Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 76696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
I smiled. “Good, I don’t want your cooties.”
He laughed, then downed the rest of the milk.
“That’s kind of gross, you know?” I asked, still in the doorway. My eyes traveled over his body, from head to toe. The way his abs strained against his thin white shirt, the way his biceps flexed, his broad shoulders and the outline of a tattoo on his back shining through. I couldn’t make out what it was. Then I realized what I was doing. Was I really checking out Zach?
His eyes met mine. “I know, that’s why I’m only doing it when I’m alone.” Had he caught me staring? Heat flooded my cheeks. He chucked the carton away, then turned back to me.
“Good to know.” A swarm of butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I tried to remind myself of what Brian had said about Zach, that he wasn’t good for me, that he wasn’t boyfriend material, but my heart and body didn’t want to listen to reason. I’d never felt like this.
“So, did you talk to Brian?” Zach asked as he leaned back against the counter, arms crossed over his chest.
I nodded. “Yes, we straightened things out.”
“I'm glad you did.”
“Me too.” My cheeks still felt hot, but I couldn’t look away. Some crazy, daring, normal part of me considered bridging the distance between us, touching my lips to his, pressing my palms against his strong chest, leaning against him, feeling safe in his arms.
Could I even feel safe in someone’s arms? Could I feel safe in Zach’s arms?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Zachary
Amber averted her gaze. With every other girl I would have said that she was attracted to me but with Amber I wasn’t sure. She had been staring at me but was she actually checking me out? I wasn’t vain but I knew the effect my body had on many women. It’s why I’d never had trouble finding someone to spend the night with, but Amber wasn’t like that. I didn’t want to misinterpret her actions. Too much was at stake. She'd gone through so much. If I did something wrong, not only would Brian hunt me down and probably castrate me, but I would hate myself as well. I knew how toxic people could be for each other. My father hadn’t managed to be faithful to my mother for longer than a few months at a time. It fucking broke her heart. He always told me I was exactly like him, and I feared he was right. Could I risk getting close to Amber?
Our time spent on the ice had been great and I just wanted to take her hand again but I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to. Fuck, I wanted to kiss her, wanted to run my hands over her body, wanted to…And that was the problem.
Amber took a few steps into the kitchen, and leaned against the counter, an arm length away. One of her hands rested on the counter top and she was drawing small circles with her forefinger. It would be so easy to reach out. I’d never been nervous around women but with Amber everything was different. I was turning into a fucking pussy.
So close up I could see the soft dusting of freckles on her nose and that her eyes weren’t exactly brown. They were brown close to the center but turned a dark green toward the corners of her irises. They were fucking amazing. She tilted her head to muster me and her long hair fell to the side, revealing her slender neck. I wanted to trail my tongue over it, wanted to taste her, even though it was wrong. “Brian told me to stay away from you,” she said. She might as well have thrown a bucket of water into my face.
“He did?” She nodded. “What else did he say?”
She shrugged. He’d probably told her about Brittany and the other girls, and God knew what else. It was probably for the best. “I should go to my room,” I muttered.
She put her hand on mine, stopping me. I stared down at her small pale hand on my tanned skin. Slowly I lifted my gaze. “You don’t want me to leave?”
She shook her head.
My skin tingled were she touched me. It would be so easy to turn my hand around and close my palm around her hand, pull her against me and press my lips against hers. “But I thought Brian told you to stay away from me.”
“He did. But I can make my own decisions.”
“And what did you decide?”
She smiled. “I like spending time with you. I don’t want to stay away.”
“Good. I don’t want you to stay away.”
She pulled her hand back. Disappointment washed over me. What did this mean? That we would only be friends? We’d been so close we could have kissed.
“How about a midnight snack?”
“Sure,” I said quickly, trying to drag my thoughts away from kissing. “I could go for a grilled cheese sandwich.”
She straightened, eyes on my face. She licked her lower lip and every muscle in my body tensed in anticipation. Then she turned, opened the fridge, and the moment was over.
***
I dreamed of Amber that night. Of how her skin had felt against mine, of how pink her lips had been, of how it would feel to run my hand over her body. I hated myself for always going there, for always imagining how it would be to see her naked and touch her. I actually had a fucking boner. “Fuck,” I muttered. Brian was right. I should stay the fuck away from Amber.
I rose from my bed and stretched my arms over my head. I needed to take care of business in the shower.
There was a knock at my door and before I could react, it swung open and Reagan entered. I casually dropped my hands so they covered my hard-on. What the hell was Reagan doing in my room? She closed the door and turned around to me. I raised my eyebrows inquiringly. I wasn’t wearing anything but briefs but Reagan didn’t seem to be bothered by it. Actually, she ignored my body completely.