14: ZENON

We're on day four of our cooking lessons when my phone rings.

"You watch the sauce. I need to take this call," I say, holding my phone up.

"Okay," Dani says, returning her attention to the white wine mushroom sauce as she resumes humming a tune.

"Hey, Larisa."

"Zenon, I need you," she cries into the phone.

"What's the matter? Is it Zílda?" I ask as panic grips my heart.

"No!" she cries in frustration. "My fiancé broke things off with me, and I need a few days to get myself together. I need you to take Zílda sooner than we agreed upon. I know that you told me you needed a little more time, but I need time now!"

I close my eyes and pinch my brow as I slowly breathe in and out.

This is typical of Larisa. No one can have more drama or problems in their life than she can. If they do, she's quick to drum up something that trumps their problems.

Not that her fiancé breaking things off with her isn't traumatic, but knowing Larisa the way that I do, she probably did something deserving of that action.

I had asked her for a little more time because I really wanted to be here for Dani and see her through her rough time. But I will always be there for my little girl when she needs me, and it's clear that she needs me right now based on her mother's behavior.

"Fine. I can fly out in a couple of days to get her."

"No, I need you to fly out in the morning to get her."

I exhale slowly, blowing the breath through my lips to try to calm my frustration.

"Listen, I don't know if I can get a ticket that soon. Where are you anyway?"

"I'm in Atlanta."

Lifting an eyebrow, I say, "Okay, I'm not that far from you, actually."

"How far is not far?"

"A little over three hundred miles. A little under a five-hour drive."

"Where are you?"

I debate about telling her where I am since it's been such a closely guarded secret. Not even Mattia knows where exactly in the world I am.

"In the Carolinas."

"Okay, I um...I can drive there," she says.

"Let me get back to you, and we'll set up a plan to meet up."

"Sure."

I end the call scratching my head, trying to figure out where my daughter and I will go, all the while trying to figure out how to break the news to Dani that I need to cut our time together short.

"Hey, is everything okay?" her voice calls softly to me from the doorway. "I just wanted to tell you that the sauce was thickening, so I turned it off."

I stand from my bed and turn around to face her.

"Great job," I say tiredly, walking towards her.

"What's wrong?"

"I um...I have to leave for a while."

"Leave? What's going on, Z?"

"Nothing. It will be fine."

"No, talk to me, please," Dani says, grabbing my hands.

"Larisa needs me to get Zílda. She was crying, and she says that her fiancé broke things off with her."

Dani frowns and says, "That's horrible. Is she okay?"

Shrugging, I reply, "There's always something with Larisa. Her life is a traveling circus."

"Well, a breakup, especially with a fiancé, can be heartbreaking, Z. I can't imagine how much she's hurting over that."

"Yeah, I guess," I say, rubbing my forehead.

"So, where are you going with your daughter? Back home?"

"I don't know. I still need to figure that part out. I am not ready to return home just yet. I know as soon as I touch down, there will be some reporters waiting to interview me. With the tournament still ongoing and the championship game about to take place, that will be the feather in their cap to get an interview with me or any shots of me."

"Why can't you stay here?"

"Here on the island?"

"Here at this cottage," she says, jabbing her finger towards the floor.

"I don't want to put you out or make you uncomfortable with a teenager running around."

"I can't think of anything better, Z. I mean, I met her when she was a little girl, but I haven't seen her since. I'd love to see your daughter."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. I mean..." she hesitates, and I see the uncertainty in her eyes. "Unless, of course, you don't think she needs to be around me."

"What? No, that's not what I'm saying," I reply emphatically.

"It's okay. I understand if...well, I guess I can see how you might..." she sighs as she breaks off her comment.

"I don't know what you're trying to say, but I can promise you that I'm not trying to keep my daughter away from you. I'm not ashamed of you, Dani. I think you're a very inspirational woman. You've gone through some challenging times—"

"Most of which I've created myself."

"And yet you're still overcoming them and beating the odds."

Shrugging, she asks, "For what? To reclaim my show and do it all over again?"

"Is that what you think? Is that what you want, Dani?"

"No! I don't want it, but what if I fail? What if I fall back into it? Remember last week?"

"Then you'll get back up and work harder than before, just like you did last week. I doubt that you will, though, because I'll be here every step of the way with you. Besides, you made your choice last week, not me. It took a lot of strength for you to not take that drink. I was sitting outside on a phone call with Mattia for at least ten minutes before I came inside. You didn't take a sip in all that time. You exercised restraint even during your battle. I won't let you fall, Dani," I say, taking her hands into mine.

"I can't rely on you, Z. I have to hold myself accountable."

"Isn't that the problem, though? You always felt as if you had to do it all on your own, and you never relied on anyone else to have your back?"

"Yes."

"How often do you speak with your sponsor?"

"Once a week."

"Then maybe you should connect with your sponsor more often than that, especially when things are overwhelming. If that doesn't work, you'll reach out to me. And if you still feel like you're failing, then you'll pray."

Danica's eyes well with tears as she nods slowly, and finally, the tears spill forth. I pull her into my arms and hold her close.

Kissing the top of her head, I say, "This is a daily battle for the rest of your life. But it's this battle that will keep you strong and make you a better woman than you were before. You're going to be just fine. I believe in you, and if you open your heart and let us in, you will find that you've got an amazing support system.

"From everything that you've told me about your family and your best friend the last few days while we've been cooking, I know that you have a solid system in place. Now, just lean on us, please."

"I still can't believe you got me to cook," she says, leaning back and looking up at me as she wipes her eyes.

"Have you enjoyed it?"

"Are you kidding me? The opportunity to go back and brag to my mom that I can make lobster bisque thrills me."

We both laugh. I look into her eyes, and my heart melts. This is the first time since we've been around each other that she's laughed so openly. It seems that all of her cares have been abandoned for this moment.

"Zílda is going to enjoy her time here," I say.

"Do you think that she'll like me?"

Squinting at her, I say, "What's not to like? She'll love you, Dani. You're an amazing woman."

I lean down and capture her lips with mine. The kiss is torrid and demanding. She yields to my pressure and loops her arms around my neck. Her fingers tug at the hair at the nape of my neck.

"What about the steak?" she asks when I allow her up for a minute.

"That steak will have to hold. The longer it marinates the more tender it will be when we're ready to grill it."

"Mm," she says, licking my lips.

I lift her into my arms, turn around, and carry her back to my bed. Lowering her onto the bed, I tug at her shorts and panties until they fall to her ankles.

Spreading her legs wide, I rub my thumb across her slit and then press her hardened nub. She hisses and pulls her feet up onto the bed. I push her thighs apart once more and rise just a little until I'm face-to-face with her core.

Closing my eyes, I inhale her essence as I bring my thumb to my lips and suck the nectar off. I bask in the sweet juiciness she exudes.

"More," I grunt, spreading her pussy lips wide enough for me to take one long lick.

"Zenon," she whispers breathlessly as her fingers make their way to my hair.

She tugs hard and I feel the pinch at the base of my skull. My hands shift underneath her ass to lift her just a little. Gripping her ass in my hands, I squeeze it as I lick and nip at her core.

The more I consume her, the higher-pitched her cries become and the more she juices for me. I love how she flowers for me as I suck at her. Her bud hardens, and her lips spread further apart like the most beautiful flower.

"That's it, beautiful girl. Cum for me," I plead, pulling away for just a few seconds and then returning to drown in her sweet nectar once more.

Danica's hips rise, and she gyrates hard for me until she's screaming and locking her legs around my neck until I can barely breathe.

When she finally releases her lock on me, I clean her with my lips and tongue.

"May I return the favor?" she asks, sitting up on the bed before she drops to her knees.

There's something about seeing her on her knees in a submissive posture that drives me wild. Her hazel eyes are more green than brown today searching mine for permission. Her full lips, slightly parted and moist, and her chest heaving with desire is enough to almost send me over the edge.

Almost, but not quite.

Reaching inside of my shorts, I fist my cock and pump it. I watch her as she watches my hand moving slowly inside of my shorts.

Danica licks her lips and bites the bottom one before she slowly slips her tongue from her mouth. Just the tip peers out at me in a teasing manner, making me want to shove myself down her throat.

"Just a taste," she pleads.

When I finally pull myself from my shorts, I see the precum beading at the tip. It takes strength to keep myself from falling over the edge. My hand rolls up and down my shaft at an even and steady pace.

"Remove your shirt," I grunt.

Dani removes her shirt and tosses it to the floor. She lifts her breasts and rolls her thumbs over her beaded nipples as she watches me.

A teasing smile dances across her lips as she lifts her breast to her mouth and lowers her head. Dani bares her teeth and bites one nipple as she watches me from under her long lashes.

Her breast turns red from the pressure that she applies with her teeth. She moves over and does the same with the other one. The ache in my balls, and the pulsing in my erection, as it grows harder, have me rocking forward on my feet.

"Taste me," I command in a guttural tone.

She drops her breasts and gladly reaches for me. The warmth of her soft hands on my dick has me clenching my teeth in anticipation of her mouth on me.

With teasing, small licks, she spirals her tongue around the head of my cock, licking away the precum but not doing much more. I want to shove myself between her lips into her mouth and down her throat, but I don't.

I have a feeling that when she finally takes me down into her mouth, it will be so worth the wait.