by B. J. Harvey
“Anyway, it’s only due to Daniel being so fucking secure within himself and his relationship with Mac, as well as his childhood friendship with Noah, that we’re all able to be friends. God knows if it was an ex of Kate’s I would have hit the fucking roof.”
“But you’ve never been one to share well with others, Zan. Ever since I stole your Hot Wheels and hid them in my dollhouse.”
“Ha fucking, ha. What I’m trying to say is, I’ve watched Noah work his magic in a room full of women. I’ve been at the bar with him and the guys and heard the way he used to talk about getting laid and—”
“You used to be like that too, Zan.”
“I know. But I want better for you. You’re my sister—you need a man to have your back and who would stand up to your pig-headed big brother and take me on when I told them to leave you alone. But last week when he brought you home—and didn’t stay—and tonight when he did nothing to piss me off or go against me—it got me thinking.”
“Zan, I love you like a brother . . .”
“I am your brother, dickhead. And I’ve also noticed how you said you wouldn’t be home but here you are. Doesn’t say much about him, does it.”
“I chose to come home, Zan. And I mean this with all the love in the world, but I’m a big girl. I can meet a man I like and choose to date him without my big brother’s permission.”
“I was—”
“And I do value your opinion and I will always take the time to listen to it, but you’ve got to let me make my own mind up about Noah.”
“Okay.”
“Zan, you got to . . . what?”
“I said okay. You told me when we were leaving that you were going to stay to help clean up and maybe have a swim, and you told me in no uncertain terms ‘not to wait up’.”
“You still stayed up though.”
“Didn’t say I obey you, I just said okay.”
“Where is my brother and what have you done with the real Zander?”
“It’s me pulling my head in and letting you live your life, because you’ve already got one man still hooked on you from a whole other state away, you don’t need me being all up in your business as well.”
I lean forward and look around the room, trying to see if I’m being punked or not, then narrow my eyes at him. “You’re not secretly planning to kill Noah and hide the body, are you? Because you’re a cop. That kind of thing is frowned upon.”
“All I’m gonna say is keep your eyes open, and listen to your heart and your gut. If something doesn’t feel right about it, or him, don’t leave it so fucking long next time.”
Standing up, I shuffle over to the chair and bend down, wrapping my arms around him. “You’re a big softie, Zan. And I love you.”
“Love you too, Zoly Moly.”
I giggle and playfully punch at his arm. “He’s been nothing but good to me, Zan. I promise you. He’s a good guy. If he wasn’t, I doubt he’d be breathing right now.”
“Good point.”
“I actually think he might be scared that you’re going to use something from your arsenal on him.”
He stands up and wraps his arm around my shoulder as we walk down the hallway. “Let’s keep him on his toes and let him keep thinking that way.”
“Deal.”
∞∞∞
Sunday morning I wake up with a smile on my face when my legs protest with every movement. I know exactly why my legs are sore and there’s a certain female part of me that wishes I could do it all over again today, right now even.
Alas, it’s not to be. Today is my packing day. Not that I unpacked anything other than clothes, but it’s still time to make sure everything is in the right boxes and make sure I’m ready to move in next Friday afternoon after I sign the lease and pick up my keys.
In an effort to delay packing for a little bit longer, I pick up my phone and ring Mia for our weekly gossip-fest. This is despite the fact that she’s coming up next Friday to help me move and get settled then crashing at Zander’s place with Mom and Danika for a week before the wedding of the century.
“Miiiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaa,” I shrill down the phone.
“Argh, what time is it?”
“Ten . . . ish . . .”
“You mean it’s like eight or something stupid, right?”
“Nah, it’s 10:15, to be exact. How on earth are you still sleeping?”
“Who says I was sleeping?” She says.
“Well I know you sure as hell don’t have a man keeping you busy because you would never answer the phone mid-sex.”
“Depends . . .”
“Depends on what?”
“Well if there was a man in my bed, I wouldn’t be talking to you. But what if I was otherwise engaged?” This is what I love about Mia—we’re so close in age, and she’s been my best friend for my entire life. We think the same, we talk the same, and the ways in which we are different complement each other perfectly. She’s my go-to person when anything goes right, wrong, or sideways.
“Oh please! You definitely wouldn’t answer my call if you were flicking the bean.”
“Playing downtown DJ,” she adds with a giggle.
“Buttering your muffin,” I throw back.
“Petting the pussy.”
“And we don’t even have a cat!” we both shout out before we crack up laughing.
“If you must know,” she states, “I wasn’t having a ménage a moi. You’re safe.”
“Good.”
“Where are Mom and Danika?”
“Mom went to a garden show or some shit, and Danika was up playing some online game most of the night, so I’m sleeping in while the going is good.”
“I just woke up too.”
“Lazy ass. How was the barbecue last night?”
“How did you? . . . Zander, right?”
“The one and only. He texted me late last night asking about Jus-fuck-off-tin.”
I giggle at her name for him. She’s been calling him that ever since he started with the creepy shit. She even went down to the tattoo studio while he was working and ripped him a new one in front of his boss, workmates, and a bunch of clients. By all accounts it was awesome, and I kind of wish I could’ve been there for it. Not that it helped at all.
“What did he want to know?”
“Just whether I thought he could be dangerous. Whether you ever filed another report here about him, that kind of thing.”
“Bet he was pissed off. Justin sent a bunch of flowers with a note.”
“What did the note say?”
“Fuck knows. I didn’t read it. I’ll be throwing it in the trash along with the flowers, as soon as I get up.”
“Well just from Zan’s tone last night, I’d say on a scale of mellow to fire-breathing dragon he was at about an eight.”
“He was about a six by the time I got home. He was waiting up for me.” I grab my spare pillow and prop myself up, getting comfortable.
“We’ll come right back to that little nugget of information but first, what do you mean ‘when you got home’? You went to the Dildo’s house for a barbecue and didn’t come home with Kate and Zan?”
“Not exactly . . .” I say with a laugh, fully aware of what’s about to happen.
“How can you ‘not exactly’ go home with our brother when you’re living with him? Did you get lost and fall on top of the Dildo, Zoe?” Her voice is playful with an edge of excitement to it. She’s been waiting for something—anything—to happen with Noah since the wedding.
When I don’t answer, she gasps loudly down the phone. “Oh something totally happened. You’re such a hold-out. Spill, or I tell Mom.”
“Fuck off, you whore. You wouldn’t tell Mom.”
“Wanna bet?”
I pause for a second and consider my options. Yeah, nah. Not worth the risk. “I was going to tell you anyway.”
“Riiiight. That’s why you totally led in with ‘Hey, Mia my favoritest sister, guess who I boinked last night’?”
> “Earth to Mia, when you’re a grown-up you’re not supposed to say the word ‘boinked’ anymore.”
“Boned, screwed, did the horizontal mambo, I know—you slipped and impaled yourself on his dick. It’s all the same to me. Tell me everything.”
“It was nice.”
She snorts and lets out a loud laugh. “Please, please tell me he is not a bad lay.”
“He’s not a bad lay.”
“Then why aren’t you raving about it?”
“I’m raving on the inside. My head is scrambled.”
“Why, Zo? You like him; he obviously likes you. He may have been drunk, but he stopped and looked at you for a minute before he kissed the shit out of you at Mac’s wedding, so he definitely likes you. If he was just kissing anyone, he would’ve just gone straight on in there.”
Sighing, I scootch back down the bed and throw an arm over my eyes. “He makes me feel too much, and that was before we slept together. Now I can’t stop feeling things.”
“Wow . . . just, wow. My Zoe is falling for a guy.”
“I’ve fallen for a guy before.” Justin for one, I think . . .
“You haven’t really fallen for a guy before. You fall into lust easily, far too easily. But you’ve never fallen head over heels for a guy. And you’re well on your way, by the sound of it.”
“He left the wedding with that blonde, remember?”
“Yeah, we talked about that on our epic date failure. She’s history.”
“Let me guess—you’re thinking that you’re another notch on the Dildo’s belt?”
“No, not anymore,” I answer honestly.
“What’s changed then?” she asks. “He respects Zander, and I know he wouldn’t hurt me.” And I’m not actually lying about that. I trust him. He hasn’t given me any reason not to trust him.
“Have you asked him about it then? The Nikki thing?” Man, she’s being a nosy bitch about this.
“Not the details, no. But he said she’s history.”
“So he’s not still seeing her?” she fires back at me quickly.
I don’t even hesitate in replying. “No. He was pretty adamant about that.”
“First thing’s first—you need to talk that shit out. Then you need to jump his bones to say sorry for doubting him. Then, when you’re both basking in the afterglow, ask him what the deal is between you guys.”
“You mean ask him if we’re going steady?”
“If you have to. Don’t fuck around and get yourself all twisted up over things you don’t have the balls to ask about. I know you, Zo—that’s exactly what you’ll do.”
Dammit. She’s right about that one.
“Okay,” I concede.
“Just like that?” She sounds as if I just shocked the life out of her.
“Yep.” I’m sure she can hear the smile in my voice.
“Right. Where is the real Zoe?”
“Ha fucking ha.”
“There she is! Now let me get up and have some breakfast and I’ll call you Thursday before I leave to come visit. Deal?”
“Sounds good. Love you, bitch,” I say lovingly.
She giggles. “Love you more, whore features.”
“Nice,” I muse, grinning like an idiot.
“You love it. See you Friday,” she adds before ending the call.
My new plan for the week—pack my room, arrange the movers, sign the lease to my new place and thanks to Mia putting ideas in my head about Nikki, talk to my Dildo . . . I mean Noah.
Easy, right?
Chapter 17
“Lover of the Light”
Noah
I’ve had the shifts from hell this week. Just when I want to spend more alone time with Zoe, getting to know everything there is to know about her now that the sex is out of the way, I’ve been snowed under.
So I’ve gone back to my teenage years and returned to texting the girl I want to go out with.
If you can’t be with someone the way you want because of life getting in the way, any communication is better than no communication. That’s what I hope, anyway.
Monday
Noah: I’ve missed seeing your sexy ass around the hospital. These night shifts suck ass.
Zoe: It’s been weird. I haven’t been cornered by anyone all day.
Noah: There are lots of things I’d like to do with you in the hospital.
Zoe: Really? Like what?
Noah: Well I’m lying on my back in an on-call room right now.
Zoe: Like you haven’t got laid in an on-call room before.
Noah: Not with someone I can’t stop thinking about
Then I got radio silence. Granted, it was late at night, but I figured she’d at least come back with something.
But no, nothing. There went my chance at sleep.
Tuesday
Noah: I think I spotted your ass strutting away from me today
Zoe: Really? How did you know it was my ass?
Noah: I’ve been watching your ass for weeks. Now that I know what it feels like in my hands, I’d know that ass anywhere.
Zoe: What was I wearing?
Noah: Blue pants, white shirt, what looked like a thong . . .
Zoe: Damn . . .
Noah: Missing me yet? Three whole days without seeing me.
Zoe: Ah, the life of a doctor. Is this what my life is going to be like now?
Noah: Your life?
Fucking radio silence!
Wednesday
Noah: I heard you weren’t feeling well. I think you need a prescription for vitamin me ;)
Zoe: Are you seriously leading in with that? LOL
Noah: Well I usually lead in with ‘nice shoes, wanna fuck?’ But you deserve nothing but the best from me.
Zoe: How about this? I didn’t fall for you—you tripped for me.
Noah: Ain’t that the fucking truth, except I think I walked into you and made you fall for me.
Zoe: Isn’t THAT appropriate. Now go do some work, Dr. Taylor.
By Thursday, I’d had enough. I got a wave across the cafeteria when I was rushing in to get something edible between surgeries, and that was all.
Noah: Ms. Roberts, your presence is requested at eight p.m. on the fifth floor. Please confirm your attendance.
Zoe: LOL. And why is my presence required?
Noah: This message will self-destruct in five seconds unless you tell me you’ve been thinking about me as much as I’ve been thinking about you.
Zoe: Maybe . . .
Noah: You’re killing me here, Zo.
Zoe: Does it help that I’ve been up and down like a yo-yo all week? Your texts have been driving me insane.
Noah: There was a fair bit of radio silence at your end . . .
Zoe: Because you were driving me insane.
Zoe: I can’t stop thinking about you. Kissing you. Touching you. Having you in my bed in my new apartment tomorrow night . . .
Noah: Great minds think alike, because I’ve also been thinking about christening every inch of your new apartment tomorrow night.
Zoe: Every inch?
Noah: I have experience with a lot of inches. I like to be thorough.
Zoe: I seem to remember that.
Noah: I remember everything about Saturday night. It’s been on replay in my head.
Zoe: Me too.
Noah: So eight p.m. tonight?
Zoe: Is this a sex date?
Noah: Surprisingly, no. I just want to see you. It’s been weird working opposite shifts to yours. I miss cornering you in rooms and making you blush . . .
Zoe: You’ve talked me into it. Want me to bring you some real food?
Noah: I think I need to keep you forever now.
Zoe: Don’t make promises you can’t keep. I’ve told you that before.
Noah: Do I strike you as someone who just says something to get his own way?
Zoe: Well don’t you?
Noah: Not with you. Never with you.
Thankfully the day goes quickly, a
nd I broker a deal with another fifth year resident to cover me for a few hours from eight p.m. to make sure that Zoe and I aren’t interrupted.
I have plans for Zoe Roberts tonight, and some of them are X-rated. Some of them she’s probably not expecting, but she’s going to get them nonetheless.
I’m waiting for her when the elevators open onto the fifth floor and she steps out wearing figure-hugging jeans that show off every fucking curve of her hips and legs. My cock gives a twitch of approval and my legs threaten to give out as I see the bright red V-neck tee she’s wearing, with a short black leather jacket over top. Her hair is simple, just pulled up into a ponytail, but I’m already imagining wrapping my fist around it and yanking it down so I can fuck her and kiss her at the same time.
Another twitch of approval from my other head. Figures.
“Hey, sweetheart.” Running my hands up her arms, I pull her toward me, her hands going to my chest, mine driving down to grip her ass to hold her to me. “You look beautiful,” I murmur as I brush my lips gently across hers.
“Damn. You’re good at this,” she replies breathlessly.
I can’t help myself. “Good at what? This?” I kiss her again, taking full advantage of her lips parting and driving my tongue right on in there. Our tongues roll over and around each other. Her mouth tastes like spearmint and suddenly I’m craving anything spearmint. She tastes phenomenal. But I know that already—she tastes fucking amazing everywhere.
She pulls away and just stares at me, dumbfounded. “Where’s the cocky doctor who corners me in consult rooms?”
“He’s already got the girl so there’s no need to be cocky anymore.”