Chapter 47
Evie
The voice has the effect of cold water. I jerk back, loosing my arms from Zane’s neck. Zane has no such issues. He drops his lips to my neck again. “Go away,” he growls.
I glance over to see Reid walk past us like this is absolutely normal. I push Zane back, and he growls again.
I pat his chest. “Later,” I tell him softly.
“I feel like I should tell you we all have impeccable hearing, Evie,” Reid says before uncapping a bottle of water and chugging half of it.
I feel my face heat, which only seems to draw Zane’s attention back to me. I take a deep breath and push him away before jumping down. I head to my bowl of pancake mix. “You hungry, Reid?”
“Sure.”
Zane snorts. “That means yes.”
“Got it. I’m making pancakes; they’ll be ready soon.
” I move over to the fridge and find the container of fresh blueberries I eyed earlier.
I move over to where Zane is making eggs and drop some butter into a skillet.
He doesn’t bother to move away, and I don’t try to either.
We’re side by side at the stove. I’m not going to lie; it feels really good.
I look up at him and catch him watching me.
I smile at him before dropping some batter into the pan.
For the next twenty minutes, we work together easily, as if we’ve always worked together in the kitchen. He finishes his eggs, I keep a steady stream of pancakes going and cut up fresh fruit. He makes a skillet of chicken sausage, and I cut up some peppers and onions to go with it.
Reid helped us for a little bit but then disappeared when Zane kept giving him a look. He finally smirked, threw up his hands, and left us alone. “Mmmm, it smells amazing in here,” Quint says, joining us in the kitchen. He walks over to the stove.
“Morning, Evie.”
“Morning, Quint.”
He looks at Zane but promptly closes his mouth and puts up his hands in surrender before looking at me. “I thought he’d be in a good mood after sleeping with you. What’s his deal?
I cough. “That is not...” I pause at the glint in his eyes and realize he’s teasing me.
Zane knocks his shoulder into him. “Leave her alone.”
I pull another pancake off the stove and place it on top the others. “Those smell so good,” Quint says, trying to reach for one.
I use my spatula to smack his hand. “Hands off until we eat.”
“Seriously?” He looks so dejected, I can’t hide my smile. I meet Zane’s gaze, and his eyes dance. “We’re eating in like five minutes.”
“Why does he get one?” Quint pouts.
I whirl around to see Slate walking away with a pancake already half gone. “How’d you do that?”
Slate shrugs and heads over to the table.
I grab the butter, the syrup I warmed up, and the platter of pancakes and place all of it on the table.
I go back for the orange juice but Reid beats me to it.
Zane carries over the eggs. Slate and Quint grab the skillet of sausages and the fresh fruit.
“Did you make coffee?” I ask Zane. I thought about it but never got around to it.
He comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my middle, pulling me flush with his chest. “Do you think I’d forget coffee for you?” he says in a low voice. I shiver as his words brush against my ear. “I even got creamer for you.”
“French vanilla?” I ask, turning to look up at him.
He smiles. “Yeah.” He leans forward and captures my lips, and I hear three separate groans. I laugh and pull away. His eyes are filled with happiness when he looks at me.
Quint looks over at me. “Can we finally eat?”
I laugh. “Yes. Go ahead.” I watch in contentment as all three guys stuff their plates to the brim.
“Yay for a day off,” Quint says around a bite of eggs.
“Don’t forget we have soccer later,” Slate reminds everybody, but nobody pays attention.
I lean against Zane contentedly. “Are you going to grab food?” I ask him.
“Not any time soon if it means I can’t have you in my arms anymore.” His fingers trace a small circle on my stomach, and I feel my body heat under his touch.
Quint makes a gagging sound. “Can you guys please come eat, so I don’t lose my breakfast?”
I pat Zane’s arm, and he reluctantly lets me go. I turn to him. Later, I promise.
His eyes darken. When?
I shrug, grinning; and he narrows his eyes at me.
I walk over to the table, enjoying the feel of his eyes on my body.
I fill a plate for him before filling my own plate.
When I sit down, I don’t know that I’ve ever felt lighter.
Zane places a mug of steaming coffee in front of me a moment later, kissing me on the cheek as he does.
He sits next to me, and I don’t fail to notice how he angles his body towards me.
His leg leans against mine, and I don’t make any move to pull away.
After he gets settled, he drops a hand on my thigh and strokes lazy circles on my leg.
Somehow, I manage to eat and pay attention to the conversation floating around me.
Everybody pitches in after breakfast to help pick up.
“Soccer in the backyard in one hour,” Slate says before he leaves the kitchen.
I groan and put my hands on my stomach. “I think I’ll have to sit this one out.”
“Nope,” Slate calls from the other room. “You sleep in this house, you play.”
I make a face at Zane, but he just smirks at me. I’m not going to get any sympathy from him. I head into the living room and plop down on the couch, ready to take an after-breakfast nap. “Game time,” Quint says, sitting on the couch next to me.
“I was going to take a nap.”
He pats my leg. “Sorry, Evie. You can take a nap later with Zane; right now, it’s game time.”
I feel my face flush and glance over at Zane.
He’s got his arms crossed, leaning against the wall.
He meets my eyes and winks, and I have a hard time looking away.
I can’t believe this man is interested in me.
He doesn’t look away as he puts his hand over his heart and rubs.
His brows crease, and my smile fades. “Are you okay?” I ask.
He nods, his gaze never leaving mine. I try not to fidget under his piercing stare. I don’t know what he’s feeling, but he seems far away. “Yo, Evie, you ready?”
I finally face Quint. “What are we playing?” He opens a pink little pig box and takes out several pigs and cards. I stare down at the game and back at Quint. “We’re really playing a game with little pigs?”
“We really are. Now, get five cards.” He hands me the cards and explains the rules.
It ends up actually being a really fun game.
Zane joins us for the second round, and we eventually convince Reid and Slate to join in as well.
I really wanted to take pictures of these muscular, fit guys playing the game but refrained.
When Quint crushes everybody, they all agree to play again.
The second time we all play, I end up winning.
After I finish my victory dance, which looks an awful lot like just pumping my fists in the air, Slate tells us it’s time to play soccer.
We head outside, and I’m suddenly glad I’ve started my running regimen again. I have a feeling I’m going to need it. “I’m with Zane and Evie this time,” Quint says. Reid and Slate agree, and Slate sets the ball in the middle of the field.
I turn to Quint and Zane. “Who’s going to be our goalie?”
They both look at me, and I shake my head. “Yeah, no. There’s no way I can stop a single ball.”
“Zane and I’ll take turns,” Quint says and starts towards our goal.
Zane turns to me. “You ready?”
He pulls his leg back and stretches. I look over and see Slate and Reid doing the same thing. “I was until I realized how serious you guys take this.”
He smirks. “You already played football with us.”
I shudder. “I remember.”
I look over at Reid and Slate as they line up, ready to start. “They’re not putting a goalie in?”
Zane smirks at me. “You ever watch Slate play soccer?”
“No.” I look over at Slate and then back at Zane. “Should I?”
He nods. “Yeah. He’s good. Really good.”
“I should take Tessa. She loves sports.”
“I’d love to go with you. It’s hard to work around my schedule, but maybe we can find one we can attend together.”
I smile at him. “I’d love that.” I step closer to him. “I'm pretty sure those evening games get cold.”
He stares down at me. “They do.”
“I’ll need a blanket and—”
“Are you two ready to play, or do you need a private room?” Slate’s low voice cuts off my flirting, and I feel my face flame.
Zane winks at me and bends forward. “I like the way you think.” He kisses me and then places his hands on my hips and turns me around. “Ready?”
I take a deep breath and try to focus on the task at hand. Soccer. How hard can it be? I just have to be able to run and kick the ball into the wide-open goal.
Not even an hour later, I drop onto my backside, unable to feel my legs.
How very, very wrong I was. Playing football with these guys was one thing, but soccer?
It was next level. All we did was run back and forth and back and forth.
I groan and lay my head back in the grass.
A shadow forms over me. “We’re still playing,” Zane says, bending over me.
“I can’t move.” I ignore his snicker. I would scowl up at him, but that would take energy. Energy I don’t have. “Go away.”
He laughs again. “Okay. I’ll be back to check on you in a little bit. Here.” He sets a water bottle next to me. “Drink that.”
I don’t even watch him jog away, not sure how he can still be moving.
My legs are like Jello; I don’t think I’ll ever walk again.
Not that it matters. All my running accomplished nothing.
Slate just waltzed around us like we weren't even there. He scored like what? Eight goals on us? We got one. One. And that’s only because I tripped Slate down the field, and Zane got to the other end of the field and scored.
I close my eyes and listen to the guys play.
Even though my body is mush, I can’t keep the smile off my face.
I had so much fun playing with them. I couldn’t stop laughing the entire time, much to Slate’s chagrin.
The more serious he got, the more it made me laugh.
It didn’t help that Zane kept doing things to make me laugh.
Even now, I can hear them shouting insults at each other.
I sigh and close my eyes. I don’t know when I've ever felt so content. A longing to talk to my mom overcomes me, and I make a mental note to call her and talk to her soon. I should maybe tell her about the boy I’m seriously falling in love with.
I’m sure she’ll think I’m too young, but.
..it’s not like that with Zane. I know we’re supposed to be together, and he knows it.
He says I’m his mate, and I believe him.
I’ve never felt this kind of connection with anybody before.
Honestly, it's almost kind of scary. I close my eyes and drift a little, listening to the guys playing in the background.
Something nudges me, and I blink open my eyes. “Hey,” Zane says softly. He puts a hand out to me. I eye it and then him.
“Does that mean I have to get up?”
His lips tug up into a smile. “Come on, Baby. Let me help you up and put you out of your misery.”
“I don’t think you can.” I’m partly teasing, partly not.
“How about a hot shower?” he tempts me.
I crack an eye open. “For real?”
He nods, and I can tell he’s still trying not to smile. “Do you have lots of hot water?”
He looks amused. “Don’t most showers?”
“Not ours in our dorm.”
“That stinks. Well, I can guarantee ours has lots of hot water.”
I finally put my hand in his outstretched one, and he pulls me to my feet like I weigh nothing. “Lead me to your shower.”