I feel exposed as I sit on the bed, holding Zoey to me. This is probably the dumbest thing a guy has ever done, trying to turn down sex for a relationship. But there is something between us, something really special, and I don’t want to tarnish it by making light of what I feel. And I don’t want to be used as an experiment because she’s finally found a man she’s attracted to. I won’t be able to let her go, but I’m trying to keep my heart whole. In a very short time, she’s become important to me, and the thought of belittling what is happening between us with a quick decision makes me want to take a step back and really find out what she wants from this.
9
Zoey
I move to climb on top of Drake, and he easily lets me as he grips my hips in a firm hold as I straddle him. Resting my hands on his firm chest, I smile down at him. I’m not used to having someone touch me all the time, but I can’t seem to get enough of him doing it. I like how his fingers always wrap around me like they’ve been doing it forever. It’s something I’m going to enjoy now that I’ll be living with him.
“I thought you said we’re boyfriend and girlfriend. If that’s not to your liking or solid enough, we can get married. That’s what people do. Right?”
I feel the hands on my hips flex, and his dark eyes widen a little. I like that he seems lost in all of this, too. I was sure with the way he picked me up and handled me that he’d been with his share of women. Knowing that he hadn’t warms me and makes butterflies take flight in the pit of my stomach. It’s a feeling a man has never given me before. I like all of the feelings he’s been giving me, and I want to keep them. The most logical thing to do would be to get married. That’s what people do when they want to stay together. Then he would be mine. I lick my lips at the idea of him being only mine.
When he just keeps staring at me, I start to feel my heart sink. Maybe that was a little too far for him. Elle would tell me I’m moving too fast, like I do with most things. I never understand why people drag their feet with things. If you want something, you have to snatch it up or work towards getting it. I lack finesse, I’m often told, but I go after what I want.
“Zoey,” he finally says, his voice soft, nearly a whisper. His body goes lax underneath me, but a pounding cuts off his words, and he pulls me from his lap and gets to his feet.
“Don’t move.” He shoots me a hard look, one I’m sure that works on a lot of people, but I’ve seen how fast I can get those eyes to change from hard to soft. They don’t work on me like I’m sure he hoped they would. He pulls a gun out from his nightstand, and my eyes bulge in shock as he leaves the room.
I debate staying put, but it isn’t much of an argument. I get off the bed quickly and peek out the door. Hearing voices, I slowly make my way down the hall to see Elle standing in the entryway, Pink right behind her with his hands resting on her hips like he’s trying to keep her in place.
“Zoey!” She breaks free of Pink and runs towards me, wrapping me in her arms. “God, I’m so glad you agreed to do this. I saw the video. What if you’d been there? What if…”
Her words break off in a sob, and I squeeze her tighter.
“I’m fine. You don’t have to worry. I’m with Drake. He’ll keep me safe.” She keeps crying, and I just whisper reassuring words to her until she finally pulls back, looking down at me, her eyes all red rimmed.
“Don’t cry. You know that messes with me inside,” I tell her before poking her, making her smile then sniffle.
“I’m staying here with you.” She wipes her eyes before tucking her long blonde hair behind her ear.
“No,” I hear Pink say as I look up to see him now standing right behind her, super close. I’d lost sight of both him and Drake when Elle crushed me in a hug. She might be thin, but she’s tall, and still Pink towers over her. He might even have an inch on Drake, but where Pink is tall and lean, Drake is broad and solid.
I hold my breath, biting the inside of my cheek, wondering what’s going to happen. People don’t tell Elle no. Well, they can try, but it never works.
“Excuse me.” She turns but bumps directly into him. I go to step back but find Drake there, and he pulls me into him, stepping back from both Elle and Pink.
“Don’t even try it, Prinzessin. I got six sisters.” He looks down at her with a smirk on his face, but his face softens and his hand comes out like he’s trying to brush one of the tears from her eyes.
She bats his hand away, and the smirk just comes back to his face again.
“I’ll do as I please,” she replies tartly in the tone she uses when she’s in her business, no-nonsense mode. The tears have disappeared, and her voice is clear as a bell.
“That so?” He takes a small step towards her, closing in any space between them. I can’t seem to look away. It’s like when you’re playing a video game and only one man is still standing and the kill is at one percent. Only I’m not sure who is who in this situation.
“What’s with you always being in my space? Just because you’re guarding me doesn’t mean you need to be up my ass.”
“Can’t blame me for wanting to get in there, Prinzessin.”