And yup...he likes that, because he slams upward into me and curses, "Fuck...just like that."
So I keep doing it...just like that.
All of a sudden, two things happen almost simultaneously. Zack's balls shrink and tighten and I find that fascinating, at the very same time both of his hands clasp hard to the sides of my head and he tries to pull me off.
I'm so caught up in what I'm doing, I growl at him and latch on, refusing to give up my prize.
"I'm going to come, Kate," Zack groans, and I want to squeal in delight and sing, "Yay, Zack," and, "Yay, me."
"Kate," he groans--maybe it's a warning, I don't know--and tries to pull on my head again. I refuse to budge and suck him in deeper.
Then his hips go absolutely motionless and he gives out a long "F-u-u-u-ck" before he starts coming in my mouth.
I don't let up.
I continue to move up and down him, taking what he gives me, refusing to give a drop of it back. And I love it. I love making him come and driving him crazy and feeling him spiral out of control just from my touch. I love it all and I want to do that again and again to him. I want to make him understand this can be great between us. I can feel it...the connection. I hope he can too.
"Kate," Zack says, and his voice penetrates. His hands again pull at my head and I let him lead me, pulling me off his half-hard dick.
My bleary eyes focus in on him and he's staring down at me in wonder.
"How'd I do, Kemosabe?" I ask him huskily, licking at my lips and trying to catch my breath.
Zack surges up from the chair, pushes me onto my back on the floor, getting on top of me. His hands go under my nightie and he starts pulling on my underwear in a frenzy.
"So fucking good I have to return the favor to you right this very moment," he practically snarls at me as my panties are torn free.
My legs are pushed apart and Zack dives down, and oh, yes...as my eyes roll back in my head, I think...this is something I don't ever want to give up.
Chapter 21
Zack
I sit at the kitchen counter, a cup of coffee and my laptop in front of me. Ben is in the living room watching something on Disney Junior. I try to limit his time on TV, but there are some damn good programs out there that not only keep your kid entertained, but teach them shit too. So I try to balance the time I let him spend with the type of programming he watches.
My eyes follow Kate as she walks around the kitchen, cleaning up after our breakfast. I try to concentrate on my emails, but fuck if my eyes don't keep involuntarily popping up and stalking her. She's wearing a pair of well-fitted jeans and a simple navy blue T-shirt that actually fits her, accentuating the curve of her breasts and her flat stomach. When she reaches into the cupboard to put some dishes in there, the shirt rides up and I get a peek of soft skin on her back.
It's fucking mesmerizing.
I'm not sure what changed last night, but now I can't seem to let go of my attraction to her during the daylight hours. I was able to compartmentalize it fine before, but now I can't stop thinking about her. About what she did to me last night, and what I did to her. My cock starts swelling just thinking about it.
I think this is due solely to the fact that Kate assured me she was okay. That I was okay. That what we were doing was okay. She reiterated to me that she knew this wasn't going any further than where we were right now.
And that gives me confidence. It pushes my worries aside and lets me concentrate solely on the attraction and lust between us. It feels fucking good and I give in to it.
But now I seem to be obsessing about it.
Christ...this is not fucking good.
Kate turns to face me. She's put her hair in a ponytail today but left her bangs down. She looks young and fresh. My eyes meet hers and she gives me a bright smile. "Want some more coffee?"
"I'm good," I say, and look back down at my computer while she continues to clean up.
I manage to keep my gaze averted for an entire thirty seconds.
Right until Kate walks around the counter and past me, presumably to head up the stairs. My hand shoots out and I snag her by the wrist, bringing her to an abrupt halt.
She looks at me in surprise and dips her head to the side, gazing at me curiously. "What's up?"
"I can't stop thinking about last night," I tell her truthfully, and want to kick myself at the same time. "You were amazing."
Her eyes go warm, but not at all hopeful that I'm meaning something more. I appreciate that.
Leaning in to me, she whispers, "You were amazing too."
With just a slight turn of my head, I'm able to bring my lips to the side of her jaw, and I graze them lightly there. She shudders hard and that makes my cock start to ache.
"Tonight," I promise her. "Going to fuck you good."
Kate sucks in a faltering breath and pulls back to look at me. Her eyes are hot, but filled with respect. "Damn...you are really, really good at dirty talk."
I throw my head back and laugh, giving a squeeze to her wrist before letting her go. "It's a promise, baby."
She grins at me and turns away. I grin at her backside and I feel...light...free. I feel fucking fantastic and that was some damn good dirty flirting. It was...fun. Kate is fun.
Kate is exactly what I need. Hilarious, caring, sexy as all get-out, and completely accepting of my no-strings policy.
The doorbell rings and Kate veers away from the staircase. "I'll get it."
I go back to reading my email, grimacing over the one from Alex reminding me that I need to get fitted for my tuxedo next week. I hate fucking weddings in general, but I'm really dreading this one. Not that I don't wish Alex and Sutton a long and prosperous marriage, but fuck...not going to be fun attending it and imagining what would have been different in my life had I given the same to Gina.
Kate walks into the kitchen from the opposite side near the dining room with her lips flattened in distaste. Right behind her is Michelle, who is shooting daggers into Kate's back.
Kate told me what happened with Michelle and the key incident last week. She wanted to warn me, as she was sure at some point Michelle was going to bring it up to me. I thought it was hilarious, and had Ben not been standing there, I probably would have bent Kate backward to kiss the fuck out of her in gratitude for handling that.
I shore up my spine and am thankful that my hard-on for Kate waned the minute Michelle walked into the kitchen. This is especially beneficial because Michelle walks around and takes the seat next to me at the counter.
I notice Kate doesn't leave, instead making herself busy by wiping down the counters she just cleaned not five minutes ago.
"Zack," Michelle starts in, and I can tell by the tone of her voice she's champing at the bit to get Kate in trouble. "Kate refused to make me another house key last week. It was downright rude and condescending, and you need to know that your employee treated me horribly."
Christ, I don't need this shit. I rub the bridge of my nose, trying to forestall the tension headache I can feel building. Before I can even open my mouth to respond, Kate says, "Michelle...I'm really sorry about that. It wasn't my intention to be rude to you and I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."
I blink at Kate in surprise. She's purposely trying to defuse Michelle so I don't have to deal with it. She's taking my back.
Michelle huffs, but she knows it does no good to complain when someone sincerely apologizes. "Well, fine...I accept."
I breathe out a sigh of relief, but then wince when Michelle says, "Just give me your key now and I'll run really quick to make a copy."
Kate shoots me a panicked look, which I think I return to her. Then resolution fills her eyes and I know she's getting ready to take my back again and try to put Michelle off. I stop her, though...deciding I need to nut up and handle this once and for all.
"Michelle...there's no need to get another key made. I'm putting the house up for sale and moving."
Michelle's head snaps my way and I see Kate give
me a thumbs-up behind her back. But then I'm forced to look at Michelle when she practically screeches at me, "You're selling Gina's house?"
This is not "annoying Michelle" trying to flirt with me. This is "Gina's friend Michelle" who is now seeing the last tangible connection to her dead friend start to slip away. This I understand.
I grimace in response, drop my head in shame for a moment, and then take a deep breath. I look back up at her and say, "Yes. It's something I need to do."
Michelle's eyes turn almost black in fury, but her voice is shaming when she hisses at me, "It's not even been five months. You couldn't mourn for her just a little longer? Couldn't keep her memory alive here for Ben just a little longer? You selfish bastard."
Every word cuts into me deep as she manages to express every single chastisement I've laid on my own doorstep before I made this decision. The guilt becomes oppressive and my chest tightens in pain.
"Get out," Kate says quietly from across the kitchen. She says it so very quietly, and yet the anger in her tone causes me to jerk in surprise.
Michelle just swivels her head toward Kate slowly. "What did you just say?"
"I said get out of this house," Kate replies.
Michelle's mouth drops open, just for a brief moment, before her eyes narrow at Kate and she says, "Just what gives you the right--"
Kate cuts her off as she starts stalking across the kitchen toward Michelle. Her voice is low, though, so it doesn't carry into the living room, where Ben can overhear. "Who in the fuck do you think you are to lay judgment on Zack? What gives you the right to dictate the way he mourns? You know nothing about him or the pain he's still in. You don't see the way he keeps Gina's memory alive every day with Ben, talking about her so their little boy never forgets. You don't know a fucking thing about Zack and you certainly have absolutely no right to voice your opinion in this matter. You're the one who should be ashamed for even trying to make him feel bad when he's already still grieving, so I will repeat once again...you get out of this house right now or I will throw you out myself."
This last statement is made as she rounds the corner of the kitchen counter and comes nose to nose with Michelle.
I'm shocked stupid, so I just sit there and watch as fury blazes from Kate's eyes and Michelle tries to hold a staring war with her.
She's not going to win this one, though.
Finally, Michelle's gaze drops in defeat and she pushes off the stool she's sitting on. Kate takes a step back to give her room and waits quietly as Michelle grabs her purse and heads for the front door. We both watch as she doesn't turn back to look at us or say a thing. She merely leaves quietly, and I wait until we hear the front door open and then close before I let out a deep sigh of relief.
"Fuck," I mutter as I scrub my hand through my hair, all the way to the back of my neck, where I rub at it hard to relieve the stiffness.
Kate doesn't say a word, but calmly walks past me toward the staircase again.
In a total replay, my hand strikes out, grabbing her wrist. She turns to look at me and I study her face. Pure passivity right now, when twenty seconds ago she was ready to throw down.
"You didn't have to say those things," I tell her.
Kate shrugs. "You shouldn't have had to listen to the things she said. She's wrong."
Something rattles and then breaks free from deep within my chest. I can't identify what it is, but suddenly I accept what Kate says.
Michelle is wrong. She has no clue the way I suffer over Gina. Hearing Kate and the way she laid it all out...it gave me peace over my decision.
"Thank you," I tell her sincerely, and she gives me the sweetest smile in return.
"Anything for you, Pumpkin Butt."
Shaking my head with a grin, I let her wrist go. She starts back toward the stairs, but before she goes, I tell her, "I want you to go with me and Ben today to look at the houses with the real estate agent."
She stops in her tracks, looking at me in confusion. "Why?"
Because I like having you around. Because you make me laugh. Because you get me and you're gorgeous to look at. Because you have my back. Take your pick.
"Because you know Ben and what he likes," I mutter, not able to truly voice why I want her to go.
Kate gives me a dismissive smirk. "You know Ben better than I do," she says, and then turns for the stairs once more.
"Then I need you to help me keep an eye on him," I press her, and give her a look that dares her to argue.
She huffs and continues up the staircase, growling, "Fine, Mr. Bossy Pants."
Typical Kate...it makes me laugh.
--
"I hate to say this," Kate says almost sadly. "But this is the one."
I think I have to agree with her. This is only the third house we looked at and we still have two more, but I was sold the minute we walked out into the backyard. It was huge and fenced in, filled with lush green grass, because grass always stays green in North Carolina in the winter. Best of all, there was a massive custom-built tree house and play set made of red cedar that had a slide, two swings, and a set of monkey bars. Ben took off toward it and hasn't come down since.
"The owners have already moved," I point out to the agent, a middle-aged woman named Theresa Vandemere whom Coach Pretore recommended to me. "Would they be willing to rent to me while we are waiting on the house to close?"
"You'd want to move immediately?" she asks.
"Yeah...I think so," I say, and once the words are out, I know they're true. "Besides...it would make it easier on me not to have to worry about showing the house while we were living in it."
"I'm sure they'd be amenable to that," she says. "I still need to show you the upstairs, though."
Placing my hand on Kate's lower back, I give her a push toward the house. "Theresa...do you mind keeping an eye on Ben while Kate and I run upstairs and take a look around?"
She looks slightly put out that she can't showcase the house to me, but gives me an assuring smile. "I'd be glad to. Just holler down if you have any questions."
"Come on," I tell Kate, and stride by her. We have to climb a set of stairs to a raised outdoor deck, as the yard actually sits at the basement level. We enter through the living room and head toward the staircase that curves up from the front foyer.
Kate and I peek in each of the guest bedrooms briefly, as I'd already looked at the master bedroom on the first floor. The large bedroom at the back of the house has its own bathroom and looks out over the backyard. Kate walks up to the window and gazes down at Ben, a smile on her face.
"He'll love it here," she says sweetly. "And I'm thinking we need to find a dog, like really fast."
Warmth expands in my chest, contracts inward briefly before pushing out farther, and then settles in with a comforting weight. I walk up behind Kate, touched and, not surprisingly, turned on by the happiness in her voice that Ben will get a dog.
I see Ben swinging from the monkey bars while Theresa stands by the edge and claps her hands at him.
Stepping right up to Kate's backside, I bring one arm around her at chest level, cupping her breast in one hand, while the other pushes her ponytail to the side so I can dip my face to kiss her neck.
She moans and drops her head back on my shoulder. "What are you doing?" she asks breathlessly.
"Kissing your neck," I murmur, then give her a little bite.
"That's nice," she says on a sigh.
While one hand massages her breast, the other drops around her waist and pulls her back in tight against me. My cock, which started getting hard the minute I first touched her, presses into her lower back.
"Mmmmm," she hums in appreciation over my excitement for her.
And fuck...that is damn sexy.
My hand drops to the button on her jeans and quickly undoes it before jerking at her zipper.
Kate's own hands come up and grab on to mine, trying to pull it away from her. "What are you doing?" she gasps in panic.
"Going to get you o
ff really quick," I tell her simply as I bat her hand away.
"Zack," she tries to protest, but then my hand is slipping down the front of her panties and probing her darkest and wettest place.
"Ohhhh," she groans, and her head falls back to my shoulder again while she pushes her hips against my hand.
"That's my girl," I praise, and then sink a finger deep inside her. "Are you going to come for me?"
She nods with a frenzy. I flick a glance out the window, see Ben and the real estate agent occupied.
I pump in and out of her a few times and then pull my finger out to have it work her clit. I want her to come hard and fast...our little sneaky secret.
There's movement from the backyard and I see Theresa hold her hand out to Ben as he jumps down from the monkey bars. They start heading toward the back deck staircase.
"Uh-oh," I taunt Kate as I rub at her furiously with one hand and squeeze her breast with the other. "Better hurry up, baby. We're about to have company."
"Oh, shit," she moans as her hips buck against me. "We'd better stop."
"No way," I tell her. I rub my cheek against her neck, my fingers going to town between her legs. "You're almost there...just give in to it."
Kate inhales deeply and holds her breath, and I know she's really super-close when she does that. I pinch her nipple through her T-shirt and bra and press down hard on her clit.
She fractures beautifully, right there in my arms, moaning softly as her hips continue to undulate against my hand.
I hear the back door open and Ben's voice: "This house is so cool. I love it."
Theresa laughs and says something softly back, but I can't understand it because I'm mesmerized by what I just did to Kate.
Reluctantly, I pull my hand out from her pants and she hastily fastens them again. Then she turns toward me, her cheeks flushed red and her eyes glazed, and I can't help myself. I lean in and give her a quick kiss. "You are stunning."
She gives a huffy snort. "You are bad."
"You like it," I retort with a grin.
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