“Food. I’m hungry. All this scheming for love has my appetite at a high,” she says and I don’t waste a single second before I jump up to follow behind her, walking toward the doors and leaving my book behind.
But right as I turn the corner into the house, I’m pushed back with a small force. My back hits the frame of the sliding doors and I gasp, feeling the slight sting of pain against my spine.
“Shit,” a deep, husky voice greets me as a set of large, warm but soft hands reaches for my shoulders to steady me.
My heart stops as my flesh ignites with goosebumps. I know that voice. I know these hands. My heart is pounding, an uncontrollable ricochet of nerves and desire coursing through my body as I prepare for whom I’m about to be face to face with.
I look up, already knowing whose eyes I’m about to look into. And if I didn’t know his voice or his hands, I’d still know who it is from the way he smells and the way my body reacts when he’s around.
I know it’s him.
Zach.
Dark, messy hair. Insanely gorgeous brown eyes. Dimples that make me weak in the knees. A small grin that sets my heart ablaze. He seems taller, tanner, and maybe even stronger than I remember. I can’t deny that I notice the way that his shirt hugs his chest and arms, clinging to him like a second skin.
“You okay, kid?” he asks, forcing me to stop staring at him. Forcing me to catch my breath.
He’s looking down on me with concern lining his features, his expression holding solemnity but I can tell it’s kind of masked, like maybe he’s trying to cover up something else because then his features soften as he looks at me. It’s not a look I’ve seen him give anyone else, and all I can feel more than anything is the intense fluttering in my stomach. Nerves tangling up with one another as his hands linger on my skin for a few moments longer.
And then, someone clears their throat next to us, interrupting the intense moment between us and it takes us both a beat before we can look away.
He drops his hands and I steel myself before turning to look at the person who interrupted us.
“Such a silly little klutz you’ve always been," she says.
Sheas in Ashley. My heart drops. This time, not in a fun or exciting way. In a deeply disappointed way. Suddenly, the fluttering in my stomach turns sour and I have to hold in the nausea I feel growing.
What the hell is she doing here?
Zach ignores her and turns back to me, likely seeing the look of utter shock on my face.
Why is she in my house?I want to ask him, but I don't have the courage to speak my thoughts out loud right now.
And then, something even crazier happens. Zach's eyes wander down, and that’s when I realize I’m still only wearing my bikini. I wrap my arms around my body, curling into myself a bit. I don’t like when people look at me; I’ve never really been one with a knack for attention, even if I was damn near eager to beg for his just moments ago. Buthiseyes make me feel things. Yet still, the feeling is overwhelming and while I am excited tofinally be seeing him again, that excitement feels tainted with the presence of his ex-girlfriend.
Zach’s eyes wander back up to mine, and then he peers out in the distance behind me. I watch him as he squints a little, and then he smirks.
“How many times do you plan on reading that book, Cadence? Three times wasn’t enough?” he says and I gasp, turning my head to see the book I’d been fake reading moments ago laying on the chair outside.
How the hell did he…
I turn back to him, eyes squinted with something akin to confusion, maybe even shock. Impressed?
I watch as he takes another step back. Even with the growing space he’s putting between us though, I can feel the way my body reacts to him.
“Can we go now?” Ashley whines, tugging on his elbow. “You said we were just dropping off Brayden and then we’d leave.”
I turn to look at Ashley.Are they still dating?I’m so confused. How did she even get here if the boys came straight from the hotel?
Zach doesn’t even look at her, instead he keeps his eyes on me. I face him and I have to admit, it’s a bit awkward now. Especially because I can tell Ashley is getting annoyed. But I hold the eye contact he’s giving me. And then he speaks.
“Yeah, we can go. Just needed to find something first.” Something clogs my throat as my heart aches, pulsing in waves as wonderment consumes me.
Me?Was he wanting to findme?
No. There’s no way. I’m just misreading things again, right?
But then without another word, he turns and leaves, finally letting Ashley pull him away.
