Page 49 of After Midnight

She’s out of her Jeep, leaning against it, wearing a pair of black leggings, a baggy Panic! At The Disco T-shirt, and white sneakers. Her hair hangs loose around her shoulders as she scans the people coming and going. Then her eyes land on me, and her mouth curls slowly into a smile.

I don’t remember crossing the parking lot to get to her; all I know is I’m next to her now, my bag on the asphalt at our feet, and I’ve got her face in my hands, my fingers curling around the back of her head as I pull her in.

When I kiss her, everything in me softens. The tightness in my shoulders and back eases, and feeling her lips against mine is like taking my first breath of air in two weeks.

Remi makes a small sound as I press myself against her, her hands coming up to grip my T-shirt. And I wish she never had to let go.

A horn blares somewhere behind us, echoing in the parking area, and it makes us jerk apart, startled.

Remi lets out a small laugh as she looks up at me. “Hi.”

I gaze down at her, admiring the blue in her eyes, and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, which twinkles with a line of piercings. And I say the first thing that comes to mind. “It’s so fucking good to see you.”

Her lips form a smile, and she pulls me in for one more kiss before breaking away from me and saying, “I’m glad you’re here.”

So am I. There’s literally nowhere else on earth I’d want to be right now.

Remi opens the trunk of her Grand Cherokee, and I sling my bag into the back, then go around and climb into the passenger’s seat. She cranks the engine up, turns the AC to full blast, and then pauses, looking at me.

And I look back, wondering if she’s thinking what I’m thinking right now: that I’m already dreading having to come back to the airport, having to fly away from her and back to my life.

But we’ve got the night. And for now, I need to focus on that and let it be enough.

Slowly, she backs out of her parking spot, and then we’re cruising through the airport and back out onto the road that’ll lead us through Vegas.

“So,” I say, looking over at her, almost not believing she’s actually real, right here in front of me, “what are we having for dinner?”

Her golden-brown cheeks go pale for a second, eyes widening. “Oh, fuck.”

I arch a brow. “What?”

“I completely forgot to go grocery shopping. Shit.” She puts a hand to her head. “I’m sorry. Do you just want to get takeout?”

Smiling, I shake my head. “No way. I want Remi food.”

She tosses a glance at me. “Really? You don’t mind going shopping?”

“Nope. Maybe I can learn something. I’m terrible at groceries, remember?”

At the callback to one of our first text conversations, Remi smiles. “You need lessons in grocery shopping?”

Unable to resist, I reach out to trail my fingertips over her jaw and around the back of her neck, making her catch her breath. “I’ll take any lessons you’ll give me.”

Walking through Whole Foods with Remi is probably the most fun I’ve had in two weeks. I push the cart along, following her from aisle to aisle, sneaking extras into the cart when she’s not looking.

“What are we having?” I ask as she grabs a head of lettuce, two avocados, a few limes, and a bundle of an herb that smells really good but I don’t know the name of. Parsley? No, the spicy one. Cilantro? I think it’s cilantro.

“Tonight,” she says as she gestures for me to keep following her, “we’re having tacos. And beer. I have Corona at home.” She swerves to go down another aisle, where she grabs a bag of tortilla chips. As she sets it into the cart, her black hair falling forward around her face, she glances up to say, “Is that okay?”

I lean over the cart, taking her lips in mine, ignoring the other shoppers trying to bustle around us. As I pull away from the kiss, I whisper against her lips, “That sounds perfect.”

And I swear her smile could put a Cali sunrise to shame.

Remi finishes up her shopping, and as we’re waiting in line for the self-checkout, I hear a girl behind us whisper, “Do you really think that’s him?”

Next to me, Remi goes stiff; I can see the tension that creeps into her shoulders and the way she’s very obviously trying not to look at me or at the girls. It’s kind of cute, seeing her get all nervous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her like that.

There’s a light tap on my shoulder, and I turn.