A Tantalizing Tuesday (The Zelda Diaries Book 2)

by Olivia Gaines

  “Come on in here,” she said.

  His eyes went to her legs. Zelda was barefoot. Her long black hair was pinned up with red and yellow bows that matched the Manchester United tee which hit her mid- thigh. Trying not to come across as a total pig, he averted his eyes to stare instead at the inside of the house.

  “Thanks for having me. Again, my apologies for missing dinner,” he said as his stomach growled loudly.

  “Seems as if you are still in need of something to nosh on,” she said, looking over his shoulder. The black town car slowly rolled down the street. The unseen driver flickered his lights and waved at her. “You took a car service over? I would have come to pick you up.”

  “No, that’s Chandler. He dropped me off and will pick me up as well,” he told her.

  “Where is he going to stay while you’re here? I mean we have a guest room if you need it.”

  “He’s fine. He has friends in the area that he will be visiting while I am with you,” he said, looking around. “You have a nice home. It is rather large for just the two of you.”

  “My father bought this house as a gift for our mother. I have lived here since I was ten. At the time, it was one of the best school districts in town, but now, not so much,” she said. “Come on into the kitchen so I can take care of that empty stomach.”

  The large open kitchen also caught him by surprise. Modern sleek appliances and a muted color palate of light beige trimmed in white made the space seem larger. The round table by the window held a small bowl of apples that were red, yellow, and green caught his eye. All colors now were extremely vivid since his eyes had been repaired. A few times, he’d gotten a headache from the visual stimulation of seeing so much clearly for the first time.

  “My rooms are to the left. You can take your bag in there, kick off your shoes, and get comfy. I left one of these tees on my bed along with some loungers if you didn’t bring any,” she told him.

  Scott was totally at a loss for words as he watched her bend over in the fridge, her cute little white cotton panty wearing butt sticking up, taunting him, beckoning him and at the same time saying ‘no, none for you.’ Immediately, he was hard and ready to take her right then and there. He didn’t hear a word she said after he noticed she was also not wearing a bra. His eyes rolled upwards, giving thanks for having the courage to have his eyes repaired.

  “Okay, be right back,” he told her, grateful to have a moment to calm himself. He entered her space and immediately felt as if he were home. The yellow recliner was not too bright but matched the couch perfectly. A few novels sat on the small coffee table next to a beautiful glass bowl. The image of a few chips, his feet up, and one of the books in his hand as he read a chapter to her before turning in for the night sounded appealing.

  The bed was an antique along with the handsomely handcrafted, upright wardrobe and matching night stand. There were no itchy bed covers but a nice, simple lavender matelassé coverlet with matching shams and two throw pillows. He spotted the Manchester United shirt she’d laid out for him to wear. Grinning, he stripped down, putting on the comfortable clothing. The shoes he wore were slid under the foot of the bed since he didn’t know which side she preferred to sleep on. His eyes went around the room until he spotted the bathroom. Quickly, he relieved himself and washed his hands to come out and find Zelda standing there holding a cold glass of iced tea in her hand.

  “I have iced tea. It is unsweetened,” she said, looking at him in the tight-fitting tee which clung to every muscle on his broad hairy chest. The fabric hung loosely about his narrow waist. He was sexy as hell without the glasses. It didn’t take her long to comprehend that he could actually see her without the stupid black framed items on his face. Her nipples hardened to tight little peaks. Something he immediately noticed.

  She licked her lips and that was all he needed. In three steps, he was across the room, taking the glass from her hand to set it on the table and at the same time lifting her into his arms. Scott aided her in wrapping her legs around his hips as he held her close, wanting her to feel how ready he was for her. He moved to the bed, lowering her body, his on top, and he kissed her long, deep, and full of passion as his tongue darted inside of her mouth. Three days, five cities, ten meetings, and whatever the hell that was today in San Antonio was too much. He was out of words.

  In his mind, he was telling her how much he’d missed her.

  As his lips claimed hers again, he mentally told her about the eye surgery, his day, the eagerness to see her. In his head, he recounted the minutes until he could hold her in his arms, feel the warmth of her body next to him, under him, her legs wrapped around his body. Squeezing him as he passionately took her with resplendent joy.

  Scott’s hands were everywhere as he reached under the tee, cupping a full breast, groaning into her mouth as he shifted his weight. His hands moved to the drawstring pants yanking on the cord, freeing himself, his erection and his willpower to go slow. Next, he reached for the soft white cotton panties, and he yanked on them, pulling them down, separating their bodies long enough to remove the fabric from the sweet spot he longed to kiss. He slid to the edge of the bed, standing long enough to pull off the panties, kick off his pants then drop to his knees. He buried his face between her thighs, licking, sucking, reacting like a starved demon, craving the sounds of her wanton moans.

  Rough, callous-tipped fingers ran across her mid-section, coming into contact with a small patch. She didn’t have it the last time they were together. He knew what it was and what it meant. He didn’t need to ask. In his bag, he had paperwork as well from his doctor’s visit.

  A finger was inserted into the delicate folds, feeling the wetness, inhaling the amorous scent of the tell-tale signs of her readiness for him. He saw no reason to disappoint the lady or keep her waiting any longer. Scott slowly made his way to his feet, his mouth still tasting the sweetness of her love, his right knee on the bed, he left on his shirt leaning over her, looking down at the most beautiful face, pressing the hardness of himself inside of his lady, the tip, engorged, throbbing, made contact with her heat.

  “Zelda,” he said, pushing himself into her, feeling her body surround the hardened thick shaft, groaning in satisfaction. She immediately tightened as he pressed deep inside of her.

  Lost in the feelings her man fired up in her and in less than three minutes, Zelda was ready. Hot, bothered, and excited as she moved under him. His movements were directed, purpose-driven and powerful. Each thrust of his hips brought them closer to the moment she’d craved for nearly three weeks. Scott didn’t disappoint as he brought them both to a loud, lusty ending, where Zelda clawed at his back, bit into his shoulder, and cried out his name.

  He moaned into her ear, his breath quickening, pumping the frustration of the last few agonizing days into her, as he found the sweet, unrestrained release. Shuddering from the joy of the connection, he had to move off her. Unwilling to have his weight crushing her, he rolled to his side, pulling her on top, her hip movement milking him of the last of his resolve, pulling Scott back into the moment, collapsing to lie across his wide chest.

  It took a few minutes to catch her breath. Still connected to him physically, she did not want to disconnect their bodies. Her face buried in the side of his neck, inhaling the strong male scent of his lightly cologne fragranced skin.

  “So...how was your day?” she asked, chuckling as she spoke with a husky breathiness.

  “I’m really glad to be here,” he told her, kissing her forehead. “This feels exactly how I imagined it would be, Zelda. I feel like I just came home.”

  Cleaned up, they sat at the kitchen table. Scott munched on fresh fruit and slices of roasted chicken with mixed greens and tomatoes. His weary eyes remained on his lady. The surgery was worth every nail-biting minute.

  “May I ask where your glasses are?”

  He sliced into the chicken, forking a small piece into his mouth.

  “I don’t need them anymore.”

  Th
e intense brown eyes watched her face, waiting for a reaction.

  “You had corrective surgery, Scott?”

  His gaze intensified as he put his utensils down, giving her his undivided attention. The ideas floated in his mind, trying intensely to line up the right words, but unable to say them in the right order. He winged it.

  “I remembered every detail of your face, but with my old vision, I wasn’t certain if what I was seeing was actually real. I had my eyes repaired so that I could truly look at you and enjoy the beauty of your smile. The rich brownness of your eyes, the full pout of your lovely mouth, and to lose myself in that look you give me when we connect on an intimate level. I fixed my eyes so I could see all of you,” he said.

  Zelda’s mouth was open. Words were lost. The man picked up his utensils and started eating as if he’d said nothing of consequence.

  “Well, okay then,” she said to him.

  “Zelda, may I ask what the plan is for the next couple of days?”

  “Is there something, in particular, you want to do?” she asked him.

  “No, not really, but I would love to end our day tomorrow on your front porch. A cold beer in my right hand, your fingers in my left. That porch reminds me of a few childhood memories, and it touches me,” he said. “Is there anything, in particular, you want to do?”

  “Yes, tile that backsplash,” she said pointing to the walls near the stove.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I want to tile that backsplash tomorrow with you. Tuesday is the day I sit on my couch, eat popcorn, and watch what I missed this week on my television ordering service,” she told him.

  “Ah, sure,” he said.

  “I know it’s odd, but I am at a point in my life where I don’t want to waste time on bullshit like movies, fancy dinners, and expensive getaways. All of that stuff is a mask, shielding you from the real person. I want to fast forward our relationship to the point where a couple does a project together. If you turn into a raging asshat after you break a few tiles, I will know not to trouble myself to take this even further,” she told him.

  “And what if I pass everything you have laid out for the next two days with flying colors?”

  “If you keep sexing me like you’ve been doing, a bitch might have to go pick out a wedding dress,” she said.

  He bit into a strawberry, his eyes glinting. The lopsided-bucked tooth smile shielded a nasty, little-wicked retort.

  “Oh, I want to hear this really smart ass comment, Scott Berger! What are you grinning at?”

  “Oh, nothing,” he said grinning larger.

  “I see it in those wonderfully, sexy brown eyes of yours. Spit it out,” she said, touching his thigh.

  “I don’t know how you will take my sense of humor,” he told her.

  “Now is as good of time as any to find out,” she told him. “I want you to be yourself with me. I plan to do the same with you.”

  He set the utensils down again and Zelda stiffened. A few minutes ago, when he set them down to speak, he left her speechless with the eyesight comment. Her pulse raced as she prepared herself to hear his reply. She was ready.

  “If you keep sexing me like you have been doing, I am going to leave a bitch my credit card so she can move her shit to Kentucky and buy any damned dress she wants,” he said with no expression on his face.

  He picked up the knife and fork, cutting into the last piece of the meat. “This chicken is really moist and flavorful. Did you cook it?”

  Zelda burst into laughter.

  “I like your sense of humor,” she said laughing. “Any dress I want huh?”

  He wiggled his eyebrows in an answer of yes. Scott Berger may just be what the doctor ordered. She was truly looking forward to the next two days.

  Chapter 5

  Michael had never been a late sleeper. He rose early to get in a workout, have some breakfast, read the paper, and make his lunch before heading out to the office. Last night, he’d stayed out later than normal, easing in a little after midnight to ensure his sister some additional privacy. Ruefully, he admitted to himself he was nervous about meeting this Scott guy.

  He was staying in their home.

  This meant she was serious about him.

  I just hope I like him.

  The last guy she dated was an arrogant asshole. A man who was too good-looking for his own good, who seemed to bask in the accolades his looks afforded him. He didn’t deserve half of the attention he received. The jerk also didn’t deserve his sister. There was no way he could tell her that, and he didn’t. The relationship didn’t last long, for which he was eternally grateful. However, that was nearly two years ago. His new fear was that she would swing in the total opposite direction and go for something so different, he wouldn’t be able to stand him either.

  Michael rounded the corner, coming into the kitchen to see the back of what looked like a bear in a wife beater and lounge pants. He cleared his throat, startling the bear which turned around to face him.

  “Whoa!” Michael said.

  “Good morning! I’m Scott,” he said to Zelda’s brother. “Thank you for having me in your home. I am totally impressed with your lawn. I can’t wait to see the back yard.”

  Frozen.

  Michael stood frozen in his spot taking in the big hairy white man with bucked teeth, bad skin, and a ridiculous amount of body hair. A ventriloquist doll, which was missing a foot and an eyeball, lay on the table. That was creepy in itself. The deep voice was also throwing him off. It had a hint of a Southern accent that seemed almost practiced as if it wasn’t real.

  “Good Morning. I’m Micheal,” he said, giving the doll the side eye.

  “I hope I didn’t wake you. I am an early riser, plus, I have to have Lucy over there finished and back to her owner by Wednesday,” he told him.

  Michael’s eyes went from the doll back to Scott, back to the doll.

  “Is that what you do for a living? Fix dolls?”

  “Partly. I also make them, teach classes, collect, buy, sell, trade vent, I mean ventriloquist dolls as well,” he said.

  “Are you also a ventriloquist?”

  “I’m pretty good at it,” Scott said, putting down the measuring tape. He was measuring the back splash when Michael walked in.

  “You were measuring the stove...,” Michael said, his eyes back to the one eyed, one footed doll.

  “Actually, I was prepping Lucy to give her a new eye and foot when I realized my eyeballs are in the bedroom in another container and I didn’t want to wake Zee. That’s when I decided to start measuring the backsplash, getting the square footage so we can be ready to start tiling it after breakfast,” he told Michael.

  Michael was having a harder time understanding everything he was seeing. “Zelda wants you to tile the backsplash? Do you also do that for a living too?”

  “No. I have done a few small projects, but how hard can it be? As long as it doesn’t require a wet saw with a diamond blade to cut the tiles, we should be okay,” he said with a grin.

  Michael’s facial expression had not changed since he started the conversation with his sister’s new man. He truly didn’t know what to think of him yet. The two big front bucked teeth was also very off-putting.

  Blinking, he asked, “You and Zelda are going to tile the backsplash?”

  “I know right? She seems to think it will give her a better idea of what type of man I am. One can only assume that if I don’t buckle under the pressure of placing tiny tiles in mastic and that doesn’t frustrate me, then I must possess the temperament to hold the keys to her heart,” Scott said with a huge grin.

  The teeth were worse when he smiled fully.

  Michael still had not moved.

  His eyes went to the body hair sticking up and out of the tank top. The chest hair was almost comical in its density.

  “I know. It’s a lot of hair, but hey, your sister likes it,” Scott said.

  Now it was Scott’s turn to be frozen in place. Michael’s eyes squin
ted, his body stiffened and he balled up his fist. Scott’s eyes got wide and he held up his hands.

  “Man, I will punch you in your throat,” Michael said.

  “No, I didn’t mean it in a facetious way. Seriously, she actually likes it,” he said stepping back.

  “You don’t make jokes like that about my sister. I don’t find those kinds of off- color remarks about any woman to be funny,” he said.

  “I wasn’t trying to be,” Scott added. “I was planning to have a lot of it removed via laser hair removal, but she asked me not to, that’s all. I mean, she likes it.”

  Michael unclenched his fist. His body relaxed.

  “Whoa, that escalated quickly,” Scott said.

  “I don’t play when it comes to my sister,” he responded.

  .

  “She is in good hands with me,” Scott told him. “I made coffee.”

  “Don’t try to change the subject. I can see the coffee pot as well as smell it,” Michael said.

  “Not trying to change the subject, but I am trying to de-escalate this encounter. I don’t want to be on your bad side because it wouldn’t be any fun for Zee, you know, to have the two men in her life not get along,” he said.

  “You consider yourself to be the man in her life,” Michael wanted to know.

  “I plan to be only and the last man in her life. I am telling you my intentions right now, in hopes that we can start this morning over.”

  Michael was quiet.

  He still didn’t know what to think of this big hairy white man.

  “Scott, you very confident,” Michael said.

  “When it comes to your sister, on the contrary, I am not at all confident. I know what I want. I’m letting you know what my goal is for this relationship with your sister. However, just because I want it, doesn’t mean she is going to give it to me. She may pack up my crap and send me back to Kentucky with my tail between my legs,” he said, picking up his coffee mug.

  The coffee was black. Michael wanted to test him.

  “I see you take your coffee black. I am pouring myself a cup. Would you like some more?”