Disclaimer: I own nothing of Steven King's! Meh.
Author's Note: Yay! I'm back and ready for action, chicos and chicas! I really hope you like this chapter…and I know how this story's going to end, but that won't be for another couple chapters. Mort and Zoë are such awesome characters to write because they have such eccentric personalities. Well, I order you to enjoy this chapter. Go! Enjoy!
PineAppleLint
-"Well," Zoë said with an innocent grin, "Not all physical activities."-
Whatever happened to taking it slow?
Zoë grimaced and loosened her grip on Mort, who frowned at her sudden distasteful reaction.
You're right. I'm acting silly, aren't I? A stupid woman chock full of contradictions.
Hell, by all means, I'm all for your 'silly contradictions'.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Mort asked, glancing at her as she leaned against the counter and let out a slow breath. He touched her shoulder and she smiled nervously.
"I don't know, just a bit confused, is all."
"What are you talking about?"
"Just…ugh, nevermind. I'm being retarded," Zoë said with a wave of her hand, reassuringly embracing him once more, "There's just a lot on my mind."
"Me too," he said with a wicked smile, letting his eyes roam her body predatorily, "But I don't think you want to know what's on my mind."
"Oh, don't play it like that. Why don't you share with the rest of the class, hmm?" she suggested, resting her head on his shoulder, breathing in his natural scent. Mort smelled like soap and new books hot off the press.
"I was thinking about giving you the tour of my bedroom," he said slowly into her ear. It tickled.
"But I've already seen your bedr…ohhhhh," Zoë stammered, "I see."
He felt her tense under his arms and he sighed, apologizing, "I'm sorry. That was obviously too bold of me."
I love my men bold.
"No, it wasn't," Zoë said, swallowing hard. She lifted her head and met his gaze, "I want to take things slow tonight."
Mort nodded and gently removed the glasses from his face. He placed a hand against the side of her face and those dark brown eyes studied her expression before he leaned in and kissed her, taking small sips at her mouth.
"Is…this…slow…enough?" he questioned hoarsely between kisses.
Zoë felt like her veins were exploding with barely contained lust. Her rational mind told her to take things slow, her heart feared any kind of contact with him at all, and her body was screaming for something fast-paced.
She whispered, "Good enough for me."
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Zoë awoke and practically jumped out of her skin when she found someone lying next to her.
A bit jumpy, are we?
Mort was holding her against him, and the skin-on-skin contact made her flush.
Almost forgot we had a little fun last night, did you? Well, let me remind you. Congratulations for fucking Mort Rainey.
It wasn't 'fucking'. Don't make it sound so vulgar.
Fucking, making love, mating, it's all the same deal, sweetheart.
Zoë ran a hand through her knotty hair and yawned. She almost doubled over when the ache in her lower abdomen hit her full blast.
Oh God. I'm not used to this.
You're back in the saddle again. Yeehaw.
Zoë glanced up at Mort to find him stirring. His tousled hair surrounded his peaceful, slack face as he slept. The soft sunlight cascaded down on them through his bedroom window. She ran a hand across his chest. He was definitely in shape, and he had helped prove that by taking her on the ride of her life last night.
I can't believe this. I can't believe I stayed the night.
Face it: you were lonely. Mort was lonely. Things happened that you just couldn't control.
Holy freaking hell, I'm falling for him, aren't I?
Looks that way, sweetbum.
Zoë sat up slowly and pressed the bedsheets to her chest as she studied his sleeping form. Mort had taken it slow, just like she had asked him to, and she had almost shaken herself out of her skin from the way he had touched her, kissed her, loved her to her heart's content. He had whispered sweet nothings into her ear as he took her, made her laugh with his witty comments, made her groan with wanting him.
"Awake already? If you're not exhausted I guess I failed doing my duty," she heard Mort exclaim in a sleep-slurred voice. Zoë smiled and met his gaze. Damn him, he was even a quick-witted morning person, too.
"You're hair's starting to look like mine," he added, crinkling his nose, "Want to make it a fashion statement together?" Mort sat up and wiped a few stray hairs from her face.
"Sure. I don't know about you, but I think that by this time next year, everyone's going to be wearing the tousled just-out-of-bed hairdo. You won't be cool until you get the Rainey haircut."
Mort grinned and nipped at the side of her jaw. "I'm sorry I bruised you."
"What?"
He placed a finger on her throat and said, "I gave you a hickey. I feel like I'm back in high school. This is a proud moment for Mort Rainey."
"I bet back in the day you gave all the girls hickeys," she teased, scooting closer to him before saying slyly, "In the back of an old pickup truck at the Drive-In."
"Actually, it was in a beat-up corvette down by the lake," he replied with a wink, placing his hand behind her head and laying her against the wrinkled sheets once more.
"Ah, I should have known you were the corvette type," she said with a shake of her head, grinning up at him. He slid the sheets off of her and ran a hand down her abdomen, letting his lips follow.
"I love having conversations with you," Zoë said, lifting her head to peek at him staring mischievously back at her before he bent down and pressed another soft kiss to her belly.
"Mort Rainey," she said with a smug smile, lying back once more, "You better stop that before you make me blush." He returned to her side and she bounced the mattress a little. "This is a comfy bed. I like it. Perhaps I'll steal it when you're not looking."
"I'd like to see you sneak it out of the front door," he replied, the corners of his mouth twitching, his brown eyes sparkling in the new sunlight, "I barely sleep on it, anyway. You know I usually go for the couch."
"The couch, hmm? Sounds like an adventure," she said wickedly, "That's on our To-Do list." He laughed and she brushed a hand across the beginning stubble of his goatee. She added, "Someone needs a shave." She touched his hairy, masculine legs and said, "Yup. Definitely needs a shave."
"Do you enjoy bating me?"
"Very much so, yes."
"Someone needs to be taught a lesson," Mort informed, placing some fingers to his chin, dramatically thinking, "And I think that person is you."
"Fine, wise teacher, what do you have to teach me?" Zoë asked, quirking an eyebrow as his eyes swept over her exposed form.
"It seems you've passed your physical examination. Now it's time for the exam. What did you learn today?"
"You were a pimp in high school," she said, stretching, grazing his shoulder with her swollen lips.
"Besides that," Mort pointed out good-naturedly, grabbing her and pulling her to him so that there was no space between them.
"Uh…you're insatiable?" she guessed, "I make you weak-in-the-knees? You swoon whenever you see me? You…AH! Hey!" He pinched her and Zoë yelped, glaring mockingly back at him.
"Seems someone didn't do their homework. Let's study for a bit, shall we?" And he wrestled her back under the covers. She was smiling foolishly the whole way down.
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Zoë was running a towel through her hair and staring into the mirror in Mort's bathroom. She had on one of his oversized, faded blue t-shirts that reached her mid-thigh. Zoë found herself staring back at her expectantly.
"It feels weird being unemployed. I haven't lain around like a bum all day in quite a while," Zoë said to her reflection.
"Well, except you weren't lying around all day, honeybuns. Don't lie to yourself."
Zoë blinked a couple of times and her jaw dropped. Her reflection was talking back to her. It was Zo's body, no doubt about it, but the reflection was fucking talking back. And it wasn't her voice. It was…
"Ellie?" Zoë whispered hoarsely.
"In the flesh," Ellie replied cockily, placing her hands on her hips and sneering at her, "Well, maybe I should say in your flesh."
Zoë thought she had seen everything. But this was just plain weird. Seeing your body talk, use your expressions, and move without your knowledge was about enough for Zoë to scream her bloody head off.
Okay, Zoë thought, I'm just going tot freak right out.
"Happy to see me?" 'Ellie' asked with a wink, "You knew I'd be back."
"Yeah, but not like this. In a fucking mirror. Using my body."
"Had a little fun today, did you, you naughty girl?"
"You could say that."
Ellie paced back and forth before resting against the sink and saying, "I'd love to get my hands on that man. You're one lucky bitch."
"I know. And don't even think about pulling any funny business," Zoë said with narrowed eyes, pointing at her, "I know how you like to keep those extra tricks up your sleeves."
"What can I say?" Ellie scoffed, batting her eyelashes, "I don't play nice."
"Why are you here anyway, Ellie? What do you want? I figure this isn't just a social call."
"What's wrong with wanting to see my favorite gal, hmm? Wanting to have a girl talk? Are you discriminating against me just because I'm someone you made up? I'm your creation, babycakes, and I don't think you should forget that."
"Please don't call me babycakes. Really, why are you here?" Zoë questioned while massaging her temple in irritation.
"Jeez, sex sure makes someone cranky."
"No, it doesn't, I just want to know what's fucking going on!"
"Let's just say you and your lover are in trouble, big time."
"What? How?"
"Why don't you go find Mort and see for yourself, eh? See ya later, darling." Ellie pressed a mocking kiss to the mirror and suddenly, Zoë found herself staring back at her calm, normal reflection. Okay, did she dream it?
Zoë leaned against the sink and wiped a finger against the mirror in confusion and curiosity. Then she held her finger in the light.
Lipstick. And it wasn't her shade.
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Zoë found clean, shaven Mort downstairs on the couch, staring at the TV screen as if he were in a daze.
"Watching your cartoons, are you?" Zoë teased as she made her way down the stairs and went up behind Mort, beginning to massage his shoulders. When Mort didn't answer, she continued, "Something really weird happened upstairs…I was in the bathroom and…Mort? What's wrong?"
He swallowed hard and pointed at the TV screen. It was the local news station. She went and sat next to him, grabbing the remote and turning up the volume.
They were showing footage of an SUV being pulled out of a local lake.
"…found earlier today in a local lake in southern Tashmore, two dead bodies were discovered amongst the wreckage. Their identities are not being released as of yet. The police force and the FBI are working hard to find the culprit. The only information we've attained is that there is only one suspect known."
Mort turned off the TV and took a shuddery breath. He met Zo's frightened gaze and said slowly, "I'm in deep shit."
Oh, no! What's going to happen next? SUSPENSE! ACTION! ROMANCE!
Review please! And if anyone can catch the Once Upon A Time in Mexico 'quote' of sorts in this chapter, a cyber cookie for you! : )