CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE #2
Zane dives onto the bed and slams his hand over my mouth, making me squeal.
“Let me make one thing clear.” His deep voice seeps into my mind, and my body goes weak.
“I have never and will never think of you as a damsel in distress, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to protect you. There’s a difference and you know it.”
I swallow a thick lump in my throat as emotion wells in my chest, my head pounding like nobody’s business.
Zane’s brows rise, seeking a response, so I nod, unable to give him anything else.
“Thank you.” He pulls his hand away, and I miss the feel of him against me. “I came when I heard you’d broken up with the dickwad because I thought you might need a friend, and because…like I said, I can’t seem to stay the fuck away. I left my team in Phoenix and came straight here.”
“You left your team?” I balk, confused, and Zane starts laughing.
“Are you really going to pretend you don’t have the complete schedule memorized? I bet you knew exactly where my team was today, even if you never gave me a second thought.”
My cheeks heat because he’s right. I know that the Storm was playing Phoenix and I know they won. Easily I might add. But I didn’t make the connection until just now. My mind’s moving slower than usual. Maybe because from the moment Cade told me he was coming, I kind of lost it.
“Okay.” I nod, buying myself some time to gather my thoughts. “That makes sense. And I did need a friend, but I have Jenna.”
“Nope.” Zane shakes his head, still perched on the bed beside me. “It’s not the same. You need a friend that knows you.”
“You knew the old me, Zane. Jenna knows the me I am today.”
“Ouch. That hurts. But while it may be true, does she know how you deal with breakups?”
My eyes widen as a smile graces his lips. He nods his head slowly, clearly impressed with himself, and it makes me want to take him down a peg or two.
“I’ve only had two relationships, Zane. And one ‘exclusively seeing each other.’” I put on a voice as I use quote fingers, since he used to refer to us that way.
“Yeah, and—”
“You were barely around for the first guy. I was fifteen.”
“Barely around, huh? I seem to remember you said you’d never move on unless you had enough chocolate to numb the pain and a moment of madness.”
“God, I’m starting to hate this ‘I remember everything’ bullshit.”
“I’ll bet.” Zane’s delicious chuckle makes my insides warm.
“Fine. Replace chocolate with alcohol,” I say, making a show of getting another drink, this one without the Sprite, knocking it back faster than I should.
It burns worse than before, and my head spins as though the shots I did before he arrived are finally catching up with me.
I smile, ignoring the dizzy feeling taking over me.
“I’ve grown out of the moment of madness stuff. ”
“Really?”
“Well, I didn’t do anything crazy when you left…so I must have.”
“Are you sure about that?” He raises an eyebrow and stares at me pointedly. But I don’t get it. “You dated Jerkface for four years. That seems pretty damn crazy to me.”
“Ugh.” I fold my arms over my chest. “That’s different. The first time I did something crazy, I went surfing in waves I couldn’t handle.”
“And I saved you then too. I mean…protected you in a non-damsel-like manner.”
As much as I try to fight it, a stupid giddiness bubbles in my chest, and my lips pull into a smile of their own accord. “I thought this was going to be a serious conversation. Should I get Cade in here to provide a therapy session for us?”
“Hell, no. If he walks in, I walk out. Plus, I definitely prefer this more intimate setting.”
He leans in a little closer and my heart jolts, making me sit back, creating some space between us. “Sorry. You make me incredibly uncomfortable,” I say honestly, blinking a few times to clear my head. “And I think the alcohol is getting to me.”
Zane frowns, the humor in his expression gone. “You only just started drinking.”
“Actually, I started before you came over.” I shrug and Zane’s eyes widen in alarm.
“You said you weren’t drunk?”
“I wasn’t then. You never asked if I’d been drinking, only if I was drunk.”
Zane’s frown deepens and I bury my face in my hands, groaning when random images swirl through my mind. “Wow. That last drink really sent me over the edge.” I fall back onto the pillows as my eyes drift shut. “The room’s moving.”
I groan again until the faint sound of a growl draws my attention and my eyes flash open.
“Did you just growl at me?” I sit up, my head spinning until I grab Zane’s leg to steady myself.
Zane doesn’t respond, but a gruff sound rumbles in the back of his throat. “Oh my God. You did! God, it’s hot. So hot. Don’t do it again. It’s confusing.”
“How the hell are you drunk right now, Blair? We were just talking.”
“I’m not drunk. I can’t be.”
“Fuck. Are you on medication?”
“What? No.” I shake my head until I’m dizzy again and pause. “Like I said… I’m not usually a drinker.”
“When was the last time you drank this much?”
“The night you took me to your hotel.”
“Shit. And before that?”
“It’s been years.” I smile innocently, biting my lip as I stare at him.
“Dammit, Blair.” Zane runs a hand down his face, his torn expression confusing me.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Tell me, please,” I beg, pleading with my eyes, knowing he can’t usually resist that look.
“You’re killing me. You know that. We’re supposed to be having a serious conversation, but you keep looking at me like you want me and I fucking want you too. I wish we could play pretend and forget life for a while.”
“And do what?”
“What do you think?” His lips pull into a sly smile before he shakes his head and laughs. “Oh, B, what am I going to do with you?” His eyes bore into mine and it renders me speechless.
I’m not even sure he realizes the intensity of his gaze right now, but the way he’s staring at me is only making me more nervous, and I itch to reach for the vodka again.
He’s always made me feel wanted, and today is no exception. But do I want him too? Am I really giving him that look?
My body heats and I break out in goose bumps, my mind conjuring images of what it would be like to have Zane inside me. It’s something I thought about many times when I was younger, and too many times since.
But I shouldn’t be thinking about it now. I shouldn’t be thinking about him leaning forward and—
“Christ, Blair. Stop.” Zane slams his eyes shut, cursing under his breath.
I shake off my thoughts, groaning softly. “I think I’ve lost my mind.”
I move to stand up when Zane opens his eyes, pulling me into him, curling an arm around me before softly raking a hand through my hair. “You’re not the only one, B. We’re in this together.”