Absolute Zero Read Online Free PDF Page A

flickering candles as far as I was concerned. I could still see his smooth skin, dimpled chin, and his lips.
    It was those lips I wanted to taste, right then and there. I nudged closer and pushed myself up until I found their warmth. Zach took in a sharp breath, almost like I startled him with my forwardness, but he quickly recovered and pulled me close.
    “You smell like smoke.”
    “Georgia’s bright idea of a party,” I said with a ragged breath. “But you taste yummy.” Kind of like he’d been eating candy corn and drinking Pepsi or something.
    He turned to face me more, then cradled the sides of my face. I loved it when he did that. It felt like I was the center of his universe when he held me so tenderly like he was.
    His thumbs rested on my cheeks, just below my eyes, while the rest of his fingers covered my jaw and part of my neck. Tingles shivered down my chest and to my stomach. We stayed connected for a long time until the dizziness made me pull away for air.
    “Here, in this car, at this place, there’s nothing but me and you.” He smiled. “No parents. No job. No… Just me and you.”
    His lips brushed against my neck, then up to behind my ear. A moan slipped through my lips. That seemed to excite Zach because his teeth grazed my skin. His hand skimmed over my shoulder, down my side. I flinched at his cool fingers as they tactically explored my back.
    My mind swam with desire, wanting to pull him on top of me and find out how this whole sex-thing worked. I wasn’t exactly sure what to do, but I knew what my body felt. Then again, did I really want my first time to be in a car?
    Oh, but he felt fantastic, especially the hand navigating from my back to the front of me. His thumb brushed against the fabric of my bra. That ignited a new and exciting flame just south of the belly button.
    A rush of heat streamed across my abdomen, and I yanked him into a kiss. I had to taste a little more. Needed to.
    The ergonomics of the car prevented me from pulling him on top of me, but it was probably for the best. We’d not even talked about going all the way. Hell, I didn’t even know if he wanted to.
    His hand told me he wanted to as it navigated to the small of my back, then down below the beltline until he touched the elastic of my panties.
    Oh sweet Jesus. “Zach,” I whispered against his mouth.
    He pulled away but stayed close enough for his warm breath to wash over me.
    “Let’s just slow down a little.”
    He retracted his hand as his jaw twitched. “I got a little carried away.”
    “No you didn’t.” I pulled his face close and pressed my lips to his, then his cheek, then his neck. “I loved every touch. I—want to—but I don’t want our first time to be in a car.”
    He leaned back, and his slate eyes bore into mine. He brushed his thumb over my bottom lip, then over my chin and traced my throat as he drew in a deep breath. The corner of his lip twitched. “Mandy, I need to tell you something.”
    My phone shrilled Scott’s annoying ring-tone. Of all the times—
    “Tell me what?”
    He settled into the driver’s seat, his gaze focused out the front window. His jaw twitched again. “Nothing. You better answer that.”
    “He can wait. He’s just wanting me to get my butt back home.”
    “I should get back, too.” He leaned forward as if to reach for the keys stuck in the ignition.
    I combed his hair with my fingers, then curled them around the nape of his neck and turned his head toward me. “Spit it out, Zach.” My heart pounded, and not like it was just doing because of his touch. It was pounding because he seemed sorry, almost like he regretted touching me. His posture was stiff, and he refused to look straight at me.
    The phone rang again, but I kept my focus on him.
    He made no move to look at me while his fingers curled around the steering wheel. Like a switch flipped, he was gone again. Lost in whatever was going on with him that he refused to share with me.
    I was new at