Zane remained in the car long after Willow disappeared inside her building. Rain tapped steadily against the windshield, blurring the street into streaks of gold and gray. He should have left as soon as he saw her safely inside, but the engine remained off and his hands stayed loose on the steering wheel.
Dinner had not gone the way he'd expected. He'd planned to drive her home, make sure she was all right, then leave. Instead, he'd ended up in her kitchen while she ate, and somewhere between the food and the quiet conversation, the tension between them had eased enough for her to laugh. It had been quick and unguarded, like she'd forgotten for a second that she was supposed to be careful around him.
What stayed with him wasn't the apartment, what she'd been wearing, or any of the details he could replay if he wanted to torture himself with them. It was how easy those few minutes had felt, and how badly he'd wanted them to last.
