Everlyn Chapter 8
I made it through the remainder of Thursday, after Zephyr and I had our heart-to-heart, and Friday. It had been nearly impossible. However, it was time to sit down with my best friend and tell her what I agreed to.
It wasn’t something you did over the phone, via text, or email.
It had to be done in person. I would’ve told her last night, but she had plans, and I refused to interrupt them.
She was slowly trying to go back to her normal routines.
Last night, she had gone to dinner with two of her other friends.
Although she and I were besties, she had friendships that I wasn’t a part of.
Allegra was coming over to my house, and we were bringing in Thai food and talking. Depending on how long it took and what she said, we might end up watching a movie.
I got off work and home in time to shower before she arrived at seven o’clock. When she walked in after a cursory knock, she carried a bottle of wine that I loved in her hand.
“I’m here!” she called out.
“Get in here. You can stay since you brought the wine,” I teased her.
I’d placed the food order five minutes before she arrived so that it would be delivered in about thirty minutes. Allegra laughed as she headed for the kitchen. She worked on the cork while I got out my wine glasses.
After it was poured, I paused to swirl it in the glass to release its bouquet, then to inhale the bouquet the way Jeremiah taught both of us. The first sip made me relax.
“Ahh, that’s what I needed. Thank you. You wanna sit in here or out on the deck in the back?” I asked.
“It’s still nice outside. Let’s go out there. Besides, the heater is out there still, right? If we get cold?”
“It is.”
A minute later, we were seated around my patio table, the lights were on, and we’d gone ahead and turned on the electric outdoor heater. The sun had set over an hour ago. Allegra sat with her legs curled up in her chair. I folded mine into lotus pose.
“I needed this. What a week. How about you? Was your week eventful after Wednesday?” Allegra asked.
Wednesday night was the last time we had a lengthy talk versus exchanging texts. She knew nothing of my last confrontation with Bishop, or the resulting conversation with Zephyr that changed my life, or I hoped.
“Oh, yeah, you can say that. But I want you to go first. Mine may take a while,” I informed her.
Despite her clear curiosity, she went first.
“Workwise, I’ve had two clients lose their ever-loving minds this week. They waited until the materials they agreed upon, which I ordered months ago, arrived, then said they weren’t what they’d ordered and demanded I fix my mistake at no cost to them.
“When I showed it was exactly what they signed off on, they weren’t happy.
They grew less so when I informed them that if they wanted to change it, they’d have to wait six to eight weeks again, and the cost of the unused items would be sent to my suppliers, with their restock fees charged to my clients, not me.
If I’d messed up, that would’ve been different.
“They bitched and threatened to fire me and find someone else. I told them it was their choice, but it wouldn’t save them the fees and would set their projects back by more than eight weeks.
My plans were mine. Anyone else they got new would have to draft their own.
Finally, after wasting at least an hour each, they fell silent and told me they’d take what they ordered, no reordering necessary.
I swear some days, I want to rip out my hair and slap them in the face. ”
Allegra took a large sip of her wine after she stopped speaking.
“What about the rest of your work?” I added.
“It was smooth, and I signed on a new client. I finished up one project, too,” she replied. Allegra ran her own interior design studio. She had an excellent reputation and often had more work than she could handle.
“How was dinner last night?” I asked,
“It was good. I have fun whenever I see Charlotte and Tiffany. I was glad we found time to go out. They’re doing really well, happily planning their wedding.
I told them I knew they’d end up together one day.
The food was good, though I got in late.
I dragged ass this morning. That’s it for me.
The rest of the week had either been as expected or good. What about yours?” she asked eagerly.
“I had another run-in with Bishop Reeves. He was on his usual roll, trying to intimidate everyone in his path. I refused to let him. Bishop got a surprise of his own, though.” I chuckled under my breath.
“What kind of surprise? Tell me you punched him,” Allegra stated excitedly.
“No, you bloodthirsty ho, I didn’t punch him, but I was close. He backed the hell off when he was threatened, and it wasn’t by me, though I added to it.”
“Who threatened him?”
“Zephyr did. And that wasn’t all he did.”
She gasped and leaned toward me. “What else?”
“He told him to stay away unless he wanted to have the entire Grave Prowler club on his ass. When Bishop asked Zephyr what I was to him and his club, Zephyr answered without missing a beat that I was his girlfriend.”
Allegra almost dropped her wine glass as she forgot she was holding it. Her fingers hastily re-clenched the stem.
“He did what!? Holy shit, tell me everything!”
I took her through my confrontation with Zephyr about his lying, and then through his response.
How we both explained what we were searching for in a relationship.
How we saw each other and then the kisses.
When I was finished, Allegra sat there with her mouth hanging open, not blinking. Several moments later, she spoke.
“You and Zephyr are dating with the intention of it becoming more, as in maybe permanent. You agreed to it?”
“Yes, though he says dating is too noncommittal, and he doesn’t see himself as a boy or me as a girl. However, since that was the only option between dating and marriage, we’ll use it.”
“Oh my God, I think I might have to get me a biker if they’re all like him. Jesus, Ever, that’s more committed than your last boyfriend, Dirk, after a year and a half together. I wondered if you’d ever let a man close again after him. It’s been two years,” she gushed.
Allegra was right. Dirk had been allergic to commitment beyond being boyfriend and girlfriend, and even that was only to certain degrees.
He refused to live together. When I asked where he saw us going after a year and a half together, he asked why I was pushing.
He claimed things were good and we shouldn’t rock the boat.
That’s when I knew he wasn’t capable of more. I broke up with him two days later.
He had begged me to reconsider on and off daily for weeks, then the requests grew more spaced out.
The last time he contacted me to ask if I was ready to get back together was three months ago.
Dirk would be seen all over town with various women.
None had he exclusively dated, as far as I knew or cared.
Then, suddenly, he’d contact me about us getting back together. He was such a douche.
“I know it has, and to be honest, I was fine staying alone. However, I can’t ignore Zephyr. He’s been like an explosion, Legra. And he occupies my mind more than any guy I’ve ever been with,” I confessed.
“Woo hoo! Alright, that’s what I want to hear. You were too good for those other guys. Did you warn Zephyr that if he hurts you in any way, I’ll hunt him down and cut off his twig and berries?” she asked.
I giggled. “No, I thought I’d allow you the pleasure of that one. But I want to be there when you do it.”
“Deal. So, when can you have him over so I can issue my warning? Oh, and I have to get to know him far better, and I want to check out those other Prowlers. I know you said they’re all great, but you know me. They all have to pass muster to be in my bestie’s life,” Allegra reminded me.
Since I was worse than her when it came to allowing someone into her life, I wasn’t upset. I smiled.
“What’re you doing tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow? Nothing.”
“Good, then how would you like to go with me to the Grave Prowlers’ compound? We’ve been invited. They want to meet you, and Zephyr insists on getting to know you.”
Her squeal was nearly deafening. I watched as she wiggled in her chair after putting down her wine before she dropped it.
I laughed myself silly. Once she calmed down, I told her the time we’d leave tomorrow.
We were prevented from saying more by the arrival of our Thai food. I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face.
Four hours later, after Allegra left for her house and I was in bed, I looked at the last text message Zephyr had sent me.
Z: I can’t wait to see you tomorrow, elskling. Dream of me. I’ll be dreaming of you.
My response was enough to disturb his sleep, too.
Me: I can’t wait, either. And while I dream of you, I hope your visions are as hot as mine will be.
Z: (panting emoji).
I should be asleep, but I kept thinking about his demand that I dream of him.
And one of my own nearly nightly ones had started.
In this one, Zephyr and I had gone for a long ride on his bike.
It was a bright, sunny day, with the temperature in the low eighties, and the humidity was low for Florida.
We’d stopped in an open field with a section of trees off a half-hidden dirt lane we rode down to get to the trees. We were seated on a blanket he’d spread out for us. My mind jumped over the familiar relaxing in each other’s arms part and the kissing that led to the foreplay.
From memory, I knew how hot it had gotten me, and so my body instantly reacted.
My nipples grew taut. My skin flushed. Between my legs, I was slick.
I swore, with my eyes closed, that he had removed his mouth from my nipples, though he left his hands behind to tease them, and the first swipes of his tongue up and down the center of my pussy had happened.