Chapter 28
twenty-eight
ZACH
On the morning of the gala I wake up with a splitting headache. Groaning, I turn over in the bed and see Sadie curled up, fast asleep, her red curls spilling out over the pillow, her lips parted as her soft breath escapes them.
She looks peaceful, like the last few days haven’t shaken her at all. Like sleeping in my bed, waking up in my arms, laughing at my stupid jokes while stealing my last clean hoodie is the most natural thing in the world.
It feels that way for me, at least. I’ve never had anybody stay with me for this long. Not as an adult. And yet I’m already dreading her leaving to go back to her apartment.
She makes me feel like anything is possible. Even a happily ever after.
I reach out, my fingers brushing a strand of hair from her cheek, then pause. I don’t want to wake her. Don’t want to start the clock ticking down to when she leaves. Because she will. And she should.
But not yet.
Climbing out of the bed, I tuck the covers around her and walk over to the bathroom to grab a couple of Advil.
The light from the window slices across the floor, causing me to misjudge the width of the bathroom door. My shoulder smacks into it hard, sending a jolt of pain down my arm.
“Fuck.” I hiss through my teeth and press a hand to the spot, then groan when I see her roll over on the mattress. I don’t want her seeing me like this.
And this is why you can’t have the happily ever after, you douche. You can’t fucking see half the time. Why do you think she’d want you weak like this?
“Is everything okay?” she murmurs, sitting up, her fiery hair tumbling over her creamy shoulders.
“Everything’s fine,” I whisper. “Go back to sleep.”
But of course she doesn’t. Instead she climbs out of bed, wearing one of my t-shirts that skims the middle of her thighs. “What happened?” she asks, seeing my hand curling around my arm.
“Just banged into the doorway.” I press a smile onto my lips, even though my voice sounds forced. “I’m fine.”
She’s close enough for me to smell the warm aroma of her, and see the lines on her pink cheeks where she slept against the pillow. “Are you okay?” she asks, frowning as she squints at me.
I force out a laugh, low and dismissive. “I’m fine.” I turn away, grabbing the Advil bottle from the counter. “I wasn’t paying attention, that’s all.”
I open the bottle and shake two pills into my palm. “You look tired,” I mutter, keeping my back to her so she can’t read the truth on my face. “You should be sleeping.”
She reaches for me, her fingers trailing over my jaw. “So should you, after last night.” Damn, I can’t get enough of this woman. Not in my bed, in my arms. Sitting opposite me at dinner while making me laugh more than I think I ever have.
The thought of it ending, of not having this, makes me want to throw something. But I promised myself that I’d tell my family tomorrow. And Wyatt is arriving today, and I know for damn sure he’s going to force the issue if I don’t come clean.
The fact is, my time has run out. And so has this… whatever it is, between us.
“What are your plans for today?” I ask her, my voice thick.
“Well I heard there was this art trail thing happening so…” She grins at me. “Seriously, if your sister could hear you right now she’d throw something at you.”
“I meant this morning.” I glance at my watch. It’s almost six.
She trails her finger on the bathroom counter. “I have to open the shop at ten. And before that I need to make sure all the art pieces are in place throughout town.”
We both got our orders by text from Autumn yesterday. I think I got at least thirty messages from her, asking me about the collectors I invited for the event, reminding me I’m hosting a table.
“And I should probably pack,” Sadie adds.
“Pack? Where are you going?”
“Home.” She smiles softly at me. “Asher says there’s been no sign of Darien, remember? And I can’t stay here forever.”
I swallow down the words that I want to say. To tell her to stay. Because I can’t. Tomorrow everything changes.
“Let’s talk about it after the gala,” I tell her.
Sadie looks at me again. Too carefully, like she knows I’m hiding something. “Okay.” She nods.
And I can’t help it, I reach for her. Because touching her is so much better than anything else I’ve felt in my life. She leans her head against my shoulder, her breath warm on my neck and for a second everything is perfect.
“Come with me to the lighthouse for breakfast.”
“What?” She looks up at me, confused at my sudden turn in conversation.
“Autumn’s called for a Fitzgerald family breakfast. I think she wants to check that we’re all alive or something.” I shrug, because right now I have my mind on other things. Like how soft Sadie’s skin is as I push my hand under the t-shirt she’s wearing and trail my finger down her spine.
“You want me to join you for your family breakfast?” Sadie blinks. “Is that wise?”
I know what she’s asking. And the truth is, I don’t have an answer. All I know is that I want her with me for as long as possible. And if that makes me a selfish asshole, so be it.
“Everybody’s welcome,” I murmur, kissing her neck. Her breath catches as I slide my palm over her behind. “Autumn’s a feeder, she’ll have more pastries than you could eat in a lifetime.”
“Ugh.” Sadie wrinkles her nose. “I’ve already eaten way too much this week. All these restaurant dinners are wreaking havoc with my metabolism.”
I turn her around and push her against the counter, my body caging hers. “You feel perfect to me,” I tell her honestly. Then I kiss her and immediately go hard.
She laughs against my lips, soft and throaty, and my chest tightens at the sound.
I nudge her backward until she’s against the bathroom counter, my body crowding hers.
Her smile falters when I cup her face in my hands and kiss her slow, savoring the taste of her lips, the feel of her fingers curling into my skin.
Her hands slide up my chest, her body arching into mine like she’s already halfway to saying yes. Deepening our kiss, I hitch her up, until she’s sitting on the counter, her bare thighs wrapped around mine. I feel the heat of her through the thin fabric of my shorts.
“Zach…” She tips her head back as I move my lips down, kissing her jaw, her ear, the delicate skin of her neck. “Oh God.”
I know she’s probably sore and achy. We’ve had sex way too many times in the last few days for her to be anything else.
But I’m greedy and I can’t get enough. She’s my sweetest addiction. Or maybe I’m hers.
“Come to breakfast with me,” I say again. And somewhere deep inside I know I’m not just talking about breakfast. I’m talking about more. About not giving up.
About maybe the day after tomorrow.
“It’s not a good…”
And then I do it. The asshole move. I drop to my knees and bury my face between her legs, breathing her in. “Please.”
I kiss her thighs, nip her skin, then slide my tongue along her heated flesh. She lets out a soft sigh. “Say you’ll come and I’ll make you…” I smirk against her. “Come.”
She laughs softly as I trace my finger along her dampness. “You don’t play fair.”
“I know.” I look up at her again, my chest tightening at how beautiful she looks in only my t-shirt, her hair a mess of red waves, her face clean of makeup.
“Okay, I’ll come to breakfast,” she says.
I grin. “That’s my girl.”
And of course her face lights up like it always does.
I pull my t-shirt over her head, then she’s naked and perfect in front of me, her skin so creamy I could fucking eat it for days.
But right as I pull her thighs apart, my body aching to make her feel good the one way I know I can, my phone buzzes.
Sadie laughs, dragging her fingers through my hair, her nails sharp against my scalp. “Saved by the bell.”
“I’m ignoring it,” I mutter, because who wouldn’t with her quivering in front of me.
It buzzes again. I’m going to fucking kill whoever it is.
Sadie slides her hands over my face, leaning down to kiss me softly. “Go check it and come back. I promise not to move.”
I roll my eyes, but the truth is I want to make sure it isn’t Asher with news about Darien. So I walk into the bedroom and grab my phone, reading the message quickly, groaning when I see it’s the Fitzgerald Family Group chat.
AUTUMN:
Right troops. I hope you’re all awake. The coffee is on, the pastries are in the oven, and you’d ALL better be here in half an hour.
ASHER:
Can you let me sleep for five fucking more minutes? I love you, but I’m about a heartbeat away from sending my crack squad over to silence you for good.
My mouth twitches. Nothing really changes in my family. Switching it off, I walk back into the bathroom where – miracle of miracles – Sadie is still waiting for me, sitting on the counter, her legs swinging.
“Who was it?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I say, my voice thick. “Now where were we?”
SADIE
He’s taking you to meet the family? Not gonna lie, that’s epic. I need all the details after. And coffee. Lots of coffee. – Romy
He’s taking me to breakfast with people I already know. Who come into the shop multiple times a week. But of course I’ll bring you coffee. Mostly because if you’re drinking you can’t talk. – Sadie
I put my phone down and look out of the windshield at the lighthouse as it comes into view. Morning sunlight glints off the windows, and there’s a line of cars parked in front, like a welcoming committee is waiting for us.
Zach pulls in behind them, then lets out a sigh.
“If they do anything to piss you off, use the safeword and I’ll get you out of there before you finish speaking.”
I glance at him, biting back a smile. “I think I can handle your family. Even if Autumn is in full-on-dictator mode.”
“At least one of us can.” He steps out of the car, then rounds it to open my door.
The sun catches his eyes and he blinks hard, his hand missing mine as he goes to grab it. He pulls his sunglasses over his eyes, and turns away. “Looks like everybody’s already here,” he says.