Standing on the front porch to Zach and Ben's apartment, bagels and coffees in hand, I'm seriously questioning my sanity. The guy ran out on me last night. If it were anyone else, I'd take the hint, but I can't help feeling that Zach's different. So here I am, preparing to make a fool of myself, on the slight chance that he enjoyed last night as much as I did, despite ditching me during my shower.

There's no answer for long enough that I'm about to beat it and hope no one saw me here when the door opens a crack. A rough-looking Zach stands in the doorway wearing only pajamas, much like my previous evening's fantasy, except the real version doesn't look like he got much sleep. Well, that makes two of us.

“Since I didn't get to make you breakfast this morning, I thought delivery would be the next best thing?” I hold up the bag of bagels and try to keep my smile bright while waiting for his reaction.

He develops a frown along with these little wrinkles between his eyebrows while my words sink in. I replay them in my head. Shit, I'm bordering on weird stalker territory now, aren't I? I'm not used to being this off my game. Zach's got me completely off-balance.

“How did you know where I lived?” Zach opens the door wider now, allowing me to enter, despite the fact that he probably shouldn’t if he’s asking that question.

“I texted Ben,” I say, and a grouchy frown briefly transforms his face, though I can’t tell if his displeasure is with me or with Ben. He runs a hand through messy curls, and scratches his head where his fingers get tangled. Maybe he’s always this grumpy when he first wakes up.

Still, despite his obvious misgivings, he ushers me through the living room toward a small table set up near the kitchen. It's a small apartment, but nice and neat. The living room has an excellent setup for gaming, and incongruently enough a piano. My apparent interest causes Zach to explain, “Ben's,” although I’m not sure which he means. Maybe both.

“Why are you here?”

I whip around to face him, and his eyes go wide. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. That sounded so rude. I just meant, after last night,” he sits down and pulls the bag closer to give himself something to fidget with, “I didn't think I'd hear from you again.”

I hand him his coffee and try not to focus on the shape of his lips as he blows to cool it down.

“Why not? I had a great time. Oh, unless you … didn't?”

“No, I did! I had a great time too.” He's quick to say it, but it doesn't explain his behavior last night. After a sip, he blinks with surprise. “You remembered how I like my coffee?”

It was just coffee with a little creamer, so I shrug.

“Why are you surprised to see me? Well, other than the fact that I showed up unannounced on your doorstep first thing in the morning like a crazy person.”

I get a tiny smile from that, but it feels like a much bigger win when he keeps talking.

“In case you haven't noticed, I'm a little weird.”

“Quirky,” I interrupt, “but go on.”

He rolls his eyes and continues. “I don't do a lot of dating. Just, you know …”

Zach ducks behind his coffee cup as much as possible, and hides what's left behind flopping curls. I can still see the glow of tomato-red cheeks peeking out. How is he this innocent? It's seriously making me want to dirty him up right now, preferably on this table. I gently shake a leg to test its sturdiness.

“Sex?”

I only get a nod in return.

“So you think that’s all I wanted from you?” I try to keep my voice level. He's still hiding behind what is apparently the most interesting cup of coffee on the planet, and I don’t want him to think I’m upset with him. No, I just want to find the ones who made him feel like this and wring their necks.

Now that his Houdini act is explained, my self-confidence makes a remarkable recovery.

“Would I risk utter humiliation and rejection by showing up here this morning for someone that was only worth one night?”

I arch an eyebrow to indicate I expect an answer.

“Utter humiliation? Really?” he says with a dry voice.

“What? I was worried you'd think I was a crazy stalker, showing up here this morning.”

He laughs at that. “Well, I do have 911 already entered into my phone, waiting for me to press send. You know, just in case.” My jaw falling open only makes him laugh harder. Shit, it's a beautiful sound.

“So what are you doing today?”

I’m not sure why it’s so important to me, but I have to make sure that he knows I don’t only want him for sex. Although even that is difficult right now, with him shirtless and still a little ruffled and so very pretty.

“Didn’t really have any plans.”

“Good, because I have an idea. Go get dressed.” My grin is probably a little too devious given Zach’s skeptical frown, but he moves to comply anyway, first tossing the bagels and cream cheese that we never even touched into the fridge. “Wear shorts,” I call after him, “and hiking boots if you’ve got them.” His steps falter at that last bit, and a strangled sound fades behind his bedroom door.

Our first stop is the grocery store. Zach waits in the car while I zip inside and pick up a couple of ready-made sandwiches and a couple of pints of healthy protein salads. Next, I plan to run into my apartment for a quick change, but Zach stops me.

“So your idea for today is to drive me around places and make me sit in a hot car?”

“I’ll only be a second.” Zach looks seriously unimpressed at my assurance. “I’m afraid if you come up I’ll get distracted. And I’m trying to do this right.”

It must have been the right thing to say, because he rolls his eyes but waves me on. I change into my hiking clothes, stuff our food into a cooler, grab a backpack, and return to the car in less than five minutes. But instead of looking pleased at my speed, Zach looks confused when I sit down.

“I’m sorry, but I think you’ve got the wrong car,” he says. “I’m waiting for Craig. He’s this gamer guy, fluffy brown hair, a little bit emo, piercing’s the same, though. Weird.”

My mouth falls open at his description. “I am not emo!”

“Well, I wouldn’t have called you a frat boy before today either, but …” his voice trails off as he deliberately cruises me from top to bottom.

I take off the baseball cap that I’ve put on, for protection from the sun, thank you very much, and smack him on the thigh with it.

“We’re going hiking! What did you want me to wear?”

He snorts a laugh, then chokes on it as his face pales, my words finally soaking in. “We really are going hiking? I thought maybe you were kidding.”

“Nope,” I say and pop the p.

“But gamers aren’t supposed to like the outdoors,” he says, his voice rising in panic.

“And grown men aren’t supposed to be so whiny.”

He pouts, and it’s so cute that I can’t resist leaning over to kiss his jutting lower lip. “It will be fun. I promise.”

Zach’s stomach chooses that moment to growl so loudly that it sounds like an alien is about to burst forth.

“And I promise to try to feed you again too, since you keep evading my attempts.”

“You know, polite people would have pretended they hadn't heard that.” Of course Zach is blushing, but he still smacks my arm like it’s all my fault. “And yes, please. Food before physical exertion. I was too nervous this morning to eat the bagels you brought.”

We head north toward Poudre Canyon, and the farther into the woods we drive, the more Zach chews on his lip.

“Maybe I should have left a note for Ben. You know, so he’d know where to look for the body.”

I just shake my head, but he still glances around, like he’s trying to memorize the surroundings in case he has to describe them to the authorities.

“Is hiking something you do regularly?” he asks.

“Definitely. I try to go as often as possible when the weather is good. And I love kayaking too, although right now the river is too high to be fun.”

“Huh.”

“I take it you don't hike often?”

He laughs at the thought and smiles, turning in his seat to see my expression. “Not unless you count the stairs to our apartment. I do get winded sometimes, if I have to take them more than once per day.”

I try to school my shock at his joke. Surely he’s kidding. “You're going to die out here today, aren't you?”

“Oh yeah. Pretty sure.”

I squeeze his knee in reassurance. “We'll go slow. I promise I won't give you more than you can handle. I know it will be hard, but I'm positive you can take it.” I waggle my eyebrows at him, and hum with pleasure as his eyes follow my piercing like he wants to trace it with his tongue. I think maybe I need a new one, a lip piercing perhaps, since he seems so fond of this one. And he hasn’t even seen the others.

We park by the head of the trail, where a few picnic benches are scattered near the riverbank, and I pull out the cooler where I stored our food. His concern only seems to grow as I unpack our lunch.

“Oh god, you're a health nut too?” Zach says, as if bananas and quinoa were something you’d see on Bizarre Foods. “I'm not so sure about this relationship anymore.”

I can’t stop the smile on my face at that slip. “Relationship, huh?”

“No! I mean, that's not what I meant. I was joking about …”

“Relax.” I grip his shoulders so he can't run away. “I like whatever it is we’re doing here.”

My hands slide down his arms until I’ve clasped both of his hands in order to draw him closer. I press my lips gently against his, and he relaxes into me. Another angry growl reverberates between us, and I can feel him squirm in embarrassment, but I won’t let go. Instead, I weave my arms around his waist and pull him closer until his tension melts away. Only then do I release him with a smile.

“Let's get started before your stomach starts to eat itself.”