Chapter Twenty-Six
ZACK
Damn, this felt so right. Holding Mia like this had my chest squeezing tight with emotion.
She was still pressed against my body, head on my chest. And I hadn’t stopped smiling since I woke up a little bit ago and found her still tucked into my side.
She shifted, and with sleep-heavy eyes looked up at me.
“Look at that.” I brushed the hair away from her face. “All night. Naked and cuddling.”
Her lips twitched, but she didn’t reward me with her smile. “Don’t gloat,” she muttered instead.
Did she even know me? “I am so gloating.”
She rolled her eyes, and I half expected her to move off me, but she made no effort to get up. I ran my fingers through her hair, then smoothed my hand up and down her back, reveling in every second she’d give me like this.
“What do you want for breakfast?” I finally asked, even though I was reluctant to end this moment with her. “I can make chocolate chip pancakes with banana whipped cream. I think I have sausage and bacon in the fridge too.”
“That all sounds amazing. I can help. I love cooking.”
So far, our nights together had consisted of carryout or just snacking once we worked up an appetite.
And one of us always seemed to be on shift the next morning.
This would be the first time in the last two weeks we would make actual food together.
It felt so domestic—the opposite of a casual fling—giving me hope of something more.
“I’m not ready to get up though.” Holding you feels too amazing was on the tip of my tongue. And it stayed there. I wasn’t scaring her off now. No fucking way. Those thoughts would get their moment. Eventually. I was absolutely determined.
“Me neither.” She sighed with contentment, and hope bloomed in my chest.
Yep. Definitely had to figure out how to make that happen.
Finally, Mia pulled away from me, gave one long languorous stretch—just like that little black kitten used to do every time she woke from a nap—and we got up and got dressed.
Except what Mia put on barely covered her body.
I blinked hard and shook my head to clear it. Also wiped a finger across my chin to make sure I wasn’t drooling. “Are you trying to get me to fuck you before we even leave my bedroom?”
The crop top tank, that more closely resembled a bra, and the tiny-ass booty shorts left nothing to the imagination. She might as well have been naked. I smiled, liking that idea a bit too much.
She glanced over her shoulder, sending me the sexiest smirk. “Maybe I’m hoping you’ll spank my ass again.”
I stalked toward her. “That can definitely be arranged.”
She giggled and hurried out of the room with me hot on her heels. Still giggling, she bolted down the stairs and into the kitchen.
I strolled leisurely into the space with my hands on my hips. “Why you running?”
She shook her head with slightly wide eyes. “My ass is still sore.”
I smirked at that. “Good. It’s my new favorite thing.” I wanted nothing more than for her to think of me and remember how I made her feel.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “I really shouldn’t like that you’re so possessive.”
As I closed the space between us, she backed up until she bumped into the table behind her. Bracing my hands on either side of her, I lowered my lips to her ear. “But you do like it.”
Her breath hitched. “Yes,” she whispered. “You’re rarely intense about anything, but I like that you are with me.”
I held back the truth I was sure she wasn’t ready to hear. That my feelings for her were so strong and intense, it made me that way with her. I brushed my lips along the shell of her ear before reluctantly stepping back out of her space.
“Let’s get you some food.” I turned and began pulling out ingredients.
“Wait.” She looked at the fresh bananas and heavy whipping cream. “You make the banana whipped cream from scratch?”
I nodded. “My grandmother’s recipe.”
“Impressive,” she purred.
The way she made the simplest things sound sexy, I still didn’t understand. But I absolutely craved it.
I got out the large griddle and plugged it in next to the stove.
“I can cook the bacon and sausage,” she volunteered.
I nodded and we got to work, falling into a rhythm of moving around the kitchen together. It all felt so right, and it cemented the future I could see for us. I just prayed she was starting to embrace the idea. My stomach soured at the thought that she might not be.
I finished the whipped cream and scooped a little bit on my finger, holding it out to her. “Here, try it.”
Her lips puckered in a sexy pout as she leaned forward. She grabbed my hand and wrapped her lips around my finger, sucking it deep. I groaned at the sensation and the subsequent images it brought to the forefront of my mind.
“Mmm, that’s delicious. I might need another taste.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief.
My little vixen.
I scooped some more and brought it toward her, this time plopping it on her nose with a grin.
She glared at me with her hands on her hips. “Two can play that.” She dipped her fingers in the bowl and flung some at me.
I retaliated by smashing a small handful in her face, rubbing it in for good measure. She huffed indignantly and then scanned the counter, picking up a handful of flour, and threw it at me.
“Oh, now you’re gonna get it.” I lunged for her and wrapped my arm around her waist, lifting her so her back was pressed against my chest. Using my free hand, I tickled her side until she was laughing so hard I could feel it vibrating through her body.
“Uncle, uncle,” she screamed through her laughs.
I wrapped both arms around her and brought my head down over her shoulder, placing a sloppy kiss on her cheek. She turned her head, our lips just inches apart, and pure joy radiated in her eyes, mirroring my own feelings.
The laughter died as the energy between us crackled, and it felt like everything around us just faded away. Those three little words were on the tip of my tongue. But I couldn’t. It would ruin everything.
Because she wasn’t ready to hear them yet.
She leaned toward me, brushing her lips across mine. I coaxed her to open for me and pushed inside with my tongue, swallowing down a moan that rose up her throat as she rotated her hips to rub her perfect ass against my hard-as-fuck cock that was begging to be set free.
I gripped her hips, preventing her from moving, and pulled back from her lips. “Food first.” My words dripped with need.
She giggled. “After last night, I might be too sore.”
“That’s okay.” I placed a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll use my mouth and make it feel better.”
“Will you let me ride your face while I suck your cock?” she asked with hope in her eyes. Did she seriously think I would say no?
“Hell yeah.” I didn’t even try to hide my enthusiasm, a lopsided grin stealing over my face.
“You can sit on my face anytime you’d like.
Consider it reserved seating at my favorite activity.
” The sizzling of the bacon pulled my attention from that visual.
“But we better finish cooking first, before everything burns.”
It didn’t take long to get everything ready and make our plates. Even with the heated glances, hip bumps, and teasing looks ricocheting between us.
“Want to sit on the dick?” I blinked and then huffed out a chuckle, realizing what I’d just said. “I mean deck. The back deck.”
“The deck is fine, but you sure you wouldn’t rather me sit on your dick?” Her grin had mischief written all over it.
I shook my head, stifling another chuckle and picking up my plate. “Come on, trouble.”
“Is that my new nickname?”
“I like having options,” I said, walking to the sliding glass door that led to the deck.
I set my plate down on the table and took the seat across from her.
“Do you like hiking?” It was an abrupt subject change, and the curious look on her face reflected that, but I needed a distraction from the image conjured by my Freudian slip a moment ago.
“Yeah. Especially if it includes gorgeous views.”
“Can I take you somewhere today?”
She tilted her head, hesitating.
“Up by my parents’ lodge,” I quickly added. “There’s the perfect trail that leads to one of the tallest overlooks on the mountain. It’s breathtaking.”
She smiled. “Sure. That sounds fun.”
As we ate and chatted, I couldn’t stop myself from considering all the things I wanted to do with her. Things that had nothing to do with a bed. Or a couch. Or sex at all. I ran through my plans for next weekend and couldn’t stop myself from blurting out my thoughts.
“There’s a Jeep show I wanted to go check out next weekend.”
She raised her gaze to mine, definite interest there. “Here in town?”
I shook my head. “No. Charlotte.” Nerves bubbled up at the thought she’d say no, but the words tumbled out regardless. “Want to go with me?”
She glanced down at her food, playing with it, and I held my breath, praying she would take this chance.
Finally, she lifted her eyes to mine, and even though there was a hint of uncertainty, she smiled. “I have Thursday and Friday off, but I work Saturday.”
I tried to control my excitement, but based on the huge smile I was sporting, I’d say I failed. “It’s a three-day event. We could drive down Thursday and then come back late Friday night.”
“Stay the night there?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“Okay.”
I internally pumped a fist into the air. The more ways I could show her how good we were as a couple, the quicker she would embrace our future.
I was sure of it.