Page 80 of You Chive Me Crazy
“So would I,” Marty chimed in.
“Me, too,” Zoe said. “What do you think, Jeremy? You said you were a fan of his work.”
“I certainly am.” Jeremy nodded, thinking about it. “That’s not such a bad idea at all.” He set his fork down and glanced over at me. “Have you ever thought about a career in television, Lucas?”
I shrugged. “Honestly, yes, I’ve thought about it, but what could I do that hasn’t already been done?”
“We don’t always have to reinvent the wheel,” Jeremy said. “You already have credibility and a huge following. I think you would do well as a celebrity judge just by being yourself.” He frowned. “The problem we’re facing right now is that there are no openings, but I think it’s something that has potential for the future, if you’re open to the possibility.”
“He definitely is!” Rolando said.
I chuckled and gestured to my best friend. “Looks like I just found an agent.”
“I think it’s a fabulous idea,” Zoe said, then reached up to massage her neck, closing her eyes and wincing.
I leaned closer. “Are you okay?”
“My muscles are aching a little from work today, I guess. Nothing to worry about.”
“Do you want to go back up to the room and soak in the Jacuzzi tub?” I asked in a whisper, enjoying this moment of privacy between the two of us.
“Actually, I was thinking of going outside and sitting in the hot tub under the stars for a little before bed. It’s a beautiful night and the fresh air would be nice. Do you want to join me?”
My heart leapt at the invitation, since I’d been dying to get some alone-time with her. “Yeah, definitely.”
Zoe thanked everyone for her wonderful birthday celebration. We went upstairs to change into our swimsuits before heading right back down and sneaking out to the backyard without being seen.
I inhaled the crisp mountain air and the sweet scent of pine as we walked toward the hot tub. I was the first to get into the water, sliding over to the far side and turning around to face Zoe.
“This was a great idea,” I said, as the hot water hugged my entire body, relaxing me instantly.
Zoe joined me and slowly dipped her body into the water. She leaned her head back against the side of the hot tub, closing her eyes.
“This is so relaxing,” she said. “I could stay here all night.”
We were quiet, enjoying the soothing water and the gentle hum of the hot tub jets, occasionally glancing up at the stars. They seemed closer and brighter than ever, which I guess shouldn’t have been a surprise since Big Bear Lake was almost seven thousand feet above sea level.
Zoe pointed to the sky. “Make a wish!”
I glanced up and caught the tail-end of a shooting star, quickly making a wish before it disappeared.
Zoe winced again, pressing her fingers into her shoulder, trying to give herself a little self-massage. “I must’ve banged up my neck a little in the accident and made it worse with all the running around I’ve been doing.”
“Here,” I said, waving her over. “I think I can help.”
“I’m not going to pass that up.” She gave me a flirty smile, then glided in the water toward me, keeping most of her body below the surface. Then she flipped around so her back was to me.
Zoe’s exposed neck was calling out to me, inviting me to kiss it, but that wasn’t what she needed at the moment. I forced myself to focus and massaged her shoulders. She slid closer, her backside bumping up against the front of my swim trunks, her hips sliding against the inside of my thighs. Her skin was silky and smooth, the contact almost too much for me to handle. I wanted to do much more than kiss her on the side of her neck, but I squashed that temptation and kept massaging.
“You have magical hands,” Zoe said, leaning closer to me, the back of her body now against my abs and chest.
It was pure torture, the way she was slipping and sliding against me from the movement of the water. Every inch of my skin was buzzing. If I didn’t stop my brain was going to short-circuit, not to mention the possibility of a power surge to my nether regions.
I slid my hands down her arms to her waist, and then spun her around, needing to turn the heat down to simmer before I boiled over.
“You’re an amazing woman, Zoe Leilani Bell,” I said, trying to take a breather from our contact.
“Thanks, Filo,” she said.
