Page 18 of Nothing to Do

“Zane!”

His mouth stole hers and everything else faded away. When he boosted her onto the desk, she heard her bag fall, and shoved it to the side, getting it out of their way. He urged her further onto the desk, pushing himself hard against her, the imprint of him betrayed how much he wanted her, how hard he wanted it.

Driving her fingers into his hair, she held his head, pulling him to her, begging for the intensity of their kiss to keep on going all the way to the end of—

She tore her mouth from his. “Wait.”

“Wait. Wait?” he panted. “Baby—

“I know,” she said, bringing her hands to his cheeks. “I know, me too, but we…” She had to stop and take a breath. “If you’re serious about this being more than a one-time thing… Don’t you want to date me?”

His mouth opened, but his expression exposed a conflict between the honorable answer and what his body wanted.

“I… yeaahh,” he said, dragging out the begrudged word even though it sounded painful.

After another few seconds, he groaned and conceded the transaction wouldn’t be completed.

As he backed off, and turned away, she shimmied to the edge of the desk, pulling down her skirt. Sitting there, she gave him a second to calm whatever he needed to calm. If they were together, she might tease him… and one day, if together became a more tangible thing, she might help him out with the calming.

Glancing around to check how far her bag had gone, everything was scattered. Her laptop hung precariously on the corner of the desk, just beside a pool of brown liquid and ice.

“Damnit,” she said, hopping off the desk to rush to the restroom.

Grabbing up as much tissue as she could, she hurried back to the mess to mop it up.

“Babe, you don’t have to clean.”

“What a waste,” she said, tossing the sopping tissues into the trash. “No sex and no latte. What did I do to piss off fate today?”

“There’s a spot on the west shore, a cabana with a grass roof. It’s not much more than a room with a deck, but it’s quiet… it’s private.”

“You want to have sex there?”

“I want to date you there,” he said, coming over to stop beside her. “Go outside and wet your toes… I’ll clean up in here.”

“You don’t have to—”

“Babe,” he said, extending a hand to her. “You want to date. You love the beach and your work is important to you.”

She looked up at him. “Why are you telling me about me?”

“Showing I pay attention,” he said, smiling.

When her hand slid into his, he pulled her to her feet. “I can clean up a mess.”

“We work in the day,” he said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “It’s important to you, I won’t get in the way of that. We dateat night or in the afternoon, whichever you prefer.” He guided her hand onto his chest. “I respect what you value.”

Picking up on his meaning, she touched his face. “You’re my equal.”

“Yes, I am,” he said, descending slowly to kiss her quick. “Now get outside and feel better while I take care of things in here. You have work to do.”

He was right. About everything. More than once or twice, it was becoming a habit. She went outside to be confronted by a large block of stone in front of the wall. A block…? No, a step. Her lips curled as she ascended the block to stand atop the wall, then she laughed. There on the other side were more blocks. A stack of them: descending stairs.

Taking advantage of her new route, Thea needed the chance to center herself. Having a date didn’t give her permission to be distracted. She had to get her work done and then… she could let loose.

NINE

“YOU HAVE TO COME,” Alessia begged after dinner that evening. “You came last night.”

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