On The Rebound (Steinbeck U #1) - L.A. Cotton Page 0,41

things, but my heart, my broken, battered heart, didn’t care.

Then something unexpected happened. The guy kissed me. Really kissed me.

I was so stunned, all I could do was kiss him back. His lips were gentle and coaxing, eager but soft. It was the perfect first kiss. A first kiss I’d felt all the way down to the tips of my toes. But when I slid off my mask and saw Joel smiling back at me, I’d wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole.

Joel had kissed me... and I’d liked it.

And Zach had been there to witness the entire thing.

When I’d finally snapped out of my lusty haze, I’d fled the party. Josie wanted me to stay, to confess my identity to Joel and give things a chance... but I wasn’t ready.

So I’d done the only thing I knew how—I ran.

I only made it as far as the cluster of trees before Abrams when a hand shot out of the shadows, snagging me around the waist and pulling me into the darkness. “What the hell?” I shrieked, but the same hand covered my mouth, warm lips brushing my ear.

“Surprise, sweet pea.”

“Zach?”

Of course it was Zach.

Only he was crazy enough to lurk in the shadows, waiting for his moment to strike.

“Get off me.” I bucked against him, but he was too strong. He spun me around, pressing me against a tree. “You put on quite the show back there.”

“Zach, let me go,” I hissed. He’d lost it. Completely and utterly lost it.

“You just had to show up here, didn’t you, sweet pea? Everything was fine until you—”

Twisting my head, I sank my teeth into his arm. It was so unexpected, I froze, my mouth still braced against his skin.

“Did you just fucking bite me?” Zach’s voice was so cold, a shiver ran up my spine.

His momentary surprise gave me a chance to turn in his arms. It was a mistake though. Now I could see his eyes glittering in the dark, see his truths staring back at me.

Zach didn’t follow me out here because he wanted to taunt me about Joel.

He was jealous.

A thrill shot through me. Despite his unwillingness to fess up, Zachary Messiah, king of Steinbeck University according to his many—and there were a lot—adoring fans, still cared.

“Did you enjoy letting him tongue fuck you in front of all those people?” He sneered. “Did it get you wet?”

“It was very nice.” I smirked, feeling the need to fight back fill my veins.

I was done letting him pull my strings. He could push and push, pretending that we were nothing to one another.

But I felt it.

I knew the truth.

And it made my blood run hot, for more than one reason.

Zach didn’t take the bait though. Instead, his lip curled with disgust. “Nice? A kiss isn’t supposed to be nice.” One of his hands found its way to my throat.

He’d never touched me this way when we were younger, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he wanted to hurt me, dominate me, or both. Either way, I was completely at his mercy when he held me like this.

“A kiss is supposed to set your body on fire...” He leaned down, letting his lips ghost over mine. Another shudder rolled through me. He was too close... too everything.

Zach had always had a way of completely disarming me, but, back then, it felt mutual. It felt like I affected him as much as he affected me. Now, I wasn’t so sure. He was jealous, yes, but did he really want me still? Or was it just his caveman instincts coming to the surface?

“A kiss is meant to be a promise of things to come.” He kissed the corner of my mouth, and I let him. Because nothing... nothing would ever feel as good as Zachary’s kisses. I knew Josie wouldn’t understand. She wanted me to give Joel a chance, and maybe he was the wise choice here.

But I’d never had much of a choice where Zach was concerned.

I’d fallen for him without warning. Slowly and then all at once. Being with him was as easy as breathing. Even after he’d broken my heart, I still watched him from afar. Loving him. Wanting him. My love never diminished, but over time, it had twisted and turned into something rotten.

Even when he’d returned to Bay View last Halloween, I’d been powerless against him. Just as I was powerless now. Maybe it made me weak… a fool… my own worst enemy. But Zachary