Always & Forever (35 page)

Lilly stayed astride him, ear against his chest as she listened to his heartbeat and waited for her breath to return to normal. “That was phenomenal,” she said when she could speak again. She rolled off him and snuggled against his side.

“Uh huh,” he agreed.

She basked in the afterglow, enjoying Zach’s nearness, her fear once again conquered. Now her brain
and
her body understood he wasn’t the boogeyman.

Zach hopped up and ran to the bathroom. When he returned to bed, his arm went around her. “So, will you do it?” he asked.

She rolled toward the wall, away from him, and pushed her rear against his side. “Do what? What are you talking about?”

He turned to spoon her, stroking her breast as he snuggled tightly against her. His hot breath caressed her ear. “Move in with me.”

Had he been thinking about that the entire time? Lilly thought it would be impossible to feel more pleasure than she already had. She was wrong. She drew his hand to her mouth and kissed his palm. “I’d love to.”

“That just made my whole month, baby.”

Lilly smiled in the darkness. He wanted her to be with him. It was a dream come true.

Zach’s breathing leveled out and settled to a normal pattern of sleep. Lilly listened to his soft breaths, feeling them puff against her neck. She didn’t want to fall asleep too soon, didn’t want to lose the feeling his offer had provoked within her. All around, it had been a great night. He
made love
to her, and he wanted to live with her. She could work with that.

She kissed his hand again. “Sweet dreams,” she said softly.

“Sweet dreams, baby,” he mumbled sleepily and shifted his hand to hold her. “I love you.”

Her eyes popped back open.
What?
“Zach?”

His soft snore was her only answer.

Zach felt Lilly climb out of bed, taking her warmth with her. He could tell she tried to be quiet as she fumbled around in the bathroom.

She agreed to move in with him. The satisfaction that knowledge brought was nothing short of amazing. She trusted him once again with her body, and she wanted to be with him. She hadn’t said she loved him back, but in fairness, he had fallen asleep quickly. She probably wanted to wait until they were properly awake.

Zach rolled out of bed when he heard the water in the shower turn on. A quick glance at the clock revealed it was past time to quit lazing around in bed. A hot shower would be nice.

He walked into the bathroom, watching Lilly’s lithe body through the beveled glass of the freestanding shower. “Good morning, honey. How’re you feeling today?”

She poked her head out the door, water streaming down her hair. “Pretty darn amazing, lover. Care to join me?”

Hmmm, lover? Zach forced himself to smile. Did he dream telling her he loved her? He thought for sure he said it. Perhaps that was the closest she could get. It was a good thing he hadn’t asked her to marry him last night. After the conversation with Grandma, the thought had crossed his mind, but Lilly wasn’t ready for that step. She’d agreed to move in with him. That was enough for now.

He stepped into the shower and Lilly’s wet body plastered against his. She attacked him with her fingers, exploring every part of him. Her hands settled into a rhythm against his crotch, turning him on all over again.

He pushed her against the shower wall, grazing his teeth across her collarbone. “This is the best shower ever,” he whispered, and Lilly took his mouth in hers.

***

After they found mutual pleasure, they took turns washing each other’s hair and body. He’d never shared so much intimate contact before. He only slept with Victoria a handful of times and Jennifer, well, she never stayed overnight when they had a little fun. The morning wasn’t a time he had experienced with any woman, and never with the woman he loved.

“Do you think you could take me over to my house this morning?” she asked as she rubbed a towel through her hair.

He pulled on his pants and looked at her. “I thought you wanted to stay.”
Well, that sounded pathetic.

Her hearty laugh reassured him. “Of course I do. I need to get more things if I’m going to be living here. And I’d really like to have my car. I know you’ll take me wherever I want to go, but I hate feeling stranded.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Of course you do. I should’ve thought of that. We can go right now.”

“Great. Just let me get my face on.”

He grabbed her in a fierce embrace, kissing her deeply. “Your face is perfect.”

***

Lilly carefully applied her mascara, but heard her cell phone ring in the other room. “Hon, can you grab that?”

“Sure,” Zach responded from the bedroom. “It’s a text message.”

“What’s it say?” She pursed her lips and applied a layer of gloss. A light touch of blush and she was ready.

She walked into the bedroom. Zach sat on the bed and stared at her phone.

“Zach? Who’s it from?”

He looked up, and the anger on his face caused her to stumble over the last couple of steps to him.

Apprehension fluttered in her stomach. “What’s wrong?”

He thrust the phone in her hands. “Try not to panic, honey. I’m going to call McMann.” He lurched up and walked into the living room while Lilly read the message.

I TOLD YOU TO GET AWAY FROM HIM. NOW THERE WILL BE A PRICE. YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT PAYING, DON’T YOU KATHERINE? YOU’RE MINE, ALWAYS AND FOREVER.

The phone fell from her trembling hands onto the bedspread. She kept hoping the stalker was just a nightmare, something her fearful brain had imagined. But this...this was a direct threat.

Zach’s voice rumbled into the room from his phone conversation, but she couldn’t quite make out his words. Why was this happening? What did the threat mean? Surly, Charles meant to hurt her somehow, but she was quite safe with Zach. How did Charles plan to get her?

What if he planned to hurt someone she cared about? Charles was in an awful mood one day after a business meeting. Lilly didn’t know he would be home early and dinner wasn’t ready. After beating her, he’d laughed and said that wasn’t punishment enough.

Lilly shuddered and blinked back tears, trying to block the memory of what he did to their puppy.

Charles was smart enough to know the best way to hurt her would be to hurt someone she cared for. Zach was probably safe right now, and they would be on alert after the text message.

What if Charles went after Zach’s family? Her thoughts immediately turned to Sarah, and her heart sank. She was the closest thing Lilly had to a friend these days, and if Charles figured that out, chances were he would do something to her.

She snatched up her phone and dialed Sarah’s number.

“Hey, Lilly. How’re you feeling?”

Lilly sucked in a grateful breath. Sarah sounded happy, not panicked. Everything was okay. “I’m feeling fine. Much better. Everything going good at your house?”

“We’re great. I was actually going to call you today. Steven has to go to the city tomorrow. Some business he can’t take care of from here.” She paused. “I’d hoped maybe Savannah and I could come for a visit tomorrow if you’re up to it? She really misses Aunt Lilly, talks about you constantly, and I could use the company.”

Despite the fear the text message generated, the corners of Lilly’s mouth drifted upwards at the thought of Savannah. “That would be wonderful. Why don’t you call before you guys come over?”

“Will do. How about we come over around four o’clock.”

“Stay for dinner?” Lilly asked.

“Only if you’re up to it,” Sarah said.

“I sure am. I’ll think of something to fix. Talk to you tomorrow.”

Lilly hung up the phone and sat on the bed, blowing out a relieved breath. Whatever the threat meant, Sarah was safe for now. Lilly looked at the number on the text message. It was a New York area code. Maybe Officer McMann could determine who made the threat.

“Who were you talking to?” Zach asked as he walked back into the room. “Are you okay?”

Lilly nodded. “I just called to check on Sarah.”

Zach’s eyes narrowed. “Any particular reason you’d do that now?”

Lilly swallowed hard. “If Charles knows about you, he must know about my friendship with Sarah. This message got me thinking. If someone wanted to hurt me, he’d go after people I love. I had to make sure Sarah was okay.”

Zach’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “You mean now this maniac might be after my sister because he can’t get to you? Wonderful.”

“I’m sorry.” Lilly’s chest tightened with sadness and tears escaped the corners of her eyes. “I never meant to bring danger to your family.”

Zach sighed and sat next to her. “I shouldn’t have said that.” He kissed her forehead. “Hush, honey. Don’t cry. It’s not your fault.”

“It is my fault,” she said. “Why do I attract men who are no good?”

He pulled back from her. His green eyes held what might have been hurt, but could have been anger. “All men?”

“Oh, Zach, no! I didn’t mean you!” Lilly threw her arms around him. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Some of the tension left his body and he returned her embrace. “I think we have to tell McMann,” he finally said. “He’s on his way here to check out your phone anyway. He’ll be able to advise us on what to do to protect Sarah and the rest of my family, if you think that’s a concern.”

Lilly nodded her head numbly and wiped her tears. “Whatever you think is best.”

***

Zach sat across from McMann, fear turning his stomach. The stalker’s threats seemed more serious than previous ones, and Zach feared what the man planned.

Officer McMann promised to put a security detail on Sarah’s house, but recommended Zach and Lilly tell her about the new threat so she could protect herself. “Might not be a bad idea for her to stay up with your folks for a while.”

Zach nodded, agreeing with the advice. If Steven left town tomorrow, Sarah would be alone and more vulnerable. “We’ll tell them.”

McMann left, promising to pull Lilly’s phone records. He said a tech guy could figure out whose phone sent the text and where the message had come from. They were one step closer to discovering who was after her.

Zach stepped onto the deck away from Lilly to call Steven. He quickly told him about the text message and Lilly’s fear that Charles might go after Sarah.

Steven released a loud breath. “I’ll cancel my trip and call McMann to set up the police detail.”

“This is all just a precaution until they catch this guy. I really don’t believe the threat is to anyone besides Lilly—well, possibly to me, since I’m in this asshole’s way.” Zach hitched his foot on the bottom rail of the deck and stared out across the water. “But please keep yourselves safe, in case I’m wrong.”

“You and Lilly be careful, too,” Steven said, concern thick in his voice.

“Trust me, I’m taking every precaution I can.”

“Savannah’s excited about having dinner at your house tomorrow,” Steven said, “so it looks like we’ll all be there.”

“Sounds good.” Zach paused, emotion tightening his throat. “Look after my sister.”

“No worries there. Are you telling your parents or Tommy?”

The question ate at Zach. Was it fair not to tell them? But Mother would only berate Lilly for bringing danger into their lives. Besides, if Lilly was right and Charles would only attack someone Lilly cared about, his mother and Bridget were the safest people in town. “I think they’re okay, but the cops will be keeping an eye on all our houses until they figure out what’s going on.”

“And you’re afraid of what Patricia will say,” Steven guessed.

“Wouldn’t you be?”

“Yeah, I would,” he said. “Stay safe.”

The phone clicked in Zach’s ear. He walked into the bedroom, where Lilly sat anxiously twisting her hands. “Steven will take good care of Sarah. Don’t worry.”

Lilly looked at him, eyes round and unblinking. She probably wondered what form the threat would take now that she was reasonably reassured of Sarah’s safety. Zach knew he worried about it.

It would be best to stay busy. “Let’s get the stuff you wanted from the other house, honey.”

***

Lilly remained silent during the drive. Her head whipped from side to side as she eyed people on the street. When they got out of the car, she clutched her purse tightly in her hand, zipper undone and stun gun peaking out the top where she could easily grab it.

Zach didn’t miss the unmarked police car that followed them through town. It parked across the street when they pulled up to her house.

Zach took her keys and opened the front door. “Honey, try to relax. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

She smiled at him, but Zach sensed she wasn’t reassured.

He entered the house before her to ensure it was empty. “We’ll have to rent a truck later to get some of your stuff, like the weight bench.”