“How is Summer? Didn’t get to talk to her much at Joshua Tree.”
“She loves Rome. I mean, you can hardly not love that city. I visited her there a couple of times. It’s breathtaking. It’s like living history. For an art lover and an artist like her, it’s the perfect place. She’s very happy there.”
“But?” Judging by the wistful note in her tone, there must be a big downside.
Alice gasps, looking at me. “How did you pick up on the ‘but’?”
“Something in your voice tipped me off.” I move my thumb from her neck to her jaw, tracing the contour. Alice and I have always been in sync in some ways, but I wasn’t able to pick up stuff so quickly before. Or maybe now I’m paying more attention than before. After all, for years, whenever I thought about her, my brain supplied the warning that I should keep my distance.
“I’m afraid she’ll like it so much she’ll stay there. I’m terribly selfish, but I can’t help it.”
“You’re not selfish.” Kissing the side of her head, I add, “You really miss Summer, don’t you?”
She nods with a sigh. “I do. She’s the baby, and I got so used to hovering over her that I feel like a limb is missing now. And yes, I’m aware of how dramatic I sound.” She attacks her cone with renewed focus while I wonder how many ways this woman will surprise me.
Yes, I’ve always known the siblings are very close, but Alice never showed this soft side of herself to me before. I like discovering this new trait, learning her. The realization that I’ve earned more of her trust hits me, along with the reminder that I’d better not mess this up.
“You sure you don’t want more?” She holds her cone out to me.
“Since when do you share your food? If I remember correctly, you’re the one stealing everyone’s food all the time.”
“I make exceptions from time to time. And I can’t believe you ate just one scoop. And it was vanilla.”
“What’s wrong with vanilla?”
“It’s just so safe. And there were so many interesting flavors to choose from.”
“Like apple?” I tease, pointing to her cone. “Why would you choose that? It smells like soap.”
She slashes the air with her forefinger. “Watch it, Becker, or I’ll start thinking we’re not compatible. Your list of negative traits is already making me doubtful.”
I grip her wrist midair, bringing it close to me, and kiss her sensitive skin. “What negative traits?”
“You sometimes snore, and….” Her voice trails off as I touch her skin with the tip of my tongue.
“And?” I press.
She whisks her hand away. “And you use your seductive powers to derail my thoughts. That is the lowest of low.”
“Completely unforgivable,” I agree, not bothering to hide my amusement. “So, nothing tips the scales in my favor?”
“I didn’t say that.” With a wink, she takes another mouthful of ice cream. “You’re funny, you have no issues with being used as a pillow, and your shirts make for fantastic robes.”
“Your priorities are fascinating.”
“Why do I have the suspicion that by ‘fascinating’ you mean ‘weird’?”
“Your words, not mine.”
Scoffing, she licks her frozen treat again. “Eating something delicious is hands-down the best way to end my day.”
“Where do I fit in the equation?”
She peeks at me sideways, as if weighing her words carefully. “You’re the bonus.”
She says nothing at all afterward, focusing on her ice cream. She’s down to the last third of it, and I swear she’s savoring it like her life depends on it. To my dismay, she starts making little noises at the back of her throat. They remind me of those she makes when we’re tangled in the sheets and I’m driving inside her.
“Alice, I don’t like those sounds you’re making.” It’s my duty to warn her, give her a heads-up that I might pounce on her.