"There's no-one else, if that's what you're thinking." Zoe said.
"All I know is that Byron comes back and suddenly you start being all secretive. What else am I supposed to think, apart from that you're sleeping with him?"
He'd crossed the line and they both knew it. Hell, even Maya knew it. Suddenly cautious, the big cat got up, her big, intelligent eyes flickering nervously between Dan and Zoe as Zoe's body language changed completely. Zoe's eyes flickered dangerously towards Dan and he was suddenly reminded of all the training she had at her disposal. As for Zoe, she had to channel all the self-control she possessed into not punching him in the face. She loved him, but God, could he be infuriating.
"I would watch your mouth, Morgan." Zoe said. Her voice was level and calm and somehow, that was more terrifying than if she'd yelled each word. "Because I bet you wouldn't be as pretty as you are now without one."
Dan's jaw tightened. He had to admit – she looked innocent, but she could be pretty damn scary when she wanted to be. "Then what is it?" He asked impatiently.
Zoe took a deep breath. "Byron and Neish know . . . About us."
"You told them?" Dan asked, panic making his voice sound higher than usual.
"What? No, of course not! Byron figured it out within five minutes and as for Neish . . . I'm surprised it took her as long as it did." Zoe replied.
Dan nodded. "What'd you tell them?"
Zoe knew by 'them', he meant Byron.
"I fed Byron some story about your parents not liking me." Zoe replied easily.
Dan nodded, looking over at Maya as she returned to his side, rubbing the side of her face against his shoulder. "You should have told me, Zo."
"I know. I'm sorry, Dan. It's just . . . It's not the kind of thing you can just come out and say. 'Oh yeah, just so you know, turns out we're absolutely rubbish at this forbidden romance thing because someone I haven't seen in months figured it out within five minutes.'" Zoe said.
Dan sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair as he muttered, "Well, when you put it like that . . ." He looked over at Zoe, the anger missing from his blue eyes. "Well, we know that Neish won't tell anyone if she can help it and as for Byron . . . I really don't think he'll tell. He's annoying as hell, but he's trustworthy. I'll give him that."
Zoe nodded, her eyes cast downward. Dan reached out and pulled her towards him, his arms wrapping around her petite body. Zoe sighed, wrapping her arms around his waist as she whispered into his skin, "I really am sorry, Dan. I just didn't know how to tell you."
Dan tightened his arms around her, pressing a kiss to her hair. "I know. I'm sorry too, Zo. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions about you and Byron."
Zoe smiled, blinking back tears. She really hated fighting with him, as maddening as his male pride made him sometimes. "I love you, Dan."
Dan pulled away so he could see her properly – see those bright green eyes, her bright auburn hair, her soft mouth.
"I love you too, Zoe. So, so much." Dan said, resting his forehead against hers. He tilted his head to the side, his eyes closing. Just before his mouth brushed against hers, he felt something soft press into his cheek and he stifled a groan as Zoe giggled, turning so he could see Maya looking up at him hopefully.
"God, Maya, you're a pain in the ass." Dan said, pulling a piece of meat out of his packet of food and offering it to her. Maya happily chomped it up, chewing eagerly on the treat. Happy, the cheetah flopped down on the grass a few metres away from Dan and Zoe.
"And as for you . . ." Dan said, turning to the redhead. Zoe smiled as he kissed her, his lips soft and warm against her own. Zoe wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling his hair tickling her fingers. She could feel his hands on her hips before sliding to wrap around her waist, holding her close. She gasped as she felt Dan's tongue brushing against her bottom lip, her fingers sliding into his hair as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Zoe felt Dan's arms tighten around her, his touch seeming to burn through her clothes, as if he was touching her bare skin.
Finally, they had to stop when a lack of oxygen became an issue. Gaping, Zoe, her eyes still closed and a small smile playing on her lips, rested her forehead against Dan's and said, "We should fight more often, if the result's going to be that."
Dan laughed, his arms still wrapped securely around her waist. Then he sighed, one hand reaching up to brush a stray lock of hair out of Zoe's eyes as they opened and she asked, "What's wrong?"
"We should probably get going." Dan replied, reluctantly untangling his arms from around Zoe. He got up, brushing himself off as he helped her up. Sensing that their impending departure was coming, Maya got up and walked towards them, her gait suddenly just as reluctant as the two teens felt.
Dan took a step towards the cheetah and spoke her name, his voice barely audible, even in the still night air. Maya started towards him and then sprung up onto her back legs, placing her front paws on Dan's shoulders. The blonde laughed, his hands going to the animal's sides, raking his fingers through her fur. She made a soft whining noise as she stared earnestly into Dan's eyes, as if she was begging him not to go.
"I know, May." Dan murmured. "I don't want to go. But I have to."
Maya sadly dropped down onto all fours, her tail drooping. Dan knelt down beside the cheetah, his fingers raking through the fur on the back of her neck as he said something to her that Zoe couldn't hear.
When he was done, he rocked back in heels, watching with a smile as Maya started towards Zoe. She gave Zoe the same treatment she'd given Dan, shifting all her weight to her back legs as she placed her front paws on Zoe's shoulders. The only thing that saved Zoe from falling backwards was her fast reflexes, allowing her to put one foot behind her to steady herself as she stared into Maya's big brown eyes. She patted the cheetah's sides gently, a small smile playing on her mouth.
"You're a very pretty girl, you know that?"
Maya brightened up a little, as if she was saying, I know I am.
"And I bet Dan tells you that all the time, doesn't he?" Zoe asked.
Maya meowed, dropping back onto all fours. Zoe glanced at Dan, half-expecting him to make a witty remark about her talking to animals who couldn't understand her. Instead, he looked a little sad and a lot reluctant to leave as they walked towards the fence they'd climbed over to get in.
Maya whined and started after them, taking the hem of Dan's jeans in her big teeth and tugging on them. Dan sighed, turning and kneeling down. "May . . ."
Maya whined, touching the tip of her nose against Dan's. Watching them, Zoe realised that the two had a bond that she couldn't even begin to understand. Zoe imagined them when Maya had lived with Dan as a little cub – a tiny golden ball of fluff with a pair of big brown eyes. She saw Dan, as a boy who had lost a lot of his baby fat, but still had yet to grow into his body, with big blue eyes that glittered with innocence. She knew that he'd be gentle and compassionate with the life he'd been entrusted with, treating it just as seriously as he would if he'd been entrusted with the life of a newborn baby.
Zoe watched as Dan wrapped his arms around Maya's neck, burying his face in her fur. Finally, Dan let go of Maya and she whined, but she sat down and simply watched sadly as Dan and Zoe climbed the fence.