Harlequin Desire June 2020 - Box Set 2 of 2

by Karen Booth

She pressed her finger against his lips. “No. I know that now. And it makes me feel like a loser, but I don’t care. I don’t want to die not knowing what it’s like to make love to the one guy I have always wanted.”

  Zane felt as though his heart was going to beat its way out of his chest. In some ways, it still felt impossible that she was talking about him. There hadn’t been enough time to riffle through the memories they shared to look for hints of this crush she’d supposedly had on him. “Don’t say that. Don’t hold me up on a pedestal and put yourself down at the same time. You’re beautiful. You’re smart and amazing. You could have any guy you want.”

  “Any guy?”

  He didn’t understand the question. Had she not looked in the mirror? Did she not realize that she was not only beautiful on the outside, but on the inside, as well? “Yes. No question.”

  She shook her head, not taking her sights from his face. “If you think that’s really true, I want you to prove it, Zane. Show me that I can have you.”

  Damn, she was clever. “I see what you did there.”

  “Look, I know what you’re like. You don’t like to feel tied down or obligated. I know you’re not a forever kind of guy, but will you be mine for right now? Nobody ever has to know. Not my brother. Not anyone. I just don’t want to live with this regret. I know I’m not going to get another chance.”

  His breaths felt as though they were being dragged from his body as Allison’s warm eyes pleaded for an answer. How could he ever be good enough for her? She was everything any guy with half a brain would want. Gorgeous. Exceptionally smart. Sweet, while still standing for what she wanted. She was quite possibly the most complex and unpredictable woman he’d ever met. He cared about her. And she cared about him. These were not the circumstances under which he normally pursued sex. It was so much easier when there was nothing but physical pleasure on the line. There was more at stake here. So much more. But how could he say no to her again?

  He pressed the palm of his hand against her cheek. The house shook with another gale. He watched as her eyes drifted shut and she leaned into his touch. The world was threatening to rip the rug out from under them, and she didn’t care. He could see it on her stunning face as she drew in a deep breath through her nose. Warmth radiated to his hand from her silky soft cheek, and he knew then that he could not let her down. He would give in to every carnal inclination he had when it came to Allison. And he would do it because she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her.

  He cupped her face with his other hand and pressed his lips against hers. They stumbled into the kiss like it was the only way forward for either of them. Her tongue swept along his lower lip, sending need right through him, like a shot to the heart. His pulse picked up, and she dug her fingers into his hair, craving, needing, curling her nails into his scalp and raking his skin. He pulled her against him and lay back on the bed, tugging her along with him. She straddled his hips and ground against his crotch with her center.

  Everything in his groin went tight. His mind went blank. Need slipped into the driver’s seat when she countered his weight by lifting her hips and bucking against him. He felt her smile against his lips before she got serious again, kissing him deeply and squeezing his rib cage with her knees. Zane’s hands went to the hem of her dress, slipping underneath it and skimming the sides of her thighs. He sucked in a sharp breath when he realized she wasn’t wearing any panties. All that time he’d spent holding the ice to her hip…he’d been so close to touching her and hadn’t realized it. No wonder she’d finally put him on notice. She’d had enough.

  He gripped one of her hips, but touched the other one lightly. “Does it hurt?”

  She shook her head, then began to kiss his neck. “No. I don’t really care about pain right now anyway. Hurt me if you need to, Zane. It’s okay.”

  “I really don’t want to.”

  She pressed another kiss to his lips. “I know. And I love you for it. But it’s okay. I won’t break.”

  “Promise?”

  “I do.” She trailed her mouth to his ear, then down his jaw and his neck, leaving a blazing white trail of heat behind as each kiss evaporated on his skin. Down the center of his chest she continued to drive him wild, her hands spreading across his pecs. Squeezing. Caressing. Exploring. He’d never had a woman show so much appreciation for every inch of him.

  One leg at a time, she shifted herself between his knees. She sat back and ran one hand over the front of his shorts. That one brush of her fingers nearly drove him insane. His legs felt like they were made of rubber while his entire crotch strained with urgency. His balls drew tight. With a single finger, still through the fabric of his clothes, she drew a line from the base of his length all the way to a tip. He managed to pry open his eyes halfway for an instant—he loved the look on her face. The one that said she had him at her mercy and she was going to enjoy the hell out of this.

  And he expected nothing less.

  * * *

  Allison didn’t bother with thoughts of what might happen tomorrow or the next day. It wasn’t hyperbole to say they might not ever come. The storm would take what it wanted, and so would she. So she kept her senses, her thoughts and her heart in the present—this precious moment with Zane, the one she’d waited on for so long.

  She unbuttoned his shorts and shimmied them, along with his boxers, down his hips. She wrapped her fingers around his length, in awe of the tension his skin could hold. He moaned his approval as she stroked him firmly, but she knew she could do better. So much better. She could make him immensely happy.

  She lowered her head and took him into her mouth, leaving her lips a little slack and letting the gentle glide of her tongue deliver the pleasure she was so eager for him to have. A deep groan left his throat, just as another mighty gust of wind made the rafters quake above them. If this was how she died, she could be happy with that. She would have had everything she’d ever wanted.

  Sealing her lips around him, she built some suction, appreciating the tightness it created in his body. It radiated off him in waves. He dug his fingers into her mess of hair, but he was more encouraging with his touch than anything. He wanted her to keep going, and she did, not thinking about time, the passes of her lips slow and methodical. As his skin grew more taut, she knew that he was close to his peak. There was a temptation to drive him over the cliff, but this degree of intimacy wasn’t what she’d waited for. And she wasn’t about to let him get there without her.

  She gently released him from her lips and sat back on her haunches. She crossed her arms in front of her and lifted the sundress over her head. The soft fabric brushed against the skin of her belly and breasts. Her nipples went tight and hard from the rush of air. She flung the garment aside, not wanting to put it back on ever.

  The slyest grin crossed Zane’s face as his eyes scanned her naked body. She loved feeling like his reward. It was all she’d wanted to be for so long. “Get over here.”

  She climbed back on top of him, straddling his hips and resting her hands on his abs. His hard erection was right between her legs, and she rocked her body forward and back, letting his tip ride over her apex. Meanwhile, she dropped her head and kissed him. She loved this all-new level of getting to know him, of being able to correctly guess when he might nip at her lower lip or tangle his tongue with hers. Even more, she loved it when he surprised her with a squeeze or lick.

  Or at the moment, by rolling her to her back. He pushed her hair away from her face and kissed her deeply, full of passion she’d never seen from him. It was as if he was putting all of the intensity of his personality into a kiss. She soaked up every minute of it while trying to match it, wrapping her legs around his waist and muscling him closer. Every inch of her body felt like it was on fire right now, burning with urgency. “I need you, Zane. I want you inside me.”

  “Let me get a condom.” He hopped off the bed and traipsed across the room
to pick up his backpack.

  Allison propped herself up on her elbows, in part to watch his beautiful naked form in motion, and in part to take a peek outside. The sky was so dark it looked like midnight, but it was still afternoon. Wind rasped against the windows. The wood structure of the house creaked. But fear was nowhere in sight. She had Zane, and that was all that mattered.

  He returned to the bed, tearing open the packet and rolling the condom onto his erection. He positioned himself between her legs, and she raised her hips, waiting for him. He was taking things slow. Too slow. How she disliked being treated as though she were fragile. She closed her eyes, reminding herself to stay in the moment. It was then that he came inside. Inch by inch, she felt herself mold around him. She had to look at him to keep herself locked on what was really happening, and she was gladly greeted by his incredibly handsome face.

  She ran her hand over his cheek and strong jaw, loving the feel of stubble against her palm as they moved together. “You feel so good. So much better than I ever imagined.”

  “You actually imagined this before?”

  She might die of embarrassment, but she also didn’t want to lie about it. “Yes. Many times.”

  He grinned and kissed her softly. “Were we doing it like this?”

  “Sometimes.”

  He lowered his head and nestled his face in the crook of her neck, resting his body weight against her center, applying the right pressure. “Tell me, Alli. Tell me more.”

  The tension in her body was building so fast, she was a little appalled that he expected her to answer, let alone weave together the many stories she kept in her head. “In my imagination, you’re perfect. You know exactly how I like it. How deep.” She bit down on her lip as he punctuated her own statement with a forceful thrust. “You know that I love feeling your mouth all over my body. My neck. My breasts.”

  He raised his head, kissing his way from her collarbone to her nipple, swirling his tongue around the tight and sensitive bud. “Like this?”

  He switched to the other side, giving it a gentle tug with his teeth and sending a verifiable wave of electricity right between her legs.

  “Yes.” Yes yes yes yes yes. Her breaths became sharp and short. The peak was chasing her down the way a lion seeks its prey. It wasn’t just physical right now. Knowing she could say something, and that Zane would follow her cues, was almost too much. She was drunk on power and craving the release.

  He took her nipple between his lips and sucked harder while taking more deep strokes. That was enough to push her over the edge, and her head thrashed back on the pillow, the delicious reward spreading through her body, wave after wave. Zane drove deeper and more deliberately, and she was still knee-deep in the pleasure when he came, burying his face in her neck and arching his back. His entire body froze for a moment before he collapsed on top of her and rolled to her side.

  “That was amazing,” she said, her chest still heaving. She was pretty proud of herself for putting together so many words. Her brain could hardly function right now.

  “It was unbelievable. Just knowing that you thought those things about me. I had no idea it would be such a turn-on.”

  She immediately rolled to her side, planting her hand in the dead center of his chest. “Don’t you dare make fun of me for it.”

  “Are you kidding? I would never do that. What guy doesn’t want a sexy woman to tell him the things she’s fantasized about, especially when she’s imagined doing those things with him?”

  She was filled with a surprising amount of pride. “Okay. Good. I was a little worried.”

  His adorable smile crossed his face. He reached out and tucked a tendril of her hair behind her ear. “Don’t worry. I’m just in awe of you, I swear.”

  She knew she was grinning like a fool. She could see the tops of her own cheeks. Her face hurt. In fact, she was so giddy, she couldn’t think of a thing to say.

  “What are you thinking?” He smoothed his hand over her bare belly. Even in the warm afterglow, she wanted more of him.

  “That I hope we don’t get rescued anytime soon. Or ever.” It was the truth. She could stay here forever and be happy. She didn’t need another thing in the world right now. It was a scary admission to make to herself. She knew what it meant—she’d been fooling herself when she’d decided that one time with Zane would be enough.

  He smiled and laid another devastating kiss on her. “I don’t want to get rescued, either.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Zane woke to the sound of her name.

  “Allison!”

  It had to be part of a dream, he guessed, but then she curled into him, snuggling her face against his chest, and he didn’t question it. He stroked her hair and pulled her closer, inhaling her sweetness. He wanted to bottle up her smell and carry it with him everywhere.

  “How do you do that?” she asked.

  “Do what?” He was still drifting in and out of sleep.

  “Make it sound like you’re shouting at me from far away when you’re actually right here.”

  “Huh?”

  “Allison Randall! If you can hear me, say something!”

  That was when Zane realized it was a man’s voice calling Allison’s name, and it was coming from outside the house.

  Allison shook his arm. “I think someone has come to rescue us.”

  Still half-asleep and bleary-eyed, Zane could see that the sun was peeking between the clouds. The storm had passed. They were alive. “What? Where?” Zane sat up and shook his head to rid himself of the mental cobwebs. “Hurry. They’re probably wondering where in the hell we are.”

  Both naked, they scrambled for their clothes. As much as Zane had hoped for a sexy morning with Allison, it appeared that was not going to happen. They raced to get dressed, Zane finishing first. He stumbled for the patio door and flung it open, rushing outside. Allison was right behind him. They rounded the house on the crushed-shell path. Several hundred yards away, Marcus, the man who had piloted the boat he took onto the island, was on his way up the hill.

  Allison waved. “Marcus! Up here! We’re here!”

  Marcus’s vision fell on her. His shoulders dropped in relief. “Your family has been worried sick!” he shouted back through cupped hands before resuming his climb.

  Zane could only imagine. He’d witnessed the way Allison’s family fretted over her. Scott was probably beside himself. “I’m sorry you had to come all the way up here,” Zane said when Marcus reached them. “We decided the highest point was the safest. We were worried about the storm surge and the water more than I was worried about the wind.”

  “Smart. You probably saved yourselves. The cottages you two were staying in both had significant flooding.”

  Allison’s sights darted to Zane, and it was as if he could see her heart plummeting to her stomach. Her aunt and uncle would be devastated to learn of the fate of their resort, especially on the heels of her uncle’s health issues. “Do you know how my uncle Hubert is doing?” she asked.

  “He had a heart bypass, but he’s doing well. They ended up transporting him to a hospital in Atlanta. It was too dangerous with the storm to try the surgery in Nassau or even in Miami. They didn’t want to risk the power going out. But he’s recovering well. Your aunt, on the other hand, has been so worried. She said she would never forgive herself if you got hurt while staying on the island. She wanted to send me back for you earlier, but the waters were too rough.”

  “I was very lucky to have Zane with me. He knew exactly what to do.”

  Zane emphatically shook his head. He wasn’t about to take credit for their safety. In truth, he’d been hoping that they wouldn’t be found. He and Allison had such an amazing night. Unforgettable. Most likely a once-in-a-lifetime event, which struck him with a sense of melancholy he hadn’t thought to prepare himself for. “It was a joint effort. Allison came up
with the idea to leave the scraps of her sarong to send a message about where we were.”

  “It was smart. That’s exactly how I found you.” Marcus tugged the final strip of sarong fabric off a nearby shrub. “Come on. Let’s get your things and get you to Eleuthera and on the plane to Miami. Your brother is waiting there.”

  Oh, crap. This was not a good development. Zane wasn’t even close to being ready to see his best friend. If Scott was worried enough to fly to Miami, he would be that much more likely to pick up on any romantic vibes between Allison and Zane. For that reason, Zane was going to have to shut it all down way before they went near Scott. The thought pained him, but it was for the best.

  “Scott flew down to Miami? Was that really necessary?” Allison asked.

  “Like I said. Your whole family has been extremely worried about you,” Marcus said.

  Zane patted Allison’s arm as platonically as possible. They needed to get back to being friends without benefits. “It’ll be okay. We’re safe. That’s all that matters.”

  Allison, Zane and Marcus forged their way back to the honeymoon villa and collected what few belongings they still had. Zane was the first inside and found himself rushing inside to make up the bed, which was pretty much a disaster. The things he and Allison had done to each other there felt like a dream. They’d been amazing in the moment, but Zane needed to get his head out of the clouds and hop back on the straight and narrow. He desperately hoped that Marcus did not have a relationship with Scott. Loose lips could sink ships, or in this case, a deeply important friendship.

  It took about an hour to make it back down the hillside and across the island to the dock. There, flapping in the bright early-morning sun, was the first piece of Allison’s sarong, still tied to the metal piling. She’d been collecting the strips of fabric along the way. Zane got to it first and rescued it for her.

  “Maybe you can have it sewn back together,” Zane said, thinking that if he could have anything right now, it would be one more chance to see her wearing it. But he needed to stop thinking of Allison that way. Their fling was over.