Page 61 of Captivated
“That was… actually fun,” he confessed.
“Imagine that.”
Nate could hear the amusement in Zeeb’s voice. He turned his head in Zeeb’s direction, and their gazes met.
Nate shivered.
Something shifted.
No laughter this time, no teasing, only a quiet that drew them together in a different way. Nate became hyper-aware of his body: how the water clung to it, how close Zeeb was. The space between them seemed to contract and stretch at the same time.
Zeeb looked away first, brushing water from his beard. “We should probably get out before we both freeze.”
“Yeah,” Nate said softly.
He didn’t move. Neither did Zeeb.
They lingered in the water, shoulder to shoulder, their legs brushing once under the surface, maybe accidentally.
Maybe not.
Nate shivered once more, but not from the cold water surrounding him, supporting him.
It was his awareness of Zeeb, a feeling something had passed between them.
Something new.
Something huge.
When they finally waded out, neither spoke much. Zeeb flung him a towel, and Nate dried himself off. They dressed in silence, Nate avoiding Zeeb’s gaze.
The air between them had changed. It seemed to hum with a life of its own.
Nate sat down to pull on his boots, and Zeeb handed him his shirt. Their fingers touched for a second, sending a tingle through Nate.
“Thanks.”
Zeeb smiled. “Any time.” He watched as Nate laced up his boots. “That was brave.”
Nate said nothing.
“You always that brave?”
He looked up. “No.”
“’Cause from where I was standing, it felt like a big deal.”
Nate swallowed. “That’s because it was.”
“Yeah, I noticed.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Nate’s mouth. “Yeah, I noticed you noticing.”
Zeeb chuckled, low and warm. “Sorry. Tried not to stare.”
“You didn’t try that hard.”
They both laughed then, and something inside Nate loosened, just a bit.
