by Sandy James
Zach roughly pushed her knees apart, rubbed his cock against her then plunged inside right as she shouted her orgasm. She wrapped her legs around his hips as he stopped once he was imbedded inside her.
Shit. Gina had bitten her tongue hard to taste blood because she wanted to keep from screaming too loudly when she climaxed. With him now resting inside her, not moving, she closed her eyes and savored the spasms that were still rocking her body. To nestle him deep inside felt perfect.
“You okay?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“God, yeah, I’m okay. I’m a whole lot better than okay.” She waited for him to move. “Zach?”
“Just—give me—a second.”
Was he in pain? Was she doing something wrong? “Am I hurting you?”
He stopped supporting his weight on his arms and let the length of his body cover hers. Placing his hands on either side of her head, he kissed her quick and hard. “I’m supposed to ask you that. You’re a virgin. I thought I might’ve hurt you.”
“I’m not a virgin anymore.”
“No, love. You’re not.” He gave her a tender smile. “I’m not hurting you, am I?”
“No. No, you feel wonderful.”
“Just wait. It gets better.” Pulling slowly out, he hesitated for a brief second before he sank back inside her.
Her legs tightened around him. “Do that again.”
“You’re so tight, so wet, so hot.”
“Those are good?”
“Those are fucking fantastic.”
Their rhythm sped up as Zach pushed into her again and again. Her hips thrust against his as she quickly caught his tempo. Each time he sank into her felt like a loving caress. They fit perfectly, just as their passion matched perfectly.
Gina felt the pressure building again, as though some balloon was being filled with air until it was near to bursting. When she came apart, flames licked through her. This time she did scream.
He drove into her a few more times before he shuddered, bathing her insides with heat.
When he collapsed on top of her, she wrapped her arms around him and held him close. Sated and content, she figured if she died right now, she’d die pretty damned happy. And not a virgin anymore.
No wonder Rebecca and Artair had their hands all over each other every moment they were close. Johann and Megan got caught up in kisses more times than Gina could count. Now, she understood why. If Artair and Johann made her sisters’ bodies sing the way Zach had hers...
Zach stirred. “Gina?” He kissed her forehead.
She hummed in response and stroked her fingertips over the sweaty skin on his back, wishing they could stay like this forever.
“Did I hurt you?”
She had just enough energy to give her head one shake.
“Now I know what purple means.”
“Hmm?”
“Purple is for me.” He nuzzled her hair, and she finally understood what he was talking about.
As he broke their connection and rolled to his side, he dragged Gina with him. She draped her leg over his thighs and threw her arm over his chest.
“I’m starting to figure out what the colors mean.”
“My hair?”
“Yeah. Red means pissed. Pink’s on edge. Blue’s relaxed. I think green might be happy, but I’ve only seen it once or twice. Knowing what mood you’re in could come in handy.” His finger traced lazy circles on her arm. “But I like purple best.”
“It was a gift.”
“The orgasms?” He chuckled. “That good, huh?”
She smiled against his neck. “Those were gifts too, but I was talking about the hair.” This was the right time. If she dared to open up her world, she’d start small and hit him with some of it while they were both so damned relaxed.
“I thought it was some new hair product.” The smirk in his tone belied his words. Not that she’d ever really expected him to believe that story.
“It’s not. It was a gift from my...from the lady you thought was Cher.”
Zach nodded.
“You don’t have any questions? I mean, don’t you want—”
“To know how it works? How your hair changes colors with your emotions? I figure it’s part of the magic.”
That was blunt. Surely she hadn’t heard him correctly. “Magic?”
He nodded again. “You know, the magic you and your sisters share.”
“You’re not surprised at all, are you?”
“Surprised? No. Curious? Yes.”
Gina couldn’t believe he was taking this so gracefully. “You knew?”
He kissed her temple. “I’m a genius, remember?” His chuckle rumbled his chest against her fingertips as she stroked the small patch of crisp, brown hair.
“It’s magicks.” She pushed up on her elbow to watch his reaction.
His brows gathered. “What?”
“Magicks, not magic. My hair changes color because of magicks from my goddess.”
Zach sat straight up, practically knocking her out of the way. “Did you say—”
“Goddess. I said goddess.”
He swallowed hard. “Maybe you better start from the beginning...”
* * *
Would his head ever stop spinning?
Zach thought he’d taken it all in pretty well. There had been no panic on his part. An adrenaline rush, yes. Panic, no. Hearing about magicks didn’t give him an anxiety attack that made him want to run from the camp, snatching his hair out and screaming.
Gina slept at his side, snuggled up to him and sighing from time to time. Sleep refused to give him any relief. He just couldn’t turn his thoughts off long enough to let himself rest.
If the Twilight Zone theme didn’t stop playing in his head, he might have to shout to drown it out.
What in the hell had he gotten himself into?
Love. He’d gotten himself into love. Unfortunately, there happened to be a lot of hefty baggage accompanying that heady emotion.
He’d always known he was destined for something special in this world. His ambition grew from that feeling of destiny. Conceited, he figured, but he’d always wondered if the Peter Parker geek inside him might one day be a Spider-Man. That was what he’d dreamed as he’d grown up reading superhero comic books.
He sure hadn’t known he was destined to love a superhero instead of becoming one.
His fingers stroked her arm as he tried to relax. He had always been a realist and accepted situations for what they were. No rose-colored glasses for Zachary Hanson. But he’d never faced anything remotely like this.
Goddesses. Shit, Gina had really been talking about goddesses. Mythology come to life. And not just one myth. All myths. He had been so astounded, he wasn’t sure he remembered their names. His Amazon had actually stunned him to the point that his photographic memory deserted him.
His Amazon. His own Amazon.
He remembered her goddess, the Air goddess. Ix Chel had been Cher in his hazy recollection.
What would the goddess think of him if they met?
Pleased to meet you Mr. Hanson, and why in hell did you deflower my warrior?
Gina sighed again and snuggled against him. Moonlight gave the room a dim glow that made her features appear softer. Not that she wasn’t beautiful all the time, but the moonlight made her less intense. Awake, she looked every bit the warrior he now knew she was. Her intelligent eyes missed nothing. Her tall frame intimidated people. Her passionate personality did as well. She probably scared the shit out of some guys.
She didn’t scare Zach. She turned him on more than any woman he’d ever known.
His own superhero—that’s what she was. His very own Wonder Woman. Gina was the Air Amazon. Zach searched his usually trusty memory to try to match her sisters to their traits. Now that Gina had told him everything—at least he hoped it was everything because he really couldn’t swallow a whole lot more today—it was easy to see the connection.
Rebecca. Mother Earth in every sense o
f the name. It was surreal to think that sweet blonde could actually cause an earthquake when she wanted to. Her powers were mostly defensive. At least he understood why her accuracy with that bow was so damned important.
Megan was Fire through and through. He’d figured the scent of cherry tobacco that seemed to float around her was because she was a smoker, even if he’d never seen her actually light up. She played with that old-fashioned Zippo lighter of hers a lot. Since Gina told him Megan could throw flames from her hands, it would probably be for the best not to piss her off.
Sarita had power to heal, but he wasn’t sure what other powers she had as the Water Amazon. Still, her abilities had saved Gina after she stepped in to take the hit when Richard tried to fry Zach. Sarita was Gina’s closest friend, her true sister, judging from the way the women acted when they were together.
And the men. The Sentinels, Gina called them. Artair with his brusque attitude and amusing brogue and Johann with his intense personality. They were training women warriors, women superheroes.
Do do do do, do do do do...
Gina brought him back from his thoughts. She kissed his neck and started humming again, giving him better things to think about than the fact she was really an Amazon warrior.
“Gina?”
“Hmm?”
Although it was hard to concentrate with her lips on his skin, there was one question that still stood between them. The jealousy from what he’d witnessed before the fight just wouldn’t abate. “Why were you kissing Richard?”
She pulled back to look him in the eye. “I told you. I wasn’t.”
“But I saw—”
A kiss stopped his words. “He was...well, he needs...”
“Tell me.” He hated the suspicion in his own voice.
“He was feeding. He needs magical blood to survive.”
That explained why the guy had been nuzzling her neck and why she couldn’t pull away. He could’ve hurt her. “So he’s a vampire?” he asked, unable to conceal his disgust. “Are they real too?”
She shook her head. “If you call him that, you’re likely to get into another fight. He’s not one of those night rats. He just needs some magical blood from time to time because his mother cursed him. It’s not much and it’s not often, but if I don’t help him, he’ll die.”
Although it still sounded an awful lot like Richard was a vampire, Zach wouldn’t quibble over semantics when Gina returned to kissing his neck.
“I want you,” she purred against his ear before she tickled it with her tongue. “Do you want me?”
He let his worries go, choosing instead to live for the moment and explore what he felt for her. Just thinking about loving her again sent his body into overdrive. “Oh, yeah, love. I want you.”
With a grin, he picked up her hand that had been stroking his chest and led it to his erection.
She wrapped her fingers around him. “Tell me what you want.”
“How about I show you instead?” His hand covered hers as he taught her how he liked to be touched. She was a quick learner. Her strokes turned the flame of his desire into an inferno. Before he let things get out of his control, he took her hand and set it back on his chest.
“Wrong?”
“God, no.”
“Then why? I want to touch you, Zach.”
“It feels too good, and I want you too much.”
“Well, then...” She rolled on top of him, straddled his hips and teased his lips with her tongue until he opened them for her. After a deep, thoroughly exciting kiss, she pulled away and grinned down at him. Picking up his hands, she placed his palms against her breasts. “You can have me.”
She had her hand around his cock again as she tried to take him inside her. She was awkward, clearly not knowing how to make their bodies fit in this new position. Zach let her take as much time as she needed until she figured it out, enjoying the freedom she obviously felt with him and his body. When she began to join their bodies, she closed her eyes and smiled. He raised his hips to meet her, burying himself deep inside her and wanting never to leave.
There was no seduction this time, no foreplay or teasing. There was simple, raw passion as they raced toward fulfillment. Gina wouldn’t let him go slow, the rhythm she set more a sprint than a marathon. He thought about reining her in, slowing her down so they could both savor this, but she was already beginning to tighten around him. He gave up his fight for control.
Grabbing her hips, he gave her everything he had, slamming into her again and again. She reared her head back and made a sound so full of pleasure and release he was right there with her, pouring his essence into her as his orgasm washed over him, seemingly forever. Although she collapsed against his chest, he still gently pushed into her, wanting to gain every last sensation from their intimate connection.
When the passion was spent, he held her close and stroked her back, letting his fingertips trace her spine and savoring a relaxed and sated feeling he’d never known.
He hadn’t been looking for love. Far from it. But love had found him anyway in the form of a woman who matched him in every way possible.
Gina had fallen asleep, judging from the slow, warm breaths brushing against his cheek. Zach eased her to his side, wrapped an arm around her and finally found his own rest.
Chapter Fifteen
“He really knows?” Sarita whispered. “I mean everything? You told him everything?”
Gina nodded, glancing across the mess hall to the long bench where Zach sat next to Johann. The two of them seemed thrilled to be tinkering with the Toy and Johann’s laptop.
“And he’s not losing it?” An incredulous frown crossed Sarita’s face.
“Nope. Not losing it.”
It was still a surprise to her, too. She’d bared her Amazon soul to him and he hadn’t run screaming for the hills. Instead, he strolled across the compound with her to get breakfast.
As if knowing she watched him, Zach turned to look at her.
“Green,” he said with a smile. “I was right, wasn’t I? Green’s happy.”
She nodded and tried to fight back the sting of joyful tears in her eyes as Zach went back to working on his Toy.
There wasn’t supposed to be a man out there for her, especially not a man as smart, passionate and drop-dead gorgeous as Zach Hanson. What man could love a woman like her?
She wasn’t feminine, not by a long shot. She’d never polished her nails, fiddled with makeup or fussed over her hair. She ate like a guy, fought like a guy and looked like a guy. Short hair. Sports team jerseys. No rings or bracelets. Her only earring was the silver crescent moon that tied her to Ix Chel.
How did I attract an incredible man like Zach?
“Because he’s smart enough to realize exactly how special you are.” Sarita frowned sternly at Gina.
“I said that aloud, didn’t I?”
“Didn’t have to. I know how your mind works.”
Gina sighed, which morphed into an open-mouthed yawn.
Zach glanced up. “You okay?”
She could get used to the way he always asked her that. The simple question was like a caress.
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
“You should rest. You’re still getting over Dick’s shock.” His gaze scanned the hall. “Where’s Dick anyway?”
Gina shrugged. She was still good and pissed at Richard for trying to shock Zach. If she saw him now, she’d most likely go postal on his ass.
“If he’s got any brains at all, he knows he’s on my shit list. He’ll wait for me to cool off, then he’ll turn up later.”
Probably when he needs a feeding.
She’d make him sweat this one out before she gave in and helped him. The idiot better have one damned good grovel ready.
“God, I hope not,” Zach replied. “It’s so nice when he’s not around. Seriously, Gina—you should be resting.”
Instead of taking offense to his scolding, his concern wrapped around her heart. “I’m fine. Really.”
She almost added that he was the main reason she was still tired. Despite her perpetual stamina, Zach’s lovemaking had tuckered her out.
Sarita shifted her gaze from Gina to Zach and back again. Then a wise grin touched her lips. “I knew it.”
“Knew what?”
It was amazing that someone as beautiful as Sarita always snorted when she laughed. “Who do you think you’re talking to? You slept with him.”
Gina put her index finger to her lips. “Shh. Not here. Not now.”
Johann thumped his knuckles against the laptop screen. “They found Jeff Remington’s body, Zach. Sorry.”
“Shit. I was hoping he was just missing.”
“Jeff?” she asked. “The tech guy you were worried about?”
Zach nodded. He leaned in to read the story as Gina came up behind him to put a hand on his shoulder. “I guess he wasn’t lucky enough to be captured by an Amazon.”
“You know him?” she asked.
“Not well,” Zach replied. “But, yes, I know him. Umm, knew him. He was the competition, but I would never wish for the poor guy to die. Does it mention a cause of death?”
Johann scrolled down the screen. “Looks like the authorities believe he got mauled by wild animals.” He glanced back at Gina. “You know who really did this, don’t you?”
“Sekhmet,” she replied. “The lioness.”
“Good girl.” Johann worked the keyboard, probably not realizing how important his words of praise were to Gina.
Zach cocked his head. “Sekhmet?”
“Yeah. We...um...need to fill you in on some details,” Gina replied.
“Isn’t that Zach?” Sarita asked as she came to stand at Gina’s side, pointing at Johann’s laptop.
The CNN website’s lead story was about the discovery of Jeff Remington’s body in a remote area outside Los Angeles and how another computer giant—Zach—was still missing. Remington’s corpse lay on a gurney.
The black body bag made a shudder rip through Gina.