Falling for the Ghost of You(55)

"Damn, those are the best kind. Now I'm really excited to see your room."

I gesture toward the house, and Zane starts walking, hands stuffed down his jeans pockets.

When he's a little bit ahead of me, he turns around, walking backwards.

"Did anyone ever tell you you're a real smartass?"

I nod. "It's really starting to make me wonder."

It's ridiculously easy to sneak Zane upstairs. Mom and her friends are chatting over cake and coffee, reminiscing about the good ol' days from the sound of it.

Zane's never seen my bedroom before. I wonder what he'll think of it. I haven't added any personal touches to it yet, so it's still showroom perfect.

Except for all my underwear, lying in a heap on the top of my dresser.

Ugh, it was laundry day today. How could I have forgotten to put them away?!

I rush forward, opening up the top drawer and shoving all the lacy scraps in there in one big arm swoop.

Okay, I know it's not like he hasn't seen my underwear before. But, still, I don't want him thinking I'm a huge slob.

Zane is looking around. He picks up my quartz paperweight and examines it. "Nice room, but it doesn't feel like you at all."

"I know," I acknowledge. "I should put some posters up, or something, huh?"

"Yeah. And where's all the empty energy drinks, and the dirty underwear tossed on lamps and dressers, like a normal teenager?"

"What kind of messy ass teenagers do you know?"

He laughs. "I guess that's more of a guy thing, anyway."

"Oh. Ew." Now that I think of it, he could have been talking about Matt's room.

There is an uncomfortable silence. Then Zane moves to stand right in front of me.

"So," he says, looking down at me.

"I...uh..."

I am totally distracted by his clean sexy scent!

"I like Jenna," I blurt out. "She seems...nice."

"Yeah. Sorry about springing her on you like that. She showed up a couple of days ago, unannounced."

"Oh," I say, striving for a casual tone. "So, you two are really close, huh?"

Zane reaches over and tugs on a stray lock of my hair. "Are you asking if we slept together?"

"What?" I huff indignantly. "That's not what I...did you?"

"No. Never." He looks me directly in the eye. "We're friends—that's it."

"Well, she's pretty," I say almost defensively, like he can't be friends with a pretty girl. "She has great eyes."

"Yeah, they're beautiful."

"Yeah! They're so big!"

I make an inappropriate gesture with my hands, much the same way an immature boy would to pantomime grabbing boob. Zane starts laughing.

I close my eyes briefly. "Um, is there anything I can say right now to convince you that I don't actually have latent lesbian tendencies?"

"Say? No. Show, maybe. And you have to be very convincing." He offers me a sexy half-grin.

"Ha," I say weakly. Then I take a deep breath. "Actually, I wanted to apologize to you about—for...going all cracked out on you about that little tramp, Marissa. Even though I think you were unnecessarily nice and encouraging to her flirty ways—well, that's your right, and I shouldn't have acted like a jealous girlfriend." I pause, then my eyes widen in horror. "Oh, god, I didn't mean girlfriend! I meant to say bitch! Because obviously I am not...we're not...you know...like, dating, or...penis?"

Zane crosses his arms over his chest, full out laughing now.

"Oh, come on!" I plead. "Put me out of my misery."

"I really should," he agrees, shaking his head. "But I kind of don't want to. It's like watching a train wreck."

"Thanks. I'm going to go now. Maybe I'll go find a convent. They like virgins there, right?"

I start to turn away, but Zane pulls me against him. He is so solid, warm, sexy...I melt into him.

"I don't think they'd take someone who looks like you into the convent. Too distracting. Think of all the hot nun jokes you would inspire." His big hands settle over my hips, settling me more firmly against him. "Besides, I have plans for you."

My hands snake up behind his neck, fingers brushing into his soft dark hair. "Really? What kind of plans?"

Zane teases a soft kiss on my mouth. "The kind that involve nudity. And lots of sex."

A heady recklessness falls over me as my body responds helplessly to his. "Yeah, you're all talk, and no action."

"Really?" He smirks. "Okay, little girl, you asked for it."

Zane picks me up with thrilling speed and ease. He carries me onto the bed, and throws me down on it, then moves over me.

"How's that for action?" he murmurs, smiling down at me.