Out of Ink

Chapter 13

"What the hell?" Serina was standing in the doorway of the dining room, hands on her hips and looking pissed as hell. Her blue eyes flashed on the empty wine glasses. Everything about her expression told them that they were in trouble. Thinking fast, Zack grabbed the wine bottle and poured a small amount into one of the wine glasses still in Emmett’s hand.

"I was just having a drink." He said, taking the glass from Emmett. Her eyes narrowed at him.

"Save it." She snapped, before turning her gaze on her brother. "I already know it was him. Brittany just ran past us in the kitchen. I came to make sure he didn't upset her too." Too? Zack remembered Sydney. He guessed Emmett must have had something to do with that. He didn't ask because he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Oh, I didn't upset her. Trust me." Emmett told her. "It was totally her idea anyway."

"I'm so telling mum." Serina said, the smile disappearing from her brother's face. "Unless..." she teased. "You wash all the dishes in the kitchen. Right now." Emmett scowled at her.

"You're mean." He poked out his tongue as he walked past his sister. Emmett disappeared down the hallway and Serina’s gaze finally met his. Zack held her gaze as he lifted the glass he was holding to his lips. No point wasting it.

"You know that probably has Emmett’s saliva on it right?" He shrugged.

"Or Brittany's." He tipped the glass towards her. "Want to join me?" She scrunched her nose up at him.

"Ew." He chuckled quietly.

"I'll get a clean glass." He offered. Serina shook her head. Still no. But her hands fell from her hips and she no longer looked angry. He wanted to get closer to her. "Not much of a drinker?" He asked. He took a step in her direction, noticing that she didn't step back. He was taller than her. Serina had to tilt her head back to maintain eye contact as he moved into her personal space. His close proximity finally had her taking a hesitant step away. A smug smile crept onto Zack's face as he subtlety steered her. She bumped a chair and adjusted. Quickly finding herself backed up to the table. She could feel the hard wood against her butt. A dining chair on either side of her and Zack in front. She was cornered. He reached around her, leaning close as he placed the wine glass on the table. Serina caught a faint whiff of chlorine from the pool mixed in with his natural scent. Her heart was beating so fast now. "Do you know what they were doing in here?" Zack asked quietly. He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to speak so softly. Maybe he just didn't want anyone to interrupt them.

"I can guess." Serina answered. Her own voice almost a whisper.

"Can you?" His big firm hands came down on her hips. She could feel the warmth from them through her clothes. "Or should I show you?" Then, without warning, he lifted her and placed her butt on the edge of the table. Startled, Serina let out a surprise gasp and her hands flew to his shoulders for balance. Zack stepped in between her legs, pressing in close to her. He tilted his head towards her. Serina was frozen in place. Her heart was racing and a tiny voice in the back of her head was demanding that she push him away. Unfortunately, most of her attention was on the lips that hovered just centimeters away from her own. He paused for a moment, giving her a chance to say no, or push him away. When she did nothing, Zack leaned in further. Their lips met. It was like something inside of him exploded. Zack felt a sudden, strong need. He pushed in closer until his chest was pressed against hers. Serina’s head was spinning as Zack deepened the kiss. Her lips parted of their own accord and his tongue slipped into her mouth. Her stomach rolled, her gut clenched, and she could taste the wine on his tongue as it danced with hers. Unlike Zack, Serina hadn't done a whole lot of kissing before. She relaxed against him, letting him take control. They were so close that she could feel the hardening bulge in his pants pressing against her most intimate parts. Zack's mouth left hers, and he trailed kisses along her jaw. The feel of his kisses on her neck had Serina panting through a wild wave of desire. "What the hell am I doing?" A far away, foggy part of her brain asked. Zack's hand slid under her T-shirt to rest on her bare skin. His warm tongue licked her collarbone, and she moaned. "Who cares?".

"Serina?" The sound of her twin calling her from the kitchen finally snapped some sense into them. They broke apart. Zack's hand left her skin, and he stepped back. Worried that Emmett was about to walk in and catch them. The abrupt loss of his warmth sent a cold chill over her skin. But it was enough to snap Serina out of her lust fog. She quickly hopped off the table and practically ran from the room. And the boy who'd made her head spin. "Serina!" Emmett called again.

"What?" She yelled back as she made her way to the kitchen.

"I can't find the dishwasher tablets. Do you know where they are?"

"How should I know. Did you look?" They were still yelling.

"Yes, I looked." Serina entered the kitchen and joined her brother as he looked in the cupboard under the sink.

"They're right there dummy." Serina pulled out a Tupperware container full of dishwasher tablets. Emmett looked at the container like it had just greatly offended him.

"I was looking for the box." He explained. Serina rolled her eyes and handed him the box. She gave the dishwasher a quick check to make sure he hadn't put anything in there that he wasn’t supposed to, then went to check on Sydney. Serina had left her in the downstairs guest bedroom. Sydney hadn't told her exactly what had upset her. But Serina could guess. At least in part. But even if Syd had walked in on Emmett and Brittany making out, she shouldn't have reacted like that. Emmett had had tons of girlfriends before. They'd never actually bothered Sydney that much. She certainly hadn't burst into tears after seeing them kiss. Something else must have happened.

Sydney was sitting on the bed with a pillow in her lap, staring out the window. She had stopped crying. She was twisting a tissue in her hands. Winding it tighter and tighter as she thought. Serina stood in the doorway and knocked. Sydney's big blue eyes, now bloodshot, met hers. "Hey." Serina said gently. "Can I come in?" Sydney nodded and she sat down on the bed beside her best friend. Serina waited to see if Sydney would start talking. When she didn't, Serina started rubbing circles on her friend's back. That always made her feel better when her mother did it for her. "You can just tell me when you're ready." She said. "I promise to call Emmett an i***t when you do." Syd gave her a small smile.

"What if I'm the i***t?" She asked.

"Nah." Serina told her. "It's definitely Emmett." Sydney gave a little exhaled laugh. Then sniffed. They sat silently for a moment. Both staring out the window at the trees.

"I think I just want to go home." Sydney eventually said.

"Okay. I'll go grab our bags." They were still out the back. "Do you want me to drive?" She asked.

"Nah. I'm okay now." Sydney told her. And she looked it. Her cheeks were still a little flushed from crying, but her mood was definitely improved. Serina had known for a while that Sydney had a little crazy crush on her brother. For reasons Serina couldn't even begin to understand. But it wasn't like she was in love with him or anything. Even so, Serina made a mental note to kick her brother in the shins later.