Zane licked his lips.

I clenched my thighs and tried to swallow.

With another grin, Zane placed a waffle on each plate, with a marshmallow on top and chocolate syrup over both. “Well?” He grabbed some whipped cream and dipped his finger in the top, sucking it off slowly.

My legs tightened while my breathing came out a bit heavy.

“He introduced himself, well not just him but the rest of the friends or crew he’d brought with them. And shock of all shocks, they each had a sidearm. Just out in public, in Chicago, like it wasn’t a big deal. I mean it wasn’t Texas, you know? And what other reason would they have for carrying weapons? Even one of the girls, when she knelt down to pick up an autographed poster that a little girl had dropped, had a knife freaking strapped to her thigh.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re exaggerating, right?”

“Hell, no.” He held his hands up in the air. “They even said if I ever wanted to come to the house and give a private concert…”

“And die?” I finished.

“Like they’d kill familia!” Zane pounded his chest and winked. “Anyways, he gave me his phone number just in case, and that was that.”

I frowned. “Just in case what? You get shanked by the mob?”

“Hmm,” Zane licked more whipped cream off his waffle. “Don’t really think the mob shanks people. They drown people, make them disappear, freeze bodies, but shanking? I think that’s more prison you’re thinking.”

I burst out laughing. “This is good post-sex talk, really, fantastic, nice ice breaker you know? Getting shanked.”

“I’d shank you.” Zane said in a sultry voice. “But not with a knife.”

I struggled not to laugh. “Yeah, not sure that sexual innuendo worked.”

“Next time.” He rubbed his hands together and handed me my plate. “You’re breakfast of champions.”

“Again, diabetes.”

“Just one taste,” He dipped his finger into the whipped cream and held it out to me. I licked around the base of his finger then wrapped my mouth around and sucked hard.

He let out a low curse and nearly collapsed against me. “That’s completely unfair.”

“And you walking around naked looking like this is fair?” I ran my hands over his tight abs while he let out a little moan.

“Ten minutes,” he whispered. “Give me ten more minutes with you and then I promise I’ll work.”

“Are you still paying me?”

“Oh, and you’re fired. Sorry, our company has a very strict no fraternization policy. Please gather your things and leave them at the door so I can hide them, keeping you from leaving the premises.”

I kissed him.

I couldn’t help it anymore.

The magnetic pull that was Zane Andrews was nearly impossible to resist, and after actually knowing him, talking to him, I’d be crazy not to latch onto him in any way physically possible.

“So, this makes us what? No longer employee and employer?”

“This makes us.” He rubbed his hands down my face softly as if the pads of his fingers were set on memorizing every inch of skin they could. “An us. Together. It’s what I want…but I’m still allowing you to vote. You know, even though you’re a woman.”

I rolled my eyes and smacked him lightly across the chest. “After an invitation like that? How could I say no?”

“Waffles later?” He asked picking me up by the ass and slamming me between both plates, the bite of the granite countertop caused me to hiss out but it was nothing compared to the smooth transition of warmth as he assaulted me with kisses then slid me off the counter and onto him, allowing me to ride him as I pushed against the back of the counter with my hands.

“Yeah.” I breathed out a moan as I moved against him. “Waffles, some…other time….”

“I love it when you’re distracted.” He kissed my neck as he let me take control keeping me elevated just enough to hit every single nerve that it felt like I possessed.

“So…” My mind was a blur of feelings. “Distraction.”

“Distracted?”

“What?” I shuddered as he deepened the kiss, his hands digging into my skin and lifting me into the air, cold air hit my back and then he was pressing me against the lower dining room table, against more dishes, against more silverware, and I didn’t care, I literally had no idea how long I let the sensation of Zane Andrews consume me, but inch by inch, hurried breath after breath, he continued to push his way into my world.

And I realized, between two dinner placemats, as we both found release, there would never be any going back.

For either of us.

“Zane.” I fought to catch my breath as sweat dripped down the side of his face. “Thanks for telling me everything.”

His expression was unreadable. He leaned down and kissed me again and again.

It wouldn’t be until later that night.

That I’d register the emotion, he’d just tried to hide.

Guilt.

Chapter Thirty-One

Zane

“YOU READY FOR THIS?” Jay asked a few hours later. I’d spent the rest of the morning in bed, skipping my recording session much to Will’s dismay, and hightailed my ass to set.

A cameo.

I could do a cameo.

The crowds of extras were stifling, it was supposed to be a party scene, and I was playing myself on stage.