Chapter Twenty-Two

Breathe, buddy. Just breathe.

Blake reached a hand out to unlock the hotel door with Zandra right behind him, so close he could feel her heat, her energy reaching toward him, reeling him in.

He should play it cool, be the suave, sophisticated lover he wanted to be for her, but damn, his hands were shaking. Fucking shaking so hard he wasn’t sure he could get the key in the lock.

Finally.

He shoved the door open and held it back as she swept past.

“You’re sure about this, Blake?”

Sure? Was she kidding? He swallowed. “Yes.” He eyed her closely and stepped into the room. “Are you? I mean, there’s still the gallery show tonight.” Even as he uttered the words, he mentally kicked himself. Yeah, it was the right thing to do, to say, but still…

She stepped toward him, and he was drawn to that ghost of a smile on her face that crept into her eyes and camped there. “I think this is more interesting than anything on display at the gallery.”

No kidding.

“No complications. No drama. Just this one night,” she continued, stepping forward again, slowly closing the distance between them.

“No complications, no drama,” he agreed, reaching for her.

The feel of her body against his, her upturned face and the blaze of desire in her eyes. It was even better than waking up with her this morning. He reached both hands out and cupped her face. “I’m going to kiss you now.”

Her gaze swept down to his mouth. “God, I hope so.”

The kiss started out soft, tentative almost, then a spark lit inside him when she opened her mouth and let him in. Their tongues dueled, danced, explored, a precursor of what was to come. His dick hardened, pressed against the fly of his jeans, and demanded out.

When he broke away, he stared into deep blue eyes that held a thousand promises.

This. This was better than what he’d imagined in his wildest dreams.

It was about damned time.

For all her bravado about claiming her life, finding her way through the world, tearing herself free from what everyone expected, Zandra knew a diversion from that path was just that—a diversion. And right now, this diversion with Blake was what she wanted, what she craved with a force that surpassed nailing the perfect shot or selling her first photograph.

And she wasn’t stopping now to figure out why.

Want and need dueled with hesitation, defeated it as he continued to kiss a delicious trail down her neck, searching, learning, fueling her desire past the point of no return.

She gasped at the sensations pouring through her, and she pulled at his shirt until her fingers felt the warm, hard muscles underneath. Nice abs. Tight abs. The man was perfect.

Blake’s groan echoed through her as she trailed her fingers across his stomach, flattened her palms against his chest, and drew the T-shirt up.

He broke the kiss long enough to pull the offending garment off and toss it on the floor…and her breath caught. On his chest was a tattoo of a skull with a mass of swirls and curlicues that seemed to emanate from different points off the skull. The tattoo was so much like the man—hidden, reserved, raw, powerful. She skimmed over it, traced the edges with her fingers. “This is beautiful.”

“It’s art.”

“You didn’t strike me as the artsy kind.” There was so much about Blake that she didn’t know.

“Hope that’s not a deal-breaker.” He flashed her a grin then pulled her into his arms again.

“Not even close.” She leaned forward, kissed and licked a trail up his chest. He was delicious, the light mat of hair on his chest rough against her tongue, the pure masculine scent of him mixed with his spicy cologne. All these were Blake, and she committed every part of it to memory.

She’d spent far too many nights wondering what this moment would be like, touching him, kissing him…having him kiss her.

His kisses reminded her of lazy, sultry breezes that tripped through Puget Sound on a warm summer night of endless possibilities. She tilted her head, allowed him to lick a wet trail to her shoulder, then she mewled when he lingered on that spot. “You like that,” he murmured against her. “Good.”

Zandra wasn’t going to be outdone. Not by a long shot. She reached for his belt. Closer. She needed to get closer. Her hands felt slow, clumsy as she tugged on the leather and undid the buckle. “This is more intense than climbing the castle steps today.”

“I don’t know. Watching your ass sway in front of my face was definitely intense.” He hissed when she brushed against his erection. “On the other hand, this is just painful.”

“Then I’m glad we’re doing something about it.” She slowly pulled the zipper tab down, finally freeing him. Then it was like she couldn’t move fast enough, tugging his jeans over lean hips and well-toned legs.

As soon as he stepped out of his jeans, he pulled her to her feet and crushed her mouth to his.

The kiss was demanding, strong, pulling everything from Zandra and spiraling her senses higher. She’d known the attraction was there, felt it often enough in their short time together. She just hadn’t realized the torrent of need, of want, of feeling that came with it.

His rough hands pulled her close, and his mouth found hers. Claimed her.

The kiss continued, with each pass, each nip, each tug making her want more. Demand more. Finally breaking the kiss, Blake stepped back. His eyes were dark, daring, and she couldn’t help but be drawn to them. “Are you sure this is what you want? Because if it isn’t, we stop now.”

In answer, she pulled her shirt off then shimmied out of her jeans, kicking her sandals out of the way along with them. Then she straightened, saw the flame of desire in his eyes, in the way he leisurely looked over her nearly naked form.

She swallowed deeply. “I can’t stop now. I don’t want to.”

Without another word, Blake scooped her into his arms. “Then I think we need to get you more comfortable.”

He laid her on the bed then followed her down. The kisses continued. Searing kisses that scrambled her brain and made her wonder for one brief moment who she really was: adventurous travel photographer or staid accountant unleashed.

He slid his legs against hers, the move slow, sensual, stoking the hunger inside her. She lifted her hips, rubbed the sweet spot against him.

And still his kisses continued. Down her neck again, the sensations so sweet, so damned hot, she was sure flames would consume her before—

He touched her, then, a soft touch, barely there touch, one that ignited a spark so hot she was sure she would combust. Her nipples peaked under his skillful hands, rough hands that had seen more than their fair share of hard work, hands that helped and hands that now caressed so gently, so reverently, Zandra wasn’t sure which way was up or down.

She felt warm, restless, wanting more, needing more. “Blake?”

He skimmed his chin over her bare stomach, the beginning of a beard rough against her skin, yet the flame within her burned brighter, hotter, higher.

“Please,” she whimpered. “I can’t…”

He chuckled, low and soft, all the while planting those damned, drugging kisses on her as he skimmed his way back to her mouth. “Can’t what?” he asked.

“More. Need more.”

“Show me.”

His mouth ravaged hers, plundered, told her that he, too, wanted her. Needed her.

She wrapped her arms around him, stroked the hard planes of his back, and all the while his hands and his mouth were busy, so deliciously busy.

She’d never thought of herself as particularly sensuous. Sure, she had needs like everyone else, had even had them satisfied, but not like this. Never like this. It was like Blake knew exactly how to touch her, how to stroke his hands over her, how to kiss that perfect spot on her neck all the while he did it, elevating her awareness until all she saw or heard or tasted was him.

The flame that’d been building for days now threatened to erupt. “Blake.” She whispered his name as he nipped at her ear lobe then soothed it with his tongue.

“Yes?”

“I want…”

There was that chuckle again. “At least it’s better than ‘I can’t,’” he said. “Tell me, Zandra. Tell me what you want.”

Shyness was never one of her problems, but it sure as hell was now.

Then he licked that sweet spot on her neck, the one that made her shiver with want and lift her hips up and grind against him, searching for the hard ridge of his erection. “You still have clothes on,” she murmured against his shoulder. “I want to fix that.” She licked and kissed a trail to his mouth, wanting to give as good as she got, and was rewarded with a groan.

“Slow down.” His voice was hoarse, strained.

She grinned against his corded neck. It was her turn to ask questions. “Why? Don’t you like it when I do this?” She kissed his jawline, found her way to his mouth.

His tongue immediately swept inside her mouth. She didn’t know about him, but kissing him was bliss, heaven, like she’d found her way to a hidden oasis and wanted to stay.

Finally, he pulled back and his eyes mirrored her own desire. “I want to savor every sweet second with you.”

Those simple words touched her to a depth she wasn’t sure existed, let alone experienced. She shouldn’t have been surprised. This was Blake, after all.

He leaned back on one bent arm, and his large hand glided over her once more, this time like he was seeing her, really seeing her. He traced a finger around one nipple, and her heart stuttered. “Red’s a good color on you.” He dipped his head and kissed the space between her breasts, the move so pure, so erotic, it made her heart ache. “Matches your personality.”

“I’ll remember that,” she gasped when he flicked a thumb over her nipple.

He unhooked the front clasp and pushed the fabric aside, and his nostrils flared as he studied her briefly. “Tell me, is your other bud just as hard?”

She frowned. “You’re looking at them both. Can’t you tell?”

“I meant the one between your legs. The one I intend to get a closer look at before we’re through tonight.”

“Oh.” Jeez. For a woman who claimed to know what she wanted, she felt out of sorts, discombobulated. The pulse between her legs intensified. “Well, in that case, you’re going to have to see for yourself.” She shamelessly reached between them and pulled her panties off. “There,” she said, tossing them aside.

Blake grinned then dipped his head to kiss the valley between her breasts. “Not so fast. Tonight, I’m taking my time with you.”

When had a guy ever taken the time with her? Not that those encounters weren’t good, but they sure didn’t hold a candle to what she felt now, didn’t rival the deep, rolling feeling she’d melt under the gaze of his brown eyes, wasn’t sure she didn’t want to. After all, Zandra 2.0 was open to any adventure, and Blake was certainly an adventure.

He grinned, and the moment he dipped his head and closed his mouth over one hard nipple, she mewled. “Blake.”

The sensations were overwhelming, amazing her with the force of their intensity rolling through her and rocking her to the core. It was like pleasure and need drugged her, made her want more, need more. And yet he held back, took his time teasing her, taking her higher.

Zandra groaned, cool air touching the wet spot he’d left behind as he lavished her other breast with the same treatment. She arched her back when he pulled away again.

“Just let go, Zandra. Don’t think. Just feel.” The whispered words soothed her and made her ache at the same time. This was the dichotomy that was Blake, wasn’t it? The wanting and not wanting, the need to stay mixed with the impulse to run.

He continued, the sounds of the air conditioner soon fading so the only thing that mattered was this man, this moment, and the delicious way his hands lightly traveled over her body. And then he quickly skimmed those mind-drugging kisses down her body until he reached that place between her legs that ached for him. She spread her legs wider, raised her hips, and shamelessly offered herself up. The old her wouldn’t have dreamed of such a thing, would’ve been too self-conscious or embarrassed, even.

Thank God that woman was gone.

At the first touch of his mouth on her clit, she reached both hands out and gripped the bedsheets. She groaned, every part of her concentrating on the way he expertly licked and nipped and sucked, the sensations flaming through her.

He continued to tease and torment, so much so that when he pulled back and she saw the deep desire in his eyes, she knew that she was more than ready. She knew she was his.

He raised himself onto his knees, a condom in hand. She’d been so distracted she wasn’t sure when he’d gotten one, but it sure didn’t matter now. He quickly sheathed himself then settled between her legs again.

“Let me.” Zandra reached out and guided him to her opening. She shut her eyes as he plunged deeply, then gasped.

“Zandra. Baby…” His voice was hoarse, barely controlled. “I’m close.”

“So am I,” she whispered, her hands holding onto his very firm ass and drawing him closer. They moved in rhythm, the tension building higher, reaching further. Her senses crackled with the intensity, every nerve ending tuned to this man, this moment, until release came in a burst of colors as she plunged into the abyss, Blake following closely behind her.