“Because if you and I end up that kind of naked, I want to be able to see your beautiful face.”
“I don’t have your phone number,” Evie said, her voice sounding a little shaky.
“Would you like my number?”
“Yeah. Let me get my phone.” Evie stood up and slipped into her room. Zach followed and leaned against the wall as Evie grabbed her cell off its charger. “Here.” Zach took her phone and saved his number into her contacts. “You can text me whenever you want. You can also call me. Even if I’m up at the ranch.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. I have a lot of work to do. I have to become a master chef so I can take my show back.”
“If anyone can do it, I know you can.” The determination in her voice made his chest warm inside. He couldn’t believe he’d missed so much of her rise to stardom.
“Did you ever watch my show?” she asked.
“I saw an episode or two, but I don’t keep up with it.” Zach was being honest. He may have left out the fact that he had every episode of television that Evie had ever appeared on saved on his DVR. She didn’t need to know all that. “I had a feeling you didn’t want me to watch.”
“That might have been true. I don’t know if I’m ready to watch myself,” Evie replied with a yawn.
“Here. I’ll let you get to bed.”
“Before you go there’s something I think I should tell you.”
“What’s up?”
“I’ve given it a lot of thought and I think we should kiss.”
“Oh word? How much thought exactly?”
“If I’m being really specific, since maybe three thirty this afternoon, but it doesn’t mean it wasn’t deep, serious thought. We should give kissing a try.”
“I agree—” Before Zach could respond further, she stepped in close and pressed her lips to his. Her mouth was so soft, softer than it looked, softer than he imagined. Zach wasn’t going to waste this moment. He slid an arm gently around Evie’s waist and pulled her closer, kissed her deeper, his tongue carefully sliding against hers.
She seemed unsure at first, but almost instantly she relaxed against him, letting her tongue respond. Zach hated everything he’d done wrong with Evie before, but he did not regret waiting for this kiss. There’s no way his sixteen-, seventeen-, even twenty-year-old self wouldn’t have fucked this up. But now he knew what he was doing and he knew what it really meant when a woman sighed into his mouth.
The kiss stretched on and Zach took in everything about those long moments. Evie’s perfect breasts pressing against his chest, the way she was straining up on her tiptoes, the painful urge to scoop her up and throw her on the bed, how hard he was getting. When Evie pressed her thigh against his erection, he knew it was time to stop.
He pulled away, his eyes struggling to open. When he could finally focus on Evie’s face, he reached up and lightly brushed her cheek. They were both breathing heavy and Zach had a feeling neither of them wanted this to be a one-off. This was only a preview of things to come.
“That what you had in mind?” Zach said, catching his breath.
“Yeah. I think that worked.”
“Good. When you’re feeling up to it, I’d love to show you the ranch,” Zach said.
“I would love that. Maybe after I get my stitches out. I’m seeing the doctor on Monday.”
“Monday night then.”
“But I’ll see you again before then?”
“I live right next door.”
“All by yourself.”
“Yep. All by myself.”
“Good to know.”
Zach lowered his head once more and lightly pressed his lips to hers.