Page 25 of Game Changer

Chapter10

Zara

The kitchen in the castle is huge. With windows on every external wall, warm sunshine floods the already bright space. I’m drinking coffee and watching Buckie make us breakfast in only a pair of boxer shorts. He looks every inch the Hollywood poster boy. I’ve got a new appreciation of him now. What we had years ago was bound to have changed. We’ve both changed. We have different goals now than we did back then.

“Your breakfast madame,” he says turning to hand me a plate of pancakes with fresh strawberries. I’m a goner when he gives me a little pot of warm chocolate sauce to pour over them.

“Mmm. This looks amazing.”

“Mum’s recipe. I’ve been making these for years since she taught me when I was a teenager.”

“How have I never known about these?”

“Because I’ve never made you breakfast before.” I’m sure there’s a tinge of regret in his words.

“Hmm. Yeah, that’s true.”

We never stayed at each other’s places long enough to have breakfast. In the whole time we had our special arrangement, there was never any question of us waking up with each other. What strikes me about it now is that it was almost like a business transaction. Do the deed and leave. Granted, we went out and did friend things with each other. Sometimes when we did that we’d go home alone. Again, I don’t know why. It was as though it was an unspoken rule. Neither of us planned it that way. Now it appears that we were each trying to save our own hearts getting broken. We were too stubborn to admit that we wanted more.

“Do you regret what we used to do Zara?”

“Yes and no,” I say poking my fork at a strawberry. “No because what we had was amazing. But yes, because it broke my heart when you left. I don’t think it would have been any better if we’d admitted our feelings to each other though.”

“We weren’t the same people then, so you’re right. If I’m honest, in the end I would still have gone to LA, and it would have made life so much harder for both of us. I would have been a fool to give that opportunity up.”

“Agreed.”

Buckie comes and sits at the breakfast bar beside me and takes my hand as we eat one handed in perfect silence. We don’t need to say anything else. We know where we stand now, and it warms my heart being near him.

“Okay, I’m done. I’m going to get showered and then I need to get back. I have to meet with Blair to get a grip on the pole dancing classes. Our diary is overflowing with requests to join, and we’ve now got a considerable waiting list. These Glasgow ladies are right into this. I never realised they’d be half as popular as they’ve become. It looks like I’ll need to put more staff on to cope. Out of everything we’ve done to make a bit more money from all of the premises, this one has been the best by far. It’s upped the earnings by forty percent already. If we add more classes, we could almost match what the club brings in at night.”

“You’re a shrewd businesswoman Zara. I’m so proud of you.”

I smile at him as he lifts my hand and kisses my knuckles. “I’m a wee bit proud of myself you know.”

“You should be. You deserve it. Now what did you say about taking a shower? My parents master bathroom has a shower big enough to have a party in. We could share. You know to save water and the environment.”

I jump down from the stool and walk toward the kitchen door. Stripping off the robe I found in Buckie’s room this morning so that I’m naked, I look over my shoulder at him.

“Come on then,” I whisper as I head out the door.

“Jesus,” he says, and he catches up with me before I can get too far into the hallway.

I squeal as he grabs me round the waist and hoists me up, pushing my bare back against the cold wall. I wrap my legs round his waist and his mouth claims mine. Our kiss is deep, our tongues clashing in desire filled movements. I smile against his mouth, still amazed at how new this all feels but how oh so right it is.

His erection sits right at my core, and I give a satisfying roll of my hips.

“Watch it or I’ll come like a fucking teenage boy.”

I do it again, and again until he’s throbbing under me. I can feel his boxers getting damp from both of our arousals.

“I want to fuck you right here Zara, but I don’t have any condoms out here.” He takes in a stuttered breath, and it’s clear he’s as turned on as me.

“I’m on the pill and I’ve never had unprotected sex.”

“Fuck,” he says swallowing hard. “I’m clean. I get a medical every six months.”

“What you waiting for then?”

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