Page 112 of Stone Cold Touch

He was wearing a dark gray V-neck sweater that stretched across his broad shoulders and he made light-colored denim jeans look damn good.

“Thank you.” I plucked up the mascara and placed it in its basket. “You look very...very nice, too.”

Zayne chuckled as I came out of the bathroom. “Your face is so red.”

“Thanks.”

“It’s cute.”

The fact I probably resembled a chili pepper wasn’t cute. My gaze wandered everywhere but his face. “Do you mind picking up Stacey and Sam at her place? I think it would be easier instead of taking two cars.”

“That’s fine with me.”

“Good.” I turned, frowning at the mess that was my room. “I just need to find my purse.”

Zayne had moved closer, as silent as a shade. “You don’t need it. I’m paying. That’s what guys do on a date.”

My heart kicked at my chest. This was a date. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Scanning the scattered books and clothing, I gave up on finding the purse I rarely used and faced Zayne.

He was closer than before, so close that I could feel the warmth from his body. Slowly, I lifted my eyes and I was left unsteady. His gaze tracked over my face and the smile he wore slipped a little.

“You really do look beautiful,” he said, voice gruff. “But you always look beautiful, like something that’s not quite real.”

Hearing Zayne say something like that never failed to knock me into la-la land. All I could do was grin up at him like a fool.

The smile returned in full force and he laughed again. “Come on. We’ve gotta go.”

I nodded and as we turned, we realized that we weren’t alone. Out in the hallway, Danika stood with Maddox. Heat infused my body but was quickly chased away by a trail of icy fingers over my skin.

Danika was staring down the hall, her expression completely devoid of any emotion, and oddly enough, I felt a lick of pain in my chest for her. It was so weird, but I knew she liked Zayne—more than just liked him—and I felt bad. I felt as if I should put some space between Zayne and me.

But Maddox...? It was the first time I’d seen him up and walking around since the fall down the stairs. Not that he’d been out of commission this entire time, but I’d made sure to avoid him. Well, avoid pretty much all of them.

Maddox stared at Zayne with wide eyes. His jaw worked overtime, as if he was doing everything to keep his mouth shut as he looked at me.

Ireallyfelt as though I should put more space between Zayne and me.

Zayne reached down between us, threading his fingers through my mine, surprising all the sugar I’d consumed earlier right out of me. “What’s up, guys?”

With a small smile, Danika shook her head. “Nothing. We were just heading down to the training rooms. Right?” She looked at Maddox.

He wasn’t paying attention to her, his gaze fixed on our joined hands as though we were holding a grenade. Anger infused me, straightening my spine and replacing the awkwardness I felt.

“Something you want to say?” asked Zayne, his narrowed gaze on Maddox.

The Warden shook his head as he curled his lip. “Nope. Not a damn thing.” Then he turned, stalking down the hall, toward the stairs.

Danika sent us a sympathetic look that didn’t seem right on her. “Sorry. Have...” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Have fun.”

Once the hall was empty, I glanced up at Zayne. “Maddox didn’t look happy.”

“Do I look like I care?” Zayne’s grip on my hand tightened. “Now, come on. We have a movie to get to.”

Twisted around in the front seat of Zayne’s Impala, I stared at Sam and wondered if an alien had abducted him. Nothing about the guy sitting in the backseat next to Stacey was anything like the awkward, somewhat nerdy boy I’d known since I started school.

His usually unbrushed hair was actuallystyled.I figured he could tell all of us the year in which hair gel was created, but I’d had no idea he even knew how to use it. His curls were swept back from his forehead, artfully messy. The new look changed the whole landscape of his face. His jaw was stronger, a cut line. His cheekbones appeared higher, sharper, and without his glasses, his lashes seemed ridiculously long.

The way he sat was different. Body relaxed and legs spread apart as he stared out the window. His typical slouch was gone. He was dressed nice—a sweater like Zayne wore with a white dress shirt underneath it.

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