Uncle's Hands

SWALLOWING MY JEALOUSY

His breath smelled seriously of alcohol, so I knew he was drunk. The information was pushed to the very back of my mind and I concentrated on what was happening. The feel of his hands against my sides as our bodies pressed against the other.

My body started to respond to him as we were locked in such proximity, I was vibrating with want for him. His lips lightly graze my earlobe, inhaling sharply, my body pressed further, impatiently urging him to carry on.

That should have alerted me that my dear uncle was going to black out anytime soon, and he did. Right against my shoulder, the sudden unexpected weight made my knees buckle as I struggled to heave him up.

“I was so close and yet so far.” I muttered to myself the next morning.

The smell of soup wafted into my room. I knew what it was instantly. Was he already awake? Throwing the covers away from my body, I hurried into the bathroom, taking an even shorter shower than yesterday’s. My body was sore from the journey and the alcohol, but I was already so close. Last night was for groundwork, and today, my plan will be put into action.

Slipping into a short skirt and a cropped tank top, it was casual, not too much, but enough for him.

“Good morning.” I greeted him, walking into the kitchen.

He turned around, eyes wide, he was obviously startled, he was in a different shirt from yesterday, he looked even better in daylight. My eyes fell on his mouth, plump... red... beautiful.

“You are awake already.”

His eyes took me in, scanning my body, raking me in, his eyes stopped on my thigh, my body hummed to life from his intense stare, I could feel the pulsating thrum of my core. Lust tightened its strings between us.

I swallow thickly when my eyes land on his hands. Those hands... beautiful and large, he had the most beautiful hands I had ever seen. His fingers were long and thick, well groomed, the hands of a man that actually cared for them.

“That is my line, you passed out last night, how are you awake already?”

He blinked, as if my question had snapped him back into the real world, the stringed lust binding us together slacking, turning into a meek hum beneath our skin.

“I uh wanted to make soup for you.”

This wasn’t the first time he made soup for me after a night of drinking, it was almost a routine at one point in our lives. He made sure not to drink if I was going out, so he could make this soup the next morning, and if he happened to drink, he never got drunk enough to knock himself out so he could make soup.

“You were drunk also.” My voice is choked with unsaid emotions.

Taking a deep breath, I didn’t like to owe someone, I paid my debts immediately. There was only one debt I could not repay.

“Let me help, tell me what to do.” I said as I stepped into the cooking area, my hands finding the other apron, the one he got for me at the time I had the sudden desire to become a chef.

He burst into laughter, it spilled from his mouth like it was the funniest thing he had ever heard. The sounds made my stomach turn in the most pleasant of ways. I liked hearing him laugh, and seeing him laugh.

“I am not letting you burn down my kitchen... again.”

I bristle.

Asking him to be my mentor years ago was another ploy to get closer to him. He accepted, delighted to know that I would be spending more time indoors rather than the shady places my father usually found me.

“I am almost done, just sit there and wait.” his smile is patient and kind.

“You are not my father.”

The smile falls slowly, confusion clouding his features. It was cute, but I carried on,

“You are not my father, my father is Tommy Tribbiani, not Levi Wright.”

He gave me a hesitant smile, “I know that.”

“Then don’t treat me like I am your kid.”

“That’s not it.”

My heart slammed against my chest, hot and furious. He always did things for me, always, but I was never sure if he did them because I was the child of his friend or because he liked me as a woman.

“Then?”

He sighed, “Because I care about you Zo, is that enough of an answer for you?”

An immediate sense of calm fills me, he cared about me, he cared for me as a woman, not because of somebody else. I didn’t fight him, doing as he asked, I sat and waited as he plated the soup.

“Would you join me?” I ask when he serves it.

He looked in the direction of his room. His wife was yet to make an appearance. Swallowing the jealousy I felt with a spoonful of soup, it burned down the image I had of them going to bed in each other’s arms... of what they may or may not have done in the night.

“I suppose I could. Tommy and Kate might sleep in.”

My eyebrows jumped into my hairline, as I watched him sit across from me,

“My father slept here?”

He nods, taking a spoonful of soup,

“He couldn’t go back home in that state. I guess, I saw him in the guest room.”

I had taken Levi up to the master bedroom last night. It was hard work, with all of his height and weight, but being pressed against his body made it very worthwhile. I didn’t return to the living room. I never checked on my father.

“I touched you a lot when I carried you back to your room last night.”

He splutters, spilling soup everywhere. I picked up a paper towel and handed it to him, he dabbed the towel around his mouth that i wanted to kiss and muttered a thank you, I wasn’t sure which it was for, the towel or helping him up last night.

“I can’t carry all of you without touching a lot of you. What are you thinking?”

“You shouldn’t say it like that.” he reprimands, his eyes on the hallway, where either of his best friend or wife would step out from.

“That’s a terrible way to thank someone who nearly broke their back carrying you.” I said, watching him with amusement.

“Thank you, am I to assume you did that with the intent of cashing out a favor?”

I gave him a smile, he knew me too well, I usually never did anything without a payment plan in mind.

“Your assumption is correct, Mr. Wright.”

It was back, the thread of lust that wrapped itself around us tightened, taut, and cackling with need. I needed him as I was sure he needed me.

“Zoey? Levi? How are you already awake?”

I cuss under my breath. It was official, I was not a fan of Kate, she dared to ruin something so special. She spent the night with him, for crying out loud!

“I honestly don’t know how he can be awake already. I cannot get used to it.” she laughs as she joins us.

Levi and I shared a love for early mornings. There were many times we watched the sunrise together. I was happy she didn’t share this love with him, it was mine.

“I made soup for your hangover.”

She waved him away, she wanted coffee.

“I almost forgot!” she clapped, she did that a lot.

“Levi has been in a slump, he has been unable to code for a while.”

My eyes widened with the information she had just given me. Levi lived to code, he was always making up something, always. And he was very good at it, he had awards to prove it. And he made serious money from it. That was how he came into millions.

He looked away from me, something was wrong, very wrong.

“He has been unable to do so since the wedding, and he has already signed a contract with this big company. You know Levi, he would have finished everything by now...” she sounded distressed, like she had thought about how to help him and came up short every time.

“I heard from him that all of his best projects were done when you were around, you bring out the best in him.”

There’s a hint of something in her voice. I don’t think about it, my eyes remain on the man in front of me. He had an unreadable expression on his face.

“I don’t want to impose, but this project is worth a billion, that kind of money...” she breathed in.

My brows raised, I knew he was a hotshot, it was only a matter of time before the world knew.

“Can you... can you spend time with him this summer? So he can code again.”

This was her request? To spend time with her husband?

“Kate, you should have discussed this with me.”

I focused on his face, all the possibilities filling my mind.

“Sure, I will spend all... of my time with my uncle.”