Romance: Luther's Property (77 page)

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Authors: Laurie Burrows

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CHAPTER 11
 

“Don’t stop,” Zoey breathed, her hands tightly clenching the
pillows above her head. “Yes, Bradley please, oh don’t stop!” she screamed, her
third orgasm rippling through her like a powerful wave. She wasn’t sure how
long Bradley had been between her legs tasting her, but he must have been
having a good time, because he had yet to stop.

Bradley moaned as he felt Zoey’s orgasm gush over his lips,
this one slightly weaker than the last. His mind begged him not to stop, but
his tongue was demanding that it be given a break. Listening to his tongue,
Bradley wiped his mouth on the sheets and rose up to his elbows.

“You, darling woman, taste delicious,” he huffed, slowly
making his way up to lie next to her. Zoey immediately curled her body around
Bradley’s the two of them fitting together perfectly. She wanted to have her
turn at tasting him, but first, the cuddle. They had both quickly found out
that being in one another’s arms was the perfect way to relieve their stress.
It often led to hot, crazy, almost kinky sex, which Zoey was starting to
realize that she really loved.

The last two weeks with Bradley had been like a dream to
her, both pleasant and surreal. Thanks to his older years, he was much more
skilled in the art of love making than Zack had ever been. He was eager to show
her new things, and she in turn had been able to learn them. Though she had
enjoyed sex before, she never felt like she just had to have it. That was,
until Bradley showed her what she was missing. Now she was craving it any time
he left, and was counting the hours until they were together again.

“Did the letter go through today?” She asked
conversationally. As soon as he had gotten home he had scooped her up and
carried her to his bed, where he had promptly began tasting her. They had
skipped their usual dinner conversation, and it was to have been a special day.
It was the day that her promise to sue was being sent to her old company.

“It did,” Bradley confirmed, nuzzling into her breasts. “And
it scared the hell out of them. I got a call within seconds after I faxed it
over. They were ready to negotiate and deny liability. But with your statement
and your job records, they had nothing to put up. We’ve got them pegged.”

A sliver of excitement shot through as she thought of
finally giving Zack the kick in the balls he deserved. The company would no
doubt take the case to court, in which Zoey would win within seconds due to the
evidence she had on her side. Bradley had saved her ass.

“Thank you again,” she whispered stroking his cheek.

“For what?” He asked, his mind admittedly more on her
breasts than her words.

“For fighting this for me. For taking me in. It was
extremely gracious of you.”

Bradley leaned up on his elbows and looked deep into Zoey’s
eyes. In them he saw warmth, compassion, and the budding bloom of love.

“I should be thanking you too,” he replied, his voice
sliding into a more sultry tone. “Without you, I would have forgotten how
delicious it felt to be with someone I really like.” Bradley shifted his hips,
positioning his thick erection between her legs. Slowly he surged forward,
making Zoey gasp and moan in pleasure as he stretched her hot, wet walls.

“Without you, I wouldn’t be falling in love again.”
Bradley’s lips closed over hers as he thrust forward, surging into her with
long, hard strokes. He hadn’t meant to say it, but it had poured out of him
like a confession. A part of him felt like he had always been a little in love
with her since the very moment she came back into his life. He just needed to
be sure of her intentions and her feelings for him. After they got over the
taboo of it all, they had fallen into an intensely satisfying rhythm. One that
he hoped to continue for quite some time.

CHAPTER 12
 

Zack looked up from the piece of paper to the townhouse, not
sure if he got the address right. A shot of jealousy slid through him as he
stared up at the impressive brownstone. According to his sources, it was where
Zoey was staying now. A part of him wondered if she had been lying all along,
and that she hadn’t been cut off from her parents. It would explain the fancy
house and the top notch lawyer.

It had taken him longer than he wanted to find her, and
Nathan wasn’t too happy about his delay either. They wanted instant results,
but in reality it took him three days to hire the investigator, get the
address, and track her down. But here he was finally, and whether he wanted to
or not, it was time to put their relationship back together.

Taking a deep breath, he walked up the steps and used the
shining metal doorknocker to announce his presence. To his surprise, a very
attractive, very muscular shirtless older man answered the door, asking Zack
how he could him. For a moment, Zack was so intimidated that he simply
stammered, forgetting his words.

“Zoey,” he finally spit out. “S-sorry. I think I have the
wrong address. I’m looking for Zoey France.”

From behind the good-looking man, Zack heard a familiar
voice. A second later he saw Zoey’s adorable face pop into the doorway, her
eyes wide with shock. He was surprised at how happy he felt to see it, and when
he smiled at her, he did so genuinely.

“What are you doing here?” Zoey asked, her voice full of
awe.

“Zoey, you know this man?” Mr. Good Looking asked, pointing
to Zack. Zoey tore her eyes away from Zack and looked up at Bradley. She nodded
her head.

“This is Zack Smith,” she explained.

Mr. Good Looking took a defensive stance immediately, his
eyes going back to Zack’s much less attractive face.

“This is the asshole that put you through all of this?” He
asked, his gaze intimidating.

“Excuse me,” Zack answered indignantly. “Who are you to say
such a thing to me?”

Mr. Good Looking crossed his arms, his eyebrow raised with
an air of superiority. “My name is Bradley Zane. I’m Zoey’s lawyer.”

Zack felt his eyes grow wide as he heard the name. It was a
detail that he had forgotten to ask for. “You’re Bradley Zane?” Zack asked.
“And you, you’re Zoey’s lawyer?”

Bradley gave a single nod as he stared intimidatingly back
at Zack. He was a bit of a legend in corporate law, something his sweet Zoey
knew nothing about. Though he rarely handled sexual harassment cases, he was
known for getting what he wanted in the courtroom.

“That’s right. And as such I am suggesting that you get off
of my steps immediately, seeing as how this is also my house. Miss France will
not be taking any under the table negotiations. This will go to court, am I
understood?”

“This isn’t about that,” Zack replied, lying through his
teeth. “I didn’t come here because of the case. I came here- I came here Zoey
because I miss you. I miss you so much, and I want to talk to you. I want to
figure out where we went wrong. Please, I’m just here right now begging to
simply have a conversation.”

Zack was sure that Bradley knew that he was lying. The guy
was a human lie detector, and well known for it too. However, it didn’t matter
if Bradley believed him or not. The real issue was whether or not Zoey believed
him.

“Zoey,” Bradley murmured, his voice going from harsh to soft
in an instant as he reached for hand. “Zoey as your friend and your lawyer I
have to advise against this. This could be a trick. A means to make you
settle.”

“Don’t listen to him Zoey,” Zack cut in, his voice taking on
a desperate tone. “Just listen to me. Hear me out.”

Zoey looked back and forth between the two men, both
claiming to know what she wanted better than she did. It was both annoying and
flattering at the same time. She knew that it was very possible that Zack was
doing exactly what Bradley was warning her of, but she had to know for herself.
He was a man that she had loved solely for two years, and whether she liked it
or not, she could still feel her heart swelling for him.

“Let me grab my coat,” she said, disappearing back into the
house.

Bradley looked back and for between Zack and Zoey, scowling.
“Zoey,” he called, jogging to catch up with her. “Zoey don’t do this. It’s a
ploy, you know it is,” Bradley pushed, not wanting her to go.

“And what if it isn’t?” She asked, pulling her arms into her
coat. “What if he really wants me back?”

Bradley opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. It
was then that he saw in her eyes the indecision of it all. “You’re thinking
about going back to him. You’re actually contemplating it if he’s telling the
truth.”

Zoey bit her lower lip and looked guiltily down at the
floor. “I don’t know what I want right now. I like you. I really,
really
like you. But Zack was such a big
part of my past. He was the guy I thought I was going to marry. I owe him that
chance.”

“And what did he give you? Huh? Let’s just forget the tiny
part where he fired you for being his ex, shall we, and think about what he did
besides that. He changed the locks on you, Zoey. He packed up your things and
left them in the lobby of your building. Does that sounds like something
someone who truly loved you would do? Does it?”

“I know,” Zoey whispered, her eyes pleading for him to
understand. “But I have to know what he has to say.”

CHAPTER 13
 

Zoey stared down at cold cup of untouched coffee, thinking
about stirring it one more time. When she had thought of getting coffee with
Zack that night, she had been expecting somewhere romantic to profuse his
undying love. Instead, he had brought her to a twenty-four truck stop, where
the coffee tasted days old and burned. She didn’t mean to be a snob, but it
wasn’t the place she pictured when discussing such a topic as love.

They had been sitting in the booth together for over fifteen
minutes, and Zack still hadn’t started talking about why he wanted to get back
together. He would clear his throat, open his mouth, and then sigh. As if he
couldn’t gather up the strength to have the conversation. It was disheartening
to Zoey, and his constant sighing was annoying her. Finally, she couldn’t take
it anymore.

“For goodness sakes, Zack, why did you beg me to talk to you
if you won’t speak?” She asked. Bradley had taught her a little about standing
up for herself, and she thought fondly of him for a second before she turned
her attention back to Zack.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I guess I’m just a little hurt
that you sued me. And the company. They’re really pissed about that you know.”

Zoey crossed her arms and leaned back into the booth. “They
should be. An unjust thing happened in their work field and they needed to know
about it.”

Zack glared over the table. He knew he was supposed to be
wooing her. His job, hell his life, was depending on it. But he couldn’t. His
pride was taking over the driver’s seat in his brain, and he wasn’t even trying
to stop it.

“You lied to me. You lied to me about your inheritance. If
you wouldn’t have lied then things would be so different,” Zack accused.

Zoey’s eyes went wide, understanding dawning on her. “I get
it,” she said softly, thinking back to the timeline of their breakup. “I
totally get it now. I told you I didn’t have an inheritance just a few weeks
before you dumped me. You didn’t love me at all. You just wanted my money.” She
paused, her eyes glowering in disgust. “You’re nothing but a con artist,” she
spat.

“At least I’m not a liar!” Zack shot back, much like a five
year old.

Zoey laughed and rolled her eyes. “Yes you are. You’re a
deplorable human being, and I feel so stupid right now. To think that I thought
you were actually coming to beg for me back. Bradley was right about you. I
should have listened to him and slammed the door in your face.”

Standing up, Zoey grabbed her coffee cup and threw its cold
contents in Zack’s face, drenching the front of his shirt. “And for your
information, I didn’t lie. Any money I have I earned on my own.”

Several truckers were looking at them now, curious about the
scene. She didn’t care though, not after how good it felt to throw something in
Zack’s face for all the pain he caused. With her head held high she walked out
of the diner. She had an apology to give, and she didn’t want to wait any
longer than she had to.

“Zoey wait!” Zack called, suddenly realizing everything he
had just said. Every chance of him changing her mind about the lawsuit was now
completely out the window, and the partners would be pissed. Throwing down a
couple bills for the coffee, Zack ran to the nearby ATM.

~

 

It took Zoey two bus rides to finally get back to Bradley’s,
and when she finally did it was almost midnight. What would have been a
twenty-minute car ride had taken her over an hour by bus, but it gave her
plenty of time to think. She had been stupid, incredibly stupid to even listen
to what Zack had said to her at the door. Looking back on it, she had no idea
why she put herself through such a thing, or Bradley for that matter.

They were starting to fall in love with one another. Zoey
could feel it, and she knew Bradley could too. Unlike Zack, he told her
everything, communicated with her about his feelings and wants and passions. He
was an amazing man, and she hoped willfully that he would still allow her to
come back after her mistake. Thinking about it, she never really wanted to get back
with Zack. She was just curious. She wanted to see if he would actually try to
make things right. Of course, that blew up in her face.

Ever since she got on the bus Zoey had tried to call
Bradley, but she kept getting his voicemail. By the time she reached the
familiar stoop, her heart had sunk, and she prayed that her key at least still
worked. She let out a sigh of relief as the locks twisted obediently and let
her into the house. Inside, it was dark and clean. Bradley must have cleaned up
their dinner himself and swept the floors himself.

At the sink she poured herself a glass of water and drank it
down greedily. She’d had the taste of that horrible coffee in her mouth for
hours now, and she desperately wanted it gone. When she was done, she swiped
the glass clean and put it back in the cupboard, not wanting to ruin the
pristine look of the kitchen. It was time to go up and apologize.

Quietly she climbed the stairs in her bare feet, and made
her way to Bradley’s room. She was surprised, however, when she tried to twist
the knob and found that it was locked. Softly she knocked on the door, hoping
that he would wake up.

“Bradley,” she called. “Are you awake?” From the other side
of the door she heard no sounds, and her heart sank. Turning around, she headed
to her guest room. It had been weeks since she’d slept in it, and now looking
at it, it looked cold and lonely. In the bathroom Zoey showered and washed her
face, putting off going to bed alone for as long as she could. Eventually
though, she ran out to things to do, and crawled into the cool covers by
herself.

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