Page 76 of Look My Way
“Almost one. You really needed your rest, it would appear.” He flattens out the front of his shirt and slides his phone into hisback pocket. “Oh, and your phone has been going off like mad. Maybe you should at least shut it off for the day.”
I reach for the small device tucked under my pillow. He’s right. Twenty missed calls and ten texts. Most are from Daniel, but some are from my publisher letting me know who to send my manuscript to next week. There’s also an update on my answering machine about how my old editor is doing. Apparently he’s taken a turn for the worse and may be brain dead.
“All good? Or is a certain someone pushing his luck again?” His brow wrinkles in worry.
“My editor is declining, and I have to send my book next week to someone new.” I look at my phone again and then meet his eyes. “It’s crazy because I just saw him, and to think—” My chest tightens.
His lips thin. “I’m sorry. The whole thing sounds terrible.” Something shifts in his tone, and his lips look like they’re struggling to hold still. Ignoring the tricks my mind is once again playing on me, I inhale deep, slowly letting out a breath as my shoulders sink.
“Yeah. It does. I hope his family is holding up okay. Maybe I should send a card or something.”
“It’s kind of hard to do much from here.” His knee lifts onto the bed and he rests a hand on my shoulder. “We can go visit him together when we get back home. How about that?” There’s a strange flash in his eyes. It’s a bit unsettling but his touch is the complete opposite.
“That . . .” I swallow hard. “Sounds good. Thanks. It’s hard to enjoy myself knowing someone else is suffering so much.” Or it should be. What’s wrong with me? How can I lack so much empathy for another human being? That’s what he is, whether he acted like it or not. It’s horrible what’s happening to him, andall my mind can think about is how karma eventually catches up to all of us.
“I know. If you want to leave early, we still can. You don’t even have to come down for the party and—”
“No. I’m okay. Just need a moment to wrap my mind around everything. What’s happening to my editor and with Daniel . . .”
His brows pinch together. “He’s still at it, huh?”
Resting my phone in my lap, I nod. “Yeah. Maybe answering him will get him to back off a little.” But has that ever really worked with him? Daniel’s a pusher. He pushed me away from my family. He pushed me away from sanity. If I give the man an inch, he takes a mile. I can’t have him pushing me into going back home to him. I won’t.
“If you think that’s best. If you need me to talk to him, I can. I’m here however you need me to be.”
“Thanks,” I say solemnly. “But I need to be the one to do it.”
Nodding in understanding, he squeezes my shoulder and smiles. “Then you will be.”
A voice shouts from downstairs and Zavier’s gaze roams to the door. “I better go. Sounds like my assistance is really needed down there. I also need to make sure your family has a reason to invite me back.” His eyes crinkle with humor and I roll my eyes, my chest feeling a little lighter.
“There’ll be other reasons. You know, like me needing someone to bring me here again.”
He laughs and gives me a quick peck on the lips. “Yeah, but the more reasons the better. I mean, anyone can do that, but not everyone is good with their hands when it comes to everything like I am.”
“Are you? Come prove it to me again, because I don’t remember if you really are good at everything.” I lean back, spreading my legs, and my sheet slides down my hips revealing the pubic hair above my groin.
His eyes dart to my lap, tongue grazing over his top lip. “As much as I’d love to do that right this second, I already made other plans for the next hour or so, but will you take a rain check?”
I blow a breath, puffing out my bottom lip. “Fine, but only because I like how you’re a man of your word, and I need my family to see that too.”
“Good, because I’m already looking forward to proving myself. You should have your hole wet and ready because you never know when we’ll have an opportunity to step away for a bit.”
I shudder, cock leaking and leaving a wet spot on the sheet. His chest rises and falls heavily, tongue struggling to stay in his mouth. “Fuck. Maybe I can also find time to show you how I can be good with my mouth too.”
“I won’t say no to that.” My thighs spread wider and my swollen head pokes out.
“You’re going to be the death of me, you know that? I’ve never had issues with restraint until you.”
“Yeah? Well, I’m glad to be the first.”
“And I’m glad to be your first stalker.”
My hips wiggle and I grin. “And possibly first kidnapper?”
His nose flares, jaw tensing. “How are you so perfect? It’s like you were made for me in every way, and I look forward to all the things we get to share together. And I mean all of them.”
“You mean I didn’t go too far?”
