Only for You

18: Plan B

The soft chime of the iPhone ringtone filled the quiet room at 8:06 a.m., breaking the peaceful silence. Fatima stirred, snuggling deeper into the sheets as Zac's eyes slowly fluttered open. With a yawn, he shifted, gently nudging her as he reached for his phone on the nightstand, pressing it to his ear.

"Hi," he answered, his voice thick with sleep.

"Morning, man," Eugene's voice came through the line.

Zac rubbed his hand down his face, glancing over at Fatima, who was now watching him with sleepy eyes. "What's up?" he asked, trying to wake himself up.

"Just calling to make sure you're up. We have the signing with Axiom Sports today," Eugene reminded him.

"Shit! Uh—what time?" Zac sat up, instantly more alert.

"At 10. Meet me there. I'll text you the location and the rest of the details. Dress smart," Eugene added.

"Cool, cool," Zac replied, ending the call. He looked over at Fatima, who gave him a sleepy smile.

"You gotta go?" she asked, her voice soft, still heavy with sleep.

He nodded. "Yeah, I've got a signing. I'm gonna hop in the shower. You can keep sleeping," he offered with a chuckle, "unless you've got plans."

She shook her head, hugging the pillow closer and getting comfortable. "No plans," she murmured, smiling as she closed her eyes.

He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. She smiled against his, her fingers brushing his arm before he pulled away and stood up. He glanced back at her once more before heading to the bathroom, the warmth of her smile lingering as he prepared for the day.

As the sound of the shower filled the room, Fatima lay there in deep thought, her gaze fixed on the ceiling. Normally, spending the night at a man's place was the last thing she'd ever do. But Zac... he had her in a way she couldn't quite explain. Her mind drifted to memories from high school and college, when she'd had to put people in their place if they crossed her—those were the only times her "crazy" side ever came out. But Zac was different; he was activating something else entirely. She shook her head in disbelief, realizing just how much she really, really liked him. For the first time, she'd even promised to be faithful. Damn, Fatima, she thought with a smirk. You're a goner.

Lost in her thoughts, she bit her lip, her mind racing as she replayed moments from the night before. Then, before she knew it, Zac emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, droplets of water clinging to his skin.

"You decided to wake up?" he teased, walking into his closet.

She turned onto her stomach, propping her head on the pillow, her arms hugging it as she watched him. Her gaze traveled down his body as he moved around, completely unaware of her staring. Her eyes lingered as he let the towel drop, revealing all of him before he grabbed a pair of boxer briefs. She bit her lip harder, appreciating the sight, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks. The man was definitely blessed, she thought, still in awe.

Unfazed, Zac slipped on his boxer briefs and began sifting through his clothes, deciding on what to wear.

Zac steps out of the closet, fully dressed and looking like he just walked off a high-end streetwear runway. He's wearing an off-white, textured button-up shirt with short sleeves that perfectly complements his relaxed-fit pants in the same shade, creating a clean, monochrome look that highlights his athletic build. The subtle ribbed fabric adds just the right amount of texture without being too flashy. On his feet, he's rocking red-and-white low dunk Nike's that inject a bit of edge into the outfit, breaking up the neutral tones with a pop of color.