Chapter Fourteen

Honey

With one foot kicked up behind him against the red brick, Zach stares down at his phone, waiting for me outside the school. Still wet from his shower, his blond hair is a couple of shades darker.

Skipping up the steps to the front of the school, I ignore the eyes on me because I'm used to them at this point. He still hasn't noticed, too engrossed with something on his phone, so I silently edge toward him.

When our toes are touching, his head pops up, and I'm greeted by his usual bright smile, making my stomach do that flip-flop thing again.

Stop it, Honey.

"Hey, Chipmunk." Zach leans down, kissing me hard on the lips, then snakes his arm around my body until his hand rests on my hip. I close my eyes, ignoring the fact my stomach won't stop flipping because his fingers are thrumming against my side. I should be used to his touch. We've kissed for show a couple of times now, but I just can't get used to it. I put it down to being nervous over our believability. Our whole lie hinges on me looking like I enjoy his touch, and I'm worried it's becoming a little too believable.

The subtle red tinge of my lipstick is smeared across his full lips, and I rub my thumb across his lips until it's disappeared. When I'm done, I wipe my hand across my jeans, refusing to look at Zach because that little touch alone sent tingles down my spine.

"Everything okay?" he asks with the subtlest of hesitancy in his voice.

"I'm good." I gulp and rest my forehead against his chest. Should I ask him to come to dinner with my parents or pretend that conversation never happened? I spent the last twelve hours trying to think of a way to ask him that didn't sound awkward or desperate, but I'm still coming up empty.

Zach clasps my arms and pushes me away so I'm looking directly into his eyes. His brilliantly green eyes that look like a mossy forest. "Come on, Goof." His smile brightens his face as he shakes me a little. "I can tell there's something on your mind." His fingers squeeze my arms a little tighter when I don't answer straight away.

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You're tense. Your shoulders are tight, and your back is straighter than my number two pencil. What's up?"

I laugh wistfully, forcing my gaze to my shoes. "My parents want to meet you." It comes out as a mumble, and I cringe. Why am I so awkward?

"What was that, Sugarplum?"

I roll my eyes and look up at the sky. "Are you going to make me say it again?"

"I promise, I didn't hear you the first time."

"My parents. They want to meet you." There, I said it loud and clear, and it felt like ripping a Band-Aid off.

Zach is silent, so I check his reaction. Wide eyes with furrowed brows, he stares at me. "They want to meet me? Why?"

"Because you and I have become the talk of my mother's country club, and they said the only way we would be allowed to keep dating is if they met you."

His fingers loosen and his jaw tightens. I can't tell what he's thinking, but I know it's not good, and I shouldn't have mentioned it. I should have just put it off for as long as possible. Who knows, maybe my mother will have forgotten in a week… Fat chance of that happening.

"No."

That's it. The one word that falls out of his mouth before he slams it shut. A short, thought-through statement that crushes me to my core. We're fake. I know that has always been the intention, but hearing him brush me off so easily still feels like an overwhelming rejection.

Shaking my head, I step back so there's just enough space between us that his woody scent isn't clouding my thoughts. "You're right. It was stupid of me to ask." I try to smile, playing it off as though my insides haven't just crumbled to dust and any remainder of dignity I have left didn't just leave me. How pathetic am I? I can't even get my fake boyfriend to come and have one measly dinner with me. My face heats, but I hope to God Zach hasn't noticed. "Shall we go to class?"

As I try to walk past him, he grips my shoulder. "Hey, I'm sorry if I upset you." I take in a deep breath, inadvertently making it sound like a sniffle, and Zach's face softens. "It's just that our agreement was to fake date at school. I didn't really anticipate having to do anything other than that. Besides, if we start adding parents and our home lives into this, I think it could potentially mess everything up." Zach's sister's eager face poking out of the curtains comes to mind. He's hiding something he doesn't want me to know about; we both know it, but I'm not about to ask him.

"Of course. I completely agree." I thumb the straps of my bag and don't make eye contact. "My parents caught me off guard with their request last night. I had no idea our shenanigans were even known about, let alone the talk of the country club." I wave my hand and walk toward class. Zach's arm stays glued around my shoulder, even though the tension is thick in the air. "You know what? I can just stall my parents and tell them you're busy until the end of the football season. By then, we'll be done with this fake dating and can have some dramatic breakup."

"Oh yeah? How are you going to break up with me?" He waggles his eyebrows, and it makes me giggle.

"What makes you think I'm going to be the one to break us up?"

He pulls me closer to his side as we walk down the hall with all the eyes still on us. "Because I'm not as stupid as Jamie. I've got the smartest, hottest girl in school. I'm not getting rid of her that easily." He says it with such sincerity it makes me swoon. I have to remind myself it's all just words and he's trying to be nice. "So, how are you going to break up with me?"

"I'll have to think about it." I purse my lips, hiding my smile, before spotting Olivia and Mike over Zach's shoulder. Tipping on my toes, I wave. "Livi, Mike."

Zach slowly turns to see our friends walking over, and while Zach gives Mike a bro hug, I clutch my friend tight. "Hey, Honey. What are you so happy about?"

"Happy?" I pull away and quirk a brow. She just grins back.

"Yeah, it's the first time since you broke up with Jamie I've seen a genuine smile on your face. Normally, we've been getting the plastic, fake one you save for your mom."

I try to taper my lips and look at Zach through the corner of my eye. Thankfully, he's too engrossed with his conversation with Mike to notice ours.

"No reason," I say with a shrug and link my arm with hers. "Come on, we'll be late for class if we don't go soon."

Thankfully, that got her off my back. Happiness is not an emotion I expected to feel after Zach brushed me off so easily, but somehow he got my mind off that completely.

My salad container cracks under my fingers as I walk outside, ready to have a peaceful lunch. I always hated sitting inside with all the gossip, but that's where Jamie was, so I would tag along like a faithful Labrador.

The air has more of a chill since it's mid-November, but with my jacket on, it's warm enough to be comfortable.

"Honey." I stop in my tracks at the sound of my name. That chill in the air is getting colder, and I would ignore him, but the loud clunking of his shoes suggests he's close.

By the time I glance over my shoulder, Jamie is at my side with an easy smile. "Just the girl I've been looking for." His arm rests on my shoulder as though we're friends. My face registers no emotion because I'm too surprised at how he's acting. Didn't he learn from last time? "We need to talk." His voice is smooth and confident, like a warm knife through butter.

Scrunching my nose, I pick up his hand and toss it behind me. "I'm good." I walk past him, heading for the lunch area because I don't want to be seen with him. Not after the embarrassment he's caused me.

Jamie's hand catches mine, stopping me in my tracks, and he tips his chin, giving me a serious look. "No, Honey. You don't get it. I really really need to talk to you."

"If this is about Zach again, I'm not interested." I can tell he's surprised by my reaction. He's not used to me being so up-front.

He shifts from one foot to the other and stuffs his hands in his pockets. "Look, I get it. You don't want to talk to me, but I'm only looking out for you." Snorting, I cross my arms, staring at his smug face.

"Stop right now, Jamie. You don't care about me. You never did." He opens his mouth, but I lift my hand, stopping him. "Save it."

Turning on my heel, I walk back to the school cafeteria because this conversation has put me off my lunch. "You can walk away, but all I wanted to do was save you from being monumentally embarrassed again."

I crush the plastic container in my hand, pouring out my rage into that instead of at Jamie. That's what he wants. Breaking up Zach and me would mean he'd win the bet, and I would rather die than let that happen.

"Zach's not good for you." It's only when Jamie stands next to me I realize I'm so angry I've stopped walking. He stares at me with sympathy, and suddenly I have the urge to throw my salad in his face.

"Why do you care so much?" I don't know why I ask. I should walk away, but I guess I want to give Jamie another chance to be a decent human being and tell me about the bet.

He takes my hand and rubs his thumb across the back. It's the same thing he used to do when we were little and I was scared. I hate that it still offers me a little comfort.

"You know why, Honey." He squeezes my hand, and his eyes plead with mine, but I'm not entirely sure the emotion he's trying to portray. Regret? Longing? Disappointment? Either way, I know it's not real. "What's the plan for your birthday?"

Furrowing my brows, I step back. "None of your business." In all honesty, I'd almost forgotten that milestone because I've been so busy thinking about other things. Zach being at the center of most of them. I've never liked my birthday much anyway since my parents use it as an excuse to throw some fancy dinner for all their friends and investors. I always just end up at the side with Jamie, pretending to look like I'm enjoying myself.

Frowning, it hits me. Jamie won't be there for me this time. I'll be standing on my own with that fake, plastic smile plastered across my face, dodging every awkward question about the boy who's been by my side since I was born.

"Your parents are going to throw another business dinner." He cracks a smile when he sees the surprise on my face. He knows, he's probably been invited, and now I don't know what's worse. Spending time with or without him. "You know, I always had this plan on your eighteenth." He swipes his thumb across his chin, watching me intently. "Thought about everything I'd do to you when we were alone."

I gulp, hating his proximity. "You know, I'd been holding back on doing some things because I wanted to wait and make it special for you." Shaking my head, I walk away because I don't need to listen to this.

"Leave me alone, Jamie."

"I was planning on eating you out." I nearly choke on my own spit and look around, making sure no one heard him say that.

That's got to be a joke, right?

I wait for him to elaborate, but all I get is his silence and a haughty look on his face as though he's God's gift to oral sex.

I blow out a breath. This must somehow be an attempt to sway me his way. He steps toward me, and I bring my hand to his chest, pushing him back.

"Jamie. Why on earth do you think eating me out is relevant anymore? You've used that nasty tongue on half the school."

He husks out a laugh but ignores my last comment. "I know it was something you really wanted, so I wanted to be the one to give it to you,"

I throw my head back. "Considering I faked it every time your lazy, uncoordinated fingers poked around inside me, I'm not sure why you'd think I'd want your oversized fish tongue doing the same thing."

He steps back like I threw acid in his face, but I don't care.

I did it. I finally did it. I stood up to Jamie and told him how I feel.

"Wow," he breathes out.

What did he expect? That I would be the compliant little girl I'd always been, and I'd be fine with him cheating on me? Did he think I'd actually want him back and beg him to eat me out?

Arrogant asshole.

"What's going on here?" Zach's voice soothes the tension coursing through my body, and when his arm wraps around my waist, I mold into him, instantly feeling stronger and more powerful than before.

"Nothing." I don't bother looking back at Jamie and just focus on Zach, who places a gentle kiss on my cheek. Jamie's eyebrow twitches when Zach's lips connect with my skin, and I hold back my smile. He hates that he's losing to Zach, and I love it too much.

"Zach," Jamie grits outs, lifting his tight jaw in an awkward acknowledgment, and then tips his head to me. "Hunniford and I were just having a private conversation." I can feel Jamie's eyes burning the side of my face. He's delusional if he thinks I will push Zach off just so I can keep talking to him.

Zach's completely unfazed by Jamie's obvious discomfort and nods with a chuckle. "Yeah, I heard. Honey never let you go down on her."

Oh.

My.

God.

He did not just say that, did he? How much of that conversation did he hear?

Zach breathes in, inflating his chest, and smirks at me. "You missed out, man. Girl tastes delicious."

If I thought choking was a possibility from Jamie's words, Zach's nearly make me faint, but I hold my facial expression because I don't want Jamie to know he's lying. But, God, did he have to say something so sexually charged when I've already had slightly inappropriate thoughts about him? I mean, seriously?

Swatting his chest, I bury my face in his armpit so I don't have to look at either of them. Zach's familiar scent calms me, but when his hand drifts down my back to my skirt, I swear I nearly squeal in embarrassment—or excitement, I'm still not sure which.

"Zach," I whisper so only he can hear, and he drops his chin, looking at me with those big green eyes. "Can we not talk about this?"

Zach pecks a kiss on my temple and motions for me to walk back into school. "Don't worry, babe. Jamie already knows he's missed out; that's why he's trying so hard to get you back. Shall we go?"

I nod earnestly, only looking at him while he leads me away from a stunned Jamie. I pull him under the stairs when we walk through the doors and whisper, "I cannot believe you just did that."

Zach laughs and shakes his head. "I can't believe he never went down on you. Clearly, he doesn't know the joys of watching a girl screaming his name while she comes undone on his fat fish tongue."

He licks his lips, and I swallow at the intensity of his words. Suddenly, thoughts of his perfectly rounded tongue making me scream come to mind.

That image is too much, and there's a burning building in my core. I really want to know what that feels like. Surely, these feelings are only because I've been deprived of good sex and not because I'm starting to feel something toward Zach.

"It's not like I ever specifically asked him to do it or anything."

His eyes drop to my lips. "Did he have to ask you to suck him off?"

"No, but that's different." I brush it off, suddenly aware I'm cowering in the corner of the stairs and Zach is towering over me.

"No, it's not. You shouldn't feel bad if it's something you want."

I throw my hands over my face, letting out an awkward grunt. "Can we please stop talking about mine and Jamie's sex life?"

"Wouldn't call it much of a sex life since you weren't getting anything out of it." With my hands still covering my face, I cringe, worried he heard me spouting about faking it with Jamie. "First rule of having a girlfriend, make her orgasm at least twice before you get your rocks off." Zach's voice is lighthearted, and I think he's trying to make me feel a little better about the whole thing, but I'm too embarrassed to laugh.

I drop my hands and am met with a rogue smile and waggling eyebrows. "Such bravado, Evans." I push him away with a laugh because I hope this will be the last time we ever discuss my sex life again.

He ignores my push and wraps his arm around my shoulder, leading me back into the hallway. Just as we come into view of the students, Zach leans down, and I feel his breath against my ear. "Just let me know if you want to update our little contract."

I roll my eyes, shoving him to the side, and continue walking down the hall without him. "Don't need it," I yell over my shoulder and flick my hair. When he catches up, he places his arm back over me.

"Just promise me one thing." I loll my head in his direction. "Promise me you won't get indecent thoughts while I'm eating a burrito." He winks, and I huff out a breath, knowing if I say anything else, it'll make my pink cheeks worse.

It's a little late to stop those indecent thoughts.

"You're safe there, Evans." I deflect, taking his hand and dragging him to the lunch hall. Yeah, things are getting weird and slightly awkward between us, but the way he stood up for me in front of Jamie makes me feel like I at least have him on my side at school, and that's all I can ask for at this point.