Great. The good news was she would be so busy over the next couple of weeks that she wouldn’t even miss talking to her mother or her sisters. Unfortunately, she didn’t believe a word of it.
She cried through the next ten miles, then got herself under control by the time they reached her exit. She’d expected Zach to keep going down toward the beach, but he surprised her by following her into her driveway, then stepping out of his car and walking up the drive.
He might be tough, mean, and determined, but he was also kind. He cupped her face.
“How you doing?” he asked.
“Okay.”
“Liar.”
She smiled. “I’ll survive.”
“Would you like me to stay?”
Stay?
He pulled her close. “I’m talking about holding you, Katie, not trying to get in your pants.”
She raised her head and looked at him. “What if I want you there?”
He sighed heavily. “All right, but only because you’re begging me.”
She laughed. “You make me crazy.”
“Then my work here is done.”
Surprisingly, he did hold her for a long time. Secure in Zach’s arms, Katie sprawled across her bed and cried her heart out. When she was finally finished, she blew her nose and looked at him.
“You were probably hoping for something more romantic,” she said.
“No. Just to be here with you.”
“Great line.”
“Not a line.”
She stared at his dark eyes and knew that she wouldn’t mind getting lost in them. When everyone she loved had turned their backs on her, he’d come through. Funny how he was the last one she would have expected that from. Sometimes he was a real bastard and sometimes he was the world’s nicest guy.
“Thank you,” she said. “For everything.”
“You’re welcome.”
They looked at each other. She waited for him to make his move and when he didn’t, she realized he wanted her to be sure. That if she’d changed her mind about wanting to make love, he wouldn’t complain. He would just hold her.
The thought nearly sent her into another crying jag, but instead of giving into tears, she moved close and kissed him.
His lips were warm, his arms strong as they came around her. Within the tender confines of his embrace she forgot her family, her pain, her loneliness-everything except being with Zach. His tenderness reached inside and gently nudged her romantic heart into wakefulness. His touch excited her body. The combination made her slip closer and press herself against him.
While she’d initiated the kissing, he quickly took over. His head angled as he licked her bottom lip. She parted for him, wanting him to excite her, pleasure her, heal her. He placed a hand on her side and gently urged her onto her back. Her long hair spread out on the pillow, and he toyed with several strands.
“How you doing?” he asked quietly.
She opened her eyes and looked at his face. Concern darkened his irises, passion thickened his voice.
“Good.”
He stroked her cheek. “Despite my reputation, I don’t travel with protection. Any condoms in this girly place?”
She smiled. “An unopened box in my nightstand.”
“I like a woman who plans ahead.”
“I’m very organized.”
“I know.”
He leaned close and pressed his mouth to hers. She wrapped her arms around him, surrendering to the sensations that flooded her. He moved his hand from her face to her stomach where his long fingers rested lightly on her sweater. His tongue slipped into her mouth and brushed against hers.
He kissed her deeply, thoroughly, erotically, until she couldn’t breathe. Slow kisses went on forever and made her bones melt. Teasing kisses that made her squirm. Passionate kisses that sucked the will right out of her and left her wanting to beg. Kisses that made her feel she’d never been kissed before. Not like this.
Slowly he moved his hand, sliding up her belly, along her rib cage, and between her breasts. She found herself touching him back. Tracing the width of his shoulders and the powerful muscles in his back.
Zach stroked her arms, returned to her stomach, then repeated the circuit. Up and over, between her breasts to her shoulder, her arm, crossing her stomach, slipping close to the apex of her thighs without actually slipping between them.
She found it difficult to keep breathing. Her skin seemed tight, and if her breasts swelled any more, she was going to spill out of her bra. She wanted to start screaming instructions. And then something amazing began to happen. The anticipation took on a life of its own.
Because she knew that eventually he would touch her in every place she wanted to be touched. As their kiss went on and his hands continued to move, she thought about him touching her breasts or between her legs and the tension grew.
When he reached for the hem of her sweater, she nearly moaned in relief. He tugged off the garment and tossed it onto the floor, then flicked open the front hook on her bra. The lace sprang free, leaving her breasts exposed to the evening air. For a second her heart stopped. She froze in anticipation. Then he touched just the tip of one finger to her hard, tight nipple.
The sensation was exquisite. She almost bit her tongue as fire shot through her. Before she could fully comprehend the feeling, he gently pinched her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. She gasped. Then his mouth was on her other breast, and she had her fingers in his hair urging him on.
“Don’t stop,” she breathed, surrendering to the wanting.
He continued to caress her until she alternately clung to the bedspread, then to him. Tension increased, impossible tension that had only one cure.
When he finally lifted his head, she wanted to cry out in protest. Fortunately he went right to work on unfastening her jeans. While she kicked off her shoes, he pulled down the zipper. Jeans, panties, and socks came off in one easy push that left her naked.
She made a halfhearted gesture toward his shirt, as if maybe she would undress him. Bless the man, he never gave her a chance. Instead he slipped between her knees and kissed her stomach. Muscles tightened in anticipation. He stroked the length of her legs, then bent low and licked the inside of her knees.
He’d done this before, she thought, already finding it difficult to think. He’d done it and done it well.
She tried to sigh, but the sound came out more like a purr. This time, when he moved slowly and deliberately, she abandoned herself to the reality that was his fingers, his mouth, and his tongue. She didn’t urge, didn’t plead, didn’t do anything but let him seduce her into sensual mindlessness that made every cell in her body stand up and applaud.
He rubbed her thighs, moving closer and closer to her waiting heat, but not quite touching her there. He licked and nibbled and sucked on her skin, moving north, always moving north, but again, not touching there.
She arched her hips slightly in invitation, her legs parted, but he ignored her. The man had his own pace and he would not be rushed.
She soon found that pace suited her just fine. Slowly, and slowly, inching up until she could feel his hot breath on the apex of her thighs. Need, want, and desire collided. She trembled and he hadn’t even touched her intimately. Not yet. But soon. Very soon.
Finally he slipped his fingers along the seam of her outer lips and gently drew them apart. The cool air contrasted with her hot skin. He put his mouth on her and gave her an openmouthed kiss that sent a scream of satisfaction racing through her body.
Katie stiffened and melted all at the same time. He licked the length of her, then found nature’s magic place and reintroduced himself.
Quick flicks and slow sucking robbed her of free will and left her gasping. He inserted one finger inside of her, touching her from below. His finger and his tongue circled in perfect harmony, once, twice…and she was lost.