More than a Feeling || phases 6

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"How about these?" Alexis asked, holding up a couple of bell peppers for Michele's inspection.

"Perfect," Michele smiled, and Alexis added them to the growing pile of vegetables they'd already placed in the cart. They were strolling through the supermarket, picking up items for the special dinner they were preparing for Ike, Tay and Zac. They decided that a nice relaxing dinner at home followed by an excursion to a local bar or nightclub would make for a perfect evening for everyone to get together and catch up. "How're we doing?"

"Um," Alexis began, her eyes scanning their list and ticking off the items they'd already gotten. "That about does it for produce. We still need to get the chicken and pasta."

Michele nodded and steered the cart in the direction of the meat department. The girls strolled leisurely along, enjoying the afternoon quiet of the store and the mindlessness of ambling through the aisles. Michele was thankful for the distraction. The past few days had been full of nothing but unsettling thoughts. She'd finally gotten back into the swing of things at work, only to have the wind taken out of her sails by discovering that her request had been put under re-evaluation and it would be another couple of weeks before she heard the results. At the same time, she'd found that her stay in Tulsa would be prolonged until the request came through. On the surface, she was more than thrilled to know she'd be in town for a while longer, but her insides were churning with uneasiness. After the events of the past week and her perplexing encounters with Taylor and Zac, she was more than ready to go back to Atlanta. On one hand, the whole Taylor and Lauren thing was annoying her to no end. Despite his insistence that they were only friends, Michele couldn't help but feel a little suspicious...and jealous. In fact, the mere thought that another woman might be involved with Taylor bugged the hell out of her. But what disturbed her most of all was that she couldn't decide if her jealously stemmed from not wanting another woman to experience the mind-blowing sex he gave her, or if she just didn't want Taylor to love anyone but her.

And then there was Zac. He had her brain more muddled and confused than ever. She loved being with Zac and spending time with him, catching up on all the time they'd lost. But she had no explanation for the sudden intensity that had crept into their relationship. And she couldn't rationalize the way she seemed to turn into a puddle every time his lips touched hers. Their kisses had always been playful and innocent, but lately, they'd taken on a more lush and deliberate quality. And they had Michele severely confused; partly because she'd never experienced such...passion when it came to Zac, but mostly because she'd come to realize that she rather liked it.

"You think Tay'll invite Lauren tonight?" Michele asked out of the blue. She leaned forward onto the cart, furrowing her brow in concentration. Though the thought had just popped into her head, it quickly garnered all her attention.

"Not a chance," Alexis assured. "I mean Tay's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but even he knows better than to bring a date to his ex-girlfriend's house for dinner." Michele grinned at her analogy, though she had to agree it was pretty much true. "And besides, I don't think he really likes her all that much."

"Why do you say that?"

"Ike says he never talks about her, never even calls her or anything," Alexis said. "She usually does all the initiating, setting up their dates and stuff. Doesn't sound a whole lot like Taylor does it?"

'Nope," Michele agreed, pursing her lips in thought. "He likes to be in control too much."

"So I've heard," Alexis grinned suggestively. Michele stared at her in open-mouth astonishment, unable to keep a grin from curling her lips. "Hey, they're brothers," Lexi shrugged. "they like to brag."

"Lord," Michele laughed, shaking her head as she pulled the cart to a stop in the meat department. "So what other secrets has Tay divulged to his brothers?"

"Oh, just that he's still in love with you," Alexis mentioned casually as she perused the variety of chicken.

"What?" Michele literally stopped in her tracks and at gaped at her best friend. Alexis nodded her affirmation. "When?"

"The other night," Alexis shrugged. "They were up in Ike's room messing around on the guitar and stuff and he just...said it; sorta out of the blue, I guess."

"Wow," Michele said, biting her lower lip thoughtfully, her eyes darting as if she were searching for some sort of rationalization.

"Yeah, wow," Alexis agreed. "Kinda big, huh?"

"Oh, God," Michele sighed. "I mean, I know Tay and I still love each other. That's something that I don't think is ever gonna change, but..."

"...knowing he's still in love with you..." Lexi supplied as Michele seemed to falter for the appropriate words.

"...is something else entirely," Michele nodded. She didn't really know why this new information came as such a shock to her. Knowing Taylor as she did, she wasn't really surprised that he was still holding on to their relationship. But telling his brothers about it was like admitting a weakness and she knew Tay would never do that. He was always the strong one, always keeping up a front despite the emotions that might toiling around inside. She'd never known him to let down his guard for anything...except for her. That's why, she figured, it must be true.

"So, what does all this mean?" Lexi's voice startled her back to the present. Michele looked at her best friend, confusion evident in her eyes and sighed.

"I don't know."

"Ooh, that looks yummy," Alexis commented as Michele pulled a peach cobbler out of the oven.

"Be even better if we had some vanilla ice cream to go with it," Michele said as she sat the dish on the counter.

"As soon as Ike gets here, we'll run to the store and pick up some," Alexis suggested, perking her ears when the sound of gravel crunching became evident in the drive. "Looks like they're right on time."

Michele laughed, removing the oven mitts from her hands and chunking them on the counter. "Well, they're boys and we have food; what'd you expect?"

"Yeah," Lexi chuckled. "Hey, I'll just corner Ike before he gets out of the car and we'll head on to the store, okay?"

"'K," Michele nodded, but Lexi was already out the door, practically bounding onto the porch to see Isaac. Michele chuckled as she reached into the top cabinets to take down some plates. She was just placing them on the table when the screen door swung open.

"Hey Chely," Taylor's soft voice floated ahead of him as he stood in the frame of the door.

"Hey," she smiled, and for a moment had to suppress the urge to circle around the table and greet him with a kiss. It seemed like such a natural thing to do; with the way he looked so familiar and so at home in her kitchen, and the way his cool blue eyes were regarding her with glistens of reminiscence shining within them. Perhaps it was the knowledge of his abiding feelings that Alexis had innocently revealed earlier that afternoon that brought about her sudden urge to welcome him back into her arms. Or maybe it was just something that had been there all along, lying hidden amid the swirls of her memory beneath the determination to love him better than she had before. Or maybe she was just aching for him, spurred by jealously and the desperation of spending months without his electrifying touch. Either way, it was all she could do not to throw herself into his arms.

''Hey babygirl," Zac's hearty voice quelled that notion as quickly as it had arrived. He shoved his way around his brother and threw his arms around Michele, enclosing her in a flustering hug.

"Hey, Zac," she smiled, casting a glance over his shoulder at Taylor, who'd made himself at home in the chair at the head of the table. She accepted Zac's lips on her cheek with lowered eyes and a hint of a blush on her ears.

"Where are Ike and Lexi going?" Taylor provided the distraction Michele was hoping for and she took the opportunity to slip from Zac's encompassing embrace. He was making heat rush wildly through her veins, and for reasons she couldn't identify just yet.

"To pick up some vanilla ice cream," she answered, returning to her task of setting the table. "for the peach cobbler I made."

"Ooh, my favorite," Zac rubbed his palms together before pilfering a spoon from the place setting nearest him with every intention of dipping it into the desert. "Hey, ow..." He scowled when Michele slapped the top of his hand before it could reach the dish.

"It's for after dinner," she glared at him pointedly, but her stare shattered when his mouth curved into a wide grin. She couldn't help but smile back, and slipped the spoon from between his fingers, letting her skin linger on his long enough to send another flush of warmth up to her cheeks. She turned back to the table to find Taylor with his own cheeky grin. "What?"

"Nothing," he smiled, his steely blue eyes twinkling with mischief. "Just looking."

Michele grinned when he winked and she felt that wave of familiarity wash over her again. It almost seemed like old times. Almost. She slightly stiffened then relaxed when she felt Zac's arms surround her from behind. His chin settled into it's customary position in the hollow of her shoulder and he sighed contentedly, a heavy breath brushing across her neck.

"Tonight's gonna be fun," he said, gently squeezing her in his warm embrace. Michele nodded against his shoulder.

"Yep," Taylor agreed, tapping out a beat on the table top with a pair of spoons. "We're gonna have to get together some more before you have to go back."

"Speaking of..." Zac said, his voice a low rumble that resonated thickly through Michele, prompting her to snuggle back into him. "when are you leaving?"

"Anxious to get rid of me...?" she teased, squirming when he began to tickle her sides.

"Never," he said, playfully tugging on her ear lobe with his teeth and sending a shiver of surprise down her spine. "If it were up to me, I'd keep you here forever." He affirmed his sentiment with another squeeze and a kiss on the ear his teeth had just accosted.

"Well..."

"You're staying...?" Taylor's eyes lit up and Zac pulled himself away to look at her.

"For a little while...couple more weeks maybe.." Michele grinned, suddenly finding herself having to fend off the smothering advances of two sets of arms. Zac wrapped his back around her just as Taylor sprang from his chair and began to circle his arms around her waist. "Guys...I can't breathe..."

"Sorry," Taylor chuckled and both he and Zac backed off, but not by much.

"I'm just so glad you're here, baby," Zac whispered, nuzzling his face into her neck and letting his lips brush ever so gently across her skin. "I wish you could stay here for good."

Michele smiled and dropped her head back against his shoulder, sighing as her eyes met Taylor's and he mouthed 'Me, too.'

"Deja vu, much?" Zac smirked as he crawled in the passenger side of Taylor's truck and his shoulder bumped Michele's.

"I was just thinking the same thing," Michele said, casting a glance at Taylor whose lips were pursed in a knowing smile. Michele couldn't stop the heat that rushed into her cheeks as she thought of the last time they'd been in that situation; the tension she'd felt between herself and Zac, the aching for Taylor that she'd tried so desperately to hide, and then the ride home...after they'd dropped Zac off...and all the things that came after.

"'Cept everything's a lot different this time around," Zac cracked, finishing his pun in high-pitched song. Michele turned to him with a wry grin, but her smile turned sweet and serious when he took her hand and laced his fingers between hers. "Everything's a lot better."

"Yeah," Michele bit her bottom lip as her eyes connected with his and that warmth began to gush through her again. He smiled and pressed his forehead against hers, letting his lips reach out to lightly touch hers. She nearly melted from the tenderness and the way his thumb had begun to gently sweep across the back of her hand. She responded in kind and let her lips close over the corner of his mouth. He smiled against her lips and started to return the favor until the clearing of Taylor's throat snapped them both back to attention. "Sorry," Michele said sheepishly, shyly swiping at her mouth with her fingertips. Zac had turned his gaze out the window to hide the blush creeping onto his cheeks and the coy smile he knew he'd be unable to control. She glanced over at Taylor to find his own cheeks reddened and the workings of a pout playing on his lips.

"Oh, you poor baby," she teased, drawing his gaze momentarily from the road. "You want Zac to kiss you, too?" He only managed to blush more and Zac let out a hearty guffaw before pinching the top of Michele's knee in retaliation.

"No," Taylor said plainly, his lips twisting into a mock pout. "I just don't like being left out, that's all."

"Aw, you poor thing," Michele cooed, pursing her lips close to his ear. She only hesitated a moment before placing her mouth below his ear, dampening his skin with a wet, sucking kiss. "Satisfied."

His piercing eyes met hers, gleaming heavily with lust and mischief. "Never."

"God, this is so perfect," Michele sighed, downing a long swig of the wine cooler she'd ordered as she sat back in the booth.

Alexis nodded her agreement, sitting back as they watched the guys shoot pool with a few friends they'd ran into at Jack's. Michele loved watching the boys together, especially Taylor and Zac. She'd thought for a while that she'd all but ruined their relationship with all the mess they'd been through. So, it sent a jolt of warmth through her to see them acting so...brotherly. She never would've believed it, but it seemed like everything was finally getting back to something resembling normal. She and Zac had restored their relationship, even though it's newfound depth had her feeling quite puzzled at times. And she'd nearly managed to get things straight with Taylor, even though lately she'd found herself wishing they could somehow get back to the way things were. But she wondered if it was even possible for her to have both: a loving, committed relationship with Taylor and a loving, committed friendship with Zac. It all seemed so risky; like it'd be too easy to fall back into that vicious cycle of love and hate they'd spent the better part of a year working through. And that was something she absolutely refused to do. But it was nights like these, when everyone seemed so happy and playful, that made her think that anything was possible.

"Come on, woman," Isaac's Elvis impersonation interrupted her thoughts as he held his hand out to his girlfriend. "Let's go shoot some pool. I'll let you win."

"Well, with an offer like that..." Lexi grinned, taking Ike's hand and sliding out of the booth before turning to Michele. "You wanna play?"

"Nah," Michele waved them off. "I'm just gonna chill for a while." Lexi nodded and she and Isaac headed off in the direction of the pool tables just as Taylor and Zac made their way back. "Ya'll win?"

"Nope," Zac grinned, swiping a nacho from the center of the table.

"Got our asses kicked, as a matter of fact," Taylor supplied as he slid in the booth. Michele grinned and took another swallow of her drink.

"And I'm off for a rematch with Mike at the fooz-ball table," Zac said, gulping down his coke to wash down the handful of chips he'd stuffed in his mouth. He swiftly brushed his greasy lips across Michele's cheek. "Catch ya'll later."

"Bye," Michele and Taylor amended simultaneously, but Zac was already gone, bounding off to find his friend. Michele smiled as she watched him go, mesmerized by his long hair flowing behind him, until a playful tug on her earlobe caught her attention.

"Hey," Taylor smiled, scooting around the circle booth until he was beside her. He turned to face her, stretching his arm out on the seat behind her.

"Hey," she whispered, her eyes trailing over his face. She didn't know if it was the fluorescent lighting or his proximity, but his eyes seemed bluer than she ever remembered them to be. They were cool and penetrating, and drew her deeper into his abyss with every sweeping motion they made over her. "Having a good time?"

"Of course," he smiled; that melt-you-into-a-puddle smile, that *Taylor* smile. "You?"

Michele nodded, draining the remainder of her drink, trying to distract herself. She could vaguely feel his fingers begin to fiddle with the strands of her hair that lay against the seat. She realized she could smell his cologne, that familiar, sexy scent that had permeated everything about her for so long. It seemed like forever since she'd been close enough for that familiarity to wash over her, for the memories to come speeding to the forefront of her mind, but now that they had, it felt like only yesterday since they'd last been together. But her body knew better. Her pulse had been too long without the tempo he always seemed to evoke, her skin too long without the tingle, her belly too long without the euphoria his hot pulsations never failed to send spasming through her.

"Whatcha thinking about?" His voice sounded fuzzy and far away, but like it was resonating from inside her own head.

"Memories," the word spilled before she had a chance to control it. And her eyes turned to his, heavy with the longing, before she could stop them.

"We had some good ones," he whispered, his voice and his eyes mirroring hers. "A lot of good times."

"Yeah," Michele could feel tears begin to well behind her eyes, moved by the wistfullness in his voice and the melancholy she felt in her own. When his fingers moved to smooth her hair behind her ear, she bit her lower lip, daring her chin to quiver. She knew the tears were eminent, with the way he was so lovingly stroking her hair, his eyes filled to the point of bursting with reminiscence.

"Dance with me," he said suddenly.

"What?" she choked, swallowing around the lump she'd discovered had formed in her throat.

He took her hand in his, purposefully curling his fingers with hers and looking sincerely into her eyes. "Dance with me."

Her eyes followed him dazedly as he slid from the booth and offered his hand. She took it wordlessly, his gaze holding her captive as he led her to the center of the room. Her mind barely registered that there were no other couples occupying the floor or that the soft strands of the jukebox could barely be heard from where they stood. But as his arms circled tightly around her waist and drew her against his slender frame, she came to realize that she didn't care. Her arms instinctively went around his neck, her head nestled in the solid crook of his shoulder. It wasn't long before the rest of the room - the rest of the world - faded away. They swayed gently to a melody Michele vaguely recognized as 'Wild Horses,' but she was more caught up in the rhythm of his steady breathing and the sound of the blood swirling hotly through her ears. She completely immersed herself in everything about him: the way his fingers were gently caressing her back through her t-shirt, the sweat-dampened hair her own fingers sifted through behind his neck, the outline of his belt buckle pressing into her stomach, the sinewy strength of his arms and the way her body seemed to meld right into him. Her palm trailed slowly down his chest, stopping when she felt the contours of his ring defined beneath her fingers. She smiled and rested her hand over his heart, letting herself drown in his familiar warmth.

"Yo," Zac's hearty voice broke into their cocoon a few moments later. They separated quickly, Michele wrapping her arms around her suddenly cold frame. "Closing time."

Michele opened her eyes and sighed when she only found the same patch of ceiling she'd been staring at for the better part of the last hour. She'd tossed and turned for a good half hour before finally resorting to lying and staring, waiting for sleep to overcome her. Her mind was running wild, thoughts tainted with swirling images of the night's events. She'd spent the entire drive home listening to Zac's animated tale of his fooz-ball adventures, while Taylor barely spoke a word. But she could feel him beside her, feel his heat and the way her pulse refused to slow down. She'd kissed Zac goodnight when they'd dropped her off, but Taylor's eyes had barely met hers. He'd successfully managed to send her mind into a veritable whirlwind of conflicting emotions and her body into a hollow cavern, aching desperately to be filled.

The shrill ringing of the phone cut into her thoughts. She rolled over, taking note of the late hour on the bedside clock before lifting the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Hi," Taylor's raspy voice crossed the line in a soft whisper. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No," she whispered. "I can't sleep."

"Me neither."

Silence.

"Can I come over?"

Silence.

"Yeah."

Michele lay in bed, her heart pounding, mind racing until she heard the rumbling of Taylor's truck in her driveway. She left her robe on the hook behind the bedroom door and was in the kitchen by the time she heard the screen door creaking. He knocked softly, and Michele stood still for a moment, biting her lower lip and fiddling with the hem of her gown, before moving to slowly open the door.

Taylor crossed the threshold slowly, his boots heavy on the linoleum, and clicked the door shut behind him. His eyes met hers in a heavy gaze and Michele drew in a sharp breath. She saw him swallow thickly, but his eyes never left hers, even as he crossed the kitchen in a few short strides. His arms went around her, tenderly drawing her into his embrace, exhaling a deep sigh when his fingers found the heated skin of her exposed back. Her arms settled carefully on his waist, slipping from his sides around to the small of his back.

"Hey," Michele felt the heat of his breath on her bare shoulder just before the cool wetness of his lips dampened her skin.

"Hi," she said, but the word came out in such a breathy whisper, she wondered if he even heard. But she knew it didn't much matter, not with the way her body was welcoming him in a way her words never could. She was opening herself up to him again, despite that annoying voice in her head that told her not to, and he knew it. So she wasn't very surprised when his lips began to move against her, tracing delicately over the soft skin in the crook of her shoulder. "Tay..." she wanted the word to serve as a protest, but it escaped in a whimpering sigh and only managed to encourage him. His lips trailed up her neck and along her jaw before closing over her mouth and silencing any further objections. She accepted his mouth with the slightest hint of hesitation, letting his lips move over hers for a moment before she began to respond.

And once she did, she knew there'd be no turning back. She felt her body flood with need for him and the way he was holding her so tenderly sent a wave of desire through her. She was aching - her body and her soul - and she wanted him to fulfill her. He traced a finger delicately down her spine, sending a tremor through her entire body and she sighed into his mouth, her body leaning into his as she felt her knees go weak. He opened his mouth and the slide of his tongue against hers was the last straw. She responded hungrily, sucking on his tongue as his hands slid down to her ass and pulled her against the arousal that was straining against his jeans.

"Oh, Tay..." Her lips broke from his and traveled along his jaw, thoroughly assaulting his skin with her tongue as his hands continued their own journey at the hem of her gown. His palms gently rubbed along her thighs, generating a friction that nearly drove her insane, before slipping beneath the silky hem. The coolness of his fingers tracing along the heated skin of her hips made her flinch and he dropped his lips back down to her ear.

"Please, baby..." His teeth nipped at the sensitive skin below her ear, his tongue darting to soothe the tiny indentions when she whimpered. "Please God...don't stop..."

"Taylor..." she breathed, her eyelids fluttering; stopping was the absolute last thing on her mind - the fire had already been ignited. Her hands tangled in the sweaty hair behind his neck and she attached her lips to the pulse below his jaw, moved by the wanton pace of his blood.

"I need you..." he breathed, one hand slipping from the warmth beneath her gown to capture one of hers. He slid her hand between their pressed abdomens, guiding it to cover the heated bulge that stretched the fabric behind his zipper. A gravelly moan escaped his throat as her hand closed around him and she ran her palm down his length. "We both do..."

Despite the intensity of the moment, Michele couldn't help the half-smirk that crept onto her lips. But she knew she couldn't deny that she knew exactly how he felt. As much as her body was desperate for his to quell the aching that had been building since the last time they'd been together, the rest of her was suffering as well. She needed to feel that heat and passion and love that only comes from making love with someone who feels just as desperate and empty. And she knew Taylor did. She could see it in his eyes and feel it in the way his hands were groping and tender at the same time.

Michele withdrew her lips from his neck and his eyes snapped to hers. She bit her lower lip as her lust-heavy eyes bore into his, pouring her emotion into him with every flicker of her eyelids. She saw his throat bob as he swallowed and he took his hand from hers, letting her fingers crawl above his belt and underneath his shirt. Her eyes stayed trained on his, never flinching, even as she heard the jingling of his belt buckle and the whisk of his zipper as he freed himself with one hand. Her palm flattened on his stomach and her tongue instinctively wet her lips when she felt his torrid flesh against her stomach. The thin silk of her gown was no match for his throbbing heat. Her hand drifted to close around him and she saw the composure slip from his eyes.

"Baby..." Her breath and her eyes exposed her approval and Taylor's hands had maneuvered through the lace of her panties before the word had barely left her lips, sending the wispy fabric floating down her legs. His fingers found her wetness and her knees buckled against him, Taylor taking the opportunity to drop them both to the floor. Her knees arched for him, and she slid his jeans halfway down his hips as he nestled himself between her legs. His lips found hers and muffled a long, throaty moan as he sank slowly into her. Michele raised her hips to meet him, her back arching at the welcome invasion. "Oh God, Taylor..." Michele closed her eyes as Taylor began to move within her and the white, blinding numbness of utter satisfaction began to cloud her senses. "God, you feel so good..."

"Ugh, you are so fucking tight, baby..." Taylor growled in her ear as he covered her body with his, supporting his weight on his elbows. He could feel the stiff peaks of her nipples against his chest every time he thrust against her and the sensation was incredible, only moving to further heighten the tension that was building in his groin each time he dove into her. "Fuck baby, I can't...I'm gonna..."

"Come on, baby," she breathed, biting her lower lip and stifling a moan as he began to plunge furiously into her and her inner walls stretched to accommodate him. Tears slipped unnoticed down her cheeks as he reached depths that had long been untouched, waiting for the perfection that only his immensity could provide. She felt his tongue lap at the wetness trailing down her jaw and she couldn't help but succumb to the pleasure. She clenched her eyes as the tremors ignited in her belly and the brilliant shattering of red oblivion began to burst behind her eyelids.

Michele let all conscious thought drift from her body when she felt his hot seed spill inside her. Her entire body seemed to fill with his warmth as his exhausted body collapsed on hers. Her name fell in breathy whispers from his lips and her arms went around him to hold him tenderly to her breast as his pants reduced to sighs and their synchronous trembling eased. Her fingers languidly raked through his sweaty hair as the tears came again and her body began to swell with utter emotion and feeling.

And later, as they lay in the dark stillness of her bedroom with a fine sheen of sweat glazing their skin and the scent of their sex enshrouding them, Michele's only thought was that she never wanted to think again. Feeling felt much too good to let frivolous thoughts interrupt her bliss. As long as Taylor's arm stayed loosely draped around her waist and the faint pattering of his heart fluttered against her back, she knew nothing could ever be anything but right.

Michele squinted against the slats of light filtering through her blinds. She caught a blurry glimpse of the bedside clock and stretched lazily, a small smile tickling at the corners of her mouth as memories began to creep through the haziness of her wakefulness. She rolled over, her eyes fluttering open to the deep blue she knew would be there.

Her brow furrowed, however, when her gaze landed upon the starchness of bare white sheets. Her hand instinctively groped for the missing warmth, but her frown evened out when she remembered. Taylor had left quite early that morning, before the first rays of the sun had even begun to stretch above the horizon, before there was any chance his brother might already be up.

'You know I love you,' he'd said, standing on her back porch, the impending dawn throwing alternate shadows over his skin and making him even more impossibly beautiful. He'd touched her cheek with his delicate fingertips, drawing every shiver her body held. She'd nodded imperceptibly, but she knew he understood. After the night they'd spent together, she knew he could never doubt her feelings for him.

She rolled back over and tucked the sheet up beneath her chin, closing her eyes to the sun's invading warmth and the memories that wouldn't let her go.

"Ta Da," Zac grinned cheekily as he produced a piece of plastic from his back pocket, holding it up between his fingers for Michele to see.

"You look like a dork," she said dryly, trying her best to act unimpressed. She snatched the card from him to get a better look.

"Hey," he said, snatching it back. "Everyone looks like a dork on their license picture - fact of nature."

"Yeah, well, you look like a bigger dork than most," she teased, even though it was the farthest thing from the truth, and stood on her tip toes to plant a tiny kiss on his lips. "But I'm proud of you anyway."

"Why, thank you," he grinned widely. "So, let's go."

"Go?" Michele knit her brow. "We didn't have plans, did we?"

"We do now," he smiled, waving his newly acquired license in the air. "So, come on," he tugged impatiently at her shirt sleeve as he tried to shuffle anxiously to the door.

"Za-ac," she whined, but he shot her the puppy dog eyes and pout he knew always won her over. This time was no exception. "At least let me change first."

"You're fine," he insisted, even though she was barefoot and wearing an oversized t-shirt and boxers. He slid his fingertips smoothly down her arm, lacing them with her own. "Let's just drive."

Michele couldn't resist his sweet smile or the hint of mischief gleaming in his eyes. "Promise not to kill me?" she smiled wryly.

"Ha ha," he grinned as he led her onto the back porch, releasing her hand momentarily so she could lock the door behind her. He took it again as they descended the steps, Michele cautiously avoiding any damp spots in her bare feet. He opened the passenger side of his Jeep, placing his hand on the small of her back as she climbed in. "Buckle up," he grinned when he slid in the driver's side.

"Gladly," she smirked and he peeled out of the driveway going much faster than the narrow country road really allowed for. He sped down the highway, the speedometer needle hovering first 10 then 20 miles above the posted speed limit. Michele had gathered her long hair in her hands to keep it from whipping about her face, but she quickly released it and gripped the sides of the seat as Zac sped up. "Zachary," she screamed.

"What?" he called over the roar of the wind, grinning when Michele turned to him with wide eyes, her hair flapping wildly all around her. He laughed and she punched him in the arm. She gathered her hair back in one hand, unable to keep a smile from playing on her lips as she glanced over at Zac.

"You are a frickin' maniac, Zac Hanson," Michele yelled as she hopped out of the Jeep once Zac had parked it at his intended destination: the small pond on the back side of the park.

"I try," he shrugged, raising his hands to fend off Michele's playful attack. "Hey, I only promised I wouldn't kill you. Not scaring you to death was not part of the contract."

"You ass," she stuck her tongue out at him but took his outstretched hand as they descended the bank to sit at the water's edge. Zac found a suitable patch of grass and plopped down first, guiding Michele to sit between his outstretched legs. He pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her as she nestled her head back into the crook of his neck.

"So, how'd I do?" Zac asked after they'd sat in silence for a few moments. The stillness of the pond and it's surroundings had lulled a quiet, contented aura around them and they savored it's peacefulness.

"You were about a 9 on the scare-o-meter, so I'd say..." she paused in contemplation. "...pretty good."

"Awesome," he laughed and she giggled. He tightened his arms around her, nuzzling his face into her neck. "I'm sorry I scared you."

"It's okay," she sighed, breathing in the scent of his cologne mixed with the slightest hint of soap. "I trust you."

"See, I *knew* there was something wrong with you," he teased and she elbowed him in the stomach. He only grasped her tighter and planted a playful bite on her shoulder in retaliation. The comfort with which she sat so playfully close to Zac was all at once intoxicating and unsettling. He evoked such a tumble of emotions that it almost made her dizzy to think about them. But she couldn't help the fact that as carefree as she felt on the outside, she was swimming in indecision on the inside. And she couldn't help but be afraid that, somehow, she'd managed to fuck everything up again. She wondered vaguely as Zac's breath tickled her ear if she should tell him that she'd spent the previous night with his brother. Visions of the last time she'd been in such a predicament forced themselves behind her eyes and she tried to blink them away. Being open and honest would be the practical thing to do, but she'd tried that before and Zac hadn't taken the news any better. But then again, she knew things were different now. Zac was different, now. And that of course, opened an entirely new set of worries. Zac *was* different; their relationship was different. And telling him about Taylor might be the only thing that could ever keep his lips from touching hers in the way they had been, and frankly, that was a chance she wasn't willing to take.

"Whatcha thinking about?" his warm, sultry-around-the-edges voice drew her back into reality.

"I just...I wish I could've been here for your birthday," Michele said wistfully, absently tangling her fingers with his.

"Hell, *I* wasn't even here for my birthday," he smirked. "We were in Chicago, I think. Or maybe Detroit. I can't remember."

"Still, I would've liked to have been there," she said. "We could've celebrated."

"We are celebrating," he said, resting his chin on her shoulder. "We took the Jeep out for the first time...well, legally, anyway." Michele grinned. "And now we're here, enjoying each other's company. Seems pretty perfect to me."

"Yeah, it is pretty nice," she tilted her head to look at him, biting her lower lip thoughtfully. Just a few short months ago, she had all but given up hope that she and Zac would ever speak again, much less fall back into their usual relationship routines. And the transition had occurred so easily and so smoothly, it was like nothing had ever happened. They'd truly picked up right where they left off. And while she knew there were still feelings to be talked about and details to be worked through, she was resigned to let them slip to the depths of her mind for now and just enjoy being close to Zac again.

When she became focused back in the present once again, Michele came to realize just exactly how close she and Zac were. His face was mere inches from hers; so close she could feel his raspy breath on her lips. His soft eyes were washing over her face, delicately stopping at and re-memorizing each feature, and she couldn't help but do the same. She didn't think it was possible for someone to change as much as Zac had, and still remain the same.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered and her eyes closed involuntarily as his lips found their way to her temple, gently brushing her blush-heated skin.

"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes fluttering open as she realized his kisses were slowly feathering down to her ear. "Zac?"

"Hmm?" His fingertips gently swept her hair over her shoulder, allowing his lips to trail to the smooth skin of her neck. "I'm just admiring," he mumbled, his lips forming into a smile against her skin when she subconsciously arched her neck, allowing him greater access.

Michele closed her eyes again, a languid smile stretching across her face as his lips continued their gentle exploring. There was something so loving, so pure and innocent, in his gesture that she couldn't bring herself to stop him. And she had to admit, she rather enjoyed the feel of his soft lips brushing her skin and the weight of his palm resting on her hip. She knew she probably shouldn't let him kiss her this way, but she was too drowsy with the security of his strong arms around her and the rhythmic caress of his lips to really care. And when he tilted her chin with his finger to let his warm mouth cover hers, she pushed the ambivalence to the back of her mind. She accepted his lips without hesitation, parting her own to take them in. His mouth moved gently, but deliberately over hers with a self-assurance she didn't know he possessed. She immersed herself in the warm caress of his lips against hers, sighing with their delicacy and affection. His lips were soft and tasted sweet, and the nagging realization of how his mouth felt so different than Taylor's crept into her mind. She squeezed the thought from her head when she felt Zac sigh and resumed her attentions solely on him.

She felt the beginnings of a shiver at the base of her spine when the tip of his tongue timidly touched her bottom lip. She briefly opened her eyes to find his clenched in concentration and a tiny smile worked it's way to the corners of her mouth. So, she slowed her movements and let him take control of the kiss. His tongue darted again, this time drawing a tiny lick against her top lip. He repeated his newly discovered delectation and Michele couldn't keep herself from responding. She opened her mouth and nearly died from the perfection when his tongue bravely made it's way inside. His inexperience was evident, but his insistence made up for it. He thoroughly plundered her mouth, gently searching and uncovering each new crevice of pleasure. She let him familiarize himself with the sensation before slipping her own tongue into the mix. A guttural groan she'd never heard from him escaped his throat when her tongue touched his. She only probed deeper, returning the favor and relishing in the shudder she felt sweep through his body. Michele gasped into his mouth when his hand splayed around her hip and tugged her closer against him. His other hand cupped her jaw, holding her tenderly, but steady, as his tongue continued it's languid dance with hers.

Zac broke the lingering kiss with a contented sigh, resting his heated forehead against hers as he licked his lips, savoring her taste. She smiled when she felt his hot breath gasping against her lips.

"That was nice," Michele whispered, biting her lower lip as he pressed his lips against her forehead. He merely nodded and gathered her back into his embrace, his body still recovering from the trembles. She nestled her head back into the crook of his neck, smiling when she felt his racing pulse. He tightened his arms around her and she curled her knees up to her chest to snuggle closer to him.

They sat that way, lost in their thoughts and each other, until the sky became awash with color as the sun began it's descent towards the horizon. When the sun had set far enough below the trees to cast a darkened shadow over the pond, they decided it was time to go. Michele slipped reluctantly from Zac's comforting embrace and playfully tugged on his hands to help him stand. He draped his arms around her shoulders and she circled hers around his back as they met in a final embrace before beginning the trek back to the Jeep.

Zac drove slower in the waning light and Michele placed her hand over his as he maneuvered the gear shift. He took his eyes from the road momentarily to meet hers in a sweet smile as they headed back toward her house.

"Here, let me," Zac said softly as Michele attempted to open her door after he'd pulled into her driveway and parked. He shrugged out of his seat belt and hopped out, circling around to escort her out. He took her hand as she stepped from the Jeep and she smiled in appreciation. Michele slipped her spare key from beneath the flower pot beside the door, brushing her dew-dampened feet on the welcome mat as she inserted it into the lock.

"You wanna come in for a while?" She turned to him after she slipped in the back door. Though a slight smile was playing on her lips, her insides were engaged in a veritable tug of war. She wanted Zac to come in, so they could continue making up for all the time they'd lost, but she didn't know what he'd expect. She didn't really know what *she* expected. Though it certainly wasn't their first, or even their most intense, their kiss at the pond had really thrown her for a loop. And while it hadn't been laden with enticing sexual undertones, it was full of something that scared her even more: a tenderness and admiration built on a foundation of love. She couldn't deny the fact that she loved Zac with all her heart, but it had always been a best friend kind of love. And the thought that it could be developing into something more simply scared her shitless.

"Nah, I should probably be getting back," he shrugged and Michele couldn't help but feel a tiny bit relieved. "I told Mom I was only gonna be out for a little while."

"Yeah, she'll be worried," Michele said, subconsciously shifting from one foot to the other. "And I kinda got a lot of stuff to do. I sorta wanna fix the place up a little, since I might be staying for a while this time."

"You could always stay with us, you know," Zac smiled, unable to keep the hint of mischief from creeping into his eyes. "We'd love to have you."

"I'm sure you would," she smiled wryly, causing Zac to grin and slightly blush when he realized the suggestiveness of his seemingly innocent offer. "But I could use your help, with the painting and all, if you're up for it."

"I'm always u..." he closed his mouth before letting another provocative, or slightly perverted, statement slip. "Um, I'd love to."

Michele was near the point of laughter and almost had to cup her hand over her mouth to contain her giggles. "Okay, I'll call you tomorrow and we can get together," she tried unsuccessfully to stifle a smile.

"Cool," he smiled. They stood awkwardly for a moment, Zac unsure if a good bye hug or kiss was in order. Deciding not to embarrass himself further, he started to turn. "So, I guess I'll see you..."

"Hey," she said softly, reaching for his hand and catching his fingers between hers. "Come here." He turned to her and she cupped her palm along his jaw, pulling his lips down to hers. She touched her lips to his gently, affording him a brief taste of her tongue before she slipped away. "See you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow."

Michele walked into her bedroom, tugging off her sweaty t-shirt as she went. She'd spent the few hours after Zac had left cleaning voraciously in the living room and kitchen. She felt bad for lying to Zac, or at least not telling him the whole truth. Both he and Taylor knew she'd be in Tulsa for a least a few more weeks, but she'd neglected to tell them the real reason why: she'd requested a transfer back to the agency's Tulsa office and was waiting to hear if it was granted. She wasn't ready to let them know just yet. She didn't want to get their hopes up in case the transfer was rejected, and she didn't want them to feel guilty if they found out she'd receive a pay cut and a demotion in the process. And even though her life was as confusing as it had ever been since she'd been back in town, she felt assured that Tulsa was where she needed, and wanted, to be.

She slipped her shorts off as well, tossing them and her shirt into a messy pile in the bathroom. Just as she reached for the nozzles on the tub, she heard her cell phone ring. She scampered back into the kitchen, picking it up from her desk.

"Hey sexy," Taylor's voice crossed the line in a pseudo seductive growl. Michele rolled her eyes as she walked back down the hall to finish getting ready for her bath. She felt that familiar ache course through her as she passed through the bedroom and the tangled sheets matted in the center of the bed beckoned to her and brought forth memories she'd spent the entire day trying to forget.

"Hey horny," she teased as she turned the water on, testing it with her wrist before placing the stopper in.

"Ha ha," she could just see him smirking on the other end. Suprisingly, the awkwardness she expected to feel never came. All she felt was an overwhelming sense of contentment. "Hey, is that water running? Are you taking a bath?"

"Yes, Taylor," she said slowly and deliberately, like she was speaking to a small child. "It's called hygiene."

"Oh," he played along, pretending to be surprised. "So, what are you wearing?"

"Taylor!" She rolled her eyes again, tucking the phone between her ear and shoulder so she could slip out of her panties and bra. "So, you called for a reason?"

"Yep," he began. "I was just sitting here aimlessly flipping through the channels trying to find something to watch on this godforsaken fallacy that we call a cable system, when my little brother strolled through the front door."

"And?" Michele asked, tensing slightly as she slid into the steamy water of her bath. She leaned her head against the back of the tub, letting the hot water relax her aching muscles.

"Hey, are you in the tub now? I thought I heard the water rustling. Are you.."

"Yes, Taylor. I'm in the tub and I'm buck ass naked. Now get on with the story," she admonished, even though a grin was curling her lips. She was feeling carefree and sexy and much too content to let any heavy emotions worm their way into her thoughts. And the seductive smile she knew was playing on his lips and in his eyes was enough to drive all the uneasiness away.

"Okay, anyway, I'm sitting here and Zac walks in...whistling," he said pointedly. "He was whistling, Michele."

"And that has what to do with me?" Michele asked, though she had a pretty good idea of what Taylor was getting at.

"Zac never whistles. He's too moody and brooding to whistle," Taylor said. "Kinda makes me wonder..."

"Wonder what?" Michele grinned innocently through the warmth that flushed onto her cheeks.

"What you guys have been up to this afternoon," he said mischievously. "You haven't been seducing my little brother now have you?"

"No seduction necessary," Michele said huskily and she could just see Taylor choking on his spit on the other end. "Zac was quite the willing little participant. Well, maybe not exactly little..."

"Please God, tell me you're joking, Chely," Taylor made fake gagging noises and Michele rolled her eyes. "I don't think I could handle that."

"I'm only teasing, Taylor," she laughed. "You know Zac and I are just friends."

"Yeah, well, he came home looking mighty happy," Tay said. "I was just wondering what was up."

"Nothing's up," she smiled, remembered Zac's almost-comment from earlier. "We just went for a drive and hung out at the park for a few hours. Nothing major. You're not jealous, are you?"

"No," he said pointedly, but she could tell he was smiling. "Well, maybe a little..."

"Taylor..."

"Well," he defended, "there's certain...parts...of you that I don't wanna share with him."

"Parts, eh?" Michele smirked at Taylor's choice of words.

"You know what I mean," his voice turned soft and serious and Michele leaned her head back and sighed. She could just see Taylor's pleading blue eyes on the other end. "I know that you love him and that you guys are really close, but...when we make love, it's like...that's a part of you that he doesn't have. It's this special thing that's only between us - that you give to only me and I give to only you."

"You have nothing to be jealous of Taylor," she whispered, trying to control the wavering that was threatening to take over her voice. "It's only you. It's always been you."

"I love you, Michele," he breathed as the first tear rippled into the water.

"I love you, too."

"So, where do we start?" Michele asked, her hands on her hips, as she and Zac stood in the center of her spare bedroom. She'd been using the room for storage, but decided to turn it into a home office since she knew she'd be staying in Tulsa for a while. Presently, the room was stacked with dusty cardboard boxes and spare furniture and she'd enlisted Zac to help her clean it out.

"How 'bout we go order a pizza and talk about it in the kitchen?" he suggested with a grin. He stuck his tongue out at Michele when she playfully punched him in the arm. "Okay, okay. Geez..."

"I thought you wanted to help me, Zacky," Michele play pouted and poked out her lower lip, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest to complete the effect.

"I do," he smiled sugarly, and then leaned forward to capture her pouty lip between his own for the briefest hint of a moment. But he got the smile he was hoping for and grinned cheekily in response. "Let's get to work."

Around an hour later, the two had managed to clear the room of all the large items of furniture and were working on sifting through the myriad of cardboard boxes, trying to decide which articles to save and which to trash.

"What about this?" Zac asked, trying to keep his grin from spreading. He held up the item in question, a yellow t-shirt spattered with huge blotches of red and blue paint.

"Oh," Michele squealed, snatching the shirt from Zac's grasp and gazing at it lovingly. "This is my paintball shirt. I designated it after the first time you beat me."

"The first time of many, might I add," Zac grinned.

"Butthead," Michele swatted at him playfully, her eyes smiling as waves of reminiscence passed through her. "We have a lot of good memories, don't we?"

"Yep," he said, sliding over to sit beside her and bumping his shoulder against hers. Michele laid the shirt across her lap and continued rifling through the box that sat before her. It was filled mostly with pictures; some in albums, some in cigar boxes and some floating loosely through the pile. Zac settled his chin on Michele's shoulder as she began sifting through the pictures, each one bringing memories more precious than the last.

"'Member that?" Zac lightly touched his fingertips to the smiling faces in the photograph Michele was holding. The two of them smiled back, arms thrown haphazardly around each other amidst a backdrop of thick trees. "The first time we all went camping together."

"The first time we kissed," Michele whispered, that particular memory outweighing any of the others.

"Yeah, it was, wasn't it?" he said softly, his eyes trailing from the picture up to her face as the memory planted itself in his mind.

"Yeah," she tilted her face into the mere inches that separated them, smiling slightly when she almost bumped his nose with hers. His eyes were drifting from hers down to her lips and she licked them subconsciously, anticipating the kiss she knew was waiting behind his heavy eyes. Right on cue, his full lips reached out to touch hers and she nearly melted from the tenderness as they began to move sweetly against hers.

"That was nice," she whispered, biting her lower lip as a blush worked it's way onto her cheeks.

"All our kisses are nice," he corrected, tucking her hair behind her ear and smiling sweetly. Michele returned his grin with one of her own, unable to argue with his logic. "We should probably get back to work, huh?"

"Probably," she said, trying to muster some conviction. At the moment, Zac looked a hell of lot more enticing than stuffy old cardboard boxes.

"Probably," he amended, grinning wickedly as his lips met hers again.

"How about here?" Zac breathed, sweat dripping into his eyes, his chest heaving with ragged breaths.

"I don't know..." Michele smiled inwardly, secretly relishing in the sight of him breathless and sweaty, hunched over the heavy wooden desk they'd been trying to position. "I don't think that's close enough to the outlet." She placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head in contemplation.

"So, put it by the window," Zac exasperated, his frustration showing through the calm demeanor he was trying to keep up. He knew a scowl was creasing his features, but he was hot and tired and sweaty; and the way Michele was standing there, hip slung out to the side and t-shirt tied up above her navel, was making him think of more exciting ways to get hot, tired, and sweaty.

Michele turned, scrutinizing the window and it's view. "It would fit.." she mused. "Maybe that is the best place for it. Yeah, let's put it there."

"*I've* already had it there once," he growled, lifting on one end of the desk and shifting it around as he continued mumbling under his breath. Michele only smirked at him, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched him struggle with the desk. He glared up at her and she grinned. "You're liking this, aren't you? You like watching me struggle and sweat."

"Maybe I do," she said suggestively, raising her eyebrows as she sauntered towards him. His eyes dropped down the length of her body as she walked and he smiled appreciatively. Her hands found the sweat dampened t-shirt at his shoulders and she fitted her body against his, his arms around her waist holding her securely. Her mouth found his instantly, not waiting for the approving glances they usually shared before their lips met. Fueled by the heat and sweat in the room, it didn't take long for the languid kiss to become ardent. Zac sought her mouth hungrily, no longer impeded by hesitance or insecurity. Michele responded in kind, separating her lips to accommodate his roving tongue before letting her own slide against his.

Michele's mind threatened to wander as his mouth devoured hers and she tried to make sense of what was happening. She knew that standing there with Zac, her body tightly reigned against his and her tongue in his mouth, was not what she'd expected to become of the afternoon. But now that the torch had been lit, she decided that she rather liked it. She liked the feeling of warmth and familiarity in her belly mixed with the tingles and shivers that danced along her spine. She liked his heat, the smell of his sweat mingled with her own. She liked the barely perceptible shudder that she felt go through him when her hands swept through his hair. She liked the way it felt to kiss him and have him kiss her back.

Zac pulled himself away from her slightly and Michele frowned against his mouth until she felt his hands tugging at the knot that protruded between them. Once it was released, she was back in his arms, surrounded by his warmth and reveling in the relentless play of his lips against hers.

"Zac...Zac..." she fumbled a few moments later, hindered by his persistent mouth, when it became clear that furniture arranging was not on his agenda for the rest of the afternoon's activities. "...the desk..."

"The desk!" he broke away with a gasp, a mischievous idea playing in his gleaming eyes. He spun Michele around and her eyes widened in surprise when her backside came in contact with the edge of the desk. His mouth was back on hers before she had time to question him further and she momentarily gave in to his kisses. It was only when his hands splayed along her hips and lifted her slightly up to rest on top of the desk that she began to protest.

"Zac! What're you...?" her objections were lost when he pressed his pelvis into hers and guided her legs to rest alongside his hips. She resignedly melded her mouth back onto his, sighing when his arms tugged her ever closer, letting her feel the outline of him beneath his sweaty clothes. His body against hers was a perfection she never wanted to let go of.

But he did. He pulled away, his eyes flashing and his perpetually full lips swollen with kisses. "Scoot back," he breathed, his forehead against hers, his breath hot and heavy. It took Michele a second to fully comprehend what he meant, but when she felt his gentle prodding, she slid back on the desk, her eyes wide with amazement and lust. Zac released her long enough to climb onto the desk, bracing his arms at her sides as she lay back on the cool wood. Michele's hands went back around his shoulders as he lowered himself atop her, nestling his body between her splayed legs as his mouth fused back to hers.

Michele pushed Zac's hair behind his ears as their mouths continued their furious battle, each aching for the warmth and perfection of the other's. She whimpered when his lips left hers, but sighed when they began to work along the underside of her jaw. She arched her neck as his tongue traced the curve of her ear and then trailed down to taste the tiny rivulets of sweat that had pooled in the hollow of her throat. When he attempted to bring his lips back to hers, she cupped her hands beneath his jaw and lifted his chin to place her mouth over his Adam's apple. He swallowed thickly when he felt the dampness of her mouth against his skin. A gravelly moan escaped his lips when she began to suck on the sensitive area. She smiled at the shiver that coursed through him and instinctively tightened her body against his, eliciting another half-stifled groan as his lips found hers again, sealing them into their own self-imposed bliss.

The desk creaked when Zac abruptly tore himself away from Michele and rolled over onto his back. They both lay there, panting and sweating, trying to regain control of their raging pulse and savor ever ounce of pleasure they'd created between them. Michele's mind was racing, blurred by satisfaction, quenched white by the gratification of finally feeling full.

"God, Zac," she turned to him, out of breath and wide-eyed with amazement.

"I know," he breathed, his eyes meeting hers, heavy with lust and satisfaction. He draped an arm along her waist, noticing for the first time that her shirt was clinging, damp with sweat, and that his own body was practically drenched in perspiration. But despite the heat in the room and the warmth emanating from their own bodies, Michele pressed herself against him, snuggling into his loose embrace. Her knee instinctively curled against him and brushed against the hardness that had swollen behind the zipper of his khaki shorts. She couldn't tell if a blush rushed onto his cheeks because they were already flushed red, but she knew an extra dose of warmth crept onto her own cheeks. Her eyes flitted over his face, from the pricklets of sweat dotting his upper lip to the lush heaviness in his eyes. His lips were swollen and she suspected her own were, too. Her eyes fluttered when his fingertips came to gently graze her warm lips as his eyes glue to them, loving them, loving the way they look and the way they made him feel. He became overwhelmed with the sudden urge to devour her, to have her completely. So, he cupped her jaw with one large hand and licked his lips before closing his mouth back over hers.

"So I say we had a pretty productive afternoon, eh?" Zac mumbled, his mouth full of greasy cheese pizza. The spare bedroom had been finally been converted and the two were enjoying a late afternoon lunch on the living room floor.

"Productive?" Michele smirked, taking a swig of her Dr. Pepper. "Is that what they're call it these days?"

"Ha ha," he laughed, twirling a long mass of stringy cheese around his pointer finger before shoving it into Michele's mouth. She accepted the sudden snack and grabbed his hand, playfully sucking on his finger as it slid from her mouth.

"Mmm," he murmured, leaning over to capture her lips, his tongue briefly tasting the delectation they'd shared. "Taste good?"

"Mmm," Michele smiled, licking her lips as he pulled away. "Very good." She leaned back against the couch and sighed, unable to comprehend the afternoon's events. All she could wrangle from the twists of emotions filling her mind was that this was a feeling she wanted to hold on to. She stretched her arms above her head, cringing when a sudden shot of pain ran through her lower back.

"What is it?" Zac asked, instantly concerned by her furrowed brow. "Your back hurt?"

"Yeah," she grimaced, then tainted it with a smile. "Must've been the desk."

"Boy, you are just full of funny today, aren't you?" he said, getting to his feet and wiping his hands on his shorts as his shirt was laying in a pile under the coffee table. "Come on," he held his hands out to her. "I've got the perfect remedy."

Michele looked at him curiously, but took his hands and let him pull her carefully to her feet. He turned and began leading her down the hallway towards the bedroom. "And what exactly did you have in mind?" she smirked as they turned the corner into her room.

"World famous Zac Hanson massage," he said proudly, puffing his chest out a little to complete the effect. "My lady.." he gestured grandly to the bed.

"I wasn't aware that existed," Michele said as she crawled onto the bed, sighing as she sank into the softness of her down comforter. The thought that her sheets might still smell like Taylor vaguely crossed her mind, but she pushed it away when she felt the bed shift and the springs creak as Zac climbed on.

"Yep," he said, slipping off one of her socks and chunking it over his shoulder before working on the other. "And I'm pretty damn good at it, if I do say so myself."

"Is that so?"

"Yep," he said, sliding up the bed, letting his hands trail along her bare calves before tickling the back of her knees, his fingers teasing along the hem of her shorts, sending a shiver of delight up her spine. "Perfected my technique on tour."

"Oh really?" Michele said with more surprise than she'd intended. She suddenly wondering exactly what had happened during the tour. The thought that Zac might've done...stuff...with other girls made her stomach churn. She didn't want to think of him with someone else, someone who didn't know him like she did.

"I'm only teasing," his breath hovered above her ear, falling in raspy warm waves. She felt his weight settle lightly on the backs of her thighs and she released a ragged sigh when his hands came to rest on her back. He began to knead her muscles slowly and deliberately and Michele found herself amazed at how good it actually felt. After a few moments of circular motions across her shoulder blades and down her spine, his hands moved to tease around her waist. He paused a moment, waiting for any sort of protest, before slipping his hands underneath her shirt. Her skin grew warm beneath his roving hands and she shifted to raise her shirt up a little to allow him better access. His hands trailed from her shoulders, down over her bra and back up again, Michele reveling in the rhythmic motion

"Chely?" Her name was the request and she nodded. He pushed her shirt up to her shoulders, Michele reaching behind her to tug it over her head. She tossed the shirt to the side and it fell forgotten to the floor. "That's better," his voice accompanies his lips between her shoulder blades as his hands begin to relish her. He drew long, soothing strokes over her bare skin, applying the exact amount of pressure to release her tensed muscles and soak up the heat from her skin. Michele moaned in appreciation as his fingers worked over her back, exploring every inch of exposed skin. His hands traced the outline of her bra, occasionally slipping beneath the straps to test the warmth there.

Michele closed her eyes when it became evident what his intentions were. Her mind fought battles with itself, each side trying to convince her to give in. She couldn't deny how good she felt, how good *Zac* felt. But she he could still feel Taylor in her bed, feel the remnants of the love they made the night before. But even as she felt the gentle tugging on the clasp of her bra and then the freedom as it was released, she can't bring herself to stop him. His palms flattened over her warm skin and Michele suddenly realized how aware of everything she was: the calluses on the tips of his fingers, the sudden weight of him, the smell of shampoo and sweat, the swift intakes of air and the gentle sighs as he smoothed his hands along her skin. His hands trailed from the small of her back, over her shoulders and then down her sides, each sweep growing in fervor and warmth. Michele felt herself begin to lose control of her emotions and when she felt his fingertips gently brush over the swell of her breasts as they pressed against the mattress, she knew she had to stop.

"Zac, wait..." she lifted slightly off the bed, enough for him to take the hint and swing his leg from around her. He sat on his knees, panting and confused as Michele stood with her back to him and hooked her bra back around her trembling frame.

"What's wrong?" She heard him swallow thickly and a wave of disappointment shot through her. But she didn't turn around; she wasn't prepared for the consequences if she did.

"Zac..I...we can't..." She swallowed around the lump in her own throat as she heard the squeak of the bed and the soft pad of his feet on the carpet. She sucked in her breath when she felt his heat behind her.

"Why?" His voice was gentle and calm, soothing and sultry. "I thought you liked it. I thought you wanted to."

"I do," she whimpered, betraying any willpower she had.

"Then what's wrong?" he coaxed, his voice accompanied by his hand on her back, rubbing soothing strokes over her feverish skin. Michele finally turned around, her eyes heavy when they met his gaze.

"Maybe now, I'm the one who's scared..." She bit her lower lip and looked at him through pleading and vulnerable eyes. He half-smiled and smoothed nonexistent fly-aways behind her ear, letting his fingers linger along her jaw.

"Well maybe," he locked his eyes deliberately with hers. "there's no reason to be."

"But, Zac.."

"Shhh," His mouth close to hers stole her breath and her chest began to heave with anticipation and want. He cupped her jaw in his hand and subconsciously licked his lips. "Just...shhh...." Michele closed her eyes as his lips met hers and the rest of the world faded away.

The dull sound of a passing car horn from the highway roused Michele from a light sleep. She opened her eyes to the darkness of her bedroom, the purplish-orange light glowing from the window signaling that dawn was quickly approaching. She needed to turn over to her bedside clock to see exactly how soon she'd have to get up for work, but she couldn't get her body to move. She felt too comfortable, too safe and content, too perfect surrounded by Zac's strong embrace.

She sighed, her eyes fluttering against his chest as she stretched her arm across his bare stomach. Her eyes closed slowly when she became aware of the even rhythm of his heart beneath her cheek. She smiled, thinking of the last time she remembered feeling his heartbeat, only then it had been fast and furious, driven by heat and passion. A faint smattering of heat rushed onto her cheeks as she thought of the scene that had played out only hours earlier. She remembered the way she'd shamelessly draped her body atop his, letting her tongue make itself it at home in his mouth. She remembered his hands, tender yet insistent as they familiarized themselves with her body. She remembered feeling the slopes and ripples of his own body as he lay panting and wide-eyed beneath her. She remembered the shrill ringing of the telephone beside her bed, the disappointment and relief as she picked it up and her brother's voice came through the other end. Zac had let his hand reach out and settle on her bare back as she sat on the edge of the bed, and she remembered the shiver that ran down her spine. She remembered wondering if it was from his touch or from the thought of what they might've done had the phone not rang.

"Hey," he croaked and she lifted her head to look into his sleepy eyes. A small smile was playing on his mouth and she couldn't help but smile back. A silent exchange passed between them, relaying an unspoken approval and contentment at the previous night's events. Michele returned her cheek back to his chest, but not before gently touching her lips over the steady thumping beneath her fingers.

"You gotta work today?" His voice was still and calm, not disturbing the sereneness of their morning.

"Yeah," she whispered, her fingertips absentmindedly swirling widening circles around his navel, tickling through the faint traces of soft hair that led a path into his boxers. "Can you see the clock? What time is it?"

He lifted slightly up off the bed, tightening his arm around her shoulder to keep her close, and stretched his neck to see the clock. "5:37," he groaned, falling back onto the bed. "Way too early to be conscious."

"You poor baby," she grinned, propping her chin on his chest to look at him again. He poked out his lower lip in a pout.

"On the other hand," his eyes shifted with consideration, a smug smile tugging at his lips. "Since we're awake..."

Michele squealed as Zac shifted out from under her and threw himself on top of her, squirming beneath the covers until he'd situated himself between her legs, his elbows braced beside her on the mattress. "That's better," he breathed, his mouth hovering above hers until she couldn't stand it anymore and lifted her lips to his, her knee arching to conform to his hips. He kissed her sweetly, but with the memories of all their heat and passion still close to the surface. "Morning breath and all," he teased, licking his lips as he separated them from hers.

"Ugh," she cringed, pushing at his chest, suddenly self-conscious. "Get off me. Lemme go..."

His mouth cut her off, his tongue assuring her that there was absolutely nothing wrong with her mouth. "You're fine," he said, his tongue drawing an indulgent lick against her top lip before pulling away. "Everything about you is perfectly..." He licked her lip again in reassurance. "...fine."

"Well, if you put it that way," she smiled, tucking his unruly hair behind his ears. She had the sudden urge to release his long locks from their straggly ponytail just to see them fall gracefully over his shoulders the way they'd done the night before, curtaining their fused mouths as his body hovered over hers. But she didn't; she wanted to see him fully, in the light of day, with no heat and lust and passion cloaking her emotions. Their kisses had escalated so quickly and so furiously the night before, she wanted to know if something was still there after the need had been quenched.

"Michele," he began, a seriousness creeping into his voice and his searching eyes. "Last night....last night was....woah..."

Michele had to smile at his description, but she knew exactly how he felt. She nodded, her eyes relaying her concurring amazement.

"I mean, we almost...we could've..." He swallowed thickly, his eyes glazed over as if he just realized how exactly true his words were.

"I know," she whispered, not blind to the trace of fear that crept into his eyes. She realized for the first time, she couldn't predict what he was going to do or say next. For all of their closeness and their years as best friends, they were treading on unfamiliar ground. And she wasn't all that sure of how *she* felt about everything, so she knew trying to gauge his reactions would be next to impossible.

"But what does that mean?" He couldn't help the fear and vulnerability that tainted his voice. "I mean, this time we weren't drunk or on the rebound, we were just....wanting....each other."

"Yeah," Michele confirmed, feeling a tiny bit of fear creep into her own emotions. She was just as confused as he was. "How do you feel about that? About us...wanting each other?"

"I don't know," he answered after a moment's contemplation. "You're my best friend, Michele. And I don't want us to ever lose that again."

"Me neither," she nodded seriously.

"But I can't deny how much I like being with you when we're...more..than friends." He couldn't control the tiny smile that threatened to break his serious demeanor.

"Me neither," she breathed, suddenly rattled by his admissions.

"Is that all you can say?" he teased, the grin overtaking his lips as he tickled her sides. Michele squirmed beneath him as she giggled, only managing to shift them into an even more provocative position. Zac halted in his teasing efforts, his eyes wide with fear as he felt his morning-stiffened manhood pressing into her corresponding femininity. Michele's eyes met his, achingly aware of him despite the two layers of underwear that separated them. She swallowed thickly, trying to hold back the whimper that was dying to escape her throat. "Um..."

"Maybe we should get up," Michele supplied for him as he faltered. He nodded hastily and slipped away from her, sliding over to the other side of the bed to grab his shorts from the floor. He stood and tugged them on as Michele got out of bed and wrapped the sheet loosely around her bra-and-panty clad frame. They turned to each other at the same time, Michele daring her eyes to drift below his belt. "You, um, want some breakfast or something?"

"You sure?" He looked slightly surprised that she offered.

"Of course," she smiled sweetly, extending her hand in an invitation. He smiled and circled around the bed, taking her outstretched hand, lacing his fingers with hers.

"On one condition..." He said pointedly, a smile tugging on his full lips.

"What?" She cocked her head curiously.

He caught the sheet with his other hand and pushed it off her shoulder until it puddled at her feet. "You wear that."

"How about we rotate those top two photos and I think that'll do it," Michele said to Gail, one of her coworkers at the agency, as they stood hunched over the drafting table. They'd been working on that particular ad all morning and Michele was nearly ready to chunk it in the floor. She took a sip of her bottled water, the only sustenance she'd had all morning and her stomach growled to show it's discomfort.

"I think you're right," Gail said, scooping up the layouts once she'd secured the pictures. "I'll take these down to Mike and *you* go to lunch."

Michele laughed and waved Gail away as she made her way back to her desk. She straightened up some stray papers and decided to give Alexis a call to see if she was busy for lunch. She had been in Dallas the past few days with the Hanson crew while they did promotions and Michele was anxious to talk to her. Her emotions were running on high lately, and she needed a comforting ear and some womanly advice. Just as she reached for the phone, someone behind her cleared his or her throat.

"Taylor," she breathed when she spun around and saw him standing there, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the door frame. She swallowed around the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat as her heart began to pound with anticipation. "What're you doing here?"

"Thought I'd take you to lunch," he shrugged, crossing the room and planting a greeting kiss on her cheek. Michele bit her lip as his lips touched her, suddenly feeling nervous about spending time alone with him. "Are you free?"

"Y..yeah," she stuttered, turning around to nervously shuffle through the papers on her desk. "Just let me straighten a few things up first."

"Hey," he gently grabbed her elbow. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she turned around, forcing a reassuring smile. "Just got a lot of stuff on my mind, that's all."

"Well maybe I could help you out with that," he smiled, circling his arms around her waist and bringing his lips down on hers. He kissed her slowly for a few moments before Michele placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away.

"Not here," she smiled, nervously glancing around and discreetly wiping her mouth. Kissing him felt so strange since her latest excursions with Zac. She felt almost like she was betraying him. And she felt even worse when she realized that when she was with Zac, Taylor had never once crossed her mind.

"Sorry," he smiled sheepishly. Michele gathered her purse and set her answering machine before turning to Taylor. He offered his hand and she took it wordlessly as he led her out of the office.

"Are you sure you're all right, Michele?" Taylor asked for perhaps the third time in the past half hour. Michele was being unusually quiet and distant and it had him concerned.

"I'm fine, Taylor," Michele exasperated as she fiddled with the straw in her glass of iced tea. "I told you I have a lot of things going on right now and I'm a little preoccupied."

"Okay, okay," he grinned, holding up his hands in defeat and Michele smiled at his playful gesture. "I just thought it might be something going around; Zac's been acting kinda funny the past few days."

"Really?" Michele swallowed harshly, nearly choking on her bite of chicken salad. "Why...what do you mean?" She felt her cheeks grow warm and she wondered if there was any way Taylor could tell she wasn't being truthful.

"I dunno," he shrugged. "Just typical Zac stuff, I guess; been kinda quiet and withdrawn, like he's got something on his mind."

"Maybe he does," Michele said, shrugging casually.

"Yeah, that's what I was wondering," he began, propping his arms on the table as he leaned forward. "Did you, um, tell him...about us?"

"No," Michele said hastily, her eyes boring pointedly into his. She wasn't sure she liked the direction the conversation was taking. She was feeling more and more awkward by the minute. "I think that's something we should keep just between us." Michele felt her stomach churn when she remembered making a similar pact with Zac a few days earlier.

"Okay," Taylor nodded. "I don't have a problem with that. It's probably for the best anyway."

"Yeah," Michele smiled halfheartedly, trying to calm the nausea that was threatening to rise in her throat.

"Speaking of," Taylor said softly, his fingertips reaching out to gently graze her cheek. "You busy this afternoon?" His eyes were deep and penetrating, relaying his intent. Knowing Taylor wanted to be with her again both exhilarated and repulsed her.

"Um, yeah, kinda," she said, searching for an excuse. "I sorta promised Zac we'd hang out some." She inwardly cursed herself for not using someone like Alexis as her out; now, she'd have to call Zac and invite him to do something. And she wasn't exactly prepared to do that, either.

"Oh," Taylor said, obviously disappointed, but he leaned forward and took one of her hands in his. "What about tonight? Can I have you, then?"

"Taylor..."

"I miss you, baby," he said, his blue eyes gazing pleadingly into hers. "Please?"

"Okay."

"You know I was thinking..." Zac said, cocking his head in contemplation as he and Michele lay in the hammock in her backyard. She'd called him as soon as she'd gotten home from work and he'd rushed right over. Any awkwardness she was expecting disappeared as soon as she opened her back door to find him standing on her back porch, his fist full of freshly picked daisies. She'd thrown her arms around him without abandon, and let her lips welcome him in. They'd shared a light snack on the patio and decided to spend the rest of the afternoon lying leisurely in each other's arms. "...about that picture we found the other day."

"The camping one?" Michele asked, absently twining his fingers between her own.

"The kissing one," Zac corrected and Michele grinned. "But yeah, that one. You know that was the first time I ever kissed anyone."

"What?" Michele sat up suddenly, looking at him in amazement, her voice softening when she saw the sincerity in his eyes. "You never told me that." He nodded slowly, a small smile appearing on his lips. "Zac...you told me that you'd kissed tons of girls and..." She trailed off, unable to believe that she'd unwittingly been his first kiss.

"So, I lied," he shrugged, a cheeky grin tugging on his lips. Michele smiled down at him, amusement playing in her eyes from his confession.

"You are something else, you know that?" Michele whispered, her eyes trailing over his face, over the features she thought she'd memorized - the ones that seemed to be changing everyday. Everything about him seemed to be changing.

"Yeah, that's what all the girls say," he said smugly, a cocky grin twisting his lips. Michele rolled her eyes and lay back down in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. Zac dropped one foot to the ground to set the hammock back into motion, Michele sighing once the gentle swaying had begun. Her mind kept drifting back to that weekend they'd gone camping; the way she and Zac had stayed up in her tent talking for hours after everyone else had fallen asleep, the way he'd wiped away her tears after he told her they'd be leaving for Europe in a few weeks, and then the way she'd ever so gently touched her lips to his when he told her she was his best friend. Michele smiled at the memories and snuggled closer to Zac. They lay in silence for a while, enjoying the afternoon sun and each other, until another thought crossed Michele's mind.

"Hey Zac?"

"Hmm?" He mumbled sleepily and she tilted her head up to see him lazily peering at her through one half opened eye. She grinned and he winked at her, a tiny smile playing on his lips. Michele turned over and propped her chin up on his chest, Zac pushing away a stray strand of hair that had fallen over her eyes.

"You have kissed other girls, right? Besides me?" She kept her eyes trained onto his, curiously awaiting his answer.

"Yeah, of course..." He shrugged casually, and Michele narrowed her eyes, wondering if he was being truthful.

"Who?" Michele challenged, then inwardly cringed when she thought that maybe she didn't want to know about his escapades with other women. During the time they weren't speaking the year before, he would've had tons of opportunities to become involved with someone without her knowledge. And the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she didn't think she could handle hearing about him being with someone else.

"Just a few girls here and there, at parties and stuff," he shrugged. "No big deal."

"So, it's never been, like, serious or anything?" Michele cautiously raised her eyebrows as she nervously chewed her bottom lip.

"No," Zac said softly, his eyes tracing his motions as he smoothed her hair behind her ear. The fact that he wouldn't meet her eyes told her he was hiding something. He'd never been ashamed to tell her anything, so she knew it must be something big. She opened her mouth to remind him of that fact, but he spoke again before she could. "Well, there was..."

"What?" she asked when he trailed off and his eyes ventured to something across the yard. "Zac, tell me..."

"It's nothing," he assured, his gaze finally meeting hers. "Just...nothing. Don't worry about it."

"It's not nothing," she prodded. "Who was she? Someone you met on tour or something?" Michele saw the tiniest hint of a smile twinge his lips and she knew she was right. She couldn't shake the hint of disappointment and jealousy that crept through her.

"A true gentleman never reveals his escapades with the opposite sex," Zac smiled smugly, his lips tightly shut, alerting Michele that he planned on keeping the mystery girl's identity to himself.

"Tell me,"

"I never kiss and tell," he returned, forcing his lips back into that cheeky smile, his eyes taunting her.

"Zaaac..." she giggled, sitting up in the hammock. She took his hands in hers to brace herself as she straddled his lap and tried to steady the hammock. "Tell me."

"You're gonna flip this thing over," he warned when the hammock began to wobble.

"Tell me," she demanded, squeezing his hands and getting more frustrated when he only smiled in amusement.

"Nope," he said smartly, sticking his tongue out at her.

"Tell me." She said deliberately, as if she were speaking to a small child who didn't understand what she was saying. He remained stoic and Michele only prodded more. "Tell me."

"No."

"Zaaac."

"Convince me."

"What?" Michele stopped suddenly, her eyes locking curiously with his.

"Convince me," he repeated, his voice dropping as he brought her hands down to rest by his sides.

Michele smiled as she caught on to his little ploy and decided to play along. She lowered her face near his, her lips mere inches from his raspy breath. "You asked for it."

Zac closed his eyes as she began her mission, her lips first finding the soft skin below his ear. He sighed lazily as they traced slowly along the underside of his jaw. Michele let her mouth kiss along his chin, craftily avoiding his lips, before trailing down his throat. He swallowed when she began to suck on his Adam's apple and Michele smiled against his skin. She continued her explorations there, deciding she liked his reaction when he began to slightly squirm beneath her. "God, Michele..." he groaned, the rumbling of his vocal cords against her lips sending a shiver down her spine. He splayed his palm behind her head, intent on keeping her mouth nibbling against his sensitive flesh.

But she let her mouth trail down to his collarbone, Zac whimpering when he felt the brush of cold air against his dampened skin. He brought his hands to rest on her waist as her tongue danced along the collar of his shirt. She relished in his shiver when she licked a trail from the hollow of his throat up to his chin. He opened his glassy eyes to find her grinning wickedly down at him. "What?"

"Nothing," she whispered innocently, but the devilish grin stayed in place. She briefly let the tip of her tongue flicker against his lips and got her desired reaction when his eyes fluttered shut. His lips parted and exhaled a shaky breath when Michele sat up and let her hands trail slowly down his chest. She only hesitated a moment before tugging on the hem of his shirt, pushing it up enough for her hands to find the bare skin beneath. Her fingers crawled back up his chest, warming his flesh with their touch. Zac bit his lower lip as her hands began to smooth up and down his chest, the thousands of tiny nerves beneath his skin beginning to sing with heat and pleasure. Michele couldn't resist his full, pouty lips and momentarily distracted herself by closing her mouth over his, sucking on his bottom lip just long enough for him to begin to respond, before she pulled away.

"You're such a fucking tease," he breathed, a perceptible shudder rippling through him when her fingertips ever so gently grazed over his velvety nipples. Michele only grinned, even though his eyes were clenched shut, and continued her journey. She splayed her hands along his ribs, pushing his shirt up far enough to place a kiss in the center of his chest. She let her mouth linger on his exposed skin, her eyes occasionally darting up to his flushed face. Seeing him in such a vulnerable state, his chest heaving with ragged breath and heat emanating from every inch her body touched, sent an uncontrollable wave of desire through her. With her mind cloaked with passion, Michele let her mouth travel south, Zac's stomach clenching beneath her lips as her tongue swirled around his navel. When her mouth drifted to the spot where the faint traces of hair disappeared beneath the waistband of his drawstring pants, his hands tangled in her hair and a throaty groan escaped his lips disguised in a whimper. A lone finger retraced the path of her lips, and when it slipped just under the elastic of his pants, Zac drew in a sharp breath and cupped his hands behind her neck.

"Michele..." he said, his voice shaky, but trying desperately to remain firm. "You gotta..."

"What?" she breathed when he trailed off. She lifted her eyes to his and found them glassy and heavy with lust and passion.

"Come here," he said, gently tugging her back to him. "You gotta stop, baby..." He wrapped his arms around her and drew her to his chest, her head nestling beneath his chin. She felt his chest heaving beneath her cheek as he attempted to calm himself.

"It just feels so good, Zac," she whispered, curling one leg over his, her knee inadvertently brushing the lump that had swollen in his pants. He pretended not to notice, but he shifted slightly in the hammock in an attempt to hide his exposed arousal.

"It feels *too* good," he snickered, his lips brushing a kiss across her forehead.

"And you know what else?" Michele said, purposely twining her fingers with his. "It feels so right."

"This isn't right," Michele breathed, her hands tangled in fistfuls of blond hair as a pair of lips trailed slowly down the center of her stomach.

"What?" a muffled voice vibrated against the warm skin around her navel.

"This," she repeated, her voice shaky with desire as heat began to flood through her body.

"You feel so good, baby." That, she couldn't deny. As anxious and nervous and unsettled as her mind was, she couldn't hide the fact that her body was fairly swimming in pleasure.

"I know, but..." she trailed off as the lips ventured lower and she knew any composure she still had was about to go flying out the window. She tugged gently on his hair until his shiny blue eyes lifted to meet hers. "...we promised, Tay."

"I know, baby," he resumed his attentions, this time at her collarbone. "I know...and I'm sorry...but this just feels so fucking good..." Michele arched her back when he cupped one breast, his mouth closing over it's center, sucking gently until it responded to his liking.

"Taylor..." She was getting frustrated, now - frustrated because he wasn't letting up and frustrated because she was giving in. She didn't comprehend how she'd let everything get so out of control. He'd shown up on her doorstep shortly after midnight and before she knew it, they were in her room, her clothes had been discarded at the foot of the bed, and he had begun his task of seducing her yet again. Not that it took all that much effort on his part; she was more than ready for him, ready for him to ease the aching that been building ever since her encounter with Zac in the hammock.

And Zac. Despite Taylor's efforts, Zac was still strongly embedded at the forefront of her mind. She felt like she was betraying him and betraying everything they'd fought so hard for - their friendship and the...something more...that was developing between them. Her mind was screaming, begging her body to understand that every touch of Taylor's lips upon her skin cheapened the touches she'd shared with Zac. But she couldn't get herself to stop, couldn't pull herself away from his tantalizing kisses and his breathy 'I love you's'.

But she tried to, thanks to the nagging conscience in the back of her mind. "Taylor, we can't..." But she knew he wasn't listening; he was occupied with other things.

"Why?" His hand slipped between her thighs and she parted them involuntarily, a slave to the aching his touches were causing to well in her belly.

"What about Lauren?" She said the first thing that popped into her head. She knew Lauren was pretty much out of the picture, but the excuse was the best she could muster with her dwindling rationality.

"She means nothing to me, you know that..." He spoke in between kisses that drew from her knee along the soft skin of her inner thigh.

"What about...what about Zac?" His name escaped her lips before she could stop it. Michele could hardly imagine the position she'd put herself in; her stomach was nearly churning with shame and disgust from the mere thought of doing such things with Taylor when only hours before she'd been wanting to do them with Zac, but she was delirious with the need to quell the aching, her body longing to release the tension that had been building since the last time she and Taylor were together. And the fact that Zac had been the instigator of most of that tension only added to her uneasiness.

Taylor barely took heed of her question, his mouth insistent and drawing ever closer to the throbbing between her legs. "What about Zac? Thought we weren't gonna tell him."

"No, I mean..." Michele ran her hands through her hair in frustration. She felt like crying; she felt like breaking down and telling Taylor everything right then - telling him that she'd been doing things with his brother that far overstepped their bounds as friends, and that she'd been feeling things for him that she couldn't explain, things that made her question everything she thought she knew about friendship and love and passion. "Taylor..." She trailed off as his mouth covered her burning center and her eyes closed to the red oblivion of ecstasy.

"Baby?" Taylor's soft voice tickled Michele's ear, rousing her from the state of sleepiness she was drifting into.

"Hmm?" She sighed as he tightened his arm around her waist beneath the comforter, pressing his naked body against hers.

"Are you really worried about Zac?" He let his mouth linger on her shoulder, his lips gently assaulting her skin.

"I just don't want things to end up the way they did before."

"Should we tell him, then?" he suggested.

"No," Michele said adamantly, turning over to face Taylor. "No," she said again, her voice softening when she noticed his surprise. "We're just getting things worked out and I don't want to ruin it."

"So, what's the problem?" Taylor said, knitting his brow in confusion.

"I don't know, Taylor," she said, biting her lip and turning her head away. She was afraid he would see through her and she didn't want him to notice the tears that were starting to rim her eyes. "I don't want to lie to him."

"So, tell him the truth," Taylor pleaded. He hated the thought of any more indecision creeping into their lives and threaten the bliss he and Michele had begun to create again. He didn't understand why she was so worried.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Just...drop it, okay," she finally exasperated, turning to him, her eyes flashing with insistence. "I don't wanna talk about it anymore." She turned away again, her eyes searching through the darkness for some sort of resolution.

"You're right....I'm sorry," he said, his lips affirming his statement with a tender kiss below her ear. "Let's don't talk about Zac anymore." Michele sighed as his lips began to move down her neck, sucking and biting at her sensitive skin. "Let's just concentrate on you..." he placed a finger beneath her chin to tilt her face to his, "..and me..." He placed his lips on hers, capturing them in a sweet kiss.

Michele sighed as Taylor's lips began to once again trail down her neck in an attempt to get her mind off his brother. But later, when his kisses had flushed her body with heat and he began to push inside her, Michele's only thoughts were of Zachary Hanson.

Zac cut the engine of his Jeep and cast a worrisome glance up through the windshield at the sky. The rain that had begun as a drizzle shortly after he left home had turned into a torrent, falling in heavy sheets that made it nearly impossible to see. He had planned on taking Michele for another drive, but quickly decided that this lazy Sunday afternoon would be better spent indoors.

He raced as quickly as he could to the back porch, his hands over his eyes doing little to shield the pounding rain. He skimmed the raindrops off his arms and ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to smooth the wet tangles. He chuckled to himself when he realized the effort he was taking to make himself presentable for Michele. He remembered a time not so long ago when he wouldn't have worried that his hair was a little on the frizzy side, or when he wouldn't have taken the time to meticulously iron the khakis and t-shirt he'd donned that morning. But he smoothed down the front of his shirt anyway before opening the screen door and raising his hand to knock.

He paused right before his knuckles touched the wood, his mind churning with a better idea. He reached for the door knob and turned it slowly, surprised when it spun loosely in his hand. He pushed the door open cautiously, deciding that Michele probably couldn't have heard his knocking anyway with the rain pounding on the tin roof. And not knowing what sort of position he might find her in sent a shiver of excitement up his spine, so he slipped quietly into the kitchen, gently closing the door behind him. The house was quiet so he toed off his shoes in the entryway and tiptoed across the linoleum in his socked feet.

He stopped short when he reached the entrance to the living room and his eyes fell upon Michele. She was sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table, intently studying a set of papers similar to the ones she had strung out all over the couch and floor. He guessed she was working because she was wearing her reading glasses and had a pencil stored temporarily in her mouth with another holding her hair up in a precarious knot. He hung back around the door frame, deciding he wanted to watch her for a little while before he announced his presence.

His eyes washed over her as she raised to her knees to reach for some of the papers on the couch. He couldn't keep his gaze or his mind from drifting over the curves outlined beneath her tank top and thin pajama pants. He found it nearly impossible to believe how different she seemed to him now, how he seemed to be looking at her through different eyes. On the surface, she was still Michele; still his sidekick and best friend, still the keeper of all his deepest secrets. But he couldn't deny that she was becoming more; she felt more important to him now, more like everything about her influenced and affected him. She felt closer and he knew he'd never felt more in-tune with anyone in his life. And he couldn't imagine sharing himself with someone else the way he'd so willingly and completely relinquished his body and his emotions to her. He couldn't imagine the whirlwind of feelings spinning inside him - all the heat and passion and desire and love - being drawn from him by anyone else. He couldn't imagine that fire tingling in his flesh being brought to life by anyone else as easily as Michele did with just a gentle brush of her fingers across his skin. He felt like he truly wanted and needed to be with her. He felt like he *belonged* with her.

Zac felt his chest tighten with need as he watched her. He'd always known that he wanted to be with her and have her be a part of his life. But as he stood unnoticed in her kitchen, he was struck with the sudden realization that he wanted something more. He still wanted to be the playful companion and shoulder she cried on, but he also wanted to be the one she turned to when her mind was reeling with desire and her body aching for a loving touch. He wanted to be the one to receive all her heat and passion and kisses and any other delectation she chose to bestow upon him.

He slunk back behind the door frame when he saw her rise to her feet. She dropped her glasses to the table and briefly rubbed her eyes before turning to rifle through the stack of papers she'd placed on the seat of her reading chair. He raised his eyebrows as he admired the view for a moment, then decided now was the perfect time to make his presence known. He crept quietly behind her as she stooped at the chair, his fingers aching to place a startling poke in her ribs. He stopped suddenly when she straightened to mull over a couple of papers and waited patiently for her to return to her unassuming position. As soon as she did, he closed his arms around her waist.

"Ah," Michele screamed, trying to turn around against the strong hold of her assailant. Zac placed his lips below her ear and she instantly relaxed, exhaling a heavy sigh of relief. She clutched her hands to her chest as she took deep breaths to regain her suddenly departed composure. He placed his mouth back in the crook of her shoulder, his lips against her skin moving to stifle a giggle.

"You scared the shit out of me, Zachary," she scowled, struggling against his tight embrace. He only grasped her tighter, clasping his hands together around her stomach. "Let me go."

"I'm sorry," he loosened his hold on her just enough to spin her around in his arms. Michele tried desperately to keep the look of contempt on her face, but his overly-exaggerated batty eyelashes and pouty lips made it nearly impossible. "Baby...?" He met her eyes with his soft, sincere ones and her resolve crumbled.

"You're such an..." His mouth cut her off and Michele sighed as she sank into his advances, her arms draping over his shoulders as his sensuous lips drew her farther into his abyss. He kissed her fully, thoroughly erasing any remaining traces of fear or apprehension.

"So," she began, pulling from the kiss and trying to regain her composure after his heart-stopping mouth had nearly left her breathless. "What can I do for you?"

"You really want me to answer that?" He grinned wickedly before moving to taste the skin beneath her jaw. Michele rolled her eyes at his comment then sighed at his tongue's delicate attentions.

"What I mean is, is there anything I can help you with?" She closed her eyes as his mouth lingered on the suddenly sensitive skin of her neck.

"Well, not right now, but if you give me a few minutes..." His lips smiled against her skin and he pressed his body against hers to prove his point.

"Zac!" Her eyes popped open, taken aback by his sudden forwardness. She pulled away to find his eyes gleaming with mischief. "What's gotten into you?"

"You," he said simply, unable to restrain himself from stealing another taste of her lips. "Hmm, but seriously, I just came by to see what you were up to, but.." he gestured to the piles she had scattered about the room, "..it looks like you're working, so..."

"Yeah," Michele said, reluctantly stepping from his embrace to reposition herself at the table. "Working and very busy. I have a presentation tomorrow afternoon and I'm running a little behind." Her brow furrowed as she sifted through some of the papers.

"Anything I can do?" Zac dropped to his knees beside her, his own brow knitting at the mess on the table.

"Haven't you already done enough?" She teased, turning to face him with a wry smile.

"You mean I sufficiently managed to distract you?" he asked, his lips a mere breath from hers.

"Sufficiently," she nodded, accepting his lips and momentarily giving in to what threatened to become another all-consuming kiss. "Zac..."

"I know. You have to work," he said, stealing an indulgent lick against her top lip. "But really, can I help?" His gaze caught the pencil in her hair and he released it from it's knot, sending her hair cascading down her back. He held the pencil up with a cheeky grin, Michele's eyes lighting up with an idea.

"As a matter of fact, Mr. Freehand Artiste," she began, searching through the pile for a clean layout sheet and a ruler. "You can draw straight lines, right?" She shoved the paper at him before he could respond. "Just follow these instructions and you'll be all set." She then handed him a legal pad containing a series of notes scrawled in her messy handwriting. Zac looked blankly at the paper, then back at her, not sure of what he should do. "Hey," she said, "the sooner I get done, the sooner we can get on to more important things..." She punctuated her sentiment with a pointed glare and a sexy smile and Zac went to work.

"Okay, I know it's not exactly what you said, but..." Zac held the layout sheet up for Michele to see, holding his breath as he awaited the rejection he was sure was eminent.

"Zac...it's, um..." Michele faltered, searching for the appropriate words to describe what she was seeing. "It's...perfect...?"

"I know, I'm sorry. I'll redo it," he began hastily, turning back to the table. He paused and a blush worked onto his cheeks as her words sank in. He looked up at her sheepishly and Michele grinned. "You sure?"

"It's fine, Zac," Michele assured, noticing the tiny sigh of relief he tried to hide. "Actually, it's more than fine; better than anything I could've done." She placed one hand over his and squeezed gently. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled, pleased with himself. "So, does that mean you're almost done?" A grin tainted his lips as his true intentions revealed themselves.

"Almost," she smiled, his grin sending her heart into triple-time. "Just a few more things to put the finishing touches on and I'll be all yours," she teased.

"Good," he said, turning her hand over beneath his as his smile turned from playful to serious. "I can't wait to have you."

"Me neither," she breathed, suddenly rattled by his intense gaze. She swallowed thickly as his eyes held her, daring her to break the connection. She finally did when she felt her heart threaten to pound out of control. He released her hand as she turned back to her work, trying to regain her concentration, but her skin continued to tingle under his penetrating gaze. A swarm of butterflies took up residence in her stomach as her brain tried to process his comment. She wasn't sure what he meant by it, but she knew she was fairly aching to find out.

"Can I ask you something, Chely?" His soft voice broke into her thoughts a few moments later. She raised her eyes to his to find them wide and glazed, brimming with what looked like insecurity and nervousness.

"Of course," she said softly, replacing her hand over his. The tiniest measure of apprehension crept into her mind as she awaited his question.

"Will you..." She watched his throat bob as he swallowed heavily before continuing. "...will you go out with me?"

"Wha...?" Michele's eyes lit up with excitement and relief, the butterflies in her stomach storming to life again. She grinned when he noticed the look on his face, his eyes slightly furrowed with worry and his bottom lip cinched beneath a biting tooth. His nervousness and innocence was endearing.

"I want us to go out...just the two of us..." He began, his voice dropping in it's sincerity. "..like on a real date."

"A real date...?" Michele's heart fluttered at the very thought.

"Yeah," he said, a smile tugging on his lips as her excitement became evident. "Like when I pick you up around 7 or so..." he leaned over the table, drawing closer to her with every word, "...and we go to dinner and maybe a movie, and..." he cupped his hand along her jaw, lifting her lips to his, "...and then I'll kiss you goodnight..." He closed his mouth over hers, Michele instantly whimpering at the tenderness of his lips against hers. Her fingers brushed his cheek as he maneuvered himself around the table, his lips never leaving hers. He eased Michele to her back on the floor, their kisses becoming ardent as he covered her body with his.

"Is that a yes?" he breathed, breaking the kiss, his body weak from the play of her lips and the feel of her body molded against his.

"Yes."

Michele stood nervously, scrutinizing her reflection in the floor length mirror in her bedroom. She smoothed her hands over her hair, pushing a stubborn strand behind her ear only to frown when it floated loose again. She inspected the lavender silk dress she'd chosen, smiling at the way it's hem danced about her calves when she moved. She smoothed a few nonexistent wrinkles from the front of the dress, stopping when she caught her gaze in the mirror and noticed that her hands were trembling. She couldn't imagine being so nervous and anxious about an evening out with Zac. She'd been out with him more times than she could count, but she knew tonight was going to be different. She knew that everything about herself and Zachary was changing: the way she saw him, the way she felt about him, the way their relationship was crossing boundaries and evolving into something beyond her control. She knew their friendship was still there, lingering beneath the surface of everything they did together. But he'd asked her out on the premise that it be left behind for the evening. He was taking the first step in exploring that...something more...that had been building between them the past few weeks. And Michele was more than willing to follow.

The rapping of his knuckles against her back door shook her back to reality. She executed a final turn in front of the mirror and took a few deep breaths, mentally preparing herself for the uncertainty that waited with him on the other side of her door. She retrieved her shawl and purse from the foot of the bed and made her way into the kitchen. Her heels clicked on the linoleum as she walked, talking a few more calming breaths. She paused before she reached for the doorknob, steeling herself once more and trying not to smile at the sarcastic comment that suddenly danced on the tip of her tongue. She took one more deep breath and swung open the door.

"Oh, so now you can..." For all the deep breaths she'd taken, all the air suddenly escaped her lungs as her eyes landed on him. "...knock..." She was barely able to finish her statement, the word floating out in a breathy exhalation. Her breath literally got caught in her throat as her eyes washed over him, standing on her back porch, his hands shoved in the front pockets of his khakis. He was wearing a navy button-down, a white t-shirt peeking from behind the collar. He had his hair pulled back, a few endearing strands tucked recklessly behind his ears. She couldn't get over how different he looked. She'd never seen him so dressed up and he seemed somehow older and more mature. Zac was standing before her with all of his 16 and a half years, and all Michele could see was a man.

"Wow," his soft voice interrupted her trance and she met his eyes, blushing as she watched them travel the length of her body. "You look amazing."

"Thank you," she whispered, suddenly flustered by his presence and his words. She wrung her hands nervously in front of her, her eyes darting anxiously over him. "So do you. I mean...you look...um..."

"Sexy...?" He suggested with a grin, Michele rolling her eyes but thankful that the tension was finally broken.

"Yeah," she said, her voice dropping to a somewhat sultry tone as she draped her arms over his shoulders. "I think sexy will most definitely work."

"Mmm," Zac murmured, licking his lips before placing them on hers. His arms went around her as they kissed, his fingertips warming the exposed skin of her back, before trailing down to rest possessively on her hips. "If I'm sexy..." he whispered, nipping at her lips between words. "...then they haven't invented a word for you yet..."

Michele fought the urge to roll her eyes, but his lips back on hers only managed to elicit a blush instead. "Have you been stealing pickup lines from Ike again?" She teased, breaking away with a wry grin.

"Yep," he confessed, shrugging his shoulders with a grin.

"Thought so," she said, reveling in his moan when she playfully caught his bottom lip between her own and sucked gently.

"So," he said, his lips reaching for hers as she teasingly pulled away. "did it work?"

"Oh yeah," she grinned, succumbing to his roving mouth once more. "it worked."

"Dinner was wonderful, Zachary," Michele sighed, glancing over at him as he maneuvered her car through the rain-slickened streets of downtown Tulsa.

"I'm glad you liked it," Zac briefly took his eyes from the road to smile sweetly at her. "I know that place was a little upscale, but I wanted to make a good impression."

"You did," she said, reaching her fingertips to gently brush against his cheek. She couldn't believe how amazingly well the evening had gone. She'd expected some typical first-date awkwardness, but it never came. It was almost frightening how easily she and Zac were falling into their new relationship roles. "It was perfect. This whole night is perfect," she whispered into the darkness that separated them, sighing when Zac captured her hand with one of his own and brought her palm to his lips.

"And it's only gonna get better," he whispered, lacing his fingers through hers as their clasped hands came to rest on the seat between them. Michele couldn't read his features through the semi-darkness, but she knew her own face was slightly flushed and her pulse racing a mile a minute at the thought of what might lie ahead.

They rode in silence for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Michele had resorted to anxiously tapping her foot in the floorboard, apprehension and excitement rushing wildly through her veins. And the dampness she could feel as Zac's palm rested tightly against hers only managed to fuel her nervousness. Zac, meanwhile, was having difficulty keeping his concentration focused on the road. His mind kept drifting to Michele and the heat of her body sitting so close to him and the way he longed to touch her. He tried desperately to keep his desire from manifesting in his groin, though he could hardly control the heat that relentlessly rushed there at the thought of what he had planned for the remainder of the evening.

Michele knit her brow when Zac turned the Eclipse into the long drive leading up to the Hanson house. He stopped at the security checkpoint, punching in the code that opened the heavy wrought iron gate and then closed it behind them once he'd pulled the car through. "What are we doing here?"

"It's a surprise," he smiled, raising his eyebrows mischievously.

"A surprise, huh?" Michele couldn't help but smile back, her stomach fluttering to life again.

Zac pulled the car into the driveway, parking it in front of the closed garage. He quietly escorted Michele out, keeping a tight hold on her hand as they walked to the front door. He retrieved his keys from his pocket, slipping the correct one into the lock. Michele stood patiently, confusion muddling to the forefront of her mind. She couldn't remember the last time she'd came to the Hanson house and found both the security gate and the front door locked.

"Zac, what's going on...?" She asked as they slipped through the front door, Zac locking it back behind them. He said nothing, just tugged her gently through the foyer and into the living room. The house was eerily quiet and by the time they'd reached the kitchen with not another Hanson in sight, Michele had a sudden realization. "Where is everyone?"

"Out," Zac said simply, turning to her with a sexy grin, his arms instantly circling around her waist.

"Oh really?" Michele smiled, resting her hands on his chest, deciding not to question the family's whereabouts.

"Yep," he said. "Which means..." he dipped his head to nuzzle at her neck, his lips brushing across the skin at her pulse. "...we have the whole house to ourselves."

Michele sighed, lost in the attentions of his mouth as it became more insistent, gently nipping and sucking at her skin. "But we always have my house all to ourselves," she said, the realization fighting through her hazed conscious.

"I know," he dragged his mouth up to her chin, letting his lips close over hers for a moment, before raising his eyes to hers. "But we've never, you know...fooled around here and I kinda...want to..."

Michele smiled at the smattering of pink that crept onto his cheeks, then blushed herself as his mouth went back to her neck. Her breathing became ragged as he suckled at her skin, her body flushing with heat as he pressed his against her. She threw her head back, exposing more of herself to his tantalizing mouth, whimpering as he thoroughly cooperated.

"I want you in my bed, Michele," he breathed at her ear, Michele's knees buckling against him. "I want my sheets to smell like you. I want something to hold on to when you're not here."

"Oh, Zac..." Michele sighed as his palm cupped the swell of her breast, his thumb timidly brushing over it's center. His mouth remained firmly attached to her neck, alternating between suckling below her ear and trailing down to the hollow of her throat. Her hands traveled over the muscles in his shoulders as he lay between her legs, his warm body resting thickly against hers.

Michele's nimble fingers had long since gone through the buttons on his over shirt and tugged the hem of his t-shirt from his pants. They lay discarded at the foot of the bed along with their shoes and Zac's socks. The soft strains of Marvin Gaye drifted from his stereo and the delicate light of a few scented candles illuminated the room. Nearly an hour had passed since the two had stumbled up the stairs and fallen blindly into his bed, their firmly attached lips refusing to part.

"God, you feel so good..." Zac mumbled, his lips trailing into the expanse of flesh left exposed by the deep neckline of her dress. Michele arched her back, basking in the feel of his wet mouth dancing along her skin, sending a rush of heat throughout her body each time his tongue darted out to taste her. He flattened his palm out over her breast, gently kneading it's peak to life and reveling in the fact that she hadn't bothered to wear a bra and her skin was responding to his touch beneath the pliable silk of her dress.

When his lips reached the indention between her breasts where skin met fabric, Zac sat up on his knees, leaving her lying panting and flushed beneath him. He let his fingertips trail leisurely over the stiffened peaks of her nipples, over her heaving stomach and up to her knees where they were arched at his sides. His own chest heaved with ragged breath as his eyes met hers in the darkness and found them gleaming with lust and desire. Surges of heat and emotion he couldn't control were rushing through his body, fueling his need for her. His passion-swollen lips slightly parted to ease his breathing and he instinctively licked them as his eyes traveled over her, loving the way her body was responding to his touch.

Michele couldn't take the absence of his body from hers, so she raised off the bed, her lips instantly finding the sweat-dampened skin below his jaw. His head dropped back as her tongue traced over his neck, pausing to suckle at his Adam's apple before trailing down to the hollow of his throat.

"God, Chely..." he swallowed, barely able to speak as her lips danced over his skin and her body pressed up against his. "...you make me..."

"Make you what?" Michele breathed against his collarbone as his sentiment trailed off into a moan. Her mouth dipped down the center of his chest, her tongue dampening his skin as she traced her fingertips to circle his nipples.

"You make me so fucking crazy," he growled, pushing her back on the bed, his mouth covering hers, his tongue instantly driving inside. Michele gasped at his sudden forcefulness, her body shuddering as she felt his heat pressing against her. Her skin came alive with tingles, the blood pounding wildly through her veins making her feel reckless and desperate. His hands pressed along her thighs, bunching her dress around her waist and slipping his fingers to the warm skin underneath. Her own hands traveled down his chest, sliding over the ripples of his stomach to dance along the waistline of his pants. He groaned shakily into her mouth and her fingers unabashedly ripped at his belt buckle, unhooking it and pushing it open to work at the button on his pants. "Michele..." he breathed against her ear, his body falling into hers, halting her efforts at his zipper. He braced his elbows beside her on the mattress, his hips instinctively rocking into hers as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"God...Zac..." she managed, her mind and pulse threatening to spin out of control. Her hands desperately groped his back, fingers aching for the heat his khakis were safely guarding. She couldn't remember a time when she'd wanted something so much, when her body was absolutely *aching* for the fulfillment of another's.

"Shit.." he breathed, his head popping up from the crook of her neck, sweat dripping down the bridge of his nose.

"What?" Michele whimpered, trying to conform her body back to his, her lips against his neck begging him to return to her. "What is it?"

"Listen..." Zac whispered, his own voice ragged with aching. Michele shut her eyes, forcing herself to concentrate. The slamming of a car door managed to break through her consciousness and she sighed. "Fuck," he growled, rolling off her and to his back beside her, his chest heaving, his forehead creased with disappointment. "I'm sorry, baby..."

"Me, too," Michele whispered, swallowing around the lump that had formed in her throat. She ran a hand through her hair, not surprised to find it tangled and damp with sweat. She glanced down at her rumpled dress, her trembling hands moving to smooth it back in place.

"Sorry..." Zac turned to her, his hands following hers, his warm fingers singeing her skin even through the silk. He let his lips rest on her shoulder for a moment before Michele sat up, unable to withstand the heat of his body any longer when she knew her own body would have to remain unfulfilled. Zac rolled back over, watching her shoulders heave as she took composing breaths. "You go downstairs...see who's home..." he swallowed thickly, one hand brushing the sweat from his brow. "...and I'll stay up here and take care of...things..."

Michele turned to him, her eyes following his until they landed on the thick bulge stretching the fabric of his boxers through his open fly. She inwardly groaned at the sight of his obvious arousal, the knowledge that it was her touch that had awakened him, bringing about another increase in her pulse. She couldn't keep her mouth from going back to his, the heat of his lips nearly causing her to gasp. She kissed him tenderly for a moment, calming the violent storm their previous kisses had raged. She let a hand rest tentatively on his stomach as she kissed him, her tongue slipping past his lips as she delicately slid her hand to brush over the hardness straining below. His body tensed beneath her attentions, her mouth muffling his groan.

"Go..." he breathed above her lips, his eyes closing in frustration.

"Okay," she whispered, though she wasn't sure he heard. He'd already turned away from her, his shoulders heaving with cautiously controlled breaths. Michele shut his door behind her, leaning against it for a moment, her hand slipping slowly from the door knob as she turned to go down the stairs.

"Hey sexy..."

Michele's head popped up as she reached the foot of the stairs, her mouth falling open in surprise when she saw him heading into the kitchen. "Taylor..." He wasn't the family member she'd been expecting. Actually, she'd spent the entire descent down the stairs praying it wasn't him.

"What're you doing here?" He asked, his brow slightly knitting as she shied away from the embrace he was hoping to capture her in. Instead, she made her way on into the kitchen, pretending to busy herself by looking through the fridge.

"Just hanging out with Zac. You know, normal stuff..." Her voice was muffled from behind the refrigerator door and she was thankful that he couldn't hear the shakiness that had enveloped it. She stood a moment longer, letting the icy air cool her flushed skin, and grabbed a Dr. Pepper as her guise.

"Oh," Taylor said, her body stiffening as he circled his arms around her from behind as she closed the door. "From the way he was acting earlier, you would've thought he had a date or something..." He chuckled, Michele forcing a smile as he turned her around to face him.

"Yeah, well..." she trailed off, pulling away from him when he tried to kiss her. His brow muddled in confusion when she shrugged out of his grasp. "Zac is...um...right upstairs, so..." She stammered, hoping he caught the hint.

"Oh," he said, his eyes lighting up with another idea, his voice dropping to a seductive whisper. "So, maybe later tonight then...you and I could get together...?"

"Um...I don't think that's such a good idea, Tay..." she said, subconsciously backing away from him. At that particular moment, Michele wanted nothing more than to be out of his sight. The mere thought of what he was insinuating made her nauseous. She inwardly prayed for Zac to chose that moment to come sauntering down the stairs and take her home, away from his brother's penetrating eyes and into his strong, comforting embrace.

"Why? What's wrong?" he pressed, trying to brush his fingers against her cheek, but she turned away.

"I'm just...just...not tonight, Taylor," she breathed, her shoulders falling. She didn't know how to explain things to him without sounding suspicious. "I'm tired and...I'm just not...in the mood..."

"I'm sorry," he whispered softly, his tender voice drawing Michele to turn around. The sincerity in his eyes was nearly enough to melt her resolve, but the thumping of heavy footsteps on the stairs shook her back to reality.

"Taylor..." Zac gulped when he entered the kitchen and his eyes landed on his brother. His eyes darted nervously to Michele, his brow slightly furrowing when he noticed the uneasiness on her face. Her eyes lit up when they met his, however, and she couldn't keep herself from smiling. He'd pulled his t-shirt and shoes back on and his cheeks were still slightly reddened from their adventures. Taylor's eyes shifted curiously between them, not blind to the smile they shared.

"So..."

"I was just gonna go on home," Michele said quickly, turning to pick up her shawl and purse from the end of the counter. She was ready to escape what was quickly turning into a dangerous situation as the three of them stood tensely in the kitchen.

"I can give you a ride..."

"I got it, man," Zac interrupted his brother and Taylor watched curiously as his little brother and his ex-girlfriend strolled hand-in-hand out the front door.

"Thanks for driving me home," Michele whispered as she and Zac stood beneath the dull yellow light in the stillness of her back porch.

"My pleasure," he whispered back, his eyes dropping between them to their clasped hands. "I'm sorry about the way things turned out tonight."

"It's okay," she assured, gently squeezing his hands. "Not your fault." They stood in a comfortable silence for a moment, each savoring the memories that the other's touch brought forth. "You wanna..um..come in