If you took one look at Zander you would forgive me for wanting him so desperately. His eyes were more often hazel than not, and were always full of amusement. There were already smile lines around those eyes I adored so much because he laughed every day. His face wasn’t beautiful, like Liam Bryant’s was, but that was a good thing. He had a strong jaw, a wide mouth with a full bottom lip that I’d been daydreaming of tasting more and more lately. His dark hair was cut short, but when it grew out even a little bit it started to curl. Right then his jaw was dark with stubble and I couldn’t help wondering how he would look with a beard. His bare chest was already starting to get covered in ink, as well as his left arm and both hands.

His grandmother had prayed for his soul the first time she’d seen the tattoos, but it was the first time I’d ever looked at Zander as anything but a brotherly figure. It had opened my eyes to just how I really felt about this boy/man.

I’d fallen in love with Zander Brockman at some point over the summer.

It was a dangerous, stupid thing to do. What was it about a bad boy that made girls flock to them? I wasn’t sure if it was because of his reputation of being dangerous or if it was because he and my brother had started a band with their friends two years ago. Either way, he had girls chasing after him like savage dogs in heat. He probably didn’t even consider me as anything more than a sister.

Sighing, I glanced at the clock beside his bed and realized I was going to be late for school if I didn’t hurry. I climbed out of bed, grabbed my backpack, and quietly crossed to his connecting bathroom. I didn’t shower because I knew that would draw attention from his grandparents.

Opening my backpack, I pulled out the fresh clothes and my toothbrush. Using Zander’s toothpaste, I brushed my teeth before washing my face and changing into the cutoff jean shorts and T-shirt. My boobs weren’t much to get excited about so I didn’t need a bra. I finger-combed my hair into a ponytail and then pulled my flip-flops out of the backpack. I’d have to start packing tennis shoes soon because the weather would be getting colder before long.

Dressed, I cleaned up my mess and zipped up the backpack before going back into the bedroom. Zander was still asleep, but he didn’t have to be at work for another hour or so. I bit my lip. In the past I hadn’t really thought about if I liked school or not. Now that I was in my junior year, without my brother and his friends, I was starting to realize that I really hated it.

Noah and his friends had made high school so much easier. I’d had someone to sit with every day at lunch and no one had dared to mess with me. Noah, Zander, Devlin Cutter, and Liam Bryant had been there to protect me. Without them there to run interference, I was starting to realize that most girls were catty and all-out bitches, while guys were either sick, twisted assholes or creeps who tried to get me to notice them.

I slipped my backpack on and tried to climb over Zander’s sleeping body. The bed sank in as I opened the window a little more, and two strong arms wrapped around my waist. I sucked in a deep breath, secretly loving having him hold me like that, but didn’t melt against him as I ached to do.

Zander pulled me down onto the bed and pulled me against him. “Sneaking out without so much as a goodbye? I’m hurt, Annabelle. You’re breaking my heart, babe.”

I snorted. “Yeah. I can tell.” I grinned up at his smiling face, loving how his hazel eyes looked with the morning sun shining behind him. His eyes really were like windows to his soul. Most of the time they were full of amusement, but even when he was pissed and his temper was ready to go supernova, his eyes let you know what he was thinking. They turned more green than hazel, with gold flecks flashing like flames in his eyes. No matter which they happened to be, hazel or green, I always loved looking into them like I was doing right then.

“Do you have to work after school today?”

I nodded. During summer vacation I’d worked at my family’s garage every day. Since school had started a month before, I’d been working after school Wednesday through Friday and all day on Saturdays, because those tended to be our busiest days. It was Friday, and I would be closing the garage as I usually did.

“I’ll pick you up and we can get a burger before we come home.” His eyes started to turn more green than hazel as he spoke. “I don’t think you should even go home tonight, babe. Just sleep here.”

I lifted a brow at him, trying to make light of the whole thing because I knew he could go full-on green and gold in a heartbeat if I didn’t. “You sure you want to pick me up? I mean, won’t I be cramping your style, rocker boy? Don’t you and the guys have to play at Floyd’s Bar and slut yourselves out to the groupies?”

The green disappeared and hazel eyes laughed down at me as he smirked. “If I didn’t know better I’d say you were jealous, babe.” He tickled me just under my ribs before I could lie by denying it. I bit back a laugh as he tickled me again before releasing me. “We’re playing early at Floyd’s, so I’ll be able to pick you up.”

“Oh, okay. If you don’t mind, then I’d like that.” I sat up and Zander fell back onto the bed, smiling up at me like he always did.

Looking down at him like that, being assaulted with how perfect he was, I couldn’t resist touching him. I lowered my head and quickly kissed his cheek. “Bye, Z,” I called over my shoulder as I climbed out the window.

I might have gotten a little bold by kissing his cheek like that, but there was no way I was going to stick around and see his reaction. If he laughed at my innocent peck on his cheek I was pretty sure my heart would have broken. My feet were on the ground and I was about to turn and head for the street so I could catch the bus when he leaned out the window and caught my wrist.

His eyes were green again, and those damn flecks of gold were shooting flames at me, but he was smiling. “See you tonight, babe.”

C HAPER T WO

Zander

My shirt was soaked in sweat when I walked into my grandparents’ house that evening. Spending all day in the sun had become my way of life since graduation. Devlin Cutter and I had been working for the county from practically the start of summer and we both knew that it would be our career if OtherWorld didn’t take off like we hoped.

I’d spent the day patching potholes on a back road with Devlin and two other guys for most of the day. The September heat had beat on me all day and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t ready for the cooler weather that fall promised. I couldn’t complain too much, though. My job paid well, and I had benefits, plus evenings and weekends off, so our Friday-night gigs at Floyd’s Bar were still possible.

Bending, I unlaced my steel-toed boots and kicked them off before entering the kitchen. I could smell Gram’s cornbread baking and my stomach grumbled in protest. It seemed like lunchtime had been days ago instead of just hours, and I was starving. Glancing at my watch, I figured I had time to take a quick shower before we sat down to eat.

“Zander?” Gram called out as she left the pantry with a can of peas in her hand. Seeing me in her kitchen, her eyes softened and she smiled at me. “I thought you were going to be late.”

I smirked at her as I dropped a kiss on her wrinkled cheek. “Nah, Gram. You know I would never be late for your supper.”

She patted me on the shoulder and then grimaced when her hand came away covered in sweat. “I don’t know how you can stand being in the sun all day, honey. Your poor face is going to get as wrinkled as Gramps is before long if you keep it up. Did you wear sunblock?”