Zen (11 page)

Shawna watched all this and felt flutters in her stomach each time he looked her way. He was so good with people. But this wasn’t the Zen the Sin act, this was a real person who cared about others and got just as much pleasure from giving as he did receiving. She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to act around him. He wasn’t the man she thought he was. Oh he was self-assured and a huge flirt. But she could see his flirtations were innocent, making older ladies feel young and attractive again, making the little girls with disfiguring faces feel beautiful. Zen was simply…amazing.

In the shuttle on the way back to the GCFA ship, Shawna couldn’t take her eyes off Zen. He was nothing like she thought. She blushed when he caught her staring. She turned away for a moment only to look back in his direction. She wanted to talk to him, touch him, kiss him, and do all kinds of things in the privacy of a bedroom.

However, she had done nothing but turn her nose up at him thinking he was a regular womanizer. She didn’t know how to approach him now. Plus, her brother, Rage, would flip his lid and she didn’t want to mess up their newly built friendship.

Just as they arrived at the GCFA ship, Zen got a text on his phone. He looked down and then his whole face beamed with a joyful smile. Shawna wanted to know who put that smile on his face. She felt a little jealous.

He turned to Jimmie and shook his hand. “I have to go. Thanks for all the work you did today. Great job.”

Jimmie smiled under his praise. “Thanks, man. See you later. Later, Shawna.”

“We’ll work on the film tomorrow, Jimmie,” Shawna called out. She turned back to Zen. “Is there something wrong?”

Zen shook his head. “No, everything is perfect. Come with me.” Zen held out his hand to her. She hesitated only a moment before putting her hand in his.

“Where are we going?”

“The healing facility,” Zen said happily.

“That makes you excited?”

“Yes, just wait and see,” Zen told her without giving her any further details.

It took them about seven minutes to reach the healing facility. There were security guards on the outside. They allowed them to enter. The waiting room had a number of people there.

Zara and her mate, Trig, Taurus, and his mate, Maya, Hammer, and his mate, Molly, Gana, Sersan, and an older couple Shawna was unfamiliar with.
What was going on here
?

“Zen?” Shawna asked quietly.

He turned to her and smiled. “Talon and his mate, Lindy, are having their baby.”

“Oh. Oh!” She smiled back at him. A baby? She looked back over at the unfamiliar older couple and realized they must be Lindy’s parents because they were full humans. She frowned when she didn’t see Rage there. “Did anyone call Rage?”

Zen frowned at her asking about Rage. “I don’t know.”

“I left messages for him. He and Rachel left the GCFA ship hours ago and planned to stay overnight at one of the local hotels.” Hammer had stepped up and told them.

Rage hadn’t said anything to her last night about leaving the ship. Shawna made a mental note to text him later. She suddenly realized she was still holding Zen’s hand. She felt the warmth from his strong hand travel up her arm and over her entire body. She looked up into his beautiful eyes and felt trapped. She could happily stare into his eyes for the rest of her life.
What? Where did that come from?

The door opened to the recovery room. Talon walked out wearing scrubs. He pulled the mask off his face and a bright smile lit his face. Everyone waited on pins and needles. “It’s a girl, a beautiful, healthy, little girl. We are going to call her Hope. Both she and Lindy are resting for now.”

Everyone burst out with praise and congratulations. Lindy’s parents wanted to see Lindy and the baby immediately. One of the healers took them back when they promised not to excite the new mother and baby. Everyone wasn’t going to be able to see the baby for a while so Talon showed them the pictures he took with his cellphone.

Shawna smiled at the image of the beautiful, tiny, little girl. “She is gorgeous.”

“Thank you,” Talon replied.

“She is an angel just like her mother. She is going to love her Uncle Zen,” Zen said making Talon laugh.

There had been some tension in the other man and Zen’s light teasing made the tension lighten up tremendously. It suddenly struck Shawna that this was what Zen did. He was there for the people he cared about. Whether it was being serious or making jokes, whatever they needed he tried to give to them. He was always taking care of other people. How did she not see this before now?

“Alright, guys, I think everyone should head on home now. Once we get to go home I will let you all know when you can come by,” Talon told them.

“Let me know if you need anything,” Zen said to Talon. Then he turned to escort Shawna out.

She felt the heat from his body. He held her hand again and she didn’t want to let go. When they got to her suite, he leaned against the wall beside her door as she swiped her key in the lock. She opened the door and turned to look back at him.

“Well, I guess this is goodnight,” Zen said, looking at her intently.

“Why don’t you come in?” Shawna asked and offered at the same time.

Zen’s eyes narrowed with desire. He wanted to more than anything but he didn’t want to rush her. They had only known each other for three days. Yet Talon and Lindy were happily mated and they fell in love day one. But he hesitated. He wanted Shawna to be absolutely sure before they do anything.

“Rain check?”

“Okay.” She was completed confused. Had she read his vibes wrong?

“Are you coming to the fight tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, Jimmie and I will be coming.”

“See you then. Goodnight, Shawna.” He bent and very lightly kissed her lips.

“Goodnight.” She watched him walk away wondering what the hell happened.

The next morning she received a call from Nigel. He had set up interviews for her to meet with Zara, Taurus, and Hammer. She hoped that his friends would be able to shed some light on what kind of man Zen was. He was turning her inside out. She called Jimmie and told him to pick her up at her suite.

Their first interview was with Zara the Amazon. Shawna was a little intimidated at first when the tall muscular woman answered the door and let them in.

Shawna knew she was staring but she couldn’t help it. The scene before her was very domesticated. There was a very handsome dark skinned man sitting at the dining table with a short miniature version of Zara. They were eating breakfast.

“I hope we are not interrupting.” She sat on the sofa. Jimmie went to set up the video camera.

“You are not. We were just finishing breakfast. Trig is taking Angel to school.” She walked over to get her daughter’s backpack and had it ready at the door.

Trig and the little girl stood and walked over to the door. Zara knelt down and hugged the little girl. “Bye, baby. Have a good time at school.”

“Bye, Mom.” She kissed Zara on the cheek and went out into the hallway.

Trig walked up and grabbed Zara to him as he took her lips in a deep passionate kiss. They kissed and kissed and didn’t come up for air. Shawna was feeling a little uncomfortable.

“Stopping kissing already! You’re going to make me late!” the mini Zara yelled out.

Zara pulled away blushing a little and Trig gave her a wink before finally letting her go. She closed the door and went over to the sofa to sit down beside Shawna.

“You may begin,” Zara told her.

“Thank you, Zara, for agreeing to do this interview. I thought it would be great to get a few interviews from people who have known Zen the longest. My first question for you is, how long have you known Zen?”

“I have known him about eight years,” Zara responded with a short answer.

“What is Zen really like?” Shawna blushed because she had added some questions in that were more for her than the Galactic Times readers.

“Zen is easygoing,” Zara said. There was a long pause as if she wanted to say more. Then she continued, “There is more to him than that. He is generous, kind, and loyal. He knew I was worried about not being a good mother, but Zen told me the simple fact I worried over it made me the best kind of mother.”

Shawna smiled. “He’s right.”

“Yes, but let’s not tell him that. His head is already big enough,” Zara said with a laugh. Shawna laughed with her.

“Has he ever had a steady relationship since you have known him?”

“He’s dated a lot of females. It is usually the females that seem to come and go. Zen is always here steady and true.”

“Okay. I think we have enough. I know you have to go train. Thanks again, Zara.”

“It is my pleasure. Zen is a good friend.”

It took Jimmie just a few minutes to gather his camera. They said goodbye and headed to their next interview.

They only had to go a few doors down to reach Taurus’s suite. A short bubbly woman answered the door.

“Hi, I’m Maya.” She reached out to shake Shawna’s hand.

“I’m Shawna and this is Jimmie.”

“Come in. Taurus will be right back. He took our kids to school letting me sleep in.” Shawna walked in and watched Jimmie set the camera up.

“Do you want some coffee?” Maya called out from the kitchen.

“That would be great!” Shawna said. She looked over at Jimmie but he shook his head that he didn’t want anything.

Shawna took a seat in the nearby chair. She took the cup of coffee that Maya was handing her. Maya then sat on the sofa sipping what smelled like hot tea.

“So you’re doing a story on Zen?”

Shawna nodded her head taking a sip of her coffee. “Yes. It’s proving to be more than I expected.”

“I’m not surprised. Zen is full of surprises. He comes off as a big playboy, but that’s all for show.”

“Is it?” Shawna still had a smidgen of doubt.

“He is the most romantic person I have ever met. He really believes in love. This is sad because he is the one person that wants it badly but had never been able to find it.” Maya sipped her tea watching Shawna carefully. “What do you think of Zen?”

Shawna was surprised that questions were being turned on her. “Me? He’s beautiful and outgoing.”

“There’s more to him than his being eye candy,” Maya said.