Chapter 27
I woke up the next morning with a headache the size of California, and by the look on Zoe's face, she'd figured out why. It wasn't like I was trying to hide the truth from her, she was already asleep, and I didn't want to bother her. Instead I crawled into bed around two AM, and pulled her against me. I don't remember much after that, only that I slept soundly.
“Rough night?” She asked, propping herself up on her elbow, and looking me in the eyes.
“I only had a couple of beers Babydoll.” I said, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“Don't Babydoll me Wes.” She whisper snapped, making me smile.
“You're sexy as hell when you're mad Babydoll.” I whispered, using my good hand to pull her face towards mine.
Our lips met in a soft, resistant kiss, but the more I pecked my lips against hers, the more she gave into my advances. It wasn't long before her lips were seeking mine, and I opened my mouth, eagerly inviting her in. Our tongues brushed against each other, and my good hand tangled in her long hair, eagerly pulling her against me. She moaned in my mouth, and my cock hardened instantly.
Reaching her hand down the front of my sweats, Zoe's slender hand gripped around my shaft. I nipped her bottom lip, as she began to work me up, and down in a slow torturous pace. I groaned against her lips, when her pace quickened. Moving my arm from her head, down her back, and landing on her perfect backside, I cupped her ass cheek tightly, making her grind herself against my thigh.
My right arm ached to reach out for her, and I cursed the sling that held it in it's proper place. “You smell so damn good.” I said, brushing my lips down her jawline, and towards her neck. She sighed, when my lips found her pulse, and I licked her there. I could feel her heart hammering in her chest, as my hand roamed up grasping her swollen breast. The moan she let out, when I flicked her nipple with my finger over her tee shirt, my tee shirt, made my cock twitch in her hand. She must have changed into it during the night.
She smiled, pulling away from me, and disappearing beneath the covers. Before I could ask what she was up to, her mouth was on my erection. Her tongue darting in, and out, rolling over the tip so expertly that my entire body twitched in anticipation. I gripped her hair tightly, keeping it away from her face, and she made a humming sound deep in her throat. The vibrations enough to drive me wild.
“If you don't stop right now Babydoll, I'm going to cum in that pretty little mouth of yours.” I gritted out, pulling at her hair in an attempt to bring her back to me. She obliged, crawling up my body, and straddling my waist. It was then I realized she wasn't wearing any panties. My erection throbbed against her clit, as she rocked her hips, teasing us both. I wanted nothing more than to reach down and slip inside of her, but this was her show, and I'd let her run it.
“You like that?” She asked, leaning in, her lips brushing against mine.
I nodded incoherently, gripping her hip, and urging her to keep moving against me. Instead she pressed a quick kiss to my lips, before skirting away from me, and into the bathroom. I heard the shower turn on, and I groaned. She was pissed about the beer last night, so she was taking it out on me. I couldn't help it, I laughed. As horny as I was, and as pissed as it made me feel, It was such a Zoe thing to do.
She must have heard my laughter, because the sound of the door being pressed open caught my attention. I looked at her with a grin, before reaching down and placing my own hand over my still rock hard erection. She formed a little “o” with her mouth, and I knew I'd hit a nerve by acting like what she'd done hadn't bothered me.
“I know what you're doing.” She said, crossing her arms and leaning against the door frame.
“What do you mean?” I asked, stroking myself.
“It isn't going to work. You shouldn't have been drinking last night.” She reaffirmed.
“You're right.” I said, using my feet to push the blanket down further, allowing my erection to be in full view.
“Really Wes?” She asked, in an annoyed tone.
“You started it Babydoll.” I said crooking my finger, in an invite for her to join me. She came to me in a slow defeated stride, and I smiled. “What's really bothering you?” I asked, when she slipped back into bed beside me.
“I don't think I can go back to work Wes.” She said, throwing me entirely off guard.
I had expected a lecture about my drinking, or maybe questions about Vanessa, but not this. Zoe loved her job, and she was amazing at it. Not only was she an incredible teacher, but she knew her way around a fundraiser as well. She was one of the reasons her school was doing so well.
“Tell me.” I insisted, rubbing my hand up and down her back. The playfulness of the morning suddenly behind us both.
“Eli's death, and then being kidnapped from a place that I thought was so safe. I worry about Jake all the time when he's away. And you.” She added, kissing my bare chest. “I shouldn't have to worry when I'm home.”
“Let's fix it.”
“How?” She laughed, but I could tell her interest was peaked.
“We both know the foster system is flawed. Me from my past, and you from your kids. Let's make it better. I have the building, we can start some sort of youth center. A place where kids can go when they're scared. We can help them find jobs, and get help if they're in bad situations.”
“What about your contracting business?” She asked, leaning up on her elbow. “It's what you've always wanted.”
I shook my head, turning to face her. “I've already got what I've always wanted.”
“You've changed.” She said with a smile.
“Is that a good thing?”
“Very good.” She said, gripping the back of my neck and pulling me into her for a kiss. I smiled against her lips, I couldn't help it. She made me happy in a way that I never thought anyone could. She made me realize that I was worth loving, even though I still didn't feel like it all the time. “I love you Wes Granger.” She sighed, when she finally broke our kiss.
“I love you too Babydoll.”
A loud knock on my bedroom door made me jump, and Zoe giggle. “I know you two are awake!” Jake yelled. “Get your asses down here, I have some news!”
“I'll go.” I said. “You get that pretty little ass in the shower. We've got some plans to make.” I said, raising my eyebrows suggestively.
She responded by standing, and peeling my tee shirt off over her head. Giving it a fling, she tossed it directly into my face, and I laughed as I watched her naked form disappear behind the bathroom door.
I quickly found my discarded basketball shorts from last night and tossed them on sans shirt. Whatever Jake had to say better have been important because I wasn't done with Zoe just yet. The thought alone made me smile, and when I made it down stairs the grin was still on my face. Or it was, until Jake caught my eye. He had a newspaper in one hand, and the remote to the television in the other. I eyed him suspiciously.
“What's going on?”
He thrust the paper at me, hitting me hard in the chest, and I set it down on the couch, using my good arm to open it. On the front page was the story of Vanessa's arrest, but she wasn't the only one who graced it. Robert Drake's mugshot was directly beside hers.