Chapter 36 Camp Out (2)
Someone was running after Tasha, she wouldn't dare look back. It could be a wolf! She thought. She could be dead and no one would ever hear about her again. Claws circled her arm and spurn her around, enclosing her to the hard body of a bigger figure while her heart jumped into her mouth.
"Tasha, it's me," Ziegler gasped out of breath.
Her chest heaved in sharp breaths. "I...I thought you were a wolf. Were you the one running after me?" Tasha asked.
"Yeah," he let out, dropping his hand while his dark eyes skated over her face. "I noticed you leaving the camp so I decided to follow. I was urinating at the time I saw you leave," he said the last word with a low tone.
Tasha tried to calm her breath while his eyes fixed on her. Tasha had followed Aurora and James, and Ziegler had followed her. Wasn't that interesting? They were professional stalkers, she thought to herself.
"What are you doing here?" Ziegler asked.
Tasha's gaze flickered back on Ziegler's face. Even under the moonlight, his eyes gave her an eerie feeling.
"I thought I saw James and Aurora passing this way. So, I.. followed," she answered truthfully without thinking of lying.
"Oh," his thick brows arched. "They didn't come down this far, they'd taken a left turn, you didn't notice?" He asked Tasha.
Tasha's eyes blinked to that. Now, she was the stupid one. Those two must have played her, or she was the bigger fool.
Ziegler must have noticed the way she fidgeted. So, he didn't press on for further details. "Let's return to the camp. Mr. Bradford must not notice our disappearances. It will be dinner soon," Ziegler told her.
Ziegler guided her through, grabbing her hand and tilting her to him when she almost tripped. Tasha Cobbs straightened herself almost immediately while mumbling a curse for the embarrassment she was causing herself.
"Aurora is James' new girlfriend," Ziegler spilled out.
Tasha froze, turning to face Ziegler. Under the moonlight, she noticed how magnificent he looked in his slacks and pale top. His huge earbuds circled his neck like a necklace. She didn't ask for such information, why was he giving her a hint to her thoughts?
He must have noticed the reason why she'd followed the two love birds. She didn't say anything to that and decided to turn away.
"You'll be seeing more of their love," Ziegler continued.
"That's fine. James isn't my boyfriend," Tasha told him.
"I know you still like him," Ziegler said.
Tasha froze again. This time, her heart was beating again. Ziegler could see through her. Why was he insistent on having her open up to him? They weren't friends, they only said their hellos when the opportunity presented itself.
"You've been studying me, haven't you? I find it scary," Tasha's tongue flickered across her lower lip.
Ziegler's eyes were sharp to notice that. Slowly, he dragged his eyes back to her face. "I'm only...I....I.... What do I mean to say?" Ziegler stammered.
Then he took a deep breath and walked closer to her and she almost leaped out backward. "I could propose a suggestion that would have James looking at you once more." He said.
Tasha bit her lower lip. "Do you think you know me?" She was pissed. "Do you think I have feelings for James, how could you be so sure?"
"I'm not a fool, Tasha. I see it, you've been in love with him since high school. Don't you want to get back with him?" His eyes twitched.
Tasha didn't trust him. Was he trying to manipulate her, wasn't he in love with her as well?
"And you, aren't you in love with me?" She questioned.
His lips curled up in a wide grin. "I'm way past that," he confessed with a shrug.
"So, what are you proposing?" Tasha was interested.
"I say we make James jealous," Ziegler's eyes glowed.
"We?" Tasha's face bleached as her stomach churned. She clearly didn't understand him. What was he talking about?
"When I say we, I mean us," his hand reached out and held her hand tenderly.
Tasha looked down at it and slapped his hand off. Her mind was jumbled up. "You want us to be in a relationship?" She asked him as she stepped back. She didn't like the way his eyes stared down at her. It made her feel so naked under his gaze.
"Yes, a fake relationship. We would do everything couples are meant to do, so he would be interested in your love life...,"
Tasha's laugh cut through him, interrupting him. "So you mean we would kiss, touch, and probably have sex?" She asked him.
One of his brows shot up. "That's quite direct if you put it that way. You can cut out the sex. James needs to notice the fact that you have moved on, you are over him and do not care. Then will he care to pry into your life. It's just for the weekend, do whatever you want with me. My body is all yours, I wouldn't touch you if you give me no consent," he explained.
Her heart hammered as rays from moonlight shimmered in his eyes. The way he put it like that sent shivers down her spine. She toyed with the thought for a while.
"We would just kiss and touch?" She repeated.
"Yes," he replied.
"No sex?" She quipped.
He nodded to that. "James would look at you in no time, trust me. And when he does, you can go to him." Ziegler said.
"I'll do it." Tasha accepted it, trying on a smile.