The Freeing Blood

Chapter 5

“So did you want to take a romantic ride on the gondola and have me sing you a song?” Zak teased wiggling his eyebrows.
I laughed and playfully slapped him on the arm. “I’m not sure how well your rowing skills are, but you’re singing is terrible,” I joked.
He grabbed at his shirt over his heart. “Agh, you wound me,” he groaned.
“I think it was your singing that pushed me further into death’s arms,” I chuckled. My laughter slowly faded though when I saw that he did not find my joke quite as funny. Actually, there was a muscle tic in his jaw from where he clenched his teeth together in irritation. My eyes dropped to gaze down at my hands as the air around us crackled with uncomfortable tension. And here we had been having such a good night, too, and I had to go and ruin it. I mentally facepalmed myself for my stupidity.
“Zak, I—”
“You think it’s ok to just joke about something like that?” he quietly asked. I could hear his barely contained anger. I lifted my gaze to look at him.
“You’re singing really isn’t that ba—”
“I’m not talking about my singing!” he snapped clashing heated eyes with mine. Only they weren’t heated with passion the way I wanted them to be right now. No…they were heated from anger. I flinched back like he had slapped me across the face. Even though Zak would never hurt me, it was clear that I had hurt him. Just not physically. No…I had stabbed him straight in the heart. I had never seen his face so full of hurt, anger, and anguish before. I mean sure I had seen him mad, but this was different. This time he wasn’t just being a hotheaded jerk…this time he had been emotionally hurt by the one he loved: me.
“You think it’s funny? You think that since a week has passed that makes it all ok to joke about?” He hissed.
“Well, I—”
“Well, it’s not ok, Aerolynn! You were shot just last week and you died. We’re lucky that they were able to get your heart beating again long enough to stitch you up and put you in a hospital bed. Or has this not sunk in with you yet?” Zak gently cupped my face between his hands and lowered his voice as he brought his face close to mine. “I almost lost you. Not just for a few days or for four months…for the rest of my life. Here I was just realizing how I felt about you and you thank me by getting shot and dying. Do you know how crazy I was for the next couple of days?”
Zak rested his forehead against mine closing his eyes. A tear ran down his face.
“And to hear you joking about it and taking it so lightly…it hurts me inside, Aerolynn. I feel like you don’t even care that you basically lost me as well when you were shot. Like it was all just one big joke to you. When I saw your life slowly fading and you growing colder, I could feel my heart being torn out of my chest and going with you,” Zak whispered.
I placed my hand over his that was resting on my face. I removed his hand and pressed my lips gently to the center of his palm. I leaned into his warm hand.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. My brother basically freaked out over the same thing earlier today when I told him I would be fine on my own, but hearing it from you? It really makes an impact because I never want to hurt you this way,” I admitted brushing my lips lightly across his.
“I almost lost you…I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to go through that agony anymore,” his replied shakily. Even his breathing had turned uneven.
I pulled myself away only to wrap my arms around Zak and cradle his head against my chest; I rested my cheek on the top of his head as a tear rolled down my face.
“I’m so sorry. I just don’t think sometimes,” I said.
“Isn’t that the truth,” he scoffed. I smiled at his attempt to try and lighten the atmosphere again.
He pulled out of my embrace and dug around in the picnic basket he had brought. He pulled out a plastic container full of…I squinted to try and make out what it was. When he opened the lid, a large smile burst forth across my face.
“Is that what I think it is?” I breathed barely holding my excitement back.
Zak raised a brow as his lips curled into a sly smile.
“Close your eyes,” he commanded.
I instantly shut my eyes waiting for the moment that delicious bite of food would enter my mouth.
“Alright, now open your mouth,” I heard him say. I situated myself around to where I was sitting on my knees. I opened my mouth. It began watering as I waited in anticipation. Finally that sweet bitter goodness of tiramisu hit my tongue.
I closed my mouth and chewed it slowly. Although, to be honest, there wasn’t much chewing involved since as soon as it hit my tongue, the espresso drenched, bitter-sweet cake melted in my mouth. Oh god it was so good I nearly orgasmed at its delicious flavor. I could go fat by eating nothing but tiramisu all day.
Before I could even open my eyes to see if Zak was going to feed me another bite, I felt his lips meet mine. The touch was surprisingly soft and gentle. Lingering wetness from the chaste kiss cooled on my lips, a cold reminder of what just passed and a promise of things to come. We kissed again, this time with more passion and certainty. Heat passed between us, our breaths trapped by our lips. Previously soft touches became bruising, desperate, his tongue teasing and trapping mine, the kiss now a lovers' mockery of battle. Fingers twisted into my hair, pulling me closer even as I did the same. Velvet silence enveloped us, accompanied only by the rush of blood and sounds of our lips parting for breath.
“Wh-what was that?” I breathed still unable to fully catch my breath.
“Your face... it looked so full of pleasure when I fed you the tiramisu, it made me want to see what it tasted like,” he replied with a smile. Although I could tell he was trying to breathe normally, his voice still shook some.
I chuckled. “Then why didn’t you just take a bite of the tiramisu itself?”
“Because tasting it off your lips was much more….satisfying,” he said, his voice deepening on the last word. Shivers ran down my spine.
“Hey, Zak?”
He pressed a finger to my lips to silence me.
“How about we forget the gondola ride and instead head back to the apartment before your brother gets home?” he suggested quietly. There was a raw passion in his voice and a burning desire in his eyes that frightened me, but at the same time made my stomach knot with excitement.
I couldn’t even find my voice to speak; all I could do was nod.
He gently grasped my hand in his and helped me up off the blanket. He began leading me back to the car. I didn’t even have the good sense to ask him what he was going to do with all the stuff like the lanterns and food. I didn’t care at that moment.
At that moment all I wanted to feel was Zak’s bare flesh moving against mine in a lover’s embrace. Heat shot throughout my body.
He glanced back at me over his shoulder and flashed me a naughty smile. I did everything I could to not trip all over myself at that smile. That smile confirmed any doubts I had.
Tonight… was going to be the night.