The Drift (Preacher Brothers 3)

Flashes of images of her kneeling at the bed, holding me, touching me, singing to me, played over and over in my head. She was looking at the floor, and I allowed myself the privilege of memorizing every part of her before she realized.

I remembered her, the memories I had from when I opened my eyes those few times very clear in my mind. This was her. She needed to come closer so I could smell her sweet scent, so I could feel her hand on me and know that it was indeed her.

I needed to hear her voice, and then I’d know without a shadow of a doubt.

She was beautiful nonetheless, with dark, almost black hair that hung in loose waves around her shoulders. She was tiny, would be in comparison to standing next to me. Her body was womanly, with curves I could make out underneath her jeans and T-shirt.

She lifted her head and stopped as soon as our gazes met. I swore she held her breath. I know I did. She was gorgeous, with eyes so blue they were like sapphires. And the contrast abasing her dark hair and alabaster skin was unlike anything I ever encountered in my life.

Maybe I died, and she was the angel waiting to take me to wherever the fuck I deserved to go.

This was the first time I was looking at her with a clear head and vision. The times before, she’d been blurry, since I was unable to focus, hanging onto the things like her scent and touch, the sound of her. But God, I never anticipated this was what she looked like.

I’d never seen a person so painfully beautiful.

“You’re up,” she whispered, almost as if to herself. She looked to the door, and I knew she was either going to bolt or go get someone else.

“Please, don’t go.” I don’t know why I said that. The words tumbled out before I could stop them. I never begged for anything, but hell, I’d done that right now. “Please, come here.” I needed her to be closer. I wanted some alone time with her so I could really examine her, so I could have this moment without my brothers and their women coming in.

“They’ll want to know you’re up,” she said a little louder this time, but still soft enough only I could probably hear. “They’ve been so worried.”

I bet they had, and I didn’t want to make them worry anymore, but I needed this moment to be just us. I needed this right now.

She stepped closer before I could tell her that, and with each step she came to me, the more this excited energy and anticipation thrummed through my veins.

I held my breath the closer she got, and when she was only a foot from the bed, I actually reached out for her. “You can’t be real,” I said under my breath. Fuck, I hadn’t meant to say that out loud, and judging by the widening of her eyes and the little tilt of her mouth, she hadn’t expected that to come out of me either.

“What’s your name?” I asked, still holding my hand out, praying to whoever would listen that she’d slip hers in mine and let me touch her.

She swallowed, and I found the motion of her slender throat working so damn feminine. “Zoey,” she whispered, and I could sense her nervousness, practically see it coming from her in waves.

Zoey. Zoey. Zoey.

I played her name over and over in my head, knowing I’d never get enough.

“Zoey.” It sounded good rolling off my tongue. “Come closer.” She probably thought I was a fucking lunatic. I didn’t care though, as long as she gave me what I desperately needed. She looked down at my hand, and I held my breath again as I watched her lift hers and put it in mine.

And there it was. Her touch. I had the feeling of her ingrained in my memory, in my fucking body for the rest of my damn life and even after that.

This had to be the most bizarre, incredible moment of my life, and I couldn’t even place why. We didn’t know each other—well, I knew nothing about her. Why was she here? I prayed like hell she wasn’t Frankie’s girl. I knew he hadn’t been with a woman in a helluva long fucking time, because he was hung up on some female from his past. But maybe he caved? Damn, I certainly would if Zoey was in my life.

And the thought of my twin having her… would not happen.

I almost died, wasn’t a good man in the normal sense of being a law-abiding citizen, and have gone through a lot of shit in my life, but having Zoey here, her hand in mine, everything seemed… right.

I used a little bit of force and pulled her forward even more until she was now sitting on the edge of the bed. And then I inhaled deeply, taking in her scent that I’d become addicted to.