When I finish cleaning up after our meal, I go to the bar and put Zoey back in my lap. I had to recook everything, but I didn't mind because it gave me a chance to watch her work as she watched me cook.

"Tell me what you're working on," I say, leaning in and kissing her neck.

"I do data research for a couple of firms in and out of the country, oh, G.o.d, that feels good. Right there."

I smile against her skin "What was that?"

"Your mouth is very distracting. Don't stop. I'll keep talking."

I continue to kiss her as she wraps her arms and legs around me.

"Essentially, I collect financial information on people. Sometimes I'm hired by the government, and sometimes I'm hired by bad guys."

I tense at her usage of the term "bad guys." "What do you mean by that?"

"It's nothing really. I just take on cases I like. If I find something interesting, I do that."

She says it so nonchalantly. I'm not sure she understands the dangers of working for criminals when it comes to money.

"Cupcake, don't you think this could have something to do with your stalker now?"

She looks at me and c.o.c.ks her head to the side as if contemplating it.

"No. I'm careful."

Just as I'm about to open my mouth and ask her some more questions, I hear the alert go off on my phone. I jump up, taking Zoey with me as I go to the other side of the counter and grab it.

Before Zoey walked in on me, I set up some things in her apartment. Hidden cameras, motion sensors, the works. If someone entered the apartment, I could monitor it. I had the alert set up on my phone.

I carry Zoey over to my laptop and set her down on the counter beside it. I open it up, put in my pa.s.scode, and wait a second for all the security cameras to come up to speed.

"That's my home," she says, leaning over and watching with me.

"Yes. It looks like someone got inside. The front door was opened, but there's no sign of forced entry." I zoom in on the image and see that the door k.n.o.b and locks don't look damaged. I double-check the keypad system on my phone and see that the correct code was entered. "Whoever did this had a key and code."

"That's impossible. Only Elle and I have that."

I switch through cameras around the house, but I can't find any movement. I can't figure it out. Someone opened her door and turned off the alarm. I have a motion sensor going off at the entrance but nowhere else. Whoever was there must have seen something to scare them off.

I pull Zoey close to my side as I go through the camera footage. Finally, I get to the point when the sensors went off, and I see a dark shadow at the front door. The two of us lean closer to my laptop screen to try to make out the figure, but it's too dark and too grainy.

"G.o.dd.a.m.n it," I curse, wishing I would have had more time to test out the equipment I put in place before we left. I was so concerned with getting Zoey here that I didn't test the sensors and cameras properly. "I'm sorry, Zoey. This is my fault."

"Why are you sorry? You're the one who got me out of there. I'm safe because of you."

I look into her eyes, and I see that she means it with all her heart. She's partly right. I did get her out of there before the person came back, but I can't help but feel a little guilty for not making sure we caught them at the same time.

"Do you recognize the person on the screen?" I have little hope she does. She would've told me already. With Zoey, I always know what's on her mind. And it's quite possibly my favorite thing about her.

"No. It's so fuzzy. It could be a man or a woman, and I can't even make out what they're wearing. It looks like they open the door, enter the code, and stand there for seven seconds before they turn around and leave. I don't think they even locked it behind them."

"That's an accurate description," I say, leaning over and kissing her cheek. "I'll pull the cameras from the lobby, but the system your building uses is less than adequate, and I'm not hopeful. It will take me some time to get the request back. They weren't very cooperative when I talked to them before. They said that unless a police report of hara.s.sment had been filed, they weren't required to tell us s.h.i.t."

"Yeah, I'm really not a people person, but I should have done better research on the building security guys before I moved in. Some of them are alright, though."

"I'm sure they will work with us once I show them the footage of the break in, but I'm not sure how fast they'll work."

"So does that mean you have time to give me another o.r.g.a.s.m before we'll have more information?"

I can't help but smile at her. I look back at my computer, sending the video along with an email to my team and her building requesting lobby footage. Once I click send, I turn to her, scoop her up, and carry her back to the bedroom.

"Yes. That's exactly what that means, cupcake. More o.r.g.a.s.ms. How many would you like?"

Leaning in, I bury my face in her neck, breathing in her sweet smell as I go into the bedroom and get on the bed with her in my arms.

"All of them. And this time I want you inside me, too. I think it would feel magical."

I pull my face away from her neck and look into her eyes. "Zoey," I whisper. I'm not sure what to say. I want her so bad, and my c.o.c.k is throbbing. But I worry it's too fast, and what happens when I get what I want and she tries to take it away from me? A panic comes over me, and I cling to her tightly. I can't let her leave me.

"I'm on the pill if you're worried about getting me pregnant. It helps regulate my periods. And I'm a virgin, so I don't have any s.e.xually transmitted diseases. Do you?" She says it all so bluntly.

"No. I'm clean. It's been a really, really long time since I've done anything, and I've been tested since then. I just worry..."

I trail off, not knowing what to say. This conversation is usually the other way around, isn't it?

"What, Drake? What do you worry about?" She wiggles like she's trying to get closer to me, but we're already plastered together.

Letting out a deep breath, I look away from Zoey. "I just don't want you to use me for s.e.x, okay? You mean something to me, and I'm afraid once I give in, you won't want me anymore."

When she doesn't answer, I look back into her eyes and continue. Cards on the table, right?

"I've been really shy around women my entire life, and I never know what to say, so I just don't say anything. I've only been with two women, and it was once each time. I don't remember much about them It was just a drunken mess to get it over with. I don't have a lot of experience when it comes to this, but I like that you tell me what you mean so I don't have to guess. There are no games, and I know where I stand with you. So please just tell me, for lack of a better question, are your intentions with me honorable? Do I have to worry about you being with me and then sneaking out on me in the middle of the night? Will we do this and then will you decide you don't want to see where this goes? Because right now, I'll give you all the o.r.g.a.s.ms you've ever wanted if you think I'm what you want. But if you just want to play around and have a good time, then maybe we should cool off for a bit."

I feel exposed as I sit on the bed, holding Zoey to me. This is probably the dumbest thing a guy has ever done, trying to turn down s.e.x for a relationship. But there is something between us, something really special, and I don't want to tarnish it by making light of what I feel. And I don't want to be used as an experiment because she's finally found a man she's attracted to. I won't be able to let her go, but I'm trying to keep my heart whole. In a very short time, she's become important to me, and the thought of belittling what is happening between us with a quick decision makes me want to take a step back and really find out what she wants from this.

9.

Zoey

I move to climb on top of Drake, and he easily lets me as he grips my hips in a firm hold as I straddle him. Resting my hands on his firm chest, I smile down at him. I'm not used to having someone touch me all the time, but I can't seem to get enough of him doing it. I like how his fingers always wrap around me like they've been doing it forever. It's something I'm going to enjoy now that I'll be living with him.

"I thought you said we're boyfriend and girlfriend. If that's not to your liking or solid enough, we can get married. That's what people do. Right?"

I feel the hands on my hips flex, and his dark eyes widen a little. I like that he seems lost in all of this, too. I was sure with the way he picked me up and handled me that he'd been with his share of women. Knowing that he hadn't warms me and makes b.u.t.terflies take flight in the pit of my stomach. It's a feeling a man has never given me before. I like all of the feelings he's been giving me, and I want to keep them. The most logical thing to do would be to get married. That's what people do when they want to stay together. Then he would be mine. I lick my lips at the idea of him being only mine.

When he just keeps staring at me, I start to feel my heart sink. Maybe that was a little too far for him. Elle would tell me I'm moving too fast, like I do with most things. I never understand why people drag their feet with things. If you want something, you have to s.n.a.t.c.h it up or work towards getting it. I lack finesse, I'm often told, but I go after what I want.

"Zoey," he finally says, his voice soft, nearly a whisper. His body goes lax underneath me, but a pounding cuts off his words, and he pulls me from his lap and gets to his feet.

"Don't move." He shoots me a hard look, one I'm sure that works on a lot of people, but I've seen how fast I can get those eyes to change from hard to soft. They don't work on me like I'm sure he hoped they would. He pulls a gun out from his nightstand, and my eyes bulge in shock as he leaves the room.

I debate staying put, but it isn't much of an argument. I get off the bed quickly and peek out the door. Hearing voices, I slowly make my way down the hall to see Elle standing in the entryway, Pink right behind her with his hands resting on her hips like he's trying to keep her in place.

"Zoey!" She breaks free of Pink and runs towards me, wrapping me in her arms. "G.o.d, I'm so glad you agreed to do this. I saw the video. What if you'd been there? What if..."

Her words break off in a sob, and I squeeze her tighter.

"I'm fine. You don't have to worry. I'm with Drake. He'll keep me safe." She keeps crying, and I just whisper rea.s.suring words to her until she finally pulls back, looking down at me, her eyes all red rimmed.

"Don't cry. You know that messes with me inside," I tell her before poking her, making her smile then sniffle.

"I'm staying here with you." She wipes her eyes before tucking her long blonde hair behind her ear.

"No," I hear Pink say as I look up to see him now standing right behind her, super close. I'd lost sight of both him and Drake when Elle crushed me in a hug. She might be thin, but she's tall, and still Pink towers over her. He might even have an inch on Drake, but where Pink is tall and lean, Drake is broad and solid.

I hold my breath, biting the inside of my cheek, wondering what's going to happen. People don't tell Elle no. Well, they can try, but it never works.

"Excuse me." She turns but b.u.mps directly into him. I go to step back but find Drake there, and he pulls me into him, stepping back from both Elle and Pink.

"Don't even try it, Prinzessin. I got six sisters." He looks down at her with a smirk on his face, but his face softens and his hand comes out like he's trying to brush one of the tears from her eyes.

She bats his hand away, and the smirk just comes back to his face again.

"I'll do as I please," she replies tartly in the tone she uses when she's in her business, no-nonsense mode. The tears have disappeared, and her voice is clear as a bell.

"That so?" He takes a small step towards her, closing in any s.p.a.ce between them. I can't seem to look away. It's like when you're playing a video game and only one man is still standing and the kill is at one percent. Only I'm not sure who is who in this situation.

"What's with you always being in my s.p.a.ce? Just because you're guarding me doesn't mean you need to be up my a.s.s."

"Can't blame me for wanting to get in there, Prinzessin."

Elle pulls back her arm, and I close my eyes, not wanting to see the smack land. When the sound doesn't come, I crack one eye open to see Pink is kissing her. Not a soft kiss, but a full-on one I'm not sure I should be watching. The hand she had raised to him is now caught in his.

As if she realizes what she's doing, she pushes at his chest, and he easily steps back.

"I can't believe you!" She turns to look at me, her mouth all red. My hand goes to my mouth, and I wonder if I look like that, too. The thought makes that tingling feeling come back. Then her eyes go to Drake.

"These are the kind of people you hire at your security firm?" She half-yells at Drake, and I can tell she's fl.u.s.tered and unsure about what to do. It's a look I've never seen on her face before. Pink just stands behind her and shrugs like he's not worried about the h.e.l.l Elle is about to release.

He clearly doesn't know about the time she and I went to Ben and Jerry's and they ran out of coffee ice cream. She got free ice cream twice a day for a month after that scene.

"Don't talk to my fiance like that," I snap back at her, not liking that she thinks he's not doing his job right. I'm not sure what his job entails entirely, but he's been guarding me just fine. More than fine.

Elle's jaw drops open. Drake snags one arm around my waist, pulling me so my back is to his chest. I relax into his comfort, feeling his heat warm me up.

"Got you to stop crying," Pink says, the smirk now a full smile.

She whips her head back around, probably to give him a glare.

"f.u.c.k, you look good riled up. I can't seem to help myself."

She turns back to me and releases a huff, and for a brief second I swear a small smile hits her mouth before she goes back to giving me the third degree.

"Fiance? Don't you think that's a little quick, Zoey?" Her tone makes me want retreat because I know it all too well. It's the one I get when I'm not quite doing things right. Or what other people feel is right. Normal. I know she means well, but it still stings. Drake doesn't make me feel that way. He seems to get me. Even likes the things that just pop out of my mouth. Likes how fast I seem to rush into some things. As if reading my thoughts, he confirms that he doesn't think we're moving too fast either.

"No," Drake says, still holding me close. I turn a little to look up at him, and I know I've got to have a giant smile on my face.

"You can't stay here, Prinzessin. The new couple needs their alone time," Pink says to Elle.

I don't even turn to look at them. I just keep looking up a Drake who's got that soft look again.

"I told you to stay put," Drake whispers down to me.

"Sorry. I seem to like to follow you around," I admit to him, not caring if everyone can hear us.

"I like that, cupcake, but until I know you're safe, you gotta do what I tell you, or I'll worry nonstop. You'll do that for me?"

"Yes," I say instantly, wanting to give him what he wants.

"She never complies that easy with me," I hear Elle huff.

"Come home with me and I'll comply with anything you want."

"You're disgusting."

"You still wet from that kiss?"

"Zoey." Elle says my name, ignoring Pink's question.

I turn my head to look at her, and I notice she hasn't made a move to put s.p.a.ce between herself and Pink.

"What?"