WindSwept Narrows: #22 Erika & Vianne

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “That doesn’t answer why you’re single and how I got lucky.”

  “I think it was that interesting odor you were sporting,” Zee teased with a wink, accepting the wrinkled nose with a laugh. “I was married a little over fourteen months. We were both stationed in South Korea and met there. It didn’t work for a lot of reasons. I got smarter since then.”

  “I’m sorry. You must have cared for her to get married,” Erika began cleaning up the table. “Do you keep in touch?”

  “It didn’t end pleasant. As far as I know, she’s still in the military and in Europe somewhere with a new husband,” Zee helped carry things into the kitchen, loading the dishwasher. “To be honest, I haven’t thought about her much since I left South Korea.”

  “I didn’t mean to make you hurt again, Zee,” Erika stood with her hands beneath the running warm water when he came up behind her, his mouth against her cheek. “She didn’t like costumes, huh?”

  Zee chuckled, his lips brushing her forehead before he went to get the rest of the things from the patio.

  “To be honest, I’m not sure she liked me,” Zee said with a shrug. “I don’t know where my head was then. Seems like another life and it wasn’t until a couple months in that I realized she was like too many girls I knew on the surf circuit. The groupies. Then I found out that’s just what she was. She’d followed my career, she told me. She was a knockout…and I was a flattered twenty-five year old.”

  “And now?” Erika turned her back to the counter, taking the plates from him.

  “Now I’m a mature thirty-four with a hot pharmacist who likes play as much as she enjoys being serious and talking like adults on all topics,” he crooked a finger into the waistband of her jeans and tugged once. “And I’ve discovered I need the brain serious as much as I need the play time.”

  Erika laughed, her head shaking. “A hot pharmacist,” she peeked at him teasingly. “I could bring my lab coat home and we could play doctor…”

  Zee let the laughter break from inside him, grabbing her around the middle and lifting her to sit on the edge of the counter.

  “My, my, Miss Vincent…you’re shocking me…”

  “I’m not quite sure that’s shock I feel,” she murmured, her pelvis pressed against the rising erection. “After discovering your executive office fantasy…”

  “That I didn’t even know I had,” he sighed at the memory of her bent over his desk, hot and wet for him. Zee leaned in to kiss her when the thumping began on the outside door.

  “Erika!”

  Both of them froze. In that moment, the play vanished and reality came bursting back to the forefront.

  “Put me down, Zee,” Erika rubbed her palms over the sides of her jeans.

  “Erika, stay here,” but he lifted her to the floor and turned to go into the other room, the pounding followed by a deep, sharp voice.

  “Erika! Open this door immediately.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Zee! It’s my father,” she ran to stand beside him, her hands around one arm.

  “Stay behind me.”

  “Zee, he’s never hurt me,” she told him with a little scowl. “He’s my father!” Erika moved to the side, her hand on the doorknob and pulling it open with a hard swallow. “Hello, dad. There’s no reason to shout. I don’t think the neighbors need to hear.”

  He was taller than her and had more weight than Zee, though they stood the same height. And both men glared at one another, both jaws clenched and eyes slightly narrowed.

  “Well…” Erika looked from one to the other. “Why are you beating on the door, dad?”

  “Why?” His gaze flashed angrily to his daughter. “You had charges brought against your mother! Why the hell do you think I’m here? I want them dismissed immediately, Erika. And I want you at the house to discuss this entire mess.”

  “Is she alright?” Erika asked quietly, the corner of her cheek pulled between her teeth.

  “Our attorney took her home and I had a physician there to sedate her,” he said angrily. “How do you think she is? What did you think this was going to do to her? Her only child having her arrested…”

  “I’d ask if you knew what she did, but you wouldn’t be honest with me because if you said yes, that would make you an accessory,” Erika watched her father’s reaction and sighed. “That’s what I thought. What she did to me was wrong and illegal.”

  “If you have any other comments or questions, you should go through Erika’s attorney,” Zee said carefully, watching the older man closely.

  “No one spoke to you. This has nothing to do with you whatsoever.”

  “If it has to do with Erika, it has to do with me,” Zee had been prepared for that response, the anger and animosity in the man’s eyes only a portion of what was emanating from him.

  “You broke off a solid, decent relationship with Adam for this?” Furious with his daughter, the gaze he leveled on Zee was filled with contempt.

  “Goodbye, dad,” Erika shook her head and stepped back at the same time her father’s palm was out and gripping her wrist. “Dad!”

  “You’re coming home with me where you belong,” he told her with a firm pull that had her stumbling forward.

  Erika felt Zee’s arm come around her waist, lifting her from the floor at the same time his other hand went to her father’s thumb. With a quick and very painful twist, she was released and inside the apartment, blocked from her father by a very angry Zee.

  “Touch her again and I’ll have the police arrest you for everything a good attorney can think up,” Zee’s voice was hard and low with just a hint that he might not wait for the police to take action.

  She stood back, rubbing her wrist, pale lashes blinking to stop the burning tears.

  “What is wrong with you? With mother? Neither of you have ever, ever hurt me before and suddenly…I don’t even know you anymore,” Erika whispered hoarsely. “If you want to set up a meeting with your attorney and mine, I’ll attend and maybe something can be worked out. But I’m not dropping the charges. They have her on video tape dropping some kind of drug into my lemonade! How is that suddenly right in your world, dad?”

  He stood rubbing his palm, his stare icy. Red blotches of anger filled his cheeks, the hard sound of his feet on the wooden stairs the only response she was given.

  Zee closed the door and set the locks and the alarm. He leaned against the wood and pulled her gently against him. One arm was wrapped around her middle, the other palm up and stroking over the free hanging hair.

  She wasn’t crying. Or if she was, Zee figured she was the most silent crier ever. When she pushed against him without speaking, he let her go and watched her go down the hall to the bedroom, rubbing her wrist, head high.

  Zee puffed up his cheeks and pushed air between his lips. Yeah, the ripe old age of thirty-four. Now what? He asked himself, absently going to the kitchen and finishing the cleanup they’d begun.

  That gave her a quiet, alone ten minutes before he went to the bedroom, eyes quickly skirting the area and landing on the closed bathroom door. He could hear the shower going, which meant she was either drowning herself or using it to hide the crying she didn’t let go before.

  Taking a chance and he figured his life in his hands, he eased the door open. He sighed and turned the water off before dropping to his heels, his palm up and stroking over her head.

  “Nice ploy. Almost had me convinced you’d gone mermaid on me,” Zee said softly, kissing her forehead and taking her hands in his. “Come on…up.”

  There was nothing but sniffles as she let him tug her to her feet, a gentle palm at her waist and leading her to the bedroom. Zee sat her on the edge of the bed, pulled her shoes free and looked around the room. She’d put her clothing in the closet and drawers, a good sign, since the suitcases were now stored high on a shelf in the garage. That put a warm feeling deep inside him that he didn’t want to let go of.

  She usually left it on the chair…and that’s where he foun
d the nightgown she usually started off the night inside of. By the time he carried it to the bed, she’d pulled her shirts over her head and released the snaps on her bra. She dropped the light gown over her head before dropping the bra on the chest at the bottom of the bed and laying back to shimmy out of her jeans.

  “Kind of ruined our play time,” she said with the remnants of a sniffle.

  “A temporary crimp,” Zee shook out the quilts and laid them over the bed before going to the bathroom and finding his sleep pants. By the time he returned she was curled on her side, staring out into the falling night. “I see those eyes open.”

  “It’s dark. You can’t see them at all,” she returned, sighing.

  “Morning comes early,” he said with a yawn, tucking her against him with a kiss.

  But she couldn’t sleep. If she kept blinking, she could stop the tears from falling, she thought. Or that’s what she’d convinced herself of. She listened to Zee’s steady breathing half an hour later and slipped from the bed, wandering quietly into the living room and sinking to the corner of the sofa. She pulled the quilt from the back and wrapped it around her, staring out into the late spring rain.

  Drops sparkled against the double patio doors sending shafts of light off in all directions. She watched them strike and splinter, sending glimmers of light bouncing against the glass with each new splatter. Something to distract, she thought.

  It was an old building, so when the floor boards creaked she quickly swiped a palm over her cheeks and closed her eyes. It took a little more work to even out her breathing, but she thought she had it down.

  “Nice imitation, but you need to add those sexy little snores you let out with now and then,” Zee sunk down beside her, his palm up, fingers scooping the long hair from her face and hooking it behind one ear.

  “I snore?” She responded with a sigh.

  “No. But saying it got your attention,” he stretched out on the sofa, pulled her from the corner and trapped her between him and the back of the couch. Zee rearranged the quilt over them, tucking her close and brushing her forehead with a kiss. “I thought maybe you’d have a hard time sleeping.”

  “I didn’t want to bother you. Keeping you awake. You have to work tomorrow,” Erika had listened to all the excuses in her head.

  “Spend a lot of time arguing with yourself on that one?” Zee took her palm from his chest, his mouth moving against the soft center.

  Erika sighed, relaxing a little more against him.

  “Different arguments. Didn’t want to bother you. Keeping you awake. Crying and getting all pink eyed over something I can’t figure out. Waffling between going back to bed and just…just being held,” she whispered, the words shaking only a little.

  “I like that last one, Erika,” Zee slid one foot between hers, his knee urging her closer. “I’m holding your suitcases hostage, you know. Just in case that was one of your options.”

  “How did you get inside my head?” She whispered, tipping her head back and watching the outside lights reflected in his eyes. “I thought about it. I don’t know them anymore, Zee. There was a time I’d have sworn my father would never have raised his hand to me and he’d certainly never hurt someone I cared about. Now…I don’t know them. I don’t know what they’ll do to achieve whatever they’re after. And not knowing that…”

  “Trust me to take care of us, baby…trust me to watch out for problems.”

  Her laugh was shaky. “All you did was offer me the use of your bathroom.”

  “I have to confess…I’d been watching you for a couple days before Kyle mentioned the…issue,” he saw the corner of her mouth lift. “You showed up every morning, just as I opened. Took the table furthest out and just stared at the ocean a lot of the time.”

  “You never came out and talked to me.”

  “I was working on just the right line.”

  “Telling me I needed a shower…interesting pickup line,” she told him with a little laugh, laying her head against his chest and closing her eyes with a yawn.

  He chuckled and kept silent, letting the steady breathing weave through her and then him. It didn’t surprise him that his arms tightened when she seemed to fight something in her dreams, a soft, soothing whisper leaving his lips until she calmed again.

  ****

  Zee believed he was dreaming. And it was definitely one hot dream. He felt the delicate, slim fingers stroking him. He swore that sweet, hot mouth was suckling his cock, her tongue swirling around the ridge and her lips kissing her way from one end to the other. Then he felt the stroking over the condom that appeared.

  That’s when his eyes popped open.

  He wasn’t sure how he had managed to be completely on his back on the sofa. He had no idea how he’d slept so deeply that he missed having his sleep pants pulled out of her way. Now that more than his cock was awake, he felt the tight grip of her knees on his hips as she lowered that sweet pussy over his cock. A low groan broke from his lips as she rode him, muscles tensing and her body rippling as she swayed above him.

  His hands came up, pulling on the elastic top of her gown and groaning loudly. Her body was clenching him, stroking him and taking him up with each rotation of her hips; teasingly taking him closer to the edge each time she tilted her hips to stroke her clit against him.

  The full, sweet breasts filled his palms, thumbs strumming over the taut, wrinkled peaks in a movement that had her eyes opening and realizing he was awake and joining the game.

  “Zee…” Erika slid along his cock, taking him deeper with each thrust she made. She bent over him, hugging him with her thighs and sweeping her tongue into his mouth, tasting sleep and passion. And it was just the angle her body needed.

  Zee groaned into her kiss, his hands moving to grip her hips when the convulsions began around his cock, strangling the control from him and holding it captive. Her body went still while the heat and ripples tore through her and carried him along in the tidal wave.

  He couldn’t remember the last time his body had gone from zero to eruption, his hips surging upward once and once more before the muscles stroking him overwhelmed his senses and dragged him shouting into morning. Hell of a way to wake up!

  “Oh, Zee,” Erika breathed his name as her body drifted to lay along his, sweat covered and very satisfied. Her arms rested along his shoulders, fingers toying with the curves of each ear. She let her tongue stroke along his throat, tasting the salt and flavor that was Zee and smiled. “I feel much better now.”

  “Glad I could be of service,” he murmured, inhaling the fragrance of their sex and the soft blond hair he buried his face in. His arms locked around her for a long, peaceful minute before he sat up, laughing at the squeal from her when he shoved his legs over the side and stood up without dislodging them. “Shower time, lady. Someone has to work this morning.”

  Somehow they made it through the walk to the bathroom, although the bout of giggles made her muscles clench repeatedly and Zee groaned as he slid her to the floor, disposed of the condom and got them both into the shower.

  He was amazed how fast the woman could shower and zip out of the bathroom wrapped in a large towel. By the time he shaved and entered the bedroom, she was perched on the wide window seat, combing and braiding the smooth, wet hair. She was wearing her glasses and he could guess why, the contacts probably stung if her eyes were still irritated from crying.

  The scent of coffee wafted to him as he pulled jeans up his legs, his nose not the only thing issuing a twitch as she walked past him to get into the outer room. She wore jeans and a double set of tank and T-shirt in shades of gold, carried her sneakers and case to the door before pouring some juice for herself and a travel mug of coffee for him.

  Zee shrugged into a light jacket and took the travel cup she held out to him.

  “No jacket? It’s pouring outside, Erika,” he sipped and found his keys on the counter when she shrugged. “Where are your keys? We’ll take your car today.”

  “I’m jus
t running from house to car to work,” she patted pockets on the case she carried and handed him the keys.

  “I’ll get a couple keys made to the shop and outer door for you,” he followed her out of the apartment, set the alarms and locked the door behind them. Erika ran to the bottom and over to the waiting sedan, quickly sinking inside when he popped the locks for her. “Rain coat, woman.”

  “Nag, nag, nag,” she chuckled and shook the drops from her head.

  “It’ll be a slow day at the shop if this continues. How about going away with me to one of the bed and breakfasts on an island? Wild sex listening to crashing, stormy waves and food and more wild sex?” Zee watched her laughing, liked seeing the smile back on her face. Even if it was just a little one.

  “Hmmm…again with the theme.”

  “If it was warmer, I’d add chasing you down in the middle of the woods or swimming,” Zee said with just a trace of pride at the suggestion. This time it got another laugh. “And costumes.”

  “Little Red Riding Hood? I bet I could find a killer corset and stockings,” Erika laughed when she saw his eyes sharpen and jaw drop. Just a little. She’d managed to plant the image, she thought with a grin at him. She slid her palm over his, twining their fingers together. “Thanks. For making me laugh.”

  “You’re welcome. Thanks for making my jeans tight,” he returned with a wink as she slipped to the curb and offered a little twitch to her hips as she ran for the entrance and the waiting guard. He was about to hit the gas and leave when she abruptly turned and came running back through the rain.

  Zee quickly opened his window in time for Erika to grab his shirt and pull him forward, kissing him soundly and smiling.

  “Bye! See you this afternoon!”

  He watched the crazy woman take off again, this time vanishing after being cleared by the guard. He didn’t have to look to know there was envy on a few faces and a stupid grin on his as he headed to the hardware store and then home. Maybe a nap before he opened at ten.