Chapter Twenty-Three

Denise

I feel soft kisses, or at least, I think I do. My body is spent, and I wish I was kidding. I feel like a cooked noodle, relaxed and dead. I’m lying on my stomach with one arm tucked under me while the other one is over the top of the pillow.

I don’t even think I could move my hand up if I wanted to. A moan comes from beside me as I feel it again. Yup, definitely kisses. I moan, and I feel hands grab my hips and lift me a bit.

“Hmmm,” I say out loud as I feel him slide into me. He groans as he fucks me from behind. I’ve lost count of how many times we woke up searching for each other. I’ve lost track of the times his fingers brought me to the brink of pleasure. I’ve lost track of the times I’ve cried out to god.

“Zack,” I say, gripping my pillow now with both hands.

“I,” he says, “can’t get,” slamming into me, “enough of you.”

I don’t think I could come anymore, and then he slams into me a bit harder, and I’m wrong. I’m so, so wrong because I come while he slams into me one final time, planting himself all the way in and coming himself.

He collapses on the side of me, bringing me with him. “No more,” I say, panting.

“I woke up, and well, you wiggled next to me,” he says, and I open one eye at him.

“You mean I was breathing?” I ask him.

“No”—he shakes his head—“I was hugging you and then you just moved your hips, and I just thought ...”

“That I wanted you again?” I laugh while he rolls over and puts his hand over my stomach.

“Go away,” I tell him.

“I should have said the same thing when I woke up and you were riding me.” He laughs as he gets up off the bed, walking to the bathroom.

“Your cock was up.” I raise my head. “And you didn’t exactly shove me off.”

I hear him laughing as he comes back to the bed with a wet cloth for me.

“I’ll never shove you off.” He kisses my lips, and my phone rings.

“Shit,” I say, getting out of bed and running down the stairs for my purse at the door. “It’s my brother,” I yell at him as he watches me naked from the top of the stairs.

“Hey,” I say, answering the phone.

“Hey there,” he says. “What are you up to?” he asks me, and I look around to see if maybe there is a camera.

“Nothing, just reading the paper,” I say, walking up the stairs. “Why?”

“Nothing,” he says. “Jack is still here, and Zack has to pick him up and Allison thought maybe you could get a ride with him and come for a late lunch.”

“Oh.” I look up at Zack. “Have you asked Zack if he minds picking me up?”

“No, not yet, but he’ll be okay with it,” he says. “I have to go. I’ve got to call Zack. See you later,” he says and hangs up the phone.

“My brother,” I say to him as his phone rings, and he picks it up.

“Not much. Is Jack okay?” he says to the phone, coming over to me and bringing me into his arms. “Oh, yeah, I can get her on my way there.”

I kiss under his jaw. “Yeah, I’ll call her now and figure it out.”

He disconnects the call and throws his phone on the bed. “Your brother would like me to pick you up so you could spend some time with your niece and nephew. What do you say we take a shower?”

“I have to go to my house and change before we pick up Jack,” I tell him as he picks me up and kisses my neck, and I forgot what I was going to say, I forget where I am; the only thing I know is that I’m with him and that is where I’m meant to be.

The shower starts out with hot water, but by the time we’re done, it feels like a cool lake. I dress in his team t-shirt with his name on it and my jeans when we make our way over to my loft. He comes in with me and follows me into the bedroom, sitting on my bed while I change out of last night’s clothes.

He’s wearing plain blue jeans and a black sweater, and I stop and watch him. His eyes follow me as I walk to him. He opens his legs, and I lean down to kiss his lips. I could never tire of kissing him. “If you keep that up, we are going to be very, very late,” he says, and I just nod at him and turn toward the closet, grabbing a pair of yoga pants and a sweater that is loose and falls off my shoulder. I pin my hair on top of my head. “I’m ready,” I say, walking out of the closet. He stands up and comes to me, leaning down and kissing my shoulder and then my neck. We hold hands as we walk out of my bedroom and out of the loft.

I get in the truck and lean over to kiss his neck, holding his hand while we drive to my brother’s house. My phone pings, and I look down smiling.

“What is that smile for?” he asks, and I look at him, his aviator glasses now on him.

“Vivi was asking if you were a grower or a shower?” I laugh at the text.

“I mean, Vivi did say you would probably be hung but ...”

“You discussed my cock with Vivi?” he asks in shock.

I roll my eyes. “Vivi discusses every cock,” I tell him, then lean over and kiss his cheek. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep the details to a minimum.”

“I don’t know if I should thank you or not.” He laughs, and I giggle myself when we pull into Max’s driveway. “Stay close to me,” he says right before we get out of the truck. “I know I can’t hug or touch you, but I still want you close.”

I smile at him as my chest fills. “Okay,” I say softly and get out of the car; our fingers graze each other when we walk to the door. I open the door, walking in and taking off my jacket. After I hang it up, I grab a hanger for Zack.

He’s about to lean in and kiss me when we hear Max. “Hey, you two.” Zack almost flies back away from me.

“Hey,” I say, hanging Zack’s jacket. “Where is everyone?”

“In the playroom,” he says, and I walk to him and kiss him on the cheek. “Where is your partner in crime?” I ask, looking for my niece.

“I just put her down for a nap,” he says, smiling. “Jack, your dad is here.”

“My dad?” We hear him say from somewhere in the house and then hear footsteps running from in the house when he comes around the corner with Michael right behind him. “Daddy,” he says, running into Zack’s arms. He hugs him, and he starts talking so fast we can hardly understand him. I hug Michael and give him a kiss while Jack tells us all about his “bestest night ever.”

Zack just smiles at him and then Jack looks at me. “You came too,” he says, leaning over and coming into my arms to kiss me.

We walk into the kitchen where Allison is sitting at the island. “Hey, guys,” she says, getting up and then sitting back down. “I’m so nauseous,” she says, and I just tilt my head to her. “Don’t even say it.”

“I haven’t said anything,” I tell her, and she grabs a saltine from the counter and eats it.

Jack climbs out of my arms and goes over to Zack and pulls him into the playroom with Michael and Max following them. Allison moves in the chair to look around the wall to make sure the coast is clear.

“Well, aren’t you glowing,” she says, bringing her hand to cup her mouth. “This hot water shit doesn’t help.”

“How far along are you?” I turn and ask her, and she shrugs her shoulders.

“I’m not even late yet,” she says and then, “I’m due to start tomorrow.”

I smile at her. “I’m so happy for you, for Max.” I look down, blinking away tears. “He deserves this.”

She leans into me, hugging me. “You both deserve this.” Her eyes go wide, and she runs away, and I hear her retching down the hall.

Max comes into the room. “What’s the matter?” he asks me.

“You put a bun in her oven,” I tell him, laughing. “Who is going to break the news to Alex?”

“She’ll be fine,” he says, and I know he would climb mountains to make sure she is fine. He comes to sit in the chair that Allison just left, and he turns to me. “You have to stop working so hard,” he tells me. “You need to go out, date. Do something.”

“I am dating,” I tell him. “I actually am really dating this time.”

“Really?” he asks and then nudges me. “Who is it?”

Zack comes back into the kitchen by himself and stands at the island listening to us. “I’m not ready to share that just yet.”

“Is he going to come to casino night this weekend?” he asks, and I just shake my head.

“I’m going solo,” I tell him. “I start working nights this week, so I might be dead on my feet by the time Saturday comes around.”

“Please. You know you will be good to go,” Max says and then Allison returns. “You okay?” I ask her, and she just shakes her head. Max holds his arms open for her, and she leans into him, and he kisses her head. I look up at Zack, who looks at me and smiles. I look down, and the rest of the afternoon is spent with us playing mini sticks with the boys while Allison rests and Alex keeps my brother occupied.

I kiss everyone goodbye and get into the car with Jack and Zack. “What time do you start?” he asks me, and I look over at him, leaning back in the chair.

“Eleven.” I look at him. “Till tomorrow at seven.”

“That must be a tough shift,” he says, reaching over and grabbing my hand. I hold his hand in mine as we make our way to my loft. When we pull in, he looks in the back at Jack who is watching something on the screen. I get out, opening the back door to lean in and kiss Jack. “See you soon, Jack.”

I walk to the back of the truck and see Zack is there, and he takes me in his arms. “I don’t know how long I can keep this up,” he says, leaning in to kiss me. “Not being able to touch you or kiss you or any of that.”

“It’s been a day,” I say while his arms are wrapped around my waist.

“I just don’t like it,” he says, leaning down and kissing me again.

“How about we evaluate it next week after the fundraiser?”

“Fine.” He kisses me, and now I kiss him back. “But I won’t like it.”

“Duly noted.” I kiss him back. “Now, I’d better get going before Jack rolls down the window and asks what we’re doing.”

He kisses me one more time as I walk in the loft doors and watch his car leave. I don’t want to know why I’m feeling this way; it’s too early to have these things racing through my mind. The fact I miss him and just want to get into a cab to go see him when I just saw him ten minutes ago. I wonder what they are doing at home, I wonder if they are sitting on the couch together, and I wonder if they are cuddling. I go about my routine, and when I finally walk into the hospital at ten forty-five, it’s a good distraction.

“Hello, ladies,” I tell the night nurses who look up at me.

“You glow,” Gladys says to me, leaning back in her chair.

“It’s this new face cream I’m trying,” I tell her, walking to the room to take off my jacket.

“They sell sex in a container now?” she asks, and I just shake my head while I roll my eyes.

The nighttime shifts are always so long; everyone is usually asleep, and the hours don’t just tick by, they move like a snail. “How is Evie doing?” I say quietly while I grab her chart to see that her vitals have been stable. “I think she can go home next week.”

“Fingers crossed,” Gladys says. “Fingers crossed.”

The rest of the night is slow; no new cases come in and nothing from the emergency room. I roll my neck when five a.m. rolls around, and by the time seven a.m. comes, I’m dead on my feet. I grab my jacket and leave a message for Steve as I walk out of the hospital. I’m shocked to see Zack standing there leaning against the car, wearing a track suit and a beanie hat.

“What are you doing here?” I ask him, walking to him.

“Giving my girl a ride home,” he says. “Get in the car before I maul you on the streets of New York City.”

I laugh when he pushes off the car and walks to the other side. “I’ve never been mauled before,” I say, getting in the car as he takes off for my loft. “Where is Jack?”

“I got Sarah to come in early, so I could come and get you,” he says, and I lean my head back and look at him, smiling. He grabs my hand, bringing it to his lips. I close my eyes, and when he finally puts the car in park, he leans over and kisses my lips. “I missed you,” he says, giving me soft kisses. “I slept with your pillow last night, so I could smell you.”

I open the door and walk out, and he comes around, grabbing my hand. I make it just in the door when he sweeps me off my feet. “I have a couple of hours before I need to be at the rink,” he says, carrying me to my room. “I figured I could lay with you.”

“Really?” I say, putting my head on his shoulder. “Are we going to lay naked?”

“If that will help you sleep better,” he says, dumping me on the bed, then peeling the shirt from his body and tossing it to the floor. “Let’s get naked.” He winks at me, and I scramble to get naked before him, and by the time he leaves two hours later, I’m spent and ready for bed.