Page 63 of A New Chapter
When Emma felt herself getting very close, she panted, “Zack, condom?”
“Crap, no time…”
Emma experienced a moment of panic, but a second later, Zack pulled out and released himself on her stomach. She instantly relaxed, but Zack’s face was pulled tight, with anger or embarrassment she couldn’t tell which.
“Hold still,” he said and hurried down the hall to the bathroom. He returned with some tissues and proceeded to clean her up with the utmost precision. Afterwards, they sat side by side on the couch, both of them still naked.
“Is something wrong?” Emma ventured, unsure of the reason for his pensive mood.
He swung his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “Everything was great, too good actually. I’m mad at myself for forgetting about protection. If you hadn’t said something…”
For some reason, Emma wasn’t as concerned about their near-miss as he was. Not that she wanted to get pregnant, but if it happened she wouldn’t be upset. She was curious about the real reason behind Zack’s reaction. “It’s ok, Zack. Don’t beat yourself up over it. I’m not worried, so you shouldn’t be either.”
Zack looked at her with a mix of surprise and relief. “But what if you got pregnant? We’re not even…”
“Together?” Now she felt her own dander rising.
“No. I didn’t say that. I just think it would be bad timing, don’t you?”
Emma pulled away from him and snatched her clothes up off the floor. “Why are you so hung up on the timing of everything? When we first met, it was bad timing because we were both engaged to other people. I get that. But now we’re single, and it’s still not the right timing. It’s too soon for Gracie. It’s too soon for us to be more than friends. But there’s never a bad time to have sex, is that it? Tell me something, Zack. When willit ever be the right time for us?”
Zack buried his head in his hands while Emma hurriedly redressed. Her ire rose higher and higher while he sat there without uttering a single word. The only man that she knew who had no trouble expressing his feelings now sat in miserable silence, naked on her couch. Emma shoved his clothes into a pile and threw them at him.
“Get out,” she hissed.
His head jerked up, and he gaped at her in disbelief.
“I mean it, Zack. Leave now before I say something I’ll really regret.”
Zack heaved himself off of the couch, clothes in hand, and disappeared into the bathroom.
Absolutely unbelievable, Emma seethed while she waited for him to dress. A few seconds later, she decided not to wait. “Show yourself out,” she shouted and stomped past the bathroom door and up the stairs. When she reached her bedroom, she slammed the door shut, locked it, and slumped down onto the bed.
A few minutes later, Emma heard the front door close and Zack’s Range Rover start up. She told herself not to, but she couldn’t help it. She walked over to her bedroom window and watched in stunned silence as he drove away.
