Author: Bella Andre

Heather ran a comforting hand down her dog’s back. Atlas had never liked her father. “Yes.”

Clearly not impressed with her answer, he asked, “Didn’t you get my message last week?”

“I apologize for not calling you back. This week has been really busy.” She tried not to flush at the memory of what she and Zach had just been busy doing, especially when her father looked between the two of them again, his frown deepening.

If only she’d remembered to call him back, then she could have invented a bulletproof excuse. Maybe even taken an impromptu trip out of town for a few days to somewhere she couldn’t be reached.

“I hope you’re not too busy to spend a few hours with us,” he said, effectively trapping her into an evening together.

Thankfully, Cuddles chose that moment to start barking, pulling attention away from her for just long enough to regain her equilibrium and to figure out how to respond. Zach had watched the exchange in silence and she guessed that he had quickly taken her parents’ measure.

She shot him a look that she hoped he could read as well as he read her thoughts in bed: Please don’t leave me alone with them.

Zach picked up the barking puppy and smiled at her, before turning that beautiful face of his on her parents. “Heather and I would be very pleased if you joined us tonight at 212 Stockton.”

Heather tried not to act surprised that he’d just named one of the hottest new restaurants in San Francisco. Even now that she knew how wealthy he was—and how well connected via his famous siblings—the fact that he did absolutely nothing to broadcast his wealth had her completely forgetting about it.

She could tell from the look on her father’s face that he knew just how hard it was to get a table at that restaurant. Clearly, not only could he not believe a guy in wrinkled jeans and a T-shirt had the pull to get one, but he wished he’d thought to do it first.

Her mother’s eyes were wide as she responded, “I just saw a piece about 212 Stockton on TV. It’s owned by a group of movie stars and billionaires.”

Her father’s expression darkened. “All I want is to spend quality time with my little girl, not rub shoulders with a bunch of stars with more money than morals.”

Fairly certain that Zach’s brother Smith was likely one of the “moral-free movie stars,” Heather said, “Why don’t I show you some of the improvements I’ve made to the training areas?” No doubt her parents would quiz her endlessly about Zach, and nitpick all the parts of her business that weren’t shiny and perfect, but even though she would have loved to lean on him, her parents weren’t his battle to fight. They were hers.

Only, Zach didn’t look the least bit upset about her father’s comment. If anything, he looked more relaxed than usual...reminding her of a deadly predator about to strike.

Turning the full focus of his attention to her, Zach said, “I know you have some important business to finish up,” as he gently brushed a lock of hair back from her forehead and tucked it behind her ear. It was a move made even more spectacularly protective—and possessive—by how casual it was.

“I’ll show your parents around so that you can get back to work.”

Heather knew firsthand that Zach was a master at getting exactly what he wanted. But to witness him outmaneuvering her father made her glad.

And scared the bejesus out of her.

A few moments later, when her mother and father had no choice but to follow Zach and Cuddles out of her office, Heather sat down on the office chair she would never look at in the same way after what she and Zach had done on it.

Yet again, she reflected on the way Zach Sullivan had infiltrated every part of her life in one short week.

Thank God.

* * *

Zach wasn’t used to worrying about other people. Sure, he made sure to treat his employees right and his family was never far from his mind, but ultimately he knew his siblings could take care of themselves. Besides, if they needed his help with anything, they would call.

But the expression on Heather’s face when her assistant told them her parents were outside had haunted him for hours.

Heather was so strong, so confident. Sassy and beautiful and so damned smart she’d kept him on his toes every single second that he’d known her. No one and nothing should ever make her look that sad. Completely on guard, like she was trying to prepare for an emotional blow that could come at any moment.

Before he even raised his hand to knock on her front door, Atlas announced his arrival with a few loud barks. Heather opened the door and she was so breathtakingly beautiful in her dress and heels with her hair flowing around her shoulders that a split second after Cuddles leapt out of his arms to go play with Atlas, Zach was ruining her perfect hair with his hands as he kissed her.

She kissed him back with the same heat before saying, “Thank you for coming with me tonight.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it,” he said, and it was true. He couldn’t stand the thought of leaving her alone with her parents. Not when he knew how upset they made her. “I get how family can be.”

“I wish we were like your family, but we’re not. We don’t actually love each other.” Her voice was thick with unshed tears as she said, “We just lie about it.”

“You’ve never lied about anything,” he said, hating the way she said we. “They’re your parents. They’re not you.” He pulled her closer. “Tell me what you need from me tonight.”

“Just this,” she said, but her voice was shaking as she repeated, “Just be here for me, like this. Just please don’t let me think about the way he treats her and how she always lets him—”

His mouth covered hers to cut off the rest of the sentence, her wish immediately his command. If she didn’t want to think about her parents’ screwed-up relationship, then he would do whatever was necessary to keep her mind on other things. Now and throughout dinner, whatever way he could.

Because he was her friend. And that’s what friends did. They looked out for each other.

And yet...even as he slid his hands under her skirt and Heather let out a soft gasp of pleasure as his fingers found her, he could almost hear the rumbles in the distance. Rumbles of something big, heavy, and impossible to avoid as it sped toward him.

He moved his hands to her bottom to lift her up from the floor and she wrapped her legs around him. But even the intense pleasure of having her heat all around him wasn’t enough for him to get some distance from the emotions that were trying to nail him straight in the middle of his chest. Right from the first moment they’d met, he hadn’t been able to keep his mind, hands, or mouth off her.

And his heart was heading the same way, whether he wanted it to or not.

It was pure, practiced instinct for Zach to fight these feelings. To pretend they weren’t true. To tell himself as he undid his pants and was inside of her seconds later, that Heather was the perfect friend to have sex with, and nothing more.

She kissed him with a wildness that told him how much she needed this distraction, this outlet, this chance to let herself be fierce, bold, without risking retribution. He knew she wanted to be taken with that same fierceness, so he didn’t hold back as he slammed against her, pushing her into the wall even as she pushed right back at him with her hips.

He’d never wanted anyone like he wanted her—more every time they came together—and yet even though he could have lost it at any second, he made himself focus on her reactions so that he’d know when she was close.

Tonight wasn’t about his feelings, it wasn’t about his fears for the future that had always been wrapped up in his father’s untimely death. No, tonight wasn’t about him at all.

On the contrary, it was about making sure Heather survived her parents’ visit with minimal damage. And he knew exactly what would keep her on the edge of her seat all night, regardless of whom they were having dinner with.

Heather gasped into his mouth as her inner muscles began to tighten down around him. Lord, it killed him to pull out of her right then...but the knowledge of just how physically painful the next several hours were going to be didn’t stop him from doing it anyway.

He wouldn’t have made the sexual sacrifice for anyone but her.

Her eyes flew open as he gently set her back on her feet and pulled her skirt down before doing up his pants.

“Zach? What are you doing?”

He had a hell of a time keeping his voice steady. “We need to go.”

She was looking at him like he’d lost his mind as he grabbed her purse from the counter, told the dogs not to cause any trouble, and dragged her out to his car. And maybe he had lost it, purposefully stopping just before the big finale like that.

Only, tonight, something bigger was at stake than getting off with a beautiful woman.

Heather’s heart was on the line, and he was going to make damned sure it remained in one piece, no matter what her father tried to pull.

* * *

Heather was going to kill Zach. Her parents had already seen her once today looking like she’d just stepped out of his bed. This was almost worse, this persistent wanting that buzzed through her, making it virtually impossible to not only appreciate the glass of fine red wine from his brother’s winery, but to nurse her frustration at her parents for acting the same way they always did.

She narrowed her eyes across the table as her father stroked her mother’s hand and gazed at her as if he were the luckiest guy in the world. Anyone looking at them would think he was the most devoted husband on the planet.

God, it all was so false. So fake. It made her want to—

“Too bad we didn’t have enough time to finish what we started at your house,” Zach murmured, his breath hitting her on the spot just below her earlobe that instantly melted her every time he came near it.

She couldn’t decide if she wanted to kick him under the table to get him to stop...or if there was some reason she could invent to pull him into a dark hallway and make him finish what they’d started.

Still, even though she was practically jumping out of her skin from wanting him, once she’d calmed down a bit during the short drive to the restaurant, she’d finally figured out what he was doing.

And she couldn’t help but adore him for his brilliant distraction technique.

“So,” her mother said as she beamed at the two of them, “your father and I are dying to know how you met.”

Thank God, that was an easy one. “Zach lost his puppy—”

“—and Heather found it.”

“Aren’t they adorable, the way they finish each other’s sentences. Just like we do, sweetheart,” she said to her husband.

Heather suddenly wanted to puke.

Zach slid his hand up her thigh beneath the tablecloth, to a spot that was much too high for public comfort.

“No,” he said in an easy tone. “We’re nothing like the two of you.” He grinned at Heather. “You hated me on sight. Didn’t you?”

She couldn’t explain why Zach’s honesty made her so happy. Especially when it was guaranteed to upset her parents. But oh, how she loved what he’d said.

No, we’re nothing like the two of you.

She wanted to grab him and kiss him in front of the whole world for that alone.

“It’s true. He was yelling at the puppy, so I tried to take Cuddles away from him.”

“Cuddles?” Her father laughed with faint derision. “That’s some name for a dog.”

Rather than rise to the implied challenge to his masculinity, Zach simply refilled the wine glasses and said, “I still owe your daughter for saving Cuddles.”

Her mother looked confused. “If it all started off so badly, I don’t understand how the two of you started dating, then?”

Heather hated lying. She’d grown up in a liar’s house, after all.