CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE #2
“I’m guessing that lover boy doesn’t have a piercing.” Zane changes the subject as asked and I choke on thin air, faking a cough to hide it.
“He doesn’t.”
“Shame,” he snickers as my gaze snaps to his, confusion in my eyes. “Piercings can be a lot of fun,” he explains, trailing off before lowering his voice. “It increases the pleasure.”
Oh, God. Heat flows through my body but I ignore it, focusing on his words.
Are we really talking about my sex life?
“For those that have the piercing, right? How could your nipple piercing increase my pleasure?” I regret the question as soon as I’ve voiced it, but it’s better than where my mind really wants to go.
“I thought we were talking about Nathan.” Zane raises a brow, making me internally groan. “But I wasn’t talking about this piercing.”
His gravelly voice has me clenching my legs, and I don’t know why but my gaze drops to the bulge in his sweats, a lump stuck in my throat.
“Bingo,” Zane gloats, snapping his fingers. “Not as innocent as you used to be.”
His words sting, but I take in a breath and stand tall, rolling my eyes. “It was the obvious choice. What else could it have been?”
“My tongue.” He’s quick to answer and I cringe. God, why do I have his dick on the brain? Of course it’s… Wait. No. He doesn’t have his tongue pierced. I would have noticed that. It must be…
Zane grins and I curse myself internally. He never said he had another piercing, just that they’re fun. Dammit.
“You’re messing with me.”
“Am I? Want to find out?” He grabs the waistband of his sweats and I leap forward, slamming my uninjured palm on top of his hand. There’s barely a breath between us, both of us holding his pants, and I realize too late that this is exactly what he wanted.
“This works too.” He bites his bottom lip, his teeth bright in the darkness. “All you have to do is lower your fingers and you’ll have your answer.” He slips his hand out from under mine and cups his junk, bouncing it a few times.
“Zane,” I try to warn but since my throat’s dry, his name catches, coming out raspy. I cough and try again. “Zane. What are you doing?”
He drops both hands and laughs it off, his light chuckle echoing through my head while it clouds with desire. I can’t remember the last time I was this turned on, even when I had a boyfriend. And that’s a problem.
Shaking my head, I step back, creating some much-needed distance between us, only to slam into the open door. “Dammit.” I wince as I stumble, my cheeks heating with embarrassment until Zane catches me again and the world around me stills.
“Are you okay?” he asks, no hint of humor in his tone, while I fight not to giggle. I was never that good at hiding the effect he has on me. It’s probably why my brother claims to have known we were seeing each other the entire time we were together.
“I’m okay. Just trying to get away.”
“Why?” The question is breathy, and that breath warms my skin right through to the bone, making me mute. I can’t answer because I don’t know what to say, but I’m thinking clearly enough to know whatever I might come up with would have been a lie.
“Blair?” Zane questions, but I’m distracted by the way his throat bobs as he speaks, drawing my attention to the little spot below his ear that I always liked to nibble on.
“Zane?” His name floats around my head, and it’s only when he releases a pained groan that I realize I said it out loud.
“I can’t…” He trails off, shaking his head.
“Can’t what?”
“Blair.” His voice strains.
“What?”
“Fuck it.” Before I have the chance to process what’s happening, he has one hand in my hair as he lightly curls the other around my waist, the pad of his thumb dipping beneath my top to brush my bare skin.
My breath hitches, but I don’t protest as his mouth descends and his lips mold to mine, caressing, nibbling on the flesh. I flatten my palms against his chest, the sting of my cut nothing compared to the pain radiating through me from kissing Zane and knowing I shouldn’t.
Hating that it feels so right.
His hold turns possessive, and I whimper as he grips my neck, his thumb skimming under the waistband of my jeans.
God, what I wouldn’t give to let him… Shit.
I pull away, but an anguished curse rips from his throat and he seals our mouths again, slipping his tongue between my parted lips.
The world around me stills, the silence overwhelming, until Zane’s desperate groan pulses against my lips, his tongue swirling with mine, and desire takes over me.
I want this. I’ve always wanted this, but it doesn’t stop my insides from igniting in a tortured blaze. This kiss is like nothing I’ve felt before and yet it’s so damn familiar that my chest burns in anticipation, knowing what comes next.
The last time we kissed, he broke me.
The thought makes me stiffen and I catch myself, pulling away again, my chest heaving as I struggle to take in air. “I…we…you kissed me,” I say breathlessly, accusation in my tone.
“I know, fuck.”
“Why?” My lips tremble as I whisper.
“It felt right.”
“It wasn’t right, Zane. It was wrong. Very wrong.” I’m shaking my head, but my mouth waters for more.
A moment of guilt flashes across his face. “Because of Nathan?”
“Because of me.” My voice cracks as my pulse races.
“Good, because I don’t give a fuck about Nathan.”
“You never have, so that’s nothing new. But—”
“It’s cheating. I know. And while I don’t care about him, I care about you. I just couldn’t stop myself. And that douchebag doesn’t deserve you.”
I bark out a laugh before covering my mouth with my hand. Zane smiles sheepishly, giving my waist a squeeze. I hadn’t noticed he was still holding me, but now that I have, my skin is on fire. “Either way. It doesn’t work like that. It’s still cheating.” At least it would be, if we were together.
“I know. But you did leave him and message me.”
“I what?” How the hell does he know that?
“You left him at the hotel and messaged me. You can’t blame me for taking advantage.” He’s keeping things light but I internally deflate, a slow breath passing through my lips.
“It’s complicated.”
“Hasn’t it always been complicated between us, since that very first moment on the beach? We’ve always worked it out.”
His tone lacks its usual cockiness and I stare at him for a beat, letting his words roll around my head. I think about our moment on the beach and the last time we kissed, but rather than the happy memories he’s seeking, my stomach sinks. Yeah… We always worked it out. “Until we didn’t.”