Keep (Seaside Pictures 2)

“I noticed,” he grit out.

“And regardless of how hard I try, I will end up falling more, and that’s not fair, you know? I’m fully capable of understanding what this is between us.”

“Oh?” His eyebrows shot up. “And what is it?”

I shrugged. “Convenience and maybe a bit of pity.”

He glared.

“On your end, you pity me, which is fine. I just—it’s just not fair, and I’m pretty sure any girl in my position would hop into bed with you and take a selfie, but I’m not that girl. I think I’ve discovered I’m more fragile than that.”

Zane shook his head and then cursed out an. “Unbelievable.”

“Hey!” I wagged my finger at him. “You’re the one who climbed into my window. I just don’t want to be the reason you can’t finish your album, and honestly, the only chance we have of coming out of this friends is if you keep your promise.”

“And what was that?” he whispered hoarsely. “My promise?”

“You said you wouldn’t seduce me.”

“Hmm.” He seemed to think about that sentence way longer than necessary. “Does it work both ways, my promise?”

“Huh?”

“What if you seduce me?”

“Uh…” I took a cautious step back. “That won’t happen.”

“Sure it won’t.” He winked. “I suddenly feel so much better.”

“That concerns me.”

“It should.”

“Zane….”

“Fallon…” He grabbed my hand and kissed it. “I know you don’t believe me, but sometimes, a guy kisses a girl with pure intentions. Did you ever think that I kissed you simply because you looked pretty and I couldn’t help myself?”

No. Because it was a line. I shook my head.

“It would be nice.” He looked past me out the window. “Just one time, to be treated like a normal human. One who scaled a girl’s house because he wanted to see her, apologize to her, hear her voice. It would be nice, to be that guy, the one that she was waiting for. The one she didn’t reject just because she was afraid. The one she didn’t deny because she assumes things she shouldn’t.”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

“Don’t believe everything you see or read, Fallon. I thought you were better than that.”

“What are you saying?” My eyes narrowed as he dropped my hand and walked past me. “Zane?”

“I’m saying,” He put one leg over the window then the next. “That things aren’t always what they seem. And I’ve never been desperate or bored enough to climb into a girl’s window and take the leap of faith by kissing her, especially with her armed father downstairs just waiting for a chance to try out his new gun.”

I pressed my hands to my lips and sighed.

Zane winked. “Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss.”

I scowled, removing my hands. “And sometimes it’s exactly what it looks like. A guy crawling into a girl’s window in hopes for a midnight booty call.”

Shock registered on his face before a smile curved the corners of his beautiful mouth. “I think you’d be shocked to find out just how many of those I’ve had.”

“Trying to keep it in the double digits, huh?” I fired back just as he climbed down and waved goodbye.

Frustrated, I slammed my window shut and locked it, then stomped over to my bed and hugged a pillow.

It didn’t matter what he said.

Because I’d only known him a couple of days.

And he was asking me to trust him, not the hundreds and thousands of media sites that painted him as this horrified virgin deflowering villain.

How many girls I wondered, had fallen under the spell of his kiss, the way he made them feel like it was the first time for him too—how many?

I didn’t want to be number thirty-seven or eighty-seven in a long list of women who were seduced by his insane amount of charm.

I sent one last text to him.

Fallon: What time tomorrow?

Zane: For sex?

Fallon: Very funny. What time for inspiration?

Zane: Are you asking about sex again?

I let out a little growl and typed furiously on my phone.

Fallon: Do you need me or not? Because I have things to do.

He waited a few minutes then texted back.

Zane: I like doing things.

I rolled my eyes and glared up at the ceiling. Great, now I had to make up a thing I needed to do.

Fallon: Shopping for…clothes.

Zane: I love shopping.

Had to admit, he was persistent in every area of his life.

With a sigh, I typed back.

Fallon: Fine, but no kissing, no touching, no seducing, none of the above. We go as friends or co-workers or something.

Zane: Did you really just co-worker me?

I smirked down at my phone.

Zane: Four eyes, we cleaned bathrooms together, I HELPED YOU DISPOSE OF A CONDOM, is this all our relationship means to you? Co-workers?

I giggled and turned off my light as the phone buzzed again.

Zane: You may as well call me your “acquaintance” when making introductions, even though I’ve tasted you—numerous times.

Fallon: Stop!

Zane: At least three times now? Right? Or is it two? By the way, did you know that you taste amazing? I may write a song about it, strawberries and cotton candy, damn, I could go for those right now. You may even be better than marshmallows.