Zane (Alluring Indulgence)

by Nicole Edwards

  “Yeah,” he mumbled, not referring to food. He was hungry all right. He wanted to lift up that dress and feast on what he found underneath. In fact, he fully intended to do so in the next few minutes. If she’d let him.

  He followed her to the kitchen and found she’d been passing the time cooking. It smelled delicious. Almost as good as that distinctively spicy fragrance of her skin. His hands itched to touch her, and his mouth watered.

  “V.”

  The moment she turned to look at him, Zane’s heart pounded hard. A fast, painful thump in his chest. She was so damn beautiful. Her long, chocolate brown hair hanging in waves around her face, flowing over her breasts. The succulent curves that were outlined by that dress. Her feet were bare, which wasn’t usual, and he took a moment, admiring her pretty purple tipped toes. Purple. An unusual color for fingernail polish, but he suddenly loved the color purple.

  “Hmmm?”

  Her response was but a whisper and he knew she felt it. Whatever it was. She felt it too. He knew she did.

  “Tell me what you’re thinking right now,” he told her, not moving from where he stood just a couple of feet away from her.

  “What I’m thinking?”

  “Yes. Right this minute. What are you thinking?”

  “I’m... I don’t know.”

  “Yes, you do. Now tell me.” Zane wasn’t sure what was wrong with him or why he needed to get this out in the open right now, but for some reason this felt urgent. The need to get their feelings hashed out seemed startlingly important. As though they didn’t have enough time.

  “I missed you,” she said.

  “And?”

  “And what? Isn’t that enough?” V started to turn away from him, but he reached out and grabbed her arm.

  “What else? Tell me.”

  “What about you?” V sounded defensive. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re thinking?”

  “I love you.” The words sprang out without conscious thought. They were exactly what he’d been thinking, but maybe not right then. Those three words had been tumbling around on his tongue for quite some time now. He just hadn’t known he was going to say them to her. He felt them. Every single syllable was etched into his heart, echoed with each beat, but he had some self-preservation. Or so he thought.

  “You do?”

  That wasn’t what he expected from V. A denial, maybe. An argument, definitely. V was always trying to tell him what he was feeling and so far, she’d always been wrong. This had never been about sex with her. Not since that first night at Jaxson’s party. And not one single minute since. He loved her.

  “I love you.” It was like all other words had vanished from his vocabulary. He only knew those three, and he would have to repeat them over and over until she believed him.

  “I love you, too.”

  Zane grabbed the counter. He hoped he was subtle, but he doubted it. Those words were like a sledgehammer to his heart, knocking the breath from his chest.

  “You do?” Now it was his turn for confirmation.

  “I do. I’m pretty sure I’ve loved you all along, but I didn’t want to believe it.” V took a step closer, and Zane wondered whether this was the same woman he’d gotten to know these last few months.

  “But you believe it now?”

  “I know it’s true, yes. I knew the minute I got to my mother’s house that I couldn’t run from you anymore. I couldn’t run from my feelings. But, it’s never been about that. I’ve never wanted to hurt you, Zane. I just want to protect you. I wasn’t able to protect you that day –”

  V’s voice faltered, and Zane moved until he was holding her in his arms, his lips pressing against hers. “I’m the one who’s supposed to protect you.”

  V pulled back, cupping his face and the smooth, gentle touch of her fingers made him want things he never thought he’d want. “Not true. I’m supposed to protect you just the same. I want to protect you.”

  “The best way you can do that is to love me, V.” Zane knew that her love would be all he needed.

  “I do love you. I can’t change that, but...”

  Zane stopped her again. “No ‘buts’, V. Not this time. Love me. Just like I love you. It’s the only way I know how to go forward from here.” It was true. He was tired of moving backward or sideways. Even his anger for what had happened to him had been sidelined because this woman managed to fill him with so much more than the anger could ever offer. Loving her was the only thing that mattered.

  “I love you,” V muttered, her lips pressing against his.

  Zane lifted her onto the counter, stepping between her thighs. “Please tell me you have nothing on underneath this dress. I need to be inside of you. Right now.”

  Her smile was radiant. Palming her thigh, Zane ran his hand up her leg until his fingers found the smooth, hairless lips of her pussy.

  “Yes, Zane. Please.”

  They were at least on the same page. He knew he shouldn’t do this here. He should carry her to her bed, make love to her properly, but he couldn’t wait. With hurried movements, he freed his erection from his jeans, sliding back between her legs. The counter was too high to make this possible, so he lifted her in his arms, forcing her legs around his waist and sinking his cock into her without further ado.

  Turning, he backed her against the kitchen wall, holding her tightly, unable to move as her wet heat pulled him deeper. He groaned, dropping his head to her shoulder, burying his face in her neck as he inhaled her pure, fresh scent.

  When her fingers slid into his hair, holding him closer, Zane began to press deeper, barely able to pull back thanks to how close their bodies were, but that was ok. He didn’t even need to move. Her body could probably milk a release from him just like this.

  “Look at me, Zane.”

  He lifted his head reluctantly, staring into those bottomless whiskey brown eyes. It was then that he saw his future flash before his eyes. Everything revolved around this woman. Every minute of happiness and pain had been spent getting to this moment in his life. This was all for him. She was everything.

  “Tell me you love me,” she whispered.

  Zane hitched her a little higher, thrusting in deep as he did. When she moaned, her eyes closing briefly, Zane waited until she opened them again. “I love you, Vanessa Carmichael. I love you with everything I am.”

  V started pulling him closer by pressing her ankles against his naked ass, and he gave her what she was asking for. With deep, slow thrusts, Zane made love to her. It didn’t matter that they were almost fully dressed in her kitchen. This was what making love was all about. Two souls coming together, accepting one another in a way that had never happened before. For either of them.

  “I. Love. You.” Zane punctuated each word with a hard thrust. His release was barreling down on him, faster than he expected. “V! Oh, God, baby.”

  “I love you, Zane,” V exclaimed, her voice strained, her legs tightening around him.

  V’s pussy clamped down on him, hard. Her body milking him until his release was inevitable. Pounding into her once, twice, and one final time, Zane gave himself over to her. Not just his body, or his release. He gave every part of himself to her right in that instant.

  Chapter Thirty Three

  ♀♂

  After the two of them cleaned up, V forced Zane to sit down at her kitchen table. She’d been cooking almost since the second she walked into her house and was looking forward to a few quiet moments.

  Instead of sitting in her car panicking, she forced her brain to ignore the pressing thoughts and her body to block out the overwhelming fear that she was consumed with. Once inside, she locked everything up, made sure there weren’t any notes on her refrigerator door and she’d taken a quick shower.

  Since then, she had worked in the kitchen, cooking until she didn’t know what else she could possibly make. It was time she started moving forward. Just like Zane was. She had to stop living in the past, and although she knew these panic attacks weren’t enti
rely at bay, V was ready to rid herself of them. Counseling, as Greyson had suggested, was inevitable. While she’d been making grilled cheese – the comfort food her mother had always fed her in times like this – she’d called the number on the card Greyson had left on her refrigerator. She had her first appointment tomorrow.

  While the two of them ate, V explained all of this to Zane, and he asked if he could go with her. She’d agreed to allow him to go along, but she wanted to go the first time by herself. As much as she wanted to lean on him, V knew she had to do this for herself as much as for him. He deserved for her to be whole again, just like he was.

  They were doing the dishes together when there was a knock on her front door and V’s knees actually gave out. Had Zane not been standing there with her, she’d have fallen to the floor. So much for thinking ahead. Clearly she was still suffering from paranoia. It only took a second for her to get her legs back under her and she headed to the front door, not two steps behind Zane. She wanted to pull him back, put herself between what danger may lurk on the other side of her front door, but he didn’t allow it.

  To her surprise, evil was not standing on her doorstep. It was Beau, and he looked like he had just run a mile.

  “Are you ok?” Zane asked, pulling him inside.

  “Shut the door. Give me your phone.”

  While Zane continued to ask Beau what the hell was going on, Beau ignored him, grabbing V’s cell phone from her hand before she had a chance to give it to him.

  “They’re both in here.”

  “Who the hell are you talking to?” Zane demanded, grabbing the phone from Beau’s hand.

  V watched as he listened to the person on the other end of the line, his face void of all emotion.

  “Where?”

  That was the only question he asked before he hung up the phone.

  Zane gripped the doorknob, jerking the front door open before Beau managed to stop him. V heard herself scream his name, that same paralyzing fear surging up from the soles of her feet and extending through every one of her limbs.

  “Listen here, you son of a bitch. You want something from me? I’m right here.”

  V heard the indignation that dripped from every word out of Zane’s mouth and her body shook. Beau grabbed her, but she yanked out of his grasp, moving to the door.

  What was he doing?

  God, this couldn’t be happening again. It couldn’t!

  That’s when she saw Jake. He was standing on the sidewalk in front of her house, staring across the distance at Zane. She looked around but didn’t see anyone else. Wait. There was someone. Across the street. Her eyes flew back and forth, looking desperately in all of the hidden spots to see who else was lurking there. How many did he bring this time? Could Beau and Zane handle them?

  Her heart was beating so fast, she wondered if she would pass out.

  “Oh, God.” She knew the words had come out of her mouth, but no one acknowledged her. Not Zane. Not Beau.

  Looking past Jake at Zane’s Jeep parked on the street, she saw more feet near the tires. There were at least three people out there, including Jake.

  “Breathe, V. Just breathe, honey.” Beau’s voice was strong in her ear. He was still standing behind her, both of them inside the house while Zane was on the front porch.

  “Keep her inside,” Zane demanded as he moved down the step.

  “No!” she screamed.

  “What’s wrong, Vanessa? Worried your little boy toy can’t take another beating?” Jake’s cruel words boomed across the yard.

  “I can take anything you can dish out, you bastard.” Zane kept moving forward, and V felt like she was in a glass box, watching the inevitable happen again and unable to stop it.

  “Why are you in here? Go out and help him!” she screamed at Beau, trying to break free from his firm grip on her arm.

  “If he needs me, I’ll be right there. I promise you.”

  What was he talking about? Zane needed him now. There were at least three of them and the others were hiding this time. How many more were there that she couldn’t see? She tried to peer out the door, but she wasn’t close enough to see what might be lurking at the edges of her house.

  That’s when she saw a glint of metal in Jake’s hand. There was movement, but V couldn’t tear her eyes off of the... Oh, God! Jake was pointing a gun at Zane.

  “Not happening this time.”

  The voice penetrated V’s brain, but for some reason, it didn’t sound like Zane. Or Jake.

  That’s when she realized that the feet behind the Jeep had moved. Another gun. Only this one was pointed directly at Jake’s head, the muzzle pressed against his temple.

  Gage.

  Everything went black.

  ♂♀

  The weather was eerily the same as the last time Zane was here. The sky wasn’t quite blue, but not quite gray either. A little cooler, maybe.

  Ever since he heard Travis’ voice on the other end of the phone, he knew what was happening. Walking out on the porch had been a distraction he knew had to happen, only he hoped it didn’t end badly. As much as he wanted to tear Jake apart, limb by limb, Zane wasn’t willing to lose V again.

  He could’ve embraced the violence racing through his blood, could’ve confronted Jake and taken his chances, but he knew that wasn’t an option anymore. As much as V wanted to protect him, he wanted to protect her even more. Every part of her. Including her heart. He wasn’t willing to take a chance that this time he might not come back. Second chances didn’t come often, and Zane wasn’t willing to ask for another reprieve.

  Thanks to Travis, Zane knew exactly what was going down out front. He knew that the legs he could see near the tire of his Jeep belonged to Gage Matthews. He knew the shadow across the street, standing in the hedges belonged to Travis. He was aware that Jake was alone this time.

  He was even aware that Jake was packing heat. He was taking a small risk, but he prayed he’d be able to get out of the way if Jake was to pull the gun on him. Which he did.

  The man didn’t look steady though. And the gun hadn’t even made it up level with his face before Gage was on him, the man’s Glock level with Jake’s temple. He announced the crap that police officers usually greeted suspects with, and Jake surrendered much faster than Zane had expected.

  “Zane!”

  Beau’s voice bellowed from inside the house, and he turned and ran back up the steps, the screen door damn nearing pulled from its hinges as he yanked it open. V was lying in Beau’s arms, unconscious.

  Her body effortlessly transferred from Beau’s arms to his own and Zane carried her back to her bedroom, kicking the door closed with his foot. Laying her on the bed, he settled in beside her, gently shaking her face and talking to her. She passed out, which was understandable, considering all of those panic attacks that had preceded this little event.

  “Baby, wake up. V.” He continued to talk to her until finally her eyes fluttered and those honey gold eyes peered up at him.

  “Everything’s ok. I’m right here. Jake –”

  “Did Gage kill him?” V questioned, cutting him off midsentence.

  “No, baby.” Zane chuckled, staring down at her. “Jake’s not dead. No one’s hurt.”

  Her arms latched onto his neck, pulling him off balance and Zane fell on top of her, nearly crushing her with his weight.

  “I love you. So much. Please, don’t ever leave me, Zane. I love you.”

  “Never, baby. I’m right here. Not going anywhere.” Lifting his head up, he looked into her eyes again, grinned. “Unless you want to head on back to Vegas and check out one of those little chapels.”

  Chapter Thirty Four

  ♂♀

  Note to self... Parents do not like finding out their kids all disappeared to Vegas for a bachelor/bachelorette party. At least not the parents whose last names were Walker or Stranford.

  That was the main reason there were so many people gathered behind the main Walker house, beneath tents, laughi
ng and joking while Zoey and Kaleb danced. No, this wasn’t their first dance – at least, not as husband and wife. That wasn’t going to happen for at least a few more weeks.

  This little shindig had actually been the brainchild of Curtis and Carl, with a little encouragement from Lorrie – who’d dubbed this Zoey’s bridal shower, although the men were invited. Zane’s parents had teamed up with Zoey’s father to make sure this celebration was done correctly. It was significantly toned down from the party in Vegas, but, if he had to say so himself, this was much more to his liking.

  First of all, there were no strippers.

  Thank God for that.

  Secondly, Lorrie and V had done Zoey right. There were hoards of ladies present, all bringing gifts for the bride to be. Even Regina was present and as soon as V recognized her mother was there, she’d almost cried. That little dog of hers was managing to drum up more attention than the bride to be though.

  No one seemed to mind.

  “Honey, can you go inside and grab some more punch? Oh, and a few more of those glasses?”

  Zane nodded at his mother as he turned on his heel to go into the house. Those little glasses his mother referred to actually said “Zoey’s Bachelorette Party” on them. She’d thought it funny when she ordered them, considering. He didn’t understand the joke, but he didn’t question his mother either.

  Once inside, Zane maneuvered around the couple of ladies in the kitchen who were working diligently to get more food prepared to take outside. Other than the clang of forks and knives, the house was silent, which was a little surprising.

  Or, maybe not.

  The sound of two male voices came from down the hallway that led to the stairs, and Zane looked back at the women in the kitchen. Either they didn’t hear the heated argument, or they were pretending not to. Either way, Zane wasn’t about to let anyone ruin this day for Kaleb and Zoey, so he closed the refrigerator and moved down the hall at a fast clip.

  “It will happen again, I told you that.”