Almost Easy

Told You So

Zoey's POV

My alarm began to chime entirely too early waking me from the most delicious, erotic dream. I slammed my hand against the snooze button and let my eyes slip shut again, trying to reclaim the feeling of long fingers curling around my breast...a hand nuzzling inside my panties....

After another fifteen minutes the alarm sounded again. I stretched a little and something hard pressed against my hip. My eyes sprang open. A gravely voice near my ear muttered an obscenity, a hand that didn't belong to me cupped my breast, and another pressed inside my underwear. A rush of alarm brought me fully awake. This was no dream.

"Brian," I whispered hoarsely "Brian, if you don't want to lose your nuts, you'd better get back to your side of the bed." I shoved at his arm, but he took his time extricating himself from my clothes.

"What time is it?" he said, his voice hoarse from sleep

"Six AM," I replied as I yanked my shirt down and buried my face in the pillow. This hadn't been part of my plan to stay ahead of him that I had been trying to put into place since I splashed my face with water after witnessing the hot scene of him undressing last night.

"It's the middle of the night," he protested.

"Not for people who have normal jobs," I replied.

"This sucks," he muttered. And then he yawned. I didn't like that. The least he could do was express a little sexual frustration.

I realized then I hadn't entirely shaken off the after effects of my dream. "Pervert," I mumbled to myself as I threw myself out of bed. I absolutely couldn't let myself be turned on by this man, not even in my sleep.

"I told you so," he said from behind me.

I looked back. "What are you talking about?" The covers fell to his waist as he sat up, and sunlight from the pale window draperies skipped across his biceps, gliding across his tattoos. He rubbed the stubble on his jaw. "I got you out of your pants..in my sleep."

I looked down in surprise but I wasn't awake enough for a good comeback, so I just glared at him and stalked into the bathroom, where I turned both faucets on full force for privacy.

When I emerged, I found him stretched out on the bed, one leg outside of the covers, his arm behind his head, remote in the other hand and the sheet covering his waist.

I stumbled, silently cursed myself, then pretended I'd done it on purpose. "For the love of God, warn me next time. I think I'm having a heart attack."

He glanced over at me, blasting me with all his stubbled, rumpled glory. "From what?"

"You look like an ad for gay porn."

He frowned "And you look like a national disaster."

"Exactly why I have dibs on that shower," I said as I headed to drawers to get some clean clothes. "I don't suppose you'd make some coffee while I'm in there?"

"I could but why don't I just go in there and keep you company?" It sounded more like a threat than a come-on.

"Amazing," I said. "A big rockstar like you still willing to help out the little people."

"Yeah, well, that's the way I'm made," he smirked.

"Forget it," I said as grabbed my clothes and a towel and headed for the bathroom. Once I was absolutely sure he wouldn't try to join me, I shampooed my hair and shaved my legs.

I dressed in a pair of jeans and a roomy army green sweater, and my black ballet flats. Only because Brian was in the house did I swipe on some mascara and lip gloss. Normally i waited till I got to the office to put makeup on.

As I came down the stairs, I saw him standing at the coffee maker. He must have taken a shower in the second bathroom because his hair was damp and the ends were beginning to curl. Even in the clothes he was wearing yesterday, he was still a sight to behold.

He handed me a mug of steaming coffee, "Don't you own anything girly?"

I pulled on the hem of my favorite sweater. "What's wrong with this?"

"Nothing, if you're planning to invade Cuba," he said

I shrugged. "I always go for comfort during studio days."

"Now there's a surprise," he replied as he took a sip from his mug.

I pretended to think it over. "If you really want to see me in something girly, I guess I could borrow something from you. Something lovely and pink."

"Ha," he said pulling his cigarette pack from his front pocket

"Uh no way," I said loudly "Not in the house."

He frowned but put his cigarettes down.

"I'm heading to work," I replied "I'll take my duffels and my suitcase of shoes. Do you mind grabbing the boxes in the den and putting them in your car?"

"Not at all," he said "I'll have them there just waiting for you at my place."

"Thanks," I said as I grabbed an orange from the fruit bowl "I've gotta run. I should be done by 3 and then will be on my way to your...apartment."

I moved to the drawer in the kitchen and grabbed the spare key and handed it to him.

"What's this?" he asked "the key to your heart? I thought it would be smaller."

"Funny," I said smiling at him "It's a house key, can you lock up on your way out?"

"You got it, honey," he said giving me a salute and a wink of his gorgeous chocolate eyes.

I couldn't help but laugh. "What are you going to do today?"

"Same thing I do every day. Meet up with the guys, drink beer, float in the pool, maybe work on some music," he shrugged.

"Well then have a great day then," I said as I peeled my orange and grabbed my bag and my keys.

"You too, dear. You too."