Page 18 of Dyana (Love in the Apocalypse #3)

Needing to get the zombies toward the front of the store, I grabbed a case of beer and a stepladder, which had been conveniently left out.

I climbed on top of the freezers so that I was out of view and then started chucking bottles toward the front of the store.

The sound of the bottles breaking and bouncing around was loud enough to get the group’s attention.

They moved toward the sound, leaving me virtually alone at the back of the store.

Not wasting any time, I scrambled off the freezers and hurried through the swinging back doors to the store room where the loading dock was.

I had to take out a few zombies back there before I could focus on getting the door open.

I located the door crank and gave it a test turn.

Thankfully, it spun freely, but the sound the door made as it began to rise echoed through the store.

I had to do this fast because it would bring the group I had just distracted back toward me.

While that’s what we wanted, I preferred to be out of there before they got here.

I cranked the door quickly and tried not to grow frustrated as the door opened much slower than I was cranking.

The low growls behind me drew closer, and I knew I was running out of time.

Worst comes to worst, I’d bail out the side door, and we’d have to figure out a plan B.

Drew’s hands appeared at the bottom of the door, and it started opening faster as he lifted it from the outside.

I heard the double doors swing open and knew the zombie pack had arrived.

This would be close, and a glance over my shoulder proved I was right.

Just as I was about to give up and run, Drew yelled and pushed the door open the rest of the way.

He reached inside, grabbed my arm, and yanked me into the trailer.

“Move!” he shouted as he pushed me toward the door. I ran out of the trailer with Drew right behind me, and together, we slammed the door shut and locked it just as the zombies began to load onto the trailer.

“That was a close one,” I laughed. I leaned against the trailer, out of breath.

Drew looked at me in awe. “I can’t believe you went in there.”

“It was your idea,” I reminded him.

“Yeah, but I didn’t think you’d do it.”

I shrugged. “Did I pass your little test?”

“Definitely,” he replied. “Now, how do we get these doors closed?”

“This was your idea.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think it would work, so I didn’t finish the plan,” Drew admitted.

I shook my head. Men. I considered our predicament for a few minutes before nodding to myself and handing Drew the truck keys.

“Here’s what we’ll do. I’m going to climb onto the roof of the trailer.

You’re going to inch the truck forward enough to free the doors.

I’ll swing them closed and try to get them latched without getting bit. ”

“You’re going to have to be on the ground to latch the doors properly,” Drew replied.

“I realize that,” I said as I climbed the side of the trailer and looked down at him from the top. “That’s the whole without getting bitten part I was talking about.”

“I don’t know if this is a good idea.”

I scoffed. “You had no problem sending me inside with the zombies, but now you’re worried? Relax. I’ve got this.”

Drew didn’t look convinced but went to the truck anyway. “Ready?” he called back when he started the truck.

“Yep!” I yelled back as I lay on my stomach at the end of the trailer. “Nice and easy.”

The truck rolled forward as I tugged on the first door.

The zombies outside the trailer saw me and tried to reach for me, but couldn’t.

I got the second door swung shut, but if the zombies inside the trailer decided they didn’t want to be in there anymore, nothing could stop them from busting through the doors.

And the rest of the zombies from the store that didn’t make it into the trailer followed us up the ramp.

I let Drew put a little more distance between us and them, and then yelled for him to stop.

As soon as I saw the brake lights come on, I jumped off the trailer to secure the doors.

I got one latched when I had to turn and fight off a zombie.

I stabbed it through the head with my back to the trailer door.

At the same time, the zombies inside the trailer decided they’d had enough and began pushing at the door.

Things were going south quickly, and I was about to give up when Drew appeared to save the day once again.

With his added strength, we were able to close and lock the door.

With that taken care of, we focused on the rest of the zombies coming after us until we could make a run for it.

We jumped in the truck and tore away from the store as quickly as possible without wrecking.

Now that we had a trailer full of zombies, we had to be more careful.

“Well, that was exhilarating,” I commented as we left town.

“That was crazy!” Drew laughed. His eyes were wide with adrenaline. “I haven’t had that much excitement since we escaped to the church.”

I looked at Drew. Part of me felt terrible for what I was about to do.

I pulled my shorts and underwear off and left them on the floorboard of the truck as I turned on the bench seat so that my back was to the door.

I spread my legs and circled my clit lightly.

“I bet that isn’t the only thing you haven’t had since escaping to the church,” I purred.

Drew nearly drove off the road when he looked over and saw me like that. “What the fuck are you doing?” he asked, growing angry.

“Living,” I replied.

“I’m married,” Drew replied. “My wife was right about you.”

“I know you’re married, Drew, but if you went back to your wife, would she share in your exhilaration or dismiss it?

When was the last time she touched you? I’m not a whore, but I’m not a prude either.

I need to work off all this excess energy, and the best way for me to do that is with a nice, hard orgasm.

You don’t have to participate, but the invitation is there if you’re interested. ”

I closed my eyes, focusing on my pleasure and leaving the decision up to Drew.

He didn’t have to touch me, but he couldn’t keep me from touching myself.

I continued to tease myself, watching Drew’s furtive glances from behind my eyelashes.

Being watched helped turn me on, and soon, I was slipping a finger into my channel with a breathy moan.

We didn’t make it more than a couple more miles down the road when Drew made a frustrated growl deep in his throat, slammed on the brakes, and nearly dumped me onto the floor.

He’d barely put the truck into park when he pounced on me.

“You are a temptress,” Drew growled. He nipped at my lower lip before claiming my mouth with his.

I reached between us to undo his pants and push them down enough to free his dick.

I stroked him a couple of times and then lined him up with my entrance.

Without needing any further encouragement, Drew’s hips snapped forward, and he buried himself inside of me, our lips parting with ragged groans.

Triumph filled me just as much as he did. He was mine now.

Present

When the sun finally began to rise, I got out of bed, grateful I didn’t have to pretend to be asleep anymore.

Jack must have felt just as relieved because he was out of bed a second after me.

I couldn’t tell if the other two were asleep or stayed in bed to give Jack alone time with me.

I contemplated slamming some pans as I started breakfast just to wake them up, but I refrained.

I made a quick veggie scramble with venison. I even made enough to feed all of us.

“Are you ready to talk about it?” Jack asked as he sat at the table.

“Talk about what?”

“Your nightmare, Dy,” he answered, knowing damned well that we both knew what he was talking about.

“There’s nothing to talk about. It was just a nightmare,” I replied, splitting the food between four plates and placing one in front of him.

“You said Kelly’s name,” Jack said softly. “I didn’t want to bring it up before—“

“Then don’t,” I barked, cutting him off. “Just leave it alone, Jack. Kelly’s gone. She didn’t make it past the first day of the outbreak. That’s all there is to it.”

“Dyana—“

“Dammit, Jack!” I yelled, slamming my plate down.

“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m not sure how else to say it.

” I grabbed my picking bag and weapons and stormed out of the tower.

How hard was it to understand that I didn’t want to rehash the past?

He could be so fucking pushy! I went down the mountain and skirted around Cora’s house undetected.

I wasn’t necessarily avoiding my best friend and her men, but I wasn’t interested in talking to anyone right now, including them.

I went to the orchard, yanked a peach off a tree, and bit into it angrily.

Men. Once I finished my peach, I harvested the ripe fruit throughout the orchard.

I felt myself relax as I went. It was a peaceful morning, with blue skies and a slight breeze blowing through the trees.

It was hard to be in a bad mood when it was such a nice day.

Jack was determined to ruin that. I groaned in frustration when he appeared in the orchard. “How did you find me?”

“Cora told me where you might be,” Jack replied. “Whether you like it or not, we’re going to have this conversation.”

“You made your choice when you decided to cheat on me, Jack. I don’t owe you shit.”

“I didn’t fucking cheat on you, Dyana!” Jack exploded, his voice echoing through the forest. “ She kissed me. If you had stuck around for two seconds longer, you would have seen me push her away, but you didn’t trust me enough to give me the benefit of the doubt.”

“You could have said something,” I argued.