My fingers curl into the hair at the nape of his neck, and his hands pull me closer, like he's terrified I'll slip away if he doesn't hold tight enough.
When he finally pulls back, it's only far enough for his forehead to rest against mine, our breaths mixing.
"Stay with me tonight?"
God. The way he asks it—pleading, hopeful, like it's the only thing he wants in the world—my heart can't take it.
I nod immediately. "For as long as you want me to."
His breath shudders, relief flooding his face.
Then he's kissing me again— it's deeper, hotter, full of heat and longing and something that feels dangerously close to devotion.
CHAPTER forty-eight
ZACH
I'm sitting on the bench in front of my locker, half-dressed for practice—pads on, socks on, skates half-laced, but my practice jersey is still hanging untouched on the hook.
My phone's in my hand again. I've been staring at the screen so long the brightness burned into my eyeballs.
Still nothing from Sam.
Her appointment was two hours ago.
Two hours.
Shouldn't they be done by now? Bloodwork doesn't take that long. The ultrasound should've been quick. Even the stupid vitals and physical exam — she should've texted already. Something. Anything.
I run both hands through my hair, elbows on my knees. My stomach's been twisted since noon. I nearly followed her when she left campus earlier — like some overbearing idiot — even knowing she'd kill me for it.
And I tried. God knows I tried.
I was halfway across the quad when she caught me. She hit me withthatglare. The same lethal, soul-snatching look she uses on puck bunnies who keeps eyeing Elijah.
"Take one more step," she said, "and I'm not going."
One second I was moving, the next I was rooted to the floor.
Geez, that little spitfire is terrifying when she wants to be.
Now here I am, stuck in the locker room, getting more paranoid by the minute instead of getting ready for practice.
"You good, man?"
I look up. Kentaro is standing in front of my stall, already in full gear, mask in his hand, brows pinched.
"Yeah," I lie quickly. "Just waiting for a call."
He squints at me like he doesn't buy it. Before he can ask more, Cody leans in from the row behind us.
"Ohhh," Cody drawls, smirking. "Waiting for a call. Say no more."
I glare. "It's not—"
"Bro," he continues, wiggling his eyebrows, "you literally saw Caroline during lunch. She breathing the same air on campus wasn't enough? You need hourly updates now?"
A few other guys laugh.
