Chapter Fifteen

 

NATALIE SNUGGLED DEEPER into the covers. It had been two days since she’d lost control with Zach in his truck at the park, and every day since had been a struggle not to give in to the blasted man’s routine of seduction.

He was forever touching her. A kiss atop her head in the mornings. A brush of his hand across her hair and down her back. A pat on her butt. A smoldering look across the room. Brushing that studly body against her as he passed, even though there was plenty of room to get by.

She knew if she put her foot down and told him she wasn’t interested, told him no, he would honor her wishes. But she didn’t want to tell him no—and knew she’d been sending him mixed signals.

They’d fallen into a domestic routine, as if they were a little family. He woke her with a kiss every morning, then Belle would crawl into bed with her to snuggle. All soft and baby-sweet smelling. She didn’t have the heart to tell her no, either. Had actually started looking forward to their time together.

When it was time for breakfast, he would send Belle downstairs with Mr. King, then help Natalie out of bed and into the bathroom, using every excuse to stroke and touch her. Breakfast would be next, then the quick trip to Calum’s for her therapy twice a week.

She’d be sore and grouchy afterward, but he’d kiss, cajole, and entice, turning her into a quivering bundle of lust-filled nerve endings. While she napped, he’d work in his office, and when she arose, she’d work till dinnertime in the makeshift office he’d set up for her in a spare bedroom. She was making remarkable progress on the new book she was editing, as well as shopping for things she needed, since she still couldn’t get into her home or to the store.

Belle would read or play quietly for a time, then they would all get together for breaks to play with, or read, to her. It was an enticing routine. One she was becoming much, much too fond of.

As if his emotional and physical seduction wasn’t enough, he seduced her with his daughter, asking seemingly innocent question in the evenings. Do you mind reading to Belle? Or suggestions to his little girl. Maybe you could sit on Nat’s lap while she reads to you.

Doesn’t he know everyone’s heart will break when I move back home?

She sighed at the knock on her door. Right on time, like every morning. “Come in.” She tingled to see he was alone and wearing nothing but sweats, riding low on his trim hips, and showcasing his ripped torso. That chest and six-pack oughta be against the law. She’d never survive if he lifted her against those sinful, bare muscular pecs, with biceps bulging.

“Where’s Belle?”

“My sister wanted to take her Christmas Eve shopping and picked her up about ten minutes ago. Last-minute gifts for us. Belle’s been nagging her for a trip to the mall to buy presents.”

Nat shook her head stubbornly. “She shouldn’t be buying me presents.”

He sent her a reproving look from storm-gray eyes. “She’s falling in love with you, Natalie. Of course she wants you to have a present.”

She stubbornly resisted that thought, even though she knew in her heart it was true. “She can’t love me.”

He prowled to her bedside, planted a knee and crawled up the bed till he was straddling her. His eyes darkened to gunmetal and locked on hers. “She’s not the only one.”

“You can’t love me,” she whispered. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, and she trembled at the thought of this amazing man loving her. Her! “You can’t.”

It hit her broadside the minute the words left her mouth. She didn’t see how Belle could love her. Or how Zach could. Even though she’d fallen head over heels for both of them.

“I can, and do, sweetheart. In the past few months, you’ve captured not only my daughter’s heart, but mine too. I think I started the slide when I met you in Calum’s hospital room. I can’t resist you, Natalie. Your compassion, strength, beauty, sensuality—your capacity for love even though you don’t think you can, or should.”

He leaned in and brushed his warm lips against hers, effectively silencing her protests. “Love.” Kiss. “You.” Slide of his tongue.

Ohhhh, the rat had burrowed his way right into her soul. As much as she’d resisted, she knew in her heart she loved him, too—and little Belle. She just couldn’t tell him. Couldn’t open herself, or either of them, up to heartache when they realized how damaged she was from losing Matty.

“You don’t want to love me, Zach. I’m broken. I can’t love you, or Belle, the way you both deserve.”

“Don’t tell me what I deserve. I know what I want and who I love, and that’s you, sweetheart. I’m a patient, stubborn man, and can wait if need be till we put your heart back together.”

Unfair! she thought helplessly. “Well, you aren’t always going to get what you wa...”

 

❄ ❄ ❄

 

ZACH CUT her off the only way he knew how. By pressing his lips and his body to hers. It was the first full court press they’d indulged in, and his blood immediately rushed south.

His cock ached—hard enough to cut concrete. This woman just did it for him. No other before her, and he knew from the fullness in his heart and lust in his soul, no other after would affect him this potently.

He knew she had reservations, but also knew from the look in her eyes she was always trying to bank—from her actions—she loved him back. And Belle. He just needed to convince her to trust her heart, even as battered as it was. His eyes held hers and he bared his soul—let every emotion he was feeling bleed through—and she finally rewarded him with a small nod, then a tug as she pulled him back down and took his mouth in a searing kiss.

Ready to come in his sweats from nothing more than her lips and body pressed to his, he clasped her wrists and pulled both her arms above her head, then skimmed his hands back down and whisked her tank top up and off. His breath caught when his eyes landed on the full, perfect jostling globes just begging for his mouth.

He’d caught a glimpse the day she’d hurt herself, and then again in his truck at the park, but man oh man, to be able to look his fill. To see the dark pink nipples bead in excitement took his breath away and turned the ache between his legs to a relentless throb.

“Nat, my god, you’re more beautiful than I ever imagined. And I’ve been imagining—every damn day and long night.”

She clutched his biceps, her short nails sensuous pinpricks against his skin. He loved the blush spreading across her breasts, up her slim neck and shading her high, elegant cheekbones. “I have to taste,” he murmured huskily.

“Oh, yes, Zach.”

Unable to resist even a second more, he dipped his head and swirled his tongue over a nipple, just begging to be sampled. A tiny berry atop a lush mound. She groaned as she gripped his shoulders to pull him closer, then arched her back and rolled her hips against his groin.

He jolted at the feel of her grinding against his cock. He could spend hours on her breasts alone, he thought dazedly. No woman had ever captivated him like Natalie did. Her skin was like warm honey, her shoulders and arms lightly muscled. Her waist dipped enticingly, then flared to surprisingly rounded hips, considering her previous weight loss. He’d never wanted, never craved a woman as he did this one.

He danced his fingertips down her stomach to the sweet nest between her thighs and cupped that luscious mound as he swallowed her moan. Oh man, he wanted to hear more of that. He slipped his fingers under her panties and brushed his forefinger across her swollen clit, then dipped into her tight, drenched core as he moved his mouth to her other breast.

She rewarded him with another long moan as she rocked against him, one hand grasping the back of his head to hold him against that lush fullness. His mouth busy lipping and nibbling, he dipped a second finger in and curled up against the spot that was sure to drive her wild.

His thumb rubbed circles on her clit, his fingers worked in and out of her tight channel, and his mouth feasted on the hard nub of her nipple. She came apart in his arms, his name torn in a hoarse cry from those sexy lips.

His cock jumped, and when fire roared up his spine, it was a fight to keep from shooting off before being buried in her hot center.

“Oh, Zach! Right there. Yesss! Don’t. Stop.”

She bowed against him, thighs shaking through her orgasm, before she collapsed in a boneless sprawl. His eyes locked with hers and he jolted at the love shining from those gorgeous green-gold eyes before she masked it and snuggled her dewy face into the crook of his neck to nip his shoulder.

His little wildcat wasn’t worn out at all. Looked like, thank you God, she was just getting started.

He leaned back, then dipped in to savor her sweet lips, their tongues dueling as her hand delved under the waistband of his sweats. At the first brush of her slim fingers against his cock, pre-cum beaded on the swollen head, and it jumped eagerly against her hand.

When she wrapped those playful fingers firmly around his hard length, he thought he’d died and gone to heaven.

“Nat,” he rasped, “unless you want this over before I’m buried in you…” His voice trailed off on a groan and he grabbed her hand as it pumped in slow glides from base to head. “God, Natalie, let me suit up, sweetheart.”

His cock would have none of being ignored, and Zach became desperate to be buried deep inside her. As much as he wanted to savor every inch of her silky body, he had to have her. Now.

He reared up to his knees, plucked out the condoms he’d stashed in his pocket, and tossed them on the covers. As he pushed his sweats down and off, his cock bobbed back up, begging for action. He swept her boy shorts down those sleekly muscled legs, careful of any lingering pain in her shin.

He was glad he’d had the foresight to shove a couple condoms in his pocket that morning. Foresight or wishful thinking. He grabbed one, tore the wrapper open, and had it rolled on before she could blink. No way was he giving her time to have second thoughts.

He pressed a swift kiss to her full mouth, covered her body with his, lined up and shuddered as he slid in a bare inch. She was so tight he was afraid of hurting her, even if she was drenched in her own juices. He clenched his jaw and stopped. “You okay?”

“No! I need all of you.”

He heeded the demand in her tone and slid home a scant inch at a time, holding fast against the urge to erupt from the clench of her hot core against his cock.

“Don’t move Nat.” He panted, his muscles straining as he tried to control the urge to pound into her until he blew the top off his head. Both heads.

One hand wrapped around the curve of her hip in a tight grip, the other grasped her shoulder to keep her still, but she would have none of that and wrapped her good leg around his ass, pumping her hips till the friction about killed him.

“Zach, I need you to move.” Any other time he’d grin at her demanding tone, but all he could do was grit his teeth, ruled by his cock and the feel of his balls tight against her firm, round ass.

He pulled out, then pushed back in just as slowly, close to losing it completely as the walls of her core deliciously abraded his cock. This was better, so much better, than he’d imagined.

He jerked when she pushed against his groin again, sending a zing of electricity down his spine and into his cock. “If you don’t get moving, I’m going to, to…”

It was right then he realized two things. Nat was as explosively sensual as he could ever ask for, and she was going to make him pay if he didn’t get busy.

Leaning down, he nipped her shoulder, then laved the sting away when she jolted. Sliding his forearms under her back and clutching her shoulders tightly, he pumped in a rhythm she apparently loved, if her moans and tossing head were any sign.

Zach gave himself up to the ecstasy of her sheath, holding him in a grip so tight and hot, he didn’t know how he’d last more than a minute. Not wanting to find his pleasure before her, he released one shoulder and reached between them, toggling her swollen clit with the knuckle of his forefinger. Her cry of pleasure told him he was on the right track.

She flew right over the edge, burying her face in his neck to mask her voice, hoarse with sensual ecstasy. The rhythmic clenching of her orgasm had him right behind her, shouting out his own release as he grabbed one hip and ground as deep as possible, pulsing until he was sure he had nothing left in reserve.

Still half hard, he slumped against that lush body, careful to keep from crushing her. They were both slick with sweat and her pebbled nipples poking against his chest had his cock pulsing and lengthening for round two.

He pulled out carefully and tossed the condom in the bedside trash, then rolled back and tucked her head into the crook of his shoulder as he wrapped her in his arms. He loved the way she sighed and snuggled against him.

“I love you, Nat. There’s no going back for me now.”