Zoey tries to hide it, but I see the smile on her pink lips. A full one that I cherish. “Can’t say I’ve heard that one before. Usually, people think my mind is the three Ds—dark, deadly, and dangerous—constantly filled with plans for ungodly acts.”

“I’m thinking of some ungodly acts right now,” I tease, rubbing my thumb along her shoulder where her cardigan has dipped down to expose a few inches of bare skin.

“Blake,” she sighs in warning.

Or want?

I lean closer, slowly getting into her space, and she tilts her head, lifting her chin.

Our breath mingles for a split second before becoming one, her lips soft beneath mine. She tastes like possibilities and hope, and I instantly become hard beneath the table.

This woman is driving me insane. I reach up to cup her jaw for more, and she yields to me, giving in to this fire that’s been building.

Finally. While I’m lost in Zoey, I somehow realize that it’s gone quiet around us, and not just in that ‘tuned out everything else’ way, but actual silence.

I smack her lips once more and smile, opening my eyes to find that my friends are all watching raptly. Even Cole is flashing that too-white smile. “Hey, Heather, I got a few questions right too. Don’tcha think I deserve a ‘good job’ too?”

“Good job, Cole,” Heather deadpans. “You have my permission to go spank your monkey.”

The banter between the two of them has taken the attention off Zoey and me, which I’m thankful for because she looks as shell-shocked as I feel.

Trey says, as casual as can be, “Hey, Blake, I forgot to tell you, Serena says hi.”

I glance his way, knowing Serena didn’t say a damn thing because I saw her after our morning jog not twelve hours ago. But the shit-eating grin on his face tells me he said what he said for a reason, to remind me that he thinks Zoey could be my Serena.

Hell, maybe he’s right, but I’ll never know if she won’t at least go out with me. But we can go at the snail pace speed she needs, especially if it leads to kisses like that.

“Serena is Trey’s wife,” I explain to Zoey before giving Trey a meaningful look. “Yeah, man. Tell her hi too.”

Message received, loud and clear, and I’m not arguing anymore. I settle back into my chair, one arm thrown around Zoey, to order us some nachos.

Dinner and drinks, but still not a date.

Chapter 12

Zoey

Work is quiet. Quiet as a tomb, as it were.