Page 72 of Stone Cold Touch

I closed the car door and stepped back, turning to the entrance that led to the kitchen. I’d seen that look on Roth’s face earlier, but agreeing to that would do no good. Zayne was likely to sprout his wings, fly back to Roth’s apartment and punt kick him this time. “You don’t know what you’re seeing.”

I’d taken one step when Zayne was suddenly in front of me. Gasping, I stumbled back as his hand curled around my upper arm in a gentle but firm grasp.

“I know what I saw.” The air whooshed out of my lungs as he pressed me against his chest. He dipped his chin so that our faces were only inches apart. The proximity froze me in place. “I know exactly how he looks at you and you do, too.”

Words left me as I stared into eyes the color of the endless sky, because...oh my God, our lips were so close and the need that swelled within me had nothing to do with feeding, but everything to do with wanting to taste his lips.

His other hand curved along my lower back and slid up, tangling in the edges of my hair. “I know the look. So do you. Because it’s the wayIlook at you.”

My heart tripped up as the words settled over me. I didn’t know what to say, and that swelling feeling inside me turned into something else, moved into my chest, and had my pulse pounding.

A deep sound rumbled from Zayne’s throat and then he lowered his head, claiming the scant inches between our lips. At the very last second, common sense smacked into me and I jerked out of his embrace.

Breathing erratically, I kept backing up until I knocked into the side of his Impala. My lips tingled and we hadn’t even kissed. But we almost did and thatterrifiedme. Ice poured into my veins, turning my skin as cold as a February morning.

I placed my hand over my mouth as I stared at him. “What were you thinking?”

His chest rose and fell rapidly. “Layla...”

Fear seized me, panic more potent than facing down the Nightcrawler. If we’d kissed, I would’ve taken Zayne’s soul—I would’ve turned him into something horrific and evil. I would’ve killed what he was.

Just like a Lilin would.

I lurched away from the Impala and darted around Zayne, racing into the small hallway just inside the house. I skidded to a halt as I entered the brightly lit kitchen.

At the round table, Danika and Jasmine sat with the twins. Bowls of ice cream were on the table, but the babies were wearing more of the creamy goodness than they seemed to have eaten.

A tentative smile tracked across Danika’s face. Her right hand was covered with a rainbow of sprinkles. “You’re back.”

I willed my heart to slow down. “Yeah.”

The door back in the hall banged into the wall, announcing Zayne’s entrance. He roared into the kitchen, slowing like I had when he got that it was occupied. He took one look at the table and then turned a piercing stare on me.

Oh dear.

Jasmine’s gaze moved from him to me and then back to Zayne. Silence of the awkward kind descended as Danika shifted her attention to her bowl.

“Would you two like some ice cream?” Jasmine offered as she cleared her throat. “I’m sure there’s...some left.”

Izzy broke into a giggle, tossing back her red curls as she slammed her fists into her bowl. Ice cream splattered across her bib. “More!”

“Uh, thanks, but I’ll pass.” I turned as Geoff strode into the kitchen. His brows went up as he got an eyeful of the table.

“Any news from the men?” Jasmine asked, sitting up straight.

He nodded as he ran a hand over his shoulder-length brown hair. “Yes. Since school is shutting down for the day, they’re about to clean house. They’ve already taken out a few that were close to maturing.” He glanced at me, and surprisingly, he smiled. “And way to go, Layla. I hear you took one out.”

Finally someone recognized my awesomeness. “Thank you.”

Geoff nodded, and then he turned his attention to Zayne. “Got a second?”

I took that as my cue to make a hasty exit. I needed a moment to clear my head, and also to shower, because smelling like Roth wasn’t making me warm and fuzzy. I made it into the hallway when I felt a weird, cold air pass through me. Not around me, but literallythroughme, causing me to stop. And then I heard Zayne.

“It can wait.”

My heart jumped in my throat as I all but flung myself toward the stairs. I made it two steps and then, suddenly, I was off my feet and tossed over one strong shoulder. Too stunned to make a peep, I lifted my head and watched the foyer spin around me as Zayne stalked straight through the living room and into the library. He kicked the door shut, turning and locking it. My stomach tumbled as my imagination ran wild.

Just as suddenly as I was picked up and tossed over his shoulder like a sack of rice, I was deposited on my feet. I backed up and then shot forward, smacking him across the chest. Hard.

---