Christmas Debate

Chapter 5

Zeke

Alicia slid her hand into his. He could feel it trembling slightly.

"N-Nice to meet you too," she said. "Again, I mean."

Zeke grinned.

His sister asked if he had remembered the girl—Alicia—but his memory came up empty. Surely he'd remember a face that lovely. The thick, glorious waves cascading down her back, the doe eyes still staring at him with shock...

Those deep, dark eyes...

Then something shook loose. It was the day he moved Celeste into her dorm for her freshman year. Her roommate had been a nice but dorky girl who looked like a kid with her tight curls twisted into pigtails and wearing the ugliest overalls Zeke had ever seen.

There was very little in that memory that resembled the gorgeous women now before him.

And yet those striking dark eyes were the same. Those eyes, deep and dark and edged with thick lashes, struck him to his core... Those lovely dark eyes were now drilling into him with a desperate message.

Don't mention it to your sister.

Zeke's grin just widened.

This could be fun.

"You certainly have changed," he said. "I hardly recognized you."

"I could say the same," Alicia said, her voice shaky. She released his hand.

"Now, that's all done," Celeste interjected, looking between them, confused. "Zeke, who I really want to introduce you to is..."

Celeste ran back to her side of the table.

"Sterling."

Zeke had to tear his eyes away from Alicia and look at the stranger at the table Celeste was now standing next to.

Sterling.

The guy—Sterling—stood up from the table and reached across the table to shake his hand.

He was an imposing figure. If Zeke had to guess, he was taller even than him, and Zeke was not a short man. It wasn't only his height that made him intimidating. His eyes, half-hidden behind his shaggy hair, were hardened and sharp, while his strong jaw clenched as though he wanted to be anywhere but here.

Zeke raised an eyebrow.

This was the guy Celeste had chosen for herself? If Zeke had to guess, he would take Sterling as some moody English major who sulked around reading poetry. Since when had Celeste been the type to go for the broody type?

Zeke looked at his sister, wanting to gauge what Celeste could be thinking. But as she looked back at him, she only offered a bright, expectant smile.

Finally, he took Sterling's hand. The shake was tight and tense. As they shook, Zeke noticed that the edge of Sterling's sleeve had pulled up, revealing a sliver of dark design embedded in his skin. As Zeke's gaze rose to meet Sterling's steel-hard eyes, he caught another glimpse on the side of his neck.