Chapter 16 ZEE
“My physiotherapist said to move.” Ella grabbed his hand as she stepped over an overgrown branch in front of the little gate that led to the gardens.
“Yes, but I don’t think this is what she had in mind.” Zee pulled back an overhanging branch so it wouldn’t hit his face.
They’d just finished dinner and then he walked with her from the back of their house to the little fence that was at the start of the garden.
“Thanks for squeezing in the appointment with me.”
“I wanted to know what she said, Ella. You’re doing great. You can take more breaks from the sling.”
“I will.” Ella picked up a long branch, dragged it on the ground then used it as a walking stick.
“I still think of turning this jungle into a bed-and-breakfast.”
“Yeah?” Zee couldn’t see her vision though he knew they had the acreage to do something with and he’d prefer to maintain it than to leave it this wild.
“I mean, I don’t think it could ever happen.”
Her sad tone made him stop, waiting for her to catch up to him.
“Hey slave of mine, all you have to do is tell me you want something and we’ll make it happen,” he took her in his arms, dragging his lips gently over hers, before kissing her tenderly.
She ducked her head against his chest and gave him a small smile.
“Zee, I’m fine.” Her hesitant smile didn’t reach her eyes and guilt twisted low in his belly.
“You tell me if you ever want to chase a waterfall, okay?” He slid his hand up her back to her nape and tugged her thick, long hair.
“I promise.” She reached out with her good arm and ran her fingertips over his collarbone, her feather light touch electrifying.
He groaned low in his throat, the ache of needing her already intensifying at the thought of being away from her, even for a moment and held her hand against his chest as he kissed her, urgently, demanding that she open her mouth, allowing him deeper access.
His hands roamed over her back as he held her close, heat spread in his chest as she met him with a soft moan that vibrated through him, making his cock throb against his zipper, stirring.
“I don’t like being away from you, dear heart,” he brushed the hair out of her flushed face.
“I know.”
He slid his fingers through hers and she set the pace, walking slower than usual until they reached her garden.
Her garden was a labour of love and had blossomed over the years but he didn’t visit it that often with her.
The last time he’d been here the sunflower maze she started only reached his knee.
Now they were at his waist.
Ella picked up her spade and cleared away weeds and branches, even though she was breathing hard.
He didn’t stop her, though he wanted to.
“This trellis fell down during the last windstorm. I haven’t had a chance to get it up.”
“Let me help.” Zee ran over. With a grunt, he reached down and pulled pieces of the rough wood out of the way of the path. “Ella, we need a grounds crew.”
“Leave me with my little patch. I like that the rest of it is wild and untamed.” She laughed, her eyes twinkling, and he shook his head before continuing to clear the broken trellis
“I know this place means a lot to you.” But River’s advice about securing this part of their land floated through his head.
He could see his point.
The back acreage of the garden was open and he didn’t like it.
The chances were very unlikely that a car or a van would drive through it, but with everything else going on at Club Bandit he didn’t want to risk it.
“I talked with Ivy this morning. They can’t wait for the anniversary dinner.”
“Yeah a lot of people are looking forward to it. Xander called and asked if I wanted the name of his seafood guy,” he laughed, grinning.
“Did you tell him yes?”
“I don’t say no to Xander Montague, love.”
“You are smart that way, Master,” her eyes lit with amusement.
Zee kept working, listening to Ella hum a few bars here and there as she, with one hand, tugged at burlap covering a bush.
This time he couldn’t leave her to it and went to help her.
They worked in companionable silence as they moved on to the next bush and then Zee grabbed a rake and started raking the debris on the ground.
He wasn’t a gardener and this wasn’t how he wanted to spend the last couple of hours he had before leaving but he wanted to give Ella a chance to get out to her garden because she was going to miss it for the week he was away.
“There’s so much to do.” Ella reached down and tugged at the covering on one of her beds.
“Maybe I should see if there’s a service sub with a green thumb who wants to volunteer.”
“A young model with plenty of energy?”
“Or just one who doesn’t hate gardening,” Ella waggled her eyebrows at him and he laughed. “It’s sweet of you to spend time with me out here but you didn’t have to.”
“I want to make you happy, Ella.”
“I’m not unhappy, Master.” She turned and looked beyond their property line and he wondered what she was thinking. “Ivy also said that Gabe is in Montreal for some kind of training thing he’s running. Maybe you two can have dinner.”
“I’d like that.” He’d like it more if she was with them. “Ella, Madison has to come home within the next three weeks, something to do with her visa. At least she had her passport with her, so I guess it wasn’t all that impulsive.”
“I wonder if she had a bag packed.”
“Probably.” Zee brushed off a fleck of dirt that was on her shoulder. “And Annie will have a few days off then too.”
“What are you proposing?” She tilted her head to him, her lovely smile spreading across her lips, making him feel young for a moment, here where it was just the two of them.
“That we go on a trip, just the four of us.”
“The girls want to?”
“I don’t care if they want to or not, I’m going to make them. Annie will need the break. Madison will be so happy that I didn’t cut her off.” He was teasing but the words came out gruffly.
“You’d never.” Ella reached up and cupped his chin in her palm. “You are not your father, Zee.”
“I know, dear heart. You made me see that all those years ago. But that kid of ours doesn’t need to know that.”
Ella laughed and shook her head. “Maybe this once, I’ll let you scare her, just a little. But I think it’s too late. They know you’re a softie.”
Zee spun around and draped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck, until she giggled.
He wanted to spend more time with her in her space but glancing at his watch, he had to go. He had a plane to catch.
“Maybe we will go visit Nora or rent a cabin in the woods off-grid.”
“Now you’re being mean.” But she laughed, her cheeks flushed and he held her tighter.
“I’m sorry, I am leaving you for the week. But Helena is going to come over, and Josie wants to show you how to make her cinnamon bread.”
“Zee, I can entertain myself for a week.” She broke out of his embrace and went back to her garden, pulling off the rest of the covers.
She looked gorgeous, if a little awkward only using one arm as the setting sun hit her red hair.
“I know. I should have told you about the job.”
“You said that, Master. I forgive you.” Ella threw the cover off and wiped her hands on a rag.
“Good. How’s your ass?” He came up behind her and slid his hands down her waist to her bottom. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and squeezed her soft flesh.
“Sore,” she hissed.
“Enough to remember that I own you and you will obey me?”
“Yes, Master. Always.” Her mouth twitched and he kissed her forehead before slanting his lips against hers and kissing her long and slow.
“Good.” He felt the comfortable weight of what they were to each other settle over them and all was right in his world.