“I was afraid, girl.” His voice was thick, too, and my eyes and throat burned. Ugh. Emotions sucked. I did not want to cry again. “When we didn’t hear from you, I thought...”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “We just—”

“No. You don’t need to apologize. I get it. If this was Jasmine and me, calling anyone would be the last thing we’d be doing,” he said with a hoarse laugh, and I flushed. “I don’t know what we expected when we came here, but I couldn’t be more glad to see both of you.”

“Same,” I murmured, cringing the moment that left my mouth, because that made no sense.

“I think Trin’s all hugged out.” Zayne was there suddenly, easing me out from Dez’s embrace. He pulled me to his side, curling his arm around me. “We should’ve called. Sorry about that,” he said, and I detected a small hint of insincerity that was so not like Zayne and yet still made me turn and hide my grin. “We were a little busy.”

“No doubt,” remarked Nicolai.

Oh, dear.

Now my face was on fire as Zayne glanced down at me. “You want something to drink?” he asked. “I think I actually spied some OJ and water amid the cartons and cartons of soda.”

I pulled back. “You’re still hung up on the water thing?”

He dragged his teeth over his lower lip as he stared down at me. “You can always drink more water.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re a fallen angel now. Drink some carbonated, tasty goodness. Live a little.”

Zayne dipped his head, brushing his lips over mine. He then took my hand, squeezing it as he guided me toward the kitchen. “Grab a seat.”

I was still stuck on the kiss, so I grabbed a bar stool and sat. The old Zayne could be touchy and sometimes flirtatious in front of others. He’d even gotten caught up in the building tension between us before, seeming to forget when we weren’t alone, but to be that bold? That was a new side of him.

I liked that side.

He met my gaze, and there was no mistaking the heat in his eyes. I had to wonder if he knew what I was thinking as he dragged his damn lip between his teeth and then turned to the fridge. “You guys need anything?”

There were a chorus of noes as I toyed with a coaster, knowing my face was a thousand shades of red at that moment.

And I couldn’t seriously care less.