Page 64 of The Quarterback Sneak

Mike averts his gaze to Olivia, and a smile forms on his face. “Ah, sure thing, Livi.” Turning his attention to Zach for a second, he says, “Be here at midnight so I can take you home.”

“Sure thing, Boss.” Zach nods and watches as Olivia pulls him away. “Wanna bet that whatever Olivia is showing him involves no clothes.”

I tut, playfully turning to Zach. “Bet? I thought we only play to win, and we both know that if I accepted that bet, I’d lose.”

It was supposed to be a joke, but Zach’s flat lips and awkward expression look far more downcast than before. “You’re right. We shouldn’t be making these kinds of deals.” Suddenly, this conversation feels more serious. “Honey, I think we need to talk.”

“Honey, I’ve—” Zach’s interrupted by Jamie’s hand clamping down on his shoulder.

“Zach. Honey.” Jamie’s overjealous voice pierces my ears as his crocodile smile comes into view. “Wasn’t expecting you here, Scholarship Kid. Honey, did you invite the help again?” A few football players behind him chuckle, and I want to hit the living shit out of all their privileged asses.

Zach’s face doesn’t show it, but I can feel the tension in his grip. “Jamie, I’m surprised to see you here. Thought you’d be out looking for someone to shove your tiny dick into.” Jamie sputters his beer, the guys behind him slap him on the back, and Zach stares at me with wide eyes.

“Jamie just got told,” one of the footballers calls out, laughing.

Focusing my attention on the guys, I say, “Not that I have to tell any of you. You see that pencil cock every day in the locker room.”

Zach laughs, and I hold his hand a little tighter, pulling him away from the furor. Getting out of the kitchen, I find a quiet place by the stairs and wrap my arms around Zach’s waist. His brows are furrowed, and he looks deep in thought.

“I’m sorry about that idiot.”

He jolts his head up, looking at me in surprise. “What do you have to be sorry about? You just made Jamie look like an ass, and I live for that shit.” I laugh as he drags me against him and kisses me on the side of my neck. “You’re so hot when you stand up for yourself.”

Happily, I inhale his scent, letting him hold me in place. He’s the one who gave me the confidence to stand up for myself; now, if only I had the confidence to tell him that.

Backing away, Zach laces his hand with mine and lifts his chin. “Can we go upstairs to talk?”

I follow his gaze to the large staircase with couples walking down, still looking weathered from their escapades upstairs.

“Mh-mm.” The excitement brimming through my veins is too much. Zach Evans is inviting me upstairs at a party, which only means one thing. He wants to do a heck of a lot more than talk. I do too.

As he leads me up the stairs, I drop my gaze to my feet, not wanting to spoil the mood by fumbling down them. When he finds an empty room, he motions me inside and shuts the door.

Click.

He locks the door, and now my temperature is rising. He hasn’t touched me, but I feel him all over. The memory of yesterday is still fresh in my mind.

“That’s better.” Zach leans against the locked door, and his eyes roam my body. “Did I tell you how good you look in that?” His green eyes have darkened, his face growing a lot more serious, and I instinctively put my hands on my dress, smoothing it down. “You don’t need to do that. You look perfect.”

I let out an awkward chuckle and stare at the floor, because sometimes, Zach is a little too intense. His footsteps fill the room, and I lift my gaze when his shoes come into view.

“It feels a little different tonight, doesn’t it?” Zach brings his hand to my hair, drawing another twig from it. He twirls it in his hand and looks at me quizzically.

I bite my bottom lip, nodding with a smile. “It’s felt different for me since my birthday,” I say, toying with the honeybee necklace he got me. His face softens as he watches. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot.”

“I’ve thought a lot about it too.” I swallow, excited about where this could go but not sure I’m ready for everything to change. “I like you, Honey.”

“I like you too,” I reply, a little too eagerly for Zach not to read into it. I grimace when he starts to study my expression.

“Were you serious?”

“About?”

“About the new rule you wanted to implement in our deal?” My stomach drops, and I gulp at knowing that’s what he wants to talk about. Not the feelings behind what happened yesterday because he has none; it’s only poor, desperate me who thought there was anything more behind him dry humping me in a closet.

“You mean the one we already enacted?” I feel a little bitter but try not to show it. I’m the idiot who thought this was a good idea in the first place. I wanted to test things out before talking to him about my changing feelings, and now I’m getting exactly what I deserve.

“Yeah,” he answers sheepishly. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I think you might have been on to something.” How do I leave this room without further embarrassment? I don’t think I can. “We obviously like being around each other, and we’re getting hot from all the make-out sessions; why not add that rule? We can’t be with anyone else, so maybe we should just do it?”

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