Page 4 of My Ex-Best Men
He pressed a kiss to the back of my neck and smirked when I shivered. “I wanted you closer.”
Warning sirens blared in my brain. “Why are you flying into Miami, Zane?”
“I’m playing a gig.” He sighed when there was another knock on the door. “Coming.”
I had a million more questions. How did he know I was going to be on the flight? Why did he want me closer? What the hell was wrong with me that I’d let him get me half naked within five minutes of seeing him again? Instead of asking them, though, I pushed him out of the way, grabbed my forgotten purse, and shoved open the door.
Coming face to face with an annoyed stewardess, I winced and kept my gaze down as I hurried back to my seat. Did Zane? Of course, not. He was all smiles and confident ease on his walk back, like a big peacock. I was bright red with shame, which was a much more appropriate response than Zane’s smirk.
He sat next to me and leaned into my space. “Come on, C. Don’t be mad at me.”
I curled into my seat facing the window and shifted as far from him as I could get. “Don’t talk to me, Zane.”
He sighed. “If that’s really what you want, I’ll back off.”
His voice dropped, raw. “But just so you know—I’m proud to be seen with you again. I don’t care if the whole world knows I wanted to fuck you in that airplane bathroom.”
He glanced at me, then away. “I want to spend every damn minute of this flight trying to make up for how badly I fucked up.Not because I expect forgiveness—I probably don’t deserve it—but because you deserve to know I still care.”
He leaned back slightly. “But if silence’s what you need... I’ll give you that too.”
I pressed the call button for the stewardess and asked for earbuds. After I had them, I put one in and then looked at Zane. “You broke my heart, Zane. You left me and didn’t even have the decency to end it like a man. Whatever just happened? Forget it. It was a mistake and it won’t happen again.”
I shoved the other earbud in and tapped aggressively at my phone screen to start a podcast about a woman murdering her partner. I didn’t read into why I’d chosen that episode and I didn’t look back at Zane once. No matter how many times I wanted to.
4
***Claire***
“Mr. Wilson? I’m so sorry to bother you but I was hoping to get your autograph and maybe a picture with you?” It was the third time someone had come up to Zane.
I stared even harder out of my window as he greeted each fan with his signature bad boy charm and took pictures with them. I was sure I was in the background of each one, looking like I’d been sucking on a lemon. If I could’ve managed to get the window open, I would’ve taken my chances jumping from the plane.
I tried to read a new book I’d been wanting to read in my free time but I lost focus every other line because of something Zane did or said. He was driving me insane. The plane honestly couldn’t have landed fast enough.
I opened my purse and took the time to go through the contents on my tray table. I was usually so organized that having the purse to put back together was almost calming. I hadeverything lined up on the table in order of size and then color and was just about to start putting it all away when Zane spoke up.
“You never said whose wedding you’re going to.” Zane had shifted in his seat again, turning to face me completely. He reached over and gently moved my makeup bag out of order. “Or if you have a date.”
I silently seethed as I put the bag back where it belonged. I still had the earbuds in so I pretended like I hadn’t heard him. Of course, Zane was a determined asshole, though. He plucked the earbud from my ear closest to him and laughed when he listened to it and heard nothing.
“Tricky, Claire. Now that I know you heard me, answer the question before I combust from curiosity.”
I tried to take the earbud back from him but he just grabbed my hand and held it to his thigh. “Dammit, Zane.”
“Dammit, Claire.”
“Sophia’s getting married! There. Happy now? Can I have my hand back?” I glared at him and instantly remembered why I’d been facing away from him for so long. Looking at him was dangerous. He was too interesting with all the tattoos on display and those pale green eyes filled with interest.
“Yes and no.” He leaned even closer. “I’m happy but you can’t have your hand back. You didn’t answer the question about having a date.”
My cheeks flared with anger. “Do you think I would’ve found myself in the bathroom with you if I was taking a date to Soph’s wedding? Despite the damage you did I’m still the same monogamous woman, Zane. I don’t cheat.”
He grew grimly serious for the first time, outside of when he’d had his tongue down my throat. “I didn’t cheat, Claire.”
I hated that I needed to hear those words so desperately. It was a wound from years earlier. It shouldn’t have mattered. Ihad no reason to believe him. “Well, considering how you never officially broke up with me, I’d say you’ve probably cheated.”
His hand tightened on mine and he pulled me closer. His eyes were intense as he drew close enough that our breaths mingled in the air between us. “I didn’t cheat on you. Never. I fucked up more than enough without that so it’s not like a huge badge of honor, but I never cheated on you. I didn’t touch another woman the entire first six months I lived in LA.”
