Chapter 38
THIRTY-EIGHT
LUNCHABLES + DEEP HEAT = MISERY
Because Zach was cool even as he slid out of the birth canal, he rocks up behind me in a pair of jeans, some Docs, and a Henley and somehow makes it look like he tried.
In comparison to his zero effort, I’ve spent the last three hours trying to make my hair behave and the number of times I’ve redone my eye makeup is a literal joke.
“We should make it a rule that you only huff this much when I’m eating you out,” he declares as he slides behind me and settles his chin on my shoulder. “Which is on tonight’s to-do list if you recall.”
“That can’t be comfortable,” I argue, bumping his chin.
“Grow a couple inches then.”
I ignore his teasing and huff. Again. I also ignore his arched brow, then purse my lips, then glare at the dress he picked. Why did I agree to wear this again?!
“You look beautiful.”
“I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. And your tits…” He whistles. “They’d awaken the dead.”
My nose scrunches but I peer at them in the mirror and find, well, breasts. “Really?”
“Oh, yeah.” He does this thing with his hips that lets me feel his reaction. “See?”
“You’re always hard around me, though.”
“Is that a complaint I hear? Because I can remove my dick from your presence,” he sings, taking a half-step back.
Yelping, I swing around and draw him close again. “No going anywhere!”
His mouth quirks up in a cute grin as he lassos his arms around my waist and tucks me deeper into his hold. “You okay, baby?”
“No. I’m not. I don’t want to do this.”
“Then we don’t,” he says immediately.
My fingers clench in the hem of his Henley. “I don’t need them to like me.”
“You damn well do not.”
“I don’t need to do this. I like my circle. I like my life. I like my people.”
“We can stay at home. There’s that movie that just came out on Netflix—”
“Zaaach,” I whine. “You’re not supposed to talk me out of this.”
He shrugs. “They don’t deserve you. I’m more than willing to be selfish and keep you locked away with me forever.”
I slap his chest. “Don’t be weird.”
“You make me weird,” he crows, leering at me as his hands slide down and cup my ass. “Did I mention that your ass looks bangable?”
“No, just that my tits are the reason vampires exist.”
“You like vampires.” He scowls. “Zombies. Zombies wake up at the sight of your tits.”
“You can’t be jealous about my appreciation for vampires, Zach.”
“Sure I can.” He squeezes my butt but then resettles his hands on my waist. “What are we doing tonight, beautiful? The ball’s in your court.”
“I applaud you for not using a hockey reference,” I drawl, earning myself a wink from him.
It’s dumb. So dumb. But my eyes prickle with tears. “It’s going to be really hard.”
“Yeah,” he concurs, voice sad. “I wish there were something I could do to make this better, but I can’t.”
“This whole thing is just… humiliating. So humiliating.” My shoulders sag. “Mortifying and miserable and I’m going to be followed around by oinks for the rest of my college career and—”
“This is today’s gossip. Tomorrow, some other student will fuck a married professor and get pregnant and that’ll be the talk of the day.”
“Not helpful, Zach.”
“Maybe not, but it’s accurate.”
I pull a face. “It’s not the end of the world, so why does it feel like Bruce Willis is serenading me with Aerosmith 2000’s movie-style?”
“Because it sucks. People suck. They all suck. And you never deserved any of what happened today. It’s my beef with Dyers and he brought you into it and I’m so sorry, D—”
“Hey! I riled him up too, you know? And I’m glad I did.”
His hand smoothes over my shoulder. “You sure about your plans for him?”
“I definitely am.”
“Some of them are… kind of illegal.”
“How do you know that?”
“Saw your planner. Not sure it’s wise to write down the crimes beforehand, D.”
“We have a shredder.”
He rolls his eyes.
When he doesn’t say anything else, I tack on, “I’ve never been a good girl, Zach.”
“No, not outside of the bedroom.” He cackles when my cheeks turn pink.
Tilting my head, I study him. “Are you upset about the legalities of his punishment, baby lawyer?”
“About getting our friends to commit crimes? Nah. Not particularly. You’re usually the smartest one in the room, but Callan…” He clicks his tongue. “… I think he has you beat on the deviousness. I figure with him putting your plans into action, the shenanigans won’t fall back on us.”
“I’d ordinarily be offended, but I’m not because I agree.” I snuggle into him. “I think this will be child’s play for him.”
“Definitely.”
“You know exactly which laws we’re breaking now,” I point out, uncertain why he’d bring this up if he wasn’t concerned.
“Not all of them. I’m only an undergrad student, D.”
“Still.”
“Law’s not exactly my passion. That’s my backup career when I get old and gray. Will you still want me when I’m sitting in a boardroom with a bunch of douche-canoe execs? That’s what keeps me up at night.”
“I’ll be the first to crawl under your desk and give you head.”
His brows lift. “That almost makes me wish I were going straight into law!”
“I know how to incentivize.”
“Can confirm.” The hands gripping my ass tug me even frickin’ closer. “Anyway, you come up with the wildest shit when you’re riled, D. Always fun to have a front-row seat. Better than being in the hot seat. My ass is still burning from that time you fucked around with my soap.”
“Yeah, that was funny.”
“For you!”
“You shouldn’t have stolen all my Lunchables or left the jar of Deep Heat out.”
“Lesson learned.” His lips twist. “Figure it’s time Oakwood is taught the ways of my Denver… don’t you?”
Deep in thought, I drum my fingers against his chest. He lets me too. Doesn’t say anything. Stays quiet. Lets my brain percolate.
It doesn’t occur to me to be humiliated anymore.
Then, I feel it.
His erection.
It’s back.
I glance at him in surprise and notice his sheepish expression. “Love it when you’re wicked, D. What can I say?”
My eyes narrow. “Do you still want to make things better for me?”
He frowns. “Of course—”
I don’t let him finish. Just attack.