Chapter Fourteen

· zach ·

“Then why’d you accept the deal and not tell me?” Evan needed arrangements made for his trip to Japan. The plan to meet with him had been set up the night before. Of course, that was before I defiled his sister against the wall of her bedroom. He was here with me while Hilary went to Grace’s house to work.

“I didn’t think about it, honestly.” Hank plopped onto the couch beside Evan, his head resting in Evan’s lap. Evan didn’t hesitate to pat the dog’s head. “We’ve all been so busy, and with the wrap-up of the film on the way, it slipped my mind.”

“It’s Japan, not a short getaway to Boston. I need to make sure things are organized on time for you.” Irritation seeped into my tone, my patience growing thin. I was balancing too many plates, and one small fumble would send them crashing to the ground. I had no time for shit to go wrong. “I told Mike no when you said yes.”

“It’s not a big deal, Zach.” The frustration in his voice was palpable. “I’m not going on some extended holiday. It can’t be that difficult to book a week-long trip.”

“Well, you wouldn’t know, would you? It’s not like you have to do the dirty work.” The weight of his responsibilities was crushing. As his lackey, I took on the brunt of the requests. Evan was the talent. He was the perfectly running machine. I was the mechanic beside him, oiling and caring for the entity that was his stardom.

Evan straightened, his blue eyes sharp and unwavering. I wanted to apologize for my snide remark, but Hank scuttled to the door before it even opened. Josh strolled in, greeting his dog. He moved toward the bar and plopped a bag onto the counter. “I brought energy, boys.” He tipped the bag over, the contents dispensing. “Tacos.”

Evan and I glanced at each other, then Josh. “You brought us…tacos?” Evan asked in shock as he walked over. “You never bring us food that’s not made with protein powder.”

“Marla’s pregnant,” I groaned.

Josh grinned, shaking his head. “No, not yet.”

“You got laid this morning,” Evan said, grabbed a foil-wrapped taco, and unrolled it. “Didn’t you?”

Josh chuckled and gave Hank some of his food. “Not that it doesn’t happen a lot, but it’s one of the perks of having my wife work from home, mates.”

“Grace works from home,” Evan countered. “Once I’m not filming, it’s all day, every day.”

I scoffed and attempted to stay focused on the schedule in front of me as they chatted about their women. Evan yammered on about Grace and the engagement ring plans. He needed Marla’s help, and on and on. He needed to get it over with—bite the bullet and ask.

Meanwhile, I kept having flashes of Hilary naked in my arms, her body pressed against me. Her hips had met mine, thrust for thrust, which I recalled…vividly. I pumped into her fast, and she liked it rough. Did I bruise her? That turned me on, made my dick strain, wanting more of her. Did that make me a crazy bastard? She enjoyed it, though; the bite of her teeth and sting of her fingernails branded my skin, the marks still there. I relished it, and I came fucking hard as she clenched me tight. It was the most brutal orgasm.

That’s what happened when I waited that long to get laid. It was as if my dick didn’t work unless it was with her. The buildup, the sexual energy around us buzzed. I hadn’t meant to upset her when I called her out at breakfast or before her dinner. However, the jealousy that stabbed through me couldn’t be withheld when Ben showed up all charming and shit. It had only been a matter of time. Hilary and I were ticking time bombs, and last night, we’d both detonated in the most amazing way.

I shouldn’t have slept with her, and I had no excuse for my actions, but I wanted her. I made a choice and went with it because, truthfully, the agony of not feeling her was more than I could take. It had been too long since I’d let her softness cover me. She made me feel so damn good. Being with her eradicated the bad, even if for the moment.

“Now get that muscular body undressed and take a bath with me,” she said sweetly. Her hand stretched out. She was naked, vulnerable. My hesitation stepped aside as I drank in the curves of her body.

We sank into the tub, the water dangerously hitting the edge. “I’m not mopping the water up,” I said as she leaned against my chest. Her heated, naked skin felt like home.

“Guess we won’t be having sex in this thing, then,” she chuckled.

“Actually, mopping doesn’t seem so bad.”

She laughed and grabbed my forearms, wrapped them around her, and held on with her hands. The tension in my body heightened.

“Relax, Zach.”

Intimacy was unfamiliar to me. Cuddling a woman, laughing and chatting with her freely after sex wasn’t my norm. I sighed, and asked her like before, “What are we doing, kid?”

She tipped her head back, her eyes meeting mine. “Having fun. You’re my sexorcism.”

“I’m your WHAT?” I laughed.

She smiled and grabbed one of those pink loofah things and put some type of women’s body gel over it. “You’re my sex buddy, helping me exorcize the ghost of my ex.”

“Besides me, you haven’t slept with anyone since Graham?”

She shook her head, squeezing the soap from the loofah and playing with the bubbles. “No. My dates were awful. We both know Danny DeMarco wasn’t gonna cut it for me.” Pride welled up inside me. I was her first go in a long time, and I could be the best thing that ever happened to her.

“He’s such a meatball,” I scoffed. “And I’ll guarantee Graham was probably worse. I mean, I still don’t know how that douche let you go. With your body, especially this rack…” I peered over her shoulder and gave her a kiss on her neck.

“Well, thank God for my physical traits.” Sarcasm dripped from her tone. “Glad to know I’m good for something.”

She tried to tug away from me, but I held on. “You know it’s more than that, Hil. I’m as starved for you now as I’ve ever been. God, I can’t stay away from you. And I’ve tried.” How would I admit the way I felt when I couldn’t comprehend it myself?

“You sure know how to make a woman feel wanted by telling her you don’t want to want her.”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.” I pinched her side, and she giggled.

She stopped fidgeting and had her hands over the top of mine. “I know you’re worried about Evan finding out.”

I froze, then spoke gently, my arms tightening around her waist. “I hate that I’m betraying my best friend.” I paused. “And, yeah, I don’t want him to find out.” But I wanted her anyway. Somehow, she took precedence over my loyalty to Evan, and that freaked me the fuck out.

“He won’t. This doesn’t have to be serious, Zach. I told you that.” She turned her body. Those big eyes locked on mine. “I know you want to do the right thing here, but you’re under no obligation. I’m not some porcelain doll that’s going to break. Let’s play this thing by ear and enjoy the sexual connection we have.” Her hands ran over my arms, and my damn dick sprang to life all over again.

“Sexual connection, huh?” I wanted to hear more as her hands caressed me. “I like that. I’m the best you’ve had, right?” I raised my brow. “You can admit it.”

“The best?” She hummed in thought. “Well, I mean, your cock is big, which is a good start.”

“Good start?” I questioned. “Good start.”

“Yeah, I mean, you’re pretty decent in the bedroom.”

“Decent?” I smirked and moved my hips toward her ass. She groaned. “You came twice and bit my shoulder, babe,” I bragged. “You were so loud, I’m astonished good ol’ Ben didn’t hear you screaming my name.”

“Meh.” She wriggled. “You were all right.”

Who the fuck would be better for her than me? I trailed my hand down her stomach, between her legs, and let my finger plunge inside her slit. The other hand pinched her nipple. She gasped as she stirred her hips. My mouth lowered to her ear, and I nipped the lobe between my teeth. Her body shivered. “You enjoying that?” My mouth nuzzled her neck as my hands played with her. She panted, and I drew my hands away, leaving her charged. “I think we should get out of here. We’re getting pruney.”

I stepped out of the bathtub, and she straightened, her expression baffled. “Wha… Hey, we weren’t finished.”

“Well, since I’m just all right...” I grabbed a towel, handed it to her, and took one for myself, patting my body down. She eyed my raised dick and licked her lips. I laughed. “Like what you see? Perhaps Danny will be willing to take you on instead. He’s what? Hobbit-sized?”

“Fine, you’re sexy as fuck, and you gave me the best orgasms I’ve ever had. Which is why we’re doing this thing.” She stood and wrapped the towel around her body. “Happy, Collins?”

“I will be.” I tossed my towel aside, took her hand, helped her out of the tub, and led her to the bedroom. We stood in front of the bed, but my plan wasn’t to have her lie down. With swiftness, I tugged her hair tie and watched the locks unfurl. Cascades of blond ran down her neck and over her shoulders. My hand drifted to her towel, and I snatched it, letting it fall to the ground. Her eyes widened as she waited for me to give her a command. My thumb trailed over her plump, pink lips. I let the tip of it enter her mouth, and her tongue flicked it, then closed over it, taking it in as she sucked. “I want you to suck me with that dirty, stubborn mouth.”

Her pupils dilated, her breathing increased, anticipation poured out of her. I pulled my thumb out and transferred it down where I let it graze over her clit. I rubbed in circles, then up and down. “If we’re taking this on, Hilary, I want you to know I’m not your typical lover. Far from it.”

“Zach.” She shuddered as I brushed back and forth, moving deeper, spreading her wetness with my other fingers.

“I want to take you over, again and again—I want you in every way I can get you. I’ll rule your body and make you enjoy it so much you won’t even remember who the fuck your ex was, got it?”

She clutched onto my biceps as my arm wrapped around her waist. The fingers of my free hand plunged into her steadily. “How’s that sound to you? Hilary?”

Her eyes trailed up from my chest to meet mine. “Fuck buddies,” she stated with certainty.

“Friends and lovers,” I corrected.

She shivered in my arms, ready to burst. “Okay, but hurry and fuck me again.”

She wasn’t one for foreplay. For some reason, I loved giving it to her. But only her. Teasing her body would be fun, and I was only getting started.

“Zach!” A silver foil-wrapped taco flew at me and hit me on the forehead. It plopped onto my keyboard. I gave Josh a death stare and picked up the packet, setting it aside. “What the fuck is with you, mate?”

“He’s preoccupied with some shit,” Evan said, dismissing me. “He’s also being a bit of a dick. He’s probably the one that needs a good lay since he’s been stopped up for months.”

I shot him the finger. “Fuck you, asshole.” I almost didn’t care if Evan caught Hilary and me kissing this morning. Almost. She looked sexy draped in my shirt, her blond hair tangled and her lips puffy. I’d even left her with a love bite on her neck, just to mark her as mine. I got to touch her. Only me. She had me behaving like an animal. I couldn’t get enough of her, which was uncharacteristic.

“Jesus, I’m just playing with you, bro. What the hell is up with you lately?” Evan ate his second taco while Josh eyed me with suspicion.

“When is the restaurant having its soft opening?” Josh asked.

I dragged my hand through my hair and exhaled, the work on the restaurant hovering over me like a black rain cloud. “August, if I can get them to speed things up.”

“We’ll be gone in August,” Evan said. “Why not open in July? That way, I can be here. We can invite people from the film community, including the cast and crew before they all leave, too.”

Josh shrugged. “It would be a great marketing opportunity. Marla can start setting up the press release, ad spots, and other promotions. I can throw in more cash as well if it speeds up the process.”

“I don’t want you guys to do that.” I took a deep breath, trying to steady the dread seeping through me at the thought of spending more money I didn’t have. Another loan was looming.

“Money talks, bud. We have a lot of it. We’re all for supporting this thing.” Evan’s arm gripped my shoulder, and he gave it a shake. “We’re here for you also, if you want to ever, you know, be girly and share your feelings and shit. I’m hoping it’ll help lighten your mood.”

“Or start dating that chef again,” Josh intervened.

Evan chuckled. “He doesn’t date. He goes for the sure thing, uses and dumps.”

“I’m confused. Isn’t that what you did, as well?” Josh smirked at Evan.

“Shut the fuck up, prick,” Evan muttered. “Besides, Grace settled me down.”

“And got you pussy-whipped,” Josh countered.

Evan shot back, shoving Josh’s shoulder, “Look who’s talking, married man.” I laughed, missing the camaraderie with my friends. But underneath the surface lurked the truth, which made it difficult to look on the bright side of what I was doing.

Evan was good to women because he did date them, and he let them know where he stood. I was a one-night stand guy. I hadn’t dated a woman…ever. With Hilary, I couldn’t even start. I detested the idea of our relationship being a secret, of being fuck buddies. That term wasn’t good enough to label us. But it didn’t matter because we weren’t serious. It would eventually end, and things would go back to the way they were. At least, I had to hope they would because I had no other choice. I couldn’t lose my family.