Chapter 11

Home felt good. Her apartment was her palace and Zoe was happy to be there again. The past few days had been more than she could have ever imagined. From first meeting David and then succumbing to her desire over and over again, her date with Matt, and then spending the night in the hospital with a concussion; she could not be more glad to be in the comfort of her own home.

Abby had first watch and was showing a strange, albeit very welcome, restraint when it came to questions about David. The living space and bedroom were all one room. This had forced Zoe to get creative with the space and she had done so in a way that made it cozy and welcoming, with plush places to sit, perfect for snuggling up with a good book or a long Netflix marathon. The living space served as bedroom in one corner, living room in another, and the other half of the space, furthest from the windows, was where she worked on her art. She had art all around the exposed brick walls, mostly from others she admired but some of her favorite pieces were up as well.

Abby helped Zoe get into bed, propping Zoe's foot up on every pillow she could find.

"Here is your cell phone and I'll grab you your laptop, anything else you need before we settle in for the Friends marathon I have planned?" Abby asked.

"You have done more than enough. Thanks A." Abby brushed the comment off and walked to get Zoe her laptop. Zoe glanced at her phone.

15 Missed Calls. 

30 Text Messages. 

Zoe should have been shocked by the fact that every missed call was from work and more than half the texts were as well but she did not have the strength or energy. Cheryl had sent a series of long texts with work related questions and she knew her days of rest would probably just turn into working from home. Zoe hoped it would make the time go faster. The idea of being stuck at home in bed for three days was daunting. 

She flipped through texts from some friends and co-workers checking in to make sure she was ok and she responded to each with a generic message of "I'm home now and I am ok! Thanks for thinking of me but I am fine." 

There was a series of sweet and concerned texts from Matt, each of which included an unneeded apology. Zoe would respond to those later. As she looked through the rest of her messages a new one came in from a number she did not recognize. 

555-8726: Zoe, Make sure you are getting plenty of rest and please do not hesitate to contact me if you need anything. I want you well. - D.M.

"Holy Shit, Zoe. What is going on with you and David Moore?!" Abby was standing over Zoe looking at her phone with her jaw open. 

"Nothing, it's nothing. I am pretty sure he is just worried I might sue or something." Zoe turned the screen off on her phone and reached for the laptop. "Anyway I have a zillion messages from Cheryl, I need to do work while you start the marathon, that ok?" Zoe could have sighed with relief as Abby happily sat next to her on the bed and flipped on the TV. 

Zoe worked on e-mails as Abby got sucked into the world or Ross and Rachel. She could feel her phone go off a few more times but was too nervous to open them around Abby. Not that he would say anything, he didn't want Zoe, the moments they had were fleeting and Zoe knew it. But what about what he had said at the hospital. "Don't you ever scare me like that again." Just thinking about it made her ache for him, to feel him again deep inside her, to feel his arms wrapped around her, his lips on her neck. She had never desired something so fully, with every fiber of her being. 

"I'm going to grab a soda, want anything while I am up? Need more pain meds?" Abby asked standing next to the bed.

"No, I'm good. Thanks." As soon as Abby turned towards the kitchen Zoe had her phone out. 

The new messages were not from David, but more from friends. Disappointed, Zoe added him as a contact in her phone. The hours of TV with Abby continued as Zoe kept working on her computer. 

Abby got a text. "Shit, Zoe. I am so so so so sorry but I have to go! Are you going to be ok if I go? I just, crap, they are calling some kind of emergency meeting at the firm. Don't they know it's a fucking Saturday!?" Abby spoke frantically while gathering her things. "I'll call Lexie and see if she can get out of the party early and take the night shift tonight, k?" Abby was so panicked, all Zoe could do was nod and say it was okay, and for the most part she believed it. She had crutches next to her bed and her apartment was easy to get around. 

"I'll be fine, go. Thank you for everything today!" And before she could finish her sentence Abby was walking out the door talking frantically to someone on the phone. Zoe's phone buzzed. 

David: How are you feeling? 

Zoe: Fine, tired but better. 

David: Good. Are your friends taking good care of you?  

Zoe hesitated, she was not sure how he would actually react if he knew she were alone and she was not entirely sure she wanted to find out, she knew so little about him, about his temperament. 

Zoe: Excellent care, Thank You. And Thank You again...for everything. 

David: ...Everything? If we are saying thank you for everything than I have quite a few things I should be thanking you for as well. 

Her stomach dropped and the ache for him rushed deep inside her. 

David: Tell your friend to open the door. 

Shit. He isn't here. He wouldn't do that, right? Zoe began to panic. 

Zoe: Why?

David: Just do it. I got something for you.

Zoe pulled herself up in bed and reached for her crutches. She was in lavender pajama shorts and a white tank top with her hair piled into a giant bun on the top of her head. When she used the crutches her tank top pulled up and revealed her flat white stomach. Please don't be him. Please just be pizza. She thought as she hobbled to the door. She couldn't look out the door before opening it, opening it was a big enough of a challenge and as she pulled the heavy wood door open towards her she lost her balance on her crutches and fell forward, right into his strong solid arms.  

As he steadied her stance she looked up into his grave face, it was betraying him yet again. Normally void of emotion, his face showed the slightest signs of anger on it's edges. Their eyes met and it was clear he was mad but he did not say a word as he wrapped one arm around her and helped her to the couch. Setting her down he went back for her crutches and a bag of take out he had dropped when he caught her mid-fall. 

"Where are your friends?" He growled the words with an anger that put her desire for him on edge. I know almost nothing about this man. The thought made her uneasy. 

"She had to leave, something came up. Another friend will be here in the morning, possibly sooner if she can." Zoe felt like she was trying to apologize with every single word, as if she had committed some terrible sin but as soon as the words were out she regretted it: what did she owe this man?

He was practically pacing. Pacing like a wild animal getting ready to strike. Zoe became brave. 

"Why are you even here?" She wanted the words to come out like daggers but instead her voice was a whisper, almost a whimper. How does he do this to me? 

He sat on the ottoman facing her, she was sitting on the edge of the couch so their knees touched. Her ankle hurt from the fall so she was trying to hold herself up with her arms to help keep the weight off her leg. Their eyes met, she tried hard to show she was in pain but she couldn't help but wince as her weight shifted uneasily. He reached a hand up to lightly move a stray hair away from her eyes, just as he had at the hospital and as he placed the hair behind her ear his fingers ran along her jaw bone, down to her chin which he lightly lifted towards his. 

The aching inside her filled her with longing for him. She had goose bumps all over as he slowly, lightly, lifted her chin higher and moved his lips closer to hers. She couldn't take it, she thought she might explode from the desire and longing. She ached deep down inside and could feel he had made her wet with wanting. She could barely breath. 

He kissed her softly just once, and pulled back to meet her eyes. 

"You." He finally answered her question. 

He moved in again with more force, moving his hand into her hair and drawing her to him. She returned his kiss deeply, her body begging for more, begging for him to be deeper within her. He moved his free hand to her waist and began to pull her from the couch onto his lap but her ankle turned as the pressure pushed down on her foot she leaned back and cried in agony from the pain. It was sharp and blinding and pulled her quickly from the flood of pleasure he had filled her with. In one swift movement he put his arms around her and she was in his arms again. 

"It's ok, you're ok. Put your arms around my neck." She could feel the hot tears streaming down her face as did as he said. He moved her through the apartment like she weighed nothing at all, his arms solid beneath her, she could feel the lines of his muscles. 

He placed her softly on her bed and began moving the pillows Abby had gotten for her ankle back into a pile. He pulled the coves over her and ran his hand along the side of her face, using his thumb to wipe away her tears. 

"You're ok." He said softly, looking deep into her eyes. "When was the last time you took the pain medication they gave you?" 

"I haven't...I haven't taken any." She whispered. She was no longer crying but all she could think of was the pain she was in. She could barely take him in and she barely noticed how it broke her more when he stood and walked away to the kitchen, grabbing the bag of take out on his way. 

Zoe caught her breath, she took a sip of water from the glass on her night stand and pushed herself up slowly to a seated position. 

David, with a plate of food in hand, moved quickly to set it down and help her up. 

"Here." He whispered as he lifted her up to sit up straight. He turned and grabbed the plate he had set down. It was filled with mostaccioli in tomato sauce. "Eat this and then you are going to take your medication and rest." 

"Are you just going to drop everything and take care of me?" She teased. 

Without missing a beat and with his face like stone he met her eyes and said, "That is exactly the plan." 

Chapter 10

"Zoe!!!!"
"Are you ok?"
"Matt told us everything! He feels terrible!" Abby and Lexie talked over each other. They were waiting in the hospital room when they brought her back from her last round of x-rays. The pain killers made it so Zoe had no idea how long she had been at the hospital but she knew was ready to go home.

"I'm fine, they said that once they get the x-ray results for my ankle I should be able to go home. I am so glad to see you two." As the nurse left the room Abby and Lexie pulled chairs up next to Zoe.

"You look like shit." Abby stated.
"Jesus Abby, be nice." Lexie smacked Abby's arm.
"Did David Moore really carry you out of the club? We know he brought you here but Matt said he was the one to carry you out! David Moore?!" Abby whispered.

Zoe was relieved when the doctor entered before she had to try and answer the question.

"Well Zoe, it looks like the ankle is just sprained, you will need to ice it and stay off it for a couple days but you should be fine. All in all, your injuries look a lot worse than they actually are. With a couple days rest you are going to be ok. You just need to stay home, rest, and be sure to have someone with you to keep an eye on you. The concussion seems to be mild but with head injuries it is essential to monitor those first few days." Dr. Reddy gave a sweet smile to Zoe and the girls as she put the chart down. "If you don't have any further questions we will get you checked out of here."

"Thank you, Doctor." Zoe said "That would be great."

The Doctor smiled and nodded then left the room. Zoe sighed and looked at the girls who were both on their phones texting.
 "Kelli says she hopes you feel better and she'll be by to visit once she is back in town." Lexie said without looking up from her phone.
"Matt says he hopes your okay and said to text him if..." Abby looked up in shock at the door way and Zoe looked to see what could possible stop Abby mid sentence.

David stood in the doorway in a fresh suit, Zoe realized it was morning as her breath caught in her throat. She wanted to be in his arms again. He looked only at her, his stone face showing no emotion but his eyes looking brighter than they had as his face had faded from her vision the night before. He had looked so concerned last night and that made her ache for his touch even more. Maybe he was more complicated than she had believed, maybe he wanted her for more than...what did he want her for?

"Matt is so hot Zoe, you really need to pursue that option ASAP, especially while he's still feeling awful for the whole dance floor incident." Lexie continued talking, eyes glued to her phone, oblivious to the new person in the room. Abby smacked her arm and Lexie's jaw dropped as she watched David walk over to Zoe's bedside.

"Good morning Zoe, how are you feeling?" It was as if Abby and Lexie did not exist, his eyes stayed on nothing but Zoe.

"Better, much better. Thank you so much for everything and I am so so-"
"You have nothing to apologize for." He cut her off.
"Zoe, we'll be right out here if you need us." Abby was dragging Lexie from the room as she said it. Zoe was thankful that David did not seem to notice what fools they were making of themselves, he didn't even glance at them.

As Zoe sat in her hospital bed she realized how awful she must look compared to this chiseled god like man standing next to her. Her long red hair was wild and dirty, she was sure her makeup was smeared if not completely gone, and she wore nothing but a thin hospital gown. She could feel a light throbbing from her forehead where she was sure there was a bump and probably some bruises from where she hit her head. She felt ridiculous as the same ache for him grew inside her as it had before, she knew that with how she must look it could only be her that felt the pull of him, the wanting for him.

He lifted a hand and gently ran his fingers along her hair line, moving some wild stray hairs back behind her ear. Her breath hitched at his touch.

"Did that hurt? I am so sorry. I just..." He sat on the edge of the bed, as if it were exactly where he belonged. He stared deep into her eyes and she was lost to him. He had to know the power he had over her.

"No, it's fine. I'm ok." She could barely hear herself as she whispered the words. She felt a longing deep within her.

"I just wanted to check on you, see if you were doing better. It sounds as though they will be sending you home soon?" His eyes searched her face for an answer.

"Yeah, they are just getting the paperwork in order. I'll be very glad to go home."
"I've told them to contact you employer with your off work notice and all bills will be sent to V. I will take care of everything so if they try and contact you let me know." The fantasy playing out in Zoe's head ended, he was here for business. She had been injured at opening night at his club and he was here to cover his tracks, not to profess some fondness for her. As much as she ached for him the reality of what they were was purely a physical escapade that he could easily pass by. "I also wanted to give you my personal cell number, if there is anything you need while recovering please let me know. I take it you live alone?"

"Yes, but I think Abby and Lexie are going to take turns watching me. You really don't need to do any of this, it's really all too much - "
"No. It's not. You shouldn't be alone the next few days, if they can't be there I expect you to call me. Understand?" His voice was all business as his eyes stayed locked on hers.
"Yes. Thank you." She nodded with reluctance. She could feel the tears welling up behind her eyes as the exhausted amplified her embarrassment at misreading the situation. Yet again she mistook his intentions as possibly being something more than what they were and she only had herself to blame.

He nodded and looked her over slowly, starting at her feet and working up to her eyes again. He ran his fingers along her jawbone, lightly raising her chin towards him. Chills went down her spine as he gently held her face in his hand. He moved in close, bringing his lips to her ear. She felt his lips brush her skin as he spoke n the softest whisper. A whisper that melted her very core.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again."

Chapter 9

"Clear the way."
"This way, can you carry her up the stairs?"
"Yeah, just lead the way."
"Did you see what happened?"
"She was behind me. I felt her pull and then all of the sudden she wasn't holding my hand anymore so I looked back and she was down and out. I thought they were going to step all over her."
"How much did she have to drink?"
"Two, maybe three at most. I don't think that had anything to do with it."
"Here, set her down here. Sarah, go get some water and a cold damp rag an- Jesus, look at her head. Get some ice."
"Yes, sir....Should...should I call 911?"
"No! No...Not yet."

Zoe could hear them talking over the roar of the music. Fuzzy images faded in and out: black chandeliers floating above her, a tall figure in a suit ahead of her, a girl looking at her nervously, David's face no longer made of stone, etched with concern.

A shrill voice broke through, "Mr. Moore, is she okay? This is all my fault! I didn't see her and I jumped back and I think I broke her ankle and..." Something stopped the panicked girl from talking and Zoe felt a warm touch along her calf followed by a sharp pain at her ankle. She winced.

"Zoe...Zoe...Hey, there you are." Her eyes had never felt so heavy as she struggled to open them. Matt's soft voice and beaming face still held a smile but a smile that was trying to hide concern. Just behind him was David, she saw his attention turn towards her as soon as her eyes fully opened. His stone face looking more grave than usual. She felt a cool damp towel on her forehead as she struggled to take in her surroundings.

She realized she was in the upstairs balcony on one of the plush couches overlooking the dance floor. She could see the party below had not stopped but she was surrounded by concerned faces. Matt was kneeling in front of the couch in front of her, to his side was David sitting in a chair brought over from a nearby table. Next to David stood a young woman holding a bag of ice, an employee of the club waiting for David's instructions. Near her stood small a group of girls, lightly sweaty, probably from the dance floor, the girl in the front of the group looked as though she was near tears. Behind them stood a few more employee's ready and waiting for instructions. All eyes were on Zoe.

"I don't know what happened." Zoe struggled to get the words out, they felt like molasses in her mouth. A sob broke out as the girl from the dance floor turned to her group of friends sobbing "It's all my fault!"

"Sarah, take these ladies downstairs. Get them a cab home, " David said to one of the employees standing at the ready behind him. He added in a hushed tone, "and get them some coffee to sober them up."

"We were trying to walk off the dance floor and from the looks of things, one of the girls jumped up and landed right on your ankle, knocking you down. You hit your head pretty hard." Matt spoke calmly, never loosing eye contact with Zoe as he spoke. As if he believed he could reassure her every thing would be ok as long as their eyes were locked.

Her head was pounding and everything ached. She had never felt pain like this before. She tried to lift herself up but Matt put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't move, okay?"

Things were starting to clear up for Zoe, she was gaining focus again and starting to understand what had happened, but most of all the pain was catching up with her. She turned to Matt, "I'll call Abby, she can drive me home."

Matt nodded and started to hand Zoe her clutch.

"No, that is not going to happen. You hit your head pretty hard Zoe. You are going to the hospital." David stood as he spoke, then turned to give instructions to one of the employees near him.

It happened in an instant. She went from the couch to his arms in a blink of an eye. Matt looked as shocked as Zoe felt. She was in his arms, for the second time that night David had his arms wrapped around her body.

"David, I 'll get her to the hospital." Matt attempted to argue. "You don't need to do this. I'll take care of it."

"While I appreciate the offer Matt, you've had a few too many to drink. I'll have Sarah call you a cab. Just call her friends and tell them I will be taking her to St. Mary's." And just like the Zoe watched elevator doors close and Matt was gone. She was in an elevator in David's arms and while she wished she could take in the moment, the feel of his arms around her, the sound of his breath and his heartbeat, the smell of his cologne, she could barely keep her eyes open as the pain overwhelmed her yet again.

"Shit, Zoe. Come on. Stay awake. Just a little bit longer. Please." She wasn't sure if it was the pain from her head of the pain in his voice that finally pulled her back into the darkness.

Chapter 8

It had taken Zoe all of three minutes to put herself back together in the ladies room. That left twelve long minutes of standing alone in silence. Twelve minutes to dwell on all the reasons she should have walked away. Zoe knew she shouldn't be with David; he was a client who would be moving into her building this weekend. She knew all the reasons it was wrong from the way he treated her like an object to the way she submitted to her desire without thinking of consequence. But being with him made her feel alive in a way she had never felt before. Logically she knew what she was doing was wrong, but the pleasure of being with him overwhelmed her. It made all logic disappear. It made Zoe become someone else. It made her become someone she never thought she could be.

After the longest fifteen minutes of her life, she made her way down the stairs again to find the music was louder, the crowd was bigger, and her date was starting in on yet another drink. As she walked up to their table, Matt put his arm around her waist as if he had done it a thousand times before, and pulled her close.

"I thought you'd never make it back." He said into her ear as he handed her a drink. She could feel his hot breath on her neck as he squeezed her close. "Do you want to dance?" Zoe tossed back the sweet vodka drink he had handed her and nodded her head meeting his eyes. His eyes were warm and inviting, but that could have been from how much he had to drink. She let him take her hand and guide her out to the dance floor near his friends. There was a DJ now and the music had grown loud and rhythmic. The dance floor was crowded and Matt seemed to use that to his advantage as he faced Zoe, placing his hands on her hips and pulling her close to him as they danced.

Zoe was not the type of girl you would find in a club, she was usually out at gallery openings, concerts, or home reading on the weekends. Clubs usually made her anxious and she was not the biggest fan of large crowds but with all that had happened in the past two days, all the things she had done that were so far from the norm for her, she found herself giving in to the rhythm. Matt had pulled her close but not too close, his hands rested firmly on her hips and only ever moved to her lower back when he did dare to move them. She found the warmth of his eyes comforting, and while his smile seemed permanent it was sincere.

This is normal. She thought. This is what normal people do. Not David. David is anything but normal. 

She had no idea how long they had been dancing, but her toes began to ache in her heels as Matt leaned in close, "Care for another drink?" He shouted over the music in her ear. She met his smile with her own and nodded. He grabbed her hand to lead her off the crowded dance floor and as she looked up ahead, past the seemingly never ending sea of people, she saw David.

Stone faced, with eyes like daggers pointed straight at her. He was standing at a table along the edge of the dance floor. It was as if he wanted to make sure she knew. He wanted to make sure she knew that he saw her. She felt all her breath leave her. Her smile disappeared and just when she thought she would never be able to tear her eyes away a hard heavy jolt of pain hit her ankle, her grip was torn from Matt's hand, and suddenly all she could see were high heels and polished shoes and she felt a heavy blow as her head hit the floor and everything went dark.

Chapter 7

The drive to V with Matt had been uneventful. He had been a gentleman from the start, complimenting her, opening the car door for her, and generally doing all the expected first date rituals but Zoe was relieved when they pulled up to the red carpet entrance of V and the Valet opened the door as local reporters snapped blinding photos. Zoe found Matt generally likable but nothing seemed to draw her to him. As he came around the car to meet her, he slid his hand onto the small of her back and guided her up the red carpet walkway to the entrance.

The outside of V looked like a gray cube. Made of concrete, and with no windows on the front, a large black V stood out from the top corner the building. The V was backlit with white neon light creating a glow around the edges. The two story building looked simple, elegant, and understated. Two tall models with long blonde hair in tight black shift dresses stood at either side of the door with trays of drinks in their hands. Their red lips said "Welcome to V" in unison. Matt and Zoe both took drinks and walked into V to discover a large dark, gorgeous room with everything in black and gray. Black chandeliers of all different sizes hung from the ceiling in the center of the room, a bar ran along the East and West walls with a warm glowing light coming from under the black bar top and behind the bottles on the wall behind. The second story was a balcony that ran along all sides of the square building with cozy couches surrounding small tables, perfect for intimate conversation. The center of the downstairs was a large dance floor with tall tables around the edges, the place was crowded but not yet full. 

Matt was finished with his drink before they had made it to a table. He guided her to a table where he quickly introduced her to a group of lawyers he worked with, whose names she would never remember. They all had dates that looked like models and immediately Zoe felt out of place. He grabbed another round of drinks as their conversations continued. 

"So where did you meet Matt?" One of the blonde dates eventually asked Zoe. 

"We actually met last night, a mutual friend introduced us." Zoe felt even more out of place as everyone looked behind her instead of at her as she answered the question. She could feel the pink rising in her checks as the realization that she did not belong here set in. 

"Hello, Gentlemen." Zoe froze at the sound of his voice. She had heard him say so few words and yet it was unmistakably him. Matt put his hand on the small of her back and turned her body so she was facing David. 

"Hello David, thank you again so much for the invitations. The place looks amazing. Congratulations on the opening." Matt beamed, reaching out to shake David's hand. David cooly accepted, never breaking his face of stone, showing no emotion. 

"Thank you, and how could I not invite the legal team that got me this place?" His eyes scanned the men but his expression stayed, "I'm sorry I can't stay and chat. Please drink up and enjoy yourselves." His eyes met Zoe's for a moment, to her it felt like an eternity. She could feel her heart beat quicken as her desire for him slowly crept up from deep within her. David walked away into the crowd. 

With her head spinning, Zoe excused herself to the ladies room. As she walked up to the main one downstairs she saw an endless line and her panic increased. A tall model with a tray of drinks must have seen the state Zoe was in as she mouthed the word 'upstairs.' Zoe was grateful for the tip as she walked right in to the restroom that was hidden down a dark hallway in the corner of the upstairs balcony. It was quiet and empty as she placed her clutch on the counter and looked in the mirror. 

She wore her hair in big loose curls that rested just on her breast. He long black designer dress was borrowed from Kelli and while it hugged her curves perfectly, showing how her figure formed a perfect 8, she wished she had pinned the revealing slit up the side that went almost to the top of her thigh. She took a deep breath and sighed, there was no way she would see him again, she thought. He was the owner and it was opening night, his night would be handshake after handshake as he went around and followed the formalities of thanking everyone for coming out. Having caught her breath, she reapplied her dark red lipstick and headed down the long dark hallway to the railing of the balcony taking in the whole bar below. 

The balcony was empty and still. From there she could see the bar below was packed and more people were coming in the door. The music was low enough you could talk but not so low that it was forgotten, it was a mix of slow sultry rock songs and blues. She could see Matt grabbing another drink as he laughed with his friends from the firm. She did not notice David was next to her until he spoke. 

"They weren't supposed to let anyone up here tonight." She turned to face him, he somehow seemed even taller today as he looked down into her eyes. He was standing about a foot away from her and it gave her enough space to take him all in. His tuxedo made his frame look strong and even in formal attire his dark curly hair was just the right amount of messy. 

"I'm sorry, one of the girls-" Zoe began to explain.

"It's ok." He cut her off and took a step closer. Zoe could feel it again. She could feel the pull of him. Her body became tense as she tried to fight off the desire she had for him but she could feel the ache deep inside her rising up faster than she could control. 

He was inches away now and she watched as his eyes looked over every inch of her. She watched his face as he started at her black high heels, followed her leg up to the top of her thigh where the slit of the skirt began, and scanned her small waist up to the rise of her chest, along the soft skin of her neck, and finally he met her eyes again. His face was still stone but she could see his chest rise and fall faster as his eyes made their way to hers. She thought she could see desire in his eyes. 

He stepped closer. She could feel his breath on her face now and she had to lean her head back to look up into his eyes. He gently moved his hand to the small of her back, his touch was soft but powerful and it made her breath hitch. He used his hand to guide her away from the balcony railing and walked by her side as he led her to the dark hallway in the corner. 

She was aching for him. Every inch of her burning with desire. They were halfway down the hallway when he moved his hand away from her back. She stepped back from him, pressing her back against the wall. He moved towards her, almost wrapping his body around her but he still left the slightest bit of room between them. 

He leaned one hand above her against the wall, his feet were just enough apart that he had one on either side of her. With his free hand he took his forefinger under her chin and lifted her face to meet his gaze. Her breath was racing now, she could not breath fast enough. Their eyes were locked as he lightly tipped her head back, she could feel herself becoming wet. Her body ached for his touch so much that she had to close her eyes as he moved his lips down towards her face. 

He did not kiss her. Instead his lips hovered just above her ear, she could feel the moisture from his warm breath on her ear lobe.

"Why did you run this morning?" He whispered softly. He nuzzled his nose against her neck and chills ran up her whole body. She had to stop herself from moaning with pleasure. Just being this close to him, just his touch set her on fire. 

"It's not right." It was a struggle to get the words out. He moved his head back and looked into her eyes. He searched them and she wondered what he was searching for. His face was still unreadable but his eyes were starting to let down their walls. 

He inhaled deeply, and set his jaw, mulling over what he would say next. 

"My understanding is that you just met Matt Allen. Am I wrong?" He asked cooly, and once again he was a statute standing over her, not a flinch betraying him. 

"No, you're right. I just met him. He's not. We're Not. It's not because of him or anyone else." Her thoughts were jumbled with him there. All she could think about was how it had felt to be with him, how he had made every muscle in her body radiate with pleasure. 

"Then what?" He waited. She could not find the words to explain it to him. The thousands of reasons she had listed last night and again this morning seemed meaningless when he was standing right here. Standing over her, just inches away, so close she could feel his warmth, she could feel his pull. 

And all the reasons and excuses were gone as she tilted her head back and brought her lips to his. As she leaned forward to kiss him, his right arm left the wall and wrapped around her waist as his left hand gently reached for the base of her neck, his fingers in her hair. The taste of his lips drove her wild. His kiss was strong, powerful but his lips were soft. His tongue played in her mouth with hers as he pulled her closer, leaving no space between them. Her hips rested just below his and she could feel him through his tuxedo. She pulled away from his kiss and her head fell back as she moaned with pleasure feeling how much he wanted her. 

He took the opportunity to kiss her exposed neck lightly from the top all the way down to her chest. He held her as she melted into him. He kissed her along the edge of her dress, right were the hem of the fabric pressed against the top of her breasts. He took his time slowly kissing her from right to left as she struggled to catch her breath. As he came up from the last kiss he used the hand at the base of her neck to bring her gaze forward to meet his. 

When their eyes met she could see his breath had quickened. She moved the arms she had wrapped around him to his coat button and gently unbuttoned it without letting her eyes leave his. She walked her fingers down to his belt and unlatched it slowly, softly. Quickly moving her hands to the button of his pants, she smoothly unbuttoned and unzipped them. She did all this without ever looking away from his eyes. They were alight with something she had not seen in them before. 

He did not move a single muscle as she reached for him. He closed his eyes as her long soft fingers gently brought him out. Thick and hard, she could feel his desire pulsing in her hand. He reached into his inside coat pocket and unwrapped a condom. As she placed the condom on him, he took a deep breath and moved his hands to her hips, gently he pulled her dress up and her lace thong down. 

She pressed herself against the wall, bracing herself for him. He lifted her just slightly and placed his right arm against the wall above her head and then he entered her. Slowly, purposefully he entered her. She gasped with pleasure and titled her head back. He pulled back painfully slow and then began the slow, steady thrusts deep inside her. She put her arms around his neck, bracing herself as the pleasure became to intense to stand. He slowly picked up speed and she could feel his thrusts from her head to her toes. The pleasure resonated through her body as she lost herself to him. As he picked up speed she lost her breath, every inch of her was on fire with pleasure, her mouth hung open as she tried not to scream with ecstasy. 

Just when she could not take any more of him, he moved his left arm under her, cradling her lower back and his right arm moved from the wall to behind her shoulders as he lifted her off the ground. He pounded into her quickly while holding her in the air. While holding her in his strong arms. She buried her head in his neck and she could her his quick breathing. She couldn't hold back the moans any longer as she started to reach her climax. She could feel him so deep inside her, he was pushing the air out of her, she could not breath. 

A blinding white light took over her vision as she came. Her head tilted back and he held her close as the pleasure washed over her like waves and her body squirmed in his arms. She heard his breath quicken and then he gasped as she felt him fill her with his pleasure. He leaned forward, pining her against the wall and pushing himself further into her. Once his breath slowed, he lowered her down softly and stepped away from her. 

"Wait fifteen minutes before you come downstairs." He said and then he turned and walked down the hall to the men's restroom. She stared at the wall in front of her and the list she had made herself the night before, the list of reasons why she should never have been with him in the first place, the list she had forgotten just minutes ago, came flooding back to her.

Chapter 6

Zoe did not know how it happened but suddenly she was running down the hallway towards the elevator. She had never felt so physically torn before. She was torn between succumbing to her aching desire for him and the regret she felt from how far she had already let it go. She was torn between wanting and dignity. So when he whispered softly in her ear the very words that had melted her the night before, she bolted.

She pushed past him and ran at full speed through the front door. She did not stop until she hit the elevator button. She pressed the button until the bell rang and the door opened. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her head was spinning as she got in the elevator. She turned to lean on the back wall and waited for the doors to close.

She could see him, standing in the hallway, eyes locked on her and for once his face gave some indication of what he was thinking. As their eyes met she could see confusion in his. She sighed in relief as the doors closed and the image of him was gone.

This could ruin her. Yet again she had let him drive her to a place that could ruin her professional life, her career. Not that she had a passion for property management, but it was a steady job that provided her with a nice place to live and enough money to support her art. She caught her breath in the ride down the elevator and tried to shake his eyes from her memory.

25 flights later and the elevator bell rang as the doors opened to the lobby. There stood graceful, gorgeous Maria talking coolly on the phone. She beamed her gorgeous smile to Zoe and mouthed the words “I’ll be right in.” As Zoe feebly smiled back and walked into the Main Office, where once again Cheryl was ready to pounce.

“What did she say?” Cheryl looked as though she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown as she ran up to Zoe and begged for an answer.

“I think he is going to take it. His assistant said she would be right in to do all the paperwork.” Zoe turned to the safety of her desk, hoping to hide in paperwork to avoid any more conversation with Cheryl about David Moore. She froze at the site of the most elaborate bouquet of two-dozen pink roses on her desk.

“Zoe!” Cheryl squealed with delight, “I could kiss you! You have no idea how huge this will be for us!” Cheryl was right, she did not understand all the fuss surrounded David Moore renting the penthouse. Their property had two Penthouse apartments and one had been rented for years, the other had just been made available three days ago and the phone had been ringing off the hook since then with clients demanding to see it. What was so important about David Moore renting this apartment? Wasn’t he just another rich 30-something with too much time and money on his hands? To Zoe, the clientele here were all the same; overly rich, overly arrogant, and too young to have earned the money themselves. But at that moment her mind was no longer on the pretentious clientele, it was on the mystery of the pink roses.

As Zoe walked slowly to her seat behind her desk she stared at the roses in bewilderment. As she sat down, she looked to Cheryl for answers.

“Oh! The roses! You, my dear, have been keeping secrets!” Zoe panicked, of course she had been keeping secrets. How could she tell her boss about the way David had held her steady over him, making her ache for him more and more as he slowly brought her down thrusting himself deep inside her. Steady, slow, and deep, making every part of her pulse with pleasure.

And there he was, walking in the office with Maria, looking as cold and stone faced as ever. Cheryl did not see them enter and continued; “I did not know you were going to the opening of V tonight. And who, exactly, is Matt Allen? Why am I only hearing about him now?”

Zoe was not sure if she should be relieved that Cheryl knew nothing about her and David or mortified that Cheryl was airing her personal business in front of David and Maria. Her only option was to take control of the situation; she turned to Maria and David, “Ready to start the paperwork?” Maria smiled sweetly but David glared at her, his usually cold face now burning with anger. He whispered something to Maria as she nodded in understanding.

“I have to be going, Maria will take care of things from here. Thank you.” David stated briskly and walked out of the office. Maria sat down in front of Zoe’s desk and beamed her soft gorgeous smile, “Let’s get David all moved in, shall we?”

Chapter 5

Zoe had always brought her staff coffee and pastries on Friday so it meant getting to the office early to set everything up. She was hoping to beat Cheryl to the office so she would have time to settle in before the interrogation began but as she fumbled to unlock the doors to the main office she could see all the lights were already on. As soon as their eyes met, Cheryl pounced.

"Tell me everything." Cheryl said coming out of her office to follow Zoe to the break room. Zoe had her arms filled with pastry boxes and a travel box of Starbucks coffee but Cheryl ignored Zoe's struggle and began demanding details.

"Did he say anything about the price? The apartment? The furniture? You did tell him that we could provide it with different furniture or no furniture, right? Did you show him the spa? The Sauna? The Bill- "

"Cheryl," Zoe interrupted her incessant questioning, "I will tell you everything once my hands are free. Let me just set up the coffee and I will be right in your office, I promise." Cheryl, caught off guard, nodded and walked back to her office as quickly as she had pounced.

Zoe had rehearsed her story about 100 times last night and another 100 this morning. She was not going to lie, she was just going to omit the details of how he had managed to get her wet without even touching her. She was going to forget to include the part where she screamed in ecstasy as he thrusted deep inside her. Zoe closed her eyes and shook her head, the regret she felt continued to shake her to the very core. She could hear voices in the main office, she checked herself in the mirror to make sure she looked exactly as Cheryl had instructed and walked out to see her boss.

In the main office she saw Cheryl talking with a gorgeous woman in a crisp, pressed white button up blouse and a tight black knee length pencil skirt with black high heels. She had long thick straight brown hair, dark eyeliner that accented her green eyes, and bright red lips. She looked like a Victoria Secrets model with the large perky breasts barely contained by her button up blouse and long tan, toned legs. She carried a black patent leather Filofax and an iPhone.

"Zoe! This is Maria, she is Mr. Moore's assistant." Cheryl was trying to hide her panic by overcompensating with enthusiasm. Zoe reached out to shake Maria's hand and was relieved when Maria took her hand with a warm smile.

"Mr. Moore was very impressed with what he saw last night. He just needs me to make sure that what he likes and what he needs are in alignment." Maria spoke with a cool grace. "He has sent me to check measurements and look at it more critically."

"Of course, it would be my pleasure to show you around." Zoe couldn't believe it. He liked the apartment. He hadn't even seen the whole place, they had barely made it through three rooms before she lost herself to him.

The elevator ride with Maria was much more pleasant than the rides Zoe had taken with her boss. Maria asked questions and listened to Zoe as she explained the amenities and features of the community.

As the elevator bell rang and the doors opened to the 25th floor, Zoe led Maria down the hallway and opened the doors just as she had the night before but this time instead of feeling David's pull, Maria made the penthouse feel light, cool, and calm.

"He is right, it is a gorgeous view. Do you mind if I take measurements?" Maria asked.

"Feel free to take as many as you need, let me know if you have any questions." Zoe stood at the island in the kitchen with her back to the door. She looked out across the living area to the same view she had seen the night before. It was amazing how different everything looked in the daylight. She still couldn't believe the night before had happened, the intimacy she had felt with him was unlike anything she had known. Every time she thought of him she could almost feel him standing behind her again. She could not forget the powerful pull she felt from him, even before they had touched. Thinking of it now made her breath quicken and she could feel her pulse increase as a longing stirred deep inside her.

"Good morning, Zoe." Even at a whisper his voice echoed deep inside. She could feel his voice in her bones. Her breath hitched as she realized he was really there, the electricity between them was palpable. Even when he stood a few inches away it felt as if they were connected again.

She turned to face him and met his eyes. They were cold today as they met hers and some how that made her want him more. His hair was perfectly messy again, and his dark gray suit draped his body in way that showed he toned form underneath. He stood above her, looking down into her eyes as if he were trying to read her without giving any hint of what he was thinking on his own face.

"Good morning, Mr. Moore." Zoe said unevenly. "Maria just went into the Master Bedroom to take measurements if you were looking for her." Zoe felt like she couldn't breathe, she couldn't look away from him but the more she looked at him the more she ached for him. She felt foolish for everything that had happened the night before and she felt more foolish now for letting the feelings of desire rise in her again. She needed something to break the silence before he pulled her in again.

"I did not know Matt Allen was seeing anyone." He said softly, without flinching, without looking away or batting an eye.

"Matt Allen?" Zoe was caught off guard by the statement. All of her focus was on not wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately. She did not have room in her mind for names that made no sense.

"The man you were sharing margaritas with at Rodrigo's? Or do you make it a habit to entice strange men?" His tone remained unchanged as the insult slid from his soft inviting lips. Before she could defend herself David's attention shifted to Maria as she entered the room.

"So?" He asked cooly, stepping towards Maria and acting as if Zoe had never existed.

"It's perfect and the view truly is the best in the city. You would be an idiot not to take it." Maria said in her soft, calm voice that almost sounded like a gentle waterfall. She beamed a gorgeous smile at David and Zoe watched as his eyes smiled back at her, and yet his face stayed perfectly still.

"Zoe, I'll handle all the logistics and paperwork for Mr. Moore. I just need to make a few phone calls and I'll meet you back in the office." Maria collected her things and moved towards the door. David's face dropped back to stone, cold, and unreadable. "Mr. Moore." She nodded to him as she walked past him and out the door leaving Zoe and David in the penthouse alone again.

David stared at Zoe. The aching for him almost felt as though it was turning into a fear of him as he stood silently, waiting, and watching. She wanted him desperately but in the morning after it all happened it had become clear what a mistake she had made, and how it had to never happen again. As she silently begged for this moment alone with him to end, he stepped closer. She felt her knees weaken and she could feel how much she wanted him, she was wet with wanting for him.

"Do you have any other questions?" Zoe whispered. Her heart pounding in her chest as she fought every urge she had. He stepped closer and leaned in so his mouth almost touched her ear. She hoped he could not see that she was shaking.

And softly, so quiet that she almost could not hear it, he whispered with heartbreaking desire, "What's next?"