Zac alternated between watching the road and watching Emma, sure that there was more to this mood, that was so unlike her, than just the fact that her dad had shown up out of the blue and she decided then and there to pack her things and get out. He laid his hand on her thigh as he parked her car, then shoved the keys deep in his pants pocket as he got out and went around to let her out. "Come on, Em. Fresh air and a walk will help." he said and took her hand. He went around to the trunk, dug through her belongings, grabbed both beach blankets, folded them over his arm and slammed the trunk shut. "You okay babe?" he asked her when she stood and watched him, without saying a word. She nodded, slipped her shoes off, still slightly wobbly and hung them from her fingers, then laced her arm through his as they began to walk silently down the beach. "Emma..." he asked as they had gotten away from most of the houses that lined the beach, "what else is there?
There's more going on with you than just your dad.." he told her. She shook her head no and tugged at his hand to get him to stop walking. "Dizzy.." she murmured, so he stopped and spread one blanket out and helped her to sit. He realized that she'd left her jacket in the car, when she shivered slightly, being clad only in a short skirt and tank top. He quickly wrapped the other blanket around her shoulders, sat down next to her and pulled her against him. He kissed the back of her head and wrapped himself around her.
"Emma..please..talk to me.." he whispered in her ear as they sat in the darkness and watched the waves break against the shore. "Zac..." she whispered back, "I love you, more than you could possibly know.." He moved behind her and wrapped his whole body around her, resting his chin on her shoulder as they both looked out over the dark water. "I love you too baby...what is it? What else is there?" he aksed softly. She shook her head, "I just don't know why...why when she KNOWS I hate that bar as much as she does...you heard her talking down to me..and when she thought that was where I met YOU...it was his fault..his fault I had to go there..and she let him in the house that I PAID FOR..that I worked my ass off to keep and still go to school. That wasn't just money HE'D put away for me..I've always worked Zac, he stole money I put away for my own education. She let the bastard IN.." Emma began to cry again, huge, heartbreaking sobs that brought tears to Zac's eyes as well. "Baby....I'm so sorry..." he whispered. "What is wrong with me? Am I such a horrible person for taking a job I hate to keep her off the street? She didn't even consider that, Zac...just let him waltz right back in like time stood still.." she sobbed harder then, and Zac squeezed harder, trying to stroke the pain away as he stroked her hair, kissed her cheeks and shoulders and rocked her slowly. "Baby...if you hate that place that much, don't go back. Start looking for something else day after tomorrow, and stay with me. Spend the day with us tomorrow and crash at Jen's...you know she'd let you. Or you can stay with us. Mom will make room." he told her. "No. I have to work, just one more night.." she said softly, thinking of the enevelope that would show up in his mailbox if she didn't. "I have enough in my pocket to put a deposit on a small place, Zac...tomorrow night will pay for food and get my utilities started....then I'm good for a month..." she told him. "Only one more night.." she murmured. "I promise.."
"One more and that's it.." he said, knowing she was stubborn and wouldn't budge on the subject. "I promise, Zac.." she whispered and turned her head to kiss him.
Zac leaned in to accept her kiss, and returned it wholeheartedly, digging his fingers into her hair as she turned her body, shakily, to face him. "Baby...you're so shaky..are you alright?" he asked softly. She nodded her head yes, and kissed him again. "I just wanna love you.." she murmured when they came up for air. "Em..." he called to her softly, he was going to suggest she get some sleep, he'd seen her drink almost the whole bottle and knew she'd be in bad shape when she woke up. Her hands raked through his hair and she held his face so he was looking directly into her eyes. She was completely focused and it seemed she was looking straight into his soul. "Just let me love you.." she whispered and traced his lips with the pads of her thumbs. She ran feather light fingertips through the hair that hung around his face and tucked the strands behind his ears, then traced the rest of his features slowly, with gentle hands returning to his soft, full lips. "I love you, Zac..." she murmured and kissed him, sending an immediate electric pulse through his body. His hands felt her bare skin, smooth and warm under his touch as they slowly moved over her back and shoulders and their tongues danced, stroking each other lovingly. He marveled that she tasted so sweet, even with the bitter taste of whiskey lingering on her tongue, and moved his mouth to taste the sweetness of the rest of her, starting at the sensitive spot behind her ear. "I love you, too, Em..." he murmured directly in her ear as he nipped at her skin, then darted his hot tongue over it. The sensation that caused, along with his warm breath directly in her ear, took her breath away. "Zac..god.." she whispered, and let him turn her so she was lying on her back. He leaned above her, his hair sweeping across her cheeks before he moved it out of his way, and traced her features, the same as she had done to him. But he went a step further, letting his fingertip tickle a straight line down from the center of her collarbone bewteen her breasts, which where threatening to spill out of the cups of the push up bra she was wearing.
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