Beckett’s phone buzzes on the desk and he picks it up to see a text from Zoe:

Want to go out and grab some dinner or something tonight?

Beckett sighs and puts the phone back down before thinking up a response. He wants to say yes – he always wants to say yes to her, but the practical part of him needs to say no. He’d come into Penderghast intent on focus on his studies and nothing else. He didn’t need anything – or anyone – sidetracking him from his goals, and he’d already chosen Zoe over studying too many times in the last couple weeks. He thinks maybe if he gets this paper done he can see what she’s up to later. Never mind that it’s only Friday and he could work on it all day Saturday and Sunday. With whatever is targeting Zoe still out there, he just can’t rely on anything going as planned, so he’s resigned to getting his schoolwork done first.

I really need to finish this paper I’m working on. Maybe I can catch you later?

A few minutes later he gets a text back from Zoe:

Sure

He can’t read Zoe’s tone with one simple word, but he’s assuming she’s not thrilled. He’ll make it up to her, or at least he hopes she’ll see it that way. He works a while longer but can’t stop thinking about her. Is she upset? Does she really want to see him later? Would it really be so bad if he put this assignment off one more day? As his thoughts spiral he starts thinking about her eyes, her smile, and all her other physical assets he can’t get enough of. He remembers her smell, the way she tastes, and how if he hadn’t cared about making their first time more meaningful, he would have taken her right up against that tree during the rave. He realizes his attempts to continue are futile, and he really needs to see her.

Beckett thinks of texting Zoe, but decides to surprise her instead. He remembers their conversation in the woods, how if he were to get her flowers it would be roses, and he makes a pit stop to the florist to get a bouquet of red roses. He considers a more unique color, but he knows they all have different meanings and he doesn’t want to mess it up. Red is safe, and red is romantic. He knows it means he’s into her.

Outside of Zoe’s room, Beckett is about to knock on the door when it swings open. Zoe yelps and jumps back. “Beckett! You scared the shit out of me! What are you doing here?”

“Sorry, I thought I would surprise you. I brought these for you.” He steps inside, closing the door behind him, and hands her the bouquet of roses.

“Oh! Thank you,” Zoe says as if noticing them for the first time. “How sweet of you to remember I love roses.” She sets them down on her windowsill and turns back to face Beckett. “I’m not sure what you were thinking of doing, but I kind of made plans after you turned me down. I’m going out with Griffin and Everett along with some others from the thief team. You can join us if want.”

Beckett eyes Zoe up and down and suddenly realizes she’s wearing that dress. The sparkly blue dress she wore to the rave. The one that drove him crazy enough to give him the confidence to kiss her like he had all the experience in the world. He knows a lot of people saw her in it that night, but he’s suddenly feeling a bit possessive. “You were going out in that? It’s a bit revealing don’t you think?” He’s having a hard time tearing his eyes from the ample cleavage on display due to the deep vee off the dress, only alternating between looking at that and the outer thigh slits on the already short skirt of the dress.

“Hah.” Zoe laughs tersely. “So now you notice? I could have been stark naked at the rave and you wouldn’t have paid any attention. You were more interested in looking at dirty moss than me.”

“Uh…” Beckett feels his cheeks warm. “I was fully aware of how hot you looked – how hot you look, in that dress. Why do you think I kissed you like I did?” He takes a step closer so that their bodies are only inches apart and places a hand at the nape of her neck while his other arm snakes around her waist. “Just like this.” He draws her in for a kiss and she whimpers as he nips her lower lip.

Zoe smirks. “Refresh my memory some more. What happened next?”

“Hmm,” Beckett ponders. “Something like this.” He whirls her around against the door, grinding his hips into hers as he kisses her deeply. She responds instantly and moans against his lips.”

Zoe’s eyes are dark with desire as they part. “Too bad that’s where it ended. I would have like to see what could have happened next.”

“I can show you what I wanted.” Beckett’s voice is hoarse and almost a whisper.

Zoe smiles and shakes her head. “You are a mystery, Beckett Harrington. You still blush when I take your hand or give you a compliment, and then you suddenly get all sexy and confident like you do this with all the girls.”

“I don’t know how to explain it, Zoe. When I think about it, I get nervous, but once I get this close to you, my brain gets foggy and my body does what it wants.”

Zoe kisses him again and smiles against his lips. “So what does your body want now?

“I want you…all of you,” Beckett breaths.

A surprised look crosses Zoe’s face. “Are you sure?”

The topic has come up a few times, and Zoe has been patiently waiting until Beckett felt he was ready for this step. “One hundred percent sure.” Beckett takes a condom out of his pocket and places it on her desk.

Zoe’s wide grin returns. “I guess that means you’ve thought this through. Forget my other plans. If you want this, I’m all in.”

He kisses Zoe hungrily once more, tasting the flavor of cool mint on her lips and tongue. She smells good enough to eat, like vanilla and spice, and he thinks he may just do that first. He sinks down to his knees and slides his hands up her thighs until he reaches the waistband of her panties, bringing them down and taking her heels off with them. “You’ll have trouble enough standing on flat feet when I’m through with you,” he teases. looking up at her through his lashes.

“Is that so?” She giggles but is cut short when he bunches up her skirt and dives right in. Between his research and following her cues, he’s become an expert at eating her pussy in no time. He grabs hold of her ass and licks through her folds and then to her clit, sucking, licking and flicking the sensitive nub just as she likes it. Her moans get louder and she fists his hair, so he knows to keep doing what he’s doing. Suddenly she’s moaning so loud anyone in the hallway could hear, and then she throws her head back against the door and her whole body trembles as she finds her release.

Beckett stands to brace her, and she envelops his mouth with hers, swiping her tongue around the outside of his lips to clean him of her juices. “You taste as sweet as you smell…don’t you think?”

Zoe just rolls her eyes. “Okay boss, what’s next?”

Her acknowledging that Beckett’s in charge sends a thrill through him and his already hard cock presses uncomfortably against his jeans. “I think we’re wearing too many clothes for that.” He lifts her dress over her head and then strips himself down to just his boxer briefs. He picks up the condom from the desk before grabbing the back of her thighs and lifting her up. She wraps her arms around his neck and legs around his waist, and they kiss as Beckett stumbles back onto the bed.  “I want you on top of me.” He’s trying not to make this all clinical and technical, but he’s read if she can control the depth, angle, and speed, she might be able to get off easier. Plus he can’t help thinking how sexy she’ll look while she’s riding him.

Beckett scoots up to the pillows and shimmies out of his underwear. Zoe takes the condom from his hand, and he twitches in anticipation. She grasps his hard length and rolls the condom down, and he’s nervous he might cum before he gets inside her.

“You ready?” She asks and he nods in agreement. She straddles his hips and sinks down slowly. Her warm, wet sex swallows him inch by inch, and it’s like nothing he’s ever felt before. He groans as she starts to move and rock her hips against him. “Is that okay?”

“It’s too good, Zoe. Slow down,” he pleads because if she doesn’t, he probably won’t last more than a minute.

Zoe leans forward and rolls into him at a slower pace. He stares up to admire the curves of her body and then reaches up to caress her breasts, tugging her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. She bites down on his shoulder and moans. She starts to move faster, rubbing her clit against him, and he’s trying his best to hold out until she reaches her peak again. She pushes him in deeper and cries out, her whole body tensing as her walls pulsate around him.

Beckett finally gives up trying to hold out and cums almost instantly. “Fuck Zoe, you are incredible.” He pants as he tries to catch his breath.

Zoe lies down next to him. “You are pretty amazing yourself.”

“All I really did was lay there,” Beckett chuckles.

“Hey, you lasted more than two minutes your first time. That is an accomplishment in and of itself.” Zoe winks.

Beckett cocks and eyebrow. “Oh, so you were timing me?”

Zoe laughs. “Just estimating, but I can next time if you want to keep a performance log.”

Beckett hits her playfully with a pillow. “That’s enough out of you.” Then for the first time he thinks about the fact that Zoe has a roommate. “I probably should have asked this earlier, but is Shreya coming back soon?”

“No, she went home for the weekend,” Zoe replies.

“Does that mean I should – I mean can I stay?” he asks with uncertainty. This is still new territory for him and for them.

“Absolutely. Now get cleaned up and then come cuddle with me,” Zoe commands. Beckett obeys and then snuggles into Zoe’s backside. She falls asleep wrapped in his arms, and he’s not far behind.