by Jill Shalvis
Hannah groaned, and still carrying the pies, she moved through the shop. “We’ve been out of high school for years, you know.”
“I know.” Tara smiled. “We really do love you, Hannah.”
Well, darned if that didn’t effectively defuse any resentment at the unwelcome probing. “Then wait here like a good girl. Answer the phones and feed the guests until I get back.”
“Well then, hurry. I’m not done questioning you. I have a feeling whatever it is, it’s good. Oh, and don’t forget the condom. Michael said to remind you.”
“Gee, thanks.” Hannah squinted as she entered the bright sunshine, relieved to be out of the spotlight, if only for a moment. She smiled at the Hornsbys, who were kissing madly beneath an oak tree. They were a honeymooning couple who’d been at the inn all week, though they’d rarely surfaced from their room.
They waved at her, and kept on kissing.
She didn’t blame them. It was a glorious day. A kissing sort of day. The fog had burned off early, leaving the sun high above, providing a much welcome warmth after their unusually chilly spring.
The lodge looked welcoming. In front of her was the colorful garden she considered a labor of love. Off to her right, the waves hit the shore. Helpless to stop herself from searching out Zach, she was disappointed to find both the beach and the water devoid of any surfers.
Shifting the pies carefully in her hands, she craned her neck, but it was no use. He was gone.
Just as well. Her nerves couldn’t take another encounter with him so soon, especially when she had no idea what to say to him.
Sorry I tried to jump your bones last night. It’s just that I’m tired of being a virgin, you see, tired of wondering, hoping, dreaming.
So intent was she on her thoughts—and keeping one eye peeled on the shoreline—that she didn’t hear the footsteps behind her until it was too late.
“Hannah.”
With a startled gasp, she whirled quickly. She couldn’t help it—the deep and unbearably familiar voice unsettled both her pulse, and then unfortunately, her balance.
Pies sailed high in the air.
Hannah had time to let out a scream of frustration before they came back down...directly on her. With a sharply indrawn breath—they were ice-cold!—she lifted her head, and glared at Zach.
Strawberries dripped off her chin, her shoulders, her chest. The gooey sauce ran down her dress, sticking to her skin, which was now clammy. Crust crumpled and hit the ground, along with the two tins that had been holding the pies together.
“What a mess!” Dropping to her knees, she stared in dismay at the disaster.
Zach set down his surfboard, then hit his knees too. “Let me help.”
“You’ve done enough!”
He gathered the tins. Then he sat back on his heels and looked at her seriously. “I’m sorry.” But his mouth curved suspiciously.
“Yeah, you look real sorry.” Actually he looked...as mouthwateringly good as the strawberry pies smelled. He was still wet from the ocean, his wide shoulders and smooth, sleek chest gleamed. His exhaustion seemed to have vanished, his eyes sparkled with life, and his mouth... Lord, that mouth. It was curved softly, reminding her of all she wanted.
It’s all in the body language, Tara had said.
So she gave that a shot, softening her expression, leaning in a little, giving him the best come-hither look she could manage.
“I am sorry,” he said in a voice suddenly hushed with...with that thing that existed between them. His smile scrambled her brain. “Hannah, you’re looking at me in that way, that way that makes me lose my train of thought. Stop it.”
“I can’t. Maybe you’d better stop looking at me.”
“I can’t. Let me...” And he leaned close, close enough that she could see his eyes darken, close enough to smell the outdoorsy, oceany, male scent of him.
Their knees touched, and Hannah thought she shouldn’t feel weak just being in such close confines with him.
But then he did something that made her far weaker. “I have to taste you,” he whispered. “Have to.” He dipped his head and dragged his hot, open mouth over her bare shoulder, lapping at some of the strawberry goo there.
“Oh, my,” she heard herself whisper as her body reacted by trembling. It was in the body language! Hallelujah! She’d gotten it right!
He did it again, took another little nip, working his way across her collarbone to her other shoulder, before backtracking, lingering at the base of her throat, and Hannah could have sworn her eyes crossed with lust.
If he kept it up, she would dissolve into a little puddle of longing at his feet. “Zach—”
“Tell me this is stupid.”
“This is stupid. Don’t you dare stop.”
A laugh escaped him, one that sounded more like a groan. His mouth took hers then, swallowing whatever she might have found the energy to say, but it was no longer important, nothing was except for their connection. It wasn’t a demanding kiss, but slow and deep and leisurely, which was even more arousing.
The tins clattered to the ground as he slid his hands around her.
In response, she looped her arms around his neck, bringing their bodies flush to each other. She stuck to him immediately, the strawberry sauce acting like adhesive between her dress and his bare torso, and when he settled himself in the notch at the top of her thighs, she rocked to him, eliciting a deep-throated groan that vibrated from his chest to hers.
He rocked back, harder now, and she nearly wept at the need coursing through her. She lost herself in his taste and feel, just absolutely, completely lost herself. Lean, hard muscles shifted beneath her hands as she streaked them over his taut back, his shoulders, anything she could reach.
And from far, far away came the sound of heels on the path, then a very satisfied laugh.
Tara.
“I knew it,” she chortled with glee, clapping her hands together. “I just knew it.”
CHAPTER 8
TARA STOOD THERE, smiling, noting Zach’s hands on her best friend with a raised brow, but she said nothing. Her grin pretty much said it all.
She reached out and swiped at a particularly large chunk of pie still on Hannah’s shoulder, then stuck that finger in her mouth and sucked. “Mmm, heavenly. Too bad it never made it to dinner.”
Zach removed his hands from Hannah with shocking difficulty, though his heart and mind were racing. What had happened to keeping his damn distance? Instead Hannah was plastered to him from chest to thigh.
“Cat got your tongues, huh?” Tara asked sympathetically. “Don’t worry, I understand. A kiss like that will make mush of anyone’s brain.” She winked at Hannah. “Next time come to me first. Apparently I’ve got the right stuff.”
And with that, she walked away, humming cheerfully.
“What does that mean?” he asked Hannah.
Hannah tipped her head back and stared at the sky as if waiting for divine intervention.
“Don’t tell me...you asked her for advice, too.”
“She offered.”
“Why didn’t you just ask me?”
She stopped studying the sky and looked at him. “I thought I could do it without asking. I should have known better.” She let out a tight laugh. “I tried damn near everything to make sure you knew what I wanted. I even offered you a condom with your coffee!”
A big drop of strawberry pie ran down her neck and dripped to her collarbone. It hovered there for a long second, quivering with motion, then hit the curve of her breast, just barely revealed by her sundress, before it disappeared behind the material.
Zach felt the stirring of the strange heat she always seemed to generate and tried to ignore the tightening of his body.
Impossible.
“You probably think I’m crazy,” she said. “The way I went after you last night.”
Her genuine misery cut right through him, and any distance he might have managed became impossible. “I didn’t realize what you were
doing then,” he said. Though he should have when he thought about it, should have questioned why she hadn’t told him they were booked, why she’d crawled into bed with him. “I’m sorry.”
A grimace crossed her face. “Great. You didn’t realize. And you can wonder why I needed tips?”
He didn’t know what to do about her. She was getting to him, entering the never-before-penetrated zone around his heart, and he didn’t want her there. “I don’t care that you didn’t know what you were doing.”
“You...don’t?”
“No.” In fact, he couldn’t get that little tidbit out of his head. In his wildest imagination he never would have thought her being inexperienced could be such a turn-on. “I guess what I care about is that you decided to...gain experience, and I just happened along. Any guy would have done.”
“Oh, Zach.” Her hand reached out, touched his chest. Electrified him. “No. That’s not true.”
“What if I hadn’t shown up?”
She shoved back her hair and made a face when her fingers came in contact with a strawberry. “I don’t know,” she admitted.
Her honesty was nice, but frustrating. “That’s just one of the reasons why we can’t, Hannah.”
“And the others?”
“Because...” Why? He suddenly couldn’t remember. “Because you’re Alexi’s friend!”
“And here I thought you were such a wild rebel.” Disdain crossed her face. “A true wild rebel wouldn’t care about that.”
“Okay then, how about because I’ve known you forever.”
“That’s silly. We’re grown-ups now.”
“We can’t because...” His brain raced desperately. “Because I’m only here a few more days and you deserve more than that.”
That irritated her. “I can decide what I deserve, thank you very much. For your information, I’m not looking for a relationship.”
God help him. “That’s supposed to make it okay? That you’re just looking for sex?” he asked incredulously. No doubt, he was insane. This beautiful, intelligent, wonderful woman wanted him for sex only, and he was actually trying to talk her out of it. He should have his head examined.
“You don’t want me.” She looked devastated. “That’s it. It’s okay, I understand.”
“I don’t think you do.”
“No, really.”
“I want you.” His voice was thick with that wanting. “But this is wrong.”
“How can it be wrong? When I’m with you, I feel different. Good.”
Well, great. Terrific. She felt good, and obviously he’d been the one to make her feel that way, which was great for the ego, but he was still confused as hell. And he had absolutely no idea how to proceed.
There was no denying certain life facts.
One, he still had time off.
Two, his side hurt only a little.
Three, he had Hannah watching him with the expression that made him want her more than he could remember ever wanting a woman, which reminded him that there was another night just in front of them, and then several more after that. “I feel good, too,” he admitted. “With you.”
The hope that statement put in her eyes was bad. Very bad. It meant that he was going to have to be the grown-up here. “Look, maybe I should go with my first instincts,” he said. “The lodge is still booked. I’m sure there’s other inns nearby, one that I can stay in—”
“No!” She reached out for him, touching his arms, brushing her body against his. Which meant she also brushed strawberry pie against him. He tried to mind, but didn’t. “Don’t leave. I don’t want to feel as though I chased you away just because I—”
“Want my body?”
When he smiled, she laughed a little. “Yeah. Well, I’m a mess.” Her smile seemed weak now. “I should clean up.”
And he should offer to help. She wanted him to. But he didn’t trust her not to try to seduce him again, and he didn’t trust himself enough to resist her efforts.
“Well...” Her smile faded slowly. “See you later.”
Another drop of strawberry slid down her collarbone, disappearing into the bodice of her dress with the rest. He watched it go, his mouth dry. His fingers itched, and at his sides, he fisted them. “Yeah. See you.”
* * *
MUCH LATER THAT NIGHT, Zach climbed the stairs of the lodge. He waved at the Schwartzes, but kept moving, not giving them a chance to question how he’d fared with the “babes.”
With a great deal of trepidation, he knocked at Hannah’s door.
He would have given anything to avoid this, but he couldn’t. He needed his duffel bag.
Hannah opened the door. She’d been sleeping, he could see that now, and he made a sound of remorse that she waved away. “No, it’s okay. I’m...glad you’re here.” Her voice was husky. She wore another T-shirt. It fell off one creamy shoulder and his mouth actually watered.
With the light behind her, she was perfectly silhouetted. Beneath the soft, worn material of her shirt he could see the outline of her lush breasts, the darker tips of her nipples. As he watched, they tightened, puckered, pressing against the cotton as if begging for attention.
Swallowing his groan, he met her gaze. “I just needed some clothes.”
“For the couch in the office.”
“Yes.”
“Oh, Zach, stay here.”
“I can’t.” At just the thought, his body surged to attention.
“My couch is far more comfortable. Really,” she said.
“I don’t want the couch. I want you. And I don’t want to want you.” To torture himself, he came closer, leaning in to softly kiss her. “Good night, Hannah.”
With one last longing glimpse of what he couldn’t have, all those long limbs and sweet, warm body, he brushed another kiss along her temple.
Oh yeah, there was the way to maintain his distance. “Sleep tight,” he whispered and grabbed his bag.
“Zach... This is silly. Stay. I promise to behave.”
He looked at her, all warm and cozy and flushed. With all he had, he wanted to stay too, wanted to bury himself deep in her warm, giving body, wanted to love her until...
And wasn’t that the kicker? The true problem? He could imagine himself loving her, not just for one night, but forever.
He couldn’t.
She wouldn’t.
“Stay.”
She could have no idea how much he wanted to do that. Or maybe she did. Maybe she felt the same and was too afraid to admit it, as was he. Two lost, lonely, uncertain souls.
God, he was so tired. It was all catching up to him, resulting in an exhaustion he couldn’t seem to shake. “Why, Hannah? Why should I stay?”
She seemed startled. “Because I think you’ll be more comfortable—”
“Truth.”
“Okay, because I want you near me.” Her voice lowered to a whisper as she repeated it. “I want you near me.”
Damn. He couldn’t resist that. He wanted to be near her too.
He made his way to the couch, waited while she went back to bed and shut her bedroom door.
He wished it had a lock on it. With a hard-on to end all hard-ons, he lay down and stared at the ceiling, willing sleep to come.
It took a long time.
* * *
MUCH LATER Zach came suddenly awake.
In the dark room, Hannah stood there, watching him. He stretched and rolled over to look at the clock. Three in the morning.
“Couldn’t sleep,” she said, holding something behind her back.
Oh, boy. She had those huge, expressive eyes and wild hair, looking vulnerable and a whole lot sexy, and she was going to try to seduce him again, he could feel it. He was certain she had absolutely no idea how her fumbling, bumbling attempts were doing exactly that.
“Candles in here would be a bad idea,” he said quickly. “The desk over there is so loaded with stuff, you’ll start a fire.”
“I don’t have candles.”
“And m
usic will wake up the guests.”
“No music, either, not this time.” She smiled.
His heart tipped right on its side. Dammit. “Luckily enough it’s so dark in here, dark enough I can’t see anything. So...” Just thinking the words had him hard. “Flashing skin won’t work, either.”
“I know.”
Something new then. Terrific. It wouldn’t take much. And he was so exhausted he knew if he didn’t get her out of here, now, his own control wasn’t going to hold.
From behind her back, she pulled out a book. “I thought maybe this would help.”
How To Seduce A Man And Keep Him Seduced.
His body jerked. “Hannah—”
“Yeah. It was stupid.”
Dammit, she sounded defeated. So certain no man could ever find her attractive. “Hannah...it’s not what you think.”
“I know, I just thought I’d try one last time.”
“I told you why we couldn’t,” he said desperately.
“Yes,” she repeated dutifully. “You’re my best friend’s brother. You’re my brother’s best friend. Oh, and you’re leaving in a few days.”
“Yes.” Not daring to touch her, he willed her to understand.
“And while with another woman you’d most definitely go for a quickie affair,” she added. “You won’t with me because I’m not the type to inspire such passion.”
“I never said that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Forget not touching her. He grabbed her hand, and nearly shoved it down the front of his sweat bottoms to show her exactly what kind of passion she evoked in him.
But that would be a bad idea, very bad.
Instead, he tugged her down on the couch beside him, a mistake he realized instantly because she wasn’t wearing anything beneath her T-shirt, so that all those warm, soft curves snuggling up to him made him want to wrap himself around her and never let go.
Never.
Dammit.
She shifted, levering herself up with her arms to look at him. “Zach—” Her legs slid over his so that she was straddling him. In that position, that innocent but oh-so-erotic position, she suddenly went utterly still.