12. Nate
TWELVE
nate
I got ready to text her. It was a slow day, but since New Orleans, our conversations had gotten more intense. Turned out, Zoe liked dirty talk, and I was all too happy to provide it. But there was no way to find any privacy in the immediate future, and I’d already made more than one uncomfortable walk from the gym to the chow hall. There were too many people around at the moment. Besides, I didn’t want to be one of those guys who became addicted to rubbing one off every chance he got. Every once in a while, sure. But I had a job to do here, and that was my primary focus.
I thought about two weeks ago in New Orleans. I still couldn’t get the picture of her, legs crossed on the wrought iron chair in front of her, hand down her pants, out of my mind.
Mainly because I’d looked at that picture, and others, more than once or twice. Later that week, when I teased her about zooming in to peek down those jeans she’d been wearing, Zoe had sent a lingerie pic, which I hadn’t been expecting. Out of the blue, I woke up one morning, opened my phone, and there she was in a black lace bra and thong.
Instant wood.
I’d told her so, too, and that particular text thread had been one of the best yet. Since then, she’d been teasing me with more to come, though I was rarely able to reciprocate. After I’d been able to snap a quick selfie one morning while working out, Zoe had declared that when we met in person, she intended to lick every single spot visible on the pic. Then she said it would be time to move south and, as she put it, “suck you dry.”
Fuck. And now I was hard thinking about it.
She beat me to the punch.
Busy day?
I could not perpetually operate in this state. So after a few deep breaths—and thoughts of puppies— I had myself under control.
Eh. You?
Was just flipping through pics of New Orleans. I especially love the one of the nighttime Riverboat Jazz cruise. You know, the one where you made me come without me even touching myself?
I still wasn’t quite sure I believed her, but if it was true, that had been quite a feat.
Not even a little touch?
In front of all my friends and a five-piece jazz band?
LOL. Did anyone ever tell you that you’re a sexy fucking little thing, Zoe Harrison? Because that’s hot.
Hot is telling me you were going to lick me from back to front and fuck me into the bed so hard I wouldn’t know what hit me.
Not taking those words back.
Don’t want you to. Dammit, Nate. I don’t want to talk about touching you anymore. I want to do it for real.
You and me both, Zoe girl.
Any word on that front?
As a matter of fact, I think it’ll be sooner rather than later. But no date yet.
Seriously?
Seriously. Looks like I’m in the next group out.
HOLY SHIT! That’s amazing news.
It was and wasn’t. I still had no plans for back home beyond fucking the ever-living shit out of Zoe either before or after I made slow, sweet love to her. I wasn’t sure which would come first.
Time to fess up.
It is.
Why don’t you seem more excited?
We talked about reacclimatization already. Also, I want to see you, more than you know. But my life plan was also blown to hell a few weeks ago, and I can’t say a new one has really taken shape.
We never talked about your job back home.
She didn’t know because I’d been reluctant to tell her. Zoe had her shit together, from a career she loved to friends. . .pretty much from top to bottom, the woman’s life was a well-oiled machine.
And then there was me.
The plan was to move back home and take over my uncle’s restaurant. Remember, I mentioned him? Dad’s brother. Never married. Owns a small restaurant in town.
Sure, I remember.
My uncle asked a few years ago, when he retired, if I wanted to take it over.
I didn’t know the food service industry was your thing? Do you cook?
On the grill, yes. LOL. But it’s not a fancy place. Established. And without a college degree, it seemed as good a plan as any.
So what happened a few weeks ago?
He sold it.
What? Are you serious?
I am. Turns out I’m not the only one in the family who likes to gamble. But his is of the serious money sort, and he lost enough that selling the restaurant was his only option.
Did he give you a chance to buy it out?
Sort of. With little notice, it wasn’t a very practical offer. There was no way I could make that happen from over here.
Oh man, Nate, that’s awful.
Sucks, for sure.
So, what’s the plan now?
Fuck if I knew. And that was the problem.
Unsure, to be honest.
Silence.
And this was when Zoe—put-together, gorgeous, passionate Zoe—would decide a deadbeat, almost-ex-military guy with no college degree, no matter how easily he made her come with a few words and the sound of his voice, was not for her.
If you need someone to help you figure it out. . .
As if being my life coach was exactly what Zoe wanted to do.
I got it.
You know, when Lucas said you were pretty private, I didn’t believe him at first. You seemed open enough to me. But I’m starting to think he was right.
I wasn’t quite sure what to make of that.
I’d say he was right.
In some ways. But not in others.
Meaning?
Meaning. . . I think I’ve gotten to know you fairly easily. And I’m definitely learning what you like sexually pretty quick, especially given that we’ve never even kissed before.
Mmmm, that’s another thing I can’t fucking wait for. To kiss you for the first time.
That and so many other things. Nate. . .
Yes, Zoe?
I really can’t wait to meet you in real life.
Given what I’d told her about my lack of life vision, I was glad to hear it. If there was ever a reason to get it together, this was it. My time here was coming to an end, and after my injury, I’d decided not to reenlist. The only problem? The army was my life.
I can’t wait to meet you too.
And I meant it. Although there was a part of me that worried too. I was positive Zoe girl would be more than satisfied sexually. But emotionally? I worried about that more than I wanted to admit, and now that the time was getting closer and closer, the “don’t give a fuck about anything” Nate was acting suspiciously like a guy who’d gone and caught. . .
Nah, couldn’t be.
I’d never loved a woman before. I’d cared for a few, sure. But love? It was an emotion I reserved for my family, but beyond that. . .
I thought of her earlier comment and didn’t want to shut her out like I did most people.
Years ago, an uncle on my mother’s side got into a motorcycle accident and passed away.
How old?
A week before his thirtieth birthday.
Jesus
Yeah. Tore my mother up pretty good. The whole family, actually. I was young enough that. . . it made an impression.
In what way?
How did I tell Zoe this without scaring her away? But I also didn’t want to meet her with any preconceived notions about me.
I’m not a very emotional guy.
I’m not sure about that.
She sent a wink face.
Passion and emotion are two different things.
Pause.
I really was trying my best to fuck this up today, wasn’t I?
Okay. Lack of emotion. Anything else I should know?
I wasn’t quite sure she got it, but I wasn’t going to press the issue.
Not that I can think of…
Good
Shit, an alarm went off.
Gotta jump.
Later, gator.
Later, Zoe girl.