Page 221 of Wicked Savage Wolves
Desmond is shaking beside me fighting not to laugh. I shove him. “This is your fault.”
He smirks. “Show him the suit, Baby Liu.”
I grind my teeth together. Fine. I’m not embarrassed. I fucking rocked this swimsuit. With my eyes on his, I tug the t-shirt off. Desmond’s eyes stay trained on my face, but I don’t miss the hitch in his breath.
There’s a gasp. “Jesus Christ.” That was from Zheng. “Don’t look at my little sister like that, you fucking perv.” That catches both our attention, but when I look, Zheng isn’t talking to Desmond, he’s glowering at the guys he’s been playing corn hole with. “She’s only se—”
“Hey!”
He turns.
“Don’t you dare,” I warn. If he tells everyone I’m underage I will murder him. He must see that in my eyes, because he manages to keep his mouth shut and gives Desmond some weird look. Silent communication passes between them, and then the shirt is being shoved back over my head, only this time when my head pops out it’s to see Zheng heading for the door.
I follow him, Desmond right behind me, and as soon as we’re all safely inside Zheng whirls on me. “What the fuck were you thinking? Do you know what goes through those guys' heads when they look at you? Shit.”
I wait. I’m not really sure what is happening right now. Zheng has always been protective, but he’s also always let me do my thing. This is different. Almost like he’s spiraling. I don’t think all this anger is really about me. At least I hope it isn’t.
“It’s a swimsuit. I’m at a party in my own house I might add. I don’t care how guys look at me or what goes on in their head. As long as they don’t touch me without permission, I’m good. Virtually everyone in the Pack has seen me naked at one point or another. What difference does this make? You’re overreacting—”
“Overreacting? Overreacting! Jesus Christ.” He spears his fingers through his shaggy black hair.
“You said that already.”
“Well, it warranted a repeat.”
I smile a little at that. He takes a few deep breaths and then turns to Desmond and gives him a fist bump. “Thanks, man. I appreciate you looking out.”
Desmond grunts and meets my stare. There’s a warning, as if he’s sayingdon’t you dare say a thing about what happened in the classroom.
I glare back, my eyes conveying my own response.I’m not an idiot, asshole.
“I’m gonna go down to the park. I need to get the image of my baby sister in that,” he nods in my direction, “out of my head. I can drop—”
“I’m good. Go ahead. Meiying can give me a lift.”
I scowl, but Zheng’s not paying attention. “Cool man. I’ll see you later back at the house.”
He heads for the door, but at the last second Desmond stops him. “Yo!”
He waits until Zheng turns to face him. “If something comes up, you call. You hear me?”
More silent communication passes between them, and damn, is that sort of creepy. I know Zheng and Desmond are friends. Best friends now. But it’s like they have their own language, and there is seriously something going on with my brother that definitely has nothing to do with my swimsuit.
94
Meiying
And then there were two. Zheng leaves to go boarding, leaving me and a very shirtless Desmond behind. Right. Clothes. He needs clothes. Which means I need clothes. Gah.
I head for my bedroom, conscious of Desmond’s silent steps behind me. Once inside, I head for my dresser and pull out a pair of yoga pants and a sweater. I look down at the shirt. I don’t want to give it back. It’s soft and comfy and it smells like him. Like cinnamon and sandalwood and yum.Oh my god.I cannot believe I thought that. Not keeping the shirt. I am not that girl and no, I am not hung up on him. Just no. He’s an asshole. An inconsiderate, domineering jerkface. And who the hell cares if my tiger wants to roll around in his scent? That's her problem, not mine. Nope.
I pull it over my head and hold it out to Desmond, who’s just standing there. Staring. It’s the first time I’ve gotten a good look at his front, and yeah, it's just as good as the back. Better actually, which is completely unfair.
His chest is wide, sculpted. He has abs that should be illegal. And those lines ... you know the ones.
I want to trail my fingers over those lines, lick his hip bone, stroke his abs. Wait. No. Fuck. I do not want to do any of those things.Come on, Meiying, get it together.
I take a deep breath through my nose. Not that it helps, because then I just smell him more, and it’s so freaking good.
