Page 73 of Stone Cold Touch

“What the Hell?” I demanded.

Zayne’s lips twitched as if he was trying hard not to laugh. “We need to talk.”

“You need to talk to Geoff.”

“Whatever he has to say can wait.” He followed me as I backed up, frowning. “Why did you take off like that?”

“I... I need to shower,” I said lamely.

His eyes narrowed. “Yeah, that would be nice, but you ran off like an entire army of Hellions was chasing after you.”

“Did not.”

He arched a brow.

“Okay. Maybe a little. What did you want to talk about? The witches and when we can go to the club?”

“No.”

As we neared the couch, he sat down. I started to move away, but his hand snaked out, wrapping around my arm. “What are you—?”

He tugged me down, and there was nowhere to go but into his lap. I landed facing him, my mouth level with his throat. For a moment, I was frozen. With my legs straddling his, there was an uncharted feel to this that stretched my nerves tight. If I moved my hips forward... I couldn’t even finish the thought.

“I’m not running from you,” I mumbled.

“Yeah, you are. You’re also avoiding me again.” His hands spanned my waist as I started to climb off. “Nope. Not going anywhere.”

“What...what are you doing?” I breathed out.

“Keeping you from running from me.” He tugged me forward, causing me to clap my hands down on his shoulders to stop certain areas of our bodies from touching. “In case you haven’t figured this out yet, I’m not into the chasing thing.”

My brain emptied of all intelligent responses. Slowly, I lifted my gaze and found his. He was looking at me...yeah, like he’d said he looked at me. Stomach, meet butterflies.

I gave a little shake of my head. “Why would you chase me?”

The look that crossed his face was a mixture of fondness and disbelief—the “are you seriously that dumb” kind of look. “I don’t want to, but I have been. Iam.And I’d think after Saturday night, it would be pretty obvious.”

Blood thickened inside my veins.

“Actually...” His eyes searched mine. “It should’ve been obvious for...for a long time. Or maybe it wasn’t, but you have to know.”

I’d have to be stupid to not know, especially after all of this, but... “I don’t get it.”

“Maybe it’s not right. What do I know? When Father brought you home all those years ago, he told me it was my job to watch over you, that I’d be the closest thing to family—to a brother—that you would ever have. And I took that seriously. Ever since I was twelve years old.” His dark blond lashes lowered, and I thought of Mr. Snotty. Emotion exploded in my chest and climbed up my throat. “I know I was never supposed to think of you any other way, but you got older and the past year or so?”

My hands curled around his shoulders, digging in through his shirt. Blood rushed in my ears.

“I’d find myself unable to stop staring at you, and it was hard not wanting to spend time with you. Why else did I always get up so early?” He laughed softly as the hollows of his cheeks flushed. “And when Father started bringing Danika around, I knew...”

“Knew what?” I whispered.

“I knew I couldn’t be with her. Not when you’re constantly in my head. Is it wrong?” His intense gaze swept up again, meeting mine. “No. Screw that—screw all of that. It’s right. It’s always been right.”

My throat hurt when I spoke. “You can’t—”

“Can’t what, Layla-bug? Can’t think about you? Can’t tell you that you have always been the most amazing girl I’ve ever known? Can’t stop living under the same roof with you and pretending that what I feel for you—what I want from you—is something brotherly?” As my breath caught, his hands slid up to my rib cage, leaving behind a wake of shivers. “That I can’t hold you? Touch you? Because the last time I checked, I could do all those things.”

“Zayne...”

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