“Everything is prepared with ranch dressing?”
“Every single item. Served on the side too. If you flip to the back page, you’ll see all the flavors they offer.”
“Twenty-seven? How is that…”
“All crafted in house too.” His lips tip downward. “Please tell me you like ranch. If you don’t we can leave right now. I always forget that not everyone is as obsessed with it as me.”
“Now your assmunch comment makes so much sense.”
His brows shoot up. “Assmunch comment? When?”
“When we ordered wings. They didn’t put your ranch in the bag and you sounded rather upset. I wondered about it, but pushed the thought away.”
“Ah, yes. I still haven’t forgiven those dicks.”
I chuckle. “You do take your ranch seriously.”
“Someone has to. But really, do we need to leave?”
“Ranch isn’t my go-to—I like blue cheese more—but I’m way too excited to try a few of these flavors for us to leave now.”
“I’ll take it. Now, I suggest getting the fries, that way you can try multiple flavors.”
“Then the burger…and the mozzarella sticks. Maybe the Mediterranean flatbread too.”
“Delia?”
“Yes, I’m starving.”
“Naturally. Do you even eat unless I’m feeding you?”
I fold the menu closed and lay it off to the side. “Not food like this. This is exotic cuisine.”
“It’s ranch dressing.”
“Twenty-seven different flavors of ranch dressing! You can’t expect me to not eat all the things.”
“Fair point.”
“But…do you want to split? Because I honestly can’t eat all that food.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, we can split, but we’re getting fried green beans too.”
“I’m sorry, you want to do what to my green beans?”
“Shush and enjoy the experience.”
Our waiter finally comes around and we place our drink and food orders at the same time. It doesn’t take long before he’s bringing our beverages back out to us.
Relaxing back in our chairs, we sip our drinks and watch the fire roar.
“It’s nice out here, quiet. You’d think they’d have music playing through the speakers or something.”
“I’m sure they do on summer nights. I bet the patio isn’t popular in November.”
We go back to silence. The crackling of wood, the occasional call of a bird, and the soft lap of waves on the lake is all we can hear.
The sun is about to set, and a few stars are poking through the sky.
“Sometimes I wish I could live under the stars,” I confess.
“Why is that?”
“They’re calming, peaceful. They lull you to sleep. I don’t worry when I peer into the vastness of the night sky. I feel so small in this universe for one split second. It’s grounding.”
“You’re not small, Delia, not even when you study the stars. Trust me.”
I glance his way, loving the way his head is thrown back as he watches the sky above, the way his throat moves when he swallows.
“Are you trying to say something sweet, Zach?”
He grins, and even from here I know his dimple is making an appearance. “I’m just saying you shine a whole hell of a lot brighter than you think you do, at least to me. You’re different—the good kind of different.”
Our waiter sneaks our way with the food, but Zach doesn’t notice. I hold my hand up to stop him from coming closer, wanting to hear what else Zach has to say.
“You’re funny, and sarcastic, and that ass of yours could distract an entire room.”
A trickle of laughter falls out of me as I glance to the waiter, whose mouth is hanging open.
“I’m just saying, when you did that sexy striptease last—”
“Zach, stop.”
“No way. When you did that sexy striptease the other night, I was sitting on your bed thinking of all the ways I’d like to bend you—ow! What the hell was that for!”
He sits up, shooting daggers my way before finally realizing we have a guest.
I sit there, trying with everything I have not to slide down in my seat until I’m hiding under the table. I didn’t think that was the direction he was going in at all.
Only Zach.
“Oh hell, Delia. Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because I didn’t know you were going to get all pervy on me!”
Zach groans and turns to the waiter. “You, sir, are getting a massive tip.” Then he turns to me and winks. “I’ll give you way more than just the tip.”
The waiter, so stunned, loses balance with the tray. Two of our meals go toppling over, and our refills pour down the front of his shirt.
He stands there, shocked but composed.
We sit there, shocked and mortified.
“So…let’s go ahead and double that tip,” Zach says.
The waiter simply nods, grabbing his tray and retreating inside.
“Zachary Hastings!”
“What? I couldn’t help it! Besides, you deserved that after letting me go on and on about your fantastic ass.”
“Are you done?”
“Yes.” He leans across the table, and I match his movements. “But just so you know, you’re getting a way bigger tip than he is.”
“That was possibly the best ranch dressing I have ever had.”
“I told you this place was awesome.”
“Thank you for bringing me here. I never knew it existed.”
“Being the ranch freak I am, I’ve been on the lookout for a restaurant like this for years. I’m surprised one popped up in my own back yard—maybe they pinged all my Google searches or something.”
“You’re so strange, Zach.”
“I’ll own up to that. So…you want to get out of here?”
“Where are we going?”
Nervous, he flits his eyes away. “I was thinking of showing you my place tonight.”
The suggestion alone has my body lit up. The words caress my skin, knowing exactly what it is he’s implying.
“I think I’d like that.”
He stands and reaches out for my hand. I let him pull me from the table and whisk me back through the restaurant.
It’s hot inside the car, and it’s purely because we can feel the electricity thrumming through the air. He’s breathing hard, I’m breathing harder.
That spark I was missing before? Yeah, it’s right here in this car, zinging back and forth between me and Zach.
He’s squeezing the shift knob, knuckles turning white with anticipation.
I reach over and cover his hand, lifting his until it rests on my naked thigh. He inhales sharply and I hold my breath, waiting.
The weight of his hand is doing things to me, things I didn’t expect. I didn’t intend to start anything sexual while he’s driving, but if I said I didn’t want to scoot down in my seat until his hand rested firmly between my legs, I’d be a damn liar, and that’s not who I am.
“Delia…” It’s a warning, and I know it is.
“I’m not doing anything, Zach. I just wanted to feel your touch.”
“And I just want to pull this car over right this second.”
“I mean, I wouldn’t—”
The tires screech as he whips us into the parking lot that just so happens to be right next to us. He expertly parks us between two big SUVs before pushing his seat back and unbuckling us both.
Before I know it, I’m straddling him and his tongue is in my mouth, his hands pulling my hair out of the ponytail I had it in.
We’re grinding and pulling at each other, trying to get as close as possible.
My skirt is now around my waist and his hands are gripping my ass cheeks, dragging me closer. The sounds of our harsh breaths fill the car.
“Zach…” I moan, his dick sliding against my underwear, hitting me in all the right places. “This is…oh my god.”
Our once frenzied movements turn languid as we come down from the rush of…well, everything.
“Delia,” Zach says, kissing his way from right under my ear to my lips before ripping his mouth away and placing his forehead against mine. “I think we need to stop. I want you—bad—but I don’t think our first time should be in a car.”
Once again, my breaths are coming in so sharp, all I can do is nod.
Zach pulls his head away from mine and our eyes connect for the first time since I landed in his lap. His normally bright green gaze is dark, needy. I’m certain my own stare matches his at this moment.
He glances around the parking lot and snickers.
“Oh shit. Do you realize we just dry humped in the parking lot of a restaurant that’s currently hosting kid’s night?”
I blink, confused, and peek around. “Oh…oops.”
“Oops is right,” he says, pulling his hands off my ass and out from under my skirt. “We should be on our way before some poor parents peek inside the car.”
“I’m not looking for any public indecency charges, so that’s a great idea.” I slide back over into my seat, pushing my skirt down and covering as much of my legs as I can. “No more touching for the rest of the ride.”
“FYI, I’m going to speed. Buckle up.”
I smirk, pull the seat belt back around me, and revel in the anticipation coursing through me.
Fifteen
The tension between us is palpable by the time Zach pulls into his driveway and puts the car in park.
He switches off the ignition and turns toward me.
“Are you sure about this, Delia?”
“Zach, I just about screwed your brains out in a parking lot. I’m sure about this.”
“And you don’t think it’s too soon? You won’t regret this tomorrow?”
I lean in as close as my seat belt will allow and give him a seductive smile. “Give me a reason or three not to.”
His nostrils flare, and before I know it, he’s out of the car and ripping open my door, helping me from the seat and rushing me toward his house.
“Is Robbie home?” I ask on our way up the path.
“Better fucking not be,” Zach mutters.
He unlocks the door and flicks on the light, illuminating a large living room with sleek hardwood floors and gray furniture.
The walls are a bright white, and I’m sure when the sun is up, the bay window in the back wall makes it even more beautiful.
“Wow. This is gorgeous.”
“It’s a mess right now. Robbie didn’t bother cleaning up after himself today.”
“It’s not that messy. I’ve seen worse.” There are shirts and socks strung around the room, a few empty soda cans littering the table, but nothing too horrible.
He eyes me and quirks a brow.
I smile in return, knowing the question he’s asking.
Then we’re zooming up the stairs, sliding around corners and laughing like fools, because we’re in on the dirty joke.
Sex.
Zach throws open his bedroom door, slamming it closed and turning the lock once I’m inside.
I want to explore his room, pay attention to his taste, attempt to learn something about him.
But more importantly, I want to kneel in front of him and help him unbutton his pants.
“Delia,” he whispers when I drop to my knees. “You don’t need to do that.”
“Shut up and let me take your pants off.”
He nods slowly, so I take that as my cue to continue.
As he works to slide his shoes off, I free the button on his jeans and pull the zipper down, maintaining eye contact with him the entire time.
He kicks free of his pants and my hands settle on his hips at the band of his boxer briefs.
“I see you wore plain ones tonight.”
He smirks. “Calculated decision on my end. I didn’t want to ruin the moment again.”
“You didn’t ruin it last time. I like your nerdiness, remember?”
Zach hisses and bites his lip. “You’re awfully close to my dick right now and all my thoughts are in the wrong head, so sure, whatever you just said sounds great.”
I pull his boxers down slowly, taking my time teasing him.
His dick pops free and the first thing I do is lick it from tip to base. He groans and his hands fly to my head, holding me there, my tongue lapping at his throbbing cock. His legs are turning to jelly as I slowly lick the length of him, tip to base, base to tip.
I pull the head of his dick into my mouth and suck.
He jerks away. “You know what? No. Up.” He pulls at me until I’m standing. “You on your knees licking my cock is enough to kill me, and I don’t want to embarrass myself, so go. Take your clothes off and get on the bed. That’s where I want you…first.”
My body tingles at his words and my hands flit across my body, pulling my shirt over my head and throwing it wherever. My fingers unhook my bra and I don’t miss the noise that leaves Zach as he has his first glimpse at my breasts.
“Faster, Delia.”
Gone is my skirt.
I’m standing there in only my underwear, panting like a madwoman. There’s a fire in Zach’s gaze, and it’s so hot that I can feel the flames licking at my skin.
“Last chance,” he warns.
“Ye—”
The word is cut off, Zach’s mouth on mine. He manages to move us to the bed in one swift move. He holds himself over top of me, all his good parts lining up perfectly with mine. It shouldn’t be the case, since he’s a good five inches taller than me, but somehow in bed we click together like two missing puzzle pieces.
“I’m going to take your panties off now, Delia.”
“I hope so, Zach. I’m dying over here.”
He places a kiss at the corner of my mouth, down my chin, the column of my neck, not stopping until he reaches my left breast.
“You have a tattoo? That is so hot,” he says. “Why that phrase?”
My ink reads With All Your heart. “Because I only ever want to go with all my heart. I don’t want to half-ass anything in my life.”
I can see in his eyes that he likes my reasoning.
With his tongue, he traces the words that begin on the side of my breast and finish underneath. Then he makes a path back up and his warm mouth closes around my nipple, the sensation causing my hips to buck off the bed. My body is wound so tight, yearning for a release. I squeeze my thighs and Zach chuckles, the sound shooting straight to my core.
“I get it, I get it.”
He kisses down my stomach, the action sending shivers all along my body. He continues his journey south, his mouth landing right at the band of my panties.
He pauses for only a second before stripping the black garment down my legs.
My first instinct is to shut my legs, to cover myself, but then I glance at Zach. His eyes are screaming with want, with need.
I don’t feel embarrassed or self-conscious. I feel bold and beautiful, and it’s all because of this man on his knees who’s about to devour me.
And devour me he does. His face is planted firmly between my legs and I’m writhing on the bed, torn between pushing him away and begging him closer.
I want him to stop, but only so he can start all over again and this can last a lifetime.
It’s not long before I’m a shuddering mess and his gentle kisses turn leisurely.
Crawling back up my body with the proudest grin on his face, he reaches into the bedside table and pulls out a condom. As he opens it, I reach down and give him a few strokes, enjoying the way he looks and feels in my hand. He’s paused all movements, frozen above me with his bottom lip tucked between his teeth.
He opens his eyes and his stare connects with mine.
“Delia?”
“Yes?”
“Move your hand.”
His words are loaded, desire dripping off every single syllable. I hold his gaze a
s I follow his orders. He rolls the condom down his shaft and settles himself between my legs.
Feeling the pressure of him at my opening, I spread my legs apart. It’s an invitation, and he knows it.
“I think this is the best third date I’ve ever had,” he whispers before thrusting inside me.
We’re lost in each other, so lost I don’t know if I ever want to find my way out again. Zach moves inside me and I do my best to match his movements, finding a rhythm between us. It isn’t perfect and we’re nowhere near synced up, but it’s working for us both, this give and take of ours.
Our eyes stay connected as he moves inside me. He wraps my leg around his waist, creating a new angle that has us pushing for more.
“God, Delia…”
“I know, Zach. I know.”
His mouth crushes to mine and my hands find his hair, pulling him closer in every way possible. He pulls his mouth from my mine and buries his head in the crook of my neck, dropping his full weight on top of me. His thrusts grow more precise as he finds the spot he’s been searching for.
He mutters a string of curse words in my ear as we chase our highs together, grasping and searching for every last drop of pleasure we can muster before collapsing in a heap of twisted limbs and harsh breaths.
My chest feels like it’s about to explode, and my heart’s beating so fast I feel like one of those cartoons where you see the outline of it thumping away.
We lie there, trying to find the strength to function again.
“I think I’m dying.”
“I feel so out of shape.”
He nods in agreement. “I’m going to get rid of this thing. Do you…need anything?”
“Bathroom?”
He points at a door beside the sleek black dresser in his room. “Right there. I’ll go down the hall.”
He hops off the bed in all his naked glory, not bothering to cover up one bit, and makes his way out of the room. I head into the bathroom, use the toilet (because no one wants a UTI), and use a clean washcloth I find in the linen closet to clean myself up.
Strolling back into the bedroom, I find Zach relaxed on his bed, hands resting behind his head as he stares up at the ceiling.
“Did you even notice these?”
I crawl into bed and lie down next to him, my head resting on his chest. Gazing up, I see what he’s talking about: two large windows cut out in his ceiling. The night sky feels so close, as if I could reach out and touch the stars.
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