by Charity West
It took a half hour for our pizza to arrive and I prided myself on keeping my gaze fastened on the TV. At least, until there was a knock at the door and he got up to answer it. I may have sighed a little as I watched him walk away, the muscles in his back and arms moving in such a way that I wanted to trace them with my tongue. Maybe it had been too long since I’d had sex, but the last time had caused more problems than it was worth. Not that I thought Zarek would be anything like Price. Hell, they didn’t even look similar. Price might have had muscles, but he wasn’t anywhere near as built as Zarek. If our small town had one of those firemen calendars, Zarek could be front-cover material.
A throat cleared and my cheeks burned again as I was caught staring once more. He smirked and nodded for me to head to the kitchen. We fixed our plates, and he didn’t say a word about my obsession with his body. Either he was used to girls drooling over him, or he just didn’t want to embarrass me further. I somehow managed to eat my dinner without slobbering over Zarek’s sexiness. And then he placed his hand on my thigh.
Oh. My. God.
That one touch was like an electric jolt to my system and it left me tingling. My toes curled against the floor as my ovaries gave a shout of take me now. His palm slid up and down my leg, and I wondered if he was even aware he was doing it. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye and caught him watching me.
Zarek stood up abruptly, spread my knees apart, and kneeled on the floor at my feet. He caged me between his arms as he leaned toward me. My heart pounded in my chest as I wondered what he was going to do, and prayed that it would result in some kisses at the very least. I’d never been so aware of anyone in my life, and my body was screaming for his touch.
He closed in, his nose brushing mine a moment before his lips closed over mine. Heat consumed me, along with a healthy dose of lust. My hands lifted of their own volition and rested on his broad shoulders. The warmth of his body pressed against me, making me very aware of the large man pressing against me. His lips left mine and traveled the column of my neck before nipping my collarbone.
Zarek’s callused fingers skimmed across my belly, just under my shirt. His touch was light, but I felt it all the way to my toes. His lips caressed mine again in a kiss that had me grabbing a handful of his hair and holding on tight. I’d kissed my share of boys in high school, but none of them had prepared me for Zarek. He was only a year older than me but seemed so much more experienced. He could melt me with just one touch.
He pushed up my shirt, exposing my stomach. His gaze strayed from my exposed flesh to my eyes, and I saw the questions there. His fingers feathered over the marks I’d have the rest of my life, followed by his lips tracing every line. When he pulled away, I could tell he wanted to say something.
“My sister has marks like this. From having my niece.”
I swallowed hard.
“Where’s your baby, Kaycee?”
“Dead.” It still felt like a knife in my chest to talk about my daughter. She’d died before she even had a chance to live. As fast as things were moving with Zarek, I knew it was time to tell him everything.
He studied me quietly, giving me time to decide what I wanted to say.
“Ashley was going to be her name, but she died before she was born. Price and I started dating our sophomore year in high school. By senior year, I found out I was pregnant. He lost it when I told him, calling me names and saying I must have been sleeping around.”
Zarek caressed me softly. “What happened?”
“One day at school, he flew into a rage and attacked me. I tried to get away, prayed for help to come, but the teachers were slow to respond. He caught me in the parking lot and threw me on the ground, except I landed on one of the parking curbs, on my stomach. I knew something was wrong right away. I was six months along when it happened.”
“And you lost your daughter?”
I nodded, my fingers tracing the scar. “They had to do a C-section to get her out. She didn’t die right away, but they worried about damage. By the time they pulled her from my womb, she wasn’t breathing. The doctors did everything they could for her, but the fall had killed her in the end.”
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that.” He kissed my belly. “You’re stronger than I think you realize. Is that when Price was arrested?”
“Yes. I never understood why, but they wouldn’t try him for the murder of Ashley. They arrested him for assault. I found out recently that he was released. And, well, you know the rest. He’s crazy, Zarek, and he thinks I ruined his life. He’ll stop at nothing to get to me.”
“Then he’ll have to go through me.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” I ran my fingers across his jaw. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters. I know that things are moving fast between us, but I care about you, Kaycee. It would devastate me if something happened to you. I know I can be overbearing at times, but it’s only because I’m worried about you. I won’t relax until Price is locked up again. Hopefully, this time for a much longer sentence.”
“Make me forget,” I said softly. “Just for a little while, I want to pretend that everything is fine. Can you do that?”
Zarek nodded, his gaze never leaving mine. He stood and lifted me into his arms, carrying me to his bedroom. He eased me down onto the mattress and reached for the waistband of his pants. My heart hammered in my chest, but I knew I wanted this. I was ready for it, ready for him. Nothing had ever felt more right. I didn’t care that we hadn’t known each other a long time. I’d known Price since elementary school, and look how that had turned out. Zarek was different from anyone I’d ever met before, and I was ready to give myself to him completely.
Even if we only had this one moment, I would cherish the memory forever. He might say he cared for me, but I was quickly falling in love with him.
He dropped his pants, and I bit my lip as I studied his body, wishing I were an artist who could draw the perfection of him. His body covered mine as he kissed me with a hunger that made my heart flutter. It didn’t take him long to help me out of my clothes, his hands skimming along my curves.
Zarek paused a moment. “Are you on birth control?”
I nodded, and it seemed to be all the encouragement he needed.
His hard body pressed me into the mattress as his mouth worshiped every inch of me. I burned for him, wanting him more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life. Every nerve was on fire where our bodies touched. He entered me slowly, tenderly, as if he wanted to cherish the moment as much as I did. Our bodies moved as one as he took me to dizzying heights. My legs hooked over his, holding him closer.
He made love to me like I was the most important thing in the world to him, and I swear, at one point, I saw fireworks. It was magical, and perfect in every way. The romance books had it all wrong. How could they describe something so wonderful that there were no words for it?
I lay curled in his embrace afterward, listening to his heartbeat. And I knew, at that moment, that I wanted more nights like this one. This was what had been missing from my life. If he would have me, I wanted to be Zarek’s in every way.
I just had to get rid of Price first.
Chapter Four
The weekend arrived without any more incidents courtesy of Price. The snakes were his last attempt to get to me, and I wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t know where I was, or if he was just biding his time. Zarek and his crew had managed to get all of my furniture packed and moved into storage by Thursday night, and he brought the rest of my clothes and essentials to the apartment. He had to work Friday and Saturday, and when he left for work Friday morning, I was a nervous wreck. Two nights by myself? I wasn’t sure I was ready.
Zarek kissed me softly. “Call me if you get scared. We haven’t had any incidents in a few days, so maybe it’s over. Maybe he’s given up.”
I shook my head. “You don’t know Price like I do. He won’t give up. If
anything, he’s regrouping and deciding what to do next. If he knows I’m living with you, then he’ll wait until you aren’t around before he comes after me again.”
“I could take some vacation days,” Zarek offered.
“No. I need to be a big girl about this. Yes, I’m scared, but you can’t stand by my side every second of every day for the rest of my life. Sooner or later, Price will find me alone, and he’ll attack.”
Zarek pulled me into his embrace and held me tight. “I’m going to check in throughout the day. Not because I’m an overbearing asshole, but because I’m worried about you. If you don’t answer, I’ll call back. If you still don’t answer, I’m sending the police to check on you.”
I smiled a little. “Right, so if I go to the bathroom or take a shower, take the phone with me.”
“Smart ass.”
“I thought you liked my ass.”
He kissed me again, harder, fiercer. When he released me, I thought I was seeing stars. I was going to miss him the next two days, and I wondered if maybe I should surprise him at lunchtime. I had my car back, with all new tires, and I had a feeling it had some other new parts too. When I drove it home, it seemed to handle a bit better than before.
Zarek left, and I wandered around the apartment for a few minutes, trying to decide what to do with myself. I took a shower and pulled on a sundress with a floral print, and then cleaned up the breakfast dishes. By the time that was done, I fixed my hair and makeup, but it still wasn’t close enough to lunch to justify showing up at the fire station. I flipped through the TV channels for a while, settling on a talk show, and waited impatiently for eleven o’clock to arrive. I caught myself looking at the clock about every fifteen minutes, willing time to go faster.
It wasn’t that I was scared and wanted to be with Zarek, it was more that I felt goofy in love with him and wanted to spend more time with him. It was too soon for the L word, but I definitely felt more than just lust for him. I wasn’t certain how he felt about me, since we hadn’t really discussed it, but he’d admitted he cared about me. That had to mean something, didn’t it? Caring could turn to loving.
My phone rang and scared the crap out of me, making me jump a foot.
“Hello.”
“It’s Zarek. My cell phone is dead and charging, so I used the phone at your desk. Just wanted to make sure you are okay.”
“I’m fine.” I smiled. “How would you feel about some meatloaf and mashed potatoes from the diner for lunch today?”
“You want to come have lunch with me?”
I could hear the smile in his voice, and it made me smile even bigger.
“Yes, I want to come have lunch with you. If that’s okay.”
“I’d love it.”
“Then it’s a date. I’ll call to place an order to go and pick it up around eleven. I should be at the fire station by 11:30. I just have to hope y’all don’t get a call around lunchtime.”
“You have a key to the main door now, right?” he asked.
“The captain gave it to me on Thursday. I can let myself in if no one is there. And I’ll make sure I lock the door behind me.”
“Be careful, Kaycee. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”
“I’m always careful. I’ll see you soon.”
I disconnected the call, and for the next twenty minutes, stared at the TV with a goofy smile on my face. Then I placed our lunch order with the diner for an eleven o’clock pick up. With nothing left to do but sit and wait, I tried to lose myself in TV programming, but daytime TV sucked. At one point, I would have sworn I heard something at the front door, but when I went to investigate, I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary and couldn’t see anyone through the peephole. It had been almost a scratching sound. I chalked it up to squirrels since I’d watched some run through the corridor the other day. Still, just to be safe, I made sure every lock was engaged and turned the TV down so I’d hear someone coming through the door.
Even though I wasn’t sure Price knew where to find me, I was as jumpy as a cat on a hot tin roof. By the time I was ready to pick up lunch, I was a nervous wreck. I checked out the area several times before bolting to my car. Even at the diner, I glanced around, looking for Price. Despite the fact I had yet to see him, I was convinced he was behind my problems. No one else had any reason to target me.
The fire station parking lot was busier than usual, and I saw a school bus off to the side. I wondered if there was a special tour. I grabbed the containers from the diner and hurried inside. On my way to the door, I saw the captain speaking to a group of small children gathered around the fire engine. I smiled and made my way through the glass door and toward the common room. Zarek was playing cards at the counter with Nix.
“What’s up with the kids in the bay?” I asked as I set out food on the counter.
“Special needs group from the local elementary school. The only time the captain could work in a tour was today. He came in on his off day to take care of them.”
“Now that’s dedication.”
Zarek came up behind me, sliding his hands around my waist and hugging me. “How have you been this morning?”
“Okay. There were some sounds that freaked me out a little, but I convinced myself it was just squirrels.”
“Aww,” Nix said. “I do believe romance is in the air.”
Oliver made kissing sounds.
“Shut it.” Zarek growled.
Liam slung his arm around Oliver. “Face it. You’re just jealous she didn’t choose you. I think it’s sweet. If anyone around here deserves a happy ending, it’s Zarek. And if she can live through meeting his family, then he definitely needs to hold on tight.”
“I haven’t met them yet,” I admitted. “We were supposed to have dinner with them, but something came up.”
“Better get it out of the way soon,” Jared said. “I wouldn’t put it past Mrs. O’Donnell to come find you and drag you to a family dinner. Whether Zarek is with you or not.”
“Actually…” Zarek kissed her neck. “That’s not a horrible idea. I don’t like the idea of you being alone tonight. I’m going to arrange for Seamus to pick you up. Since you’ve already met him, you shouldn’t feel awkward around him.”
“Can we get through lunch first?” I asked.
“Lunch. Then we’ll talk about you visiting with my mom tonight. I think you’ll like her.”
“Where’s your mom?” Oliver asked. “Seems only fair he should meet your family.”
“My mother died when I was younger, and my dad didn’t really know how to go on without her. He did the best he could, but we seldom talk. I think my moving out was the best thing for him. I look like my mom, and I think it was hard on him.”
“So you have no one?” Nix asked.
“She has us,” Oliver said. “And Zarek. We’ll be her family.”
My eyes misted at their thoughtful gesture. It had been a while since I’d felt like I belonged to a family. Zarek gave me an extra squeeze and then fixed our plates. The guys joked around with us while we ate, and before too long, it was time for me to go. Zarek walked me to my car and gave me a kiss goodbye. I wanted to stay with him, or take him home with me, but I knew he had to work. It was hard, not having him at the apartment at night, but I was a big girl, and I’d manage.
I’d thought maybe he’d forgotten about me having dinner with his family, but Seamus showed up around six that night. He looked resigned, and I knew he didn’t really want to be there. I wasn’t sure if he didn’t approve of me, or if he just hated playing chauffeur. I felt bad that Zarek had talked him into coming for me. I could have managed to get to his mother’s on my own, if he’d only given me the address, but I understood he was worried about it. The police still hadn’t seen Price around town, but there wasn’t a doubt he was lurking.
“Why don’t I follow you in my car? That way you don’t have to bring home later,” I suggested.
He shrugged as if it didn’t matter to him. I grabbed my p
urse and keys and followed him to the parking lot. It was easy to keep up with him, even though I had no idea where we were going. I tried to pay attention to landmarks so I could find my way back later.
Zarek’s family home was the stuff of dreams. A large Victorian that I was certain had more rooms than I could explore on any given day. And judging by the number of cars in the driveway, those rooms had all been in use at some point. I hadn’t realized just how big Zarek’s family was, until now. It was a little intimidating. I hoped I could remember everyone’s name. Zarek hadn’t exactly defined our relationship, so I wasn’t quite sure how to introduce myself. As his roommate? His girlfriend? He’d moved me into his bedroom after our first night together, but that didn’t necessarily mean there was a commitment between us, did it? I wanted there to be one.
A woman who had to be Mrs. O’Donnell bustled out of the house and gathered me in a tight hug.
“I’m so glad you could come to dinner tonight, Kaycee. I’ve heard so much about you from Zarek and Seamus. I worried I’d never get you over here, what with Zarek’s crazy work schedule.”
“Thank you for having me, Mrs. O’Donnell.”
“Now, now. None of that. You can either call me Molly or call me Mom. I’ll answer to either, but I don’t want to hear any of that Mrs. O’Donnell nonsense. You’re part of this family now.”
“I am?” I asked with some surprise.
“According to Zarek you are.” She smiled slyly. “Wouldn’t be surprised at all if my boy didn’t make it official before too long.”
“Whatever we have is too new for something like that,” I told her.
She gave me that patented “mom” look and ushered me into the house. I tried to see everything around me, but she rushed me through to the dining room and practically shoved me into a chair. The table was already set with roasted chicken, baby carrots, mashed potatoes, and rolls. The smells were incredible, and my mouth watered. Honestly, it had been so long since I’d had a home-cooked meal that I’d forgotten what they were like. If Molly wanted to feed me like this, I might have to come around more often.
