This Time Around (28 page)

Again I need to thank my husband Darryl, you have gone above and beyond to love and support me during the writing of this book. I love you, Baby

My 3 amazing children, thank you for being you. Do not change. Oh and child #5 she knows who she is ;)

To my family and friends again thank you for all the love and support you have given me.

Dana, what can I say about my cover. I bloody love it. Thank you so much for putting up with me. <3

Tracy Supple. l Love you hard. You see everything I see,
you help me make it better. Thank you for being you and putting up with my craziness.

Lucy Johnson, my little innocent. Thank you for being you, with your open mind and kind heart and for putting up with me.

Jane Deeney thank you for ALWAYS pimping my books <3

Kelly Hamley. You know I have to say it…. You can do it!!!!!

Shauna Kruse. Thank you so much for this photo of Lance. I am so happy I snatched it up when I did lol. Thank you for being you and being there for me. It was so nice to meet you in Houston.

Lance Jones, thank you for being the perfect Liam Bradley. You are a bloody rockstar. Thank you for attending my 1st ever US signing and helping me through it. Thank you for being a great friend. <3

Stephanie Farrant, thank you for spending time with Liam and making him look extra good. We got there.

Leigh Stone, thank you for formatting This Time Around. It looks bloody awesome.

If I have forgotten anyone I am sorry, just remember that without you I wouldn’t be here and for that I am truly grateful for everything that you have done for me.

“Wow, Zadie you look hot. You’re going all out tonight,” my best-friend Kat says to me when I join her and the girls in the living room of my average size apartment. On my sofa are Kate and Lana. All four of us are young-ish, free and single. Well, I take that back; I’m only free for the next four weeks. I have a six year old son named Caleb, who is currently away for four weeks on summer vacation with his dad, so this is my first girly night out in a very long time. Caleb spends the last four weeks of every summer vacation with his dad, who adores him. Caleb’s dad, Jensen, and I had a three year relationship before it ended. We broke up simply because we fell out of love. We grew too comfortable and the lust dwindled. But we both still put Caleb before anything and anyone, and we are still best friends. But tonight, it’s Zadie time.

“I cannot believe you are making me wear this, Kate, it is not me.” Kate has me wearing a strapless red dress that lands mid-thigh, with black high heels and matching clutch bag. I made a drastic change to my hair this afternoon, so it is still styled the way the salon left it. I had it cut shoulder length and added a black layer underneath and some black added to my side swiped bangs, which makes the blonde stand out more. I have to admit, I look hot for a twenty-eight year old single mom.

“Kat, tell her she looks hot.” Lana says. Kat walks over to me, wearing skin tight leather pants paired with a silver camisole that make her tits look fantastic. She stops right in front of me and our boobs are touching.

She leans into me and kisses my neck, “Simply delicious and fuck-able, babe,” she says with a wink.

“Fuck off, Kat,” I say laughing, “Okay, why do you ask the only lesbian for her opinion?” I grab my glass and down my Vodka and Coke.

“Okay, ladies, let’s hit the night. I need to get laid!” shouts Kat.

“Nothing new there,” I say, walking past her.

The four of us leave my apartment and head for the elevator. The door pings open and we all freeze and gaze at the extremely hot guy leaning against the back wall with his hands resting on the rail. His white button down is straining against his arms, which is an indication that he is built well underneath the material. He looks up at us and smiles. Kat forces us drooling girls into the elevator. He keeps his eyes locked on me as I walk to the back corner. Kate’s mouth hangs open and Kat closes it for her as she laughs.

“Excuse my friends, they don’t get out much,” Kat explains. We surround him in all four corners. He rests his back against the handrail and crossing his arms across his chest, he smiles at me.

“Hi, I’m Eric,” he holds out his hand to shake mine.

“Hi, I’m Zadie,” I say, taking his hand. Lana finally finds her voice.

“Hey Eric, I’m Lana. This is Kate and Kat.” She points the girls out one by one. Eric nods to each of them.

“Nice to meet you, ladies,” he turns his attention back to me, “where are you girls heading? I am new to the area, I just moved in upstairs.”

“Oh, did you move into Mrs. Levi’s old apartment?” He smiles at me. God, he is hot.

“Yes, I did.”

“That’s great. She was such a nice lady. We are going to hit a few clubs and see where the night takes us.”

My friends are staring at us like they have never seen me talk to a guy before. Are they forgetting, Jensen? The elevator pings and Eric hangs back and gestures to me and the girls to go first. Such a gentleman. He takes Kat’s place near the buttons and I have no clue why until Lana is the last to exit through the doors and Eric hits a button on the panel that causes the doors close. I go to shout to the girls, but Eric’s mouth covers mine and he pins me to the elevator wall, the railing digging into my back. I fight at first, pushing my hands against his hard chest, but fuck he tastes good. He grips my tiny hands in his giant ones, and pins them above my head. I lick his bottom lip with my tongue and it slides into his mouth.

He moves one hand to the nape of my neck, keeping me in my place while his other hand slides down to cup my ass. He pulls me closer and I can feel his hard erection against my stomach. A moan escapes my mouth into his and he swallows the sound. His hand travels from my ass down the outside of my thigh and back up the inside, causing me to shiver. My panties grow damp and my nipples harden, and that’s just from kissing him. He trails his fingers over my damp panties and he pulls his head away to look at me; smirking.

“Is this for me?”

I smile and reply, “Well, I don’t see anyone else here making me wet, do you?”

Holy shit where the hell did that come from?

I cannot believe I am doing this! Shit.

His smile spreads across his face and he runs his fingers across my wet panties again, I moan as he adds pressure to my clit. “Oh shit!! I cry out. That feels so damn good, it has been so long since a guy has made me feel like this, this quick. All too quickly Eric pulls away, smoothing down my dress and kissing me again, burying his tongue deep in my mouth. I’m sure he is trying to eat me alive. He ends the kiss and looks down at me.

“Come find me later, and I’ll finish you off.” he whispers in my ear, causing goosebumps to cover my body. God help me with him living one floor above me.

The doors open and my three friends are standing there, staring at Eric, who exits the elevator running his thumb over his bottom lip. Oh God, mini orgasm. He winks at the girls and walks out of the building. I’m frozen to the spot until Kat drags me out of the elevator and into the lobby.

“God, Zadie, did he fuck you?” I flush and tuck my hair behind my ear and look at the patterns on the tile floor, “Fuck me, he did.”

I look up at Kat and smile, “No sweetie, he didn’t fuck me … but he plans on it, he wants me to come and find him later tonight.” Lana and Kat high five me. Kate looks shocked and rushes me for a hug.

“I was so scared for you, Zadie. I thought, the doors were going to open and we would find you murdered.” I hug her back and we all walk out to the taxi that’s waiting for us. Katie was always the dramatic one of our little group.

Thanks to Lana’s very hot twin brother, and the fact Leo has a crush on Kate, we jump the line and walk right into the club. We hear shouting from pissed off people standing in line, but that just makes us laugh. The club is banging, music up so loud you can’t hear anyone talking to you, but you can feel the bass pulsing through your body. Lights are flashing all different sequences, lighting up the room. The dance floor is packed, there are people everywhere. We head straight to the bar for our first round of the night.

I’m not a heavy drinker, but tonight I am going to try and enjoy myself. We down our shots and order another round. Lana and Kate are eyeing a table of guys who look as if they are on a birthday night out. Kate walks over to talk to the birthday boy, who has obviously turned thirty thanks to the huge badge on his shirt. Poor guy. Lana pulls me towards the dance floor to dance. She always says I am the perfect wing-woman. I can feel the music vibrating through the floor as we dance together. I let go and really start dancing with Lana; we bump and grind against each other, which earns us an audience, but who cares? The music pulses through my body, making me hot and sweaty. After an hour of sexy dancing I leave the girls and head back to the bar. I call to the barman, who comes over.

“Hey, sweetness. What can I get for you?” He flashes a cocky, but hot smile at me.

“Vodka and Coke please, with ice.” He smiles and turns to prepare my drink.

I looked around the bar and find a couple sucking face. Get a room. There are a few men in business suits sitting at a side booth chatting and laughing with a few drunk looking girls, who in my opinion, look far too young to be out clubbing. The barman comes back with my drink and I mutter a “Thanks” as I smile at him, he smiles back before leaving to serve another customer. I take a sip and turn to go back to my friends. But as I turn, I hit a wall of hot, hard muscle. My drink goes all over both his chest and mine.
Shit, oh shit
.

I look up “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. Fuck.” I’m all flustered. He places his hands on my shoulders and bends down to my ear.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” That deep voice sends a thrill through my body. My eyes catch his as he pulls away. I notice he is one of the guys
who’s with
the birthday boy. I put my hand around his neck and pull his ear down to my mouth. God he smells so good. He smells sweet, but a manly sweet. My pussy clenches from his smell and I want to lick this guy all over.

“Let me buy you a drink to say sorry, and let me pay for the dry cleaning.” I give a pouty look, sticking my bottom lip out and he laughs.

He nods and tilts his head to speak in my ear again “You can buy me a drink. My shirt is fine.” I smile and turn back to the barman.

“Another Vodka and Coke and whatever … Oh shit, what’s your name?”

“A bottle of Sam Adams, and thanks.” he leans in close again, “Cade, my name is Cade Riley. And yours?” I place my hand on his face to turn him so I can speak in his ear again.

“Zadie Knight.” He offers his hand for me to shake, but I ignore it and kiss him on his cheek.
Bold Zadie, bold.

“Nice to meet you, Zadie.” I can only assume the alcohol is helping with my confidence, because I am not normally this forward when it comes to guys. Unless maybe it’s just him.