Page 94 of Take My Hand

“Want to stay in bed until five fifty-five then?”

Giggling, I wiggled my bum against him. “That would be cutting it fine, plus there are four of our friends in the spare bedroom all probably hanging out of their arses. All wanting a bacon butty and a strong mug of tea.”

“Coke and a Mars Bar,” Zak said around a yawn. “They are the best things for a hangover. I promise you.”

“We’ll see.” It was then my turn to yawn. “But another half hour snuggling first.”

I felt his smile against the back of my neck, and my insides quivered with excitement, nerves, and happiness.

In the first throes of dozing, I jerked awake when the bedroom door swung open, and a body landed on top of us with a groan. Deep blue eyes with smudged mascara looked at me from under a black choppy fringe.

“Everything hurts,” Ana groaned. “And I’m knackered.”

“So go back to bed then,” I suggested, desperately trying to push her off before she smothered me.

“Yeah,” Zak agreed. “Go back to bed. We’re snuggling.”

I giggled and Ana groaned. “I can’t sleep, fucking Liam is snoring and Emma keeps smacking me in the face, and Liv’s farting is horrendous.”

Zak laughed and shifted us both to the other side of the bed so that Ana dropped beside me. “You can snuggle with us,” he said, “but no talking.”

“Can I get in the middle?”

“No,” we chorused.

“Can I snuggle you Zak, or are you naked?”

“No, he isn’t and no you can’t,” I muttered. “Now get in next to me or go.”

She groaned and pulled at the duvet beneath her, kicking her feet and tugging at it to try and get underneath.

“Ana,” I snapped. “Get inside the bloody bed or piss off. We’re trying to snuggle here.”

“I know, so you said.” She dug me hard with her elbow and then finally pulled the duvet over the top of her. She wriggled around, getting herself comfy, eventually sighing and turning on her side. “Okay, let’s snuggle.”

Zak chuckled and stroked his hand up and down my stomach, his fingers stopping just below my boobs. Instantly my nipples hardened, and I wondered if Ana could feel them in her back. I expected him to rub his thumb across the tight peak, but he stopped, and kissing my shoulder, said, “Half an hour starts again from now.”

“Okay.” And within seconds all three of us were fell fast asleep for another two hours.

“I think we should all go to the same uni and move in together,” Emma said, resting her feet in Liam’s lap and nudging him with her foot “And you could find somewhere else to do your business apprenticeship instead of Bentley. Then we could do thiseveryweekend.”

“I don’t want to do it with anyone else,” he retorted, clasping her foot in his hands. “I’ll get a car with them. Not a Bentley obviously, but I’ll still get one.”

Emma pouted, clearly upset her boyfriend, or whatever he was, valued a car over us all moving in together in some other part of the country.

“Imagine it, though,” Zak said. “Us all living together just so we can get pissed and then feel hanging all the next day?”

“You’re not, though,” Liv replied. “How the hell do you do that?”

“Yeah,” I added. “How come you aren’t hungover?”

Zak shrugged. “I didn’t really drink that much.” He lifted his hand to comb his fingers through my hair.

“Really.” Liam groaned. “Every time I looked at you there was vodka and coke in your hand.”

“I’m just hard as nails.” He grinned and stealing the mug of tea from my hand took a swig. He then passed it back, dropping a quick kiss to my temple. “Anyway, how can we all live together when Maddy is staying here.”

“Oh, don’t you start.” I rolled my eyes. “Has my dad asked you to bring this up?”

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