I didn’t know if he felt that spark between us or if it was all in my head, but our connection was real. And even though I was attracted to him physically, it was his presence that attracted me most.
Lightly clearing my throat, I remembered I was supposed to be answering his question. “I made the five-hour drive this morning and got here this afternoon.”
“Wow, and you still came out this late?”
“Yeah. It’s been… a day.” I smiled up at him. “But talking to you tonight ended things on a high note.”
He grinned. “Same here. I almost didn’t come out. I was working in my mom’s yard all day. It was hot and I was tired. But I had a taste for some wings…”
“And didn’t even get your wings.”
His eyes darted to my lips. “What I got was better.”
I folded my arms over my chest, covering my hardened nipples and forcing my feet forward. He kept his hand on my back and escorted me through the exit.
He cleared his throat. “There’s this expensive reservation-only restaurant downtown that makes the best wings,” he continued.
“I don’t believe a place like that could have thebestwings.”
“They do, and they’re on the menu only as appetizers. But if you’re ever up my way, I’ll have to take you to get some. Best wings of your life.”
“Ain’t no way.”
“Let me take you to get some.”
I smirked. “You want to take me to get fancy wings to prove me right?”
“I want to take you to Ember and Flame to provemeright.” His tongue ran from one corner of his mouth to the other. “Where did you park?”
My stomach flipped.
I pointed my key fob toward my silver sedan and unlocked it. “I’m right there. Where are you?”
“I’m right beside you.” With a chuckle, he pointed to the black SUV with heavy tint on the windows that was parked in the adjacent spot. “Looks like I’ve been right beside you all night.”
“I guess it was meant to be,” I joked, looking up at him.
He licked his lips again. “I agree with that.”
“Jazmyn Payne?!” a woman’s voice called out as we walked across the parking lot.
“The girl from high school?” a man wondered loudly with a gruff voice.
I hated being recognized in Chance.
Discreetly, I looked in the direction of the voice and saw a woman with a blonde Afro and bright red lipstick pointing at me. A man wearing a hoodie in the summertime stood next to her.
I looked back up at Lamar, who was watching me intently.
“Yes! Look! That’s her!” the woman said.
Ignoring them, I continued putting one foot in front of the other. Lamar’s hand remained on my back. I wanted to start talking so I could drown them out, but words wouldn’t form.
“I thought Olivia and Morgan were lying.” The man laughed. “Thatisher. I thought she died. I swear to God, I thought she did.”
“She disappeared, and she wasn’t at the reunion,” she said. “Jazmyn! She got a man in her face, and she thinks she’s too good to speak.”
“I heard she got married before she died,” he commented. “I’d go over there and say something, but he’s big as hell.”
