“Hi,” she offered. I could smell the mint on her breath and knew I was getting too close. Maybe Mum was right. Yet I couldn’t pull away. I wouldn’t. Not today, anyway.
For a long moment we just sat there and watched the world pass us by. Like silent observers we remained on the sidelines while the rest of the world went on. And I knew why. We were avoiding the inevitable. As soon as we rejoined the land of the living, Zoe would be heading home. I wasn’t ready for that. Not by a long shot.
Zoe had a different idea. Pulling away, she wobbled to her feet. “I should be getting out of here.”
There it was. The weight of a thousand bricks fell on my chest and knocked the wind out of me. “There’s no rush,” I spluttered.
“It’s a long drive. I need to head off soon.”
I looked at Zoe and recognised instantly the jumble of emotions she was facing. They were the same as my own. For her, heading home was the right thing to do. The sadness etched in her features left me with the distinct impression she didn’t want to.
“Yeah, okay. Come on. Let’s get you home then.”
It didn’t hit me what I’d said until Zoe and I were buckled into the front seat of my truck. Home. Was that my home or hers? Or was it supposed to be ours? “Shit!” I swore under my breath.
“What’s wrong?” As soon as she settled in her seat, Zoe kicked off her shoes and put her stripy sock covered feet on my dashboard. It was something uniquely Zoe. The memory of a million years ago flashed in my mind. She did exactly the same thing the day I’d got my licence.
“Ugh…nothing,” I dodged, shaking off the memory. I was ashamed I’d been caught acting like a complete woman. Men were not supposed to have thoughts and feelings. The problem was right now I had so many they were escaping without warning or invitation. If I wasn’t careful next thing you know I’d be crying and sobbing like a baby.
“Okay,” Zoe conceded, but one look at her I knew she didn’t believe me. Not for a second.
After a quiet drive I unlocked the door and let Zoe walk in ahead of me. I didn’t know if Kane was still asleep or if he’d already headed off. I didn’t particularly care as long as he stayed the fuck out of my way. Especially today. Today I had enough shit going on without dealing with him.
Zoe made a bee-line for my bedroom and my stomach clenched. I was embarrassed at the thoughts bouncing around my mind. I loved the idea of having that girl in my room. I just wished she was doing something else. With heavy steps I marched after her, feeling like someone being led to their execution.
Stepping through the door, I wasn’t shocked by what I saw, but what knocked me on my ass was how I felt about it. Zoe was scooping up dirty clothes and stuffing them into her bag. Huffing and puffing, she looked less than impressed about it. Grabbing a boot, she pushed it roughly, forcing into as small a ball as she could before cramming it into a side pocket.
I couldn’t stifle my chuckle. “Need a hand?” I offered, sauntering in arrogantly. I was walking as tall as I could. My jaw was set so stiffly it wouldn’t take long before it was aching under the tension. My posture was rigid. My chest puffed out. It was all a front. I was trying to convince her, or maybe I was trying to convince myself, I was okay with this.
“I’m fine,” Zoe scowled as she pushed past me towards the bathroom.
When she emerged moments later, her arms were filled with bottles and tubes. Tossing them on the bed, Zoe sighed heavily. “I swear I didn’t pack this much crap.”
“Well, it sure as shit isn’t mine.” I chuckled.
Zoe tossed a tube of something at me, hitting me squarely in the chest. “Pippi…” I warned as she flopped back on my bed holding her sore ribs as she started giggling.
The childish innocence highlighted in her eyes made me grin widely. Jumping on the bed beside her I grabbed her sock-covered foot and tickled her mercilessly. The laughter got louder and higher pitched. She was almost squealing as she wiggled about beneath me, while I held her foot in my tight grasp.
“Spencer…please…no…more,” she panted, trying to pull her foot away.
“Pippi?”
“Well, isn’t this cosy?” a deep voice resounded behind me.
A flash of last night’s events replayed before my eyes but I knew it wouldn’t end in a repeat performance. I wouldn’t allow it. “Kane?help…me…please…” Zoe pleaded, batting her lashes at him.
Between those wide, wanting eyes and those plump pouty lips, I knew Kane stood no chance. Resistance was futile. And if by some miracle he did, he was a stronger man than I.
“What do you need, Zoe?” Kane offered, stepping into the room.
“Kill your brother?”
After flashing me a conspiratory wink, Kane lunged, landing on the bed beside me with a thump, “With pleasure.” But he didn’t help Zoe. Instead he took my side. For the first time ever. Grabbing her other foot, Kane tickled her instep, earning him a string of curse words and a sharp kick in the chest.
“She’s a wild one!” He laughed as he tucked her knee under his arm.
“You have no idea!” I conceded.
