“Absolutely, not, ” Stacey answered.
Eric finally looked toward the bed. Stacey was laying across it naked and beautiful. She had insisted in showering first and now he understood why. She was smiling with the sweetest, yet most sultry smile he had ever seen on her lovely face.
“Sorry, Pepe. You're out of luck, ” Eric stammered. He dropped his towels and walked transfixed to the bed.
Stacey laughed with delight and held out her arms to him.
“At last, we can make this official! ”
“And no one will hear us! ” Eric answered as he slid naked over her form.
She plucked his glasses off and tossed them onto a chair nearby.
“Tell me you love me.”
“I love you, ” Eric whispered.
***
Lenore opened up her hotel room door and stared out at Ken with her most grumpy expression. He was dressed in his new pajamas and held Cher's cat carrier in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other.
“Slumber party!” He exclaimed with a grin.
“No, ” Lenore answered, and shut the door.
She knew it wouldn't deter him and waited for the knock she knew was coming.
“Lenore, let me in. I'm your best girlfriend. ”
Lenore harrumphed at this.
“You love me. Please, Lenore. Let me in. I'm afraid of zombies and I can't sleep alone. Please! I know you have two queens in there. ”
Lenore looked over her shoulder at the two beds.
“Another one won't hurt, ” his voice pleaded through the door.
Finally, she opened it and stared out at him.
“One word about Daniel Craig, Clive Owen or Hugh Jackman, and I'm throwing you out! ”
Ken grinned and hurried past her.
“Yay!”
Lenore shut the door, grumbling, but a small smile managed to creep onto her lips. At least she had her best friend in this stupid world even if he was annoying sometimes.
***
Peggy tucked Cody into his bed along with his stuffed bear. Her son looked up at her anxiously, his hands gripping her sleeve.
“I don't want to sleep alone in here, Mommy,” he whispered.
“Cody, the zombies can't get in here. We're safe. The zombies are far away, I promise, ” Peggy kissed his forehead.
She was looking forward to her first night of real sleep without him clinging or waking her up with his nightmares.
“Promise? ”
“Yes, Cody, I promise, ” Peggy answered, and felt for the first time in a long time, she wasn't lying.
Sighing, her little boy settled down in his new bed and held tightly to his bear.
“Okay, cause Teddy doesn't like zombies.”
“I know, honey. I know.
” She kissed his cheek and tucked in his covers.
As she left his room, she looked back at him one more time and felt a wonderful sense of relief that at last they were truly safe.
***
“Shit,” Juan exclaimed as Jenni almost slipped and fell head first into the tub.
She had been trying to maneuver on her sprained leg while grabbing the bottle of champagne off the counter that Ken had stolen before she nearly fell.
Juan grabbed hold of her naked hips with his sudsy hands and held her steady as she finally managed to get into the tub without killing both of them. Lowering herself into the mountains of white bubbles, so she was straddling his lap, she grinned.
“See, nothing to it? ” She took a long swallow of champagne and handed him the bottle.
Juan laughed and gulped down some of the warm champagne.
“Shit, that's nasty.”
Jenni giggled and pressed her bare breasts against his chest.
“Almost as nasty as me?”
“Shit, girl.
” Juan grinned. “No one is as nasty as you.”
Laughing, she kissed him and they both nearly went under the bubbles before Juan managed to grab the edge of the tub.
“You're trying to drown us! ”
“Oh, shut up and kiss me. ”
Juan obliged. The champagne bottle fell off the edge of the tub and onto the floor.
Neither one of them noticed.
***
Katie awoke a few hours later to gentle snoring. She felt a little disoriented by the sound and the body she felt in her arms. Lydia had always snored, but the body pressed against hers was not one bit female.
It was Travis.
He was sound asleep. His arms were around her body with his body spooned up against hers. The lamp next to the bed was still lit. When she turned her head she suppressed a giggle. He was so deeply asleep his mouth was hanging open.
Stretching a little, she managed to turn in his arms and readjust herself. Her body was really aching and her bruises felt even more painful. Looking at Travis’ arm draped over her waist, she could see where the zombies had grabbed onto it. Their distinct hand prints were pressed into his flesh.
They had both been immensely lucky today.
Stirring, Travis turned onto his back, his arm slung over his forehead, looking quite serene.
She had really grown to love his face. It was so strong and yet kind.
Propping herself up, she stared at him and slid her hand under his Tshirt along the length of his chest. He was so very manly and muscular it was almost intimidating. But she enjoyed the feel of his skin under her hand and felt the surprising pulse of desire inside of her.
“Travis,” she whispered.
One eye slowly opened. “Um.”
Rising up, she slid herself up his chest and kissed him deeply.
Now she knew he was fully awake and very aware of her body against his. Through her pajamas and his jeans, she could feel him stirring in all ways.
“I promise I won’t run screaming,” she said very softly.
“I thought we were just going to sleep,” he muttered cautiously.
“Well, if you want to,” she answered, feeling a slight pang of disappointment.
Travis instantly flipped her onto her back and grinned. “Sleep can wait.”
Responding hungrily to his kisses, Katie felt her reservations fading. He was gentle and tender. His kisses passionate, but loving.
Any awkwardness they had both felt began to fade away as their desire for each other grew.
When she finally felt his skin against hers, she luxuriated in the feel of it. Simple things like the width of his shoulders and the narrowness of his waist and hips enthralled her. His cheek was scraggly against her skin, but she enjoyed the sensation.
Travis did not have to worry about performance anxiety. He soon had her gasping and moaning and their bruises were forgotten. She buried her face in his neck and wrapped her legs tightly around him as her body shuddered beneath him. He kissed and nuzzled her neck, stroking her hair as she trembled with pleasure.
“Love you,” he whispered.
“Love you,” she answered, and to her joy, she meant it.
They held each other in the drowsy aftermath of their lovemaking.
He stroked her skin with infinite gentleness. She ran her hand down his side to rest on his hip. They shared little kisses and whispers of endearment. It felt good and wonderful. When they finally fell asleep, they were both smiling.
When Lydia’s zombified ghost came into her dreams, Katie was waiting for her. In her dream, the specter rose over her and Travis, angry and fierce.
“How could you do this to me?” the zombie version of Lydia demanded.
“If you were really Lydia, you would be happy for me,” Katie answered bluntly. In her dream, she sat up and faced the creature boldly.
The zombified Lydia hesitated. “You left me.”
“You were already gone. All that is left now is the shell of who you were,” Katie said in a firm, yet quavering voice. “You're not Lydia.
You're my guilt that I didn't save her. I’ll always love her essence. She is the love of my life. But I need to move on. I need to be happy. And if you were truly Lydia, you would understand that. You would understand that because you would love me from beyond the grave.
You're not her, I'm not giving you power over me anymore.”
The zombie staggered back, lost its form, and disappeared. The true Lydia stepped out of the darkness and drew near the bed. She looked whole and beautiful, her smile as wonderful as always. This spirit was different from the other. It was full of Lydia's wonderful essence.
Katie could feel love radiating out of her.
"You finally let go of your guilt," Lydia whispered.
"I wish I could have saved you," Katie said in a voice that was ragged with emotion.
Lydia swept Katie's curls back from her face with a delicate hand.
"It was not meant to be. I died minutes after you left. I was in the driveway when they rushed me."
Katie whimpered and clutched Lydia's hand tightly. Drawing it to her lips, she kissed it. "I'm so sorry, babe."
"My thoughts were of you, Katie. I prayed you would escape. I prayed you would live. I passed over to this side wanting you to go on. You know I’m happy, baby. I never would want you to be alone.
We were so happy together. No one can ever take that from us,” Lydia said in her soothing tones as she held Katie’s hand.
“I love you, I never wanted to be without you,” Katie said, tears in her eyes.