This is the End 2(680)

He turned to look at me over his shoulder and with raised eyebrows exclaimed, “See!”

“Stupid boys,” I grumbled and yanked my hand from Hendrix’s.

Changing the subject, Vaughan thrust something into each of our hands. “Zombies are bad…. But this, uh, this might be worse.”

Oh no.

I looked down to see a spray bottle of Lysol Disinfectant in my hands. Ok, so sometimes they were clever boys. Of course this wouldn’t have been top on any looter’s list of necessities. But it would make tonight bearable and sanitizingly safe.

“At least tell me the door was sealed and shut this entire time,” I pleaded.

“Sure, I’ll tell you that,” Vaughan grinned again. “But it won’t be the truth.” He turned to the side and gestured toward the walk in freezer. “And no using bullets on the beasties! We can’t waste the ammo!”

I quit. I quit right now. I was officially done with the Zombie Apocalypse. Nothing could make me go in there. Not one single thing.

“Reagan, if you don’t get by my side right this second, I’m going to send whatever creatures are in there after you,” Hendrix threatened with only the faintest hint of amusement coloring his tone.

Obviously he wanted me to punch him in the kidney.

Vaughan jumped in, “It will be like the running of the bulls in Pamplona! Only with rats.”

“Haley!” I shouted into the dark space. I could see shadows of people beyond Dumb and Dumber, but couldn’t make out which one was Haley. “Get your things, we’re leaving.”

“That’s fine with me,” she shouted back.

“Get your ass over here,” Hendrix demanded. He stalked back to me and looped a hand around my waist. I was too disgusted with our current predicament to feel butterflies or tingling sensations or acknowledge any reaction my body had to his caressing touch- way too distracted. I didn’t even squirm at all. Or not much anyway.

“I can’t do it, Hendrix,” I whispered.

“Yes, you can,” he argued. His voice was low and assuring, but firm as well. He wasn’t going to let me give into fear. And that was one of the reasons I respected him so much. “Do I need to remind you that you are bad ass.” He smirked down at me. “Even I’m a little afraid of you.”

I let my forehead drop to his chest and felt the rhythmic beating of his heart against my skin. I wrapped my arms around his waist and let his words soak in as I simultaneously relished this moment with him.

Things were changing between us- just like he’d promised. We were going slow, so, so slow. But I couldn’t deny there was something there, couldn’t ignore that he affected me, mind, body, spirit. I was scared of it, resigned to it and anxious for it all at once. It was like at the same time I was pulling away from him, I was also pushing into him, testing the limits, discovering how much I could move him like he moved me.

And with every new moment between us, my heart stirred a little bit faster in my chest, my stomach dropped further to my toes and my soul swelled with this awareness of him and everything he did to me.

I was a mess.

And a girl.

It was weird acknowledging that the fickle-female-idiocy didn’t disappear with the introduction of Zombies in my life.

“I can do this,” I echoed on a shaky voice.

“You can do this.” His voice was authoritative but the gentle brush of his hand along my spine was tenderly comforting.

“Did you just cave?” Haley asked in an annoyed voice. She was standing directly next to us and when I looked over at her, her backpack was strapped on and she was wearing a ball cap to hide her long blonde hair.

“Sorry.” And I really was. “He made me feel like Superwoman.”

She let out a loud groan and then a vile curse word.

“Hales!” I gasped. Hendrix chuckled at her foul mouth and I felt the vibration of his body all over mine.

“If one of these bastards even brushes up against my leg I am going to lose my shit!”

“Please don’t lose your shit,” I giggled.

She tore the Lysol bottle from my hand and then stomped back over to Nelson who I heard shout, “Were you really going to leave me, woman!” He sounded pissed.

“Wait,” Tyler’s voice interrupted us. “What are y’all talking about?” She sounded so self-assured and confident. It was a trait I was kind of envious of. She could barely shoot a gun and her ignorance was dangerous, but she took everything in stride with an attitude that made her seem superior in every way.

I mean, she was also highly obnoxious, but I had to admire her moxie.

“Rats,” Hendrix explained easily.