Fifteen #2
“Hi,” I respond breathlessly. But that’s what he does to me. He literally takes my breath away with each kiss.
Zac leads me over to the couch. Sitting down, he pulls me onto his lap so I’m straddling him. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t pick you up, baby. I had issues to sort out with tonight’s fight.”
I’m lost in the feel of his hands rubbing up and down my thighs. Damn, that feels good.
“It’s okay. I understand you are not my personal Uber. You really don’t need to send Bray to get me either. I can get an actual Uber home if you’re busy.”
The look I’ve come to learn as Zac’s don’t argue with me look crosses his face.
“You are not getting a fucking Uber, Lyssa. If I can’t personally pick you up, I will send Bray or Dean to get you.
” He must realise that his tone is harsh as he quickly follows up with, “Sorry, sunshine, just please let me have this. I need to know that you have a safe way of getting back to me.”
“Okay, but you need to tell me why you are so against public transportation, Zac.”
Every time I’ve broached the topic, he has either distracted me with sex or very effectively changed the subject. Looking off in the distance for a while, his body tense, he appears as though he’s not going to answer. And then he looks me in the eye. I can see emotions reflected in his gaze.
“My parents were killed at a train station, waiting for a train. It was a mugging gone wrong. Some bastard tried to do a run and grab of my mother’s purse. She ended up tripping and falling onto the track.
My father climbed down to help her get back up, but it was too late. The train couldn’t stop in time.” His voice cracks at the end.
“Oh, my god, Zac, I’m so sorry.” I pull him tightly into my arms.
“I was twenty. I had to all of a sudden grieve the loss of both my parents, and take on the custodial role of a thirteen and a seventeen-year-old. But I sure as fuck was not letting my siblings end up in care.” He winces. “Sorry, sunshine.”
Why is he apologising to me? “No, I’m sorry that you had to endure that. But I’m also proud of how you overcame such adversities and became the man you are today. One, I’m proud I get to call mine.”
Leaning in, I gently kiss his lips. My heart is breaking for this beautiful man, who has had to endure so much pain and take on so much responsibility at such a young age.
Knowing it took a lot for him to share that with me, I say, “Thank you for sharing that with me.”
We haven’t exchanged the L word with each other yet, but I know I feel it—it’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him just how much I think I love him. Fearing what his reaction would be to me saying those words, I change the subject instead.
“Who is Bray fighting tonight? Can we watch? I haven’t even seen inside this Batcave you guys keep locked up tight.”
Zac groans. “Why would you want to see that? I mean, I have to make an appearance now and then.
This is the last fight before we break for the holidays. But you don’t need to be there, sunshine. It’s dirty down there, and the cage—well, it can get really rough. There are times I even have to look away when Bray is in there.”
Leaning in, I let my lips swipe across his before pulling back. “Well, if you’re going to be there tonight, then I’ll just tag along behind you. You won’t even notice I’m there. I promise not to get in your way while you’re doing your thing. Please, Zac. Please let me come and watch.”
Pleading my case, I pout my bottom lip out and give my best version of puppy-dog eyes. Running his hands through his hair, he appears as though he is going to relent and take me down to the cage fight.
“First, you could never be in my way, sunshine. No matter where and what I am doing, you will always be my priority. Second, you just have to be in the same vicinity as me for me to notice you’re there, and when you’re not around, I notice your absence.
Third, you can come, but you do not, under any circumstances, leave my side, okay? ”
Nodding my head enthusiastically, I say, “Yes, okay, I won’t leave your side. And just so you know, whenever I’m not with you, your absence does not go unnoticed by me.”
That makes him smile. He has the most beautiful smile and I’ve noticed he reserves it for moments like these, when it’s just us in our little cocoon. Just as I’m about to lean in and kiss him again, the door opens.
“Jesus, does nobody knock around this joint?” Zac mumbles as he turns to see who just walked into his office.
“Umm, I knock,” I say.
Zac turns back to face me. “You are the only one not expected to, babe.” That makes me smile.
“What do you want, Reilly? It better be fucking good,” Zac growls.
It’s not until that moment that I look over and notice that Reilly has come into the office. Squealing with delight, I jump off Zac and run over to her. I haven’t seen much of my friends these last few weeks. I pull her into a deep hug.
“Oh my god, it’s so good to see you, girl.” Leaning into whisper in her ear, I add, “Your little avoidance method is not working. That boy is so wound up with thoughts of you, it’s comical.”
She just grunts. “It’s good to see you too, Lyssa. How’ve you been?”
I don’t miss that she doesn’t acknowledge my little dig about Bray. “I’m good, really good actually.”
I feel Zac’s presence behind me as he pulls me back against his chest, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Do you have a reason to be here?”
“Yes, I do actually have a reason to be here. I work here, remember?” she sasses back.
“Also, here.” Reilly holds out a garment bag and shoebox I didn’t even notice she was holding.
“I got the dress and shoes you wanted for Lyssa, but just for future reference, you hired me as your PR manager, not your personal shopper. If you wanted me to pick up clothing for anyone other than Lyssa, I’d quit.
” Reilly finishes her tirade with a sweet smile.
“You work for me. That means you do whatever the fuck I need you to do if you want to continue working for me. And who the fuck else do you think I’d buy clothes for anyway?” Zac shakes his head as he walks towards the bathroom with the garment bag and shoebox.
I watch the back and forth between my boyfriend and my best friend. Sigh. I can’t help but get butterflies whenever I think of Zac as my boyfriend. Anyway, as I watch how Zac and Reilly interact, I realise that they seem to have a love-hate thing going on.
I know from conversations with both of them, they do actually like the other. Neither would admit that in front of the other, though.
Reilly’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. “You have ten minutes to get changed. I’ll see you downstairs,” she says as she walks out of the office.
Spinning around, I cock a hand on my hip and tilt my head, staring down Zac. He smirks like he sees something amusing.
“You bought me a dress to wear tonight?” I question with a raised eyebrow.
Zac doesn’t move, just nods his head. “And shoes, I bought you a dress and shoes. As sexy as those scrubs are on you, I thought you might want to change before we go downstairs.” His eyes roam up and down my body.
“So, you knew all along that you were going to be taking me downstairs to watch the fight tonight?”
“Well, I sure as fuck wasn’t leaving you up here alone, now was I, sunshine?”
“You just made me beg you to take me to the fight, when you were already planning on taking me.” I try to brush past him to enter the bathroom, but the man has reflexes like a freaking cat.
Before I know it, he has his arms wrapped around me, pulling me into him.
He leans down to my ear, nibbling, before he says, “What can I say? I like hearing you beg.”
My whole body heats and shivers at his words. Zac pulls away and playfully taps my butt. “Get changed, babe.”
I close the door behind me and then make quick work of undressing. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I note that the dress is gorgeous and a perfect fit. I’m not convinced that Zac had anything to do with picking it, though.
It’s made of thin, black, shimmery material.
The dress has a halter neck with a very spacious gap in the front, going from my belly button up.
My whole back is exposed. The skirt of the dress frills out and lands halfway down my thighs.
It’s most definitely not a dress I would ever choose for myself, but now that it’s on and I’m thinking of the reaction Zac will have, I think I’m loving it.
Being short on time, I leave my hair up in a high ponytail. Stepping out of the bathroom door, I see Zac has his back to me, putting his suit jacket on. I hold my breath as he turns; his eyes bulge as they travel up and down my body.
“She’s fucking fired,” he says. I laugh, knowing full well he’s not going to fire Reilly.
“So, not the dress you picked, I’m gathering?” Walking towards him, I paste on the sweetest smile.
“Not even fucking close. You can’t go down there in that, sunshine. Not that you don’t look good, it’s just that, well, you look too fucking good. Every damn guy down there is going to be drooling at the sight of you.”
He hasn’t even seen the back of the dress yet. “Well, it’s a good thing you’ve already snagged me then, huh? You have nothing to worry about, Zac. Trust me, I’m all yours and only yours.” Grabbing his hand, I continue, “Let’s go. I don’t want to be late.”
As I drag him behind me out of the office, he gets a look at the back of the dress. I hear him groan and mutter under his breath.