Read Online Effortless With You by Lizzy Charles - Free Book Online Page B

time.”
    I groan. “I know, right?” Zach is good at sympathizing. “They actually made me get a job.”
    “Really?”
    “Yup. I’ve been painting for Purposeful Painting Inc. It’s basically boot camp.”
    “Oh, that’s like Justin’s crew, huh?”
    “Yup.”
    “Well, that must suck. What an egomaniac.”
    “I know. He seriously drives me crazy. The way he’s always pulling his hands through his hair. What’s with that?”
    Zach pauses, his temple throbbing. “He thinks he’s a god. The moral absolute,” he says as he squeezes his hand around the salt shaker. I love that I'm dating a guy who sees through Justin’s crap. Zach’s hand turns red, his knuckles white. Will the shaker break? I haven’t ever handled Zach when he was angry and I don’t want to tonight. I want tonight to be relaxing.
    “He’s totally not worth it.” I scan the room for a distraction. I notice an advertisement on the table top for their new two-pound burger. I point to the ad. “Zach, do you think you can handle it?” He’s the competitive type; easily distracted by a challenge. I watch his grip loosen on the salt.
    “With my appetite?” Zach often brags about his stomach being a bottomless pit. “Babe, I’d need two.” He throws a rolled-up piece of his napkin at Miguel, getting his attention. “Are you guys in? How many can we eat?” Zach stands up and flags the waitress down.
    Matt and Marissa join the booth, pulling up two chairs to the end of the table. Zach orders everyone the burger. He orders himself two. Marissa protests, it’ll totally ruin her figure. Inevitably, all the guys check her out.
    She leans her chair in toward Zach. “You can’t make me eat it,” she says slowly. Wait, is she fake flirting with Zach for a reaction? I watch her quickly pull away from him. No. That was just her way of trying to be in control.
    Marissa is acutely aware of her sex appeal. She switches spots with Miguel because she can’t be comfortable in her skirt on a chair. Miguel doesn’t protest as he eyes Marissa’s legs. She sits kitty-corner on the booth from me now, smartly positioning herself between Matt and Chaz, who have huge biceps. Marissa bats her eyelashes. I seriously thought they only did that in old Hollywood films.
    She’s having a blast.
    The burgers arrive and loud, competitive chaos follows. Zach easily wins the chowing competition. Marissa doesn’t touch hers. I eat a quarter of my burger and that's only because Zach cheered me on. The meat sits heavy and slows everything down. All I want to do is go back to Zach’s arms around me and talking. Will Zach and I ever get time alone? A chance to connect?
    The odds are not in my favor. Zach and Matt are running new offensive strategies by Chaz and Miguel. I barely understand what they’re saying. Lacrosse is a mystery sport to me. I prefer games played on a court, like basketball or tennis, rather than a field. Marissa keeps trying to interject her thoughts about new ideas for shots for the school yearbook. They ignore her.
     “Enough, men. Why don’t we play a little pool?” Marissa stands up and stretches next to the table. “Will someone teach me? I need a teammate.” Marissa turns, bending down to grab her purse to make the perfect butt view. I blush for her. Chaz and Miguel stand, shoving one another out of the way. Matt looks at me. I cuddle close to Zach. I want to stay. Matt nods, pushes his chair away from the table and follows.
    We are finally alone. Zach looks down at me and smiles.
    “So,” I don’t know where to begin.
    “So?” He lightly cups his hand on my chin, tilting it up toward him. “So,” he says again. He looks me in the eyes before bringing his lips to my mouth. He moves his hand around my back, holding me and pressing himself to me. His mouth moves too fast and my head starts to spin. I grab a breath during one of his pauses, trying to reorient to the situation.
    We are in a family restaurant. Making out in a