“What?”
He leaned in close, just inches from her face. “Was he the only one you’ve fucked, or have you made the rounds already?”
“Excuse me?” Holly seethed. “That’s none of your business.”
“You’re the maiden. I’m a firstborn. It’s definitely my business.”
“If you think you’re going to get an answer, you’re dead wrong.”
“Ah.” Loch grinned. “So, you have had all of them. At the same time?”
“You’re sick.”
“Yes, I’m extremely sick.” Loch’s eyes burned as if tiny flames were flickering behind his retinas. “You want to know why? I have to live every single day with this insane pull to be near you, and I can’t do that. I’m trapped out here with maniacs who want to use my attraction to you to end your life. That gets to a man after a while.”
“That’s not my fault,” Holly snapped. “That also doesn’t give you the right to be a total douchebag.”
“Let’s switch places for a day and see how sweet you are afterward,” he said.
“You’re cracked,” Holly said. “And you need to go. If Keller finds you, he’ll tear you apart.”
“I’m not worried about Keller. He’s found their trail. He won’t give up so easily when he’s finally getting those,” Loch said dismissively.
“I don’t get why you dislike them so much,” Holly said. “Johnny said you used to be friends.”
“Johnny’s an ass.” Loch rolled his eyes. “And I hate them because they have you and I don’t.”
Holly opened her mouth and closed it again. She wasn’t sure what to say to that. It wasn’t like she could rent out a room to him or anything.
“They’ve put effort into building a friendship with me,” Holly said calmly. “I trust them because they’ve given me a reason to trust them. The most trustworthy thing you’ve done is paralyze me.”
“While telling the truth about what’s going on,” he countered. “I paralyzed myself, too. I think that’s an important detail you’re leaving out.”
“Why did you even have that stuff to begin with? You obviously intended to use it. How do I know you weren’t trying to dose me up with the whole vial and got swept up by accident?”
“Because I’m not an idiot.” Loch rolled his eyes.
“That’s debatable.”
“Can you stop with the quips for a moment, or do you have some kind of compulsion?”
Holly frowned and said nothing.
“Look at me,” Loch said softly, so she slowly dragged her gaze to his. “Look at me and tell me you feel nothing.”
She wanted to. Hell, she almost did. But something snagged inside her like a sweater caught on a hangnail. There was something behind his eyes, something behind that fire. She didn’t know what it was. She wasn’t sure if she even wanted to know, but there was no denying that it drew her in.
She didn’t know what she felt for him, but it was something. Not nothing.
“That’s what I thought.” He grinned.
It’d be easier to hate him if he didn’t have that face, Holly thought. She’d be damned before she admitted to him that she thought he was handsome. He didn’t need that ego boost.
“You’re after the title, not me,” she huffed. “You want to be king.”
“What makes you say that?” He took half a step closer.
If Holly leaned forward even slightly, her forehead would hit his chin. She stared up at him, scowling.
“You’re an outcast. A misfit. A bad boy with a chip on his shoulder,” she said. “What wouldn’t you find attractive about that power, the status, and everything else that comes with it?”
Loch tipped his head back and laughed. “You don’t know me at all.” His voice dropped to a low murmur. “But you want to.”
“I do not.” Holly gritted her teeth.
“Prove it,” he whispered.
Holly didn’t realize how close he was until he kissed her. His kiss took the breath from her. Tiny fireworks went off inside her. She felt herself sinking deeper into his kiss.
Then, she realized what she was doing.
She leaped back as if he’d shocked her with a car battery.
“What’s wrong with you?” she snapped. “You can’t just go around kissing people!”
“I took a chance, and it paid off.” He grinned. “You liked it. I felt you like it.”
“That’s not the point! You can’t just do that!”
“You’re not denying that you liked it.”
Holly’s blood reached a boiling point. “I’m going to find Keller. I’m telling the guys everything once I get back to the house.”
Now, Loch looked scared. “Holly, wait!” He reached out for her, but she had already taken off. She was fairly sure Keller went that way, though she wasn’t paying as close attention as she should have. As long as she got away from Loch, she didn’t care where she went.
How could he do that? What was wrong with him to think that kissing her like that was in any way okay?
Holly brought her fingers to her lips. She still felt his kiss.
She let out a cry of frustration. The truth was, she had liked it. She liked the way his lips felt on hers. She liked the way her body responded to him. That was what pissed her off so much. Between Johnny, Garret, and Keller, she had enough feelings to juggle. She still didn’t know what she was going to do about them. The last thing she needed was another man in the mix.
Especially one like Loch.
She trudged through the woods, looking for Keller but too scared to call out for him. What if he was closing in on the bears who had attacked the house? Why the fuck didn’t she ask Loch about them when she had the chance?
She hated how flustered and off-balance she got when he was around. The paralysis powder had almost nothing to do with it.
