Disclaimer: see chapter 1

Zach set her down next to the bed, finally removing his lips from hers. He brushed her hair out of her face, letting his fingers linger a little longer on her cheeks. She opened her eyes when she realized he was no longer kissing her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, suddenly feeling very, very nervous.

"Just making sure that you are still alright with this, that you still want to…"

"Zach, yes, of course… I mean, unless you don't… I mean, I know I'm as big as a house, not exactly the limber little tigress you imagined me to be, so… I mean, if you aren't interested… or if…"

He placed his fingers over her lips. "You're nervous."

"You seem nervous."

"Me? No, I'm not. I'm not nervous. Um -- so we are -- we are going to sleep together, right? I don't know, I mean, I just assumed that, you know, you walked me home and -- oh, God, wow. Ok, I'm really bad at this. I'm really bad at this. Not that I was ever good, but I – "

"I think you're very charming, and I couldn't be happier."

"Really? Because I never have any idea how things are going to go with us."

"Well, we've always done things backwards. So how about a little post divorce honeymoon?"

She sighed and leaned her forehead against his chest, closing her eyes. "I just thought that when you and I finally got around to this, I'd be able to slip into some sexy lingerie, not be as big as Shamu." She felt him laugh, so she looked up and glared at him. He pulled her flush to his body, wrapping one arm around her waist while planting the other at the base of her neck.

"Kendall, you could be wearing a sack and I would still find you sexy as hell and want you just as much as I want you right now" he whispered in her ear.

That broke her – she needed him immediately. She pulled his face to hers, assaulting him with her lips. She kissed every place she could reach. They quickly divested each other of clothing and Zach pulled her back onto the bed. She crawled up his body, straddling him. They spent what felt like forever touching and kissing each other. She would have sworn on a bible that she was on fire by the time Zach finally entered her. They moved as one fluid unit, rocking back and forth, holding onto each other as if their lives depended on it.

Kendall felt herself coming apart and she loved every minute of it. "Let me look at you" he whispered in her ear, sending her over the edge. She locked eyes with him, screaming his name over and over as she reached completion. Zach soon followed, moaning her name loudly. She was convinced that a man had never said her name better than he did in that moment.

They held on to each other, breathing heavily, each coming back down from their high. He pulled back and smiled at her, kissing her lightly on her lips.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" she asked, running her fingers through his hair.

"I'll stay as long as you'll have me."

"All I wanted you to do was to admit what you said to me when I was sleeping."

"Mm-hmm. What did I say to you? I love you. That was it. And I'll keep saying it as long as you want to hear it. I love you."

Zach pulled them back and Kendall soon found herself snuggled under the blankets, Zach's arm wrapped around her, protecting her. She took a deep breath, feeling at peace for the first time in weeks.

TBC…