"I'm Aria, Jake's sister. You must be Olivia?" the beauty in front of me introduces herself and motions me to take a seat on the giant sofa.
"Yea, but please call me Liv," I say as I sit down next to Zach and shoot her a shy smile.
"It's so nice to meet you! My brother already told me you were beautiful, but you're much prettier than I imagined," Aria states and plops onto the sofa next to Zach.
Zach's head as well as mine snaps to Jake who watches us from across the room where he just fetched some glasses out of a cupboard for the four of us.
"What?" he asks with a big grin on his face and walks over to where we are sitting. "It's a fact, you are beautiful!" he then adds with a shrug.
I glance at Zach who has a deep frown on his face. His eyes are fixed on his friend and I could swear there is a hint of warning visible in his face. Is he jealous? Because his friend called me beautiful?
I wouldn't have pegged him as a jealous guy, but I have to admit it warms my heart a bit. I scoot a little closer to Zach and place my hand on his thigh. He shoots me a loving smile and plants a soft kiss on my temple. I clear my throat and give Jake a warm smile.
"Well, thank you," I say and take the glass filled with red wine which he holds out to me. He's a nice guy and I'm happy that Zach has at least one friend who seems to have a healthy and quite normal life.
Jake hands everyone a full glass and then takes a seat beside me. I instantly feel Zach's arm sneaking around my waist. He pulls me close to his body, and I can't help but smile at his childish way to make clear that I belong to him. Jake notices Zach's gesture as well and winks knowingly at me.
"So, Liv, Zach told me you're a waitress at Jack's?" Aria asks me and nips on her wine.
"Uh yea. You know Jack's?" I retort.
Aria nods. "Indeed. I used to spend my lunch breaks there as the university I studied at is right around the corner."
"What did you study?" I ask. She must have already finished her studies as I've never seen her among all the students who spend their lunch break at the Diner each day.
"Medicine," she simply replies with a toothy smile.
"So, you're a doctor?"
I catch myself envying her for the perfection she's radiating. Her blonde hair falls in loose curls over her shoulders and flatters her flawless face. In the dimmed light of Jake's penthouse, her jade-green eyes shine like gems, and cute dimples appear on her cheeks every time she smiles. And of course, she has to be a doctor on top of her beautiful appearance.
"Olivia?" Aria's velvet voice pulls me out of my thoughts filled with adoration and envy for this woman.
"Huh?" I look at her with visible surprise in my face and force myself to banish my envious thoughts.
"Did you study anything?" she repeats the question I obviously failed to hear.
"No, I didn't," I mutter reservedly and take a generous gulp of my red wine. It's luscious so I take another one right away.
"Oh, okay," Aria says noticeably unsure what to respond.
I don't know why I always react like this when someone mentions studying or my boring job. Maybe the reason for my overreaction is that I don't even know what my dream job is. I feel like working at Jack's Diner is the biggest achievement I can boast so far, and that's kind of pathetic in my opinion.
"I always wanted to study, but I never knew which field of study would be the one for me. Besides, I wouldn't be able to afford it anyway, so I never invested time in figuring it out," I explain with a sheepish smile.
Aria thinks for a second and then reaches over Zach's lap to grab my hand.
"You'll figure out what's the right thing for you, I'm sure. You seem like an intelligent and big-hearted woman, there's no way you will end up being a simple waitress in a diner with a moody boss," she states cheerily and quickly adds, "Not that there's anything wrong with being a waitress. I just don't see you as one in the long term."
I give her a thankful smile. Her words encourage me to invest more into my future.
Jake clears his throat and I turn to face him. I was so immersed in the conversation with Aria and in my own thoughts that I completely forgot that we're not alone in the room.
"I have to agree with my slightly impulsive sister on that," Jake says with a chuckle. "You have much more potential than working for that asshole!"
I smile and turn back to Zach and Aria on my other side. Aria has her hand over Zach's and whispers something into his ear. Both of them chuckle and Zach elbows her playfully. I immediately feel a stinging pain in my chest. Seeing Zach and Aria so close gives me an uneasy feeling and I have the urge to throw something at that perfect, blonde woman.
Zach must've noticed my worried expression since he pulls me closer to him and bends down to kiss my shoulder. He lifts his head again but stops next to my ear.
"Are you okay?" he whispers, and I shudder as his lips brush my earlobe.
I nod, even though I don't feel okay right now. I've never been a jealous person in my past relationships, but somehow Zach manages to bring sides of me to light I never knew existed.
"Can I use your bathroom, Jake?" I ask and stand up. I need to clear my head for a second.
"Sure. It's down the corridor, the second door on the right," Jake instructs me.
I thank him and walk towards the bathroom.
I close the door behind me and take a deep breath. The bathroom is just as luxurious as the rest of the penthouse. Big, grey tiles overspread the floor and the walls, and a noble, freestanding bathtub stands in the middle of the room. I walk over to the two sinks and take a look at my reflection in the big mirror on the wall.
My cheeks are rosy and my eyes shiny from all the alcohol I already had tonight. I splash some cold water into my face. It cools down my hot skin and I feel a bit better right away.
My thoughts wander back to the way Aria joked with Zach and the closeness between them two. Why am I acting so strange? This is not the usual me and I don't like this version of myself. It feels horrible to be jealous, and the more I think about it, the more I dislike this trait. It lets me think horrible things.
A knock at the door startles me and I quickly turn off the water.
"Uh, yea?" I squeak.
"Livie, are you okay?" That's Zach's voice on the other side of the door.
"Sure." I try to keep my tone nonchalant, but my voice betrays me and comes out much higher than I wanted.
"Can I come in?" Zach asks cautiously.
I hesitate to answer. I'm ashamed of my thoughts and I don't want Zach to know that I'm jealous, but on the other hand we have to be honest with each other if we want this relationship to work.
"Liv?" Zach presses impatiently.
I sigh and unlock the door, but don't open it yet. It takes less then five seconds until Zach opens the door and pops his head in.
"Can I come in now?" he asks and frowns.
"Yes," I mutter and step aside.
Zach locks the door after he entered and eyes me questioningly.
I look down and fumble with my hands.
Zach puts his index finger and thumb on my chin and lifts my head.
"Can you please stop acting so weird and tell me what's bothering you?" he asks and looks at me expectantly.
"I'm ashamed by my thoughts," I whisper and try to look down again, but Zach's fingers don't allow my head to move and force me to keep my eyes on him.
"You don't have to be ashamed of anything. Just tell me, baby," he replies with a soft voice.
I sigh and blink a few times, trying to gather a little courage to tell him what's on my mind.
"You and her... Aria... Were you two a... a thing... once?" I stutter barely audible and feel extremely uneasy to actually utter those words. He must think I'm massively exaggerating, and to be honest, I somehow think the same about my behavior.
A warm smile plays upon Zach's mouth and he removes his hand from my chin and gently grabs my shoulders instead.
"Is that what's bothering you? Aria?" he asks, and I nod.
"Well, you have nothing to worry about," he assures me, but that's not what I wanted to hear.
"That's not an answer to my question, Zachy," I whine, using air quotes to stress how Aria called him earlier.
Zach sighs and drops his hands.
"Liv...," he mumbles and rakes his fingers through his hair.
He doesn't negate my question, so I assume that there was something going on between Zach and Aria.
"Are you jealous, Olivia? Because there is really no reason for it. We have never had a serious relationship. She was the bigger sister of my best friend and I asked her to show me how to fuck. That's all." Zach tries to reassure me and shrugs his shoulders, but his last sentence makes me gasp.
"What?" I breathe. "So, you were a virgin before her?"
Zach nods.
Great! So, she was the first girl Zach had sex with. That information really does not help to diminish my jealousy. As much as I try to persuade myself that that was years ago and he is with me now, the image of Zach and Aria making out doesn't want to get out of my head.
"Liv, I was sixteen when that happened. All my friends were no longer a virgin and I just wanted to belong to them. Aria refused to do it at first, but after weeks of convincing her, she gave in and slept with me. It was not a bit romantic or tender, we were just fucking with each other for a while. Then she fell in love with a guy from her university and ended our little affair. Since then, nothing more happened between us." Zach's voice is calm and soft.
I inwardly thank him for not calling me out for my unjustified and childish jealousy. I could slap myself for acting like a sixteen-year-old teenager who hasn't learned how to trust yet.
"Sorry...," I mutter and turn around, pretending to check my make up in the mirror.
Zach steps behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. He plants a light kiss on my neck which sends shivers down my spine, and then rests his head on my shoulder.
"Don't be sorry, it's okay. But there's really nothing you have to worry about," he repeats his earlier words.
I smile at him through the mirror.
"I know. Aria is just so beautiful and a doctor on top of it all and I freaked out a bit when I saw how close you two were. I'm sorry that I distrusted you," I say and turn around.
"Turn back around!" Zach orders.
I frown. What?
"Just do it!" he presses.
I turn around again and Zach steps closer behind me.
"I want you to look at your reflection," Zach states. I can't read his expression right now. I don't know whether he is angry or not.
"Uhm, okay," I retort shyly and look at myself in the mirror.
"What do you see?" Zach asks.
I eye myself for a second and then shrug uneasily.
"Myself?" I answer and shoot him a questioning look through the mirror.
Zach smiles warmly at me and wraps his strong arms around my body.
"Should I tell you what I see?" he asks and rests his head on my shoulder.
"Okay," I mutter. What is he doing?
"I see a strong woman who works hard to live in her own little apartment. A woman who stands by her promises and has her friends' and family's back. I see the most beautiful woman I've ever met. Inside and out." He pauses and his expression becomes more serious. Then he adds in a soft voice, "I see the woman who saved my life with her courage and her big heart. The woman who made me fall in love for the first time!"
I turn around and meet his hazel eyes. Zach looks down at me and has the fondest expression I've ever seen on his face.
"Are you serious?" I whisper.
Zach bites his bottom lip and nods. The honesty in his eyes warms my heart, and a wide smile appears on my face. No one has ever said such thoughtful and kind words about me.
I grab his T-shirt and stand on my tiptoes. Zach takes the hint and leans down to kiss me. His lips are warm and taste like red wine. I brush my tongue against his bottom lip, and he opens his mouth to let me in. I can feel my jealousy melting away as Zach deepens the kiss. I can't imagine him thinking of someone else ever when its me who he's kissing with so much passion and fondness.
Our breathing becomes faster, and Zach's hands wander down to my butt, and he lifts me up with literally no effort. The strength of this man doesn't stop to amaze me. He sits me down on the edge of the sink and I part my legs, so he can step in between them, and wrap them around his waist.
I rake my fingers through his dark hair and tug on it, earning a soft sigh from him. He separates our lips and rests his forehead against mine.
"If we don't stop, I might have to take you right here in the bathroom," he groans and closes his eyes for a second. I chuckle.
"Is this really a bad thing?" I tease him and can't hide my big grin when his eyebrows shoot up.
I gently push him away and slide down from the sink. My eyes automatically wander to the bulge of his jeans and I lick my lips. If I were a bit more drunk, I probably would let him seduce me right here, but I'm much too sober for that. I place a soft kiss onto his slightly parted lips and walk to the door.
"Are you coming? Jake and Aria surely wonder already what takes us so long in here," I say with a wink and unlock the door.
Zach shakes his head, but I spot the ghost of a smile on his face. He makes a quick attempt to adjust his jeans to hide his excitement and then follows me.
When we return into the living room, Aria and Jake throw knowing glances at each other. Zach leads me back to the couch and we sit down between the two siblings again, but this time Zach takes a seat next to Jake and motions me to sit down next to Aria. I get that he did this on purpose, so that I don't have to worry about him and Aria anymore.
I shoot him a thankful smile to which he responds with placing his hand on my thigh.
"Are you okay?" Aria asks me.
"Yea, I just felt slightly dizzy. Tonight was a bit much to take and I'm tired," I explain with an eye-roll.
"I'm sure it was. Zach told us that you had an argument with your friends. I hope everything will be okay with them again," Aria says empathetically and squeezes my arm.
I gratefully smile at her and grab my glass.
The next hour we spend having casual conversations about all sorts of things, and the more I talk to Aria and her brother, the more I grow to like them. Aria's open nature and her seemingly honest care makes it hard to not adore her, and Jake is as charming and hilarious as I remember him from our visit to the casino last week.
When I yawn for what it feels like the hundredth time, Zach chuckles deeply and suggests that we leave. Since my eyelids become heavier, I happily agree, and Jake calls an Uber for us.
Once we've said our goodbyes and the elevator doors have closed behind us, Zach pulls me close.
"I hope you're more relaxed now?" he mutters and starts planting little kisses all over my face.
I giggle and writhe under his tickling attack.
"Stop!" I croak out and try to push him away.
Zach pauses his assault and looks at me with a broad smirk on his full lips.
"I can't get enough from that sound," he states.
"What sound?" I ask him and frown.
"Your laugh," he replies and tucks a strand of my messy hair behind my ear.
"Stop being so cute all the time. It creeps me out," I joke and swat his arm, but in truth my heart skips a beat every time he says those sweet nothings.
Zach laughs and wraps his arms around me. I use the opportunity and bury my face in his soft sweater.
"I can't help it, Liv. When I'm around you I feel like a different person," he mutters into my hair, and I know he's not joking. I can tell by the looks he gets from the people who know him for a long time, like Jake, Aria, and even Caleb, that they are surprised by the way he acts when I'm around.
The elevator doors open at the ground floor and we walk out into the cold and dark night. The Uber is already waiting for us, so we rush to get in. Zach and I both take a seat on the backseat and I rest my head on his shoulder. Almost immediately, I drift off to sleep.
I'm still half-asleep as Zach carries me inside my apartment and gently lays me down on the bed. After taking my clothes off and covering me up, Zach places a kiss on my forehead.
I blink sleepily as I hear Zach's footsteps fading away, and spot him walking towards the door.
"Where are you going?" I mumble, my voice thick from sleep.
Zach turns around and faces me with surprise.
"I was just leaving. I thought you were fast asleep," he replies and smiles.
"You wanted to leave?" I ask. Now I'm the one who is surprised.
"I didn't want to wake you." Zach takes a step towards me.
"You know you can sleep here whenever you want? I'm always happy to have you here," I question him and sit up.
"Okay. Then I'll stay," he replies and pulls down his jeans. I watch him undress and hold the blanket up for him. He slides into the bed wearing only his boxers.
I snuggle into his warm chest and doze off again almost the same second I close my eyes.