Brazen (Brazen #1)(4)

She was beautiful. Achingly so. It shamed him that he couldn’t look at her without feeling a surge of lust. He ran a hand through his hair and stood up, a weary sigh escaping him. He yanked back his covers and picked the remote up to turn off the TV.

What the hell was he going to do? He reclined on the bed, leaving the blankets at his feet. The year she’d been away had been a blessing and a curse all rolled into one.

He’d missed her. Missed everything about her. But at the same time, he’d been relieved not to have to face her on a daily basis.

He looked up to see Zane walk cautiously out of the bathroom. His brother shot a look at the bed and relaxed when he saw Jasmine sleeping.

“What the f**k is wrong with you?” Seth demanded in a low tone.

“Nothing,” Zane growled.

Seth raised an eyebrow.

Zane sighed and sat on the edge of Seth’s bed.

“I can’t touch her without getting a hard-on,” he admitted.

“Then don’t f**king touch her,” Seth said, anger spilling into his voice. He swallowed then lowered his voice so as not to wake Jasmine. “I mean what did you expect? You were practically on top of her in the bed. She isn’t a little girl anymore, Zane. That shit’s got to stop.”

Zane’s eyes glittered with irritation. “I don’t need a goddamn lecture from you. Do you have any idea how hard it is not to touch her when she’s constantly close to me, hugging me, snuggling? Jesus. It wasn’t like this before she left. I never had a problem with her affection, and I damn sure don’t want to hurt her feelings now. How the hell is she supposed to understand what’s going on? It’s not her fault she’s turned into a drop-dead gorgeous woman that I can’t even look at without wanting to f**k.”

Seth surged forward, his fists clenched. “Shut the hell up, Zane.” His harsh whisper exploded over the room and both men looked over at Jasmine. Seth leaned in closer to his brother. “I’m warning you. Cool it. And stay the hell away from her. We didn’t bring her home to be our f**k toy. She is strictly off-limits.”

Zane looked at him, a mixture of hurt and surprise in his blue eyes. “Is that what you think of me? You think I’d disrespect her like that? Hell, Seth, we’ve been taking care of her for six years. Do you honestly think I’d do anything to hurt her?”

Seth blew out his breath in frustration. No way he’d admit to having the same difficulties around Jasmine. No way he’d tell Zane that within hours of her return, he was already struggling with the same dark thoughts that had plagued him for years.

“No, man, I don’t think anything like that. I know you love her. We both love her. Which is why we’re going to stay the f**k away from her. It’s our job to take care of her and see that she’s happy.”

“Agreed,” Zane said. But even as his brother spoke, he glanced sideways at Jasmine, and Seth could see the raw hunger in his eyes.

Fuck. He could feel it too. It ate at him, but his hunger had gone on a lot longer. Now that she was back, he was on fire. The days ahead were going to be the most difficult he’d ever face.

“Let’s get some sleep,” Seth said wearily. “We’ve got a long drive tomorrow. Maybe you should take her room.”

“Yeah,” Zane muttered as he got up.

He disappeared into the adjoining room, leaving Seth to stare over at Jasmine’s sleeping form. Her dark brown, nearly black hair spilled over the pillow, and her body moved with her soft breathing. She’d grown out of her gawky girl’s figure and developed the curves and swells of a lush woman. But she’d always been beautiful to him. Even when she was all arms and legs and wide green eyes.

He ached to trail his finger down her cheek. He wanted to taste her lips, wanted to know if she tasted as sweet as she looked.

His jaw clenched until his teeth ached. He was such a sorry bastard. He’d sworn never to touch Jasmine. Not after the way she’d come to him and Zane in the first place. He couldn’t take her down that path again. She was too young, and she needed them to take care of her. Not f**k her.

He rolled away so he no longer stared at her. He reached back for the light switch by the bed and bathed the room in darkness. Morning couldn’t come soon enough.

* * *

Zane stepped into the adjoining room, his gaze traveling first to Seth’s empty bed and then to the bed Jaz had slept in. Jesus. He almost retreated into the other room again.

She lay on the bed, still sound asleep, but the covers tangled at her feet, her bare legs stretched out over the bed. The old football shirt she wore had ridden up her thighs until he could see the lace of her underwear.

He shut his eyes and groaned. Hell’s bells. Jaz wasn’t supposed to come home all grown up and exotic. Fuck. She hadn’t looked this way when she’d left, had she? Surely he would have noticed. Lord knew she’d spent enough time wrapped around him.

They were tight, him and Jaz. He’d always been her shoulder to cry on. She’d spent more than one night snuggled up in his bed when her past had come back to haunt her in a big way. But never, never had he reacted to her sexually.

Now all of a sudden he was one big f**king hormone, and his dick had taken over for his brains. Jesus. He felt f**king betrayed. He loved that little girl, and he damned sure didn’t want to be lusting after her like all the guys he’d threatened to kill over the years.