No Law Against Love 2

by Zoë Archer

  It was the softest of kisses as his tongue tested and retreated. He released her hands and she threaded her fingers into his soft, dark hair, then slid her palms over his neck and upper back, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt ripple at her touch. Scarcely did she realize that her skirt was hiking higher and higher as his hands scooped beneath the hem to caress her buttocks.

  By God, but he tasted delicious. Gone was the lanky college freshman with braces she’d shared her first sexual experience with. Now he was all man and he knew how to really kiss. Heat spiraled through her belly as the kiss deepened and changed. She felt his erection pressing against her hip through the thick fabric of his jeans and knew that he was as aroused as she.

  Things were moving fast, but she didn’t care. What were the chances Zach Barron would waltz back into her life after all these years? She had to believe that destiny had brought them together again.

  Zach tried to break the kiss, but she sought out his mouth once more. She couldn’t get enough of the taste of him, enough of the feel of him in her hands. It had been too long! She caressed the soft, short curls at the nape of his neck, ran her palms over his strong, broad shoulders.

  “This is crazy,” he whispered between her frantic kisses.

  “I know.”

  He tugged her panties down. “I want you, Eden.”

  “I want you, too.”

  She sucked in a breath as his hand sought out her heat, then rested her forehead against his cheek as he gently pleasured her. “It’s been a long time for me,” she confessed, his erotic touch setting off fireworks in her brain.

  He slowly slid one finger inside. “You’re tense.”

  She was. Every nerve cell in her body was on high alert, thrumming with excitement in anticipation of what was to come.

  “How long has it been?” he whispered.

  She couldn’t tell him there had been no other lovers. What if he didn’t believe her, or worse—was turned off by her inexperience? She suspected her silence answered for her, for Zach quickly stilled his pleasuring hand.

  “Maybe we should go slow then.” He adjusted her under-garments, then smoothed her skirt down over her hips and took a step back.

  No! It couldn’t be over! “We’re not kids anymore, Zach.”

  He licked his lips, his eyes misted with passion. “No, we’re not, and my guess is it’s been a lot longer than you’re letting on. Ten years?”

  Gazing deep into his blue eyes, she raised a hand to caress his cheek. “I may not be experienced, but I know what I want—and that’s to make love to you again. Don’t you want me?”

  He visibly shuddered “Hell yes I want you.”

  “Then don’t stop. Not now. Make love to me, Zach. Make love to me all night long.”

  He hesitated a moment as if trying to absorb her words.

  “Eden, first I have something to tell you.”

  Her legs began to give way. Oh, no. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for disappointment. She’d known this moment was too good to be true. He was engaged. In a relationship. God forbid—married.

  “I have a son.”

  For a moment she didn’t think, didn’t breathe. She couldn’t. The enormity of what he’d said threatened to suffocate her. But out of the darkness a rational thought formed. Zach was a father. But didn’t that mea…. No. He hadn’t mentioned the ‘marriage’ word.

  “I’m divorced,” he said quickly. “Five years now. I have full custody of Sam.”

  Relief washed over her in small ebbs and flows. A child. She could handle that. Actually, she liked children. She let out a pent-up breath. “Okay,” she answered feeling the numbness in her extremities dissipate by degrees. They’d been apart ten years. She should have expected he would go on with his life, even if she hadn’t. Then a new thought struck. He had custody. Was the child in Florida? If so, that meant he’d be going home again one day to his son.

  She refused to think anymore. Zach was with her for now—in this moment—and that’s all that mattered. She would treasure whatever time they had together.

  She moved against him. “Make love to me now,” she whispered against his mouth.

  “Are you sure? We could take things slow.”

  “Yes, slow,” she said between nibbling kisses. “We’ll go slow.”

  Zach swept her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

  They went anything but slow.

  ~~~

  Eden didn’t bother closing the bedroom shades. There was no time. Clothes and shoes flew in every direction. In her haste to undress him, she accidentally ripped two buttons from his shirt. Laughing and shushing one other like naughty children, they fell upon the bed. Eden pulled Zach against her, loving the feel of his heated flesh against hers, wanting him inside her so badly she thought she might die if he didn’t hurry. Years melted away as they kissed and touched and explored one another’s bodies in a frenzied exchange. It felt almost as if they’d never been apart.

  His body was beautiful—always had been in her memory—but now he was all man. And he was all hers tonight. With wonder she rediscovered him, smoothing her palms over his washboard abs, teasing his dark nipples with her fingertips. She kissed and tasted and explored him from head to toe. He did the same to her. When she could wait no longer, she sheathed him in the condom he’d given her, mounted him and drew him deep into her body.

  Closing her eyes, she savored the feel of his steely sex, loving his impassioned moans as they moved in sync. She’d never been so bold, not even that one night long ago, but she wanted Zach Barron with a passion that defied all reason.

  With his hands on her hips, he guided her in a rhythm that was theirs alone. Shards of pleasure splintered through her core as she rode his hard, deep thrusts. Her body quivered as her orgasm rushed forth, taking her by surprise. A moment later, she felt his body tense. Opening her eyes, she watched his handsome face contort, the taut muscles of his neck and shoulders flex as warmth flowed into the condom.

  Breathless and glossed with a sheen of fine perspiration, Zach withdrew and rolled her beneath him.

  “We were supposed to go slow,” he said, out of breath.

  Eden wrapped her legs around his hips and held him fast, never wanting to let him go. “Have we ever gone slow?”

  With a chuckle, he began with the sweetest of baby kisses, beginning at her forehead and trailing downward over her nose, lips, and chin. He caressed her face, traced every inch of her face with his fingertips, caressed every inch of her body.

  “I always wondered what it would be like if we ever had the chance to meet again,” he whispered. “Now I know.”

  Eden had often wondered the same. “Did you ever think of me while we were apart?

  He gave a half laugh. “Only every day…every night.”

  She arched into him as he ducked down to suckle at a breast, her fingers threading into his soft, curly hair. This was the man she’d fallen in love with so long ago, one she still loved with all her heart. The memory of that night brought bittersweet tears to her eyes. So many years had been lost, but now they’d found one another again. Could they make it work this time? Or were things moving too fast? Would he even want a relationship with her? She clenched her eyes shut, not wanting to think about possibly losing him yet a second time.

  He paused, his saliva cooling on her nipple. “I want to take you outside make love to you under that palm tree, beneath the moon and the stars—just like that night ten years ago.”

  Eden turned her face away so that he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. “I’d like that, Zach.”

  Rising over her, he dropped a soft kiss on her lips. “Why the tears?”

  She forced a smiled. “I’m just happy, that’s all.”

  Scooping her into his arms—comforter and all—Zach carried her outside.

  ~~~

  Zach opened one bleary eye and looked over at the red digital display on Eden’s alarm clock. Five a.m.? Who the hell was pounding on her front door a
t five in the freaking morning, and on a Sunday at that? He switched on the bedside lamp and sat up.

  “Eden, honey, wake up.”

  Eden stirred restlessly in her sleep and reached for him. “What’s going on?” she murmured.

  “Someone’s at the door.”

  She groaned and rolled over onto her back, then drew the covers over herself. He smiled at the memory of the sensual night they’d shared. First they’d made love in the bedroom, and then under the palm tree on the terrace in an encore performance of Padre Island. Needless to say, they never made it to Chef Henri, and instead shared a frozen pizza and a glass of wine poolside at one in the morning.

  “Open up, Eden,” came Deputy Bubba Smith’s voice. “I know you’re in there with Zach Barron.”

  Eden bolted upright in bed and shoved the mass of tangled red hair from her eyes. “Oh, dear heavens. Please tell me that’s not who I think it is.”

  Zach threw off the sheet and reached for his clothes. “Okay. I won’t tell you.”

  She rose from the bed and retrieved a robe from the closet. Zach followed her to the door as the banging continued.

  Eden flung it open. “For heaven’s sake, Bubba, people are trying to sleep.”

  The deputy’s eyes raked over her body before he fixed an icy stare on Zach. “From what I seen in that backyard, there wasn’t much sleepin’ goin’ on.”

  Eden gasped. He’d been watching them? When she noticed the binoculars hanging from around Bubba’s neck, a sick feeling hit her in the stomach. “You were spying on us, Bubba? I have a seven foot tall cedar fence and no close neighbors. What I do in my backyard is my business.”

  The red-faced deputy straightened and cleared his throat. “Um, actually I’m here on official business.” He flashed a sheaf of papers beneath her nose. “Got this here search warrant.” He cleared his throat with much ceremony. “Miss Eden Summers, I have reason to believe that you and your accomplice Zachary Barron are illegally harboring alligators in your bathtub. Now step aside.”

  Shaking her head, Eden turned to Zach. “I can’t believe Bubba got a search warrant to check for alligators in my tub at five o’clock on a Sunday morning—that he’s been spying on us over the fence. The man is insane.”

  Zach took her by the arm and gently pulled her aside, allowing Bubba to enter. His voice was low. “You haven’t broken any laws—at least not in this state. This jerk is just out to make a case against you because you won’t sleep with him.”

  Eden smoothed her hair back with her hands. “Perhaps so, but you heard what he said. Keeping alligators in a bathtub is illegal in Arkansas.”

  “But they’re not alligators, darling. I forgot to mention something this afternoon. Your twelve baby alligators are actually Cuban crocodiles.”

  “What? That’s impossible. I ordered American alligators from reputable farms in Louisiana and Mississippi. A crocodile is a saltwater reptile.”

  “They can look quite similar when they’re this small, but this particular species—Crocodylus rhombifer—is a freshwater swamp croc.”

  “I don’t know how such a mix-up could have happened. I’ve never had problems with my supplier before. Are you certain?”

  “I’ve worked as a reptile handler for the south Florida amphibian zoo for the past eight years. Believe me, darling, I know a gator from a croc. What you have in that bathtub are baby crocs—not alligators—so if the law specifies alligators and not crocodiles, then you’ve broken no law.”

  Bubba came back into the room, grinning like a dog who’d found his long lost hambone. “Yep. There’s twelve of ‘em all right.”

  “I didn’t know he could count that high,” Zach whispered in her ear.

  Eden snickered and gave him a playful punch in the arm. “Behave.”

  “Eden, I got to decide whether or not to arrest you or give you a citation.”

  “Arrest me?”

  Zach spoke up. “Eden has broken no law, Deputy. I’m an experienced reptile handler and I can tell you those are freshwater swamp crocs in her bathtub, not alligators.”

  Bubba puffed up like a cocky rooster. “Now you listen here, boy, I was born and bred in these here parts and I know an alligator when I see one. To prove it to the judge,” he tapped his shirt pocket, “I got the evidence here on my brand new digital camera.”

  Bubba scrawled out a ticket and handed it to Eden. “You should thank me darling’. Seein’ how it’s your first run-in with the law, I’m gonna go easy on you and only cite you for having twelve gators. I’ll overlook the fact that I witnessed you and Mr. Barron here cavortin’ naked in your backyard.” He winked at her and lowered his voice. “But we’ll go up to Shady Hill sometime and I’ll let you thank me properly when you’re not entertainin’.” He tipped his hat to them both. “See you in court, Miss Summers.”

  Eden resisted the urge to claw the indecent leer off Bubba’s smug face. “You’re damned straight I will see you in court, Bubba Smith!”

  ~~~

  Judge Milton Wolters peered over his thick, horn-rimmed reading glasses and rested his gaze on Eden. After she’d presented her evidence and called Zach as a witness, the judge asked Bubba to approach the bench again.

  Judge Wolters turned to her. “Miss Summers, do you mean to tell me that the twelve alligators Deputy Bubba Bob Smith found in your bathtub are not alligators, but crocodiles?”

  “Yes, Your Honor, that is exactly the truth.”

  The judge’s gaze swung to Bubba. “And Deputy Smith, were you aware of this fact at the time you invaded Miss Summers’ home at five in the morning on Sunday, July 12th?”

  Bubba mopped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. “I…I didn’t know they wasn’t gators, Y-Your Honor,” he stuttered. “Besides, she’d called them alligators at her store. Had a sign on their cage and everythin’. How was I supposed to know the difference?”

  Zach spoke up. “Your Honor, may I speak?”

  Judge Wolters nodded.

  “Prior to Deputy Smith’s issuing Miss Summers a citation, I informed him that the reptiles were actually crocodiles. The deputy dismissed it.”

  The judge glowered at Bubba.

  “Your Honor, I swear I didn’t know they weren’t real gators. Sure looked like ‘em to me.”

  “Bubba, I’m starting to think you could imagine a pork chop out of a road apple.”

  “But…but, Your Honor, that ain’t the worst of it. I also seen these two runnin’ around her backyard as nekkid as jay birds and doin’ lascivious things I can’t mention in front of mixed comp’ny. Can’t we get ‘em on public indecency charges or somethin’?”

  Judge Wolters smacked his gavel. “I’ve had enough of your ridiculousness, Deputy Smith. What I see is a clear-cut case of harassment on your part. What Miss Summers chooses to do in the privacy of her own backyard—and with whom—is her business. And another thing, deputy—if she wants to keep a crocodile, a goldfish or an elephant in her bathtub, she has my blessing.”

  The judge turned to Eden. “Miss Summers, I’m throwing out this ludicrous case. You and Mr. Barron are free to leave. But you, Deputy Smith, meet me in chambers. We’re going to have a long talk.”

  ~~~

  Eden had tried to mentally prepare herself for the day when Zach would leave for his home in Florida, but she’d failed miserably. She’d promised herself—Zach, too—that she wouldn’t cry, but the moment his truck disappeared from sight, she dissolved into an emotional puddle of tears and regrets.

  Eight weeks after the storm had damaged her pet shop she reopened The Garden of Eden. While she should have been ecstatic, she was wretchedly miserable inside. Zach was gone.

  She and Zach had spent an entire month together, working to repair her shop and getting reacquainted over candlelit dinners. At her suggestion, he’d moved in with her. They’d made love almost every night and had grown closer than she’d ever dreamed. Still, there had been no mention of a long-term relationship.

  She’d learned Z
ach had been burned in a nasty divorce settlement, one of the reasons he wanted to take their relationship slow. While she didn’t doubt his love for her, she hoped in time he would come around. For now, she’d throw herself into her work and look to the day when she’d see him again—Thanksgiving—three months away. Three months. How could she survive being away from Zach that long?

  As retribution for his harassment, Judge Wolters ordered Deputy Bubba Smith to pitch in on weekends at Eden’s pet store—but to stay clear of her residence. The judge had also forbidden Bubba to possess binoculars.

  Bubba actually was helpful, assisting Eden with the unloading of heavy bags of feed and supplies. In fact, he’d been a complete gentleman with her at all times and she couldn’t imagine what the Judge had said to him to cause such a drastic change.

  She’d just bid a customer goodbye on Monday morning and was on her way to answer a ringing phone when Bubba’s yell from the storage room stopped her cold.

  Eden raced to the back of the store. “Bubba? What is it?”

  “I think I’d best call it a day,” he said, placing his hat on his head and rushing past. “I told you once before I don’t like them critters. No siree!”

  Confused, Eden shrugged. “What critters?” But Bubba had already high-tailed it out the front door. “See you next weekend,” she muttered under her breath.

  She was about to close the door to the storage room when she saw something black slowly creep out from behind the stacked bags of cedar shavings.

  Harry?

  She gasped. “Harry! Where have you been hiding all this time? I thought we’d lost you forever.”

  Eden took a step, then halted as dozens…no, as hundreds of tiny baby tarantulas spilled out from around the bales. There was only one explanation. Harry was actually a Harriet.

  The jingle of chimes signaled the arrival of another customer. Oh, what lousy timing. She had to contain the baby spiders before they escaped!

  “Eden.”

  Her breath caught in her throat and she wheeled around. Near the front door stood Zach and at his side, the child she recognized from pictures as his son, Sam. “You’re back?”