"Shut up," I mumble into his skin.
His hand moves to cradle the back of my head. "Hey."
He gently lifts my face so I have no choice but to look at him. "I'm proud of you. That's all."
"So you liked it?"
"Liked it?" He scoffs. "I loved it.Especially when you were dancing."
His eyes soften in that way that makes my stomach somersault.
"I didn't blink the entire time. I literally forgot how to breathe. You walked onstage and everything else just... blurred out. I swear, if someone had set the whole place on fire, I probably still would've been staring at you."
My heart stutters, squeezes, somersaults — does every embarrassing cardio move known to mankind.
"Zach..." It comes out breathy, small.
"I mean it," he insists, his hand sliding up my spine in slow, comforting strokes that make my muscles liquefy.
"I think I fell more in love with you tonight."
"Oh my God," I groan, burying my face in his neck as tears prick annoyingly behind my eyes. "Stop being so perfect."
He laughs — a soft vibration against my cheek. "Can't. It's a condition."
I smack his chest lightly.
He catches my hand effortlessly, lacing our fingers together before pulling them to his lips for a slow kiss.
"I love you, baby," he murmurs against my knuckles.
My breath hitches.
I bite the corner of my lip, feeling stupidly shy even though we're literally tangled together on his bed.
"I love you too," I whisper.
A spark of mischief flickers in my brain — the kind that wakes up every nerve in my body at once, becauseoh no, I'm actually considering this.
Something I've wanted to do for a while now but always chickened out of.
But tonight feels... right.
Special.
And honestly? Zach deserves a little something extra for being the world's most disgustingly perfect boyfriend.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I wiggle out of his arms.
Zach blinks up at me, brows drawing together. "Where are you going?"
I just smirk, sliding off the bed.
I pad toward the door, fingers curling around the knob. Right before I twist it, I glance back at him over my shoulder.
"Don't you dare move an inch," I warn with a wicked little smile. "I'll be right back."
His eyes narrow playfully, but he relaxes back against the pillows. "Okay," he says, chuckling. "I'll be right here... waiting."
