Page 104 of Only in Your Dreams

“What’s weird about the artwork? It’s nice. Gives the place character.”

Noah jabs a finger in my direction. “That there. That’s my point. This place went from four walls and a couch tocharacterovernight. I mean, look at this!” He gestures at the massive glass vase sitting in the middle of the island, filled with fresh daisies Zac picked from his garden. “Here you are trying to tell me you aren’t his girlfriend. But I’ve never heard of a guy letting afrienddecorate his place.”

I stare at Noah, thinking back to the nonchalant way Zac let me load up the cart the night we went shopping for the house—hishouse.

My gaze drops to the green apple in my hand. “We haven’t talked about that kind of thing.”

“So, talk about it. Sounds like a pretty cut and dry conversation to me.”

Truth be told, I’ve been actively dodging that conversation. I swore to myself that, after the debacle that was my last relationship, I’d focus on myself, a new career, somewhere to live, before jumping into anything serious with a man. And the playbook Zac had me write—my life plan—remains woefully underachieved.

What I need is more time. But I can see the question in Zac’s face whenever I kiss him goodnight. When he first noticed me pull a toothbrush from the bathroom drawer that sat empty for me since I started staying over. That’ll be right around the time when I start kissing him some more, let my hands roam over him hoping to distract him. Or at least talk him into touching me back.

“What’s a cut and dry conversation?”

The man in question emerges into the kitchen with an overnight bag slung over his shoulder, and my heart is instantly thrumming in my throat. Zac flashes me a grin before settling expectantly on Noah, who plasters an innocent look on his face.

“Butt out. You’re eavesdropping on a conversation with the girl I’m trying to score with.”

“If you plan to have a long and fruitful career in the NFL,” Zac says, dropping his bag to the floor. “You’ll want to remember I have sole control over the time you spend on the field showing off to scouts. Shouldn’t you be upstairs getting ready?”

Noah laughs in reply and I lean against the counter chomping my apple. God, he looks so damn good today. Even wearing a hooded sweater, Zac looks solid and perfect, and I can’t believe I’ve made it this long without seeing him shirtless. It’s been weeks since he last touched me. My internet history is nothing but searches on the possible health risks of overusing a vibrator.

Without missing a beat in his back-and-forth with Noah, Zac’s gaze drifts in my direction. It starts at my feet, at the ankle boots I have on. Trails up my bare legs, along the length of my sweater dress. By the time he reaches my breasts, he has a deep tilt to his head, dragging his teeth over his lower lip.

I can’t help it. I shiver. The second I do, he meets my eye. Shoots me a smirk that does something really wicked between my thighs when he realizes he’s been caught staring.

Noah groans, grimacing at Zac. “I think I just saw your fuck-me face, Coach. Does that look seriously work for you?”

Zac’s eyes don’t leave mine. “I don’t know. Does it?”

I bite my lip. Cross my legs. “You said youaren’tcoming home tonight?”

“This is disturbing,” Noah whines.

“Then get lost, will you? We’ve got to be on this bus in half an hour. Go get your stuff.”

He doesn’t have to be told twice. Noah bounces off his stool, collects his textbooks off the counter, and leaves us in the kitchen without a parting look.

Zac stalks toward me, doesn’t stop until our toes touch. I freeze with the apple to my mouth, in the act of taking another bite.

It’s a really,reallygood fuck-me face.

Zac bends and takes a bite out of my apple. It pushes into my lips so that we’re standing there with nothing but an apple’s worth of space between our mouths.

He pulls away as he chews, smirking at what must be somewhat of a feral look on my face, given the way my insides are buzzing.

“Don’t know how you can stand Granny Smith apples. They’re terrible.” So, hedidstock them for me, then. He flicks a strand of hair off my face when I still haven’t recovered from his proximity. “You gonna miss me tonight, Clover?”

Blindly, I discard the apple on the counter. “I’ll miss getting a good night’s sleep, that’s all.”

“Little liar.”

In a second he’s gripping me, lifting me, dropping me onto the counter. The sound that comes out of me is so desperate it would be embarrassing, if I had it in me to care. But he takes another step so that he’s standing between my open legs. The skirt of my dress rides up as he runs his hands up my thighs, coming to a stop just past their mid-point. His palms knead my skin as though he’s fighting the urge to keep moving, and it sends something searing hot straight to my pussy.

“God, Zac.”

He kisses my neck, and I thread my fingers in his hair to keep him close. “Tell me again how you’re not gonna miss digging that perfect little ass of yours into my lap tonight.”

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