Page 19 of Journey To Sunrise (Protectors of Jasper Creek #6)

Zarek

I’d forgotten why Chloe had referred to her family as the Avery Avalanche. Now I remembered why. My God, I’d always thought of my house as somewhat large, but it was no match for the number of people that had filled it today.

Trenda and Zoe had decided that there needed to be a family reunion.

They had at least two hundred cupcakes, all saying ‘congratulations.’ According to Zoe, that fit everything they were celebrating.

Me out of the hospital, mine and Chloe’s engagement, Chloe’s recovery, and the Magnificent Twin Reunification.

The last part being the most important according to Zoe.

My parents were beaming as they had their picture taken with me and the six Avery girls.

“Zarek, you’ve given me six daughters. I can’t get any happier until you give me grandchildren,” my mother said.

Evie had somehow managed to make friends with everyone at Station 22, so I had the entire crew there.

Everyone from my captain Henry Sykes and his wife, Gus, Rosie and Allen, and of course Luke.

I couldn’t help but notice that Luke and Zoe were spending a lot of time out on the back patio together throwing the ball with Slayer.

The only hitch in the party was that Drake couldn’t be there. He was in San Diego with his soon-to-be wife Karen, who was still on bedrest. He called to say hello, and to threaten me to take good care of his baby sister.

I turned to look at Chloe who was picking up red Solo cups. I had a moment of déjà vu. God, hadn’t she come a long way?

“Leave those. We can finish the clean-up in the morning. Your sisters did most of it already anyway.”

“But―”

“Seriously, it’s fine.”

She smiled and nodded. She came over to me in the living room and wrapped her arms around my waist.

“I loved it when your mom and dad were in the middle of all of us. It felt like we had parents. Trenda cried when Bella called your dad Grandpa.”

“It was a great party, but I’m ready for something a little more intimate. I’ve been home a week.”

“The doctor said ten days.”

“The doctor can kiss my happy ass. If I can handle a party like this, I can handle making love to my fiancée.”

Chloe frowned.

“Come upstairs with me,” I coaxed.

I saw the moment she relented, and I tugged at her hand as I moved towards the stairs.

* * *

Chloe

It was so stupid. I was nervous. I wasn’t some na?ve virgin. But this would be the first time that Zarek and I made love. I crossed the threshold to the bedroom we had been chastely sharing for the last four nights.

Come on Avery, you can do this.

“Chloe, are you okay?”

Why could he always read me so easily? That needed to stop.

I gave him one of my brightest smiles. “I’m great. How are you?”

“I’d be doing better if you’d tell me what’s bothering you.”

“Nothing. We’re wearing too many clothes.” I reached up and started to unbutton his shirt.

“Hey, slow down.”

“No. We’ve waited long enough,” I said through gritted teeth. The fourth button was being stubborn. He caught my hands.

“Shhhh.” He brought my fingers to his mouth and kissed the tips. “I need to confess something.”

I tried to get loose. I needed to get them undressed, in bed, and this over with. The second time would be good. We just needed to get past this first time.

“Chloe, are you listening to me?”

“Huh?”

“I’m nervous.”

If he would just let go of me, I could move this show down the road.

Wait a moment. What did he just say?

I looked up into his eyes. “What did you say?”

“We put off enough heat for a chemical fire, but I want this to be perfect for you, and I’m thinking I’ll do this wrong.”

Geez, every time the man got me on the couch, he’d gotten it right, and he was worried? I was the one who needed to be worried. He had all the perfect moves, but…

“I’ve only had good chemistry with you. I’ve been damned by faint praise with others. I want to get this right.”

Warm green eyes glowed down at me.

“Our chemistry is off the charts; this will be perfect.” He cupped my cheek and stroked his thumb over my lower lip. I sucked it into my mouth.

He groaned.

“Fuck, and you worry that you might be bad at this? How do I get you out of this dress? All of these buttons are making me sweat.”

“There’s a hidden zipper.” I showed him.

“Thank God.” He helped me out of the dress.

I stood in front of him in a bra, panties, and stockings.

I’d thought he might want to make love tonight, so I’d put on good underwear just in case.

The look on his face started to alleviate my fears, this could work.

In less than a millisecond, I was in his arms, and beneath him on the bed.

“Shirt. Off,” I demanded.

He kneeled up and finished unbuttoning his shirt and peeled it off. I’d seen him a couple of times without a shirt, but never when he was above me on a bed. My mouth went dry. He was gorgeous.

“No, you’re the one who’s gorgeous,” he said. His fingers traced the tops of my breasts that curved above my lingerie. Gently he divested me of my bra, then cupped my swollen flesh. I cried out with pleasure. His thumbs brushed back and forth against my nipples and I arched into the caress.

“More.Harder.”

Zarek gave me a wicked smile.

I reached up, grabbed his hair, and pulled him down for a soul-shattering kiss that left us both gasping.

Finally, finally, I saw him naked. I reached out and stroked his erect flesh, savoring his groan of pleasure.

“You’re killing me, Chloe.”

“Aren’t you going to undress me?”

“Are you kidding? The stockings stay on.”

I laughed out loud. And wasn’t that absolutely perfect? Love and passion and laughter.

He pulled out of my grasp, and slid down my body, trailing kisses along the way. When I felt his warm breath between my thighs, all thought of laughter fled.

The first touch of his tongue had me coming off the bed. His big hand rested on my tummy, keeping me under his control as he lavished pleasure on my delicate flesh. Again and again, he teased and tormented me, playing my body like a finely tuned instrument.

When I finally whimpered, “Zarek, it’s too much,” he took me over.

It was bliss, but it wasn’t enough, it wasn’t with him.

Once again, I tugged at his hair. His eyes lifted to mine, and they shone with love.

“Please,” I begged. All of my worries were gone. This was Zarek, the man who was going to be my husband. It was going to be perfect.

He rose above me, holding my hips as he entered me, parting my flesh. Nothing had ever felt more right…so good. Slowly he sank deeper. I sighed in wonder. At last, I was complete.

“Are you all right?”

It seemed as if his question had come from far away. I kissed the side of his neck and put my lips to his ear.

“I love you.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“God, yes, I’m all right.” I surged up against him, starting the rhythm that would take us to the stars. He took over, slow strokes that had me losing my mind.

“Harder,” I groaned.

Slow and steady turned to a pulsing beat that had me crying out in wonder. Higher and higher we flew together, until we spun amongst the stars.

* * *

Zarek

Chloe had pushed off most of the covers. I grinned. It did my heart good to see that she was rarely cold anymore. She’d only had one nightmare last week, but since we were going to sleep together from now on, I hoped they would be a thing of the past.

I thought about the past, going back to that first day I had seen her with that stick, ready to knock those two boys to kingdom come. She’d always been a fighter. Nothing had changed. Could a man get any luckier than having a fighter by his side?

I settled back down and pulled Chloe into my arms knowing I had everything I could ever wish for.

I hope you enjoyed reading Zarek and Chloe’s original happily-ever-after that I wrote eight years ago.

But these two characters continued talking to me as I’ve been writing the Protector’s of Jasper Creek series.

Therefore, I will be releasing their second-chance-at-love story in Her Unending Horizon in a couple of months, get your pre-order now.