“No. I’ll have a Bud Light,” Emma said, shooting him a glare.
He just smirked and ordered a Heineken.
“I’m not getting drunk tonight,” Emma said vehemently after the waitress had gone.
“I wouldn’t think so, because then I’d have to sleep over again, and you never know what might happen.”
He might have been teasing, but they both knew there was a hint of truth behind it. “Speaking of sleep, where did you plan on staying tonight?”
“One of my college buddies lives in the city. I figured I would give him a call, unless…”
The waitress came over with their drinks and took their food orders, which gave Emma a few minutes to collect herself. She took a long slug of beer while Zack studied her across the table.
“No pressure, Em. Let’s just have a good time tonight, ok?”
“Ok.” They clinked beer bottles, and Emma relaxed again. After that, they talked about various topics and enjoyed the ambiance of the busy pub. They had both ordered fish and chips, and Emma tucked into hers with gusto. Who knew flirting would work up such an appetite?!
“One more beer before we go?” Zack asked.
“Sure, but that’s it for the night,” Emma warned.
When the waitress set Zack’s beer down, she bent over so far that her boobs threatened to spill out of her shirt. She had been fawning over Zack all night, and Emma wanted to shout, “HELLO, he’s with me!”
“Some set of boobs, huh?” Emma asked, straight-faced.
Zack coughed and sputtered as if his beer had gone down the wrong pipe. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and shook his head at her.
“What? Like you didn’t notice.”
“How could I not notice?” He chuckled and shook his head some more.
“I knew it. Why do men like boobs so much anyway? They’re just globs of fat.”
“I don’t know, Em. Maybe because we don’t have them?”
“Well, women like that make it tough for women like me.”
“How so?” He looked genuinely curious.
“Hello, Miss Average-sized over here.” She pointed down at her chest. Oops, that may have been a mistake, she thought, because now Zack stared right at them.
“News flash, Em. All boobs are good.”
“Oh, so size doesn’t matter?”
Zack let out a hearty laugh that caught the attention of the people at the next table. “Do I really need to answer that?”
Emma laughed too. “I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”
“Maybe I should be asking you the size question.” Zack wiggled his eyebrows at her.
“It’s not the size of the tool, but how you use it that counts… or something like that,” she said and slugged down the last of her beer.
“Hmm, we’ll see,” Zack said, and he rubbed his hand over his day-old stubble.
What was that supposed to mean? Emma felt herself flush and averted her eyes. Luckily—or not, depending on how she looked at it—the booby waitress reappeared with their bill. Zack instantly reached for his wallet and handed her his credit card.
“Ooh. Zack Kostas. Are you Greek?” Booby asked.
Emma wanted to scream, “Yoo-hoo! I’m still here!”
“Yes, I am,” Zack answered smoothly. “Yet here I am in an Irish pub.”
Booby giggled. “There are a lot of good Greek restaurants in the city too. How long are you here for?”
Ok, that does it! Emma cleared her throat and was just about to speak when Zack reached across the table and grabbed her hand.
“I don’t think we’ll be leaving the room much for the next couple of days.”
Holy wow! Emma smiled sweetly at the waitress until she turned and scurried away.
Emma and Zack were still laughing when they left the pub and had joined the stream of people on the busy sidewalk.
“Where are we going?” Emma asked when he took her hand and tucked her close to his side. Emma wrote off the gesture as practical—it would prevent them from getting separated in the crowd.
“Shopping,” Zack replied, as if she should have known the answer.
He’ll get no argument from me! Emma took in the array of sights and sounds while they made their way up Michigan Avenue. She couldn’t be sure what made her feel more alive, the city or the sensation of Zack’s fingers entwined with hers. They were jostled by passersby several times, and Emma reveled in the jolt she felt every time their bodies came into contact. Conversation was kept to a minimum because it was difficult to hear over the noise, but Emma didn’t mind. It was rare to feel comfortable with someone in silence, but Zack seemed fine with it too.
When the American Girl doll store came into sight, Zack pointed, and Emma nodded. Once they stepped inside, Zack let go of her hand.
“Gracie loves this stuff. Will you help me find something?” Zack asked.
“Sure. I used to love to play with dolls when I was a little girl,” Emma said, and she picked up one of the dolls on display. “Since I didn’t have siblings, I would talk to my dolls as if they were real.”
“Gracie does that too. I would have liked for her to have a sister or brother, but now, who knows…”
Zack’s head was bent over a box of doll accessories, but Emma heard the regret in his voice.
“Do you have siblings?”
“I have a younger brother, Damian, who lives in California. He’s a bit of a free spirit and the complete opposite of me. We were close as kids, but I don’t see much of him anymore.”
“Because he lives so far away?”
“That and the fact that we have such different lifestyles. He’s a confirmed bachelor who has no intention of ever being ‘tied down’ with a wife and kids. Some might say that he has a fear of commitment.”
Emma gave Zack a curious sideways glance.
“What?”
Why does he always have to catch me looking? “Nothing,” Emma said dismissively.
“That look was not nothing. Spill it.” Zack set down the doll clothes he had been looking at and gave her his full attention.
Emma sighed. “I was just thinking that maybe you and your brother aren’t so different anymore. Didn’t you tell me recently that you couldn’t imagine having another relationship?”
“I guess I did say that, didn’t I?”
“Yes, or something along those lines.” Emma did her best to act like she didn’t care one way or another what Zack’s thoughts on relationships were. In fact, they shouldn’t even be having this conversation.
“What about this outfit for Gracie’s dolls?” Emma asked, trying desperately to change the subject.
For once, Zack went along with her. “I think that she would love that,” he said.
A few minutes later, they were back on the sidewalk, with Zack clutching an American Girl doll bag instead of Emma’s hand. The lightness that she had experienced at the pub had been replaced by a different feeling that Emma couldn’t quite identify. Whatever it was, Emma was determined to ignore it. The night was still young, and she didn’t want the fun to be over yet.
“Let’s go to Crate and Barrel,” Emma suggested enthusiastically. “You could still use a few more things for your house.”
“Like what?” Zack asked, but he followed her as she led them down the street.
“I’ll know it when I see it,” Emma answered.
Zack rolled his eyes, but his mood seemed to have lifted, and that spurred Emma on.
He trailed her throughout the store while she browsed a variety of home goods and kitchen gadgets.
“Here it is!” Emma stopped and pointed.
“A heart-shaped waffle maker? And why do I need this in life?”
“Does Gracie like waffles?”
“Yes.”
“Well, think about how excited she’ll be when she sees heart-shaped waffles on her plate!”
“Emma, is this really about Gracie?”
Emma pretended to be offended. “Of course it’s about
Gracie. Don’t be ridiculous.”
Zack stared at her for a few beats. “You know what? You’re right. I think I need to have the waffle maker.”
Emma gave him a toothy smile and picked up the box. “Stick with me,” she called over her shoulder.
“Oh, I plan on it,” Zack said.
When they left the store, Zack suggested they go somewhere for dessert, and Emma readily agreed. They ended up at the Ghirardelli store, where they bought one hot fudge sundae to share.
The minute she tasted the delicious combination of cold vanilla ice cream and rich hot fudge, Emma let out a long, happy sigh.
Zack smirked at her across the table before sampling it himself. Emma watched the spoon disappear between his full, moist lips and envied it. With her focus on his mouth, it was easy to recall their steamy kiss on his bed, and Emma had the sudden urge to repeat it. With each bite they took, the room seemed to grow warmer and warmer until Emma hastily discarded her jean jacket.
After the last bite, when Zack lazily licked his lips, Emma thought she would throw herself across the table at him. He might have felt the same way because he suddenly asked, “Are you ready to get out of here?”
“So ready,” Emma replied, and they rushed out the door to hail a cab.
Chapter 24
On the cab ride back to her hotel, Emma’s thoughts ran wild, and at the center of them all was Zack. They sat several inches apart, but Zack had clasped her hand and held it tightly. Emma glanced down at her small hand engulfed by his and felt a rush of desire surge through her veins. If I’m this turned on by such a simple touch, how would it feel to be naked beneath him?
Her logical brain kicked in every so often, trying to warn her that this was a bad idea. Zack had been very clear about not wanting a relationship, and Emma had agreed that the timing was bad. But didn’t they already have a relationship of sorts? Sure they had labelled it a friendship, but it had been shrouded with chemistry from the start. Emma wasn’t concerned about getting hurt, but she didn’t want anything to ruin whatever it was that she and Zack had.
Why does it have to take so damn long to get back to the hotel? Emma was afraid that if they had to wait much longer, she would talk herself out of it. Zack’s silence wasn’t helping matters. Every so often, he would look over at her with a serious expression, but then he would run his thumb across the back of her hand and send a delicious shiver up her spine. It was maddening!
When the cab driver finally pulled up in front of her hotel, Emma breathed a sigh of relief. She stepped out into the cool night air and waited for Zack to pay the fare. He then joined her on the sidewalk, but he clamped a hand on her arm to stop her from entering the hotel.
“Are you sure about this, Emma? Because if you’re not, I’ll walk away right now, and there will be no hard feelings. I’m sure that my buddy would take me in tonight.”
Emma looked into those intense gray eyes and melted. “You’re a good man, Zack.”
“I mean it, Em. This could change things.” He motioned back and forth between them.
“I know that.”
He loosened his shoulders when he saw her lips turn up in a smile. “It might even make us better friends.”
“Closer friends,” she whispered. Emma was vaguely aware of the people having to step around them as she made up her mind. “Come upstairs with me.”
Emma held her breath while she waited for his response.
“After you,” Zack said and followed her through the door.
On the elevator ride up to the fifteenth floor, Emma and Zack were separated by a family of four each hauling a piece of luggage. They grinned at each other across the elevator car while the kids bickered and the parents attempted to control them. The family got out on the same floor as they did but turned the opposite way down the hall. Emma’s heartrate sped up as she fished her room key out of her purse while Zack stood one step behind her.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as he leaned over her and took the key from her trembling hand. “Allow me,” he said and swiftly opened the door.
The room was dark except for the sliver of light that poked through the partially opened curtains. Zack set his shopping bags down on the floor, and Emma placed her purse and jacket on the desk by the door. They turned to face each other at the same time, and in a flash, Zack pulled her roughly into his arms.
Emma instantly twined her arms around his neck, and she tilted her head up just as his lips crashed down on hers. Together, they were like a pot of water that had just reached the boiling point. Zack’s hands were at the small of her back, and he lifted her off the ground so that she could wrap her legs around his waist. He backed her up to the bed as he continued to plunder her mouth, and she clung to him, fully immersed in his kiss.
They tumbled onto the bed together, and Zack released her to sit back on his haunches. Their breathing was heavy while he untucked his shirt and pulled it over his head. Since it was dark, Emma could only see the outline of his bare muscular chest, but she knew that it was spectacular. She reached up and ran her hands over his pecs, and he stared down at her through hooded eyes. He stilled as she let her hands roam down to the waistband of his pants and ran her index finger just underneath it.
Emma’s dress had ridden up when they had fallen to the bed and just barely covered her panties. While she continued to caress his chest and abs, Zack placed his hands on her exposed thighs and slowly inched them upward. Emma stopped him just before he reached her underwear.
“You first,” she demanded, tugging on his belt buckle.
Zack chuckled gruffly and immediately moved his hands to his belt. Emma scooted herself up a little higher against the headboard to afford a better view. She was tempted to reach over and flick on the lamp, but she didn’t want to miss a single minute of the show. His belt had already been discarded, and now Zack put his hands on his zipper. Emma sucked in a breath as he pulled it down to reveal the bright red and blue Superman boxers that she had seen before.
She shifted her gaze upward, and it was met with Zack’s self-satisfied grin. “You wore those on purpose,” she accused, but this time, her voice was laced with desire.
“Just in case,” he said, his deep voice like a caress. Zack removed his pants and tossed them off to the side. “Now, where was I?”
He crawled back over to her and put his warm hands back on her thighs, pushing her dress up to reveal her panties.
Maybe he won’t be able to see, Emma thought, but Zack stilled, and she knew that she was busted.
“Days of the week underpants! Wow, Em, I didn’t know they made those in women’s sizes!”
Luckily, her face was shadowed so that he couldn’t see her blush. “I didn’t expect anyone else to see them except for me,” she said defensively, but he was already travelling up her body and taking her dress with him.
“It’s a good thing you’re wearing the correct day; otherwise, I’d be concerned.”
Emma could no longer concentrate on Zack’s words because he had flung off her dress and had his hands poised on her bra hook. His head was bent over her, and she looked up to meet his questioning gaze. It was almost as if he was giving her one more chance to back out, but Emma wasn’t interested.
“Go ahead,” she urged, and seconds later, her bra had been slipped off and discarded with the rest of their clothes.
Zack’s big hands instantly covered her breasts, and his gentle yet tantalizing movements caused her to gasp.
“God, you’re so beautiful, Em. Everything about you is beautiful.”
They lay side by side, and Emma ran a hand down the middle of his chest while he continued to fondle her breasts.
“You’re beautiful too,” she breathed.
Zack inhaled roughly when her hand dipped further down to cup him right over the Superman symbol. His own movements halted when she began running her index finger up and down his hard length. Their faces were just an inch apart, but their eyes studied each other’s bodies and
the way they responded to each touch, each caress.
“I want you so much,” Zack said, and he flipped Emma onto her back. He bent his head to her breasts and took first one and then the other into his mouth, sucking and tugging until her nipples were taut peaks. Emma arched her hips, trying desperately to gain contact with his, but Zack held himself just out of reach.
“Zack. Please. Now.” Her voice came out in ragged gasps.
Zack ignored her pleas as he kissed his way down her body and over her panties while Emma writhed beneath him.
Where is his will power coming from? “Zack, I mean it. I need you inside of me… now!”
Her words finally got through, because Zack heaved himself off of the bed and stumbled around in search of his pants.
Emma knew what he was looking for and was glad that he was prepared. While he sheathed himself, she wriggled out of her Friday undies and tossed them off the side of the bed. Zack stood transfixed by the vision of her naked body until he jolted back into action, but not before Emma caught a glimpse of his… oh my God, assets!
“Problem?” Zack asked gruffly as he straddled her.
“What if it doesn’t fit?” she asked with a mix of awe and fear.
The devilish grin was back and practically lit up the room! “I’ll go slow,” he promised before leaning down to kiss her lush swollen lips.
And they were back in business. Emma sank into the bed and reveled in the sensations while Zack carefully and exquisitely filled her until they couldn’t possibly get any closer.
“Told ya,” he teased, and then he began to move.
Emma wrapped her arms tightly around him and unabashedly gave in to the pleasure. Hands and lips and tongues, strong arms and hard chest, friction and heat, whispers and sighs, she embraced it all right up until the final moment when they reached the sweet spot and then collapsed in a satisfied heap.
Chapter 25
Shortly after, Emma watched Zack’s muscled back disappear into the bathroom, and she let out a relaxed sigh. She closed her eyes for a moment and may have drifted off, but the sensation of the bed dipping under Zack’s weight brought her back to life. He sidled up next to her so that their sides touched, and he picked up her right hand in his.
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