I cannot promise that...

Zane’s POV

We were heading out for Maddie’s birthday, a small gathering of close friends. Maddie, her new boyfriend Jackson, Emma, me, and a couple of others. Ever since Emma and I crossed that line a few weeks ago, I had not been able to stay away from her. A day without touching her felt like torture, and I knew she was just as hooked. We found stolen minutes whenever we could, sometimes even during the middle of the day, and from the moment it began, I had not looked at another woman. Around Maddie, though, nothing had changed. We acted like the same old friends, no reason for anyone to suspect a thing.

Still, tonight made me restless. Emma never went out without looking incredible, and I was already imagining how she would walk out dressed, knowing it would test every ounce of my restraint.

On the way to Maddie’s, I stopped for a few drinks, beer for the guys, wine for the girls. Her actual birthday was on Monday, but celebrating early felt right.

When I reached the apartment, I let myself in. Jackson was sprawled across the sofa, looking half-bored, half-annoyed.

“I brought beer,” I said, holding up the pack. “Guessing they are not ready yet?”

He let out a laugh of relief. “You are my hero. And no, still nowhere near ready. Maddie just jumped in the shower, so we are going to be here a while.”

That detail pulled at me immediately. Maddie was showering, which meant Emma was in her room, alone. A slow grin tugged at my lips before I could stop it. The wine bottle in my hand suddenly felt like the perfect excuse.

“I will drop this off to them,” I said, already heading for the kitchen to grab a couple of glasses.

Down the hall, I knocked lightly on Maddie’s door.

“Come in,” Emma called.

I stepped inside, and the sight nearly stole my breath. She was at the mirror, dressed in nothing but her underwear, leaning close as she brushed colour across her lips. My body reacted instantly, heat rushing low and sharp.

She caught my reflection in the glass and laughed softly. “Going to stand there gawking, or are you planning to say something?”

I set the bottle and glasses down without a word. Words felt useless. In two strides, I was behind her, hands sliding around her waist. Her body melted back against mine, and when I caught her mouth with mine, she let out a low sound that shot straight through me.

Her skin was warm beneath my hands as I traced the shape of her, cupping her curves with a hunger I never seemed able to tame. She clung to me just as tightly, her hands slipping down my back until she was grabbing at me the way she knew drove me wild.

I pressed her closer, my body hard against hers, and broke the kiss only long enough to trail my lips down the side of her neck. I could taste her perfume, breathe her in, feel her trembling slightly beneath my mouth.

“Do you feel what you do to me, Emma?” My voice was low against her ear, rough with the need I could never quite control. “The moment I saw you standing here, I was gone.” I grazed my teeth along her ear, and the sharp intake of her breath told me exactly how much she loved it.

“Oh God… stop, baby,” she breathed, her voice trembling with desire. “You are making me crave you, and you know we cannot. Maddie could walk in at any moment.”

Her warning only made me grin, my hand still holding her as if letting go was not an option. “I cannot fight it. You are too damn irresistible. Every time I look at you, I want to take you. And tonight, I will. I am going to make you mine, Emma, hard and deep, until you forget how to breathe.”

I gave her backside a quick slap that drew a sharp gasp from her lips, then forced myself to step away before I crossed the line completely.

“Mmm, I cannot wait,” she giggled, her cheeks warm and pink. “Now go, before we get caught.”

I winked and slipped out, adjusting myself as I walked, trying to calm the ache building inside me. Being close to her and pretending we were nothing more than friends was a punishment I could barely endure. Tonight, I needed to keep my cool until I could finally get her alone.

Back in the living room, I dropped onto the sofa beside Jackson with a beer in hand, doing everything I could to look normal. We filled the time with idle talk, even messaged a few people to say we might run late, which was typical for Maddie anyway.

Then the sound of heels clicked across the floor, pulling my attention instantly.

Emma.

My chest tightened. She had chosen that dress, the one I told her once would be my undoing, and she looked even better in it tonight.

I swallowed hard, forcing my eyes away before anyone noticed. If Maddie caught me staring at her best friend like that, there would be no excuse I could give. My hands dug into the cushions of the sofa, holding myself together.

“Finally,” I said, shaking my head with exaggerated patience as I stood.

Jackson went straight to Maddie, kissing her like she was the only person in the room. I turned away quickly. I did not need to see that.

“Alright, enough of that,” I muttered lightly. “Emma and I will get you both outside.”

Emma fell in beside me, and the moment the door shut behind us, I leaned close so no one inside could hear. “You are a tease. You put that dress on just to torture me.”

“I do not know what you mean,” she replied in a sweet tone, though the sly smile tugging at her lips betrayed her.

I knew better. Emma was far from innocent. She was wilder than me in bed, which was saying a lot. She had shown me things I never even knew I wanted, and I would never complain about any of it.

We had only a few stolen moments, but I was not about to waste them. Pulling her into the lift, I pinned her back against the wall the instant the doors closed and crushed my mouth to hers.

She melted into me with a moan, clutching my shirt as I kissed her harder, tasting her, letting the heat consume me. She answered with the same hunger, her body trembling beneath my hands as if she could barely stand it.

Her thighs pressed together, and I knew exactly what that meant, she was already soaked, already desperate.

The kiss deepened until I almost forgot where we were, until I caught myself wondering if we could get away with more.

“What do you think the odds are of us getting each other off before this lift reaches the ground floor?” I muttered against her lips.

Her breathing came fast as she clung to me. “As tempting as that is… and as badly as I want you right now… it has to wait.”

“Damn it,” I growled softly, nipping at her mouth. “Then I will make sure we slip away later. Just a quick one. Enough to take the edge off.”

Her eyes burned into mine. “I cannot wait,” she admitted, her voice steady but her gaze betraying her need. “Until then, you had better behave.”

“I cannot promise that,” I murmured with a slow grin, stealing another kiss.

Before the lift reached the ground floor, I pressed my mouth to hers one last time, deep and lingering. Her taste clung to me long after I pulled away, and I knew then there was no chance of behaving tonight. I would touch her, tease her, drive her wild until she begged for me. The only challenge was making sure no one caught us.