You know very well I would rather be in here f***ing you

Emma’s P.O.V

When I opened my eyes, the bed beside me was empty. Zane was already gone, or so I thought. My head was pounding, though I had not drunk enough last night to deserve a hangover. Maybe it was the lack of proper sleep. Or maybe it was because Zane had drained every bit of strength out of me with our marathon session. I still did not know where that man found his stamina. He could go on for hours like it was nothing. Sometimes I wondered if he had a secret stash of pills hidden somewhere.

Honestly, it was a blessing he was not here this morning, because he was always in the mood when he first woke up, and I was not sure my body could take another round.

I grabbed my phone to check for missed calls or messages, but the screen was empty. Not surprising, it was only nine. At least I had not slept half the day away. With a groan, I dragged myself out of bed and pulled on my dressing gown, since I was still completely naked. Coffee was the only thing that could save me, so I padded into the kitchen to get the machine started.

What I really wanted was a strong cup of coffee and a proper breakfast, but my fridge was embarrassingly bare. I had not had a chance to go grocery shopping yet. Which meant I would have to drag myself out for breakfast. I sighed, annoyed at myself. Why had I not stocked up yesterday?

While the machine hummed, I sat down with my mug. Coffee would have to do for now.

“You really need to go shopping. You have practically nothing to eat in this place.”

The voice behind me made me jump so hard I almost toppled off the stool.

“What the hell?” I spun around.

Zane stood there, grinning, holding two paper bags from the café down the street.

“You could have warned me you were here!” I snapped, my pulse still racing.

He laughed, clearly amused by my reaction, then walked over and dangled the bags in front of me.

“You need to forgive me. I brought food and coffee,” he said, smiling like he knew he had already won.

I snatched the bags from his hands. “Bringing me breakfast does not automatically erase the fact that you scared me half to death.”

“Yes, it does. Besides, you should feel honoured. I do not buy breakfast for just anyone,” he teased.

And annoyingly enough, I believed him. It left me wondering why he bothered to go out of his way for me. Still, I was not going to complain. He had brought food, and food always won me over.

“Thank you,” I said with a small smile.

“Thank you? That is all I am getting? Not even a kiss?”

I laughed and leaned in to press a quick kiss on his lips, pulling back before it could linger. I had not even brushed my teeth yet, and no one needed a reminder of morning breath.

I tried to walk away, but Zane had other plans. He caught me from behind, wrapping his arms around me and pressing my back against his chest.

“I would not call that a kiss,” he murmured against my ear.

“Morning breath, dude. Morning breath,” I laughed, trying to sound playful even though I meant every word.

His lips brushed my neck, leaving a trail of kisses that made me tilt my head without thinking, giving him more access. A quiet sound escaped me before I could stop it.

“I really do not care about your morning breath,” he said, his teeth grazing my ear in a way that sent a shiver racing down my spine.

“Well, I do,” I shot back, glancing over my shoulder at him. “Now let me go. I am starving, and if I do not eat soon, I will turn into a very cranky woman. You do not want to deal with that, trust me.”

“I am hungry too,” he teased, his grin wicked. “Just not for food.”

I should have seen that coming. Shaking my head, I slipped out of his arms and walked toward the counter. “Not happening until I am fed,” I laughed, refusing to give him the satisfaction.

He muttered something under his breath that I could not catch. Poor man, apparently patience was not his strong suit. At this point, I was starting to think he had some sort of addiction to intimacy. Maybe I needed to find him a hobby.

I grabbed a couple of plates and began laying out the food he had brought. My eyes widened as I took in the spread, bacon, eggs, muffins, fruit, pastries. My stomach growled at the sight, and my mouth practically watered. The man knew exactly how to win a woman over.

“Was not sure what you liked, so I got a mix,” he said, suddenly close behind me.

“Thank you,” I replied with a genuine smile over my shoulder.

He lifted the plates and carried them to the table while I followed with the coffees. I wasted no time digging in, letting out a satisfied groan as the first bite hit my tongue. Real food in my system, finally. Zane chuckled, clearly amused by how fast I was eating, but I ignored him. Priorities.

“Are you free next weekend?” he asked casually.

“Yes. Why?” I said between bites. “Where are we going? When are we leaving? Tell me everything.”

Next weekend was his birthday, which meant we had already planned to sneak away for a night.

“I was thinking we leave Friday after work. We should get there around nine. I booked us Friday and Saturday. We are going to Greenport. Ever been?”

I paused, fork halfway to my mouth. Two nights? That was not the deal.

“Two nights? I agreed to one,” I teased, smirking at him. “And no, I have never been.”

“It is my birthday, so I get to decide,” he said smugly. “Besides, two nights are better than one. Do not act like the thought of two nights away with me in a hotel does not tempt you, baby.” He winked.

I rolled my eyes and went back to my food, refusing to give him the satisfaction of an answer. Of course I was going with him, but he did not need to know that yet. Let him sweat a little.

I finished my breakfast, took my plate to the sink, and kept quiet. Sometimes, making him wait was more fun than giving him what he wanted right away.

“Are you really not going to answer me? Are you coming with me or not, Emma?” His voice carried an edge of irritation. “I could easily find someone else to take.”

That was Zane’s way of pushing for a reaction. He wanted to see me rise to the bait, but I knew his game too well. This time, I was not giving him the satisfaction. I started walking out of the kitchen, only to pause in the doorway. Turning back, I gave him a slow smile.

“You could invite someone else,” I said sweetly, “but we both know you would not enjoy yourself half as much as you do with me.” My smirk deepened as I loosened the tie of my dressing gown.

“You sound very confident about that,” he replied, leaning back in his chair with a matching grin. “What makes you think I could not have just as much fun with another woman?”

I let the gown slide off my shoulders, pooling at my feet, leaving me bare in front of him. His eyes widened, and I could see the shift in his body as he adjusted in his seat.

“Well, in that case, go ahead and test your theory,” I teased. “As for me, I am going to have a shower. I was hoping you might join me, but if someone else is more tempting, then I suppose I will just take care of myself.”

Without waiting for his answer, I turned and walked down the hall, certain he would follow. Zane was predictable when it came to me, he had never been good at resisting. The thought made me smile.

It was strange how much had changed in such a short time. Not long ago, I had been the one pining after him, wondering if he would ever look at me the way I wanted. Now, he was the one chasing, and I was the one holding the power. Honestly, I preferred it this way.

Steam curled around me as I stepped beneath the warm shower spray, closing my eyes and letting the water coat my skin. A moment later, I felt him slip in behind me, his presence filling the small space.

“You know very well I would rather be in here f***ing you,” he breathed against my ear.

“Oh, I know,” I purred, pressing back against him and feeling just how ready he was.

How quickly the tables had turned.