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Only, Zach didn’t look the least bit upset about her father’s comment. If anything, he looked more relaxed than usual...reminding her of a deadly predator about to strike.
Turning the full focus of his attention to her, Zach said, “I know you have some important business to finish up,” as he gently brushed a lock of hair back from her forehead and tucked it behind her ear. It was a move made even more spectacularly protective—and possessive—by how casual it was.
“I’ll show your parents around so that you can get back to work.”
Heather knew firsthand that Zach was a master at getting exactly what he wanted. But to witness him outmaneuvering her father made her glad.
And scared the bejesus out of her.
A few moments later, when her mother and father had no choice but to follow Zach and Cuddles out of her office, Heather sat down on the office chair she would never look at in the same way after what she and Zach had done on it.
Yet again, she reflected on the way Zach Sullivan had infiltrated every part of her life in one short week.
Thank God.
* * *
Zach wasn’t used to worrying about other people. Sure, he made sure to treat his employees right and his family was never far from his mind, but ultimately he knew his siblings could take care of themselves. Besides, if they needed his help with anything, they would call.
But the expression on Heather’s face when her assistant told them her parents were outside had haunted him for hours.
Heather was so strong, so confident. Sassy and beautiful and so damned smart she’d kept him on his toes every single second that he’d known her. No one and nothing should ever make her look that sad. Completely on guard, like she was trying to prepare for an emotional blow that could come at any moment.
Before he even raised his hand to knock on her front door, Atlas announced his arrival with a few loud barks. Heather opened the door and she was so breathtakingly beautiful in her dress and heels with her hair flowing around her shoulders that a split second after Cuddles leapt out of his arms to go play with Atlas, Zach was ruining her perfect hair with his hands as he kissed her.
She kissed him back with the same heat before saying, “Thank you for coming with me tonight.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it,” he said, and it was true. He couldn’t stand the thought of leaving her alone with her parents. Not when he knew how upset they made her. “I get how family can be.”
“I wish we were like your family, but we’re not. We don’t actually love each other.” Her voice was thick with unshed tears as she said, “We just lie about it.”
“You’ve never lied about anything,” he said, hating the way she said we. “They’re your parents. They’re not you.” He pulled her closer. “Tell me what you need from me tonight.”
“Just this,” she said, but her voice was shaking as she repeated, “Just be here for me, like this. Just please don’t let me think about the way he treats her and how she always lets him—”
His mouth covered hers to cut off the rest of the sentence, her wish immediately his command. If she didn’t want to think about her parents’ screwed-up relationship, then he would do whatever was necessary to keep her mind on other things. Now and throughout dinner, whatever way he could.
Because he was her friend. And that’s what friends did. They looked out for each other.
And yet...even as he slid his hands under her skirt and Heather let out a soft gasp of pleasure as his fingers found her, he could almost hear the rumbles in the distance. Rumbles of something big, heavy, and impossible to avoid as it sped toward him.
He moved his hands to her bottom to lift her up from the floor and she wrapped her legs around him. But even the intense pleasure of having her heat all around him wasn’t enough for him to get some distance from the emotions that were trying to nail him straight in the middle of his chest. Right from the first moment they’d met, he hadn’t been able to keep his mind, hands, or mouth off her.
And his heart was heading the same way, whether he wanted it to or not.
It was pure, practiced instinct for Zach to fight these feelings. To pretend they weren’t true. To tell himself as he undid his pants and was inside of her seconds later, that Heather was the perfect friend to have sex with, and nothing more.
She kissed him with a wildness that told him how much she needed this distraction, this outlet, this chance to let herself be fierce, bold, without risking retribution. He knew she wanted to be taken with that same fierceness, so he didn’t hold back as he slammed against her, pushing her into the wall even as she pushed right back at him with her hips.
He’d never wanted anyone like he wanted her—more every time they came together—and yet even though he could have lost it at any second, he made himself focus on her reactions so that he’d know when she was close.
Tonight wasn’t about his feelings, it wasn’t about his fears for the future that had always been wrapped up in his father’s untimely death. No, tonight wasn’t about him at all.
On the contrary, it was about making sure Heather survived her parents’ visit with minimal damage. And he knew exactly what would keep her on the edge of her seat all night, regardless of whom they were having dinner with.
Heather gasped into his mouth as her inner muscles began to tighten down around him. Lord, it killed him to pull out of her right then...but the knowledge of just how physically painful the next several hours were going to be didn’t stop him from doing it anyway.
