Page 25 of Wild Promise

The line between his brows deepened. “Okay, then I revise my question. Why are you here at all?”

Why was I here?

Because sitting alone in my house had started to feel like solitary confinement. Because every time I looked at my phone, Melina’s picture stared back at me, and if I had to see it one more time without hearing her voice or touching her, I was going to lose my fucking mind.

Not that I needed the photo.

Fuck, I didn’t even need to close my eyes to picture her. The image was seared into my brain. The fan of her dark hair against the twisted sheets, the slip of her bare shoulder from under her sweater, and the look of pure, drunken lust in her eyes.

The whole thing was so innocent yet combined with the memory of her throaty moan, turned me on like nothing else. My own personal brand of pornography.

“Just bored I guess.” Shit, that lie sounded about as unconvincing as the ones I’d been telling myself all week.

“He’s moping,” Colin called from his spot behind the bar.

Nate shifted beside me, and this time I caught the wince he tried to hide.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“One hundred percent,” he said in that calm, authoritative tone he used when he wanted the conversation over. “Now, tell me why you’re sitting here feeling sorry for yourself.”

“Fucking hell.” I shook my head, throwing a scowl Colin’s way. “Can’t I just hang out and have a little fun? Coming in for a beer on my day off is not a cry for help.”

“Sure,” Colin agreed. “But you’re the least fun thing in here, and you’ve been staring at that beer like it’s the last one you’ll ever have.”

“Is this about Melina?” Nate asked.

Colin barked out a laugh. “Never thought I’d see the day Zane was hard up for a woman.”

“I’m not hard up.” But the sting of truth cut deep. “I only asked her out because you jackasses dared me. You knew I wouldn’t back out on a bet.”

Even I didn’t buy that one anymore.

“Hey, Colin,” Becky called from over my shoulder, the exaggerated lilt of her voice making me cringe. Her chest brushed against my arm as she pushed up to the bar beside me, leaning in to flirt with my friend. “Are you partying tonight?”

“I’m working,” he replied, not taking the bait.

“What about after work?” She angled her head, drawing attention to the long line of her neck and the low cut of her top. “This place is dead. Don’t you want to let loose once you’re done?”

He towered over her, feigning interest. “Why? You looking to get a bit wild?”

“Sure, why not? It could be fun.” She giggled.

“But haven’t you heard?” he deadpanned, his gaze darting to me in a way that made my stomach tense. “Zane’s on strike. We’re all out of fun.”

“Go home, Becky.” Fuck, I was sick of this shit. The games, taunts, and feeling like a loser. All of it. But most of all Becky, especially after the way she’d treated Melina. “No one’s partying tonight.”

Her head snapped toward me, outrage flashing across her face. “Whatever. Your parties have been boring lately anyway.”

A lock of red hair smacked the side of my face as she flipped it over her shoulder and stalked away.

“Talk about hard up,” Colin cackled. “That girl’s got it bad for you, Zane.”

“What?” My stomach was already a firm knot, but the thought of Becky causing more trouble added a painful twist.

“Just sayin’.” He shrugged before moving down the bar to serve our neglected customers.

Nate leaned in, as though confessing a secret. “You should be careful around her. She’s got a vindictive streak.” Coming from the head of resort security, that meant something. But even without his keen observation skills, I knew he was right.