Free Ignite (Explosive) by Tessa Teevan Page B

whole.
    Jeremy looks at me with pity. “No way! No wonder you didn’t talk to him for so long. In ninth grade Mandy Simpson went to give me a hand job but chickened out halfway through. She said it was taking too long or something. I spent the rest of the party with a hard-on and it fucking hurt! I never spoke to that tease again.”
    Sierra slaps Jeremy on the arm, and he gives her a sheepish grin then kisses her on the nose.
    “What? I’m just telling Lexi here that I understand her pain. Jace will never live this down!”
    I jump up from the chair. “Oh, no no no. You cannot say a word to him. Nothing, I mean it, or so help me, Jeremy, I’ll…kick you so hard that you’ll wish you only had blue balls!”
    Jeremy moves to shield himself as he looks at me in horror. “That is not something to joke about, woman! Fine, I won’t say anything. I need to protect the Banks family jewels.”
    I glare at him as I head into the condo. “Just remember that when we’re around Jace, got it?”
    He stands up straight and gives me a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am!”

Not able to stand pacing around my condo any longer, I head down the block to Helen Back, a local dive bar that serves the best pizza in the Florida panhandle along with pretty cheap beer. It’s the perfect place to kick off the reunion. I walk around back and head to the patio. The official kickoff isn’t for another hour, but there are already quite a few of my old classmates here. My eyes take a quick scan of the room. You know, just seeing who’s all here. And who’s not. Looks like I made it here first. I grab a beer and take a seat in the far corner of the bar where my seat faces the door. Yeah, I’m being the creeper sitting in the corner, hopelessly staring at the door, waiting for this girl to walk back into my life.
    Over the next forty-five minutes, I’m distracted by old friends joining the table and catching me up on all I’ve missed since I’ve been gone.
    Ryan Harper heads over to the table with a pitcher of beer and a tray full of shots. He passes them around and places two in front of me.
    I look at him, confused, and before I can comment, he laughs and say, “Dude, you obviously need to liquor up. Your leg hasn’t stopped shaking and you’ve been serenading us with the drumming of your fingers on the table since you got here. What the hell has you so anxious, man?”
    Looking down at my hands, I realize that he’s right. Shit. Why the hell am I so nervous? I’m twenty-eight freaking years old, I’ve gone to war more times than I can count, and I’ve been within seconds of a bomb blast tearing my body apart. I should be able to handle one damn reunion. I mean, how bad can it be? We were always close. There’s no reason we can’t be anymore. Yeah, except you took her virginity on the same night you told her that you cared about her and then left her. I quickly take the shot of tequila that was set down in front of me.
    “Shit, man, what is that?” I growl at Ryan as I take a swig of my beer to wash the taste of cheap tequila out of my mouth.
    Ryan grins, “Whatever the house stuff is. I can’t be getting Patron when I’m buying a round. You’ve got another one there. Bottoms up.”
    I shake my head, because not only is there no way that I’m letting that liquid go down my throat again, I also don’t want to be trashed when Alexa finally shows up. Which, by looking at my watch, should be any moment now. I shoot a quick glance at the door as it opens. I hold my breath and exhale with disappointment when an older couple walks in. I check my watch again. Any minute now.

    I’m furiously going through my luggage and pulling out every outfit I brought. I had no idea I’d be going out to a bar on my first night here, so I’m a little out of sorts. Not to mention I didn’t think I’d see Jace so soon. I mean, sure, deep down I knew we couldn’t be in the same town without running into each other, but on the first night? I guess