Chapter 3
Shawna
I feel silly wearing Cameron’s clothes and makeup. However, the thought leaves my mind when I see Zane. He’s looking at me like I’m his present, and he’s ready to unwrap me. The room suddenly feels smaller, or maybe he feels larger.
“Let’s go.” He clips. His mood has taken a very dark turn.
Zane’s long legs charge toward the bedroom door.
The poor door hadn’t done a thing to him, but he throws it open with such force I jump.
I’m surprised it didn’t come off the hinges.
I quickly catch up to him and place a hand on his arm.
The muscles tighten beneath my touch and I look into his thunderous eyes. Why is he so angry?
“Hey, I wanted to say thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He shrugs my hand off, but I quickly grab his arm. I’m as surprised as he is by my boldness. I hold him in a firm grip and force him to meet my eyes.
“Did I do something? Why are you so mad?”
“This is how I always am.”
“No. You were really…nice…earlier.”
Someone bursts out laughing. “Oh shit.”
Zane and I turn to a group of guys standing in the hallway. One of the them must be either drunk or stupid because he has the nerve to hold his hand up in an invitation for a high five.
“Thatta boy, Zane. We were wondering why you followed her in there.”
“Dude, is it just me or did she come out of that room looking hot?”
“Maybe it’s because she got a good makeover by Burrell.”
Heat creeps up my neck. Of course those idiots would think we were having sex.
Nobody would believe that Zane was being considerate.
I wouldn’t have believed it either had it not happened to me.
I won’t correct them, in case Zane wants to keep his image as a badass.
It’s the least I can do since he did make sure nobody like these hyenas came in.
Swallowing my pride, I gather the courage to meet Zane’s eyes.
If I thought they were thunderous before, I now realize I had no clue what real danger looked like.
He turns his eyes from mine and slowly looks at the group of guys.
There’s four of them, and they all fall silent.
Zane gently removes my hand from his arm, then walks over to stand toe-to-toe with the one who I recognize from the football team.
“What. Did. You. Say?”
The guys hand is still lamely held up for that high five. Zane slaps his hand against the wall. His other hand wraps around the guy’s neck. “Apologize to her,” Zane whispers in an eerily calm tone.
The guy whimpers. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Zane turns his head to the others, looking each one in the eye. “Apologize. To. Her.” The guys turn to me and swallow. Zane’s voice is nothing short of a growl. “I won’t ask again.”
“I’m so sorry.” “We’re sorry.” “Sorry.”
Zane pushes himself off of the guy and releases him.
“Never speak to her or about her that way, again. Never mention anything from this night. And know this, even if I’m not around, if I find out you did…
I promise you’ll live to regret it. That five minutes of fame with your buddies thinking you’re ‘cool’ won’t be worth the hell I’ll put you through. ”
Zane turns around and takes me by the elbow, practically dragging me down the stairs. Once we reach the bottom, he releases me and walks away. I’m left standing there both confused and stunned.
****
Word spreads throughout the party that Zane and I were left alone with the door locked for a long time.
What everyone seemed to whisper in awe the most about was that Zane defended my honor to four of the football players.
The threat spread like crazy and nobody dared to mention my earlier humiliation.
Zoey rushes toward me with a drink in her hand. “You dirty little minx. Who knew you had it in you?”
“What?”
“Screw Ryker. You went for the ultimate catch. The one that nobody has caught, or lived to tell about it at least.”
“You just went to a really dark place.”
“Apparently, I’m not the only one. Spill!” Zoey looks around. She’s probably worried about Zane appearing. Everyone seems to be watching me with rapt attention.
“Nothing happened, Zoey. I cleaned up. He made sure nobody bothered me.”
Her eyes widen. “And since when are you two friends? I thought I was your only friend. How could you not tell me you had an in with Zane fucking Burrell?”
“I didn’t know I was his friend! I’m still not sure if I am.”
I’m spun around to face my cousin, Cameron. “Why are you wearing my clothes? And you’ve been in my makeup? And please tell me you did not sleep with some weirdo in my bed?”
Now the room has really fallen silent. I look over to see that Allison is by the stereo.
I guess she wanted to ensure I left here thoroughly humiliated.
The quietness is deafening. Everyone wants to know what happened between Zane and me, and of course, they are all hoping for a cat fight. Cameron clearly has her claws out.
“You took me up there! You told me to clean myself up.”
Cameron crosses her arms. “I didn’t say you could go use my stuff, especially my bed.” She shakes her head in disgust. “You came to my party. Now you’re trying to dress like me?”
“You’re such a bitch.” Everyone gasps. I continue, “I came here…I came here to spend Christmas Eve at a party. To get to experience a kiss underneath the mistletoe. This was supposed to be fun. But you’re all a bunch of grinches.”
I step around her and stomp away. Zane steps out, blocking my path. He makes a point of looking up at the ceiling. That damn mistletoe.
Before I can register what’s happening, he wraps his arms around me and kisses me.
This time, I don’t even think about what to do with my hands.
One wraps around his neck, while the other takes a handful of his silky black curls.
His tongue slides between my lips, and he tastes of mint.
He brings me against him tighter, and I feel him everywhere.
I’ve been kissed before, but never with such a hunger.
His body is solid and the smell of leather is intoxicating.
Zane pulls away and stares into my eyes. “That’s the mistletoe experience you deserve.”
I nod.
He slowly releases his hold on me and steps back. I don’t want him to. I want him to keep holding me and to definitely kiss me again. Instead, he takes another step back. Ryker appears through the crowd and approaches me.
“Want to –”
“Don’t even think about.” I hold my hand up and walk away from him.
When I step outside, the cold night air nips at my skin.
I look over when I hear the sound of an engine.
Despite the cold, my insides heat at the sight of Zane sitting behind the wheel of a black muscle car.
He winks at me and revs the engine. He calls out the open window to someone behind the car. “Let’s do this!”
Ryker and two other guys rush past me. “Let’s do it!”
What are they doing? Zoey comes to stand next to me, so I ask her, “Do you know what they’re doing?”
“Racing.”
“Racing? But there’s ice on the road.”
“They know. That’s the thrill of it, I think. Zane has nothing to lose, and Ryker has more money than brains.”
Cameron steps outside. “Did you know about this? Where are they going?”
Fear suddenly consumes me. Zane isn’t mine, but he is.
He’s my friend. I don’t have a lot of those and he definitely was one tonight.
He was nice to me and protected me. If anything, he might be the best friend I’ve never had.
I don’t want him to get hurt. Plus, he kissed me with such passion.
We have something…and who knows, maybe we could have something more. What if I never get to find out?