Page 50 of Stone Cold Touch

My gaze sharpened on him. The frustration from earlier was back, prickling my skin and causing Bambi to get twitchy. “Yeah, because that’s exactly what I was planning to do.”

“Look, I’m not saying that you would, but I know you’re going to want to find out more about the Lilin and I don’t want you alone with him.”

I opened my mouth.

“Only because I don’t want to see you hurt more,” he added, and what could I really say to that. Could it be more than that, though? God knew what Roth and Zayne had said to each other, and now that Zayne knew the full extent of what had gone down with Roth, I could only guess what he was thinking.

From underneath my lashes, I watched him stretch fluidly, like a cat with a full belly. Zayne was super protective of me, but that didn’t mean he was jealous or that he was in love with me.

“Besides there’s another reason why I came home early,” he drawled lazily. “I was sure you missed me.”

“Not likely.” I tossed the small pillow at his head. He plucked it from the air a second before it smacked him in the face. “Not at all.”

He flipped the pillow behind his neck, eyeing me. “Terrible liar.” He couldn’t know how closely his words echoed Roth’s, and I wasn’t about to tell him.

“I’m not lying.”

His lips twitched as if he wished to smile. “Uh-huh.”

I leaned forward, knocking his legs off the couch. They thumped against the floor. He kicked them back up.

“Don’t be a brat, Layla-bug.”

Looking away, I dragged in a deep breath, uneasy with the restlessness I was feeling. “Don’t call me that. I’m not a little girl anymore.”

“Believe me, I know you aren’t.”

I twisted toward him, about to say something snarky, but the words were stolen from my tongue. He wasn’t joking. Holy crap, he was being serious. Andthatlook—the way his eyes were hooded and lips parted—spoke of something I wasn’t used to, but had seen on him the day he’d walked into my bedroom when I was undressing.

We stared at each other in silence. Nothing and everything changed between us in an instant. Thick tension hung in the air, settling over me like a too-warm blanket. His eyes glittered like sapphire jewels in the dim light, eliciting a shiver even though I felt flushed again.

He pushed up a little, and again, I thought of what Danika had said.

I wanted to bail.

And that’s what I did. Coming quickly to my feet, I smoothed my hands over my hair, hoping he didn’t notice how they trembled. “All this talking has tired me out. I’m going to bed. Good night.”

Zayne cocked an eyebrow at me and remained on the couch.

I practically ran from the room and up the stairs. What in the Hell had just happened in there? I didn’t know, but I recognized the heavy, breathless feeling in my chest. It had to be the lack of sleep and my overactive imagination.

Once in my room, I stripped off the cardigan and socks, forcing my mind to go blank. It wasn’t easy. As I pulled back the covers, my bedroom door swung open, causing me to squeak.

Zayne walked through the door, still barefoot as he folded his arms across his chest. What if I’d been naked? My cheeks turned a deep crimson at the realization that the thin tank didn’t hide much.

Struggling not to fold my arms over my breasts, I held myself still. “What do you want now?”

“Nothing.” He stalked over to my bed and dropped down, stretching out his long frame. He patted the spot next to him. “Come here.”

“Zayne...?” I shifted uncomfortably, wanting to both flee the room and jump in the bed beside him. “You’re being annoying tonight.”

“You’re annoying every night.” He patted the bed again, a lock of hair falling over his eyes. “Stop acting so weird, Layla.”

How was I the one acting weird? Okay. Maybe I was being a little antsy. Him taking up my bed like he owned it wasn’t anything new. Hell, he’d slept in it a few nights ago.

But everything seemed different after what Danika had said.

“You coming?” he murmured, watching me. Taking a deep breath, I climbed into bed. He eased down on his side, his leg brushing mine. “Nice shorts.”

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