His Jaguar Tattoo

Nothing Cookies Can't Fix

For two dreadful hours she suffered from his companionship. While Zuri wanted to enjoy the sunshine and restore some of the peace she'd lost in the last two days, Drew continued to pester her with questions. The last thing she felt like doing was talking to him. Any ounce of sweetness he had shown the previous night had been a side effect of the alcohol. The real Drew was annoying, rude, and entitled.

Alas, he excused himself to accept a phone call. Zuri prayed it would be something important, so he would finally leave her alone. Closing her eyes, she sunk into the slick fibers of the lounge chair and let the sunshine seep into her eyelids.

"I have to go," Drew declared when he returned.

She peeked at him through one eye. "Okay."

"I may not be back until late tonight."

"I figured."

"Are you going to make me order you to give me a proper goodbye?"

A scowl could barely be withheld while she climbed off the lounge chair and walked over to him. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Bye."

"Goodbye, Zuri," he murmured, annoyed but compliant. He leaned forward to brush his lips against her temple. "Don't stay outside too much longer. I don't want you to get sunburned."

Okay, Mother, she mentally snapped.

"I won't," she answered instead. 

Drew left without further prolonging her relaxation. She sunk back into the lounge chair and took a deep breath. Everything would be fine. Once she got over her disappointment about college, she could return to the girl who annoyed her captor with cheerfulness. He enjoyed her submissive behavior too much; it felt like he was winning.

Grinning, Zuri found her peace in forming a plan. A plan to take back the girl she wanted to be. No longer would she let someone else's decisions crush her joy.

^^^

The front door opened and closed behind a tired Drew. Zuri could tell he was tired by the slowness of his step. He'd been out for the whole day. Perhaps it was the smell of warm chocolate chip cookies that led him to the kitchen, even before his bedroom. She smiled at him as he strolled in.

"Good evening," Zuri greeted.

Drew's fatigued eyes brightened while they scanned her outfit, a cute but simple housedress, and the plate of cookies on the counter beside her. The hint of satisfaction snuck across his pink lips.

"What's this?" he asked and set his briefcase down beside the table. "A dress and cookies?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She turned away from him to stir the dumplings she'd put in the pan about ten minutes prior.

His footsteps sounded across the floor as he closed the distance between them. When his arm slipped around her waist to spin her around, he had already taken a bite from one of the cookies. Zuri looked innocently up into his dark eyes, glad to find no hardness or anger in them.

"What do you want from me?" His voice was smooth and soft, just above a whisper.

"Who says I want something?"

"I know seduction when I see it."

She couldn't help herself; a burst of laughter broke free from her grip. "Seduction? Please. I don't even know how that works. I'm just trying to be a good little wife."

"Right," he grumbled.

"So," she said, slipping out from his strong arm, "how was work?"

"It was fine. Did you...enjoy nature? Your cheeks look rosy."