My thoughts had been mulling over a passage in my book when Zak's body began shuddering. Watching him carefully, I placed the book down and observed him jolting and panting at the air whilst his head snapped to the side.

I got up and moved to his side, pushing my butt on a small section of the couch, I brushed his hair back.

"Come on easy.." I whispered holding my hand to the side of his face. "Hush.."

After a few more struggled grunts and convulsions, his body fell limp as his breathing turned heavy again. Satisfied that he was settled, I went to move back when his hand clamped down on my wrist making me gasp.

"Don't. Don't leave me." He whispered cracking open an eye to look at me.

"Hey.." I whispered.

"Lay with me Lettie. Please?"

"Za..-"

"Please?" He begged making me submit to his question. I positioned myself on the couch almost hanging off the edge when Zak pulled me onto his body. I wanted to move, insist that it was a terrible idea. But I found myself cuddling into the large muscular frame without complaint.

Our bodies were flush together, held in a compromising position so much so that if one part of his body awoke now, I would know about it. My face went to the small section of his neck, enticed for comfort and desperate for the cologne that he had sprayed, I burrowed my face in. My hands on his chest as my legs laid between his.

"This has to be comfortable for you." I mumbled, suddenly realising how selfish it was of me to get comfortable when he wasn't.

"As long as you don't knee my balls, we are completely fine." He answered.

"I won't... I hope."

"And as for being comfortable..." His hand went under his hoody gently grazing across my back.

"Take it off." He mumbled.

"Zak..."

"I- fine." He huffed.

My problem, was that I liked to please him, call it the assistant in me, but if he was happy then so was I. Sitting up I took off his hoody causing his eyes to widen at how little I had on under it. One sports bra that looked full.

"Stop looking at me like that." I sighed causing him to blanch.

"I- damn. Just lay down for crying out loud." He put his hand over his eyes hiding them.

I giggled "Are you staring?"

"No but my eyes are."

I went to lay down when I paused, "phone?"

"Why worried it might vibrate and you'll get excited?" He teased.

So I punched him in the gut making him humph. Whilst he tossed it onto the table, I lifted his top and began undoing his belt.

"Lett?" He questioned.

"Oh keep your hair on. I'm not gonna ravish you. But that belt buckle will dig into me no end."

I yanked it off with a lift of his hips and put it aside. He grinned and held his arms out like the old times. I didn't have any grace when I slumped down on him and got back into position.

His fingers floated along my skin gently relaxing my body into his, sheeting across his skin like a second skin.

"Sorry about earlier. The kitchen."

He nodded "I get why... Although this?"

"You're having nightmares. I know how to stop them."

"So that's the only reason why?"

I looked up to him "Of course."

He looked away and closed his eyes "Whatever, lay down."

"Zak.. Why are you acting up?"

"Seriously?" He asked looking at me.

Suddenly I found myself afraid of his answer, a guess a part of me didn't want to know, although I needed to..

"This was a bad idea." I sighed pushing my hands down to get up. He grabbed my wrist and pulled hard causing it to slip from the couch, resorting me into face planting his chest hard.

"Owh! Asshole!" I complained.

"You're gonna leave and I don't want that. Please.. Just lay with me." He urged.

"Fine! Dipshit." I huffed.

Once we were in position and comfortable, we took a nap.

"Stop being a baby and cut it." He complained.

"No, you're really fussy about your hair and if it's not right, you'll moan for weeks."

"Cut it Lettie. You know how I have it cut. You used to do it all the time."

"Bu-"

"Come on!" He complained pulling off his top and tossing it aside waiting for me to start snipping.

"Oh damn you." I growled.

Not only had he washed his hair whilst I had quickly hoovered, but he had also retrieved my hairdressing scissors from the cabinet in the bathroom. They were up there out the way of Avari and because I used to cut my fringe, but now it's grown out.

Now he was sat before me on a chair with the scissors and a comb. Begging me to reverse time again and to cut his hair.

"Has anyone told you how annoying you can be?!" I hissed taking them from him.

"Only you." He smiled happily.

"Well I need more than this. Stay there."

Traipsing away, I returned with a large beach bag full of equipment. The familiar bag made him grin. "Oh yes, you're all ready!"

"Want the full apron on?" I asked.

"Yes please."

I took it out and covered him before I found out the shaver and placed it to the side.

"Why did you give it up?" He asked making me hum.

"Not sure. When I first left Vegas. It's how I used to earn money. I used to pay for a seat in a barbers but the one place I chose was full of sexist pigs." I answered burying my fingers in his hair to get a feel for it.

"Why have you grown it so long?"

"I don't know really."

"How did you even get the fin?"

"A lot and I mean a lot of hair products. Took ages to wash out I know that." He complained.

"That's when you know you need it done. Right sit tight." I sighed before setting off to work on his hair.

He wasn't Zak with longer hair, although I can imagine myself pulling on it wh- woah! Where were you going Scarlett?! Banish those thoughts. Banish them!

"Aaron has got used to doing his own now. After all these years, although he often has a tiger stripe." Zak chuckled.

"He never could do it all, bless him."

I heard Zak sigh heavily "We all missed you in some way."

"Me or my hairdressing skills?" I joked.

"I missed you. More than you'll know." He declared.

I kept quiet and snipped away until I finished, putting the hairdryer on. I dried off his hair.

"Head forward." I whispered as I went around and trimmed the few stray ends with the shaver. Trimming up the hairline into a clean cut.

"There.." I smiled turning off the shaver and setting it down.

Zak ran his hand up through his hair "Now that's what I'm talking about. Holly can screw her long hair."

I grabbed his hand "She wanted you to have long hair?" I asked.

"Yeah..."

"Why? It's like 104 degrees outside?"

"I know. But I couldn't keep it. That's why I needed you to cut it, you wouldn't say no." He smirked.

I frowned "Nobody should tell you how to have your hair or how to dress. What's all that about?"

He looked at me carefully "H-how did you know about the clothes?"

"I- I didn't.. Wait she's choosing you outfits too?" I asked.

"Ha! It's nothing, forget I said anything it was a jok-"

"Zak." I interrupted him.

"Okay so she might try be dress me. Most days."

"You're 40? Not 4."

"Don't start on at me. I know how bad it looks."

"That's crazy, she's crazy."

"Oh I know." He grunted.

I cleaned up the mess and headed out onto the porch where the swing seat was to. Zak followed after, still without a shirt.

No complaints here...

Gracie padded across the garden before settling in the shade of Avari's play tent that we set up a few days ago.

"What do you dream about?" I asked him quietly, not entirely sure if it was loud enough for him to hear.

"A lot of things."

"Like?"

He shifted in his seat "You don't want to know."

"If I didn't want to know, I wouldn't ask." I replied knowingly.

"Losing you. The idea of you taking off again. It scares me. You went so quick last time, gone without a trace, no cell, no paper trail. Nothing... I can't bare that idea again." He frowned.

For most people, they would have taken it as a sign for a declaration of love, but I knew Zak enough to know he was hurt by the lack of trust I had in him.

Reaching out, I took his hand and held onto it "I don't plan on running anymore."

"Good." He responded, looking at our hands, but as I tried to remove my hand, his fingers cemented between mine keeping it in place.

"Then don't let go." He added.

I looked at our fingers and how his hand swamped mine, he really was a giant compared to me. But it wasn't his size difference that reminded me of the past, it was the vulnerability in his voice. My body knew it and I replied instantly to his suffering with my answer.

"I won't."