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“I’m on my way.”
Sophie came to her feet, worry settling in. “You sound odd, Zach. What’s wrong? Is it Braxton or Liam?”
“They’re fine. See you in a few minutes.”
He hung up. Actually hung up, as if inviting himself over was normal, like they were friends. What had happened since she’d seen him this morning? He’d kissed her like she was his lifeline to salvation. Then he’d completely pushed her away, using hurtful words that still stung.
Sophie dropped the phone on her bed and grabbed her silky robe off the small hook on her closet door. She had no idea where Zach was when he called, so she hurried and tied the robe, making sure she was fully covered.
Padding barefoot down the hall, she’d just flicked the porch light on when Zach’s broad, powerful frame mounted the steps. Her heartbeat kicked up as she freed the dead bolt and pulled the old oak door open.
The instant Zach lifted his head, that heavy-lidded gaze of his raked over her body, leaving her tingling in spots she didn’t know could tingle from a mere glance.
Gripping the doorknob, she straightened her shoulders. “Come on in.”
“I’ll stay on the porch.”
O-kay. She stepped outside, pulling the door closed behind her. Now in the pale glow of her porch lights, she shivered at the intimacy. Folding her arms over her chest, she forced herself to look him in the eye and not be intimidated by his masculinity, which threatened to make her knees buckle. Seeing him after what they’d shared in the tunnel was difficult. How could they ever go back to the awkward relationship that they’d grown accustomed to? Now they’d reached a new level of awkward, because just looking at him had her aching, had her staring at his mouth, wondering how those lips would feel on the rest of her body.
“Do you want to have a seat?” She gestured toward her porch swing.
“No.”
Sophie let out a sigh. “For someone who wanted to talk so bad you showed up at my house, you’re not saying much.”
Those eyes continued to accost her. How could he just stand there as though this crackling tension wasn’t the third party in this difficult meeting?
“I know I shouldn’t be here. I’m sure Martin wouldn’t appreciate it.”
Sophie took a deep breath. “Martin isn’t an issue anymore.”
She shouldn’t have said anything. It was hardly fair to say that to Zach when Martin didn’t even know yet. But the words slipped out and she couldn’t pull them back.
Zach blinked, obviously shocked. “Because we kissed?”
At least he wasn’t avoiding the topic. “Partly,” she answered honestly. “But I’m not discussing him, because he has nothing to do with why you came over. Does he?”
Zach shook his head, the muscle in his jaw clenched. “I came by to apologize for the kiss, for how I handled things.”
Sophie could easily have let those words deflate her, but she was stronger than that. Something Zach would do well to remember. Because there was no way in hell a man who kissed like that was sorry that it happened. He hadn’t acted sorry . . . he’d acted just as needy as she’d felt.
“Really? You’re going to go that route?” She laughed, knowing that calling him out would irritate him. She was done coddling him and his self-pity. “Don’t lie to me. You can’t kiss me with so much passion and desire and be sorry for it at the same time.”
Those chocolate-brown eyes narrowed. “Fine. I’m not sorry I kissed you. I am sorry for the way I treated you.”
“Which time?” she countered. “After the kiss or all the years leading up to it?”
Crossing his arms over his wide chest, Zach shifted his feet and continued to glare. A portion of his tat peeked out beneath the hem of his gray T-shirt. Broad muscles stretched the thin material. Zach came by his spectacular frame the old-fashioned, hardworking way, with intense manual labor.
The man exuded sex appeal, but there was so much more to him than physical strength and an impressive exterior. Layers of emotions, some dark and some caring, made up the intriguing man.
“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings earlier,” he told her.
Sophie jerked back. She’d never heard him sound this sincere, this broken. What had that kiss done to him? Something wasn’t right, and she wasn’t quite sure how to approach it because the man was so closed off.
“My feelings weren’t hurt.”
“Now who’s lying?” he asked, raising a dark brow.
