Everyone was asleep, or I would have begged, maybe even bribed someone to come to the store with me. I always made a joke out of it. "Come with me so I don't get sexually harassed."

When really.

It was fear.

It was always fear.

The door to the house was unlocked. I turned the knob and walked inside, then softly closed the door behind me, making my way into the large gourmet kitchen so I could put my stash in the pantry.

I was almost home free when the kitchen light flickered on.

Linc was sitting at the table, a glass of scotch in front of him, a bottle next to the glass, and an empty glass in front of that.

"So…" He scooted the full glass toward me. "… I think we need to talk."

I rolled my eyes, shaking off the fear from being in public and presenting myself with my usual armor. "One kiss, Linc. To prove a point. Get over it, better yet, get over her, and when I say over I mean in bed, then call me later and say thank you."

"Thank you," Linc said quickly. "But not what I'm talking about."

I frowned. "Then, I have no idea what we need to discuss."

"You're one of her best friends. She worries about you. Therefore, I worry about you. She doesn't sleep… I don't sleep, so sit your ass down and tell me why you're really here."

"Because God hasn't taken me home yet?" I offered sarcastically. "How much of that scotch have you drunk? Be honest."

"Zane."

"Get laid, call me in the morning, things will look… up."

"Zane."

I nearly growled as I turned and gripped the counter hard with my fingertips. "What?"

"Why are you here?"

Loaded question. And I would lie. I would continue to lie as long as Jaymeson allowed it. "Because. I find the sea breeze positively… exhilarating."

"Truth?"

"Yup." I choked on the lie more because I actually liked him.

"I'll believe it when I see you actually visit the ocean."

Caught. I stared at him dumbly. "I visit."

"By yourself?"

My entire body seized.

"That's what I thought." He knocked on the counter. "Night, Zane. You know where to find me if you need me."

"My best friend's bedroom?"

Linc's body tensed. "Don't make me punch you. Again."

He walked away.

Which was good, because had he stayed any longer, he'd have seen the sweat pooling around my temples, the tremors that wracked my body, and the twitching hand. With a curse, I stomped back into the pantry, grabbed an entire bag of marshmallows, and dug in.