Chapter 175: Chapter 175 - Jealousy (R)
Zac came willingly.
His mouth met hers with a quiet sound that made her fingers tighten in his shirt. The kiss started sharp, carrying all the jealousy and irritation she had brought home from the dance, but Zac softened it almost immediately.
His hand stayed at her neck, his thumb moving once beneath her jaw, reminding her without words that she could slow down whenever she wanted.
Roxie hated how much that made her want him more.
She kissed him harder.
Zac stepped into her until her back touched the edge of the counter. The glass behind her rattled. His free hand caught the counter beside her hip, keeping part of his weight away from her.
Roxie noticed.
Of course she noticed.
"You’re being careful," she said against his mouth.
His lips brushed hers again. "Trying."
"That sounds painful for you."
"It is. You wouldn’t understand."
She smiled, then caught his lower lip between her teeth.
Zac’s breath caught.
The hand at her neck tightened slightly. His eyes opened, darker now and fixed on her mouth.
"Roxie."
"What?"
"That was mean."
"You deserved it."
"For Kyle’s sister?"
"For enjoying me being jealous."
His mouth curved. "Still enjoying it."
She shoved at his chest, but he caught her wrist and pressed a kiss into her palm. The small touch knocked some of the anger out of her. Then he kissed the inside of her wrist, warm and slow, and Roxie forgot the insult she had been preparing.
"That’s cheating," she said.
"I’m learning from you."
"You’re still annoying."
"I know."
He kissed her again before she could answer.
This kiss sank deeper. The teasing faded as Roxie slid one hand from his shirt to the back of his neck, pulling him closer until his chest pressed firmly against hers. His shirt was thin beneath her fingers, and she could feel the heat of him through it.
Zac made a low sound when her nails brushed the short hair at his nape.
Roxie liked it too much.
She did it again.
His hand left the counter and settled on her waist. He squeezed once, gentle but firm, and her stomach dipped. She was still wearing the red dress from formal, and his fingers spread over the thin fabric like he had been waiting all night to touch her.
"You looked at me like this all night?" she asked.
His mouth moved to the corner of hers. "Worse."
"Worse?"
"I had to stand there and act normal while you walked around in this dress."
Heat spread across Roxie’s face.
Zac’s hand slid farther over her waist, then stopped. He looked at her, checking.
She nodded.
His palm moved down to her hip.
The simple touch changed her breathing.
Zac noticed that too.
His eyes dropped to where his hand rested against the curve of her body, then lifted back to her face.
"You okay?" he asked.
Roxie swallowed. "Yeah."
"You sure?"
"I’m sure."
His expression softened for a second.
Then she pulled him back down.
They kissed until standing became awkward. Zac kept leaning over her while Roxie kept rising onto her toes. Her back pressed harder into the counter, and one of her knees bumped his leg. She laughed into his mouth, embarrassed and breathless.
Zac smiled against her lips. "Couch?"
Roxie looked at him.
His thumb moved over her hip. "Just sitting."
"Your version of just sitting seems suspicious."
"It can be normal."
"With you?"
"Fair."
She rolled her eyes, but she took his hand.
They moved to the couch together. Roxie sat first, her dress spreading across her thighs. Zac sat beside her, close enough that their knees touched. For half a second, they both looked at the television even though the screen was dark.
Roxie let out a small laugh. "This is stupid."
"What?"
"Pretending we’re going to sit like civilized people."
Zac turned his head toward her. "You said it."
She looked back at him. "I did."
That was all it took.
He leaned in, and she met him halfway.
The next kiss began slowly, but it did not stay that way. Roxie shifted closer until one knee pressed into the cushion between them. Zac’s hand came to her waist again, pulling her toward him without forcing her. She went easily, one hand on his shoulder and the other sliding into his hair.
His mouth opened under hers.
The kiss turned messy.
Roxie felt his breathing change. He kissed her like he had been holding himself back since the gym, since the hallway, since the first time she had looked at him across the dance floor and wanted what everyone else got to ask for out loud.
His hand moved up her back, then down again, slow and warm.
She shivered.
Zac pulled back just enough to look at her. His eyes were darker than usual.
"Come here," he said, his voice rough.
He put both hands on her hips and pulled her toward him. Roxie let him move her. She swung one leg over his lap and ended up straddling him, her knees sinking into the couch on either side of his thighs.
The position put her directly over the center of him.
She felt his heat between her legs.
Her face burned. "Is this okay?"
"More than okay."
He looked up at her like he was trying to memorize her face. Then he leaned forward and kissed her neck.
The first press of his mouth beneath her ear made her shiver all the way down her back. He kissed the same spot again before moving lower, open mouthed and slow. His hands stayed on her back, rubbing up and down in long strokes.
Roxie tilted her head, giving him more room.
Each kiss sent another rush of warmth through her. She could feel her heartbeat in her throat beneath his mouth.
She shifted to get more comfortable.
Then she felt it.
Something thick and hard pressed against her through his pants. It lined up directly between her legs, separated only by his clothes, the bunched fabric of her dress, and the thin cotton of her panties.
Roxie went still.
Zac felt her freeze and lifted his head from her neck.
"Sorry," he said quietly. "You make me hard when you kiss me like that."
Her face burned hotter.
She knew what it was. She understood what happened to boys when they were turned on. Feeling the actual shape of him pressed tightly against her was completely different.
He felt long and firm beneath her.
It twitched once when she breathed.
Even through their clothes, she could feel the heat of him.
"I didn’t mean to," she said.
"You don’t have to mean to." His hands stayed gentle against her back. "It just happens."
He moved them down to her hips. His fingers spread over the curve of her ass through the thin fabric of her dress.
"You can move if you want," he said. "Like this."
He guided her hips into a slow forward rock.
The hard ridge of him slid along the center of her. Even through the layers between them, the pressure hit a sensitive spot that made her breath catch.
A soft gasp left her.
Zac’s eyes darkened.
"Like that?" she asked.
She remembered Raven’s Point, but this was different. He felt bigger beneath her tonight. Harder. The position made it impossible to ignore exactly where he was pressed.
She swallowed.
Was she really letting this happen?
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