Chapter 18
"And where have you been all night?" she demanded with her arms folded over her chest as he came sauntering into her kitchen like it didn't matter that she spent half the night, okay the last hour, worried sick about him.
"Well?" she demanded when he tried to look innocent. He tried to give her his most adorable expression, but she wasn't having it.
"Relax, he was with me," Trevor announced as he stepped into the kitchen, giving Toby an affectionate rub behind the ears as he passed him.
"All night?" Zoe asked, hoping she didn't sound or look as nervous as she felt. A little over three hours ago she'd been sitting on top of this man fulfilling five years of fantasies. Not that she regretted a moment of it.
Oh god no.
After five years of going without real human contact, last night had been perfect. The sex was great and instead of taking her chances on a total stranger it was with Trevor, whom she trusted more than any person she'd ever met, she suddenly realized.
That didn't mean there wasn't going to be a little awkwardness the next morning. They went from having a very informal, semi professional relationship to buck naked and doing a hundred different things that just thinking about made her knees wobble and her stomach flutter with anticipation. Then again just because she was happy with last night didn't mean that he was, she realized, instantly killing any lingering happy thoughts about last night.
He said the sex was incredible, but maybe that was just something he said during sex, she thought, making herself depressed. Maybe it was pity sex, she thought, horrified by the very idea. Pity sex was worse than no sex.
If it was pity sex then she wouldn't be getting anymore anytime soon and she desperately wanted more, not just the sex, she realized, but to spend time with Trevor, another human being and just feel close to someone. Even though it had no chance in hell of going anywhere it was still more than she'd had in years.
"He ate with me," Trevor pointed out as she reached to grab a can of dog food.
Sighing, she shut the cabinet door and washed her hands. "Thank you for taking care of him," she said, not knowing what else to say or really how to act.
"No problem," Trevor said, leaning back against the counter the same way he did every morning as he sorted through her fruit bowl, looking for something to snack on while he waited for his lunch.
It hit her then that this truly was only an arrangement for Trevor and she could relax and be herself. She didn't have to try and impress him or keep his interest, because once the sex was over they could go right back to this and not have to worry about any of the drama from a relationship, she realized as she did her best to hide her smile. This could so work for her.
"How many sandwiches today?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
"Four," Trevor said around a mouthful or something, probably fruit.
She opened the refrigerator door and nearly groaned. "I might be able to stretch out three. I was supposed to go shopping yesterday," she muttered pathetically. She could cry. She really could. She was exhausted and sore in the most delicious places and had been looking forward to coming home to a hot bath, her bed, and a book after work, but now it looked like she had to hit the grocery store first.
"That's fine," Trevor said, placing his hand on her hip as he reached past her and grabbed the gallon of orange juice she kept for him. "I have a few things I need you to pick up anyway." He slid his hand from her hip to her bottom and gave it a light squeeze that reminded her of something else she was really hoping to do tonight.
"Okay, just add whatever you need to the list. It's on the counter," she said, trying to sound cool and relaxed and not ready to jump him. After last night she shouldn't be able to move never mind be anxious for round two, but she was.
Five long years will do that to a woman.
"I can't remember what they are just now. I'll probably remember when I'm at work," he told her as he stepped away from her. She wasn't that surprised. He usually remembered what he needed to tell her at work. He'd stop by the office or more often than not call her to tell her what he needed.
"That's fine. As long you remember before I leave for the day otherwise I'll probably forget that you needed something," she said, grabbing all the food required to feed a Bradford and stepped around him to unload everything onto the counter.
"I'm going to ask the guys at work today if anyone wants a dog," he said as she started the long assembly line of condiments and fillers.
She tried not to look at the puppy that she'd started to think of as her baby and force herself to focus on the task at hand, but she couldn't help but look down at the adorable furry face that was silently pleading for a slice of Trevor's ham.
"Don't even think about it, woman," he warned.
"I wasn't going to give him a slice?" she lied, sounding as though she was asking a damn question. Seriously, why did she do that? She'd been thinking about it and might have decided to wait until Trevor turned his back so she could sneak Toby a piece of ham, but she'd in no way given herself away. At least she didn't think she had. Then again he was a Bradford and probably had some special connection with his food.
He snorted his disbelief. "Yeah, right."
She glared at him only to end up laughing when he glared right back at her. "Alright, so I was going to give him one slice, but it's not as if you would have noticed," she said, already knowing it wasn't true before the last word left her mouth.
He cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. "You're shortchanging me on a sandwich, woman. Trust me, I would know."
"Fine," she mumbled, returning her attention back to making his lunch and not the puppy whimpering pathetically and nudging her pajama clad knee with his muzzle, making her feel bad.
Worrying her bottom lip, she shot a look down at the dog and met big round sad puppy eyes. Damn it! Her eyes shot up to find Trevor rummaging through the cabinet she kept filled with his snacks.
Maybe he really wouldn't notice, she thought as she reached for the last slice of ham, never taking her eyes away from Trevor, and slipped it to the dog, who just had to go and give her away by smacking his lips.
Trevor gasped as he turned around, narrowing his eyes accusingly on her. "Zoe," he said as he dropped the package of snack cakes on the table and stalked after her. "What did you do?"
"Umm, nothing?" she said, backing away as he slowly advanced on her. As he passed the counter his eyes shot to the now empty deli packages and then to her.
"Where's the last slice of ham?" he asked casually as though he weren't currently stalking her around the kitchen island.
She worried her bottom lip as she considered her choices and kept moving her ass away from Trevor, who looked damn determined. That was understandable, she supposed. He was a Bradford she'd just screwed out of food. Her eyes shot to the open kitchen door, but she really didn't think she'd make it there in time and judging by the expression on Trevor's face, he knew it too.
"It's gone," she said, swallowing nervously.
"I see," he said, following her at a leisurely pace. "You gave my ham to the dog, didn't you?"
"Maybe," she mumbled.
Trevor sighed heavily. "I guess there's no choice but to punish you," he said in an offhand tone.
"What do you mean?" she asked, already knowing that he would never hurt her, but really when a man well over six feet tall with an insane amount of muscle says he's going to punish her it's natural to get a little nervous.
He simply shrugged. "I guess I'm going to have to spank your ass."
Zoe blinked and then blinked again before she burst out laughing. "You're kidding, right?" she asked as she slowed her pace so that she could catch her breath.
"I'm afraid not, Zoe," he said, sounding serious, really serious, but she noted the amusement in his eyes and his lips twitching as he stopped on the opposite side of the island. She paused mid-stride and jumped back to what she deemed at that moment was safety, the opposite side of the kitchen island.
"Y-you're going to be late for work," she stammered out as the thought of what Trevor had in mind both intrigued and excited her. Never in a million years would she have thought this man had a playful side. He always seemed so serious as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. It was nice to see him smile about something other than food.
"I think I can make time for this," he said, winking.
She swallowed hard as she looked around for any excuse to save her ass from a sound spanking. When her eyes landed on the half made sandwiches she nearly sighed with relief. "I have to finish making your sandwiches," she pointed out.
"Okay," he said slowly, nodding as he leaned back against the sink. "Go ahead," he said, gesturing lazily towards the piles of food. "I can wait."
She was afraid of that.
As she finished making his lunch and packing it she kept her eyes on him, noting the amused expression on his face and wondered if she could talk him out of it. Not because she thought he'd hurt her. No, she was afraid he was turning her into a slut and she'd attack him to finish the job.
This was bad. She never remembered being this turned on by any of her old boyfriends. Then again none of them had looked like Trevor Bradford. The man was a walking advertisement for sex and good god did the man know his way around a woman's body.
Even though she'd like nothing more than to let Trevor have his dirty little way with her body she couldn't. For one thing they didn't have any condoms left. The other problem, she was pretty sure if she had another orgasm this soon after the dozen or so he'd already given her she'd drift off into an orgasm induced coma and wouldn't be able to get back up and go to work.
When she loaded the last ice cold water bottle into his lunch cooler she watched as he pushed away from the counter with a look of anticipation in his eyes that did not bode well for her ass. Licking her lips nervously, she shot a quick look at the open kitchen door.
"You'll never make it," Trevor said, chuckling.
"We'll just have to see about that, now won't we?" she said, meeting his eyes in a clear challenge as she closed the lid on his cooler.
"Yes, we will," he murmured as he started around the right side of the counter, forcing her to take a step towards the left. He paused and moved to the right and she copied his movements, trying not to giggle as he faked a lunge to the left and made her jump.
"This is silly," she said, having more fun than she'd ever admit. "And you're going to be late for work," she tried to point out sternly, but the excited laugh she released when he faked her out again kind of ruined the effect.
"If you're so worried about me being late for work then just come over here and let's get this over with," he suggested with a lopsided grin that made him look relaxed and happy. It was a very nice look on him, she decided seconds before he attacked.
He shifted to the left quickly and reached out to grab her, making her squeal excitedly and jump to the right where he was already heading. She tried to turn and run, but he already had his arms around her waist.
"Gotcha," he said, laughing as he pulled her back against him. She tried to squirm out of his hold, but he wasn't having that.
"Take your punishment like a big girl," he teased as he pressed a surprising kiss to her cheek.
"You are not spanking my ass!" she said, trying to squirm out of his grasp.
Trevor sighed long and loud as he dragged her over to her small kitchen table. "I'm afraid you've left me very little choice," he said, sounding both amused and serious as he hooked the leg of a chair with his foot and yanked it forward.
"It was just a slice of ham! If you let me go I'll buy you an entire grinder for lunch," she offered desperately.
"I wish it were that simple," he said, sighing heavily as if what he was about to do truly pained him as he sat down on the chair, pulling her down with him until she somehow found herself lying across his lap on her stomach.
"How in the hell did you just do that?" she asked, impressed that he'd managed to get her on her stomach and over his knee with very little effort or before she even knew what the hell he was doing. When she tried to move off his lap she found it impossible, especially with that huge arm of his lying across her back, preventing her from moving so much as an inch.
"Trevor," she said nervously as he shifted in his chair to get more comfortable and sighed contently.
"I believe I owe your cute little ass a spanking," he murmured, making her snort her disbelief.
"Little?" she repeated, wondering if the man was high. Although she'd lost a decent amount weight and she thought her butt looked smaller, she wouldn't go as far as to call it small or cute for that matter. Clearly the man was insane, which could explain why he had her over his knees in her kitchen and was-
"Why are you pulling my pants down?" she demanded as she felt her soft plaid pajama pants yanked down below her bottom.
"I believe skin on skin action is more effective, don't you?" he asked as he traced a lazy path around the edge of her panties and in that moment she was glad that she took the extra time this morning to search for the pretty pink panties she bought over the weekend that matched her pajama pants to perfection instead of just grabbing a pair of her old panties from her bureau.
"And I believe letting me up so I can get ready for work would be even better, don't you?" she said, trying to shift to the side in hopes of rolling off his knees so she could make her escape.
"Well, I guess I could do that, but I'm not going to," he mumbled as he absently ran his hand over her bottom almost earning a betraying moan from her.
When she felt his response beneath her stomach she did moan even as she couldn't help but wonder how a woman like her could possible excite a man like Trevor. It was as though they were trapped on a deserted island or something and she was the only woman around. She remembered the way women looked at him the other night in the bar and knew the man could probably have his pick of available women. So why did he want her? Maybe he was going through a plump fetish, she thought as he squeezed a cheek and groaned.
Whatever it was it worked for her at the moment so she was going with it. It might end up being one of the dumbest things she'd ever done in her life, but right now she truly didn't care. Being with Trevor made her happy and after too many years of misery she wasn't going to be foolish enough to push any type of happiness away.
"I'm feeling very generous this morning," Trevor announced as he palmed her other cheek.
"You mean you're not going to spank my ass?" she asked, sounding hopeful even to her own ears. As happy as the man made her she was also exhausted and really needed to get to work. She hadn't missed a day of work in years and didn't plan on it now......well, unless Trevor could persuade her with that very gifted mouth of his. She'd consider listening to his argument for a few hours, just to be polite of course.
"No, I'm still going to have to spank your ass," he said, giving it another squeeze as she felt the thing beneath her poke her hard. "What I meant was that I was willing to overlook the fact that you're wearing underwear in the house."
As she did her best to hold herself up on his lap she frowned, wondering what the hell he was talking about. "Why wouldn't I wear underwear in the house?"
"Because it gets in my way," he murmured, running a finger over her panty clad bottom until it met her slit and she knew the second he realized that she was wet, because he practically shoved her off his lap the same time she did her best to scramble away before they did something foolish.
"I, um, I have to go," he said, breathing hard as he stepped back away from her.
"To work," she said, feeling like an idiot as she pulled up her pants, but thankful that he'd stopped before she'd done something crazy like beg him to take her, but it had been damn close.
"Yeah, work," he agreed absently, noticeably swallowing as he ran hungry eyes over her body. Zoe licked her lips as she did the same, pausing at the very noticeable bulge in his pants.
"You should definitely go," she mumbled even as her body screamed for her to beg him to stay, but she wouldn't. Couldn't. This arrangement was about fulfilling their needs, not screwing with their lives. For the sake of both their lives and jobs they needed to stay focused.
He started to take a step in her direction only to stop and abruptly turn towards the kitchen island and grab his lunch pail on his way out the door.
"This was your only warning," he said gruffly, pausing at the kitchen door with Toby hot on his heels.
Frowning, she asked. "Only warning about what?"
Was he that worried about her feeding the dog his food? She knew the man loved food, but really one slice wasn't going to-
"Wearing underwear in the house, Zoe. Next time your ass is mine," he said, giving her a wink before heading out the door and causing her mouth to drop open.
"You're kidding, right?" she yelled, knowing that he was joking. The man couldn't be serious, she decided as she started cleaning up the mess so that she could get ready for work. There was no way he actually expected to go around the house sans panties, she decided with a soft laugh. That was just crazy.