Page 60 of Dirty Like Zane
I sipped my beer, and when I glanced in the direction of Zane’s booth again, Alec was just walking away. The Wet Blanket guys haddisappeared.
Zane and Shady were alone in thebooth.
“Excuse me,” I said, setting my beer bottle on the table and slipping out of my seat. “I need to go take care ofsomething.”
“Mmm.” Matt sipped his beer and followed the direction of my gaze. “Wouldn’t wanna leave Zane waiting.” His eyes locked withmine.
And for just a heartbeat, I gave him the iciestdon’t-you-dare-fuck-with-melook that I couldmuster.
He winked atme.
I turned and walkedaway.
Rockstars.
Just when you’d met one you thought might be somewhat of a gentleman, he went and busted your lady balls. While you were drunk anddefenseless.
I was, in fact, a wee bit drunker than I’d thought, which I only discovered as I walked across the room and found myself a little less-than-stable on my feet. The heels weren’t helping. I was usually pretty damn comfortable in four-inch heels, but the beers I’d just pounded back were making me feel like I had the ankles of Bambi—all four ofthem.
I managed to weave my way to Zane’s table and grab hold of it, steadyingmyself.
“Hi,” Ibreathed.
“Hey, Maggie,” Shadysaid.
Zane said nothing, just sipped his sparkling water. He didn’t even look atme.
It hurt, but it also reinforced what I’d been telling myself all night. My conviction that I needed to be brave here and let down mywall.
Just a wee bitmore.
“Mind if I join youguys?”
“Course not.” Shady got out of the booth so I could slide in betweenthem.
When we were settled, I chatted with Shady a bit. Just small talk about thetour.
Zane didn’t say anything. But he didn’tleave.
After a few minutes, Shady seemed to pick up on the tension—or the fact that Zane had said exactly zero words since I sat down—and made an excuse to slipaway.
As soon as Zane and I were alone, I told him, “I’msorry.”
Finally, he looked at me. His arctic-blue eyes met mine—and I felt it, way downdeep.
Fuck, I’d missed thatlook.
I’d missedhim.
The way he looked at me now, like he loved me… even when he was pissed atme.
I cleared my throat. “This may be hard to believe,” I told him, “but I really don’t want to fight. I hate fighting with you. And I really can’t stand it when you’re mad atme.”
“Really?” he said. “I don’t care if you’re mad atme.”
My heart squeezed painfully at thosewords.
“I mean…” His gaze drifted over my face. “You’re hot as fuck when you’remad.”
