“I liked that better than detasseling,” I admitted.
“They started your bridge last week, and they finished the beach. Dad told me the State guy had said they were happy with how it’s turning out. The river is much healthier, and they’re confident that unless we get a big flood, things will be much better in the spring.”
We got quiet for a minute, and then Zoe gave me a serious look.
“I really have missed you. Not just the intimate stuff; I’ve missed you coming out on Sundays and helping me with the horses. Mom asked when you planned to come to dinner. It’s as if a part of me has been missing for the last two months.”
“Zoe, I’ve missed you too,” I said, and I leaned in and gave her a sweet kiss.
“I realize it’s not fair and that you’re off doing what you have to, but I don’t like you not being around. I hope you don’t think I’m pressuring you, but I want to spend more time with you,” she admitted.
“Once baseball’s over, I’ll have more time. Right now, we just need to grab it when we can,” I suggested.
Zoe smiled at me and took control. She reached for my hand and led me to the bedroom. With her, it always seemed like we were doing it in a car, at school, or outside. The only other times I could remember us having sex on a bed was our first time and when we had our date in April. In all those other places, there was the element of possibly getting caught to distract us. It was nice to be able to focus on her.
It turned out that sex with Zoe was better than I remembered. In her daily life, she was more grounded and family-oriented than either Brook or Halle. In the sack, she was the adventurous one. Everything was new, and she wasn’t shy about experimenting. Zoe had told me she had a sexual bucket list she wanted to check off. Mr. Happy wanted me to find that list and help her fulfill it. I tried to make it a policy not to let the little head control the big one, but sometimes he was full of good ideas.
Once we hit the bed, Zoe let me take control. I did mostly the same I’d done with Brook a few nights ago when we had the most amazing sex of our lives. I’m not sure if Zoe was better, but definitely not worse. Different would best be how I would describe it.
The problem with slow, sensual lovemaking was that it kills the whole afternoon. I would never describe Zoe as clingy, but she did not want to let go of me once we were done.
“Brook said you’d upped your game in Japan, but wow, just wow,” Zoe said.
I kept forgetting that Halle, Brook, and Zoe talked about everything. They’d all become good friends. They claimed that the open communication kept them from clawing each other’s eyes out. While I wasn’t comfortable with them sharing what we did in bed, to maintain harmony, I was willing to let it slide. If I finally picked a girlfriend, that would have to stop. Right now, it was the whole ‘gift horse’ saying—you just accepted it.
“While we were in Japan, Brook woke me up each morning with a blowjob. Maybe while I’m home, you could come over,” I suggested.
“You couldn’t get Halle to fall for that, and she’s the gullible one. Do what my brother does: he has Rosy and her five friends help him out.”
I got the giggles because it was clear I’d corrupted Zoe. She would have died this time last year before she would have discussed the fact that her little brother masturbated. I would have to check his palms for hair at the next football practice. What was the other urban legend? Oh, yes, his eyesight needed to be tested, too.
Then I had a better idea: I’d have Phil do it. The guys were teasing him about being a virgin, to the point I was about to hire him a hooker. We Dawsons have a reputation to uphold, after all. Then again, the only hookers I knew were Flee’s ex Candy and her sister Raven. Phil wouldn’t survive either one of them. He needed to find some clueless girl, and the two of them could figure it out together. I had a bad feeling that if a girl ever did sleep with him, he’d be a goner. She would lead him around like a lovesick puppy.
◊◊◊
I took Zoe home and begged off dinner with her family because I wanted to have some quality time with the boys. Duke hadn’t gotten enough love, and Little David and Coby needed some Daddy time. Peggy took full advantage and went to hang out with Beth, Cindy, and Suzanne tonight. There was some chick flick that they wanted to go see, and then there would be coffee with talking afterward. I couldn’t figure out why they couldn’t get any boys to join them.
I’d gotten comfortable. The Cubs game was on, Duke was on one leg getting an ear rub, and Coby sat on my other knee, while Little David showed off his new mobility. Then I heard the my apartment door open. It was Tami and Tim. I’d neatly dodged them last time.
“I decided I’d go off my diet and order a pizza. You want in on it?” I asked Tim.
“Sausage and mushroom.”
“I see you’ve already got him trained. How about we get half meat-lover’s and half sausage and mushroom?” I asked.
Tami always wanted sausage and mushroom, and I knew Tim liked meat without fungus. I could eat either without a problem.
I sent Duke to watch Little David and handed Coby to Tim. Tami took pity on Tim and took my son. Coby wasn’t too sure of her, and I soon had him back after I’d called Monical’s. Little David toddled right over to her, so she didn’t feel left out.
“What was going on with you and Peggy the last time we stopped by?” Tami asked. “You didn’t come back.”
I looked at Tim.
“You’re her boyfriend. You better explain it to her,” I suggested.
“Uh … I don’t think so,” Tim said.
“Wuss,” I said under my breath.
“Bite me,” was his snappy comeback.
“Tami, if you want the scoop, you’ll have to talk to Peggy. I’m not going to say what happened,” I reminded her.
“I just thought that was over,” she said.
“Tim, what did you do with Tami this afternoon?” I asked.
Poor Tim. It wasn’t fair to him, but I wanted to press home the point to Tami to back off. I hoped to God he didn’t feel the need to tell me.
“Okay, okay, you win,” Tami said as she threw up her hands.
“Next, you’ll be giving me advice about Lisa Felton,” I teased.
“I heard your cousin caught an STI,” Tami said with a straight face.
“You slept with your cousin?” Tim asked in disbelief.
“After the deed, we figured out we weren’t related, but it’s kind of sexy sleeping with relatives,” I said in my best Tennessee accent.
“I’m not sure I am ready to hang out with you two,” Tim admitted.
“David’s just being bad. Normally he does whatever I tell him to,” Tami said, smirking at me.
“I’m not getting naked for Tim. It was bad enough you made me do it for everyone in your dorm so they’d like you,” I shot back.
“I’m not sure I want to know what that’s about,” Tim said.
He wasn’t sure about a lot, it seemed.
“You know David. He’ll take his clothes off anywhere. He invented the naked dance party and did it on video chat. It was a great icebreaker to get to know the girls in my dorm. Now that we’re dating, you’ll have to take his place in the fall.”
Tami was evil. I could tell Tim half-believed her.
“I’ll teach you some of my better moves,” I offered.
“Oh, teach him to twerk and to do that helicopter bit,” Tami said.
We both about fell off the couch laughing as Tim turned white and looked like he might throw up. He was saved from further harassment when the pizza came.
When they were ready to leave, I hugged Tami.
“Thanks for forcing the issue. I’m okay with this now,” I whispered in her ear.
She could tell I really was okay. It helped that she was with Tim, a guy I trusted and liked. It also helped that they’d both come to me and talked to me before it happened. I knew he would treat her right, and she would do the same.