How could he show her? Still holding her arms, he pulled her upright and kissed her again. It wasn't just a smack this time, but something tastier, something more intense. Something he was going to have to do again.
Zoe's eyes fluttered open as he broke the kiss. She searched his face and he hoped she found what she was looking for.
“I don't get it,” she murmured.
“Don't see Elliot this weekend. Come with me. We can go to a movie or out for coffee. Just stay away from him.”
She licked her lips and looked away. “I would like that, but I'm scared of what he'll do.”
Linc slid his arms around her back, hugging her instead of holding her. “Let me take care of him. Let me be something better for you.” She still deserved better than Linc, but he was a million times better than Elliot.
“I already have plans for Friday,” she said in a whisper.
“Why don't I come by on Saturday, afternoon?”
She nodded. “I'd like that.”
***
Zoe sat in a daze. Friday at Kelsie's had been fun. They'd played video games and she didn't think about either Linc or Elliot the entire night. However, with the morning light shining through the trees on the bench behind the house, she started to worry again.
Linc seemed sincere. And his kiss. She'd been reliving that ever since. She'd extrapolated it, too, feeling his lips on her throat and collarbone. She covered her blushing face as her mind wandered down that road again. His lips on her belly, her thighs, between her thighs....
She rubbed her thighs together and stood up, circling the bench dedicated to Ike Brown. She had to calm down before he arrived. He must know she was infatuated with him, but there was no reason to advertise the fact.
The autumn day was sunny and warm, probably one of the last ones before the snow came. Zoe closed her eyes to listen to the rustling leaves, and the birds in the trees in the ravine behind the house.
When she opened them, Linc was standing a few feet away. She took a step back in surprise.
“I didn't want to interrupt,” he said with a smile. “You looked so happy.” He crossed the intervening space in two strides, his hand cupping her cheek and head. She was sure he was going to kiss her again.
He didn't. His eyes scoured her face and held her gaze when he finished. “I wish I could feel that serene. You looked...” He searched for the word. “Complete.”
She smiled and lowered her eyes. If he stared any more closely, he’d know exactly what she was thinking, what she’d been imagining a moment ago. He tipped her chin back up with his free hand.
“Please, don't be afraid to look at me.”
Her heart pounded in her chest and her stomach threatened to fly away with the birds and butterflies racing in it. “I-I'm not afraid.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I think you're lying.”
“No, I'm just not ready. Your eyes…” she trailed off and was compelled to touch him. Her hand rested on his face, his angular cheekbone, the stubble on his jaw. “It feels like you're going to eat me alive.”
She trembled when he growled at her. It wasn't angry, it was hungry, like he really would eat her.
“I could devour you,” he told her. His hands moved down, one on her lower back, the other lower. The butterflies turned into bats or birds; doubly fast and huge. “I would gobble you up like the big bad wolf.”
Her trembling intensified and her knees turned to jelly. A wolf. Hadn’t she imagined him pulling her down like prey? Unlike when Elliot was predatory, she wanted to succumb to Linc’s hunger. The fluttering moved lower, her insides seeming to shake apart for him. She was sure there was an unfamiliar dampness in her panties.
With another growl, he kissed her. His tongue was forceful this time, pressing into her lips and teeth. His hands kept her steady, embracing her rather than supporting. She slid in his hands when her knees finally gave up.
Linc's hands met on her behind, cupping and lifting while stepping forward. She managed to move her feet backward so he wasn't quite carrying her, and her legs bumped the bench. He eased her onto it and she sighed in relief.
She swallowed and watched his gaze follow her throat, her chest. Hers were frozen on his golden-brown eyes. He crouched, his palm resting on her chest over the thin jacket she wore. Surely he could feel her heart pounding against his hand.
He gave no sign of that and slid his hand down over Zoe's breast, cupping it gently. Then he moved over her belly and rested his hand on her thigh, his thumb digging in very slightly and stroking up. That turned the tingling wetness into her panties into a burning need.
A small keen made it through her clenched teeth.
She was immediately embarrassed. She had a boyfriend and didn't know Linc at all, but her resistance was gone. She let her knees fall open slightly and reached for him, unable to believe herself, unable to believe him. Could this hot hunk really want her? He didn’t seem to be backing off and she worried she wouldn’t be able to.
His response to her kiss was even more heated, and his hands continued to roam. When she hitched her leg, though, he broke off and backed up a bit.
“I can't, not like this. I want you, Zoe, but I want all of you, including the part he has. You have to get that back, get rid of him.”
“Elliot?” she asked.
Linc nodded, licking his lips. “Yes. If you don't get rid of him, I will and then you probably won't want anything to do with me.
Zoe scoffed at that. Getting rid of Elliot would be a blessing. Linc was right, though. It wasn't fair to him to have Elliot sniffing around.
“I can do it,” she promised. “Just don’t leave me after.” She was so hot, so needy, but somehow her tears managed to surface through that. “I don’t want to be alone again. It took so long to find Elliot.”
“I won’t leave you, Zoe. You won’t be lonely anymore.”
The heat of the moment resolved into a supportive hug, and she couldn’t tell if it was her clinging to Linc or him clinging to her.
***
The following Saturday morning, Elliot banged on her door, waking her. “Bitch! Get up here, bitch. Let me in.”
She groaned and covered her head with a pillow. She'd been in the middle of a spectacular dream about Linc. The pounding continued and she decided if she left it any longer, he'd wake Mrs. Brown and Wash. Groggy, she opened the door.
She immediately regretted it as Elliot pushed his way through. “You've been avoiding me,” he accused.
His eyes raked over her body, through the flimsy T-shirt she'd worn to bed. Her legs were completely exposed and she'd left off her panties in light of her fantasies. “But we can fix that now, can't we?”
Elliot moved past her and pulled her behind him instead of pushing her down the stairs. She still almost fell, but managed to stay on her feet.
“Elliot, I don't—”
He turned to face her, his face red. “You don't what?” he asked.
Zoe pressed her lips together and didn't answer.
He let out a breath and stroked her hair. “There, there, my bitch. You've kept me waiting, and you know I don't like that. Don't you want to make it up to me?” His hand slid down and slipped along the crack in her ass.
“Of course,” she said and sank to her knees. A blow job was infinitely preferable to the alternative.
“Oh, yeah, Zoe. You're good at that.”
She'd had to learn. He was quite unimpressed with her first efforts, but porn videos and practice had made her adept. Her jaw complained before he finally shot his load, but he was blissfully dozy afterwards. Needing a drink, she pushed open the bathroom door and Elliot followed. Glancing up, she found his reflection in the mirror.
He wasn't bad looking. He could stand to lose a few pounds, same as she. His hair was fine, and light, and already receding. He wasn't balding, not yet, but it was clear he would. When their eyes met in the mirror, it wasn't with love. He looked at her like something he prized. Like a fine bottle of wine or a
sports car. Like his dog. She couldn’t meet his gaze.
“Elliot, I think—”
“There's a party next weekend. You're coming with me.” He moved to use the toilet and she wrinkled her nose.
“When?” she asked with a sigh.
“Saturday. Damn that was good, but I think I want something else.”
Zoe considered running into her room and closing the door. It probably wouldn't stop him for long.
“Come shower with me,” he said, wrapping his hands around her hips and pulling her back against him.
Her shoulders dropped, easing her defensive posture. “Sure.” He was still flaccid and should be for a while now.
She moved to pull off her tee, but he stopped her. Elliot's hands drifted up her sides, tugging the shirt off. He sat back on the toilet and pulled her to stand before him. Cupping one of her full breasts, he sucked her nipple into his mouth.
Zoe gasped and shrieked when his fingers tweaked the other. Her own hand slipped under, touching her hot skin.
“You have great breasts, bitch,” he said, slapping his free hand on her ass before suckling again.
Zoe's nose wrinkled, but she ignored the word and tickled her fingers on her slowly moistening sex.
Elliot's hand brushed hers. His mouth left her nipple. “Naughty bitch, touching yourself. Going to come for me?”
“Uh-huh,” she moaned, trying to reach. It wasn't a good angle and her girth got in the way. Eventually she just stopped.
“No?” he asked. “Maybe in here?” He started the shower. “A little soap,” he whispered in her ear as he stood.
She stepped into the water while he stripped down. The hot water eased away some of the pent up tension from her good dream, Elliot's attention, and her clumsy fingers. She sighed, letting go with her breath.
Elliot climbed in then and the tiny tub was quite full. He took her hips and maneuvered around her into the water. “Move, bitch. I'm cold.”
Zoe stepped to the far end and picked up her shower gel and sponge.
“Here,” Elliot said, taking the sponge and sliding it across her chest and down her side. “Turn around,” he said, soaping her back. He swept the sponge under her belly and between her legs.
Zoe rose onto her toes, leaning into the tiled wall.
“Oh, yeah,” Elliot said, dropping the sponge and taking hold of her hips. The soap and water let him slide easily into her, and one hand came around to find her clit, something uncommon from him.
“Yes,” she moaned. “Please.” When was the last time she'd had a decent orgasm? She gyrated, rubbing herself on his fingers and cock until the soap frothed and ran down the inside of her thigh.
“Yes!” she shouted, squeezing down on Elliot. With a sigh, she leaned into the tiles, resting her cheek on them to cool down. Perhaps she was making a mistake. Maybe Elliot wasn't so bad.
“Yeah, bitch, now do it again.” She felt a glob of cold gel hit her ass just before he leaned heavily into her.
Her mind screamed to stop, but her mouth was frozen. He slid in much more easily than she had expected.
He pulled out to slam into her again. What had been just a spot of pain flared as he abraded it.
“Ow, Elliot.”
“Just hold on, Zoe.” He was throbbing and erupting without any more of the painful thrusts. She thanked God that he was two-pump chump. The tears that had only just formed fell hidden among the water dripping down her face.
Elliot turned her, easing past, until she faced the stream of water falling on her chest. He started scrubbing her hair and she smelled her shampoo. In her ear he whispered, “You were so fucking tight. We have to do that again.”
Zoe bit her tongue, but when they were out of the shower, dressed and eating breakfast, she knew she had to tell him.
“Elliot, I didn't like that. It hurt.”
“Yeah? It hurt when I popped your cherry too.” He spooned cereal into his mouth. “You just gotta get used to it,” he said with his mouth full.
“I don't want to get used to it,” she muttered into her coffee.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Elliot didn't pursue it, dropping his bowl in the sink. Zoe followed, rinsing both bowls so she would be able to wash them later.
“There's a party next Saturday,” Elliot said. “I want to go.”
Zoe was glad she faced the sink. Her first thought was, fine, then go. She knew she’d end up waiting around while Elliot stared at other girls, danced with them, and got drunk. Instead she said, “Yeah? Where?”
“Pi Beta Psi.”
Zoe knew the sorority and she didn't fit in among the members. “So why were you invited?” she almost asked. She knew there was no point in poking the bear. “Fine. Should I meet you there?”
“Yeah, that's good.”
Maybe he wouldn't notice if she didn't show up. She could hope.
***
Linc wandered past Auntie Norm's front door. He would visit her and Wash in a bit. First he wanted to see Zoe again. He should wait until Monday, but couldn't. He’d only bumped into her once during the week.
He was about to knock when he saw someone ascending the stairs. He smiled and raised his hand again. When the face came into view, however, it wasn't Zoe but Elliot.
The rage that he had been getting a handle on slipped completely out of his control. Baring his teeth, he growled savagely.
“Linc?” Wash asked from the window above. “What are you—”
The door opened and Linc focused on Elliot, ready to lunge.
“Linc?” Zoe asked, sounding surprised.
A door banged and Aunt Norm and Wash both took hold of Linc, pulling him away. Elliot spat on the lawn and Linc made to lunge again, but Aunt Norm stood in the way.
“Inside,” she told Linc in a voice of command. Uncle Garf had been able to order him like that, and he turned before it registered that he had.
“Is he okay?” Zoe asked. Linc turned back, but Auntie Norm pushed him and he stumbled toward the door.
Wash answered Zoe instead. “Yeah. He's probably hung over.”
Linc growled at the lie.
“You're going to have a hangover level headache if I have to make you move again,” Auntie Norm threatened.
As Linc put more distance between himself and Elliot, he regained more control. In Auntie Norma's kitchen, he felt like an idiot. Like a bad puppy that was swat with a newspaper.
“Sit,” she said the same way she would a dog. “And speak. What the hell was that, Lincoln? Are you trying to get yourself caught? You know you can’t trust everyone and should trust no one. Zoe would probably keep your secret, but you don’t need to risk it. That awful man would definitely see that you were left in a lab somewhere, ready for dissection”
The guilt increased. He wasn’t just endangering himself, but his cousins too. “I just want to protect her so badly.”
Aunt Norm rested a hand on his shoulder and put a glass of orange juice in front of him. “I understand.”
“No, you don't,” he muttered, but she spoke right over him.
“Your uncle broke my boyfriend's arm.”
Wash scoffed. “Linc was going to do more than break his arm.”
“So would your dad if Grampa Ike hadn't been there.”
Linc shifted nervously. The pent up anger was still boiling.
“Sit for two more minutes. Then he'll be gone and you can go,” Auntie Norm told Linc. “Garfield liked to run it off.”
Linc nodded, remembering his run the other day. “Yeah, that's good. I need a moon.” He was antsy and irritable as he normally was the day before the full moon, but it was still a week away. “I'll go now,” he said, rising.
Wash ran to the door first. “Okay, just Zoe out there.”
He pushed past Wash and straight to her. “Are you okay?”
Her eyes went to his hand on her arm. He hadn’t even realized he'd grabbed her.
“Sorry, I'm going.” He moved by
her and out the back gate.
“Where are you going?” she asked, following.
“Running.”
“Oh, okay,” she said in disappointment. She started walking down the path he had planned to run.
He stayed in place, taking a few breaths before trotting to catch up to her.
“Where are you going?” he asked, walking beside her and taking her hand.
“The library is over that way.” She pointed. “I thought I'd go there.”
“Mind company?”
Her smile was still small, but it lit up her round face. “No.”
They'd walked a few minutes before she asked, “What happened back there?”
Linc squeezed her hand for reassurance. “Have you ever taken an instant dislike to someone?”
She shook her head.
“I can't forgive the way he treats you. I was hoping...” He didn't say it, stroking her hand and trusting her to understand.
“Are you going to the Pi Beta Psi party?” she asked.
“Why?”
“I'm going.”
“With Elliot?” he asked, jaw tight.
“Not really. I’m supposed to meet him there. I’m afraid of what he’ll do if I actually break it off. At the party, he’ll just ignore me. It would be nice to find someone I know there. My friends aren't likely to be.” She waited a minute before asking again. “Are you?”
It was the second night of the moon. Just as well. He wouldn't want to be in striking range of that asshole.
“Dunno.”
They walked in silence a while.
“Wash is a cool kid,” she said. “What was his father like?”
Linc smiled, remembering Uncle Garf. He told a few wolf-free stories and asked about her family. It wasn't until she pulled her hand free to zip up her jacket that he saw how far they'd gone past the library. The wind was picking up and pulling her hair from its ponytail.
“We missed the library,” he said.
“That's okay.” She pulled her hair back and put the elastic in again. “I love the river valley.”
Linc nodded. “Yeah, me too. We should turn around, though. It'll be getting dark.”
Beyond The Veil: A Paranormal & Magical Romance Boxed Set Page 290
