Page 42 of Protector

“You could never disappoint me. Ever.” He releases my chin and leans forward, pressing his lips to mine. “I’d be happy just kissing you for the rest of my life. Damn happy. And it’s not like I have that much experience, by the way. For all we know, I’m horrible in the sack.” He cringes. “Shit. I actually am. My only experience was horrible.”

Well shit. I made him spiral. “No.” I shake my head and grip his cock a little tighter. His eyes are on mine. “That doesn’t count. It wasn’t right. This is right.” I stroke him slowly, holding eye contact. “This is everything.”

He nods hesitantly, and his hand starts to move. “We’ll figure it out.”

“Yes.” I kiss him hard as we both work the other one over. I go over first, trying like hell to keep myself quiet, and I’m grateful when he gasps and spills over my hand.

We clean up quickly and get dressed before we sit on my bed. My room smells like sex, but I’m sure it’ll fade soon.

I’m kind of sad about that.

“I’m all-in too,” he says softly, and I grin at him, but he’s not smiling. I hold my breath, wondering what he’s going to say next. “But”—he turns so he can face me—“I can’t tell anyone about us. Elliot...”

My heart squeezes tightly in my chest because I already knew this. It’s probably the biggest reason why he tried so damn hard to make everything with Chloe look real. Why he forced it. “Is a dickhead.”

A small smile emerges on his face but not big enough for my liking. “He is. But my sisters...” He shakes his head, and I see the worry in his eyes. “I can’t leave them alone with that prick. And if he really wanted to, he could keep me from seeing them. I have to figure all that out and soon, but until then...”

I cup his jaw with my hand and bring my nose to touch his before pressing my forehead against his. “It’s nobody’s business what we do. We know we’re together. You know I’m not going anywhere.”

He doesn’t say anything. His eyes just fall closed as we stay there with our foreheads touching.

“Zach, you know that. Right?”

He finally opens his eyes and sits back a little to look at me. “I just... You have a plan. You have since we were little. I don’t want to fuck up that plan.”

“If I’m being honest, you were always part of that plan too. How many times did we play out on the land and talk about the house we’d build together?”

He’s smiling now. “I thought that was just kid stuff.”

I shrug. “You were always part of my future. I just didn’t completely realize the role you’d play, but you were there, Zach.”

He nods his head and takes a deep breath, then lets it out. “Okay. We’re together, and we’ll figure it out. But for now...”

“We don’t tell a soul,” I finish for him, and I mean it. I don’t want anyone in my business anyway.

It would probably be the same for me if I was dating a girl. I’m a private guy.

And Zachary Olson is all mine.

Whether the world knows it or not.

TWENTY

ZACH

The game didn’t go as planned. We were so damn close to winning, but at the end, they ran the ball in for a touchdown, knocking us out of the running for state. It’s okay though. I don’t think I needed it to feel complete.

I had my years playing football. And they were fun, but I have a hell of a lot more on my mind than football, and it’s not like I was going to college for it. No. I need to find a way to get my sisters out of that house.

But tonight, Adam isn’t letting me wallow in any of that.

My mom and asshole stepdad are going out of town tonight and staying in a casino hotel, and my sisters are safe with my grandmother. So tonight, it’s just Adam and me. And his plans.

I shudder, thinking about what those plans could mean. But I don’t really care what they are. I’m up for it. All of it.

“You ready?” Adam’s voice is full of promise, and I nod, standing up after tying my shoes. Most of the guys in the locker room are down about losing the game, but my mind is on Adam.

We skip the party. I’m not sure where Adam is taking us until he turns down the familiar road, and I smile. “We have the night to ourselves, and we’re going to your house?”

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