Page 28 of Zac

“Pretty sure it would take more than you and squirrelly over there to take me out. Not sure you’d be able to haul my body in or out of a vehicle.” He is staring at me, and I refuse to cave.

“I’m willing to give it a shot,” I say with a shrug.

“You really wanna off me, sweetheart?”

“I didn’t until you barged in here acting like a raging?—”

“Bitch,” he finishes for me with a chuckle. “Isn’t that what you called me?”

“Yep.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Did you take your Midol?”

“You done?”

“I’m just getting started,” I tell him and his smile widens.

“I meant are you done here?”

Without answering him I push past, my shoulder bumping into him. Of course he barely shifts because I swear he’s got fifty pounds on me. Damn bear of a man and his attitude. Right now, I am not his fan.

In fact, he is on my shitlist and the list is long and full of assholes I’d love to drag along I-25.

“Let’s take a drive,” he hollers after me as I exit the cafe and start walking to my car.

“I’m perfectly fine to drive myself, thank you.”

“Then I’ll follow you to your place.”

“I don’t remember inviting you,” I say as I yank open my car door and toss my bag inside before climbing in.

“You didn’t,” he chuckles, “but I will see you there anyway.”

The object of this game was to beat him there, get inside my apartment, and lock the door. Then I could shut him out and call it a night.

But when I pulled into the parking lot and saw him leaning against the side of his truck with his ankles crossed, wearing a satisfied grin on his face, defeat washed over me. I sat in my car, staring out through the windshield at his pleased smirk and it irritated me.

“Smiling like that isn’t going to get you any closer to getting inside my apartment,” I say more to myself considering I’m tucked safely in my car and he is too far away to hear. He stares at me and I stare right back, feeling my anger slowly dissipate.

The truth is I am exhausted. This week alone I have worked overtime ten hours already and I have two more five hour shifts. I’m pushing myself, I’m wearing down fast, but I also won’t admit that aloud.

“You gonna get out?”

“Are you going to go home?” I ask, looking up to see him moving in closer to my partially opened window.

“Let me help you inside.” He reaches out to open my door. “Once you are comfortable, we’ll talk.”

“We don’t need to talk.” I don’t attempt to get out. I can feel myself losing control of my emotions and I blame it on the hormones. I’m usually so put together. I can hide when I am falling apart, it’s something I have always been good at. But being pregnant weakens my strength, turning me into a blubbering mess of imbalanced moods.

“We do.” He kneels down, my door now fully open. Reaching out Zac touches my knee and I feel myself fading a little more. “I’m sorry I came in like I did but it doesn’t change what I need to say. It doesn’t change that I need you to hear me.”

“I’m tired, Zac.” My chest burns, my throat too. “I need a shower, and glass of milk and my bed.”

“Okay, so let me get you inside.” He drags his hand up and down my thigh. “We don’t have to talk tonight, but we do need to talk.”

Turning in my seat I place my feet on the pavement and he doesn’t move, instead he falls forward onto his knees bringing himself in closer. “I’m here,” he says, placing his fingers beneath my chin, tipping it up so he can see me clearly. “And so we are clear, it’s not just because you are carrying my baby, Pres, I am here because I want to be. I’m not the bad guy here. I know it’s not easy for you to lean on anyone, but I need you to lean on me.”

I shake my head, fighting the tears and he keeps pushing.

“The other night, you and Gray at my place, that felt so right. I loved every single minute of that night and into the morning. Every part of it.”

---