Chapter 25 - Almost

Jax got into the driver’s seat and started up the car. As he peeled out into the street and headed for the I-90, two black SUVs came out of the side alleys and started following us.
“Don’t worry. Those are my man.” Jaxson assured me.
I settled into my seat and watched the buildings whizz past.
“You okay?” Jaxson asked.
“Yeah. Just can’t believe Derek is hanging me out to dry like this. I should have left when I had the chance too. My disappearance was all planned, and if Derek hadn’t given me this big speech about justice, I wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“Well then, Zach should be thanking Derek. If he hadn’t convinced you to testify, you wouldn’t have ended up in Seattle, and Zach wouldn’t have met you,” Jaxson snickered.
“I guess there is a silver lining for everything.” I smiled.
I let my mind wander to the thought of not meeting Zach, Kieran, and Jaxson. They had added color to my boring life and had made me feel a different kind of love and acceptance. They had filled an emptiness in my life, and I suddenly wished I had met them during my previous life. Although, if I had met Zach under different circumstances, I would have jumped him by now and let him fulfill his threat to tie me up and make me forget my name.
I was so lost in thought I didn’t even realize Jaxson pulled into the underground carpark.
“Earth to Zadie. You zone out again?” Jaxson laughed.
“Just wondering what life would have been like if I had met you all before I became a notorious criminal’s target,” I admitted.
“Your life would have been epic. Although, I see Zach beating up Kieran regularly for hitting on you.”
I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at that comment.
“You won’t have flirted with me?” I asked after sobering up.
“As gorgeous and sexy as you are, love, I don’t think you have what it takes to satisfy me.” Jaxson winked and got out of the car.
What did that mean?! I had never heard a man say that to me before.
“W-... What?!” I stammered, quickly getting out to follow him.
“I’m gay, Zads. I like dicks, not pussy. So, unless you’re hiding a dick in your panties, you aren’t going to satisfy me.” Jaxson laughed.
I knew it! I guessed it after our conversation this morning.
“Oh my gosh! I knew something was different about you. Thank God! At least there will be one less guy in the penthouse trying to catch me naked.” I laughed.
Jaxson laughed with me as we got into the lift and headed up to the penthouse. We joked some more, and Jaxson seemed more at ease with me than he ever had been. It was like all boundaries were broken, and we were now at a place in our friendship where any and all conversations were allowed.
The lift stopped, and the doors dinged open. As I stepped out, my nose was assaulted with the aroma of food.
“Gosh, that food smells amazing. Who’s home?!” I gushed, turning to look at Jaxson. He was still inside the lift holding the door open. A cheeky smirk played on his lips.
“What are you doing?” I asked, a little confused by his actions.
“Enjoy dinner,” he winked at me and moved his hand to let the lift doors shut.
What was going on? No one else besides Jaxson and me was meant to be home at this time, so who was cooking?
I followed the delicious smell into the kitchen, only to find a guy standing over the stove mixing something in a pot. He had his back toward me and hummed as he enthusiastically stirred whatever was in the pot. I slowly walked toward the kitchen island, taking in the guy’s appearance. He wore a red checked pleated shirt that hugged his muscular body and dark jeans that clung to his toned butt.
“Hello?” I gulped, nervous to see whoever it was.
The guy’s head whipped around, and I came face to face with my favorite pair of gray eyes.
“Zach?!” I blurted.
“Oh, hey there. Perfect timing. Dinner is almost ready.” Zach smiled, wiping his hand on a towel and placing it over his shoulder. He looked so domesticated. If I hadn’t seen him in a three-piece suit, I wouldn’t have guessed he was the owner of a multi-million dollar company.
“I-... I thought you were going to be late.” I babbled, not knowing how else to respond.
“Well, I finished my meeting early, so I made us some dinner. Thought we could have another meal together and unfold the mystery of how well I can cook.” He replied, switching off the stove and opening the oven to pull out whatever he had in there.
Even though the food Zach was plating smelt amazing, the part that had me salivating was the thought of this powerful, sexy man making me food from scratch. Kieran had mentioned once that Zach liked to cook, but he had taken valuable time out of his busy schedule to cook me a meal. A home-cooked meal. That spoke volumes about his character.
Zach grabbed two plates and started decorating them with the food he had finished making. I shrugged off my jacket and perched myself on a barstool, watching Zach work his magic.
“You know it’s my job to cook and feed you,” I commented.
“That’s a little sexist, isn’t it?” Zach chuckled, wiping his hands one last time before tossing the hand towel on the counter and grabbing the now-ready plates.
“Zach, you know what I mean by that..” I replied.
He placed a plate in front of me before dimming the lights and igniting candles that were placed around the kitchen counter to illuminate the place.
“Yes, I know what you meant. But just like that first night we had dinner together, let’s just put who we are aside and just enjoy this meal I’ve worked very hard to make” Zach sat on the bar stool adjacent to mine, his knee brushing against mine.
I couldn’t help but smile at his words. I was starting to warm up to the attention Zach was giving me, and deep down, I hoped he would never stop being so considerate and caring.
My eyes drifted to the plate of food in front of me. The beautifully cooked roast lamb with a side of mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables looked and smelt amazing. Zach had put a lot of effort into this, and I wasn’t going to let it go to waste.
“This looks amazing, Zach. You went through all this trouble just for me?” I murmured.
A gorgeous smile spread across Zach’s face highlighting the dimples he had hidden behind his beard.
“Well, since all my other advances have failed, I thought making you a delicious meal would give me some brownie points and maybe help loosen your pants so I can drape them around your ankles later.” he winked at me.
I could feel the heat rise on my cheeks. I snickered and licked my lips nervously. “So that’s what this is about? Sex?”
Zach chuckled and looked me square in the eyes. The candles burning around us created a shadow across his features, giving him a smoldering look that made my insides jelly. My lady bits were starting to get restless now.
Zach suddenly reached out and cupped my face pulling me toward him until his face was inches away from mine.
“Trust me, shortie, I want nothing more than to be buried deep inside you, listening to you scream my name.” Zach’s eyes flicked down to my lips briefly before he licked his lips and looked back up at me. His words had me clenching my thighs together in an attempt to keep my wet kitty tamed.
“However, tonight, it’s not about that. This is about me showing you how grateful I am for you saving my life. About how much I appreciate you putting your faith in me and my resources to keep you safe.” Zach’s thumb rubbed my bottom lip as his eyes bore into mine.
The raw affection in Zach’s eyes made my mouth go dry. All I could think about was what Zach’s lips would feel on mine. I felt myself instinctively inching closer to Zach, my lips drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Of course, the likelihood of getting burnt by the flame increased the closer our lips came to touching, but I couldn’t stop myself.
Zach’s grip on my face tightened as he parted his lips slightly, letting his warm breath caress my lips. My eyes fluttered shut as I prepared to be devoured by this gorgeous man. Excitement bubbled in my stomach as my lady bits purred for attention. Just as our lips brushed together, the sound of Zach’s phone ringing brought me back to reality.
I panicked, pulling away from Zach and creating space between us. My heart was racing a mile a minute as my brain scrambled to piece together what I was about to do. Confusion and hurt flashed across Zach’s handsome features as he tried to say something, but I interjected quickly.
“I-... I’m-... I’m sorry..” I stammered, blinking rapidly. I held my breath so the blood rushing to my head could calm down, giving me a chance to think properly.
But the next thing I knew, my fight-or-flight responses kicked in, and I was suddenly bolting for my room like a scared little mouse. Sweat started to form on my forehead as I scurried down the hallway. I slammed the door shut behind me and rested my back against the door, softly banging my head on the wood, trying to knock some sense into me.
*What the hell had I almost done?*