I gave him a startled look, then quickly realized he was dead right. Zed was done waiting for me to come to him, and that could only spell disaster for our friendship. Groaning in frustration, I rested my forehead on Cass's shoulder. He still wore his T-shirt, it being too difficult to undress with a sling on, but I was stark naked.
"Fucking hell," I cursed, then raised my head to meet his eyes. "It was hot, though. Jesus, I'm screwed."
Cass huffed a short laugh. "Literally. I reckon Zed could wait a couple of minutes if you want help in the shower." The tiny curve to his lips was pure mischief, and I could practically see his intention painted across his ruggedly handsome face.
Rolling my eyes, I climbed off his lap and snatched my robe from the back of the door. "And I thought Lucas had stamina," I muttered, then threw him a look over my shoulder. "Coming?"
He couldn't fuck me in the shower, not with his arm incapacitated. But we were nothing if not imaginative, and Cass did love to show off his tongue skills.
5
Zed and Lucas were both waiting for us at the dining table when we eventually came downstairs, and the look Zed gave me almost made me trip. It was pure, unfiltered desire, and I needed to swallow hard to shake away the so-recent sensations of his lips against mine and his fingers between my legs.
"Shit, you look rough, grandpa," Lucas told Cass with a grin. "Aren't you supposed to be resting or some shit?"
Cass scowled over at Lucas. "You're one to fucking talk, Gumdrop. I took a bullet to the shoulder; you got stabbed in the chest, beaten, and branded. I don't recall you resting for long either."
Lucas smirked. "Touché."
"Sit the fuck down," Zed grumbled. "Food is already getting cold."
Cass took the seat beside Lucas, which left me to sit beside Zed. I took my seat gingerly, my butt cheek still burning from Cass's handprint. But if I was being totally truthful, I was also feeling all kinds of awkward. Yes, Zed had made his intentions clear and we'd kissed before, but this... this felt different. Way more intimate. Which, I guess, made sense seeing as he'd just made me come on another guy's dick.
Wow. Yep, now I understood where Madison Kate was coming from. There had to be some kind of medical term for the intoxicating addiction I was in the throes of. Dick drunk. That's what I was.
Lucas and Cass traded a couple of good-natured barbs while dishing up their food, passing the plates back and forth like we'd all lived together for years. Zed had cooked, and it smelled incredible. Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with dauphinoise potato, green beans, honeyed carrots... fucking heaven.
After a few minutes of dead silence between Zed and I, he reached under the table and dragged my seat closer to him.
"What?" I asked, giving him a frown.
His raised brow in return said he wasn't buying my shit. "You know what."
"Fuck you." I stabbed a carrot with my fork and took a bite.
Zed continued staring at me with a slight smirk. "Please do."
I choked on my carrot—just a little—but enough that my cheeks flamed and I earned curious looks from across the table.
Unable to form the appropriately sassy comeback needed, I simply ignored Zed and glared at Cass and Lucas as if to say shut the fuck up, both of you.
Lucas was the first to take pity on me and change the subject. "So, now that you're officially dead and buried," he said to Cass, "will you fill us in on the plan? I'm assuming there was a plan in play."
Cass gave a nonchalant shrug, his mouth full with food. Zed placed a hand on my knee under the table, his fingers stroking the inside of my thigh.
"Dare's been avoiding that question for a full week, Gumdrop." His tone was salty, even though his hand still gripped my leg. "What makes you think she's going to crack now?"
"I'm right here, asshole," I snarled. "Don't fucking talk about me."
"Well, then speak up," he snapped back, his grip on my leg tightening. I didn't hate it, either. What the fuck did that say about me?
"Chill, De Rosa," Cass drawled, then sipped his beer. "It was my plan." Then he grunted. "Sort of."
Lucas gave me a considering look, then hopped up from his chair and went to the kitchen to grab me a wine glass and a bottle of sangiovese. I winced when