“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.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Talk about mind-blowing sex. He was going to fucking hyperventilate, Blake was sure of it. He sucked in a deep breath, held it, then blew it out slowly, willing his heartbeat to quit racing like he was running from the devil himself.
Some part of his brain kicked in, and he braced his weight on his forearms. Below him, Zandra’s breathing had slowed, evened out. He grinned as her eyes opened and a lazy smile crossed her face.
“Welcome back.” He kissed the tip of her nose.
“Mmmm…” She tightened her legs around him and stretched. “That was amazing.”
“I agree.” He chuckled, and a soft pang struck him in his chest, something he’d never felt before with any other woman.
His eyes widened as he took in the sleepy grin she shot his way.
Holy shit. He’d just banged his best friend’s sister.
What the hell was he thinking?
“Hey,” she said, reaching up a hand to smooth over his forehead. “No regrets, no drama, remember?”
That’s right. Because that’s what they’d agreed to, and what happened between them was their business.
He nodded. “No regrets, no drama.” They were two healthy adults with healthy sexual appetites. That’s all it was.
Even though it felt like a whole hell of a lot more.
…
Blake walked alongside Zandra past the thousands of locks securely fastened onto the rails of Cologne’s Lock Bridge. Why anyone would feel the need to leave a lock on a bridge was beyond him. And as far as tourist attractions went, this wasn’t a stop he’d ever felt he’d want to make, and yet here he was. Somehow, it was important to him to do stuff that Zandra wanted, important to him to see her smile and know he was a part of it.
Zandra quickly walked ahead then turned, camera in hand. “Smile,” she directed as she looked through it and began snapping pictures.
“I’m guessing shots of me won’t do much to advance your photojournalism career.”
With each step he took, she moved backward. “Don’t be silly. I’m taking practice shots.”
Practice. Was that all he was to her?
He swatted the annoying thought away. He didn’t want it to be anything else. He had plans. Big plans. Plans that didn’t involve traipsing all over the world for the rest of his life. There was no room for a sassy, just-found-her-purpose-traveling-the-world woman like Zandra. And he certainly wouldn’t ask her—or any woman—to walk away from her dreams.
Shit. He was overthinking. Get your head on straight, Monroe.
Zandra stopped, yanking his focus back to reality. She was all smiles as she pulled out her phone. “Want to go live with me?”
He narrowed his eyes. “You know I don’t much care for social media.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She waved him off. “It’s important to take it seriously and build on that progress.”
Focus like that he understood. And she was focused in much the same way he was about his career track.
But was that all he wanted? Would it, in the end, be enough to make him happy?
He quelled the thought as Zandra shrugged, the slight movement somehow inviting, though she likely didn’t intend it to be. “Besides, lives are fun. Friends and family have been interested in what I’m doing over here, and now that I have followers I don’t recognize, they might show up, too.”
“This is a thing?”
She raised an eyebrow. “That’s kind of the point. It’s how people get to know my work and how Flights and Sights discovered me in the first place, thanks to using the proper hashtag. Don’t roll your eyes. And, yes, that’s a thing. Anyway, thanks to them reposting my stuff, I’ve picked up a few more followers. Some even have their accounts set so they’re notified when I do a live. So, yeah, it’s a thing.”
“But that doesn’t mean I have to be a part of this,” he pointed out. Really, he’d rather hang in the background—off screen.
“But you’re a natural at it. Besides, do you know how many more people reacted to the stories with you in them? It’s like double the engagement. My new followers are into you.”
He harrumphed.
She only laughed. “Believe me, when you’re just starting out, that’s a big deal,” she said. Her eyes sparkled when she smiled at him again, and that soft pang was back.
Damn, she was even more radiant than he’d ever noticed. He tamped down on the tide of lust that threatened to surface. Trouble was he damned near wanted it to. Was last night really going to be
enough?
“Hey there, everyone!” She waved at the screen a few moments later and jabbed Blake in the ribs. “Jackson, hi! We’re at the Lock Bridge in Cologne.” She turned the camera so Blake could see himself on screen.
You two are still alive. You’re not in jail. This is good.
He laughed at his best friend’s assessment. “We’re fine. Apparently, so are you.”
He peered close enough to see the messages slowly appear and frowned. He still wasn’t sure what all the fuss was about.
Her smile broadened. “Hi, Natasha. Yes, I remember you from Tina’s bachelorette party, and yes, I promise what happened there stays there.” She laughed, the sound rich and pure and completely unguarded. It shifted something inside him, lightened him, somehow, so that he couldn’t help but grin. When could something as simple as hearing another person laugh make him feel so good?
“Getting around Germany is easy, when you have a guide, anyway.” Zandra graced him with a smile. “I’ve yet to figure out the train system, but I can say that it runs very smoothly, and the trains always seem to be on time.”
She winked at him. “Fortunately, I’ve had a great tour guide,” she said, glancing at the screen again.
You two are so cute!
Are you two dating?
You look soooo happy!
He frowned as the words danced across the screen. “Ummm…”
“Nope.” She pulled the phone back and laughed nervously. “Guys, no way. We are not dating. He’s been a pain ever since I’ve known him—”
“Hey! I could say the same about you.”
“You were worse.”
Thunder boomed in the distance, and the sky opened up, a smattering of rain striking them as they raced for a small grove of trees at the park below.
“Oh my God, hold on guys,” she said to the live. Laughing, they ducked underneath the closest tree, its branches protecting them like an oversize umbrella.
“This reminds me of that time in high school,” she said, angling her phone until he appeared on the screen next to her. “I was at my brother’s football game—remember that, Jackson?—and there was this guy on the team who was really hot.” She laughed at the questions that scrolled up. “No, it wasn’t Blake. He didn’t play sports.”
By the time he was in high school, he’d had a job. There was no time for sports. But she didn’t remember that. “It was Sean Deveraux,” he said. “You were pretty nuts over him.”
“I’m surprised you knew.” She turned those gorgeous baby blues on him.
Stay grounded, buddy. He swallowed and fought to stay focused.
“I never said a word to anyone. How did you know?”
“You didn’t have to.” How could he forget? Although why Sean had appealed to her was lost on Blake. She’d been too smart to truly want to be with the vacuous, narcissistic dude. Then again, it was high school, and they all had hormones to contend with.
He cleared his throat. “Whenever Sean showed up, your mood changed. It was obvious you had a thing for him.”
While it had totally sucked, he’d reminded himself then, like now, that he had no business getting seriously tangled up with Zandra. It wasn’t what she wanted, and he shouldn’t want it, either. She was starting on a new career, a new adventure, while he was looking forward to having his boots in one place. He’d only hold her back.
She stared at him, curiosity written in the slight twist of her mouth. “Yeah, well, I remember the last football game of the season. The team was celebrating afterward, and I bribed my brother into letting me go along with them…”
She gazed at him, the corners of her mouth lifted in a smile so sweet Blake wanted to close the distance between them and feel her in his arms again, wanted to taste her one more time. He felt the answering grin on his face as she continued. “I knew rain was in the forecast.”
“It was Seattle, after all,” he reminded her. “You should’ve at least brought a raincoat.”
“But I didn’t want to ruin my outfit. And, of course, it rained. Do you remember what you did then?”
“No,” he lied. He remembered it like it’d just happened, remembered the miniskirt and tight sweater that teased him the entire time he’d sat next to her, remembered the way he’d fought the urge to reach over and touch her. “Remind me.”
“As soon as the rain started, you took off your jacket and held it over my head while we made a beeline for shelter.” Her tone softened as her gaze held his. “Now that I think about it, that was a super-sweet gesture, Blake, and I never thanked you for it. It made me feel special.” She blinked as if she’d just realized what she’d said. “I mean, mainly because you were a senior and I was just a freshman.”
He swallowed. “Well, for the record, I didn’t mind being soaked, and you bought me hot chocolate that night.”
“I remember that part.” Her voice softened. “Extra marshmallows.”
“Extra marshmallows. You were right about those, by the way.”
“That they made everything taste better?”
“It’s the only way I’ll drink them now. Same as you.”
They grinned at each other as the rain drizzled around them, and once again Blake fought the urge to lean toward her for a kiss. One kiss. That’s all he wanted.
Zandra blinked at the same time that the distant sound of an approaching train registered and slammed him back to reality. She turned back to her phone and the dozens of comments and heart emojis quickly scrolling along the screen.
You two are so cute together
You should totally be dating
Awww…that’s so sweet!
I’m not liking this live…
The last one was from Jackson.
Yikes. Blake quickly tamped down any and all thoughts of sex with Zandra then set about trying to clear out the hopefulness that now flashed through him whenever she smiled in his direction. Life plans, buddy. You’ve got life plans. And so did Zandra. Their respective plans didn’t include the other.
No matter how badly he suddenly wished they did.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Zandra took a deep breath and gripped the straps of her backpack tighter, determined to ignore Blake and the pull he’d had on her since they’d boarded the train for France this morning. Just this morning? How about since they’d spilled into bed the night before?
She smiled. At least she knew the sex wasn’t a one-night fluke.
And now she stood surrounded by hearts, the glass pieces reflecting glints of light that filtered through the shop’s windows in a kaleidoscope of colors.
Hearts. This was going to be an exceptional shoot.
“This place is gorgeous,” she said to the young proprietors.
“Thank you.” Jacques grinned at her. “We are very proud of our shop.”
“Yes,” Martine said, placing an arm around her husband’s waist. “Jacques insisted that we open a shop here in Strasbourg, closer to where the tourists will find our work.”
They were young, couldn’t be past their twenties. Zandra looked around the shop again. “Do you create the glass yourself?”
“Some,” Martine answered. “Some are from other local artists. But the hearts”—she pointed at a wall of various-sized glass—“the hearts are our creation. We specialize in them.”
Zandra surveyed the wall, their vibrant hues encased in clear glass. “I love hearts. They’re beautiful.” She reached for one done in a smattering of purples, reds, blues, and yellows, the colors swirled together and encasing a key. “Why does this one have a key in it?”
“It’s a symbol,” Jacques explained. “The key is for the future. It takes the right ‘key’ to unlock it. To have it within the heart serves as a reminder that you must reach for the future with someone special to be truly successful, non? Otherwise, what is the point?”
“That’s so beautiful,” Zandra breathed out.
“Why do you specialize in hearts?” Blake asked as he set up her computer on a glass case.
“It is tradition,” Jacques simply said.
Martine moved a display aside to allow Blake access to a wall outlet. “We wanted to maintain the old way of blowing glass but also pay tribute to my grandparents.”
“Let me tell it,” Jacques said, beaming. “I want to practice my English.”
“He’s such a romantic.” Martine graced him with a smile. “Go ahead.”
He cleared his throat. “Grandpère et Grandmère, they blow the glass, many beautiful kinds, but they have a special place for the heart. All sizes, all colors. They say the heart is the sign of life. While it beats, there is time to love, to laugh, to live. But you must do so quickly because you do not know how long it will continue to beat.”
Zandra slowly lowered the camera, her gaze immediately snaring Blake’s. His stare was intense, almost daring her to come closer. Somehow nothing else registered but the stance he held a few feet away, the way his biceps flexed when he shrugged his jacket off, the way his mouth curled into a small smile.
She tightened her grip on the camera as something flowed between them, something she couldn’t quite name, but powerful nonetheless. She swallowed. “That’s a lovely story.” Was that her voice? It sounded distant, like she might not have been the one to utter those words.
“Yes,” Blake agreed, his gaze still holding hers. “I think so, too.”
“And that is why we opened our shop here, so we can share their message,” Martine added, breaking the spell and pulling Zandra back to the present. “Their life taught me that there is much value in tradition. Tradition does not need to always give way to the new. There is value in the old that lasts through many generations.”
Seduced by the Soldier Page 14