Chapter 15
Zoe dozed on and off after Archer and her fell into bed. Each time she was about to fall asleep, Jamieson Finch appeared in her mind, threatening Lucas. It was only when Archer rolled over in his sleep and circled her waist with his arm that she finally relaxed, imagining that he could protect her and her brother from any possible threat. Too bad it was only her exhausted mind wishing the impossible. She was still debating if she should say anything to Gabrielle or Beatrice, and each time she couldn’t convince herself to make the call. Finch was powerful, prepared, ruthless, and wicked.
Finch hadn’t contacted her yet, but she knew the moment he did, it would require a breach of trust on her part. Either she would have to deceive Beatrice or Archer. The woman who saved her or the man she had promised to help protect. The man who was now holding her in his arms, providing a temporary comfort. After all, Archer being in Chicago wasn’t forever and it was only a question of time before he went back to England. There was a possibility he would never know any of this. And if she was lucky enough, Finch would be true to his word and Lucas would be safe at the end.
Archer whimpered in his sleep, tightening his grip on her. And Zoe wanted to turn around and cry. It had been many years since she had been so helpless and vowed never to be a victim again. Not her greatest success this time around.
“What’s troubling you?”
Zoe yelped as his voice made her jump. “Damn! Archer! Don’t do that!”
His voice was low, laced with sleepiness and whispers. “What? Speak Now she sounded completely stupid. A second later, something beeped insistently in the living room. “Do you have a bomb in my living room?”
Grunting, Archer kissed her neck and rolled away. Naked, and flaunting it, he disappeared from view and a few seconds later, the noise stopped.
Putting her glasses on her nose, Zoe wasn’t ready to flaunt anything at this hour and decided to grab her oversized Batman t-shirt on the floor. With one quick look in the small mirror, she was glad to see that her waterproof mascara had resisted the mighty Archer Blackwood. She should write to the company and propose a new slogan: stay pretty, even if you’re being fucked out of your mind.
In the living room, Archer was looking at his phone, standing in front of her window. If the man wasn’t shy, why bother. It would make an exceptional view for her neighbor Mrs. Lupe. Or Marcus, who would appreciate it the most.
Seeing him like that in all his glory, she resisted the pull to go to him and circle his waist, laying her head on his back. Instead, Zoe forced herself to go into her kitchen and prepare coffee. And most of all, appear casual about it. This was clearly a one-night stand for him and being clingy would only make them both uncomfortable.
“Would you like coffee? Or maybe tea... you’re a Brit after all.” She moved to another cupboard and took out her coffee and hoped to find tea somewhere.
“Coffee is good. You don’t need to fuss.”
Relieved, she filled her coffee maker and started it, making sure not to look at him. “It’s no fuss, it’s survival. I need coffee in the morning if I want to remain a human being.”
She took two cups out and two arms circled her middle. It was impossible not to melt into his strong body as his lips kissed the crook of her neck.
“Good morning, Miss Somersby.”
And he had a talent for making her smile. Putting the cups down, she turned into his arms and kissed him. “Good morning, Mr. Blackwood.”
“That’s what I call a proper greeting. And I wanted a little bit of sweetness before it turned sour.”
At his words, she tensed but decided to make light of it. “I think you need a coffee more than I do after all.”
It wasn’t easy maintaining her cool as she didn’t have a lot of experience with having strange men at her place. This wildcard of a hunk didn’t seem willing to cooperate and act as detached as she’d first intended.
To be truthful, Archer wasn’t acting detached at all. Even as she turned again, his hands made their way under her t-shirt over her stomach. His unshaved chin scratched her neck and shoulder as she tried her hardest not to burn herself pouring two cups of coffee.
“How do you take your coffee?”
He turned her again and before she could react he kissed her again, but this time, the sweetness turned into steam. The man was lethal, in a matter of seconds, her brain blanked and all she wanted was to forget everything while grabbing his ass.
And when he let go of her, Archer took advantage of her spinning head to grab a cup and taking a sip. He coughed and grimaced. “You do a mean coffee. That’s strong!”
Zoe grabbed his cup and tasted it. “It’s normal coffee! I like it strong, it gets me going. But I have milk and sugar for your wimpy self if you want.”
He took his mug back and took another sip. “It’s definitely an acquired taste. On the upside, it will give me a buzz for the entire day.”
Zoe was fascinated by the smiling man before her. Where was the cold businessman always on her back? Part of her cursed the timing because she was definitely attracted to him.
Courageously taking another sip of his cup and still very naked, he leaned a hip against the counter, eyes on her. Closing her hands over her mug, she realized that, apart from her shirt and glasses, she felt the most naked in her life.
“I know what you’re thinking, Miss Somersby.”
“At least someone does.”
