The Wildflower (Completed) (Southern Nights)

Chapter 17

“The Heart of a Wildflower”

2012 All Rights Reserved

Chapter 17

Lizzie lay comfortably in the circle of Zeb’s arms thinking about how good it felt to be so thoroughly and inexplicably loved by a man such as Zeb. He was the type of man that could come off rough and hard to a person who only had a glimpse of his exterior. But in the bedroom, when it was just the two of them he had been so sweet and tender, paying tribute to every inch of her well sated body.

She sighed and noticed that the sun was beginning to set as the room began to dim. Time meant nothing to her right now. It could have been minutes that they laid there or it could have been hours, Lizzie didn’t have a care. All she cared about was being with this man that made her feel so… womanly.

His hand lightly stroked the underside of her breast and she felt her body’s instant response to his touch. It was automatic; like this was how it was always supposed to be. What in the world ever made her think that she could resist this man?

Resisting Zeb was tantamount to a small child resisting a chocolate candy bar.

It just wasn’t done.

Lizzie thought back to the declaration that he made just before he claimed not only her body but her heart and soul. He had said that she belonged to him. At first she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She’d never belonged to anyone before; she was an independent woman in every facet of her life.

But the idea of belonging to Zeb had an appeal all of its own. He had been her only high school crush. He was the only man that she ever truly loved. He was also the man who fathered her son.

She could never in good faith belong to another. Zeb was it for her.

Lizzie tilted her head and noticed Zeb watching her. She smiled and touched his cheek. Knowing how much this man had come to mean to not only her, but her heart as well made her nervous. She still didn’t think that she was ready to share this information with him. Not until she was sure of his objectives.

He left her once; who’s to say that he wouldn’t leave her again the moment that he began to get bored with her.

No, she fought the cold chill that raced up her spine. She couldn’t tell him yet. The risk was too great. She was willing to reap the benefits as his lover in bed, but she wouldn’t allow him to know the secrets in her heart.

Not yet anyways.

“Lizzie,” he whispered softly.

Her eyes were still locked with his. “Mm,” she answered.

“You don’t have to be scared. We’ll find the person that vandalized your car.” He stroked the length of her hair. “I promise, baby. I would never let anything happen to you.”

She frowned and then rolled her eyes. She had almost forgotten about her stupid car. She had been so focused on the way that Zeb loved that she couldn’t think of anything else. Now, her mind was focused back on the damage to her car and who could possibly hate her so much.

“What? What is it? What’s wrong?” He asked her Elizabeth when he spotted her down turned lips.

Unable to speak, she playfully smacked his arm.

“What?” He asked again, his expression reflecting a mask of false innocence.

“You,” she pointed at his nose. Elizabeth pulled herself up on her elbows and then laid her head on his chest. She splayed her fingers across his chest and played with the soft mat of curly brown hair there.