Chapter 21
"Zoe?" he called out as he shut the front door behind him.
Seconds later Toby came running out of Zoe's apartment to greet him, carrying that damn pink princess toy that he'd hid a half a dozen times now, but the damn dog still managed to find.
"Hey, buddy," he said, shifting the grocery bags into his other hand so he could reach down and pet the dog. "Where's our girl?"
Toby released the toy so that he could bark in the direction of Zoe's apartment. He gave the dog one last pat and walked into Zoe's apartment, frowning when he didn't find her. She usually wasn't too hard to find after work. She was either reading, watching television or running around their apartments cleaning and fussing.
He put the bags down and, cringing, grabbed the new baby pink leash Zoe bought last week. "You want to go for a walk?" he asked even as the dog stood up on its hind legs and tried to jump into his arms. "I'll take that as a yes," he said, chuckling as he clipped the dog leash to his, god help him, matching baby pink collar, and took the dog for a quick walk. He swore if one more person called his dog "a pretty girl" again he was going to spank Zoe's ass.
Ten minutes later he was walking into Zoe's bedroom with the bags and Toby on his heels. It didn't take him long before he realized that Zoe wasn't in her bedroom. The soft sobs he heard coming from the bathroom clued him into her location and tore at his heart. Why did she affect so much? he wondered even as he headed for the bathroom.
"Zoe?" he said softly.
"Go," a soft sob, "away."
Sighing, he pushed the door open and walked inside, not at all surprised to find her sitting in the tub with her knees drawn up to her chest. When she saw him she tried to avert her gaze as she wiped her tears away with the back of her arm.
"What's wrong?" he asked, placing the bags on the floor next to the tub as he knelt in front of it and pushed a wet strand of hair behind her ear.
"I've just had a very bad day and want to get some sleep now," she mumbled, sounding truly miserable.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, turning the faucet on to add fresh hot water to her bath. He picked up the large pink plastic cup she kept by the tub and proceeded to wet her hair as she sat there, resting her chin on her knees.
She shrugged.
"I heard you took quite a fall today," he said, squirting some shampoo into his hand and massaging it through her hair.
"It was just an accident," she said, sniffling.
He didn't believe that for a damn second, but he bit his tongue. Screaming at her wouldn't help, besides it would kill him if he was the reason for her tears. So for a few minutes he didn't say anything as he rinsed her hair and washed her body.
Without a word he drained the tub and held up one of the extra large fluffy towels he knew she liked. She gave him a small trembling smile as she stood up and allowed him to wrap her up.
"Why don't you sit right here?" he said softly, leading her over to the chair by the bathtub. "I'm going to take a quick shower and then we can talk, okay?"
Worrying her bottom lip even as more tears streamed down her beautiful face she gave him a reluctant nod. He turned his back on her as he quickly stripped, knowing she probably wouldn't appreciate the hard on he was sporting at the moment. She was so damn exhausted and he knew it was his fault, but they had another matter he'd ignored for way too long that they needed to deal with tonight.
After a quick shower he wrapped a towel around his waist and sat down on the edge of the tub. Zoe sat on the chair, looking so damn miserable that it made his chest ache. Shoving away useless feelings that wouldn't help either one of them out, he reached into one of the bags and grabbed the two small bottles of orange juice, glad to find that they were still cold.
"Here," he said, passing her one of the bottles.
"I'm not thirsty," she said with a small shake of her head.
He simply ignored her refusal and pressed it into her hand before he grabbed the small turkey grinder he picked up for her and passed it to her. When she tried to refuse it he decided the bullshit was over.
"Eat it," he said softly.
When she shook her head again he met her eyes. "I know you passed out today, Zoe. I also know that you've been starving yourself for the past few months," he said, not bothering to soften his words.
She worried her bottom lip for a minute before she responded. "I'm not starving myself. I just count calories."
"You're starving yourself, Zoe. You don't eat meat. You've cut everything your body needs out and you're losing weight too damn fast," he said, praying for patience, because if this didn't work he had no idea what the hell he would do.
She looked down at the drink and sandwich in her hands. "I don't like being fat," she said, sounding depressed.
Cursing softly, he moved to kneel on the floor in front of her. When she refused to meet his gaze he gently cupped her chin and raised her face.
"Hey, you're not fat, Zoe. You're curvy and sexy as hell, but you're not fat," he said firmly. "But you are starting to scare the hell out of me and if you don't start eating I don't think we can continue this."
Her eyes narrowed dangerously on him as she processed what he said. "You're cutting me off?"
"If you keep up this bullshit diet," he said, shrugging as if the idea of going without her luscious little body didn't bother him.
She considered him for another minute before she said, "You're bluffing."
"Am I?" he asked, feigning disinterest. "I'll just have to go somewhere else," he said, knowing damn well that wouldn't be happening. Until he was done with her, and he wasn't even close to being done with her, she was his and no one else would do.
"Okay," she said, wiping away the rest of her tears that he noted had thankfully stopped flowing, "if that's what you want I guess I'll have to look elsewhere as well."
His eyes narrowed dangerously on her. "What exactly does that mean?"
She gave him a little shrug and an innocent little expression that he wasn't buying for a second.
"You're saying that if I end this arrangement that you'll start one with another man?" he asked with barely controlled rage. He didn't like the thought of her with another man.
Not at all.
He glared at her for another moment, waiting for her to falter in some way, but when she just sat there looking innocent he snapped. "Fine! But you're going to start eating, Zoe, or I swear to god I'll spank your ass!" he said, noting the gleam of anticipation in her tired eyes at his words and remembered who he was talking to. "And not in the good way either."
"Fine," she sighed heavily. "I was already starting to rethink my diet anyway," she grumbled, toying with the sandwich wrapper, but not opening it and eating, he noted.
He reached out and took the sandwich and juice back, placing it in the bag with the rest of the food and stood up, holding his hand out to her. "Come on."
Her eyes widened almost comically as she looked between him and his hand. "I know we have an agreement, but I really am tired," she said, sounding close to crying again.
"Shh," he said soothingly, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead as he took her hand into his. "Come on," he said, giving her hand a gentle pull.
After a slight hesitation she allowed him to lead her into the bedroom where he quickly pulled on one of the pair of jeans he left at her place and found her a pair of panties and a one of his Yankees tee shirts to wear. With an exasperated eye roll and a cute little smile she took the shirt and pulled it on.
"Come on," he said, grabbing her hand once again and pulling her towards the door.
"Where are we going?" she mumbled around a small yawn.
"I thought we'd watch a movie with our dinner," he said, leading her down the stairs, into the hallway and into his apartment. He didn't bother shutting the door behind him since he knew it would only make Toby cry. The dog wouldn't accept anything less than the run of the entire house.
"Have a seat and I'll be right back," he said, placing the bag on the low coffee table. After making sure she did as he asked he ran upstairs and grabbed a pillow and one of the large quilts his grandmother had made him over the years and headed back downstairs to find Zoe starting to doze off.
"Oh no you don't," he said, tossing the pillow and quilt at the opposite end of the couch. "You need to eat, Zoe."
"God, you're bossy," she mumbled, but he didn't miss the look of anticipation on her face or the way she licked her lips. Poor thing, he thought. He really couldn't imagine living on nothing but green veggies and sticks, but somehow she'd done it, not healthily, but she'd done it.
Maybe he should have picked up a couple of steaks with the works, he thought and then quickly dismissed the idea. Zoe would have balked at breaking her diet like that. Once she realized she could eat regular food, but with healthy choices she'd be fine.
"Here you go," he said, grabbing her sandwich and drink and setting it in front of her. "I grabbed you a turkey, no cheese, extra veggies and fat free mayo on wheat. It's healthy food and it won't leave you starving, Zoe," he explained, hoping she wouldn't give him much of a fight, because at this point he was willing to pin her to the ground and force feed her.
She'd lost too much weight to be healthy and worst of all she was making all of his favorite curves smaller. He loved those f*cking curves and he'd be damned if she denied him. Plus, she really was making him nervous.
Not that he really cared or anything.
Okay, so he cared a little bit. She was his friend and they were sleeping together after all. It was only natural that he be concerned when she was putting her health and more importantly their arrangement at risk. He needed to work her out of his system and he wouldn't be able to do that if she was constantly sick.
At least that's what he told himself.
Truth was he really didn't like seeing her suffer. She'd been really good to him and he loved their time together. She was the highlight of his day and as much as that frightened him he couldn't ignore it. He'd help get her where she needed to be, finish this arrangement after he found his future wife and keep tabs on her afterwards to make sure she was okay. Maybe he'd put her in one of his nicer apartment houses and let her live there free. It was the least he could do for her and it would make it so much easier to make sure that she was okay.
"What if I get fat again?" she muttered so softly that he almost missed it.
He just barely stopped himself from snapping at her. "Zoe, you really need to eat. This isn't healthy and if you make better choices and continue to exercise you should be fine."
She tore her eyes away from her sandwich and gave him a sad little sheepish smile. "I always gain back the weight plus a little extra when I break a diet," she admitted, her little chin wobbling.
Sighing heavily, he reached out and took her hand into his. "You're not breaking your diet, Zoe. You're just switching it around. Plus, I'm around and if I see you eating something unhealthy I'll just steal it from you," he said with a shrug.
Her lips twitched even as her eyes shinned with unspent tears. "That's really nice of you."
"I know," he sighed, picking up her sandwich and placing it on her lap. "I'm so damn giving."
He heard what suspiciously sound like a snort of laughter, but decided to ignore it as he devoured his four sandwiches. It didn't take Zoe long to tear through her sub and when she shot his last sandwich a wistful look he sighed and pulled out the small side salad he'd bought just in case Zoe busted his balls over the sub. She took it with a smile, leaving him to finish off his sandwich and pick out a movie.
"So, what else happened today?" he asked as he sat back down and threw his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him.
She shrugged, snuggling up against him. "Not much else. I had a problem getting my car started, fell, bruised my bottom, got to go home early and Jared yelled at me for starving myself," she announced around another yawn.
"Seriously?" he asked, not really all that surprised. If anyone would notice what Zoe wasn't feeding herself it would be a Bradford and since he knew his uncle cared for Zoe he wasn't at all surprised that the man had taken it upon himself to have a word with her instead of pushing the duty onto someone else. No wonder she left the trailer crying. When his uncle cared about someone who was doing something stupid he really let them know it and he should know since he had firsthand experience dealing with his uncle's "concerns."
When he'd dropped out of school at sixteen and got into a screaming match with his mother over that and his demand that she sign the release form so that he could join the army, Jared had been the one to handle him. As he yelled at his mother his uncle quietly walked into the room, crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the kitchen wall while he patiently waited for the argument to end. The moment his mother told him his choices were to get his ass back in school or move out he told her to have a nice life and headed for his room to pack up his shit.
Since he was big for his age and looked at least eighteen and had twenty-five dollars to his name he figured he was more than ready to start a new life. After his father humiliated and abandoned him along with all his friends because of the special classes he had to attend he was damn determined never to return to school. He hadn't seen any real reason to. He was a man and more than able to support himself.
After he packed a duffle bag he stormed out of the house and past his hysterically sobbing mother. He didn't make it three feet past the door before he found himself flat on his stomach, on the grass that he'd forgotten to mow and his uncle's knee between his shoulder blades.
While he struggled to free himself his uncle held him there, calmly explaining to him, in detail, what would happen to him if he tried to leave the house again without his mother's permission and what he would personally do to Trevor if he ever heard him talk disrespectfully to his mother again. As soon as Trevor apologized, with a mouthful of grass and god only knows what else, Jared continued to tell him that he was going to come work for him full-time where he could keep an eye on him, but that he was also going to get his GED.
His uncle didn't ask him what he wanted. He just told him to have his ass up by six in the morning and be ready for work or his ass better be going to school. Six the next morning he groggily waited for his uncle to pick him up and by the end of the day he wished he was dead. He'd hurt everywhere, had blisters on his hands, was sunburned, exhausted, starving and more than ready to go home and crash, but his uncle had other plans for him.
Trevor woke up when his uncle announced that they were there, only to discover "there" was the community center. With a simple nod he told Trevor to get out and go inside for his GED class and that his mother would be there to pick him up in two hours. Before he drove off he explained what would happen if Trevor didn't stay awake and pay attention. Knowing his uncle didn't make idle threats he stumbled inside and forced himself to stay awake and pay attention.
Eight months later he had his GED and a pay raise for doing a good job. By then he liked his job and was pretty good at it so he stayed. He saved his money, learned to flip homes with his uncle and by twenty owned his first rental property, a beat up tiny cottage by the pond that he fixed up and once he did he never had a problem finding tenants that were willing to pay his asking price. Since then he'd bought several more rental properties and flipped at least two houses a year.
He knew there might come a day when his uncle decided to sell the place and retire and he didn't want to find himself dependent on some a*shole who didn't want some guy who couldn't read well working for him. When the day came that he no longer had a job working for his uncle he knew he could more than take care of himself. He also knew that if his uncle hadn't threatened to beat the shit out of him numerous times over the years that he would have probably f*cked up his life big time and been screwed when his mother passed away ten years ago.
Of course his uncle was also a big softie when it came to woman so he was probably beating himself up right now for making Zoe cry, but it had been for the best. He'd wondered why she gave in, not that he really thought she gave in that easily, but he figured he was going to have to tie her down to feed her. He was glad that his uncle did most of his dirty work for him. Not that he really expected this to be the end of it. He wasn't f*cking stupid after all.
"Yeah, it's really sore," she said, squirming next to him to shift some of the weight off her bottom.
"I didn't mean that, smartass," he said, moving away from her. "Lay down," he said, grabbing the pillow and quilt.
When she shot him a nervous look, he bit out, "To rest, Zoe. No sex tonight. I promise."
Did she not trust him? That just plain hurt.
"Are you sure?"
"Didn't I just say no sex tonight?" he demanded, wondering why the woman didn't just take his word for it. It wasn't as though he acted like some horny bastard that couldn't keep his hands off of her.....at least he hadn't tonight.
"I can survive a day without sex, Zoe," he pointed out, purposely not mentioning the mind blowing sex they'd had this morning since it would only weaken his point.
"Okay," she answered slowly, keeping an eye on him as she lay down and snuggled beneath the comforter.
It was insulting and if she wasn't so damn tired he'd do that thing with his tongue that he knew she liked and make her apologize for ever doubting him. He really couldn't believe that she didn't trust him, he thought as he started to climb behind her, pausing to adjust the bulge in his pants.
He was just wondering how in the hell he was going to lie behind her without her finding out that he was a lying bastard when the doorbell rang. With an annoyed groan he climbed back off the couch and was about to tell her he'd be right back when he realized that she was already fast asleep.
Poor thing really was exhausted, he thought as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head and earned a little grumble and a swat. So of course he did it again, chuckling when she tried to hide beneath the comforter as she called him a "Muking mastid."
He quietly left his apartment, shutting the door halfway to give her privacy as he wondered who the hell could be at his door this late at night. Then he wondered if Zoe had called for Black Jack's and simply forgot to tell him about it. She was tired and he was a Bradford after all. She knew damn well if she put enough food in front of him that she could distract him for a while. Poor thing was probably hoping to buy some time, he thought as his poor neglected stomach growled in anticipation of finally getting some proper nourishment.
So when he opened the door and discovered that it was not a Black Jacks delivery boy waiting to hand him a box full of deliciousness, but Hank with two incredibly beautiful women he scowled, just a little bit.
"Ah," Hank started, clearing his throat nervously, "Mandy this is Trevor. Trevor this is Mandy," Hank said gesturing to the gorgeous blonde who was busy running an appreciative eye over his bare chest.
"What do you need?" he asked Hank, feeling his patience fray. Not only had the man interrupted some decent cuddling time with Zoe, but he'd made him think that he was getting Black Jacks' pizza, something that he just couldn't forgive.
"Did you forget about our double date tonight?" Hank bit out, gesturing discretely to the two women standing behind him.
Frowning, Trevor looked back at the woman named Mandy and looked her over. She was beautiful, stunningly so. She had just the right amount of makeup, perfect silky long black hair ending halfway down her back. Her breasts were high and full without the look of plastic and her figure was absolutely perfect.
"We thought we'd head back to the girl's place so that Mandy could cook us all dinner. She's a chef," Hank announced with a cocky grin, no doubt knowing how attractive a woman who could cook was to a Bradford.
What he didn't know was that so far Mandy was scoring pretty high on Trevor's perfect woman list. He shot a look over his shoulder before stepping out onto the front stoop and closing the door behind him.
He shot Mandy a smile that she quickly returned.
"So, Mandy, tell me....are you a Yankees fan?"
"Yes," she said, giving him a flirty little smile.
"Are you close to your family?"
"Yes."
"Large family?"
"Yes," she answered, frowning a bit at his questions or the rapid fire way he was asking them, he didn't know or care.
"Do you think you're fat?" he asked, narrowing his eyes on her as he waited for her to answer.
Her beautiful, perfectly painted mouth worked soundlessly for a moment before she answered. "A little, but I'm on a diet," she rushed to explain as if that's what he wanted to hear.
"Do you like dogs?"
"Yes, but I'm more of a cat person."
"Are you clingy?" he demanded.
"No," she answered with a nervous laugh as she shot her sister, who only shrugged, a look.
With a regrettable sigh he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but this isn't going to work out."
"What the hell are you doing, Trevor?" Hank demanded anxiously. No doubt the man wouldn't be getting laid tonight, but Trevor couldn't help it. He had his standards and this woman failed them.
"Maybe we could go grab a cup of coffee somewhere and get to know-"
He held up his hand, stopping her before she made an even bigger fool out of herself. "Please stop."
"But, I was only-"
"Don't beg."
"I wasn't. I was just-"
"Begging?" Trevor guessed, sighing. "I know, but you're going to have to accept that this would never work out."
She frowned up at him. "I wasn't begging. I was just going to suggest that we should-"
"Look," he said, reaching for the door, "this is just getting sad. I'm just going to go before things get out of hand."
"You bastard," Hank hissed as Trevor stepped past him, but he didn't really care. He was more insulted than anything. What the hell was the man thinking bringing a woman like that to meet him? Did the man think he was so desperate that he'd consider sleeping with a woman like that? It was really insulting, he thought as he climbed onto the couch behind Zoe and pulled her back against his body. She of course rewarded him with an elbow to his gut, which he manfully took since she turned in his arms and cuddled up quite nicely against him.
A half hour later as he dozed off he wondered why Hank brought him a woman like that when he clearly had standards. Then he remembered that the man was a f*cking moron and that explained everything.