She stared at her friend. “How did you know?”
“Your mom stopped in earlier to have her roots touched up.”
Shit. Did the woman have no boundaries? “I was gonna tell you.”
“When? After the deed was done?” There was no mistaking the hurt edging Callie’s tone. “It’s because of the Pin The Dick On The Hunk, isn’t it? I’ll leave it at home if it really bothers you that much.”
She sighed. “I don’t care about the game, Callie.”
“Then what is it?”
I’d tell you if I knew. She kept the thought to herself. No reason to verify for her friend that she was a bigger neurotic mess than previously assumed. “You’re making a big deal outta nothing.”
“Am I? You’ve been acting strange with this whole wedding business. What am I supposed to think? Maybe you don’t even want me to be your Maid of Honor.”
Zoe stared at her plate.
“Oh my God. You don’t want me to be your Maid of Honor.”
The queasy tempest returned to her belly. “I didn’t say that at all. I-I just haven’t thought that far.”
“You expect me to believe that? Good gravy, you’ve been engaged for almost three and a half months.”
“So?” she demanded weakly.
“So it ain’t normal not to have at least considered who you’d have standin’ up with ya.”
That’s right. It wasn’t normal. Which made total sense, considering who they were talking about.
“Have ya even looked at dresses?”
“No.”
Callie gaped at her. “Unless you’re intending to buy something off the rack, don’t you think ya better? You’ll be walking down that aisle in three months. Don’t think you’ll want to be doin’ it nekkid.”
Three months. Oh God. She pressed a hand to her mouth and groaned as another wave of nausea hit her.
“Are you okay?” Concern suddenly flashed across Callie’s face. “Ya look a little green.”
Zoe shoved her seat back and darted for the bathroom. She made it to the toilet just in the nick of time.
This was the pathetic mess she’d become. On her hands and knees, sick and miserable in a public bathroom. Thank the stars Lexie kept her floors sparkling clean.
Once the unpleasantness passed, she pushed to her feet and trudged to the sink. She didn’t dare look in the mirror to confirm what a sight she must make. She flicked on the faucet and rinsed out her mouth before splashing the refreshing cold water across her face. After she patted herself dry with a handful of paper towels, she made her way back to the table where her companions waited. Josh was too busy coloring to pay much attention to her approach, but Callie’s worried gaze remained pinned on her even as she reclaimed her seat. She offered her friend a sheepish look. “Sorry. It’s been hitting me on and off lately. Must be a bug I picked up.”
Callie eyed her for a long moment. Finally disconcerted by the penetrating stare directed at her, Zoe fidgeted in her chair. “What?”
“Honey, I gotta ask. Have you and Hunkalicious been usin’ protection?”
It took a second to catch Callie’s drift. Zoe gave a short laugh. “I’m not pregnant.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Yes, we have.”
“Consistently?”
“You’re starting to sound like my mother.” Zoe rubbed her forehead. “Yes. I’m on the pill.”
“Even that ain’t one-hundred-percent. Especially if you’ve been on antibiotics.”
As if it were dead-set on adding to her nightmares, her mind trekked back to the nasty sinus infection she’d suffered through last month before she’d finally broken down and went to the doctor. “Oh my God.”
“Deep breaths. You might not be.”
“What if I am?”
“Would that be the worst thing ever?” Callie grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “You’re months away from marrying a man who’s head over heels crazy about ya. This time you wouldn’t hafta do it by yerself.”
“It’s not supposed to happen like this.”
Callie laughed. “It doesn’t always go as we planned. I’d think you’d be used to that by now.”
She was. That was the problem. Once again she’d—potentially—gotten pregnant out of wedlock. The pattern was repeating itself. Again.
Another squeeze of her fingers prompted her gaze to lift to Callie. Her friend’s smile failed to deliver the comfort that was intended. “Hey, it’s gonna be all right.”
“I need to know. Be certain I’m...” She couldn’t even bring herself to say the word.
“Yep, I agree. But I think it’s best if we drive into Pittsville to get ya a test kit. Otherwise the ladies at the pharmacy will have the news leaked before that strip even shows a plus or a minus.”
Oh Lord. That was definitely something she didn’t need to happen. “Pittsville it is.”
If nothing else, the name was ironic. And completely appropriate.
***
Ninety minutes later, she sat on the edge of Callie’s bed, her face buried in her hands. Her previous queasiness had long settled down, but the surmounting evidence facing her threatened to kick it up a notch again. Dropping her arms, she stared at Callie. “M-maybe I should take one more test. Just to be sure.”
“Hon, you’ve already taken three. Don’t think you’re gonna get a different answer.”
This couldn’t be happening. Lightheaded, she groaned and stretched back on the mattress. The glaring whiteness of the ceiling hurt her head, so she closed her eyes.
A baby.
Unable to fathom it, she hesitantly lifted her hand and placed it on her tummy. Although she knew the fetus was a miniscule glob of cells at this point, she couldn’t help imagining it growing inside of her. She’d had this same morning sickness with Hunter. Lordy, she should have recognized the signs.
The mattress dipped slightly and she opened her eyes to glance up at Callie. “I’m having a tough time wrappin’ my head around this.”
Callie chuckled. “Ya don’t say.”
Braving another possible wave of sickness, Zoe scooted up onto her elbows.
“You know Dylan is gonna be over the moon about it.”
He would be. She didn’t doubt it for a second. Chewing her lip, she smoothed a hand over her stomach again. He hadn’t been able to enjoy Hunter’s baby years. With this child, he’d get to experience everything. Its first heartbeat. The first tiny kick in her belly. Later, after their bundle of joy came into the world, he’d get to share in its first steps and the first word it spoke. God willing, it’d be “daddy” this time.
Blinking back tears, she rubbed her forearm across her eyes before meeting Callie’s gaze. “I-I think I’ve got my shit together now.”
Callie squeezed her in a hug. “Hon, I never doubted that you’d get it together. We all have our little breakdowns. And it’s not like ya didn’t have good cause for yours.”
They both pushed up from the bed and Zoe grabbed her purse. “Thank you for being here for me. I don’t know how I would have dealt with it if I’d gotten that news on my own.” Judging from this meltdown, not well at all.
“Don’t be silly. That’s what friends are for.” Callie escorted her to the porch. “Will you be okay drivin’ home?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
“Call me tomorrow.”
Nodding, she rushed down the stairs. Now that she’d finally gotten her head on straight about the baby, she couldn’t wait to break the news to Dylan. Her stomach jumping with an entirely different nervous energy, she hopped in the truck and pointed the vehicle in the direction of home. The short drive awarded her ample time to strategize how she’d tell him. Should she just blurt it out? No, he deserved better than that after being deprived the first time around with Hunter. Maybe she should make him a special dinner first. Steak and baked potato? Seemed like a fitting surprise-you’re-a-daddy-again dinner. By the time she pulled in behind the SUV she’d already moved
on to the dessert stage of the planning.
Tossing her keys in her purse, she be-lined for the house. Hunter launched himself at her the second she stepped through the doorway.
“Mama, come see my Ninja Turtle!”
She dutifully obeyed the request and “oohed” and “aawed” over his cherished new toy. While Hunter continued chittering away like an excited baby magpie, strong arms banded Zoe from behind.
“Glad you’re home, angel. I missed ya somethin’ fierce.”
She craned her neck to meet Dylan’s gaze and he seized the opportunity to steal a kiss that left her breathless. Woozy, she tottered against him. He tightened his hold on her. “Easy there, darlin’. Don’t need ya passing out on me.”
She licked her lips. “Any word from my mom about when she plans to be back?”
“No.” His eyes glinted with mischief. “Why? Whadya have in mind?”
“Not that.”
“Way to break a cowboy’s heart.”
“Silly man. I was just trying to determine when I should put dinner on.” Sooner the better. Who knows how long her nerves would hold out.
Dylan immediately sobered. “Actually, I’m kinda glad she’s not here right now.” He let go of her and scratched the back of his head. “There’s somethin’ I need to talk to you about.”
The pensiveness radiating from him stirred the jittery brew in her belly. “What is it?”
“Well, the band was offered a huge opportunity. We’ve been invited to open up for County Limits.”
She stared at him. The news took a second to penetrate her befuddled brain. Once it did she let out an excited squeal and tossed her arms around him. Laughing, he hugged her back. “I take it you’re okay with it?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
He took a deep breath and peered into her eyes. “Okay, here’s the bad news. It’s Sunday.”
“So?”
“Well, that’s the day of your chorale concert.”
She stroked his cheek. “I think County Limits takes precedence over my little concert.” She shook her head. “Guess this lets my dad off the hook.”
“See, that’s kinda the other thing.” He set her down on her feet. “Luke doesn’t want me to go to Vegas.”
She frowned. “Why?”
“It’s sorta breakin’ the arrangement I made with him.”
“Arrangement? You mean the band camp? But they don’t even need you on the weekend.”
He averted his gaze. That alone was enough to set off warning bells. She swallowed past the thick ball of unease stuck in her throat. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”
He scraped his hand over his mouth before meeting her eyes again. “Yeah, the band camp is part of the arrangement. But it’s also a means of keeping me off the road. At least for a while.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Luke didn’t want me to leave you and Hunter here by yourselves.”
His words were like a punch to her gut. “What? Why would you agree to that?”
He didn’t immediately answer, and she took a halting step back. “It’s because of me, isn’t it? Because of my stupid issues.”
“Zoe, they’re not stupid.”
If she’d needed confirmation, there it was. “Oh my God.”
He reached for her but she pushed him away. “I-I can’t deal with this right now.”
“Angel, don’t shut me out.”
“I’m not.” Chaffing her arms, she peered at him, the misery once again homesteading her gut. “I told you I didn’t want my issues to come between us.”
“They’re not.” He cupped her face. “Zoe, I love you. You’re a million times more important to me than the band.”
“I never asked you to give it up for me.”
“I know that.”
“But that’s exactly what you did. What you’ve been doing for the last three and a half months.” She closed her eyes, fighting to quell the tide of queasiness rising in her stomach. “Because you didn’t trust that I could handle you being gone.”
“Baby, I do trust you.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t.” Her heart a tattered mess, she blinked her eyes open and met his soft gaze. “Maybe I would have completely flipped out. Who knows, maybe I woulda packed up my bags and ran for the hills just like I did with my father.”
“Don’t say that.”
“It might be true, Dylan. Sometimes I don’t even trust myself.”
“I won’t go to Vegas.”
A tear slipped down her cheek. “You have to go. I need you to go. If you don’t, I’ll always think I’m holding you back.”
“Baby, you’re not.”
She took his hands in hers. Beneath his strength she detected a slight tremor. She hated that she’d brought that out of him. “Please, do this for me. I have to face my demons. It’s the only way to conquer them completely.”
Agonized indecision rode her beloved’s features. “It’ll kill me if you leave me, Zoe. I’m tellin’ ya that now.”
“I won’t.”
He pulled her to him. Bracketing her face with his hands, he claimed her mouth. There was desperation in the kiss, along with an edgy hunger that sent sparks whipping through her. His eyes burning with fire, he lifted her into his arms. “Hunter, keep your fanny parked on that couch for the next fifteen minutes or you’re gettin’ that whupin’ you got outta earlier.”
“Okay, Lan.”
Without another word, Dylan carried her to the downstairs bathroom. He kneed the door behind them, leaving it open a crack.
“I don’t think he knows how to count to fifteen minutes,” she whispered.
“I’ll take my chances.” He sat her on the vanity and slid his palms underneath her top. With an easy flick of his fingers, he unclasped her bra and closed his hands around her breasts, massaging their weight. His thumbs rasped over her nipples and she arched toward him. He met her halfway, his tongue thrusting past her lips. The kiss was just as commanding as the one they’d shared moments ago, and a hundred times hotter in intensity. She shivered, melting against him.
He hiked up her skirt and cupped her pussy through her panties. The gesture practically screamed the word mine. Swallowing hard, she stared into his eyes before fumbling with the buttons on his fly. Finally she released them and rucked the denim low enough on his hips to free his cock from the snug confines of his briefs. He yanked her panties down and flung them aside before leaning over her. He leaned his forehead against hers, his ragged breaths chasing hers. “Put me inside you.”
Stroking the velvet steeliness of his shaft, she guided him to her pussy. Once he eased past her opening he took over, pinning her hands to the counter. He surged to the hilt with one smooth, breath-stealing thrust. He bottomed out and flexed his hips, retreating. Biting her bottom lip, he pumped his hips again, plunging deep. Over and over, he kept up his relentless pace, until the cramped space was filled with the sound of their wet, slapping flesh. She was strung out on the ecstasy, his pistoning cock and animalistic growls pushing her closer to the point of detonation.
He wrapped her hair in his fists, the sting adding another layer to the sensory overload. With her own hands now free, she clutched his shoulders. He overwhelmed her, in every way possible. The possessiveness of his touch. The oh so glorious hardness of his cock tunneling inside her. The compelling heat of his gaze searing into her. There was no way she could ignore the insistent shimmer of rapture sweeping her up.
It hit her like a freight train. If not for the sudden press of Dylan’s hand over her mouth, her scream would have brought down the house. Instead she bit his palm and shook through the riptide of pleasure. He thrust one last time and his expression went shuddery. The sight—along with the throbbing of his cock inside her—was enough to prolong the shockwaves of her orgasm.
For endless moments they slumped against each other, their racing pulses in perfect sync. He eased his hold on her hair and leaned in to kiss her. She caressed his jaw. “
Are you going to Vegas?”
He expelled a breath. “You’re the stubbornness woman alive.”
“Is that a yes? Because it’s hard to tell.”
He slid his hand to her nape. “Yes. But ya better believe that when I get back I’m gonna rock your world six ways to Sunday. It’s gonna put what we just did in here to shame.”
“Mm, somethin’ to look forward to then.”
She was going to have a little world rocking in store for him too. There was no way she could tell him about the baby tonight. If she did, he’d never go to Vegas and continue living his dream. And that’s exactly what she needed him to do.
Because Dylan Walker had always been her dream. And she’d slay these demons—one by one if she had to—in order to keep him by her side.
CHAPTER NINE
“Excuse me, Mr. Walker, but you might want to put your seatbelt on. The pilot is going to be landing us in about fifteen minutes.”
Dylan nodded at the attendant before doing as suggested. He glanced out the window at the distant lights of the Vegas strip, but his mind was a million miles away. Okay, more like thirteen hundred and fifty miles, give or take.
Unease brewed in his gut. The sensation hadn’t abated from the moment he and Zoe stepped out of the bathroom. Meaning it’d been his constant companion for the last five days. They’d been inseparable during that whole time. Well, as much as they could be between her work and his trips to Smithsville. Despite that, he couldn’t shake this feeling that something wasn’t entirely right.
Yeah, Zoe had insisted that everything was fine between them. They’d even been having sex every day, and the lovin’ they shared was hotter than ever. Likely that was due to a little desperation on his part. He wasn’t against playing dirty—in bed and out—to ensure she never left him. If that meant keeping her satisfied with more orgasms than she knew what to do with, he was more than up for the challenge. And he sure as hell wasn’t complain’.
His father’s private jet began its decent and Dylan knuckled the armrests. He’d never been one for flying. But the sooner he touched down in Vegas, got this concert over with, and then headed back home to Zoe and Hunter, the better he and his nerves would be. He just hoped Luke had that damn limo waiting at the airport like he’d promised.
Zoe & Dylan: The Sons of Dusty Walker Page 6
