On The Rebound (Steinbeck U #1) - L.A. Cotton Page 0,120
so much love and relief, emotion welled inside me.
“You came.”
“Technically, my brother kidnapped me and brought me here. Wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?” My lips curved of their own volition.
“I swear nothing happened with Victoria, not a damn thing. She’s a manipulative bitch and I—”
“I know.”
“You do?” His brows furrowed, and I nodded.
“I think I knew the second I fled your building. I was just hurt and confused and sick... really sick.”
“Fuck, I’m so sorry, Calli. She was only here because she helped me with my dad and he puked all over us, more than once,” he grumbled. “The least I could do was let her get showered.”
“It’s me or her, Zach,” I said without hesitation. “We can’t both be in your life. I won’t play games with her. I just won’t.”
“You think there’s even a choice?” He strode toward me and ran his knuckles down my cheek. “It’s you, sweet pea. It’s always been you. It’s always going to be you. I don’t want Victoria, I never did. And we’re done, my brother’s girlfriend or not. I told her as much today.”
“You did?” The knot in my stomach slowly began to unravel.
“I did, babe. She knows if she even comes within breathing distance of you, she’s done.” The conviction in his voice sent a shiver down my spine. “I hate that she tried to come between us again. But most of all, I hate that I gave her the power to.”
“So, what happens now?” I asked, feeling lighter than I had when I stepped into Zach’s apartment.
“I guess that’s up to you.” He let his fingers brush my jaw before gripping it gently and tilting my face to his. “I love you, Calliope James. So fucking much.”
My fingers curled into his t-shirt, pulling him closer. “Show me,” I whispered.
Zach kissed me softly at first. Like I was fragile glass, and he was scared of breaking me. His lips peppered tiny kisses over my mouth, his tongue flicking and tasting, driving me crazy. A whimper crawled up my throat, liquid lust swimming through my veins.
“Zach...”
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” He dropped his lips to my shoulder, kissing the bare skin there. “But there’s something I want to show you.”
He took my hand and pulled me toward what I assumed was his bedroom. “Close your eyes.” He slipped behind me, looping his arms around me and guided me into his room.
“What are you—”
“Patience, sweet pea.” He kissed right beneath my ear, sending bolts of desire shooting through me. “Okay, open them.”
My eyes flickered open, my lips falling open on a sharp gasp as I took in the sight before me.
The wall was covered in photos... photos I’d taken.
“I- I don’t understand.”
“Callum and your dad helped. He had a bunch of your old photos in storage.”
“He did? I had no idea. I’d always assumed he didn’t care.”
“He cares, Calli. He’s just not very good at showing it.” Zach moved us closer to the wall but didn’t let go of me.
I looked at every photo. The ones of the beach, the waves rolling onto the golden shore. Shots of our yard, the Messiah’s treehouse. There were even some rare family shots of my mom and dad with Callum. Zach and Madison littered the images too. But there was only one of me.
A single photo pinned right in the middle. The one from last Halloween.
“You kept it,” I said, my cheeks burning with memories of that night. The photo captured my lust as Zach kissed me. My skin was flushed, my eyes half-lidded. It was provocative and sensual, but it was also crystal clear that I was a girl in love with a boy.
“As if I could ever let it go.” He nestled his chin into the crook of my shoulder.
“How did Victoria find it?”
“She must have been snooping. I keep it in my drawer.” He flicked his head to the dresser. “I caught her one day in there, but she said she was cleaning up after me and I never thought anything of it.”
“God, I really hate her.”
“She can’t touch us anymore, I promise.”
I wanted to believe him, but he was still on the team, their paths would still cross.
“I’ll quit,” he whispered so quietly I almost missed it.
“What?” I turned my head, grazing his lips with mine.
“You heard me, sweet pea. I said, I’ll quit. Nothing... nothing will ever mean more to me than you do.”