Kendall woke from her slumber feeling warm and relaxed. She started to stretch and found herself held in place by a pair of muscular arms and a well-defined thigh thrown across her own legs, completely restricting any movement. She glanced at her companion and found Zach asleep, his impossibly long lashes fluttering as her movements disturbed his rest. His eyes blinked open, and the golden hazel eyes twinkled with laughter as he caught her looking at him intently. Kendall realized the joke and laughed with him for a moment before pushing on his chest for release from his still confining arms. Once disentangled, they laughed even harder at their appearance and the dried remnants of cognac on their skin.
"I think I need a shower," Kendall giggled. "And you do, too."
"Want to take one together?" Zach asked with a grin.
"Sure! Why not?" Kendall answered as she continued to giggle climbing out of the bed. "But we really do need those robes now… and I'm ravenous. Can you order us some food when you call to ask about them?"
Before she finished speaking, Zach had begun to dial the telephone. He asked that two robes and some extra towels be sent to the room immediately and ordered two meals – a salad for Kendall and a more hearty meal for himself. He held up the empty bottle of cognac and raised his eyebrow, but Kendall shook her head emphatically and answered, "Coffee."
After the order was complete, Zach stood and pulled her into his arms for a lingering kiss. She looked at him in surprise as he pulled away, finding it amazing that he could be so tender while still re-igniting the banked embers of their earlier passion. He smiled at her knowingly before picking up his slacks and pulling them on, "You go start the shower. I'll wait here for the robes and join you in a few minutes. Dinner will be at least an hour."
She laughed and nodded before going into the bathroom. He pulled on the shirt that he and Kendall had both worn, not bothering to button it as he waited for room service. He answered the door quickly when the attendant from housekeeping announced her presence, not paying attention to his state of undress. His natural instinct for observation, though, noted a very interested Greenlee Lavery in the hallway observing him carefully. He made a point of stepping into the hallway to tip the attendant so that she would have an excellent view of his dishabille before closing the door. As soon as the lock was secure, he quickly removed his clothing and joined Kendall in the bathroom.
While Zach had been waiting for towels and robes, Kendall had started a warm shower. She had laid out toiletries for their use, and he noted that she had even removed the disposable razor from its wrapper for his convenience. He smiled before pulling back the shower curtain and putting his head inside, "Still want company?"
Kendall had been standing beneath the pulsating water with her eyes closed, allowing it to wash over her body. At Zach's words she jumped, but smiled and beckoned him to join her. Needing no further invitation, he stepped into the tub and gave her a steamy kiss. Kendall wrapped her arms around his neck and molded herself against him, completely surrendering to the sensations of his hands against her wet body. Placing small kisses against his neck and chest, Kendall handed Zach a bar of soap and a thick washcloth. He smiled and lathered the cloth before using it to arouse her body, pulling her back against his chest for his ministrations. Soon she pulled the washcloth from his hands and returned the favor before wrapping her soap-slicked body around him. After once more yielding to each other's ardor, they stood beneath the water to rinse away the last of the soap. Zach washed Kendall's hair before she washed his and they rinsed each other thoroughly. After stepping from the shower, they dried each other's bodies and Zach helped Kendall into her robe before he donned his own. While enjoying themselves completely, neither paid much heed to how comfortable they felt with this new intimacy.
At a knock on the door, Zach padded into the room wearing nothing except his robe and allowed the room service attendant to bring in a new table containing their dinner. After removing the remnants of the spilled caviar and cognac, Zach fished in his pants pocket to retrieve a tip and glanced out the door for any additional spies. Although he did not see anyone, he did hear a soft gasp and the sound of footsteps retreating. He smiled to himself and wondered who little Greenlee had talked into helping with her surveillance. He had no doubt that they had been under constant scrutiny since leaving the lobby, and he hoped that their enjoyable evening had been overheard in detail.
After being seated at the table Zach told Kendall, "You were right… we've had someone watching the room since we came up here. I caught Greenlee in the hallway when the robes were delivered… and I heard someone leaving just now."
"I knew it! I'm so tired of everyone thinking they know better than I do how I should live my life! Well, I hope they got an earful," she said in indignation.
"My exact thoughts," Zach answered as he uncovered his meal and began to eat with gusto. He noticed Kendall picking at her salad, "Is everything to your liking? Or do we need to get you something else?"
"No… it's fine… I'm just…" Kendall answered quietly.
"Thinking?" Zach asked thoughtfully. "There is a lot to think about, isn't there? What we've done this evening certainly sheds a different light on our marriage."
"Does that mean you want a real marriage now? And all that it entails?" Kendall asked him with a frown.
"No… not exactly," Zach answered. "But I think we need some ground rules."
"Okay… what do you have in mind? And don't worry – I'll let you know if they're unacceptable," she replied.
"First… I need to ask you a question," he said dryly.
"Okay… am I going to be upset by it?" she responded.
"You might… I was just wondering… did I make you feel like a woman?" he said with a smirk.
Kendall immediately caught the reference to an offer he had made to her several months earlier and laughed, "I should answer with a resounding no… but… I'd be lying."
"Thank you," Zach said very softly. "Your honesty helps me to know that I'm making the right decision in what I'm about to offer."
"Zach… I told you before… I like sex, so don't think that this means I've suddenly fallen in love…" Kendall protested.
He interrupted her, "… as long as you don't expect me to fall in love either."