5. Emalee
Emalee
Zach’s forehead scrunched, but he nodded. “Okay. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want.”
“No!” I grabbed for his hand. “I want, trust me. That’s not what I meant.” Clearly, I needed to work on my communication skills. “I mean, I need to ask you something first.”
He smiled. “Ah. The safety talk. Smart girl. I’m clean, I promise. I’m always careful, but I had my annual checkup last month. But we’ll be safe, anyway.”
I felt my cheeks turn bright red. “No. That’s not…I mean, that’s good. I am, too. Clean, that is. And I’m on the pill. But I was trying to ask…that is….”
“Em, what is it? Do you not want to have sex with me?”
“I do!” Oh, lordy. If only I could go back ten minutes and start over again. “I just…I was wondering….”
Zach drew me close. He put his finger under my chin and gently drew my face upward to look into his. “You can ask me anything.”
His gorgeous green and gold eyes held mine, and I drew confidence from the sincerity I saw there. Still, I bit my lip as I blurted, “Where do you see this going? Am I just a fling?”
“What? No! I mean, I don’t know…er, that is… shit .”
He ran his hand through his short hair and pulled me over to the bed. After I sat on the edge, he kicked off his shoes and drew one leg up under him as he turned to me.
“That didn’t come out right at all. Emalee,” he said, grabbing hold of both of my hands, “Do you know what I figured out after the first time we met?”
I shook my head.
“I realized you must have been sitting in the sun because you were soaking up its warmth and radiance so you could disperse a little more of it everywhere you go. There’s something about you, Em.
The way you laugh and smile lights up something inside of me.
It makes me feel warm and…I don’t know, stronger, I guess.
I can’t wait to spend time with you because you make me happy. ”
“Really?” I hated how the word made me sound insecure and needy.
He took both of my hands in his. “Really. I can’t predict the future, but I know I enjoy spending every minute with you, and I don’t see that changing.
Is that enough for you for now? When the future comes, we’ll deal with it together, I promise.
” He cupped my face in his hands. “I know it seems too soon, but I know there’s something special here between us.
Tell me you feel it, too.” His kiss that followed was so tender until it grew more and more heated.
“I do,” I moaned.
My head fell back as his lips blazed a path down my neck.
I fell backward on the bed. Rather than following me, he stood and slid his suit coat off, letting it drop to the floor.
Holding my gaze, he pulled off first his tie, then slowly unbuttoned his shirt.
I was almost worried I would drool as his naked chest and defined abs appeared.
Reaching for my hand, he pulled me up until I stood in front of him. His eyes, two pools of want and need, held mine as he reached behind me and unzipped my dress, letting the silk slip over my skin until it joined his shirt and tie on the floor.
His eyes traveled over my skin. “God, you’re beautiful, Emalee.
” His mouth dropped to my shoulder, leaving a trail of kisses as he unhooked my bra and slid the straps down.
His lips never left my skin as they blazed a path toward my breasts, the sensations drawing a moan from deep inside me.
He cupped each breast, massaging them before taking a nipple in his mouth, first one and then the other, triggering sensations I’d never experienced before.
“Oh, god, Zach.”
I felt him smile as he dropped before me and pulled my panties down my legs.
When I didn’t feel his touch anymore, I cracked open my eyes to find him staring at me, but before I could question him or cover myself, he sucked in a breath.
“Fuck, but you’re beautiful.” He gently laid me back down on the bed, kneeling in front of me.
Not that I had an intelligible answer, but anything I would have said quickly morphed into another groan as his head fell forward between my legs, and I realized what he was about to do.
I gripped his head to stop him, but as soon as I felt the swipe of his tongue, my heart skipped a beat, and warm heat rushed downward.
My knees buckled, but his strong hands held my hips and used his shoulders to nudge my legs wider.
As he nibbled on the inside of my thigh, I felt a finger slide inside me.
My body ignited. Desire streaked up and down my spine, bending me to the curls of his fingers as my pulse rose to a feverish pitch between my legs.
“That’s it, sunshine. Let me have it.”
His fingers moved faster, his tongue keeping pace. I screamed as I shattered, pleasure bursting like fireworks throughout my body. I had never imagined anything could feel so good.
I was still recovering when I felt the bed shift, and Zach was climbing onto the bed, his arm muscles tensing as he held himself above me.
When had he finished undressing? Even in my haze, I could see the perfection of his naked body, the defined abdominal muscles, and the trail of fine hair leading to an impressive erection that was long and heavy.
“Wow.”
Zach chuckled before he nudged my thighs wider, his cock already nudging at my entrance. “Is this okay?”
I nodded, and he pushed inside me. “Oh, fuck, you feel so good,” he moaned as he pinned my body to the mattress. His powerful body began to move, long, slow, delicious glides in and out, building that spark again.
“Zach,” I groaned, arching into him.
He picked up the pace, and I wrapped my legs around his hips, urging him to go even faster, harder.
His eyes, heavy and lust-filled, watched me until I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
As my head pressed into the pillows, he slammed harder into me.
The quivers rolled into passionate tremors as my body lost control once again.
“Fuck,” he choked against my lips as his body jerked, his muscles rippling beneath my fingers.
His mouth resumed gentle kisses as our bodies slowed their movements until he collapsed on top of me.
“You’re incredible.” His words were muffled against my shoulder. He took a nip, causing me to jump and him to grin as he shifted to lie beside me.
“I think you were the incredible one,” I answered, feeling the sudden urge to bury my head in his arm. I’d never lost control like that before. I didn’t know it was possible. Then I ruined the moment with a yawn.
Zach stood and walked to the bathroom and returned a few minutes later. He pulled me into his arms, kissed the side of my head, and whispered, “Sleep, sunshine.”
The mattress shifted as Zach carefully got out of bed. Confused, I started to sit up, but he hurried to my side and whispered for me to go back to sleep. I rolled over and stole his pillow, earning a quiet chuckle. Ignoring him, I buried my head into the downy softness and fell back asleep.
When I next opened my eyes, even the heavy drapery couldn’t contain the brightness sneaking around the edges.
My eyes opened wider when I saw nine thirty-seven on the bedside alarm clock.
When was the last time I’d slept so late?
I rolled over to wish Zach a good morning and to tease him about wearing me out, but his side of the bed was cold.
Huh. I guessed he went to the small gym room to work out.
I decided to grab a shower, but when I came back out, the room was still quiet. I checked my phone for a message, but there was nothing new since yesterday.
That was odd. I sent Zach a message informing him I was up, but even after spending several minutes straightening the room and packing my things, and folding Zach’s clothes, there was no response.
As I looked closer, it appeared my message was still attempting to send.
Maybe Zach was having the same problem getting messages to me.
No longer able to ignore my growling stomach, I decided to head to the front desk to get some water bottles and inquire about breakfast. As I grabbed the key card, my phone rang, sounding more garbled than ever.
Finally!
But it wasn’t Zach’s name that appeared. It was Bristol’s.
“Hey! You couldn’t wait until I got home to get the dirty details?” I laughed as I walked down the hall to the elevator.
“Emalee.”
Something about my cousin’s voice had me stop in my tracks. “What? What’s wrong?”
There was a second’s hesitation, then she said, “It’s your mom. I’m so sorry, honey, but she’s in the hospital.”
“Wh…what? Oh, my god, is she okay?”
“I don’t know, sweetie. I’m already on my way to get you and drive you home.”
I ran back to our room. I dropped the card twice before I was able to hold it steady enough to unlock the door. My stomach churned as I only half heard Bristol’s voice, but I caught the words “gun” and “shooting.”
I grabbed my small suitcase and purse, praying my mom would be okay. God couldn’t take her, too.
Zach, where are you? I need you!
The words were a litany on my tongue as I raced back to the elevator.
Just as the doors opened, I heard a nearby room door open.
Mindlessly, I looked over as I stepped into the waiting carriage, only to see Zach leave a room, minus his shirt.
His hair was rumpled, like fingers had been running through it repeatedly.
A girl I remembered meeting last night, especially since she was constantly flirting with my date, stood in the doorway right behind him.
She was dressed in nothing but a Theta Mu T-shirt.
His back remained turned away from me, but it didn’t stop me from seeing her stretch up on her toes, lips pursed.
It didn’t stop me from seeing him bend his head toward her just as the elevator doors closed.
And it didn’t stop the sinking feeling that I had been a fool.
I barely made it to the lobby before I threw up.
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