I cleared a spot on the fogged-up glass door to peek at Zach as I washed my hair. He seemed stressed, moving his hand around. Probably angry and sad, talking about what happened at the cabin.
He loved Jill, no question. Would protect her at all costs. They were all they had left after losing their parents.
I wished I could turn back time to when I stabbed Baldie. The whole time he held the gun to my head, Zach hadn’t taken his eyes off me. He’d seen I had his switchblade in my hand. I thought for sure he’d given me the go-ahead to stab Baldie. Zach had even yelled,now.
But none of this would’ve happened if I’d left his blade in my pocket.
Jill would be alive.
Maybe.
Baldie had said Casso’s men were coming. It would’ve been a blood bath. Zach and his brothers wouldn’t have let them take me without a fight. We all could’ve been killed.
At least I wouldn’t have survivor’s guilt. I’d be with Jill bounding through the clouds. Giggling and singing, feeling no pain or sadness.
I could be with my baby…
I turned the water off. There wasn’t a towel hanging over the top. Didn’t I put one there? Or had I only thought to do it? I wiped my hand across the glass door and saw a stack of white towels on the rack.
Unbelievable.
Zach was still on the phone. I didn’t want to bother him, so I squeezed the excess water out of my long hair and went for it, opening the door. At the same time, Zach stood and turned around. He was mid-sentence and angry as he stared at me. His ice-blue eyes raked up and down my wet body slowly.
Like an idiot, I closed the door and turned my back to him. I covered my mouth, completely mortified. It didn’t matter if he’d seen me without clothes before. We didn’t know each other anymore, not even a little.
I can’t believe he saw me naked!
My skin prickled, feeling chilled. I could turn the water back on. Stay in here forever because damn, my ex-boyfriend just saw me in the nude after ten years. Talk about an awkward moment.
I couldn’t hear him anymore.
“Ah!” I jumped as the door opened.
“Shh, it’s me.” A towel wrapped around my shoulders, his hands rubbing over it like he was helping to dry me.
It was intimate. Tender.
So very wrong.
Zach took it a step farther, kissing a trail down the bend of my neck to my shoulder.
I trembled, heart racing as I registered feelings of desire swimming through me.
“Zach,” I breathed out his name.
“I need you tonight, Aspen. But first, I’ll shower.”
“What? We? I—”
He spun me around, cradled my face, and crushed his lips to mine. He was needy and desperate, kissing me for all he was worth. I greeted his tongue, twisting mine with his. Losing myself in the taste of him. In his strength and control.
I wanted him.
But we couldn’t do this.
We shouldn’t do this.
“Z, please…”