Chapter 3
Zach arrived back at Kendall's condo with two bags of food. He immediately noticed the door was not completely closed. He placed their dinner on a nearby bench and cautiously opened the door, calling out, "Kendall?" Zach stood in the doorway speechless. The living room was aglow in soft light. Zach picked up the bags of food, entered the condo, securing the front door behind him.
There were small tealights flickering along the top of the mantle and a small blaze emanated from the fireplace. The coffee table was set with two wineglasses and a single burning ivory pillar candle.
From the bedroom, Kendall appeared. From Zach's expression Kendall knew her plan was working perfectly. Kendall repressed a satisfactory giggle. He was standing in front of the door, two bags of take out food in his hands, and she swore his mouth was agape. She had surprised him, hopefully, intrigued him. But what she really wanted was to entice him.
He stood in shock and astonishment. When the evening started his plan was to seduce Kendall. His plan had either succeeded beyond his wildest imagination, or gotten completely turned around. Without realizing she had crossed the room, Kendall removed the bags from his grip, placing them on the kitchen counter.
"Smells good. What is it?" Kendall asked.
Zach didn't hear Kendall question because he become enthralled by her appearance. Her hair was loose and damp, she must have taken a shower while he was gone. She was wearing a butter yellow satin camisole, with thin satin shoulder straps and a knee length floral patterned skirt. Pink lace edged the top of the satin. Someone may think of this as intimate wear, but Zach knew it was current fashion because of the women patrons at the casino.
Kendall was a vision. Her skin glistened in the candle light, looking like a fine mist of dew had settled on her. His mind raced, he wanted to reach out and trace his fingers along the thin satin ribbon, moving a single finger under the strap, against her skin, pulling the strap off of her shoulder. The sudden realization occurred to Zach, he needed to regain control of the situation.
Kendall was at the kitchen counter, arranging the take-out food onto dinner plates. "Do your husbandly duty and open the wine." Kendall said in a teasing tone.
Zach determined to rein in his thoughts and desires, made confident strides into the kitchen. He positioned himself behind Kendall, close enough to limit her movements. He reached around her for the bottle of wine and wine opener, purposefully brushing her bare arm with his hand. "I didn't know you wanted wine. I would have gotten a good year." Zach goaded.
Kendall spun around to face Zach. Her hands gravitated to his waist. He reached around her again, placing the items on the counter. Her hands moved gracefully across his torso. Kendall's attempt to ignite Zach's desires for her, was beginning to backfire. The softness of his shirt was in direct comparison to his toned muscular frame. As her hands moved upward towards his broad chest, Kendall realized she was standing inside his suit jacket. Kendall longed for him to return her caresses, but his arms remained outstretched. Kendall hands reached his shoulders, pushed the high quality suit jacket from his shoulders, and pulled the jacket down his arms. Bringing her body closer to his. "Get comfortable." she barely was able to croak out.
Zach placed his discarded jacket on the kitchen counter, and took a step closer into Kendall. In the candle light it was difficult to see, but Zach noticed a faint flush across Kendall's face. Zach released a sigh of relief, realizing he wasn't imagining their actions and reactions. Zach reached his arms around either side of Kendall's lithe frame. She quickly drew in an anticipated breathe, hoping Zach didn't notice. Zach abruptly moved away from Kendall and the kitchen. He had reached around Kendall and grabbed the two dinner plates.
He was moving towards the living room, and nonchalantly called over his shoulder, "Sweetie, grab the bottle of wine."
A small laugh escaped from Kendall as she joined Zach in front of the fire, with the bottle of wine. Dinner was a delicious blackened grouper with a spinach salad and raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Zach and Kendall finished the meal while talking about current events, the casino, but avoided the subjects of Greenlee and Julia. The meal was just about finished when Kendall bolted upright, "Oh, I have new pictures of MiMo. Want to see?"
Zach's questioning glance followed Kendall to the console table, "MiMo?"
Kendall plopped down closer to Zach, holding an envelope of pictures. Zach stretched his arm across the back of the couch behind Kendall and looked over her shoulder at the pictures. "Miranda! She is beautiful." Zach was so relieved to see new pictures of his niece. "What's MiMo?"
"Miranda Mona, MiMo is something I made up while Bianca was pregnant." Kendall said in a blasé tone. "I'm the only one that uses it."
Zach enamored by Miranda, gently leaned his chin against Kendall's shoulder. Letting out a pensive sigh, "We should go to Paris."
"Really?" Kendall spun to met Zach's gaze.
Zach gently pushed away from the floor, picking up the dinner dishes, "Come on, I'll wash, you dry."
Kendall followed Zach into the kitchen. "Did you mean it Zach? Can we go to Paris?"
"We can leave in the morning if you want." Zach replied.
Kendall got lost in the thought of heading to Paris. 'Maybe we can surprise Bianca, not tell her we are coming.' Kendall was shocked when Zach splashed her with water from the sink.
"Get drying." Zach said with a hearty laugh.
"Oh, don't even start." Kendall quickly countered.
Zach took Kendall comment as a dare. He picked up a hand full of bubbles and plopped the mass on top of Kendall's head.
Kendall couldn't believe Zach would do something so playful. So Kendall spun the dish towel and cracked it as close as possible to Zach's well toned backside. The laughter was genuine and enthusiastic. In a single movement, Zach took the sprayer from the sink and briefly shot Kendall with a quick burst of water.
"Oh my god, I can't believe you did that." Kendall screamed with a futile attempt at indignation. Zach swiftly closed the space in between them waving a dry dish towel as a sign of defeat. He tried to pat Kendall dry with the towel, while both of them giggled uncontrollably.
Simultaneously, Zach and Kendall's eyes met. The teasing and desires of the evening came to a crest as Zach pulled Kendall into a passionate kiss. Kendall responded to Zach's touch. Zach swept Kendall into his arms and carried her the short distance into her bedroom.