Page 51 of Feels Like the First Time

Zoe choked back a laugh. Ironic, given she was pretty sure now that this wasn’t the first kiss-and-run he’d done to her. Although at least her pants were still on this time.

“Want to do dinner?” he asked.

Zoe didn’t know what to say. Did she confront him? Ignore her discovery? Scream at him for hiding behind a mask?

She looked into his beautiful aquamarine eyes and for the first time, saw the struggle there. The risk he thought he was taking. Finally she understood why.

What she didn’t understand was the reason behind the why.

Still numb, she wondered if she’d be angry when this all settled into her brain. She watched the anxiety in his eyes, the worried crease of his forehead.

No anger. Only confusion. And the deep, heartfelt need to spend more time with him.

“Sure. Dinner’s good.” Then, unable to help herself, she taunted, “But it has to be early. I have an…appointment later.”

Yeah. There it was. Just the flicker of his lashes. Probably undetectable by most people, but Zoe knew him. He was hiding something. And she was pretty sure she knew what.

But he only grinned, then traced a finger over her cheek before he dropped through the hole in the floor and out of sight.

She shook off the shock and checked through the window to make sure he’d gotten down safely.

Zoe watched Dex’s fine ass as he hurried up the dry golden field of grassy dirt. Her mind raced in a million directions at once. But one thought stood out, crystal-clear.

Well, well. Zoe puffed out a breath and tried to corral her galloping thoughts.

She didn’t know how or why. She didn’t have a clue how she felt about it. All she knew was her geeky old friend Dex was the masked hunk, aka the most mind-blowing orgasm of her life.

The question was, what did she do about it? Cancel their rendezvous? Wasn’t that like locking the barn door after the stallion had mounted the mare? Any risk to their friendship was already made.

Was she going to deny herself the best sex of her life on a futile principle? Or was she going to do what any smart, red-blooded woman in her position would do? Celebrate the fact that the two guys who made her crazy with lust were one and the same?

Looked like she was getting her three-way after all.

10

DEX PACED IN FRONT of the elevator, his hands shoved in his pockets. His brain raced, arguing with itself. He’d told Zoe he wasn’t Gandalf. For all intents and purposes, that was true. He’d given up his pseudonym, right? So why was he itchy with guilt? He didn’t owe it to her to tell her that he had been. Or was that just his ego talking, trying to keep her from speculating about Brad the dick again?

He ran a hand through his hair and wondered how he’d played himself into this corner. Only a month off the job and he’d already lost his ability to strategize and reason. That didn’t bode well for running his own company. Then again, he wasn’t competing with the likes of Zoe Gaston and her inimitable sex appeal in business, so maybe he’d be okay?“Hey there, Dexter.”

Dex turned with a frown, his shoulders tensing.

“Hello,” he greeted the redhead cautiously. He was honestly surprised she knew his name. Of course, the last time she’d caught him alone in the hall, she’d plastered both hands over his ass and offered to show him heaven. But he had the impression that hadn’t been anything personal.

“Are you going to see Zoe soon?” she asked with a friendly smile that had no hint of ass-grabbing threat.

“We’re going to the reunion   dinner together,” he admitted carefully. Just to be safe, he shifted so his hiney was as far from her hands as possible, too.

“Good.” She glanced around, then stepped closer. Dex stepped back. Her eyes widened before they crinkled in amusement. “Your butt’s safe with me. Watch out for my sister, though.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Twins, right?”

A little of the tension in Dex’s shoulders released when she nodded. He had enough to worry about with Zoe already, having her show up for their first date—unofficial though it might be—to find some other woman’s hands on his ass was bound to set the evening back a bit.

“Can you pass on a message for me?” the redhead said quietly, her smile dropping away. “I overheard some of the guys talking about a bet. She’s front and center and needs to watch out.”

Dex frowned. He didn’t know why her warning bothered him. No, he didn’t want anyone hurting Zoe. But it was his job to watch out for her. Especially from members of the popular—aka, nasty—crowd. Like the redhead in front of him.

He saw a hint of honest worry in her eyes. Still, he didn’t trust her. “Since when do you worry about Zoe’s feelings?”

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