Page 3 of My Ex-Best Men (Ex Marks the Spot #4)

***Claire***

Z ane shut the door behind him and the sound of the lock clicking into place was loud in the small space.

His scent was thicker as he slid his arms around my waist and tugged me into his chest. His eyes were smoldering as he slid one hand down to cup my ass through my thin leggings and the other one up to grip the back of my neck.

The next moment in time seemed to stretch on and on as we stared at each other, neither of us moving.

Our eyes saying the things we never said.

The air even seemed frozen between us. I waited for my brain to snap me out of the trance but before it did, Zane moved.

I felt the puff of his breath against my mouth just before his lips.

Then time exploded around us as I sucked in a sharp inhale and reached for him.

He held me tighter while I tangled my hands in his silky hair the same way I always had.

I loved it but I knew his scalp was sensitive and I wanted him to feel the same burning need that I did.

He responded by nipping my lip and forcing his tongue into my mouth. He tasted like spearmint on my tongue.

I raked my nails over his scalp and whimpered as he gripped my ass harder and then slid his hand down to pull my leg up around his waist. He was hard against my middle and I felt dizzy knowing that he wanted me that badly.

He gripped my bun and yanked it free so my hair spilled down around our faces.

My chest pressed against his and my nipples ached painfully.

Like he had all the right to do it, he slipped his hand under my shirt and cupped my breast, raking his thumb over my nipple until I gasped.

Zane groaned and pulled back enough to yank my shirt over my head. “Fuck, Claire.”

I pulled his mouth back to mine and tugged at his hair. “Don’t stop.”

He dropped both hands to my ass and picked me up so he could put me on the counter.

The sink came on and I felt the cold water on my ass but I just scooted forward and wrapped my legs around his waist. He kissed me hard and cupped my breasts with his hands.

His fingers were rough from his guitar and the feel of them on my skin was enough to make me want to beg.

“Zane.” Running my hands over his shoulders and across his back, I tried to feel all of him that I could. Down to his tight ass and around to the hard cock pressing into me. I cupped him through his pants and we both groaned.

“Goddammit, Claire. Can you be quiet?” When I didn’t answer right away, too focused on kissing my way across his strong jaw, he gripped the back of my hair and tightened his hold until I looked up.

“I’m about to sink nine inches deep into you, baby, and I need to know if you can keep quiet.

You never were very good at that before. ”

Shivers went up and down my spine at the promise in his voice. My entire body felt like one giant nerve ending, throbbing for more of his touch. Before I could fully process what he was saying, there was a firm knock at the door.

“Excuse me? I’m sorry but you both need to leave the lavatory and return to your seats.”

I shoved Zane away from me and covered my face with my hands.

I was mortified and I suddenly remembered very well what went along with hooking up with Zane.

It was far from the first time we’d been caught in a compromising position but I was way too close to thirty to feel anything other than horrified by it.

“Just a minute.” Zane pressed his palms to the tops of my thighs and growled my name in his gravel-filled voice. “Look at me.”

I needed my shirt. Jesus, where was it? I pushed him away again and slid off the counter, which just put me right in Zane’s arms again. Still, I refused to look at him.

“Stop freaking out, C. I’ll tip the flight staff and buy everyone a drink or three.” He gripped my face and tilted it up to his. “It’s fine. We’re both adults.”

“I don’t do this kind of stuff anymore, Zane. Just…find my shirt and let me get back to my seat.” I tore my gaze from his and saw my worst-case scenario. My shirt was in the toilet. I groaned and sank back into the sink. “Shit.”

Zane was quick to react. He pulled his t-shirt off and didn’t wait for my permission before he pulled it over my head. It left him in a simple white tank top that showed off what felt like miles and miles of beautiful ink. “I’ll buy you another shirt.”

With his warmth and scent surrounding me, my nipples didn’t get the memo that we were putting the brakes on.

I hastily pulled my hair back into a bun and spun around so I could make sure I didn’t have lip-gloss smeared all over my face.

“I don’t need your money, Zane. I can buy a new shirt all on my own. ”

“I know. I also know you could’ve flown first class today but didn’t upgrade your seat yourself. You’re still a prepper, aren’t you, baby?” He leaned in, pressing his still erect dick against my ass. The new position was one of my favorites and it had me gripping the counter with white knuckles.

I bit my lip to stifle a moan and then his words penetrated my lust-fueled fog. “How did you…? You didn’t. Zane, tell me that you weren’t the one who upgraded my seat.”

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.