Page 63 of Zachary

Still chuckling, I sit down at the table and try to avoid looking into the box. “Remember how I told you I’m not that experienced with relationships and sex? Well, the truth is, I have zero. Zac and I have been taking things slow, but I’m ready for more, only…” I feel my cheeks getting hot. I guess I still find this embarrassing, even though I know I shouldn’t. “The thing is, I didn’t really know what I even wanted. What I like. And I want our first time together to be special, not with me being all fumbling and weird. So I asked my friends for advice.”

Zoe winces. “Do I want to know how that went? Although”—she reaches into the box and pulls out a smaller box with World of Wangs blazoned on the lid—“I can probably make an educated guess.”

I snort. “They were actually pretty helpful. They sent me some good interspecies porn and told me to play around withmyself and see what… you know. And they said I should talk to Zac.”

There’s a strange look on Zoe’s face. “Was this about a week ago?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

She glances back at the big box. “And then one of them sent you a bunch of sex toys to experiment with. Including a Fleshlight, anal beads, and an assortment of vibrating cock rings.” She turns over the smaller box in her hands and reads the description on the packaging. “And this is a collection of interspecies dildos. He forgot the lube, though. From the looks of some of these, you’re definitely going to want lube.”

Standing, I lean over the box. “There’s a spell for that. Dustin sent it to me. It’s super easy.”

“Of course there is,” she mutters. “I should have guessed.”

I take the items she unpacked and put them back in the box, then push it to the other side of the table. “This is probably more than you were expecting this morning. You wanted to talk to me about something?”

She nods. “Yeah. But, um… just to be clear, this past week you’ve been, uh… experimenting with yourself? When Zac’s not around, I mean. You’ve been taking time to… play. And… explore what you like?”

Do besties usually share this much? Does she want details? I’m not sure I’d be comfortable with that. But if I take the questions at face value, they’re not so bad. “Yes.”

Another nod, this time more thoughtful. “Okay. That’s great. Your friends are right. You should talk to Zac. Soon. Today, even.”

I make a face. “I know. Probably not today, though. He’s coming over in a while, and I won’t get a chance to play with all this stuff until he leaves tonight. But definitely soon. I can’t wait for us to…” I trail off. “Well, you know.”

“Yep. I do. So…” She stands. “I’m gonna let you put this stuff away and get on with your day. I’ll see you later, though—karaoke at the pub tonight, remember?”

“Zac and I are looking forward to it. Well, I am,” I amend. Zac goes because I ask him to.

She looks at me strangely again. “You know I love you, right? And I’d never do anything to hurt you? I want you to have what you want.”

“Yeah, I know. Zoe, is everything okay?”

Her usual grin appears. “Oh yeah. Never better. I’ll show myself out.”

Before I can ask anything else, she sweeps up her stuff and hurries to the hallway. I hear the front door open and close seconds later. Did she even stop to put her parka on first?

I shake my head. Whatever’s going on with her, she’ll tell me when she’s ready. Or I’ll get it out of her tonight at karaoke.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Zac

In the twodays since I spoke to Zoe, Ronan’s said nothing about it. He’s still the same loving, affectionate,perfectboyfriend, except when it comes to the end of the evening, he’s eager to see me leave. Tonight, especially. I don’t get it. He got a little tipsy during karaoke, couldn’t keep his hands off me, was all over me when we got back to his place, so much so that I thought for sure things had changed. That they were back to normal.

But when, after an hour of hot, steamy kisses, I tested the waters by suggesting it might be time for me to go home, he actually leapt off the couch in his haste to send me on my way.

That was so not the outcome I’d been expecting.

As I leave the teleport room and head toward my bedroom, I wonder if maybe I need to be the one to talk to Ronan about this. I don’t want him to think I’m pressuring him for more, but I also want him to know that if hedoeswant to end things, that’s… well, it’s not okay, but he’s allowed to do that.

“Zac? Is that you?”

I freeze and spin toward the living room. “Zoe?” What’s she doing here this late?

She appears in the doorway. “Hi! Uh, I just need a few minutes of your time.” Her smile is wide and… fake. My stomach drops.

Oh no. She talked to Ronan and she’s here to give me bad news.

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