Brazen - Brazen #1 - Maya Banks Page 0,3
on one of the beds with a slight bounce and looked over at Zane.
“It’s kind of lonely over there. I haven’t seen you guys in a year.”
Zane smiled and sauntered back over to the bed. “Want to watch some TV with us for a while?”
She beamed back at him and promptly pulled back the covers and curled underneath.
A few seconds later, the bathroom door opened and Seth strode out with just a towel around his waist. As much as she wanted to pretend indifference, as much as she’d have loved to look away and play it cool, her eyes traveled up his body until they rested on his hard abdomen. The towel dangled precariously low. Just a half inch lower and she’d get a peek of the dark hair she knew resided there.
Seth looked up and uttered a surprised oath when he saw her lying in the bed.
“Jesus Christ, Zane, you should have told me she was in here.”
He hauled the towel up higher and stalked back into the bathroom.
She raised wide, innocent eyes to Zane. “What’s his problem?”
“Turn your head, Jaz, let me get into my shorts,” Zane directed, ignoring her question.
She sighed and turned her face away. Seconds later, the bed dipped and Zane crawled up beside her. He reclined, propping his elbow on the pillow next to her.
“Now suppose you tell me what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours,” he drawled.
She gave him her best confused look. “I missed you guys,” she said huskily. “You didn’t miss me?”
He arched an eyebrow at her, and she watched the battle play across his face. He was clearly trying to decide if she was playing a game or if she was just being the same girl they always knew.
“Of course we did,” he soothed.
“You don’t act like it,” she muttered. “What’s up Seth’s ass anyway?”
He opened his mouth to speak then shut it again. Finally he shook his head. “Come here, Jaz,” he said.
She didn’t hesitate. She rolled over and scooted her back into his chest until she was snuggled into his arms. As his warmth bled through her skin, she sighed in contentment.
“Glad to be home?”
She nodded. “I loved Paris, but I was ready to come back home to Texas.”
She sighed again when his fingers tangled in her hair, gently pulling downward as he brushed the strands.
The bathroom door opened and Seth came out again, this time fully clothed. He frowned when he saw Jasmine hugged up tight against Zane. She pretended to ignore him, focusing instead on the TV.
He seemed to battle over whether or not to object to her presence. She watched from the corner of her eye as he looked at her. With a slight shake of his head, he walked over to his bed.
Feeling like she’d won this round, she smiled to herself and burrowed deeper under the covers. She was tired. Exhausted, actually. But she didn’t want to spend her first night back alone.
She could feel Zane’s heartbeat against her back, and it soothed her. Made her feel safe. It felt like home.
As she wiggled closer still into the shelter of his body, her behind brushed against the vee of his legs. For a moment, she paused. Then she felt the hardness against the curve of her ass.
Zane must have registered her awareness, because he jerked away and rolled out of the bed. She felt the loss of their closeness keenly and, for the first time, regretted the attraction between them.
Zane strode into the bathroom and closed the door behind him with a bang.
Chapter Two
Seth watched Jasmine’s eyes close as she succumbed to sleep. His brother still remained in the bathroom after his exit over fifteen minutes ago.
She was beautiful. Achingly so. It shamed him that he couldn’t look at her without feeling a surge of lust. He ran a hand through his hair and stood up, a weary sigh escaping him. He yanked back his covers and picked the remote up to turn off the TV.
What the hell was he going to do? He reclined on the bed, leaving the blankets at his feet. The year she’d been away had been a blessing and a curse all rolled into one.
He’d missed her. Missed everything about her. But at the same time, he’d been relieved not to have to face her on a daily basis.
He looked up to see Zane walk cautiously out of the bathroom. His brother shot a look at the bed and relaxed when he saw Jasmine sleeping.
“What