Chapter 11
11
Tovah.
Damn that woman had invaded his every waking moment. The scent of her hair, the flash of her eyes. The soft little moans she made when she came.
And the food.
Despite the fact she’d grown up in a privileged world, she was a surprisingly good cook. The food wasn’t fancy or high-end, but tasty and filling. She didn’t strike him as the sort to like casseroles. However, the world didn’t appreciate them the way they should.
Zach looked up at the long line of homeless and those who lived in the shelter adjacent to the soup kitchen where he volunteered. He might not have been able to do his regular Thursday dinner shift, but he wasn’t going to punk out on them during one of the most important days of the year for those who relied on the facility for their meals.
Penny walked by him and looked into all the chafing dishes to assess how much more food they might need. “I think it’s busier than last year.”
Zach nodded and put a couple slices of turkey on the tray of a man who went by the name of Sparky.
“Where you been, Doc?” Sparky’s smile was more than a few teeth shy of a set.
“Have to teach a class on Thursdays this semester, so I’ve been a bit scarce. How you been?”
“Found me a part-time job.”
“That’s great.”
Sparky was one of those whose family had forgotten him. Maybe they were all dead and he’d fallen on hard times. It didn’t matter, Zach didn’t judge. If circumstances had been different, he might be in Sparky’s place on that side of the line.
It seemed an endless progression of people, needing sustenance and companionship. The dining hall had a large television that showed the traditional holiday football games.
By the time Zach helped clean up and left, he was tired both physically and mentally. He liked working with the homeless and making their day a little better, but it always took its toll on him.
Everything in life came with a price to pay. The price for Zach was a sense that no matter how much he helped or gave, it would never be enough. He owed so much of who he was to those who had lent a hand when he had no one. Giving back was the only way he knew to square the deal. And still, he didn’t think it would ever be adequate.
He pulled up in the driveway and opened the garage door, then pulled in his bike. After having someone go through his house, it seemed more feasible to do that than to leave it out where someone might think to tamper with it. Call him paranoid but it wasn’t that far out of the possibility.
His phone vibrated and he looked at the screen as he walked through the door that separated garage from kitchen.
Do you want some dessert?
The text didn’t come from Tovah.
Next came a money shot of a naked, extremely smooth and wet pussy. The clit had a delicate little piercing on it.
Who did he know who had their clit pierced? He racked his brain but didn’t come up with anyone. And not for nothing, but that was something worth remembering.
Blocked.
Tovah’s insistence that he kept the evidence and let someone in admin know of the harassing texts crossed his mind for all of a half second before he deleted it. He had no way of knowing if the texts were even originating from a student. It might be one of the women from the shelter, or even someone he knew from the Gus Stop. No way to know unless he did a phone search, and he really didn’t want to do that. Too much time and expense for something that was better off ignored.
Zach took a shower and headed across the yards to see Miss Rose and Tovah. The lights were still on in the house and music spilled from around the door. He wasn’t sure what was playing, but it sounded like something classical.
Tovah answered the door with her face flushed and a huge smile. “Hello. I didn’t think you’d be coming.”
“Did you uninvite me?” He said it as a joke, but that didn’t stop the fall of his stomach with the possibility.
“No. Of course not. You’re always welcome.” She stepped back from the door and opened it wider.
He came into the house and the scent of baking cookies filled the air. “Smells good in here.”
“Snickerdoodles.” Tovah held her hand out for his jacket, which he shed and handed to her.
“Well, come here, you sexy bastard, and give me a kiss,” Miss Rose said from the recliner. She had a rigid splint on her leg, and it elevated.
“Yes, ma’am.”
For a senior, Miss Rose was beautiful. She had a mischievous twinkle in her eyes and had kept herself fit. Good to see her color was normal and she didn’t look as if she was in any discomfort. More pissed that she was in a chair instead of up moving around.
“Hey, gorgeous.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek then sat on the end of the sofa closest to her. “How you doing?”
“Better once I take this contraption off for longer periods of time. They still want me in it. For stability they say.” She rolled her eyes like a tween who had been told no.
“What do you say?”
“I say they only want to keep me holed up for job security. The longer I stay injured, ” she made air quotes on the word. “The more money they can bill Medicare.”
“Isn’t that fraud?”
Miss Rose lifted a shoulder. “It would be hard to prove.”
Tovah came to stand near Miss Rose’s chair. “They are doing it because they don’t want you dancing the Cha Cha and breaking it again and ruining all their lovely work.”
“I’m damn good at the Cha Cha.” Rose pointed a bony finger at Tovah.
The oven timer dinged, sending his heart into a weird beat. The last time he’d heard that damn beep he’d been holding his dick in his hand while he lost his load over seeing into the gates of paradise.
“Snickerdoodle time.” Tovah walked into the kitchen, oblivious to the turmoil the pinging made. “You want coffee, Zach?”
“Yes.” He rose from the sofa. “But I can get it.”
Tovah waved him back down. “No, stay and talk to Grandma.”
Actually, he wanted to get close to Tovah again. There hadn’t been time the last few days and even less since Miss Rose had been discharged from rehab.
Zach planted his butt back on the sofa and turned to Miss Rose. Her expression said she knew exactly what he had in mind. “Just thought I’d help.”
“She’s capable.” Miss Rose hit his knee. “I want to talk to you while she’s out of earshot.”
“I can still hear you,” Tovah called from the kitchen.
Miss Rose leaned forward and motioned for him to do the same. “Are you going to ask the girl out or not?”
“Yes.” Zach dropped his voice lower. “But I have to wait until the semester ends.”
“She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?”
“Very.” He glanced up to watch her moving around the kitchen. Those curves looked even better without clothes covering them.
“If I had that figure…” Miss Rose put her hand up in the air. “I’d have played the field a lot longer than I did.”
Zach’s gaze went back to Miss Rose’s. Judging from story of Rose and her husband, there had never been a question of playing the field.
“Instead, I got the body of a twelve-year-old boy.”
“Grandma!” Tovah admonished. “You’re petite and graceful.”
“I’m a shrimp. Always have been.”
From where he sat, he could see Tovah shake her head.
“You know, Miss Rose, I think you’re perfect.”
She laughed and fluttered her hand at him. “You’re a charmer.”
He’d never thought of himself as one. Not purposefully. Seduction came easy when both parties wanted the same thing. That type of interaction didn’t require any charm at all.
However, with Tovah he’d had to use some charm.
Tovah carried a tray into the living room. Cookies fresh from the oven, coffee, and was that pie? She set it on the low table in the center of the seating area and served.
“Cream?” Tovah looked him straight in the eyes.
In front of her grandma! Really?
All right. If she wanted to play like that.
“Always.”
She poured the cream into his cup, then handed him the cup, saucer, with a spoon. Zach took the saucer by the base. This was all so civilized. So normal. How was he supposed to sit and talk to these ladies when all he wanted to do was grab one by the face and stick his tongue all the way down her throat?
Shaking off the feeling, he tucked into the superb Snickerdoodle and tried his best to get through the evening.
Tovah liked to keep it light.
Under the circumstances, it was best that way. Zach wasn’t the type of man who stayed with one woman. He was the kind who blew with the wind. Ask her how she knew.
It was there in his eyes.
Even the pull of her grandma wasn’t enough to make him want to spend the holiday with her. Not that she was owed anything of the sort for undressing for him and getting herself off for their mutual pleasure.
The fact he had plans was completely immaterial. However, the fact he didn’t share what those plans were worried her. Pretending otherwise wasn’t possible. At least to herself. When it came to her interactions with Zach, she was going to conduct herself as always: make him believe it didn’t matter. When and if she found out he’d been with another woman, then she’d tell him that the promises of December 10 th or not, she was going to have to decline further interactions of a romantic or sexual nature. She wasn’t made for casual or to be one of many. Been there, done that. Hated it.
“Did someone curdle the cream, dear?” Rose’s eagle-sharp gaze had landed right on Tovah.
“Is my expression that bad?” Tovah gave an uneasy laugh. Heat shot to her cheeks for being called out. “I’m just listening to the conversation.”
No, she hadn’t been. If she was asked to recite anything said within the past two minutes, she was going to have to admit her mind had wandered.
Zach’s gaze had switched to her. A slight frown pulled his brows in. He said nothing.
Neither did she. Her feelings were too complex to expose. To either Zach or her grandma. No matter how much she loved and respected Rose, some things were too private to air.
“What are your plans after the semester ends, Tovah?”
Oh, yeah, that wasn’t baiting a trap.
Immediately, her mind shot to December 10 th and her cheeks grew warmer. She decided to bluff it out. “I’ve received my notice for course selection for the spring. I’ll meet with my academic advisor and select my classes. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get most of them during the day.” Her gaze landed on Zach. “Though I have found some interesting advantages to night classes.”
Tovah picked up her coffee and sipped at it as if she hadn’t thrown down the conversational gauntlet.
“Spring might be my favorite semester yet.” Zach had a devilish expression in his eyes and a wicked grin.
Rose sat back in her seat looking inordinately please with herself. “Know that as long as you need, you can stay here. I love having the company.”
Tovah chuckled. “You love having someone fold the laundry.”
Rose made a shooing motion. “If that’s all I wanted, I’d pay someone to come in and do it.”
True. Rose was financially secure in her senior years. She’d been frugal and invested wisely. Unlike her children, Rose hadn’t lived beyond her means or spent more than was needed. Most of her money not tied up in investments had been spent building memories. Not sunken into frivolous or unneeded items. What she bought was quality, to last. Tovah had learned practicality from her.
Zach stayed for another hour before he rose and thanked them for the dessert. “I don’t want to overstay, and Miss Rose needs her rest.” He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “That wasn’t a suggestion by the way.”
“I can decide when I’m ready for bed.” She pretended offense though her eyes twinkled at the attention. “Tovah, box Zach up some cookies and a piece of that pie for later.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Tovah took the tray with the empty cups into the kitchen.
Before she took two steps, Zach had lifted the tray from her hands. “I can take that in for you.”
“Thank you.” They went into the kitchen together. Tovah glanced over her shoulder to see if she caught any expression on Rose’s face. Surprisingly, she hadn’t turned around to watch.
Tovah opened a cabinet and retrieved a couple of small containers. “How many cookies would you like?”
“Never ask me that.” He came in close and lowered his mouth to her ear. “I have an insatiable sweet tooth.”
Her breath hitched. “All kinds of sweets or cookies in particular?”
“Mmm, all kinds, but especially your kind.”
“December 10 th ,” she whispered in a slight admonishing tone.
She boxed up the cookies while trying not to burn alive at Zach’s nearness. When he started to the door, Tovah followed.
“I’m just going to walk Zach out.”
Rose waved them away.
On the porch with the door closed, she turned to him. Bright moonlight and the porch lights painted interesting shadows over his face. His expression was fierce. So different than it had been in front of her grandma.
“I love Miss Rose more than most people in my life, but I swear, all I wanted was to be alone with you tonight.” His eyes glittered with fierce intent.
“Consider the deprivation a way to build anticipation.” Tovah mimicked his need to stand so close and came within millimeters of their chests brushing. “It will make the night so much sweeter.”
He shook his head. “I’m about ready to slam you up against the siding, rip your panties off, and fuck you until you’re howling at the moon.”
Tovah smiled at the image. “Fucking someone hard enough to change species is quite the boast.”
“It’s no boast, babe. It’s pure adulterated fact.” He planted his nose in her hair and took in a deep breath. “You’re going to be so good.”
She sure hoped so.
Worry filled her at the thought. If he expected her to be some kind of wild temptress that did all manner of sexually adventurous things in the bedroom, he was going to be disappointed. She might decide to try them if the spirit moved her, but she didn’t know the first thing about initiating them.
However, turning up the bravado had worked during their one hot encounter. Doing so again might see her through a second time.