She turns 21 in December. Has he caught the not so subtle hints she's been dropping? Let's hope so!
I own nothing HSM/Zac/Vanessa related except some well-worn cd's, dvd's, magazines and three tubs of trinkets. I have the utmost respect for these people, actors, characters and for the amazing changes they've brought into my life.
Read, enjoy, review or PM me. This one's kinda long but I hope you'll like it. :)
And as always...KTZLF!!
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He stepped out of the shower and looked in the mirror across from him. The suit that just came from the dry cleaners was hanging on the other side of the room crisply pressed and unwrinkled. Zac laughed as he started slipping into his boxers and t-shirt. The last time he dressed this well was for the Oscars.
Most of the time he had to wear a suit he sent it to the cleaners, but by the time he got it home at least the jacket would be wrinkled. He always wore them anyway. Comfort was his main concern in most situations. There were two reasons he had looked so good for the Academy Awards show…his mom, and Vanessa.
Starla had warned him to look his best; even threatened to come dress him herself for the star-studded, internationally-viewed event. He told his mother Vanessa would take care of him. And she would…but to emphasize the importance Vanessa stood directly in front of her boyfriend on that occasion and invited Starla to join her and Zac as they dressed for their appearance.
Zac stood dumbfounded and realized then that he'd better listen to them…that or risk the thought of Starla standing in his bedroom watching him change underwear as though he were a four year old again. He wasn't particularly interested in letting his mom see how much certain parts of his anatomy had grown in recent years. Vanessa on the other hand…
His eyebrows had raised at that thought and he grinned slightly. "Nessa can help me dress Mom. I promise you I will let her help me get my tux together and make sure I look as good as possible."
Both women noted his smirk and knew his mind was up to no good. "You promise me?" Starla questioned.
Zac wrapped his arm around his girlfriend and placed a playful kiss on her cheekbone. "More than happy to let her dress me." He laughed. "Course you may have to undress me first…"
Vanessa pushed his lips away from her face and smacked his arm. The blush spread on her face only because Starla was standing there. "If you don't look as hot in your tux as I do in my dress then I guess we'll just have to skip our part in the program. I doubt the director will be happy about that." Vanessa tried her best to keep a serious face.
"Well, I can tell you that won't happen. I can never look as good as you, no matter what I'm wearing." Zac answered seriously and looked at his mom. "When you put iron next to 14 carat gold all it's gonna do is rust."
Vanessa looked up at him and smiled sincerely as she placed a loving kiss on his lips. "Don't ever underestimate yourself Handsome."
Starla smiled at both of them. "Do I need to be there to make sure you change your underwear?"
They all three laughed and shook their heads. Zac smiled at his mother and ducked his head a little. "Nah, Mom, Nessa's got this one under control. I'll do good, I promise."
This afternoon the tuxedo hanging there looked even more crisp than the one that Vanessa had helped him dress in that night months ago. He wanted to look good tonight, just for her.
He nervously climbed into the pants and slid his arms into the stiff sleeves of the white shirt. He would wait until the last minute to put his jacket on so he carried it out into the bedroom with him and hung it cautiously on the door.
He took a deep breath and wondered if Vanessa had started dressing yet. He had left her at her house an hour ago. She had a ton of questions written on her face but had been instructed not to ask any of them. There had been a little pouting, a little grunting and a lot of sighing as Zac nearly begged her to 'just trust' him.
They had spent the night together at her house. They enjoyed more than one pleasurable session in various rooms of her home to ring in this special day. And they had decided to finally move from the bedroom just after lunchtime…to eat breakfast.
Zac had refused her offer to share a shower with her, which surprised Vanessa just a bit considering both of their moods. But she had shrugged her shoulders and turned her back on him as she peeled off the single piece of clothing she was wearing and paraded into the bathroom already naked…leaving Zac to just shake his head and take several deep breaths.
Her time in the shower had allowed Zac to take a tour of her closet to find what he considered the perfect dress. Well, okay maybe he found his second favorite dress. The first was the skimpy tangerine halter design that she had used to drive him absolutely crazy at the MTV Awards show.
The one he chose for this particular night was a nearly nude/peach colored dress with spaghetti straps that she had donned for their press tour in Japan. It fell mid-thigh on his girlfriend and accentuated every luscious curve on her body. It covered enough to keep every male from wanting to touch her. Yet it covered little enough in the cool night air that she would likely end up wearing his jacket for much of the evening.
When he heard the water stop running he placed the dress and appropriate heels on Vanessa's side of the bed. He also grabbed a duffle bag and quickly tossed in her favorite pair of jeans, a sweater and tank top just in case she wanted to change a little later in the evening. It was her night after all and comfort had always been a top priority on both their lists.
He sat the bag next to the bedroom door and climbed back onto the bed being careful not to disturb the dress. Moments later the bathroom door opened, revealing his beautiful love with nothing but a towel wrapped around her petite body.
"Better?" He asked with more than a casual smile on his face. How many times had he taken the opportunity to look over her body? He nearly drooled at the dancer's legs that caught his eye every time. And IF he could find his way upwards from her calves and thighs, anything else uncovered around her abdominal and chest areas would cause other bodily reactions. If he made his way to her shoulders, neck, and face the result was simply love. She was absolutely beautiful from toe to head…at least that's always the way his eyes traveled.
She laughed when she caught him sizing her up. You would think she'd be used to it after four years with him. But he hadn't stopped staring at her within that time. Her reaction had simply changed from blushing to teasing to tantalizing which is where they stood at this point.
Vanessa didn't even notice the dress on the bed, yet, as she lifted her smooth, toned leg up to the sink and began to apply a slick coat of baby oil.
"You're killing me you know." Zac sighed. His eyes still hadn't left her legs.
"Have you gotten any higher than…here?" Vanessa asked as she hitched the towel up a couple of inches nearly revealing a bare hip.
"Mmmm" was the groaning sound that came from his lips that made her laugh.
"I'll take that as a 'no' then." She commented and continued conditioning her perfect skin.
Zac finally willed himself to look beyond her legs, beyond the towel to the profile of her face. She was paying him no attention although she knew exactly what her actions were doing to him.
"Did I mention that we have plans for the evening?" Zac finally let himself admit.
"What kind of plans?" she ventured to request.
"Ah, ah, ah…" Zac chastised gently. "You'll just have to be surprised." He smiled at the pouting look she sent in his direction. She had been pressing him for details of this night for the past week. He knew she had been wondering about it for months but only dared to start really asking questions about it after a friend let a minor detail slip.
"Zac's taking care of that." Was the simple phrase. The one she had latched onto that let her know this night was going to be more than just a family dinner. Yet that's the only detail anyone had offered to her. Even her family and Zac had been more than secretive.
Zac knew at some point, in the next few minutes, their plans would start to reveal themselves. He only hoped she would go along with them, and be happy at the final outcome.
When she finally sauntered out of the bathroom she noticed the dress that was placed carefully on the bed. She looked at Zac and pointed toward the clothing. "What's that for?"
He smiled knowing she was beginning to get frustrated with the lack of information he was offering. "You'll need to wear it, at least for dinner. Please? For me?" he added, hoping his near begging tone would convince her to just play along.
She looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Why that one?" she asked. "It's December Zac, I'll freeze in that."
He smiled at her again. "You won't be outside in it long, and you can wear my jacket if it's too cold. By the way, you aren't in Canada anymore. You're back in California and it's nearly 70 degrees. I think you'll be fine. Besides, you can change a little later, if you want to." He pointed toward the duffle bag.
Vanessa scrunched her eyebrows as she looked between Zac and the duffle and the dress on the bed. "I'm only doing this because I love you. You know that?" she twisted her lips around trying her best not to smile. In all truth, she was a bit nervous, but loving every minute of his secret plans.
"Ditto." Zac sat up on the side of the bed, then stood and placed his hands on her biceps. And that was exactly why she was loving this…because he loved her enough to go to all this trouble, whatever it might be.
Zac placed a kiss on her forehead and allowed her to follow that with a tiptoeing kiss to the lips. With that he slid past her and headed toward the door. He grabbed the duffle bag before turning back toward her curious face.
"You get dressed. Get all dolled up and be ready to roll at 5:30. I've gotta go pick up my outfit, grab a shower and get dressed. I'll be back just as soon as I can and we'll head out from here. Okay?" Zac's orders were gentle, but left her no choice other than to follow them.
"Okay." She answered softly. Her smile revealed to him that she was going to trust him.
They exchanged kisses, blown through the air toward each other, before Zac escaped from the room.
In the hour since then he had run his errands and made a few phone calls to make sure everything was in order. Now all he had left to do really was his hair, and putting on the dress shoes. Oh how he hated the dress shoes. She knew he hated them. Yet tonight he was going to wear them for her.
He sighed and decided to do his hair first. It was still a bit wet from the shower and he ran a towel through it one more time before pulling out the mousse to put the shaggy brown coif in its place.
At last he sprayed the hairspray in a circle around his head and let it land on his hair. When he dressed up this was the way Vanessa liked his hair. She always said it was more 'challenging' to mess it up with her fingers when he did more than just run a comb through it.
He stood and looked in the mirror that Vanessa had made him hang on the back of the bedroom door. Why on earth would he ever need a full-length mirror in his bedroom? He had wondered when she brought the item to his house. They had, in fact, used the mirror for some completely unexpected, spontaneous, X-rated reasons, which made him insist that they might need mirrors on other doors in his house…and in hers too for that matter. On this night he finally used the mirror for its intended purpose…to give himself a last once-over before heading back to pick up his girlfriend.
Zac straightened his bow tie, put on the uncomfortable shoes and grabbed his jacket from the hanger. He tugged gently on the cuff links to make sure his shirtsleeves were practically perfect and then made sure his wallet and keys were in place.
He stepped back into the bathroom to grab a couple of, hopefully, necessary items then tossed his own jeans, a white t-shirt and sweater jacket into the duffle bag, along with a pair of Vans. He looked longingly at the shoes before placing them at the top of the duffle. If he could just wear those now…no, tonight's for her. He argued within his mind.
With a deep breath he headed out of his house and climbed into the black Audi. A smile crossed his face as he turned the key. "Surprise Nessa. Happy 21st Birthday Sweetheart."
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Vanessa had made it pretty clear to a lot of people that she wanted a birthday party, a real birthday bash, for her 21st. She had hoped for one for her Sweet 16. Instead she had been involved in creating the movie phenomena that would change her life in all sorts of ways.
Then she thought perhaps her 18th would be the big celebration. Damn that movie. But she did get a belated birthday celebration from her boyfriend involving just the two of them and a trip to Hawaii the following summer. Well, so maybe that wasn't actually a birthday celebration, but it sure put the icing on the cake for her…and him.
But this year she wanted something special. She wanted to celebrate with her friends and family and have a party focused on her. She had mentioned it in interviews, in passing to her parents and sister and had left more than subtle hints for Zac along the way as well.
There was some line about lilies and lingerie not doing the trick this time that really perked Zac's ears. That's when he had enlisted her mom's help, her sister's help, his mom's advice and even one of their best friends. Loving Vanessa meant that he was also learning when to call in the cavalry. This was one of those times.
Luckily for all of them Vanessa had been 'stuck' in Vancouver for nearly two months while all of them were in California, together. That allowed them time to put their plans together. What they had in mind was a little romantic, that's where Zac and the fancy clothes came in, mixed with a huge amount of love and friendship – that seemed to be what Vanessa wanted, to be surrounded by friends - on this special day. That's what they intended to give her.
Along the short drive between his house and hers Zac made three repeat phone calls. One to Gina…Everything was set for part C at the downtown L.A. restaurant. Two to the limo company … that would take care of part B – and that was the part where he hoped to get much more comfortable…if they had their regular driver…and if he could persuade his girlfriend…it was, after all, her 21st birthday, not his. And three to Joe and Diana…the first stop may be called Paty's, but those two other names held the key to part A…and it was all set.
He pulled the Audi into the driveway of Vanessa's six-bedroom mansion but didn't enter the garage. Instead he pulled to floral bouquet from the front seat and the small box out of the glove compartment of his car. Zac made his way to the front door and rang the doorbell knowing it would throw her off, just a little.
Vanessa rolled her eyes when the sound came through the house. She was still upstairs in the bedroom and knew it was Zac at the door. She shook her head looking in the mirror at the one earring that she had just inserted into her earlobe. She stood and smoothed her dress before padding barefoot out of the room and down the stairs. He'd better have flowers.
When she opened the door that was exactly what greeted her. Ten red roses and ten white roses stared back at her with one large open calla lily in the center. Thank goodness he hadn't listened to her completely. And thank God she hadn't put on her eye makeup yet. The warm tears formed in her eyes knowing that somewhere behind the beautiful bouquet was her beau.
"There are 21 of them you know." He finally spoke from behind the colorful arrangement.
"Is that significant?" Vanessa raised one eyebrow as he lowered the flowers and smiled a sexy grin at her.
"Did I not tell you 'happy birthday' when we woke up this morning? Or was that just after midnight…wait, you probably didn't hear that one, you were too busy chanting my name at that point in time. Well how about the special birthday breakfast pancakes that I made for you at one o'clock this afternoon? I know I said 'happy birthday' then." He smiled widely.
"Would you just come in here?" she giggled and grabbed the sleeve of his jacket to pull him through the door.
"Hey now, easy on the jacket. Don't wrinkle it yet." He gently urged her to let go of his arm.
Vanessa stepped back as he came into the house and slowly took in what he was wearing as he held the flowers out toward her. "You're in a tux?" she swallowed back those same tears that had formed from the flower surprise.
Zac allowed her to take the flowers from him before he turned around meticulously letting her see every inch of the suit. "You like?" he asked more for confirmation than as a joke.
She cradled the flowers in one arm like a pageant queen and reached up with her other hand to run it across the smooth yet stiff fabric covering his shoulders. She worked her way down tugging slightly on his lapel and then passing just two fingers over his tie before glancing down at his shoes.
"Did I miss an invitation to another Academy Award performance or something? Why are you all dressed up?" she ran her toes across his shiny shoes then looked up into his eyes.
"Hmmm." He sighed. "You have a pretty dress on. So I wanna look good too." He leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips.
"Are we heading to prom?" she laughed quietly and accepted another kiss from him while she wrapped her hands around his neck and began to lovingly toy with his hair.
"Uh-uh." He answered "Go, finish getting' dressed and then we'll go. Geez, I thought you'd be anxious to get out of here by now."
She dropped her arms from his shoulders and reached up to her earlobes. "Oh, shoot. I've gotta put my other earring in and get my shoes. Can I just put my makeup on in the car or should I do it here?" her face brightened just a little. Until now she wasn't quite sure they actually were going out. Now the rush was beginning to set in.
"If you trust my driving you can put it on in the car. Up to you. Just remember, the longer you take, the more hungry I get, then I'll be paying less attention to you and more on the food."
Vanessa smiled at him, kissed his cheek, smoothed his suit coat and walked toward the stairs. "I knew your stomach would betray you eventually. I guess we're going out to eat first?" she cocked her eyebrows at him.
Zac pushed his hand toward her and pointed at the stairs. "Go Detective Hudgens. You can solve the rest of your birthday mystery after we leave the house."
She giggled as she hurried back up the steps leaving Zac with a smile on his face and a tuxedo that still looked near perfect.
He took the flowers into the kitchen and found a vase for them. He thoughtfully brought them back into the living room and placed them on the coffee table in front of the couch. Zac debated sitting on the couch to wait for her. He also debated going upstairs to help her. He decided both were bad ideas at the moment. So instead he waited at the bottom of the stairs looking like a nervous suitor.
When she re-emerged fifteen minutes later his girlfriend looked even more stunning than before. The three-inch heels caught his eyes. There was that toe to head habit again. The dress was perfect, her body was gorgeous, and her hair was bundled at the back of her head allowing him to see the heavenly skin that covered her neck and collarbone.
He sighed and shook his head in amazement. She wanted a party. She wanted a birthday bash that included more than just the two of them. She wanted to leave the house. What was she thinking?
"What?" was the cautious question she asked when about halfway down the steps.
"Nothing." He stepped up onto the first stair and held his hand out toward her as she began descending again. "You just look beautiful. Nessa, you're absolutely stunning."
Vanessa blinked her eyes slowly and let a smile pull the corners of her lips up until her teeth were showing brightly making Zac nearly forget what was happening.
"Thank you. I can say the same for you. You know I love it when you dress up, don't you?" her high-pitched voice was full of sincerity when she spoke.
Zac nodded at her once and crooked his elbow at his waist so that she could hook her arm through it. Before they could get out the door Zac stopped abruptly. "Oh crap, I almost forgot." He let go of her arm and reached inside his jacket pocket for the box he had also brought from the car.
He quickly handed her the rectangular velvet covered box that made her eyes widen.
"It…it's not that. We've talked about the marriage and engagement stuff. It's not that." He explained, trying to take the edge off his words. He knew she immediately thought it was an engagement ring. But he wasn't ready for that, and truthfully, as romantic as it sounded and as thrilled as she thought she could be, she wasn't ready for it either.
"Oh." She replied and looked back down at the box. Still she removed the ribbon he had wrapped around it and lifted the lid. The delicate silver chain was adorned with a diamond encrusted heart-shaped pendant. Instead of an arrow piercing through the heart there was a golden key running diagonally through the glittery object.
Vanessa touched the pendant gingerly not wanting to dislodge any of the apparent diamond dust that was making it shimmer so brightly. "Zac, it's beautiful." She commented as she continued to run her finger over it.
"It's an original." He shared. "One of kind, just like you. That's the key to my heart, in case you're wondering." He took her hand in his and held the box so they could look at it together.
"Where'd you find this?" she asked as his finger swept over hers and took the necklace out of its holding spot in the box.
"My secret." He tried to insist as he urged her to turn around so that he could place the jewelry around her neck.
"You had it made for me, didn't you." It was a statement, not a question.
Zac shrugged as she turned around to face him again and let him straighten the slender chain.
Again he found himself wrapped in her embrace with her arms around his neck pulling herself up to kiss him. This time she let her lips linger on his for several moments before lowering herself back down to the ground. She felt her heartbeat quicken as Zac put the small box back in his pocket and touched the heart that was around her neck.
"Thank you." She offered in response.
His smile was content now knowing that the rest of the night would be the celebration she wanted. He had already made her happy and that was really all that mattered.
Okay, that and hoping that she wouldn't follow his lead and get drunk on her birthday night. He was quite sure he wanted the celebration to continue when they came back home after the party. He would prefer not to carry her up to bed and instruct her on dealing with a hangover tomorrow morning. Mental note…champagne at Paty's, wine later on, lots of food in between with ice tea and water and we're done.
"You're very welcome." He led her outside holding her hand and placing loving kisses to the back of it nearly every step of the way to the car. "I know you already own my heart. You know that too. Maybe now you can use that to show everybody else." He grinned at the corny line as he opened the door for her to slide into the passenger seat.
"Like I need something to show them that." She turned toward him and pulled a vial of lip gloss from her purse. He started the car and stared at her for just a moment while she applied the shiny gel to her perfect lips.
Vanessa pulled down the sun visor and opened the mirror on it as she dabbed at the excess with the tip of her pinky. "See, that's what I'm talking about." She glanced back at her boyfriend who was making no move to put the car into gear. "When you stare at me like that, there's no question where your heart is."
She finally turned to him and smiled. "Oh, and by the way?" she reached over and tapped on the gearshift to try and put his mind in gear, "My heart belongs to you. It has for about, oh, four years now."
They smiled at each other and shared one short kiss before Zac put the car in motion.
"Now, where are we going again?" Vanessa hoped she had successfully thrown his mind off the course of surprising her.
Zac stared straight out the window and willed himself not to smile. "You're just going to have to wait and see Miss Impatient. It may be your birthday, but you're in my hands."
She huffed again and joined him in staring straight forward. "You don't get to touch me again unless this birthday surprise is a darn good one. In your hands…" She crossed her arms over her chest.
Zac let the half smirk form on the left side of his face where she couldn't witness it. "Just remember you're 21 now, not twelve. I'm pretty sure you'll want my hands on you at some point tonight."
Vanessa turned toward him with lips tightened into a humorous snarl. "My birthday. We'll see."
Zac turned to see the look on her face and simply puckered and sent a kiss flying through the air to her. She smiled again. Both knew he was right. But they also knew that he was at her beck and call. It was her night and she would get what she wanted, especially from him.
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The parking lot was empty in front of Paty's diner, which was unusual. Zac pulled the Audi into the closest parking spot and unbuckled his seatbelt.
"What have you done?" Vanessa looked toward the restaurant with wondering eyes and a hint of unbelief in her voice.
"What? I'm taking you to dinner." Zac answered, trying to keep the sarcastic tone from his voice.
"The lot's empty. There's nobody else here. Are you sure they aren't closed for some reason?" Vanessa asked the question knowing good and well that her boyfriend had pulled some magical strings and the eatery was nowhere near closed. Not at six in the evening on a Friday.
Zac hurried around to her side of the car and opened the door then waited for her to climb out. Just as he had pictured, there they were dressed in some of their finest evening-wear, in front of Paty's. The sign on the door gave it away. 'Closed for Private Party'. Vanessa looked up into his face and and held back a slight squeal at his thoughtfulness.
He held the door of the venue open for Vanessa and watched her closely as she walked in and looked at the dimly lit dining room. Candles were arranged on one table, in the center of the room, providing just enough light to lead them to that particular table. They noticed a light on a little farther back in the building. A black sheet had been draped over the door to the kitchen to block out the needed light in that area.
Vanessa nearly gasped as she wandered toward the table and found a single birthday card bearing her name placed on the table. Zac pulled out a chair for her and smiled when gentle music started playing around them. Two figures emerged from the kitchen already carrying a tray of food toward them.
Joe and Diana smiled brightly as they greeted two of their favorite customers. "Happy Birthday Young Lady!" Joe eagerly offered.
"You look stunning." Diana added and sat the tray of sushi down in front of them.
Vanessa looked at them curiously. "Sushi's not on the menu here. What's going on?"
Joe laughed. "Lover boy over here had a vision while you were in Canada. A nice quiet dinner with the food of your choice, courtesy of Paty's."
Vanessa raised her eyebrows as Zac put his hand in the air to explain. "They were willing to go along with my crazy scheme. Don't worry, I didn't ask them to donate anything to your cause Baby…other than a little willingness and cooperation."
Diana placed her hands on Vanessa's shoulders for a quick squeeze. "And you know we'd do anything for either of you."
Joe leaned over for a short hug from the birthday girl and continued smiling. "The place is all yours. Zac, the cd's you wanted are over at the counter, have at it. Enjoy the sushi and we'll be working on your main course. Can we get you drinks?"
Zac thanked them both and smiled. "Water would be great." He winked at Diana knowing he was under his girlfriend's watchful eye.
When the older couple returned to the kitchen Vanessa reached across the table and took Zac's hand. "You rented the place out? But where are mom and dad, and Stellz?" she wondered as she gazed into his eyes.
"This dinner is for me, so I can have you all to myself and wish you a happy birthday my way. Well, at least one of my ways," he grinned at her. "We'll catch up with the others after while, I promise."
Vanessa smiled a coy, sexy smile toward him. She noticed that a few tables had been moved around to allow a little extra floor space in the main dining area. "Care to dance with me?" she suggested.
"As you wish." He answered and lifted her hand beyond the candles to help her out of the chair. Zac led her to the counter to choose the music for their impromptu dance. The slow song with a heavy beat didn't surprise him in the least. It was what he was hoping for.
So they made their way to the center of the floor, wrapped their arms around each other and simply danced. Vanessa wrapped her arms around his waist first and then slid her arms up his back latching onto his shoulders with her fingertips. Zac pulled her as close as he possibly could with arms around her waist and continued to sway. When she rested her head against his chest he nestled his chin in her hair and sighed.
As the song ended and a different one began Vanessa loosened her grip on Zac's jacket and pulled back from him just a bit. "You really do look gorgeous tonight. Why the tux?"
"I thought you said I looked sexy in a tuxedo." Zac commented.
Vanessa thought for a minute. "I'm sure I did. But I also think you look sexy in jeans and shorts and nothing and…" she grinned as Zac's jaw dropped.
"Do you mean to tell me I could've come in the buff and you would've approved?"
Vanessa laughed out loud at his choice of words and then gleamed at him with shining eyes. "That's usually how it happens, isn't it?" she smirked. "If you were still naked we would've never left the house. I won't share you with anyone like that!"
They sat back down at the table and began nibbling on the sushi that was provided as Zac processed her last comments. When his eyes flew open she knew he understood what she was hinting at.
He pulled a grain of rice from the California roll he was eating and flicked it at her face. Vanessa giggled as it landed on her nose and Zac joined her in the laugh. "Have I corrupted you that much…enough to make you use tainted language in our hallowed eatery?" Zac smirked across the table as he used his thumb to swipe the food from her face.
Vanessa raised her eyebrows. "I didn't use tainted language, you did. I just caught a different meaning of what you said. Pardon me for misunderstanding." She tilted her head as she met Zac's dazzling blue gaze across the table.
"You know I will dress however you want me to, whenever you want me to, right?" he offered quite seriously. "I will gladly get out of this monkey suit anytime you tell me to. Especially if we're alone…and you decide to…"
Zac let his words drop and glanced up with a slight blush as Diana brought the bottle of Dom Pérignon Rosé Champagne to their table with two glasses. Zac held his breath a little as Diana just smiled and showed the bottle to him and Vanessa.
Vanessa's eyes widened as she realized that this item also wasn't on the menu at this family eatery. Zac had done his homework and more to make this a special time for her.
Diana sat the chilled bottle on the table and held out the corkscrew. "Would you like to do the honors, sir?" she jokingly requested.
Zac nodded at her and sucked in a short breath as he looked toward Vanessa and shrugged. "There's a first time for everything, right?" He took the corkscrew from Diana as she nodded and smiled at him.
"Your salads will be out in just a few minutes. Is that ok?" Diana asked as she turned to head back to the kitchen.
Vanessa smiled at her. "Yeah, that'd be great. I think I'll be completely engrossed in the show that's about to happen here, just take your time." She giggled.
Zac slouched at her words and put a nearly defeated smile on his face. He waited for Diana to walk off and stood with the corkscrew in one hand and the bottle of fine liquor in the other. "I should've known better. Pop tops and screw tops are the way to go. I'm probably gonna make a complete mess out of this." He huffed a little as he began to twist the corkscrew into the sealed opening.
"If I get this on my tux it's gonna be your fault you know. And if it spews, I'm turning the bottle your way." He glanced away from his work and met Vanessa's dark eyes.
She cocked one eyebrow in his direction and let her lips hold a near smile as she revealed what she was thinking. "You make the mess, you clean it up." She let one corner of her mouth raise at the suggestive hint.
Zac grinned at her and shook his head. He let the smile fade and took another breath. "You'll still have to wear it through dinner you know. Joe and Diana have gone to a lot of trouble. We can't just make a mess and leave without eating first."
Vanessa sighed. "Your right." She brought her fingers up to her neck and played with the pendant Zac had presented to her. "Maybe…" she thought out loud, "we could pretend that you made a mess when we leave here and spend some time cleaning up before we meet Mom, Dad and Stellz?" she requested with a pleading look.
"Wow!" Zac breathed deeply at her suggestion and pushed down on the handles of the corkscrew hoping the bubbly liquid wouldn't shoot everywhere. "I really, really love 21-year-old Vanessa." He grinned.
Finally the cork popped out of the bottle with a hearty sound and just a bit of the drink came tumbling over the lip of the bottle. "Darn it." Vanessa smirked as Zac lifted the bottle to pour them each a glass.
Joe and Diana grinned widely as they quietly came out of the kitchen to witness the playfulness in front of them. They watched, with salads in hand, as Zac made a birthday toast to the love of his life and then moved to sit side by side with her so they could share, at least momentarily, a loving kiss and touches that just proved how special they were to one another.
When the salads appeared Zac moved his chair back to the opposite side of the table and accepted just a little ribbing from Joe. It was all in fun. With these two people Zac and Vanessa felt almost as free to be themselves as if they were with their own family.
"Who's getting the New York Strip and who gets the poached salmon?" Joe asked as he prepared to put their dinners together. They all knew the answer to the question but Joe especially loved to watch Vanessa scrunch her nose up at the thought of 'poached' anything.
"I dunno what he's eating." She motioned toward Zac. "But the steak is mine." She insisted.
The round of laughter only made the dinner ambiance more perfect.
"Enjoy your salads kids. Your main course will be out shortly." Joe added and patted Zac on the back.
Once their food arrived they spent another near hour just talking, sharing food – Vanessa's, not Zac's - holding hands, exchanging glances and simply enjoying the quiet. Diana and Joe stayed in the back except for providing a pitcher of iced tea and water nearby. Both knew Zac had requested the calm and serene time for his girlfriend's birthday. Other than being at home, this to them was a luxury.
Zac's cellphone buzzed in his pocket at 7:30. He pulled the device out and looked at the screen and smiled. Vanessa watched him curiously as he looked toward the window of the diner and noticed a single set of headlights pulling up in front of the doors.
"Right on time." Zac commented at Vanessa's odd expression. "Wait here just a minute or two, okay?" he requested.
Then she watched as he proceeded to leave the restaurant without her. When he was fully out the door Vanessa turned her head toward the kitchen.
Diana quickly came to her side with a smile pulling completely at her lips. "I'd say you've got a keeper there Little Miss. He'll be right back, don't worry."
"Are we staying here?" Vanessa asked like an uninformed child. "What about dessert? I was looking forward to a hot fudge sundae." She tried to joke.
Diana watched her, somewhat amused at the little bit of fear in Vanessa's face. She didn't like the unknown, not completely, even when it involved a birthday surprise, and even when Zac was in charge of it.
Diana shook her head. "Sorry, Dear. Dessert is planned at another location. You're finished here…unless Zac plans to help wash dishes."
Vanessa laughed at the thought. "He barely does that at home."
"My point exactly." The two women laughed together.
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Outside of Paty's Zac greeted the driver. "Hey Chuck, man I'm glad it's you. I was afraid they were gonna try to put someone else on this assignment." Zac laughed.
The driver stepped out of the car and patted Zac on the shoulder. "Lookin' good there Z-man. You know I wouldn't let anybody else drive you two around town, not tonight for sure." Chuck shared.
Zac grinned at him and poked his head inside the driver's side door to look around. He stepped back from the car and smiled at his driving buddy. "As much as I hate not chatting with you, I'm gonna have to insist that the shield goes up tonight my friend."
Chuck laughed at him. "Have I not chauffeured the two of you around enough over the past couple of years? I just left it down so that you can tell me to 'put it up' as soon as you get inside. Besides, I thought I might be able to give Miss Hudgens a birthday gift before you guys get too far?" he requested.
Zac looked at him surprised. "You got her a gift?"
Chuck laughed. "Yeah, well, sort of. Here, autograph this for me." He handed Zac a picture of himself.
Zac looked at him completely baffled. "What?"
Chuck laughed. "Just autograph the picture of yourself. Put, 'To Vanessa, Happy 21st Birthday, All My Love, Zac."
Zac grinned at him. "And this is the gift you're going to give her?"
"Yeah." The driver grinned back at him. "I was hoping for a job with Angelina Jolie to get her autograph, but it never came up. So I'll just have to settle on giving the little lady an autographed picture of you instead."
Zac shook his head. "We aren't even in the car yet and I think you're insulting me."
Chuck watched as Zac signed the picture, exactly how he had been told to. The man's eyes then darted around the parking lot and landed on the single Audi that was sitting there.
"What d'ya need out of your car?" Chuck directed.
"Uh, just a duffle bag out of the back seat." Zac informed him as he handed back the picture.
"Here," Chuck instructed. "Let me have your keys and you can get back in there to your lady. I'll get the duffle bag. Nothing else, you're sure?"
Zac nodded. "Yeah, just put the bag in the back with us. We'll need it, uh, if we spill anything."
"Yeah, right." Chuck nearly snorted. "You spill anything in my car, I don't want to know about it. You just clean up your mess, got it?"
Zac nodded and looked toward the ground. "That's what I'm countin' on tonight." He admitted.
Chuck laughed again then cleared his throat. "Okay. Do you want me to come get your car after I drop you off? I can make arrangements to take it back to your place if you want me to."
Zac thought as he pulled his keys out of his pocket and took the car keys off the ring. "I didn't even think about getting the car home. Yeah, that would be perfect Chuck. You sure you can do that for me?"
Chuck nodded. "Oh yeah. I'll take care of it once I drop you guys off. I don't have anything else going tonight."
"Oh," Zac thought for another second. "Instead of my place…"
The driver grinned at him. "Yeah, yeah…I'll take it to Miss Hudgens' house for you. Tell me again why you two have separate houses?" he laughed as Zac shrugged his shoulders.
Zac turned to head back into Paty's then glanced back at the car and at Chuck who was pulling the luggage from the Audi. He felt in his pocket to make sure he hadn't dropped the small, foil, square packages that he had retrieved from his bathroom. With Chuck at the helm of the limousine Zac knew part B of Vanessa's birthday surprise was a go…he just hoped it wouldn't 'go' too quickly.
He grinned as he walked back into the diner and wrapped his arms around Vanessa's waist from behind her. Even with Joe and Diana present he pressed himself against her tightly and whispered into her ear. "I'm ready to go. We've got some cleaning up to do. You ready?"
Vanessa looked at their host and hostess and raised her eyebrows at Zac's words. All they knew was that a limo was out front to take Zac and Vanessa to the next location, her actual party. How long it took to get there and what Zac had planned in between was beyond their control.
The foursome shook hands and hugged before Zac began to eagerly push Vanessa toward the door. "Happy Birthday!" Joe and Diana yelled toward the door. The married couple smiled at each other and shook their heads.
"He's whipped." Joe commented and laughed.
Diana returned his laugh noting that he was catching onto the younger lingo. "So are you."
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Vanessa smiled toward the limo driver as she stepped outside the diner and toward the vehicle. "Charles? What are you up to?" she opened her arms to give the driver a warm hug.
"I'm on his tab tonight." Chuck answered with a smile as he released the petite young lady and reached to open the door. "What part of the city do you want to see tonight?" he whispered in Vanessa's ear as Zac watched the interaction.
"Hey, no whispering." Zac interrupted. "I've told you where we're heading. Don't you give away my secret Chuck. Need I remind you of who's footin' the bill here?" Zac tried to sound bossy with arms crossed across his chest.
Vanessa grabbed Zac's forearm and pulled him toward her to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Oh, but Babe it's my birthday. Why do you get to choose what part of town we see?" she pushed her bottom lip out just a little and batted her long eyelashes at her boyfriend.
Zac raised his chin toward Chuck to let him know it was about time to leave. The driver climbed into the car ahead of his passengers knowing that Zac would be happy to help his girlfriend through the door.
Zac grabbed the back door of the lengthy car and held it open. When Vanessa stepped toward it he leaned down to her ear. "If I'm lucky we won't see any of the city on the way to our destination."
Vanessa laughed. "And again I say, it's my birthday. Why should you be the one getting lucky. You should've joined me in the shower instead of pilfering through my closet this afternoon."
Zac gently slammed the door of the limo alerting Chuck to the fact that they were inside the tinted-window confines. Zac patted his hand on the back of the driver's seat to catch Chuck's attention. "Hey Big Guy, can we put the shield up?"
Charles turned slightly in his seat before putting the car into gear. "Only after I give Miss Hudgens her gift." He smiled. "Here Pretty Lady. Happy Birthday by the way! Can't believe you're willing to spend it with this guy." He grinned as Vanessa looked at the autographed picture of Zac.
"Charles, you won't believe this." Vanessa laughed and held up the picture next to Zac's face. "This looks a lot like a picture of my boyfriend that I have in my bedroom. Gosh, I can't believe you actually got Zac Efron to sign this for me. He is really sexy, you know?" she joked with the driver.
Chuck laughed at the comment and accepted her humorous 'thank you' for the fun gift he had provided. "Well I'm not seeing it. You talkin' about your boyfriend or that Efron guy? I don't see the sex appeal in either of them actually."
Vanessa laughed at the lost look on Zac's face. He hadn't been able to get a word in edge-wise since the two started joking. At long last Vanessa leaned back in the seat beside her boyfriend and turned to place a hand on his cheek.
"Huh, Charles? What d'ya know? My boyfriend is Zac Efron." She looked into Zac's eyes and ran her thumb across his lips. "Can't get any sexier than that in my book." She spoke with a serious turn to her voice.
With that the driver hit the switch and the soft hum of the darkened glass shield was heard as it raised between the front and back portions of the limousine.
Chuck couldn't help but smile. He had caught them a couple of years ago, in the back seat of his limo, clothed…well, sort of…and 'in the act' when he had neglected to put up the privacy window.
He had heard the beginnings of their young love and realized that they weren't aware of his awareness. He had only glanced once into the rearview mirror and noticed Zac's hands under Vanessa's skirt with her straddling her boyfriend's lap. The driver had quickly hit the switch that afternoon and scribbled a note to 'Mr. Efron' upon arriving at their destination.
'Next time you need a limo, ask for Chuck…but no matter who you get as driver, don't forget to make sure the privacy shield is up before…'
He had slipped the note to Zac very inconspicuously in exchange for the tip Zac had offered him. Zac read the note quickly and shoved it back into his pocket. He pecked on the driver's window before he pulled away from the curb. "Chuck is it?"
The driver had nodded. Zac slipped another $50 into his hand as he smiled sheepishly. "Thanks man."
Vanessa had thought it was pure coincidence that 'Charles' had been their limo driver the next three times they had requested the private service. And she had found it quite interesting that each time they sat down in the limo Zac had spoken to the man quite candidly for a few minutes and would then ask for the tinted glass to be raised.
After the fourth limo encounter she had questioned Zac about it. Without admitting that they had been caught having sex in the back seat Zac was able to tell her that Chuck was an 'experienced' driver and had a great reputation for keeping things quiet…even if they weren't able to.
Upon their next meeting Vanessa's eyes had widened and the driver ducked his head with a bit of his own embarrassment. "Miss Hudgens?" He looked at her with a purely professional look on his face. "You aren't the first and won't be the last. And as much as you two love each other…I hope you'll allow me to encourage that love for many years to come, just by driving you around L.A."
The next time Zac had returned from an out of town trip to the L.A. airport Vanessa placed the call to the limo service. "If Charles isn't available I'll just drive myself." She had told the scheduler.
Charles had come in on his afternoon off to fill her request.
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Vanessa placed one hand on Zac's chest and tugged at his bow tie before their privacy was completely intact. "You aren't really…comfortable…in this, are you?" She licked her top lip gingerly and pulled it down behind her bottom lip as she looked up into Zac's eyes and loosened the tie.
"You know me too well Miss Hudgens." Zac teased as he reached up to brush a few stray hairs from her forehead. "But you know I'm dressed like this just for you."
Vanessa nodded and smiled sweetly at him before pressing herself into him and latching her fingers onto his starched shirt to pull herself toward his lips. She placed a soft, lingering kiss on his lips causing both of their eyes to close.
Zac wrapped his arms around her and let his fingers wander up and down her back in an enjoyable massage. "Are you enjoying your birthday so far?" he asked as he opened his eyes and watched her face.
She smiled and let her head nod up and down ever so slowly. Vanessa pushed herself away from Zac's chest slightly and looked at him seated semi correctly in the black leather seat. He was slouched down with legs slightly parted and hands resting on her waist while she was stationed on her knees at his side.
"Thank you." She offered.
"For what?" Zac continued his massage with one hand allowing his fingers to stay in contact with her warm skin.
Vanessa nuzzled her face against his neck and placed her left hand at the base of his neck pressing her index finger into his skin gently stroking. "For…waking me up at midnight." She smiled at the reminder of how her birthday had begun, bundled in his arms naked under the covers of their bed. "For my birthday pancakes…for picking out my dress…for putting on a tux…for dinner…and for whatever else you have planned."
Zac chuckled softly and leaned down to place a soft kiss in her hair. "Well you're very welcome. I'm just really, really happy that we can be together for your birthday. Honestly, my plans are done except for the next hour here in the limo." He smiled when her curious face looked up at him.
"We've got an hour in here?" she raised one eyebrow at her boyfriend.
"Yep. I sure hope we can find something to occupy our time." Zac grinned at her and tugged at Vanessa's waist urging her to slide into his lap. "But it is your birthday."
Vanessa found her hands immediately working to loosen the buttons on his unwrinkled shirt, bottom lip between her teeth. Her smile faded slightly when she felt the cotton material under the dress shirt. "Darbus!" she reacted as though she were cursing.
Zac let out a hearty laugh at the expletive and placed his hands on her thighs. "Darbus?!" he grinned at her.
"Well if you planned to have sex in the limo, you're supposed to make it easy on me aren't you? Saggy jeans, t-shirt…" Vanessa tried to pout as she continued to tug on the t-shirt with the edges finally breaking free from the black latched waistband of his trousers.
"I'm not about to make anything easy on you. I dressed in a tux for you. You're in charge of getting me out of it." He let his fingers slowly glide beneath the edge of her dress and on up the smooth skin of her hips. "I help you out of the dress. You help me out of the suit. Agreed?"
Vanessa sucked in a breath as his fingers hooked into the silky, skimpy material that was her underwear. She nodded her head involuntarily and scooted herself closer to Zac's groin.
She laughed loudly when Zac used his thumbs to tickle her sensitive spot just above her hip bones. As she laughed Zac twisted her around and lowered her down to lie on the slick coolness of the seat. Her dress hiked up above that sensitive spot and Zac stopped tickling and smiling when he looked at her lying below him.
Vanessa's laugh continued quietly until she pushed her hands inside his jacket and swept it off his shoulders. The unbuttoned tailored shirt followed suit. Both found their way to the floor of the vehicle.
The sight before Vanessa was so simple yet one of the sexiest she loved to view. Zac's t-shirt was tight against his abs and pectoral muscles. His biceps snuck out from under the soft material with a single vein of his strength running the entire length of his arm.
Vanessa breathed deeply. She quickly reached up and grasped both arms with her delicate hands and glanced down between them. She knew exactly what to expect as her hands inched their way underneath the sleeves of the t-shirt to his shoulders. She pushed him gently down until he was sitting, straddling her legs.
"Isn't this supposed to be the other way around?" Zac smiled at her seductively.
Vanessa pulled her hands from his t-shirt sleeves and moved them down to the hem of the garment. She moved the material up until she could see the trail of hair that surrounded his belly button and led down into his boxers. She pushed the shirt up quickly forcing him to put his weight on her so he could discard that bit of clothing too.
Her hands immediately went to Zac's breasts where her palms touched his nipples and her fingers kneaded at the strong muscles beneath. "My birthday." She proclaimed. "I'll unwrap my presents however I can." Her voice was nearly lost as she felt the hardness that was forming on top of her pelvic area.
Zac laced his fingers behind his head allowing her full access to his upper body. "Unwrap at will Baby. Just remember I have some unwrapping of my own to do." He raised his eyebrows as he looked down at her cleavage that was straining underneath the low cut of the dress.
Vanessa twitched her nose as she thought about his declaration. "That's a pretty good idea there Hot Stuff. Maybe…" she reached toward the zipper on his pants, "Yep, I think I'll let you unwrap this present for me."
Zac arched his back as she ran her finger down the zipper teasing his length. She lowered the tip of her finger to his crotch moving just enough to graze each of his balls, and then back up the thin material to his delicate tip.
He looked down at her noting the teasing smile on her face. "Is that an official birthday wish?" he sucked in another breath as she attempted to dip her finger just below his elastic barrier.
"Oh yeah." She gladly enticed him.
With that Zac carefully pulled down the zipper on his dress pants releasing just a bit of the pressure that was built up inside the restraint. Vanessa watched with wide eyes as he then tucked his middle fingers into the underwear and stiff material and pushed both down over his hips.
His girlfriend voluntarily helped by using her index fingers to pull on the items to make sure his thick head didn't get caught in the action. Zac raised himself enough for them to pull his lower clothing completely off his body. As he pulled his second foot free and dropped the clothes to the floor he laughed nervously.
Holding his push-up position over top of her, watching, feeling her look over his body and touch him so easily his laugh halted. "We've never been…completely naked in here before." He glanced around at their surroundings. "Is that okay with you?"
"If you would just come down here and kiss me I'd be a lot more at ease with it." She squeaked as her hands wandered over his stomach and thighs, purposefully avoiding his hardened penis that was overly inviting to her. "So far, you're benefitting from my birthday present more than I am."
Zac slowly lowered himself down on top of her and bent his head to begin their kiss. He skimmed her lips with his tongue and felt her smile and greet his tastebuds with her own. He pulled her tongue farther into his mouth letting her explore the slick roof and rough surfaces of his near perfect teeth. He enjoyed completely the sweet taste of the champagne that was still on her breath.
His right hand finally reached down to move the material over her breast. As soon as his fingers touched the budding nipple Vanessa retracted her tongue and moaned. He pinched ever so slightly and moved to pull the flimsy strap off her shoulder to aid his access.
He pulled his mouth away and smiled as she squirmed beneath him. Her movement pulled her dress farther up on her body letting him feel her heated skin against his naked legs.
He lowered his head to take her entire firmed breast into his mouth. His tongue flicked over her sweet peak and he sucked slightly to keep the soft skin between his lips. Her moans became involuntary at his actions and she reached down to grasp his length, wrapping her hand around the middle of his shaft.
"Zac." She licked her lips trying to keep just a little bit of sanity. "You didn't bring…"
He let her tender breast drop from his mouth and formed a smile as he kissed his way up to her neck. "Oh, but I did." He whispered into her ear. "But you'll have to get it. I'm a little busy."
Zac attacked her neck causing Vanessa to squeal and nearly squeeze his hard flesh. Instead she ran her thumb over his tip causing his liquid to ooze. Her groan was enough to make him twitch in her grasp as her stroking action lubricated him.
He lifted off of her enough to let her roll onto her side reaching for his clothing. With her stretching off the edge of the of the seat he took the moment to press himself against her thigh, urging her dress farther up her body.
She reached his pants and somehow found the back pocket. She fished out his wallet and opened it. Zac noticed and nearly giggled as he continued rubbing his length against her. "Going for my money Hudgens? No special packages in there tonight."
"Wh-What?" she struggled. "Do you want this or not Efron?"
Zac pulled her back up onto the seat and kissed her soundly. "I'm the one completely naked up here. You tell me what I want…it is your birthday, right?" he cocked his eyebrows at her.
Vanessa grunted in frustration as she sighed into another kiss from her boyfriend. Then as he pulled away to admire her face she grinned. "Ok. What you want…is to get the damn condom from wherever you hid it and then do whatever you're gonna do with this dress. And if you don't do it quick enough I'm gonna tell Charles to pull over so I can kick your naked butt out of this car."
They stared at each other for just a moment before Zac moved his naked butt off of her and retrieved his pants. He tucked his hand inside the right front pocket and pulled out the two packets he had stashed there before leaving the house.
Dropping his pants he stood up on his knees still straddling Vanessa's legs. He held up the two packets to her amusement.
"Pretty cocky, huh?" she asked with a hopeful lick of her lips. "I mean…you think we can do this twice, in an hour, in a limo? You think…you're…up for that?" her eyes twinkled.
"Actually it was just in case I dropped one. But if you insist." His cocky smile appeared only at her suggestion.
Zac sat back still not putting his full weight on her again. He pulled at her wrists and sat her up on the seat. "Time to make this game a little more even." He mentioned as he pulled the dress over her head.
There was obviously no bra to deal with. The cut of the dress mixed with her firm breasts meant she would forego that one piece of restrictive clothing tonight. Another reason Zac had chosen this dress.
Vanessa jerked one of the packets from his hand. The other dropped to the floor. She ripped it open with practiced ease and rolled the slick latex over his length as far as it would go.
He wanted her hands on him. She wanted him inside of her. The compromise was him nearly tearing her panties as he tried to free her heat for their mutual pleasure.
"Enough teasing?" Zac asked expectantly
Vanessa nodded at him and wrapped her hands around his lower back to ease him back on top of her. The probing kiss began again, this time with nothing stopping them from moving ahead with their celebration.
Zac's fingers found their way to the heat between her legs causing her to open them only as wide as the seat would allow. She struggled just a bit to find a comfortable position on the leather. Her right knee bent and pressed into the back of the seat. She moved her hands into his hair and let her left leg wrap around his back.
When their bodies matched Zac took over. He kissed her deeply spurred on by the feel of her fingers gripping his hair and pulling him to her. At the same time took his length in his hand and pushed the slick tip against her opening, teasing her and making her moan with need.
He slipped just his head inside of her and waited for her reaction. He felt one handful of fingers pull his hair almost violently while her other hand reached desperately for his naked buttock to pull him farther into him.
"Enough…teasing." She gasped when their lips separated.
Zac pushed himself farther into her until she wrapped both legs around his thighs and cinched herself to him. With his full weight on her body Vanessa began to move herself forcing him to slide in and out of her. The friction caused Zac to groan loudly.
"Shhhh." Vanessa cajoled him knowing that their driver was well aware of what was happening. She moved her hips more rapidly feeling his thickness swell even more inside of her.
Zac watched her eyes flutter and close moments later when he felt her body lock around him. Then, when he felt the orgasm shake her body he quickened his pace. Vanessa's breathing sped up with his movements inside of her. Her mouth formed a muffled 'oh' when she saw the sweat on his forehead. He stilled only after emptying himself inside of her.
She pulled his head back down to her for another kiss and reached between them to help him slide free. They turned on their sides in the seat, fronts pressed together with Zac's arms wrapped around her to make sure she didn't fall to the floor.
"Happy Birthday?" he breathed out.
"Oh yeah." Vanessa returned his breathy sigh. "I love you." She added.
"Oh yeah you'd better." Zac smiled and ran a lazy hand down her back. "I love you too Birthday Girl."
----------
Zac knocked on the divider once he was sure that Vanessa was dressed and he was at least somewhat covered. "Hey Chuck," he started when the driver lowered the glass. "How far out are we?"
Vanessa giggled from her perch in Zac's lap. She suddenly didn't want to let him more than a finger-length away from her. "Charles, tell me where we're going, please? Zac won't tell me."
Chuck laughed at both of them. He had hit the 110 and made his way down to the Santa Monica Freeway. Zac had told him to drive wherever he wanted. He just wanted an hour with Vanessa before joining her friends and family for her party. "15 minutes." Came the answer from the front seat. "As long as we don't get hooked by the traffic lights."
Zac pulled Vanessa close and pressed ticklish kisses to her neck. "Don't answer her part of the question Chuck. She'll just have to wait. I promised Stella Bella and Ashley that I wouldn't tell."
Vanessa pouted but cocked her head to the side so that his lips could reach her skin more readily. She shivered once when his breath ghosted over her earlobe. "Hmmm, thanks for the warning. At least now I know who's in charge when we get there."
She turned and kissed Zac on the lips. "I'm impressed you let them get involved." She placed her hand on his cheek and pushed her lips against his again.
"Well, if I hadn't, we'd probably still be back at your place with you looking at lilies and lingerie. Or, Chuck may be driving for a couple more hours." They both laughed at his truthful thoughts.
The rest of their drive was less eventful. Small talk, including chatting with Chuck was involved including a promise from Zac that they had 'cleaned up the spill' that had taken place in their compartment. They saw Chuck's hand waving from the front seat. "I told you. I don't want to know about any spills in my car. You just keep that information to yourself."
When they pulled up to the secluded club off Wilshire the driver stepped out and opened the door. He noticed first and foremost that they had changed clothes. The champagne bottle was on the floor and a blanket was folded neatly in the seat. He smiled and winked at both of them as he helped them out of the limo.
"I hope the ride was smooth enough for you?" Chuck tried to ask in a professional manner. Zac and Vanessa eyed the man curiously as they nodded. "Anything need to go back into your car when we pick it up Mr. E.?" Chuck quickly worked to change the subject.
"Yeah, please." Zac began to answer. "The duffle and the blanket should be it."
Vanessa peeked back into the back seat. "You really did stuff your tux into the duffle bag?" she asked amused.
"Hey, you saw me in it. Diana and Joe and even Chuck here saw me in it, crisp and clean. I've got witnesses. That's all I need." Zac smiled and took her hand.
"Now," Zac added. "Your party awaits My Dear. Forty of your closest friends and family members are waiting for you to get this shindig moving."
Vanessa looked up at him and smiled shyly. "You really did this for me?"
Zac pointed toward Gina, Ashley, Stella and Starla who had become aware of their presence outside the rented club. Vanessa noticed yet another 'Closed for Private Party' on the sign as she began hugging her moms, sister and friend.
"This part of the night was all up to them." Zac tried to explain.
She wouldn't let go of his hand until they got inside. He wouldn't take his eyes off of her at all. And when the driver returned four hours later to take them back home he slid one thing into Zac's hand and grinned.
Zac laughed and stuffed his hand with the item down in his jeans pocket.
"Found that on the floor. Bound to be yours. Thought you might need it later on." Chuck kept his eyes straight ahead as he spoke quietly to Zac.
Zac pulled out his wallet and slid another $50 into Chuck's hand. "Man, I don't know why you save me every time…but I'm glad you do."
Chuck looked through the back door at Vanessa's beaming, yet tired, face. "Because she's worth it." He pointed toward Zac's girlfriend. "And if I can help keep you on your toes…I'm happy to do it."
Zac slid in beside Vanessa and took her in his arms again. She leaned against his shoulder and started to fall asleep with a content smile on her face. Zac leaned his head against hers and closed his eyes. He heard the familiar hum of the glass being raised and let out a hearty laugh.
Vanessa raised her head and looked at him. "Don't even think about it." She said, loud enough for Chuck to hear. She snuggled back onto his shoulder and wrapped her arms around her boyfriend. "As much as I love you. Don't even think about it."
"Welcome to 21 Baby." Zac placed a kiss in her hair. "Happy Birthday."
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