Chapter Nineteen

“What’s happening here?”

Zandra hadn’t meant to ask the question. Really, she’d figured that if she played her cards right, she’d skate through the next week with Blake and then head for home. Hell, they weren’t even on the same flight, so there’d be no awkward airplane good-byes, but maybe a friendly hug at the airport.

At least, that had been the plan, only now…

There was an undercurrent of tension between them, and not the bad kind, either. No, this tension electrified, practically crackled the air around them. Judging by the quiet intensity in Blake’s gaze, he wasn’t immune to it, either.

“I’m not sure I know,” he said. He blew out an audible breath. “This wasn’t exactly something I’d counted on.”

“Does anyone ever really plan on this?” She set the bowl on the coffee table and angled herself so she sat facing him. “Sorry, that’s a silly question and completely irrelevant to the conversation.” She glanced his way again, the low voices emanating from the television now barely registering along the fringes of awareness.

“You’re nervous.”

She blinked. “Is it that obvious?”

He nodded. “You clasp your hands together then start fidgeting so your thumbs look like they’re chasing each other round and round.”

“I do not—” She stared at her clasped hands. “Damn,” she said, pulling them apart.

He chuckled and reached for her, his touch warm as she edged closer so only inches separated them. “Look, this is a bad idea. You know it, and I know it.”

“Yeah, it is.” Yet at the same time, not pursuing it was an even worse idea.

“So how about we play it cool for a bit? No rushing anything, no demands, no…nothing.”

“Play it cool.” She stared into his eyes then flicked her gaze to his mouth and back. Just one kiss. One delicious, soul deep, panty-melting kiss. She could certainly participate in something like that, then stop. She knew all about boundaries, right? She could take it slow.

“Okay,” she said, decision made. “I can do that.”

“Can you?” His voice was a whisper away, and he lowered his head slowly, ever so slowly, then stopped just a few short inches away. How could something be so close and still so far? “Even when I want to kiss you?”

“Oh, now you’re really testing the limits of my control, aren’t you?”

“Builds character.”

“Does it?” She tipped the corners of her mouth upward. “What if the tables were turned? What if I did this?”

She leaned forward, closing the gap between them and moving off to one side of his face where she hovered just shy of his mouth.

She was testing him, all right, and she didn’t have long to wait. In half a heartbeat, he turned his mouth to hers, captured it in a kiss so intense, so powerful, yet gentle, too.

God, he tasted so good. Like wine and promises.

Blake shifted, pulled her closer to him like he couldn’t get close enough. She returned the intensity of his probing mouth, eagerly opening to him, their tongues in a duel for control.

He wanted her. There was no way Zandra could deny that. He said it with his kiss, with every stroke of his hands over her back, her shoulders, her hips. He wanted her, and God help her, she felt the same way.

Could she ever get enough of him? The thought lingered a moment then quickly evaporated as Zandra groaned with each pass of his hands, each caress of his tongue. Her nipples hardened, and the moist spot between her legs wanted more, demanded he do more than just kiss her.

He stopped and pulled back far enough to gaze in her eyes. “Hey.” His voice was husky, like it cost him some effort just to speak. “Let’s just chill and watch the rest of the movie. What do you say?”

He said the words, and while she believed him, there was a part of her that was touched. He cared enough to stop, cared enough to let her decide which way things would go tonight.

Warmth enveloped her, made her feel…special. There was no other word for it. “Watch the rest of the movie,” she echoed. “I don’t understand German. Apparently, neither do you, judging from your interpretation.”

He grinned. “We can make up our own story.”

“Will it have a happy ending? Because I like happy endings.”

“So do I, Zandra.” He caressed her cheek, his fingers warm against her skin. “So do I.”

God, she wanted to believe him. Did she dare?

…

Sunlight slanted through a slit in the window curtains and produced an unfortunate beam of light smack dab in the middle of Blake’s forehead. He blinked his eyes awake as two things registered. First, he was still fully clothed, stretched out on the couch, and second, Zandra was in his arms and sprawled beside him.

Her head was tucked underneath his shoulder, and she snored so adorably against his chest that it made his breath catch. Her lips parted slightly, bringing all sorts of memories with that tiny movement.

He’d thoroughly kissed that mouth last night, dueled with her tongue, and tasted and tangled and…craved even more. Even now, his dick stirred. But he knew better than to rush into something, for his own sanity as well as hers.

She breathed softly, evenly, like she was totally content with the way her life played out. He wanted to shift enough to study her more, to learn the shape of her eyes, her face, her nose, everything about her, but he didn’t dare. Movement meant risking she’d wake, and he didn’t want that yet. Not when she’d had several days of travel and work. It only made sense that her schedule would catch up with her now.

Besides, she seemed so relaxed, and she trusted him to keep watch while she slept. A pool of pride kicked up. It was his job, and he was more than okay to do it.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see what kind of woman Zandra York was on the inside, too. All anyone had to do was be around her for a short while to feel the way she cared about life, about her work, about the people she came into contact with.

No doubt about it, she had a very bright future indeed.

A strange pang smacked him on the chest. Her dreams were her own, that’s for sure. They had nothing to do with him or her family or any other cause besides wanting to help others see the ties that bind humanity together so that they all could become the best possible version of themselves. And she was happy to travel all over the world to do it, too. So where would that leave him? Leave them?

Zandra mewled softly before she shifted, turning so that she faced Blake fully, both hands on his chest. His throat tightened.

That sensation last night, that sense of rightness in the moment that he’d felt as they’d sat and watched a movie—those feelings paled in comparison to holding her now, to having her trust him enough to fall asleep.

She took a deep breath, and he shut his eyes. The last thing he wanted was to be caught staring. Besides, there was a fairly good chance she’d freak when she woke up, so maybe giving her a moment to process wasn’t a half-bad idea.

At least, that was the plan.

Zandra’s eyes fluttered open, and she immediately gazed up then smiled. He was still asleep. Good. They’d both needed the rest, given the crazy travel and work schedule they’d kept since arriving in Germany.

She studied the lines of his face and the strength etched into his jaw. She wanted to touch him, wanted to trace a finger over the light stubble on his chin to the swell of his lips that she knew did crazy-wonderful things to hers.

She had one hand on his chest, and she felt the thud of his heart through the thin T-shirt he’d worn last night. They’d fallen asleep, still fully clothed, so why did she feel so deliciously naughty? Like she’d committed some act that she wouldn’t have normally done? Although, honestly, it wasn’t like she’d slept with many guys and definitely not fully dressed and on the couch or anything.

Yeah, getting involved with each other was a bad idea. A very bad idea. They both knew that. But where was the harm in just letting things be, in letting life play out with no thoughts of where this might lead them?

She froze as Blake opened his eyes, then he glanced down at her. He seemed confused for a brief moment, but it didn’t take him very long to recover.

“Hey.” He threw her a shy smile then played his free hand through her hair before lowering to trace the curve of her face. “Good morning.”

God, he was even more attractive after having just woken up, stubble and all. Awareness tripped through her, made her hyperaware of the way her heart raced, and her brain took all sorts of left turns so that all she could think of was where their tangle of arms and legs would naturally lead.

“Good morning.” Zandra felt a slow blush creep up her cheeks along with the touch of nervous energy that skittered along her nerve endings, jolting every cell awake and throwing a party. Whatever happened to her suave, sophisticated version 2.0 self? Clearly she’d been abandoned.

“Sleep well?”

“Yeah.” She swallowed, her gaze falling on his mouth. “You?”

“Yeah. The best.”

He bent his head down toward hers, and damn if it wasn’t like a magnet, drawing her mouth toward his.

Like their previous kisses, this one was soft, gentle, not enough to get carried away, but with their bodies pressed together, it was more than enough to stir some very sexy thoughts in Zandra’s brain, thoughts that involved little clothing and a nice, wide bed.

As if he read her mind, Blake pulled back. He chuckled softly.

She skimmed her hand across his chest, loving the solid feel of him against her fingers.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.”

He gave her a shy smile.

Wow. Was it possible that he was truly as unsure about any of this as she was?

“You ready to get the day started?” he asked, caressing her cheek again.

No. She wanted to lay around instead, maybe move to the bed where they’d both be comfortable.

But Zandra knew better. She was here on assignment, a reminder she was tired of hearing, even if she was just talking to herself. She needed to rouse herself out of the comfort of Blake’s arms and get on with it. The future waited for no one.

“Yeah,” she said, regret lacing her tone no matter how hard she tried to stop it. “That’s probably a good idea.”