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The storm inside Zach continued, intensifying even, my explanation doing nothing to appease him.
Iheld off from kissing that face again. Holding each other to prove apoint was okay, kissing during sex while we were crazed with need was okay too. Doing both, even with the sole intention of pacifying him, was too personal.
Looking at me with these raging blue eyes was like ahand reaching into my soul. The story Jenni told me echoed in my head, about that one small gesture that changed everything. Ifended it off. Zach and Iwere just friends, and Ireally liked him and liked to fuck him. And in this vulnerable moment of mine Imight’ve seen things that weren’tthere, had feelings that stemmed from that low point in my career.
In reality, there was nothing there but two friends, awrecked meal, and asob story.
“If he’ddone anything more than that, I’dhave gone to the police. He was anice man who took the idea of celebrating astep too far.”
We continued our staring contest when the doorbell rang with the food. Zach went to get it while Ifinished my wine, mellowing the range of uncalled for emotions that nearly choked me.
Because the last person Ihad witnessed acting in such aggression to adrunk who was out of line was Thomas, and Thomas loved Erin.
Ifilled both our glasses. Again.
He returned with afrown and acardboard box that smelled like cheese and tomatoes and dough.
“Is that pizza?” Ijumped at the opportunity to change the subject.
“Yup.” He patted my back when he sat on the couch next to me, setting the box on the table.
“You remembered it’smy favorite.”
“And lo and behold it’salso comfort food in the best moment possible.” Zach sighed, loud and sad.
Taking aslice of the pie, Ifolded it in two and shoved it into my mouth. Enjoying carbs beat ugly stories any day. “It’sso hot and yummy. Why aren’tyou eating?” Iwagged my eyebrows. “Do you want me to feed you? Sexy time meets pizza?”
“No, Laura, no sexy times.” Zach sighed, abarely-there smile caressing his face. He focused on taking aslice before Imade good on my promise, stared at it in silence, then at me. “Promise me that if anyone else does anything, Imean anything remotely similar, you’ll come to me.”
“Ican handle my business.”
“Stubborn.” He slumped into the couch and sunk his teeth into his slice, chewing it slowly. “Because of you I’ll have to actually show up to all the weddings I’minvited to.”
“You don’t?” These weddings Iphotographed were usually used as abusiness platform to meet and talk work with other affluent people. Going there was probably high on the list of Business for Dummies, which Zach hadn’tbeen for awhile.
“Got alot on my plate these days, so no.”
“Everything all right?” Iangled my head to see what was weighing on him. It couldn’thave been just me.
He eyed his glass and without him asking for it, Ipassed it over. “Like you said. Ican handle my business.”
“Sure you don’twant to tell me? The truth will set you free.” Iprodded him with my foot.
“The truth will also get me disbarred for abreach of attorney-client confidentiality.” He thanked me after Iserved him asecond slice.
“It’sanew client from England, owns alarge chain of hotels and asked to work specifically with us.” He shrugged, swallowing another bite and downing it with wine. “There’ssomething shady going on there, Ijust haven’tfigured out what. Not yet.”
He ate his third and fourth slices while telling me about his last two weeks between bites. Ilistened eagerly to the stories of his employees, though none of them were personal except when it came to Joel and his pregnant wife, Caitlyn.
In the midst of his stories, the wine, and pizza, and despite the interest Ihad in everything in his life, Inodded on and off. My eyes fluttered open and shut until Isuccumbed to sleep, when the last thing Iremembered was Zach reaching out to the half-full wine glass in my hand and saving it from spilling on the floor.
Iwoke up some time later to adark apartment, curled up into aball. After rubbing my eyes, Ipatted the surface around me, feeling my cozy mattress. Ilaid in my bed, my dress still on and with my thin cotton blanket covering me.
My mouth tasted bitter, and not from the hours of sleep. Iworried Ihad offended Zach, who sat with me, that we’dfallen into such anice conversation and Idozed off. Disappointed in myself for not being afriend to him and kind of missing his warm body, Icurled to the other side and reached for the second pillow when Ibatted aface.
The air caught in my lungs and my eyes flung open, no longer sleepy and far less disappointed with Zach’ssilhouette lying next to me.
“Laura, hey.” He leaned on one forearm, not disturbed in the slightest from the slap Iunintentionally gave him. When Igot accustomed to the faint light from the window, Inoticed he slept on top of the covers, wearing his pants and shirt from earlier.
