Page 48 of The Boy With The Sharp Teeth
Feelingthe hard shape of him through his jeans made her pulse spike at the knowledgethat she caused this reaction.
Thesudden clamor of talking interrupted the intimate air around them.
"Ithink there are bathrooms down this hall, Dan!" A woman's voice blaredout.
Pullingback from her, Zach ran an agitated hand through his hair and cast an angryglare down the hall towards the people.
Takinghis hand in hers, Sana extricated herself from the alcove and tugged the grumpyman behind her. "Come on, let's finish the convention."
Bythe time they left Eugene, the sky was a mixture of dark purples and blues,heralding the oncoming night. After the convention, they had spent the rest oftheir time at a local mom-and-pop diner they found tucked away at the edge oftown. The mood between them as they ate and talked was relaxed and almostcasual. It felt good watching Zach talk and laugh with her as if the yearsapart had not happened. As if it all had not been due to a misunderstanding—amisunderstanding on her part. The thought caused a deep pain in her chest eachtime she thought about it.
Thunderrumbled overhead as they drove down the highway back towards Tarki. Looking outher window, she stared unseeingly at the dark landscape that passed them as hermind wandered back to that day years ago. The expression on the girl's face hadbeen undeniable in her intentions. Want and determination mingled together onher attractive made-up face had told Sana loud and clear she had wanted Zach.Her coy smile had hinted that she knew him, and he knew her, and nothing shouldbe standing in their way. Those details had hit Sana like arrows to the heart,but it was Zach's handsome face looking down at the girl who had him pressedagainst the wall that delivered the killing blow to Sana's heart. It had beenthe arrogant raise of his brow and the set line of his lips that bordered on a smileand frown that engraved the scene in her heart like a forever living nightmare.
"You'rebeing very quiet," he said after a while.
Startledout of her thoughts, Sana turned to look at him and her stomach clenched at thesight of his profile. Illuminated by the dim green lights of his dashboard, thesoft glow highlighted the sharp lines of his jaw and high cheekbones.
"AmI?" she said, her voice too soft even to her own ears.
"Mmm,"he intoned, turning his head just enough from the now rain-covered windshieldand slick road so that one gold eye flicked to her in silent meaning.
Lookingthrough the rapidly swishing windshield wipers, Sana let out a deep breath."I was thinking about that day I found you and that girl," sheadmitted.
Turningdown the already low music until it was only the sounds of the rain, Zach casther an alarmed look before looking back at the road. Tightening his grip aroundthe steering wheel, he sat straighter in his seat.
"Sana,I swear there was-"
"Iknow, I believe you." She held up her hands to stop him before letting outa small groan. "I just…honestly some small pitiful part of me wishes therehad been something between you two just so I wouldn’t feel so stupid. But toknow I spent years being hurt just because I misunderstood just feels-"
Zachreached out and put his hand over her knee, and gave her a gentle squeeze."It's ok, it’s not your fault. I should have tried to clear things up. Iknew when I saw you after that something was wrong, but I thought it hadbeen…it had been about what happened."
Asilence settled over the interior of the truck's cab like a blanket. Sana'smind tried to resurface the memories of that fateful night, but something likea failsafe within her stopped it immediately, and she shook her head. Herthroat was too tight to speak. She hadn't thought of the events of that nightin years, and she would not start now.
Asif sensing her cumulating fear, Zach's hand moved in rapid comforting strokeson her thigh as if he was trying to soothe a startled horse.
"Ifit helps any,” he offered. “I can call Ethan Owens, a cousin of Wyatt, husbandto Kimberly and father to their four children and have him put her on the phonejust to confirm that nothing at all ever existed between her and me, but maybea strong case of sexual harassment on her part."
Sanasmiled at that, and she allowed her mind to push away the dark memories andfocus back on the present. "No, no, I don't need all of that.” She shookher head. “I just feel foolish, that's all. And even more foolish knowing Ihave no idea that Z. Eluwei Waatese was you that whole time when I was emailingyou about the house."
Anotherclap of thunder shook the world around them, and brief illumination oflightning lit up the sky for a fraction of a second. Worriedly, Sana lookedover to Zach, but his posture was calm as he kept his eyes on the rain-drenchedroad as a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Iknew by the second email you had no clue it was me," he admitted inamusement.
Resistingthe urge to cross her arms in a show of petulance, Sana ran an agitated handthrough her hair and began toying with the ends. "Why didn't you just tellme?"
"Itwas much more fun reading your overly polite emails. Besides, I wasn't going torisk you backing out and not coming if you knew it was me," he said,giving her a pointed look before looking back at the road.
Fora moment, her heart floated, painfully suspended in her chest as shecontemplated his words. He was right. If she had known it was him, she wouldhave canceled all her plans then and there.
"Ididn't know your middle name was Eluwei. I think that helped throw me for aloop. I kind of just ignored the Z and just mentally referred to you asEluwei."
Heflashed her a smile as he flicked his indicator up and changed lanes to allowanother car to pass them. "It means silent thunder."
"Ohwell,” she said with a huff. “That's just too cool and very fitting foryou."
Hegave her a speculative look. "And what do you mean by that?"
"Justthat you have always been the bad-boy type of cool, and you know it," shesaid, wiggling an accusing finger at him.
