A/N: Okay, so my initial idea was to have the last chapter be the end and do a couple epilogue-esque type chapters. But after reading some reviews, I went back and reread the chapter and realized that it wasn't complete at all!
So thanks to everyone who reviewed! Keep 'em coming! – Also as a side note, I'm looking for a beta so if anyone is up for it send me a message!
Disclaimer: Still don't own the characters or anything Hart of Dixie related, sadly.
Zoe POV
I woke up thanks to the sunshine shining brightly through the curtains.
Wait, I had blackout curtains for just this reason. I blinked my eyes open slowly and sighed; I wasn't in my room. I was at Wade's.
Wade. The person that I had incredible sex and slept with last night. That Wade, not that there were any other Wades… but, I digress.
What I found even more surprising was he was still here; he hadn't fled. Though I suppose, where was he gonna go, the couch? Not only that, but his arm was around me, circling my waist. As I sighed, trying to process everything, I felt his grip tighten and I couldn't help but smile. I cautiously put my arm over his, entwining our fingers. He grumbled a bit behind me, pushing his face into my neck as his thumb rubbed small circles against my hand. "Morning," he murmured, scaling his lips down my neck.
This was not good; I did not need one more reason to be late to the clinic in the morning. Even if it felt, really, really, amazing.
"Morning," I sighed, trying not to get too caught up in it. I had to – shit what time was it? "Do you know what time it is?" I asked, my tone sounding more alert as I realized I was the only one available today, and my phone was across the yard in the carriage house.
"Um," he paused and I felt the bed depress as he moved. "9:30."
"Shit!" I exhaled. I thought it felt later than 7; the sun felt warmer and I wasn't too sure it was just because of the thinly covered windows. "I was supposed to open the clinic half an hour ago. I have to get back and change and go," I explained, scooting out of bed and tugging one of the blankets with me for coverage.
I spun around, trying to look for my underwear and shorts, hearing him laugh. "Now hold on a sec," he said.
I looked up from where I had bent down to pick up the set towards the foot of the bed. "I don't have time for a sec, didn't you hear me? I'm already half an hour late and I haven't even showered yet!"
He was propped up in bed, looking amused at my flustered state. "I'll give you a ride, just simmer down."
"Even if you did – which I would really appreciate – that doesn't turn back time from now, and right now I'm late."
"If you're already late," he said, leaning forward and pulling my forearm so I fell forward towards him. "Then another five minutes won't kill you."
"You have no concept of time and punctuality, do you?" I spat, sitting up again.
"Wow, and I thought I tired you out last night," he continued to tease.
"Obviously, you thought wrong."
He gave me his sideways smirk replying coolly, "Guess I'm gonna have to try harder tonight then."
"You think there's gonna be a repeat performance?"
He nodded. "Yea, we have to test your bed out, don't we?"
Ugh. I rolled my eyes, sliding my underwear and shorts on under the blanket I had wrapped around me like a massive towel. "No, we don't have to. " I headed for the living room, dropping the blanket in the doorway and covering my chest with my arm.
"Oh hell no," I heard him say before hearing his feet race after me. Not even two seconds later, I felt his arms around me and his mouth latched back against the curve of my neck. I scoffed, trying to pry his arms off, but he just laughed against me.
Finally, after a minute or so, he finally pulled back. "Fine, be no fun."
I finished walking the rest of the way to my tank top and threw it on. Did I want adventurous Zoe, brave Zoe to go to waste? Did I want everything I couldn't say last night to be ultimately chalked up to an amazing one night stand?
With my back to him, I contemplated it for a moment and decided that until I knew, I wouldn't say anything. I wouldn't apologize for last night because it wasn't a mistake to me; and I wasn't sure I was ready to come clean. So I started for the door, hoping I'd have something figured out for the car ride.
"Hold on, wait," he said just as I reached for the handle. He jogged around me grabbing my wrist. "Seriously?" He asked, looking down at me like I was a lunatic.
"Seriously what?"
"Seriously we're not gonna talk about how you went from sexual ice queen to what happened last night?"
I shifted my eyes to the side before looking back at him and nodded. "Yep."
His expression went blank and unreadable as he nodded. "Well alright then. I'll meet you at Lavon's when you're all set to go."
"Sounds good," I agreed, stepping around him to reach for the door. "I'll be as fast as I can."
"Whatever doc," he sighed, moving out of the way so I could open the door.
I tried to ignore his change in demeanor. I didn't have time to analyze that right now, I was super late as is.
Wade POV
Well that was short lived.
I bit the inside of my cheek and headed back towards my bathroom, yanking off the boxers I'd just put back on and turning on the shower taps. Fucking crazy woman – how the hell did she even get her medical license anyway? Didn't they have to pass some kind of screening to test for psychosis? Evidently not because I'd slept with some wack jobs and Zoe was climbing the charts at lightning speed.
One minute she was all hot and bothered, shooing my hand away from the condoms before we had sex and the next she was running out of here like I'd just told her I ran over her dog.
And what was worse, was there was no explanation. Now, normally I hated talking about that shit… the what happens now stuff, but in this case I think it deserved to be addressed. I mean the girl came over here outta nowhere and then was gonna leave without telling me what changed? Or better still, how I could keep it that way.
But no, she bolted out of here without a single peep about any of it. It was fucking infuriating.
I showered and changed quickly enough; heading over to Lavon's to have breakfast in peace.
Lavon was already wide awake, whistling as he fried up some eggs when I walked in. "Mornin," I greeted, grabbing the milk from the fridge.
"Mornin," he replied back, flippin the eggs over. "How's it goin?"
"Not bad," I shrugged, gathering a bowl, spoon and a box of corn flakes from the cupboards.
He nodded and we were quiet as I poured a bowl of cereal for myself.
"So, you gonna tell me why I saw Zoe doing the walk of shame from your place this morning when I was feeding Burt Reynolds?" He was so casual with it, like he was asking me how warm it was outside or some shit.
I shrugged again. It wasn't really any of his business, and since after her reaction this morning it was pretty clear she wanted to keep everything under wraps I shook my head. "It wasn't a big deal."
"Oh, okay," he scoffed, grinning as if he was the cat that ate the canary. "Zoe spent the night after you've been trying to get in her good graces –among other places- the last couple months and it's no big deal."
"She couldn't sleep."
"Uh huh." There he was again, saying it like he knew better.
I took two spoonfuls of my cereal before the flakes got too soggy and hopped up on the counter. "Anyway, how was your night?"
"You know, as her sole confidant I'm bound to find out sooner or later," he continued, ignoring my question entirely. The way he said it made it sound more like a threat than a statement.
"Nothing happened." I flat out lied.
"Uh huh."
"The doc thinks I'm a walking herpes commercial, and I think she's a crazy person." I pushed. "Would I do her? Sure. But the feeling isn't mutual."
He looked at me, squinting as if he were trying to figure out if I were telling the truth. Before he could open his trap again, Zoe walked in looking rejuvenated. "Morning guys," she said smiling at Lavon and not bothering to look at me.
"Mornin'," he grinned, looking at her then me. "We were just talking about you."
Her cheeks went red, and I wanted to groan. Way to give it away, girl. "Why?"
"Oh, yanno… housemate stuff," Lavon trailed off, chuckling under his breath.
I finished my cereal and hopped off the counter while she filled her travel mug with coffee. "You ready to go?"
"Where ya'll headed?" Lavon asked, still smirking. He may be my landlord in name but this morning he wasn't my friend. Friends weren't assholes like this.
"I need to head into town so I'm gonna give Zoe a ride to work," I answered on our behalf.
He nodded, his grin not disappearing. "Alright well you kids have fun."
"It's a ride, with Wade. How much fun could it be?" Zoe finally said. Even though it was insulting I was relieved her blush was gone and she was acting normal again.
"Be nice or you'll walk," I glared, taking her cup from her hands and having a sip as I headed out the door. That would get us moving even faster.
She was hot on my heels behind me, tugging on my t-shirt as we got closer to my car and further from Lavon's. "Did you tell him?" She whispered, leaning closer.
I shook my head. "I don't know what you're talking about doc."
She huffed, going around the front of my car and leaning against the passenger side door. "Last night. Did you tell him about last night?"
"Nothing happened last night." I ducked into the car, waiting for her to get in, which she did a second later.
"You know what I'm talking about. Us… last night."
I shook my head again, smirking. "Doc, I'm not sure what you're referring to."
She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Us sleeping together."
"Ohhh right that," I nodded, grinning as I started the car up. "No, I didn't mention it."
She hit me upside the head and I winced. "Ow, what was that for?"
"For being an ass."
"I wasn't being an ass; I just wanted to see if you could say it."
"Well I can. But that doesn't mean everyone and their mom should know."
"I figured."
She looked at me, and I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She had that sad-but-thinking look on her face. "What?" I asked, focusing my attention back on the road.
"Nothing."
I hated when girls said that. It was never nothing.
I drove the remaining five minutes into town and parked right in front of the clinic. "Thanks for the ride," she smiled as I killed the ignition.
"No problem," I told her, unbuckling.
"Where are you going?"
"Inside."
"The clinic?"
"Yea," I nodded. "I told Lavon I had stuff to do in town, but with everything being closed due to church I gotta hang out here til noon."
"But it's not even 11," she stammered, getting flustered.
I got out, stretching. "Yea."
She got out of the car, not saying another word as she headed up the steps to her office. I followed a ways behind her, and despite her obvious protests, she left the door open for me.
"It sure is busy today," I teased, looking around the desk at the completely empty appointment calendar.
"You're like a toddler," she observed, walking from her office down the hall towards me. "Had I known you were tagging along I would have brought a coloring book and crayons to keep you occupied."
"You have those on hand at your place?" I smirked, looking down at her as she snatched the notebook up and headed back to her office.
She turned her head back to give me a death stare which looked more like a Zoolander impersonation and I cracked up.
I followed her into her office and collapsed into one of the patient chairs. "I don't know why you were worried about coming in late; no one's gonna be around til at least 11:30 when church lets out."
"Because pregnant women don't go off church times and neither do emergencies nor accidents," she snapped, walking around her desk, and flipping open a file.
"Are you always this mean after you have sex? You're like a praying mantis," I teased, grabbing the file from her and shutting it. "I'm waiting for you to rip my head off."
"Trust me, I'm contemplating it," she said leaning over the desk for the chart. I stretched my arm back out of her reach.
"Say please doc."
"Why? You snatched it out of my hand."
"Because it's polite."
"And you grabbing the file out of my hand was polite?"
"Touché, but you should still be nice to me and say please."
She moved around her desk and went to grab the file out of my hands, but I shot up, laughing as I backed up keeping it away from her. She was getting more agitated by the second and it was funny as all get out.
"Just give me the damn file Wade," she scolded, jumping up for it as I held it above my head.
I smirked, pulling her closer with my other arm and kissing her unexpectedly. I was smirking against her, but instead of biting me or pulling away, she kissed back.
That, I was not expecting. I was expecting a full on war, or for her to kick me out, or hit me… something.
I lowered my arm going to wrap it around her waist and that was when she skillfully grabbed the file from my hand. She jumped back, giggling. "Ha!"
I leaned my head against her bookcase, letting out a breath as I laughed. Okay, she had me on that one.
She walked back around her desk and opened the file, starting to read it over again. I looked around for something, anything to do. But there wasn't, and I really didn't want to bug her the entire time she was trying to get stuff done. What she did wasn't like what I did; she saved peoples' lives and for all I knew she was trying to do so for the guy's file she was reading right now.
"Alright, well I think I'm gonna head back to the plantation," I said when I realized there was nothing for me to do here. Screw Lavon, if he wanted to harass me again about last night he could do it over the volume of my guitar amp.
She looked up, brows knit together. "What about waiting til noon?"
"Yea, yanno… I don't really wanna hang in town til it opens up; I didn't have anything to pick up anyway."
"Oh," she replied. "Okay, well I'll see you later."
"Sure," I nodded turning around and heading out.
I loved Sundays. Zoe was at work and Lavon was either at church or doing his own thing, which left me to blast my guitar as loud as I wanted and soak up all the power I could.
I wound up not going back into town and stayed holed up at my place playing music all afternoon and into the evening. Lavon didn't drop by, and neither did Zoe; it was just me, the guitar and my beautiful new amp. Around 8 I heard a car and peeked out to see Lavon heading out in the Navigator. Once he was out of sight, I decided to take a break from playing and grab dinner knowing he wouldn't be around to give me the 3rd degree again.
It was a quick dinner though, since I didn't know where he went off to or when he was planning to be back. And until Zoe talked to me about what happened last night, I didn't want to talk to anyone about it. So after scarfing down a sandwich made of leftover meatloaf, I headed out.
I was halfway to my place when I looked back over at Zoe's. The lights were on but her curtains were drawn. I debated going over there, and finally turned, deciding I had to suck it up and give it one more shot.
I knocked on her door instead of barging in. This wasn't like usual where I didn't care what the hell was going on. I had to show her I could be mature, if I wanted to be.
"Coming!" she shouted, and I heard her moving closer to the door. She threw it open and I almost laughed. She was already changed for bed and her hair was a messy bun on top of her head. "Hey," she sighed, looking surprised to see me.
"Hey can I come in?" I grinned, remembering how she'd asked me the same thing the night before and what it'd let to.
"Wade I told you, last night—"
"Was a onetime thing; Yea, I remember," I finished for her.
"Okay, glad we're clear," she replied, turning around and walking back into her room.
I shut the door behind me, trying to figure out what I wanted to say exactly. Did I want to bring up the night before and try to get her to talk about it again? Did I just want to blurt out the three words? My palms were getting sweaty and I felt like this was my first crush all over again.
And to some extent it kinda was; I had never loved a woman like this before. Women had always wanted me as I was, never asked me to be more, and never thought I could be more. But this one… she kept me on my toes. She pushed me to be better; to not be the douche that got away with everything because I could charm the pants off any girl I met. She didn't fall for it.
And it made me love her that much more because of it, because she had this unfounded faith in me.
She stood in the middle of her room looking at me. Right, she was expecting me to say something. "Everything okay?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
I nodded. "Yea, I um," I started, scratching the back of my head. "I'm working tomorrow night and I was wondering if you wanted to stop by so I could buy you a drink." The minute the words flew out of my mouth I knew I'd said the wrong thing.
She grinned, which was positive. "You usually pay for my drinks."
Oh, right. Shit. I dropped my hand from my head and nodded. "Yea," I took a breath, biting my lip and trying to figure out another way to ask the damn girl out. "I meant can I buy you a drink on my break?" This girl had me six kinds of tongue tied.
Her smile grew and she nodded. "Yea, sure."
I let out a heavy sigh and smirked. She said yes, holy shit. "Well alright then. Seven?"
"I'll be there."
I opened my mouth but decided against saying anything else, just in case I sounded like a jackass again. "Alright, see you tomorrow," I confirmed, turning around and heading outside.
Tomorrow then.
