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“As soon as possible. Tonight.” Zeb’s tone is firm. Serious. But he doesn’t alarm Carmen and Rosalie. “You need to pack your bags. We’re leaving as soon as Hayes and Rafe get here. They’ll take you and Rosalie back to HQ.”
“I bet they’re pleased.” Carmen rolls her eyes. “They’ve been waiting to say I told you so.”
“Rafe and Hayes know this has nothing to do with your father or your decision to leave HQ. This is because Scott is a threat to the four of you.” Zeb looks between us. “Has Barbi responded to any of you?”
Carmen looks at her phone, as do I, but there’s no response from Barbi.
Which is odd. A small tendril of fear uncoils in my gut. Has Scott…? But no, he would have no reason to act against Barbi. She was probably up all night and is sleeping it off in some one-night-stand’s bed.
“No.” I glance at my phone, as if she answered us in the last second.
“Okay, that’s not an issue. Mitzy will be able to locate her.” Zeb wraps his arm around my shoulder. He pulls me in and kisses the top of my head.
I don’t know why, but that tiny bit of tenderness makes me believe everything will be all right.
“How?” Carmen asks the question I want to know.
“As long as her phone is on, and charged, Mitzy will work her Mitzy Magic and find her. We’ll send Alec out to fetch her. In the meantime, the three of you have bags to pack.”
The moment Zeb gives us something to do, Carmen and Rosalie spring into action and head upstairs. I stay with Zeb in the living room. His arm is still wrapped around my shoulder and I don’t want to move.
I lean against him, turning in slightly, loving his rich, warm scent. Zeb completes my turn, guiding me in, until we’re face to face. He places his hands on my waist and tugs me tight against his body.
“Don’t worry about Barbi. We’ve got the best people on the planet looking for her, and she’s probably right where you think she is.”
“And where is that?”
“In bed with whomever she met last night.” He cups my chin and tilts my head back until I’m looking up at him. “Don’t worry about Barbi. We’ll pack your things and hers. Then we’ll head down the coast to Guardian HQ.”
“Okay.” I smile, feeling tremendous relief flowing through me. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say a thing. There’s no way I’m going to let anyone threaten you, or those you care about.”
“Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me.”
“Yes. I do. You’ve been—just wonderful.” My lips tremble, as emotion overwhelms me. “Incredibly wonderful.”
I lift on my tiptoes, thinking to place a chaste peck on his cheek, but some strange force brings our lips together. At first, our lips barely touch, but then a surge of passion takes me by surprise. A million volts of electricity surges between us, sparking and igniting a firestorm.
Sparks fly.
The air heats.
I pull away in shock. As if I don’t want the explosion of sensation to continue. The truth is, I never want this feeling to end, but a silent warning bell rings in my ear.
“I’m sorry.” I spring out of his arms and place my fingers over my lips as if I can capture the moment and hold it forever. Already, I miss the taste of him. “I didn’t mean to kiss you. It was an accident.”
I inhale, filling my lungs with the scent of him, wanting more, but I back away as if what I did was terribly wrong.
A low chuckle makes his shoulders shake. He takes a step closer and I find myself rooted in place until he closes the distance. He towers over me and his lips curve into a small smile, the kind that holds secrets.
He gazes at me with such intensity, my heart kicks into overdrive. “If that was an accident, it was the best accident I’ve experienced in a very long time.” His voice rasps from the effort it takes to control it. “Maybe next time it’ll be intentional, and we can finally explore what might happen if we don’t stop.” He takes my hands in his and stares at me with smoldering heat simmering in his eyes. “You should pack.”
“Aren’t you going to help me?”
“I’d love to follow you to your bedroom, but if I do, you won’t be packing a suitcase. I’m going to stay here and cool off from that amazing, and beautiful, accident.”
