Damn. I loved him for a reason. “Thanks, man.” I’d never told him about Ava, but he knew somehow.
He took a long pull from his beer. “Go. No. Wait. Hold up.”
“What?” I half-snarled.
He smirked, laughing. “People care about you too, dumbshit.”
I snorted. “Love you, man.”
“Love you too.”
I was out of there after that.
12
AVA
Iwas in the bath when I heard an abrupt knocking, then shouting, then a crash, then a stampede as someone was running in my apartment. I gasped, starting to jump up just as the footsteps arrived at the bathroom. The door flung open, and Zeke was there, his eyes wild and panicked.
We both stopped in shock, but I remembered I was almost standing up, in my bath, and I was naked. Yes, we’d had sex, but that was in the throes of hotness. Me in the bath, not so much hotness happening here.
I dropped back down, thankful for going crazy with the bubbles, and scowled at him. “What are you doing here? Did you kick in my door?”
“Uh yeah. I owe you a door, but it’s okay for now.” He was scanning the room, raking a hand through his hair. He didn’t answer right away.
“What are you looking for?”
“Booze. I don’t know.” Not seeing any, his eyes jerked back to me. The wildness had not dissipated. “Are you okay?”
“Yes! I’m in the bathtub.” I was seething, embarrassed, and happy he came over. How messed up was I? “What are you doing here?”
He stepped inside, moving to sit on the closed toilet. He leaned forward, but he wasn’t watching me. I could relax a little, moving farther back. He said, “You never text me or call.”
I bit down on my bottom lip. Why was my heart skipping a little here? “That’s fine. I was…” Terrified. Feeling crazy. “Bored.”
His eyes shot to mine and narrowed. “You’re lying.”
I looked away.
“Look.” I could hear him shifting so he could see me more fully. “Blaise is in town. That’s the only reason I didn’t race overimmediately, but you sent that one text, and I was already here. If that makes sense?”
It had me feeling a certain way. A good way.
I moved the water around a little. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your bromance time with Blaise DeVroe. I know how much you love him.”
I risked a look and saw the slight grin on his face. His eyes were firmly trained on where my breasts were located under the water. I sank a little lower, and his gaze jumped back to my face. His grin just widened. “He told me to get my ass over here.”
I almost hiccupped. “What?”
“Huh?” His gaze went back to my boobs.
“Zeke!”
“Yeah?” His gaze never moved.
“Your best friend knows about you and me?” And also, what did he know? Thinking on it, whatwasthere eventoknow?
“I guess. Screw it.” He stood, taking out his phone, his wallet, and his keys. He put them all on the bathroom counter. His shoes and socks were next.