Reviving Zeke Read online

  “Who else could have been involved? She came here looking for money. Since she didn’t get it, she probably sold her sob story to someone, or decided to punish me for once again not being the rich bastard she was hoping to score off of.”

  Michelle shook her head. “I could understand if she complained about you for any multitude of reasons, but how the hell could she possibly know anything about you and me? We weren’t even a thing when she came here. I mean, yeah, she’s likely taken the opportunity to look like the victim now, but she wouldn’t have known to if someone hadn’t leaked the information about us.”

  She had a point.

  “Hell, we haven’t even discussed what sort of thing we are, and at this point it seems completely irrelevant since you’re getting transferred next week. So, basically, what this amounts to is a fling that the entire world has somehow found out about.”

  Zeke’s mind was running fast. She was right.

  “It’s like there was a camera in my bedroom or yours. Like someone has us under surveillance. I won’t be shocked if the next thing we see is a broadcast of you and me fucking on national television.”

  Zeke’s entire body jerked.

  Michelle sucked in a sharp breath, staring at him as the full impact of her words hit both of them. “Fuck.” She rushed toward the door.

  He followed on her heels.

  Seconds later, they were in her suite, scouring the place for a camera. They systematically searched every possible location in the living room and the bedroom and found nothing. When they were finished, they rushed back to his room and did the same thing, again coming up empty.

  Zeke stopped in the middle of the room and closed his eyes, trying to think. He could hear Michelle breathing heavily across the room. “There has to be a bug,” he stated. “Somewhere. Maybe not a camera, but a bug.”

  “That would explain a lot of things,” Michelle agreed. “Not just this, but all the other leaked information. But where?”

  “We need to go speak to Temple,” he stated, heading out of the bedroom.

  Michelle beat him to the door, and she had her hand on the knob when he stopped her by setting his palm over her fingers and closing the gap between them. He set his other hand on her hip. “Take a breath.”

  “This is important.”

  “I know it is. But I want you to look at me for a second.”

  She hesitated.

  He spun her around, holding her at the waist and flattening her to the door. “Just to be clear, what we have is amazing. I don’t take it lightly. I know we haven’t discussed the future yet, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to. It means we haven’t had a chance.”

  She nodded subtly. “Okay.”

  “Deep breath.”

  She inhaled slowly and let it out.

  “I don’t mean to put words in your mouth, but I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that you’ve talked yourself into believing we had a few nice fucks and it’s over.”

  She swallowed but didn’t respond.

  He continued, knowing he was right. “You know that isn’t true. We didn’t meet in a bar last night and have a drunken wild romp without exchanging phone numbers. We’ve known each other for two months. We’ve been building up to this relationship for weeks. It means something. And we will be discussing it later after we talk to Temple.”

  She nodded, a sigh leaving her mouth. Good, because he was doing his damndest to let her see him, even if it still scared the shit out of him to do so.

  He smiled, knowing it would make her smile. He may have been a bit of a dick for the last four years—by his clock—since his divorce, but now that he’d seen how Michelle reacted when he gave her even the simplest partial grin, he found he liked eliciting that response. Making her happy felt good.

  And it had been a long time since he’d felt anything but bitter and angry.

  Two hours later—after someone with a device that could detect bugs had been called to the bunker from the gate—they found the source of their leaks stuck under the table in the conference room.

  There was also a nice story circulating in all the major news outlets that quoted Temple from that morning verbatim.

  Michelle cringed as she read the story, which included:

  “Apparently the reanimated have the tendency to wake up so mentally altered that they can’t control their sexual impulses and will fuck anyone who gets in their path. They are clearly a dangerous menace to society and can’t be trusted to reenter normal civilization.”

  Temple was still throwing things around the conference room. “Who the hell could have planted a bug in here?” she asked rhetorically. “And how long has it been there?” She turned toward Zeke. “Do you suppose Meredith did it?”

  Michelle felt Zeke stiffen beside her. “I wouldn’t put it past her.”

  Tushar sighed. “Could have been her or it could have happened months ago. There’s no way to know for sure. Hundreds of people use this room, and since information has been leaking for ten months, we may never figure it out.”

  The man from front gate security had put the bug in a baggy and said he would have it analyzed to see if he could figure out where it originated from and even perhaps how long it had been there.

  Nearly the entire staff was standing in the hallway. Everyone was on edge and no doubt trying to remember anything they might have said in confidence in this room.

  Michelle was still trying to control her heart rate. Her hands were shaking at the total violation of privacy. She’d made the man with the detector go over her entire suite too. And Zeke’s. Nothing had been found in either of their rooms, but she was still freaked out to think someone could have watched or even listened to her having sex.

  Worse than that was the idea that anyone had ever spied on her at any time in the last several years, visually or audibly. How humiliating.

  As everyone calmed down, Zeke set a hand on her back and waited for her to meet his gaze. “Let’s go,” he whispered. “There’s nothing else anyone can do tonight.”

  She nodded and let him lead her out of the conference room and past all the staff still rubbing their arms with pale expressions. Some people looked more horrified than others. As past discussions held in this room were recalled over the next several days, they would probably all have at least one cringe-worthy memory come to mind.

  “Your suite or mine,” he asked as they made their way to the living quarters.

  She stopped and faced him. “I’m too tired and angry and confused to be good company. Can we not do this tonight?”

  He narrowed his gaze at her. “Your suite or mine?” he repeated, his voice lower.

  She inhaled. “Fine. Mine.” She turned around and hurried down the hallway, but inside, she was fighting the need to climb into bed alone and have a good cry. She didn’t want to argue with him in the hallway in front of other people, however.

  As soon as the door shut, she headed straight for her bedroom. “Give me ten minutes to shower and change.” And maybe calm down enough to avoid breaking something. He could wait ten minutes. In fact, she was certain he would.

  She didn’t look back as she entered the bathroom, already yanking her scrubs over her head and then dropping her shirt in the hamper. She didn’t turn on the light.

  Even though someone had thoroughly checked and double-checked her room for bugs, she felt violated in the worst possible way, and the only thing she could think to do to cut down on the likelihood that someone would watch her shower was to leave the lights off.

  After flipping on the hot water, she finished stripping and piled her hair on top of her head while trying to control her breathing. What she didn’t notice until hands landed on her hips was that Zeke had followed her.

  She flinched at his touch.

  “You gonna shower in the dark?”

  “Yes.”

  His breath landed on her ear. “Mind if I join you?”

  She wanted to say yes. She minded. She needed time alone.
That was the reason she was taking a shower. Alone time. But she was afraid to say the wrong things or use the wrong tone of voice in her current state of frustration, so instead, she slid out of his light grip and stepped into the glass enclosure.

  While she was still standing under the spray of hot water, he joined her. He pressed his front to her back and wrapped his arms around her middle. And then he began to sway slightly back and forth.

  She set her hands on top of his around her waist, and for a long time they stood there. Long minutes. Neither of them spoke.

  Surprisingly, she calmed. The water was soothing. Anger and frustration eased from her body. Not all of it. Her mind was still racing.

  She was thankful for the darkness. It helped keep her from feeling violated. Nevertheless, she shuddered when she considered the possibility of someone watching her shower. Ever. Besides the obvious nudity, she often masturbated in the shower.

  She clenched her teeth at the reminder and the visual of what someone could have seen at some point.

  “Shh… I’ve got you,” Zeke murmured. He held her tighter.

  She tried to chase the errant thought of being watched from her mind as he reached for the soap and—still holding her with one arm—began to wash her.

  It felt nice for someone to take care of her. No one had ever done anything like this since she was a little girl. No man had ever taken the time to pamper her or even care enough to ensure she was satisfied in bed. Zeke had done both of those things.

  When his hand ran lightly over her nipples, she sighed. Her body came alive. Moisture pooled between her legs. It seemed crazy to have thoughts of sex after the day they’d had, but she couldn’t stop her reaction to his touch.

  His erection was also nestled against her butt, teasing her. Tempting her. Making her sex clench.

  She moaned involuntarily and lifted onto her tiptoes, gripping his forearm when he slid his fingers between her legs and through her folds.

  “I love that sound,” he whispered. “Do it again.” He eased a finger up into her, and she moaned again.

  “Yes… You have no idea how hot it is to know I can turn you on like this. The timing may suck, but my ego is getting a huge boost.”

  His ex-wife was a total bitch. Forget everything else she might have done to him, the fact that she hadn’t given him the confidence to take charge in bed made Michelle furious.

  She shook thoughts of Meredith from her mind. The woman had no place in this bathroom. In fact, for a moment Michelle actually wished there was videotape of her having sex with Zeke just to make Meredith jealous of what she gave up.

  When he withdrew his hand, her breath hitched. “Zeke…” she begged.

  “Mmm.” He knew exactly what he was doing. He turned her around, leaned her against the shower wall, and proceeded to finish washing her and then himself.

  She could only make out the faintest outline of his body in the near darkness. Neither of them had turned on any overhead lights in the suite, so all they had was the faint ray from a small lamp she always left on in the living room.

  When he finished, he turned off the water without a word and opened the door. He took her hand and led her to the rug and then ran his fingers along the wall until he found a towel and tugged it free to pat her dry. Still not uttering a syllable, he used the same towel to dry himself.

  She enjoyed the silence and the suspense. Her nipples were hard rocks in the cooler air. Her sex pulsed with need.

  He took her hand and led her from the bathroom to the dim light of the bedroom. As if he read her mind, he released her to hurry across the room and shut the door, once again plunging them into near darkness. And then he was back, and he led her to the bed.

  After pulling back the comforter and sheet, he climbed in and reached for her, completely covering them up to their necks.

  Her heart rate had picked up again when they entered the room naked, but she calmed anew when he pulled her back against his front and spooned her. “Deep breaths,” he said, stroking her arm and making her realize she was once again hyperventilating. “No one can see you. I promise.”

  He couldn’t promise no one ever had.

  She inhaled slowly over and over until it came naturally.

  His fingertips on her arm grazed her breast with each pass. Did he realize he was coaxing her back to full arousal with his touch? Probably, since his erection once against grew to nudge her butt.

  “I’m not sure I can stay here any longer to be honest.”

  “I understand.” At least he wasn’t condescending. “I feel the same eerie chill up my spine that you do. You’re not alone. I’m sure nearly everyone in the bunker is stressed about the idea of having been spied on.”

  She pursed her lips. Why did he have to be so understanding? It would be easier if he thought she was crazy. Easier to send him packing. Easier to turn him away. Easier to deal with him moving to another facility in a week.

  After a while, he let his fingertips trail toward her nipple, circling the tight bud in a maddeningly increasing spiral without touching the turgid tip.

  She pressed her butt against his erection, hoping he would get the hint and slide into her.

  Instead, he ignored her and flicked his thumb over her nipple.

  She moaned loudly.

  “Yeah…”

  It wasn’t as if she could control her reaction to his touch, nor would she ever in her life fake anything sexual with a man, but damn, she was glad to empower him like she clearly did. He deserved to feel virile. His wife had done a job on him.

  After a few minutes of teasing her nipple, he rolled her onto her back, cupped her face, and touched her lips with his. The kiss was soft and sweet at first, and then it grew more urgent until his tongue was tangling with hers and a low groan escaped his lips.

  She squirmed against him, reached across with her free hand to stroke his length.

  He grabbed her wrist and removed her fingers from their intended target. “You can’t do that yet. I’ll come too soon.”

  “Isn’t that the goal?” she breathed, her first words in a long time. At least she had a small piece of her humor back.

  He chuckled. “Eventually, but not until I make you come so hard you can’t think.”

  She gasped. More arousal leaked from her at his words.

  “Where are these vibrators you have so many of?”

  His question made her stop breathing. She stiffened.

  “Don’t tell me you were teasing. I’ve had the best daydreams of you using a thick pink dildo for weeks. I’ll die if it wasn’t true.” His words were light.

  She swallowed.

  He cupped her face and leaned in close. She was glad he couldn’t see her eyes. “Michelle? Talk to me.”

  “The thought of ever touching one of those again makes me cringe. My mind keeps wandering to the possibility that someone at some point watched me masturbate.”

  He kissed her gently. “No one watched you. I feel sure of it. There was no evidence. Besides, you’re totally covered up now, and I’m with you. Let me use it on you.”

  She bit her lip. Half of her melted at how sweet and patient he was being. Half of her wanted to fall through a crack of worry. The first half won out. “Nightstand drawer.”

  He planted another quick kiss on her lips and then reached across her to open the drawer. After fumbling around in the dark for a few seconds, he returned with a triumphant sigh. “I can’t see the color, but I like the size of this one.”

  She was glad he also couldn’t see the flush of her cheeks. If he thought she was going to use it with him next to her, he was crazy.

  He slid the tip between her breasts, the coolness of the silicone making her nipples pucker without direct contact. “Spread your legs for me.”

  She opened her thighs slightly, feeling self-conscious.

  He nestled a knee between hers and forced them wider. Trailing the head of the phallic vibrator over her belly, she bit into her lower lip again. This was fa
r more intimate than anything else they’d done together. She wasn’t at all sure she was ready for him to see her come like this.

  However, she was just off-kilter enough not to put up an argument, and besides, he couldn’t see her well in the darkness and she was completely covered by the blanket.

  When he lightly touched her clit with the tip of the vibrator, she arched her butt off the bed. “Damn, you’re responsive. How many times can I make you come with this thing?”

  She turned her head away, freaking out a little at his question.

  “Michelle? What’s the record?”

  “Zeke…”

  He turned it on to the lowest setting and tapped her clit.

  She moaned. This wasn’t how things usually went between her and the toy. First of all, it was weird for someone else to be controlling it. It made every contact a surprise. Second of all, she’d never been this close to the edge this fast while holding the dildo herself.

  Zeke circled the swollen nub and then dipped the tip of the device ever so slightly into her channel, drawing out her arousal.

  “Michelle?”

  She moaned, her head lolling toward him. “Mmm?”

  “You didn’t answer me.”

  What was the question? She flinched as she remembered.

  “How many times can you come? What’s the record?”

  He wasn’t going to let up until she answered him, and besides, what did she have to hide? It would be weird if her answer would be something like ten. That would be embarrassing, but the truth was far less interesting. “One.”

  He paused, the tip of the vibrator resting at the entrance to her channel. “One?”

  “Yes.”

  He blew out a relieved breath. “Thank God.”

  “Why?” She was confused, and so aroused she just wanted him to stop talking and make her come. Any embarrassment she’d felt moments ago fled when he touched her with the dildo.

  His mouth came to her ear, his words sending a shudder down her body. “That’s a record I know I can break.”

  Under ordinary circumstances, she would be concerned about a challenge like that. But not tonight. She was completely confident he was right.