Tabloid (Dirty Laundry #1)

21. New Perfume...Mud and Horse Crap

Talia woke on something soft and warm. It was too lumpy for a bed. Not to mention moving. Her eyes snapped open. Abs. Pecks. Nipples. She couldn't quite comprehend what she was seeing. Lifting her head, she saw Zeke. Zeke was her bed.

Her eyes roamed over him. His mouth was open as he slept. Blonde scruff grew along his jaw. A soft snore escaped making her freeze in place. His hands flexed around her. A tingling sensation exploded inside her.

Zeke's chest rose with every breath bringing her gaze to his well-defined pecks. With her free hand she reached out to touch a muscle she's only seen in magazines. None of the men she'd previously been with had such a defined chest. Some should have even had bras.

Her hand trailed down his chest to his abs. A sensation of need took over her. All she wanted to do was drag her tongue over each ridge of muscle. The six pack abs with those defined hip bone things made her squirm. She lightly caressed his happy trail.

"I wouldn't go any further, baby." Talia squeaked in surprise pulling her hand back.

Zeke was awake and watching her. In his eyes was a desire she was surprised to find.

"Oh...um...uh." Talia tried to move off of him, but he clutched her tighter.

"You don't have to stop. I just wanted to warn you because if you went any further I don't think I could help myself any longer."

A look of shock crossed her face. She scrambled off Zeke only to grind against something very hard. "Oh god." They both moaned. In her clumsy attempt to climb off him she fell off the couch banging into the coffee table.

"Ow!" She moaned laying on the floor.

"Glad to see you two are awake. Breakfast is ready. Zeke you are needed in the barn. Apparently, the storm did some damage." Addie looked at them.

"Thank you, Addie." Zeke ground out.

Addie smirked at the two then walked back to the kitchen.

"What time is it?" Talia asked.

"Oh God! Its after nine. We are really late." Zeke turned to see Talia crawling away from the table. "I wish I had my camera right now." He laughed.

Using a side table, she heaved herself off the floor. Walking away, she gave him the finger over her head. His laughing followed her upstairs.

***

Hours later covered in brown, either mud or horse shit, Talia washed up in the first-floor bathroom. She scurried across the hall to the laundry room. A pair of sweats and t-shirt sat folded on top of the dryer. She pulled on the sweats and oversized shirt. Taking a deep breath, she shuffled her way out to the kitchen.

"Alright, Addie. I am ready to help. What can I do to help with dinner?"

Addie looked at Talia. The wince she tried to conceal told Talia all she needed to know about how she looked. "You don't have to help me, hon."

"I'm not a freeloader around here. Give me something to do." Talia felt her reserve dwindling, but she needed to help out.

Reluctantly, Addie gave Talia the rolling pin. "Roll out this dough. When it's about an inch thick cut out the biscuits and place them on the sheet."

Talia could do that. How hard could it be to roll out dough and cut it in circles? The answer was near impossible with only a few hours of sleep. Not to mention cleaning the horse stalls all day.