Her lips twitched even as her eyes shinned with unspent tears. "That's really nice of you."

"I know," he sighed, picking up her sandwich and placing it on her lap. "I'm so damn giving."

He heard what suspiciously sound like a snort of laughter, but decided to ignore it as he devoured his four sandwiches. It didn't take Zoe long to tear through her sub and when she shot his last sandwich a wistful look he sighed and pulled out the small side salad he'd bought just in case Zoe busted his balls over the sub. She took it with a smile, leaving him to finish off his sandwich and pick out a movie.

"So, what else happened today?" he asked as he sat back down and threw his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him.

She shrugged, snuggling up against him. "Not much else. I had a problem getting my car started, fell, bruised my bottom, got to go home early and Jared yelled at me for starving myself," she announced around another yawn.

"Seriously?" he asked, not really all that surprised. If anyone would notice what Zoe wasn't feeding herself it would be a Bradford and since he knew his uncle cared for Zoe he wasn't at all surprised that the man had taken it upon himself to have a word with her instead of pushing the duty onto someone else. No wonder she left the trailer crying. When his uncle cared about someone who was doing something stupid he really let them know it and he should know since he had firsthand experience dealing with his uncle's "concerns."

When he'd dropped out of school at sixteen and got into a screaming match with his mother over that and his demand that she sign the release form so that he could join the army, Jared had been the one to handle him. As he yelled at his mother his uncle quietly walked into the room, crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the kitchen wall while he patiently waited for the argument to end. The moment his mother told him his choices were to get his ass back in school or move out he told her to have a nice life and headed for his room to pack up his shit.

Since he was big for his age and looked at least eighteen and had twenty-five dollars to his name he figured he was more than ready to start a new life. After his father humiliated and abandoned him along with all his friends because of the special classes he had to attend he was damn determined never to return to school. He hadn't seen any real reason to. He was a man and more than able to support himself.

After he packed a duffle bag he stormed out of the house and past his hysterically sobbing mother. He didn't make it three feet past the door before he found himself flat on his stomach, on the grass that he'd forgotten to mow and his uncle's knee between his shoulder blades.

While he struggled to free himself his uncle held him there, calmly explaining to him, in detail, what would happen to him if he tried to leave the house again without his mother's permission and what he would personally do to Trevor if he ever heard him talk disrespectfully to his mother again. As soon as Trevor apologized, with a mouthful of grass and god only knows what else, Jared continued to tell him that he was going to come work for him full-time where he could keep an eye on him, but that he was also going to get his GED.

His uncle didn't ask him what he wanted. He just told him to have his ass up by six in the morning and be ready for work or his ass better be going to school. Six the next morning he groggily waited for his uncle to pick him up and by the end of the day he wished he was dead. He'd hurt everywhere, had blisters on his hands, was sunburned, exhausted, starving and more than ready to go home and crash, but his uncle had other plans for him.

Trevor woke up when his uncle announced that they were there, only to discover "there" was the community center. With a simple nod he told Trevor to get out and go inside for his GED class and that his mother would be there to pick him up in two hours. Before he drove off he explained what would happen if Trevor didn't stay awake and pay attention. Knowing his uncle didn't make idle threats he stumbled inside and forced himself to stay awake and pay attention.

Eight months later he had his GED and a pay raise for doing a good job. By then he liked his job and was pretty good at it so he stayed. He saved his money, learned to flip homes with his uncle and by twenty owned his first rental property, a beat up tiny cottage by the pond that he fixed up and once he did he never had a problem finding tenants that were willing to pay his asking price. Since then he'd bought several more rental properties and flipped at least two houses a year.

He knew there might come a day when his uncle decided to sell the place and retire and he didn't want to find himself dependent on some ass**le who didn't want some guy who couldn't read well working for him. When the day came that he no longer had a job working for his uncle he knew he could more than take care of himself. He also knew that if his uncle hadn't threatened to beat the shit out of him numerous times over the years that he would have probably f**ked up his life big time and been screwed when his mother passed away ten years ago.

Of course his uncle was also a big softie when it came to woman so he was probably beating himself up right now for making Zoe cry, but it had been for the best. He'd wondered why she gave in, not that he really thought she gave in that easily, but he figured he was going to have to tie her down to feed her. He was glad that his uncle did most of his dirty work for him. Not that he really expected this to be the end of it. He wasn't f**king stupid after all.

"Yeah, it's really sore," she said, squirming next to him to shift some of the weight off her bottom.

"I didn't mean that, smartass," he said, moving away from her. "Lay down," he said, grabbing the pillow and quilt.

When she shot him a nervous look, he bit out, "To rest, Zoe. No sex tonight. I promise."

Did she not trust him? That just plain hurt.

"Are you sure?"

"Didn't I just say no sex tonight?" he demanded, wondering why the woman didn't just take his word for it. It wasn't as though he acted like some horny bastard that couldn't keep his hands off of her.....at least he hadn't tonight.

"I can survive a day without sex, Zoe," he pointed out, purposely not mentioning the mind blowing sex they'd had this morning since it would only weaken his point.

"Okay," she answered slowly, keeping an eye on him as she lay down and snuggled beneath the comforter.

It was insulting and if she wasn't so damn tired he'd do that thing with his tongue that he knew she liked and make her apologize for ever doubting him. He really couldn't believe that she didn't trust him, he thought as he started to climb behind her, pausing to adjust the bulge in his pants.

He was just wondering how in the hell he was going to lie behind her without her finding out that he was a lying bastard when the doorbell rang. With an annoyed groan he climbed back off the couch and was about to tell her he'd be right back when he realized that she was already fast asleep.

Poor thing really was exhausted, he thought as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head and earned a little grumble and a swat. So of course he did it again, chuckling when she tried to hide beneath the comforter as she called him a "Muking mastid."

He quietly left his apartment, shutting the door halfway to give her privacy as he wondered who the hell could be at his door this late at night. Then he wondered if Zoe had called for Black Jack's and simply forgot to tell him about it. She was tired and he was a Bradford after all. She knew damn well if she put enough food in front of him that she could distract him for a while. Poor thing was probably hoping to buy some time, he thought as his poor neglected stomach growled in anticipation of finally getting some proper nourishment.