Hunter (Rosewood High #5) - Tracy Lorraine Page 0,3
everyone else?”
“I… um… I am. See?” I lift my drink and tip it toward my mouth, only it doesn’t meet my lips. Instead, it’s taken from my fingers and pressed against his full lips in a heartbeat.
“That’s soda,” he states, his brows drawn.
“So?”
“Don’t you want to let go, have a little fun? You’re always so uptight.”
I flinch at his words. I spend most of my life trying to cover up how I really feel, what’s really going on with me. I really don’t need him digging and finding the ugly things that I try to keep away from everyone else.
“Don’t you want to have fun?”
“Who says I’m not?”
“Aside from the soda, your face.”
My lips part to respond but I fear I have no argument.
“The others don’t see it, do they?” His fingers lift and he tucks a lock of hair behind my ear, his touch burning all the way down to my toes.
“Don’t see what, Zayn?” I snap. I shouldn’t ask. I’m terrified to hear the answer, to know what he really thinks of me but that’s the thing about my best friend’s older brother. He affects me in a way that no one else ever has. It annoys the crap out of me.
“I don’t know,” he muses, staring deep into my eyes. “But I want to find out.”
“Fuck you, Zayn,” I spit.
“Now there’s an idea. You think that’ll help loosen you up a little?” His eyebrows wiggle in excitement as I will all of my muscles below my waist not to clench at the thought.
I told myself years ago that I wasn’t ever allowed to lose myself in Zayn’s smooth lines. He shattered my young heart all those years ago in that closet. I may never have forgiven him for that, but hell if I don’t still dream about it. I tell myself that should the situation arise ever again that I’d tell him to go to hell, but I’m pretty sure I’m only lying to myself because even now, I can feel that kiss.
“Let me go,” I damn near beg.
“Why, so you can go and pretend to be happy? Tell me how to make it better, Poppy. Tell me how to put a genuine smile on your face.”
“Why do you care?” I ask, my eyes narrowing on his sparkling ones.
“I’ve always cared. I watch you, you know, when you’re not looking.”
“No,” I argue, knowing that it can’t be true. The thought of it being true and him discovering what I keep hidden is scarier than him admitting that he might actually care.
“These frown lines,” he says, his finger gently running between my brows, smoothing them out. “I want to know what puts them there.” His finger continues down over my nose until it connects with my lips.
I suck in a ragged breath as I watch his eyes follow its journey. It lingers on my bottom lip for a beat before pulling it out. His eyes darken as he sucks on his own bottom lip like he’s imagining all kinds of dirty things.
I’ve seen the look on him before. Usually right before he makes a play for a cheer slut. But despite the fact I know that, it doesn’t make me move. In fact, right now, with his scent filling my nose and the heat of his body seeping into mine, all it does is make me want to find out where he’s going with this.
I don’t need to look up to know we’re alone right now, someone has turned the music down and all the voices that can be heard are coming from the garden.
I should push him away. Harley, or worse, Jake could see us and jump to conclusions. What I really don’t need in my life right now is more drama. But as I remain locked in his stare, I’m powerless to move.
His hand wraps around the back of my neck, his fingers squeezing in the most incredible way.
“What keeps these muscles so tense, Pops? What are you hiding?”
My lips part to respond as he rests his forearm against the wall beside my head. He steps closer, completely surrounds me with his size and I feel like a little girl once again. I feel like I’m fourteen once more and about to experience everything I’d been dreaming about.
“Zayn,” I warn as he slowly closes the space between us, the crowd from outside beginning their countdown to the New Year.
“Celebrate the New Year with me, Pops. Let’s bring it in style.”