This is the Zara I remember. The girl who loved to banter with me back and forth. Who made up an entire game just to teach me science? Fuck decorum and whatever the hell Tanner’s family thinks of you, Zara, because they never knew you. They never even took the opportunity to learn. And as far as I’m concerned, you have far more class than they’ll ever have.”
He digs into the chicken wrap while I’m briefly stunned by his words. They’re no different from anything I’ve been telling myself since the day I decided to get a divorce.
But hearing him say them strikes a chord, maybe because things could have been different. If…
“Story Time,” I find myself saying. My voice is rough and full of emotion.
He gives me a warm smile but doesn’t respond with any of the funny retorts he usually says when we play this game. He simply stares at me with those beautiful blue eyes and waits for me to continue. “Once there was this tutor who fell for one of her students.”
I watch as his lips part in surprise. Is he about to point out the rule against discussing exes, or is he beginning to realize that this story is about…
“It was just a crush. Or at least, that’s what she told herself. He was a relentless flirt, and it was only natural that she’d start to feel something from all that attention. But as the weeks went on, she began to realize that what she felt for him was…more.”
“Zara.” He breathes out.
“Story Time isn’t over,” I remind him with a shaky laugh, and he instantly quiets. “But she was scared, you see? Because they were so different, and she just couldn’t imagine a world in which someone like him could ever want someone like…me.”
He looks at me with a gaze so intense, it burns. Finally, he swallows and says, “Story Time?”
I simply nod.
“Once there was this dumbass college student who fell head over fucking heels for his tutor.” He reaches out and takes my hands as my breath catches because there’s no way. Because back then, he was just flirting. It didn’t mean anything to him.
Did it?
“He would flirt and tease her because he was too scared to actually tell her how he felt. Then the weeks ran out, and their time together came to an end. And rather than do what his heart was telling him to do, he convinced himself he was doing the right thing by walking away.”
“Why?” I ask, not caring if I’m breaking the rules. I need to know.
“Do you want the real reason or the selfish, made-up reason I told myself at the time?”
“Both, I guess?”
He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “I guess the real reason is I was scared. Still am, if you want the super honest truth. But at the time, I convinced myself I didn’t need the distraction. That I would be holding myself back by getting into a relationship when Edwin and I were just putting the band together.”
I tilt my head. “You tend to use that excuse a lot.”
“Yeah, and look how far all those years of focus have taken me,” he grumbles. “I feel like the only part of me that’s closer to gaining any notoriety in this field is my damn abs.”
I run an appreciative hand down his chest. “It is a nice set of abs. But definitely not the best part of you.” His smile turns wicked, and I can’t help but laugh. “I’m talking about your musical talent!”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure,” I answer. “Besides, it’s been too long since I’ve seen those other parts of you, so I wouldn’t really be able to say.” I raise my eyebrow in an obvious challenge.
“Are you saying you need a refresher?”
I give a casual shrug. “I do need a bath.”
“Fuck, Zara.” His eyes darken. “That’s not a good idea.”
“Why?”
“Because you’ve had a bad day, and if I get in that water with you, I’m gonna want to touch you. Everywhere.”
Everywhere.A shiver runs down my spine.
