Save Me #1

28| Inspection

We collapse onto the mattress beside each other with our bodies still intertwined. Both our chests raise and fall rapidly, and it takes a few minutes until we get our breaths back.

Zach tugs a loose strand of my slightly damp hair behind my ear and places a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"You wanted to tell me something?"

I smile into his warm eyes and nod.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something," I say. "When I met the girls tonight, Hailey confessed to us, that she invited her new lover Ben to come with us to Vancouver."

Zach raises one eyebrow. "I thought it was supposed to be a girl's trip?"

"It was," I giggle lightly, and then add, "Hailey offered to take back her invitation if I would wish so, but I don't see why he shouldn't come along."

"Okay." Zach shrugs and shakes his head, motioning for me to speak on.

"I thought if Hailey brings her lover, I could as well bring my boyfriend along."

Zach frowns and chuckles deeply.

"You thought, huh?" he states with an amused smirk.

I nod and beam at him, "What do you think?"

Zach sighs and rolls on his back.

"I don't know. A trip with five girls and one guy sounds stressful," he remarks, looking at the ceiling.

"I just thought it would be nice to spend New Year's Eve together. And you wouldn't be alone on your birthday." I watch his face as he turns to me again.

"I don't celebrate my birthday, Liv. I told you before," he opposes.

"I know. We don't have to celebrate if you don't want to," I retort and shoot him an uneasy glance.

Zach's face softens and he smiles warmly.

"Look, thanks for inviting me. I appreciate it a lot. I just have to think about it, okay?"

"Okay," I whisper and snuggle into his warm chest.

To be honest, I would have expected more than that. Part of me had wished Zach would be happy to spend the last day of the year with me. On the other hand, I can understand that a trip with us five girls seems daunting to him.

Zach must sense my disappointment since he pulls away to meet my gaze.

"Hey. I didn't say no, okay?" he says softly.

I give him a weak smile and nod.

"Speaking of spending important days with each other," he then says. "Do you have any plans for Christmas Eve?"

I blink in surprise, and my heart flutters at his question. The last thing I expected was him talking about Christmas Eve.

I shake my head, and Zach places my hand in his and gently plays with my fingers.

"How about we spend it together then?" he asks and searches my face for a reaction.

"Zach, I'd love that," I breathe.

A contagious grin appears on Zach's full lips, and I can't help but smile along.

Zach cups my face in his hands and places a soft kiss on my lips.

"Great!" he states and rests his head on the pillow.

His earlier meeting with Aria returns into my mind.

"How was it at Aria's?" I ask him, trying to keep my tone nonchalantly.

"Pretty well, to be honest. One of her neighbors moves out in a month. The apartment is affordable, the neighborhood is not so bad," he tells me and then adds with a big grin on his face, "And the best thing is, it's just around the corner."