Entice.
The chances of her being there that night were slim to none, but he had to try. Saturday night had been their set time for three months now, and he needed to believe their time there meant something to her.
Would she think of the way he touched her? The way he knew everything she needed? With a humble dose of male pride, he knew the answer. She would. Her responses to him told him as much. All her cries and moans, every way her body spoke to him without a single word uttered, told him that he was the one for her, just as she was the only one for him.
Damn it! They belonged together, and once he found her, no way in hell would he let her go until she believed that too.
* * * *
Near two o'clock that afternoon, Zoe pulled up to the marina. After brunch with her father and Stephen, she'd found renewed hope for her future. She wanted Dean Lucas, despite the odd, roundabout way they'd come together.
When she left after the emotional heart-to-heart with her father, she'd gone home to change, only to realize she had no idea how to find Dean. The boat at the marina and Entice were the only places she knew of. Not ready to go back to the club, she set her bets on the marina. She hoped she'd gambled right.
She rushed down to the boat's slip, but it was empty. The afternoon sun glinted over the water and she lifted a hand to shield her eyes while she searched the bay and beyond.
Nothing.
Had he gone out, equally despondent over what happened between them? She hated to think he was enjoying a joy ride, not really upset after all.
She settled herself on the edge of the dock and dangled her feet in the cool, clear water. No, he'd been upset. No doubt about that. The look of anguish on his face when she'd opened her eyes would be etched in her memory forever.
Twenty minutes later, the purr of a trolling motor broke through the calming swish of waves. She clambered to her feet as Dean's boat approached, the reawakened nerves in her stomach dancing around in a free-for-all.
As the boat came closer, she noticed more than one person on board. Two hulking, handsome men stood on the aft deck while another one commanded the fly bridge. As the man at the helm backed into the slip, the others gawked and smiled.
"Hey, how about a little help here?” the helmsman yelled down to the two on the deck. They swaggered as they grabbed ropes, tied them off and secured the boat fenders.
One gorgeous man went forward to set the lines while the other hopped over the side onto the deck next to her. “Hey there. Looking for someone?"
He stood at least six-two and had the same beautiful brown eyes as Dean, along with his familiar killer smile. Her heart thudded in her chest. “Yes. I'm, um, looking for Dean."
The man's devilish smile widened. “Phfft. What're you looking for him for? I'm sure we can come up with—"
The hunk that steered the boat leaned over the railing of the fly bridge. “Aidan!"
The hottie in front of her scowled and glanced up. “Yeah?"
"Go below and stow the gear. Now."
The tone of that voice had her wanting to move for him. Aidan, unconcerned, turned back and said, “Christ, he can be a real ass sometimes.” Then, loud enough for him to hear, “Wes's been without a date for so long, he's forgotten what it's like to talk to a beautiful woman."
The man up top climbed down the ladder to the deck while Aidan finished with a quick, “I'll be right back, darlin'."
Zoe flushed at the massive amount of testosterone wafting from the boat. These sexy men had to be Dean's brothers.
But where was he?
"I'm sorry for my little brother's comments,” Wes said, extending a hand to help her aboard. “He forgets his manners most of the time."
She brushed off the apology. “No harm done."
He laughed. “Only because I saved you in time.” He held on to her hand. “Wes Lucas. I'm assuming you're Zoe?"
Stunned that he knew her, it took a moment for her to recover. “Um ... I am. How did you know?"
He shrugged, released her hand and moved toward a small refrigerator on deck. “Dean described you to a tee.” He flicked a glance back at her. “And with the way he talked about you, I'd say my big brother's a complete goner."
He dug out two bottles of water from the cooler and handed her one.
She accepted it with a nod of thanks. God, Dean discussed her with his brothers? And he was a goner? She smiled to herself at what that implied. It made her feel, well, it upped that renewed hope, for sure. “Is he here?"
Wes took a swig of water. “Sorry, no.” He hesitated for a moment. “Actually, he went to look for you."
"He did?” Whoa, there went all those butterflies again.
The Dean clone who had set the lines returned from the fore of the boat and extended his hand as he came closer. “Zoe, right?"
She shook his hand with a chuckle. “Yes. You must be Cam."
He nodded, smiling with a quirky lift of his mouth. Definitely a Lucas family trait. “That's me."
Lord, why hadn't any of these men been snatched up yet? Every one of them oozed a masculine sexuality that any woman would go nuts for. But regardless of their sensuality, and Lord knew they exuded enough of that, she'd pick Dean over any of them without batting an eyelash.
God. Where is he?
Wes hitched a hip on the railing. “Like I said, Dean went looking for you, but I'm sure this'll be the first place he comes when he has no luck. Have a seat, sugar. We'll keep you company until he gets here."
* * * *
Dean flew into the parking lot, skidded to a halt beside Wes's Jeep and ramrodded his way down the docks. Damn, he needed to vent his disappointment at not finding Zoe, and he hoped to God his brothers would shut the hell up and let him.
As he approached “Seaduction,” the melodic sound of Zoe's laugh slammed into him. Holy shit. His breath caught and his cock stirred. She came to me.
As he turned the corner, she said through her laughter, “You're kidding, right?"
Wes laughed then, too. “Nope, there we all stood in the middle of Mom's pristine white kitchen, covered head to toe in mud."
Cam chimed in. “Tessa had it the worst. I think Mom scrubbed that poor girl in the bathtub for over an hour, swearing at us boys the entire time."
With quiet, measured steps, Dean descended the last few feet of the dock. Aidan spotted him and grinned. “Well, well. Look who the cat dragged in."
Dean locked his gaze with Zoe's and the rest of the world disappeared. Her eyes lit with joy and the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen bloomed on her lips. His heart stopped dead in his chest. Christ, with that one look, she nearly had him in cardiac arrest.
"Hi,” she whispered, breathless.
For fuck's sake, when had his mouth gone bone dry? “Hi,” he managed.
He heard Cam's vague, “I think that's our cue, boys,” before they issued their goodbyes and shuffled off the boat.
Alone with Zoe, Dean took a tentative step closer. “You came."
She rose from the table and stepped toward him. “I did."
"I didn't think you would. I thought...."
She wiped her palms on the front of her denim skirt. Her throat worked up and down as she swallowed. “I know what you thought. I'm sorry, Dean. I should've listened, let you explain—"
The wind whipped her hair around her lovely face, and he tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “God, love. Don't apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for. It's all my fault. I should've told you who I was. And I planned to, but I wanted ... well, I hoped that.... “He stopped and huffed out a breath. “Damn. This isn't coming out right."
She placed a warm hand on his cheek. A loving acceptance shone in her eyes. “I understand. The way all this happened, it's been rather unconventional to say the least."
He slid his hands to the small of her back, almost afraid to touch her but unable to resist. The curves of her body fit into the hard planes of his, and he tightened his grip, scared that if he let her go, she'd
vanish into thin air.
"You have to know I'd never hurt you, Zoe. I'd rather die than see that pain in your eyes again. Tell me what I can do, how to make all this up to you. I'll do anything."
She clutched the collar of his shirt in her fists. “The only thing I ever wanted was honesty, Dean. Give me honesty. The rest will fall into place."
The strength of her words ignited his hope, along with his passion. “Always, darlin'.” He kissed her then, tender at first, but his hunger grew with each second that passed. Before he knew it, he'd backed her against the bulkhead, one hand on her thigh and the other on a breast as he consumed her mouth.
He pulled away, out of breath. “I never got to show you the stateroom the other night, did I?"
She shook her head and snuck in another heated kiss before answering. “No. Show it to me. Now."
He took her hand, opened the sliding glass door and led her through the salon and galley areas to the bedroom. It boasted a huge circular bed with a black satin comforter and two small nightstands. He spun her in his arms, laid her back on the bed and covered her body with his.
He cradled her face in his hands, nipped and kissed along her jaw. He wanted to tell her all he'd held inside these past months. And if he'd learned anything, the best way to do that was to say what he felt in his heart.
"Zoe, I want to make love to you. I've wanted to for weeks now. No blindfolds, no ropes, nothing. Just you and me, our bodies together. My name on your lips when you come. Yours on mine. Can we do that, love? Do you want that, too?"
When she didn't say anything, he drew back. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and when she opened them, tears escaped. Shit, had he said too much, let his feelings out too soon? “Don't cry. God, please—"
She laughed through the tears. “Stop. It's okay. These are happy tears, Dean.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “No one has ever made me feel like you do. Wanted, desired. Alive."
"Oh, darlin'. Give me, say, the next fifty years. I'll make you feel much more than that."
He swallowed her chuckle with a slow kiss. Taking his time, he undressed her piece by piece to caress and taste each bit of creamy, soft skin he exposed. He traveled down her body until he came to her skirt, which he shucked off with one swift motion. The only barrier that remained between him and paradise was a pair of silky, bright yellow panties.
"There's something else I've been dying to do.” He ran a finger under the elastic at her hip. “Lift up, baby."
She arched her hips off the bed and he drew the panties over her ass, down her thighs, and off the end of her killer legs, and then twirled them on the tip of his index finger. “See there? Still in one piece."
That got another chuckle, but when he leaned down and pressed his tongue through her slick folds, her laughter transformed into a sultry moan.
"Oh, God, Dean."
His heart swelled and his cock throbbed. She tasted so damn good. He left no crevice of her sweet pussy unexplored. He lifted his head as he pushed two fingers deep inside her.
"Tell me what you want, darlin'. Talk to me."
She fisted the comforter when he curled his fingers against that perfect spot. “You, Dean. Inside me. Please. Now."
He didn't need to be asked twice. He ripped the shirt off and grabbed a condom from his pocket before dropping his pants and boxers in a lump to the floor. He rolled the condom on, climbed between her spread legs and slid over her.
In one thrust, he found home.
"Christ, Zoe,” he breathed as he began to move in and out. “Heaven. Being with you like this is nothing short of heaven."
She moved with him, met him thrust for thrust. “Yes,” she moaned with each push inside her. “Yes."
He hooked his elbow under her knee and lifted to shift angles so he could drive deeper. God, he was so close. Every one of her moans brought him to the edge, every cry had him dying inside.
She closed her eyes and tossed her head to the side. Damn it, no. There would be no hiding from this. Never again. He brushed the hair from her cheek and whispered, “Open your eyes. Watch me, love. See what you've been missing all these months."
When she did, he wanted to drown in the love that poured from her gaze. She glanced to where their bodies were connected and he followed her gaze. The sight of his cock, engorged and slick from their lovemaking as he plunged in and out of her tight heat proved to be too much. He couldn't hold on any longer.
"Ah, God, baby. Now, sweetheart. Come for me."
With his words, her head fell back and she looked into his eyes once again. “Ah, Dean,” she cried as she arched into him and clamped down hard with her own orgasm.
"Zoe, baby,” he said from low in his throat. “Fuck, yes.... He held her gaze and fell deeper into her, body and soul, than he ever thought possible.
He carried them through to the end of the spasms, knowing he'd never get enough of her. He had to have this, have her, for the rest of his life. She'd become a part of him, the other half of his soul, and he would never let her go. For the second time that afternoon, as he sucked in uneven, raspy breaths, he spoke from his heart.
"I know it seems too soon, but I have to tell you this.” He leaned on his elbows, held her cheeks and swirled his thumbs over her baby-soft skin. “I love you, Zoe. I have from the beginning. And no matter how we came together, or what came after, what's important is that we've ended up here. Now. Be with me. Please."
His heart pounded as he waited for her to say something, anything. She lay under him, silent, a stunned expression on her face. When a smile came over her lips and happiness shone bright in her eyes, relief washed over every part of him.
"Oh, Dean. I never thought ... I mean, I'd hoped ... and no, it's not too soon. Not for me anyway. As much as I may have tried to deny what's in my heart, I know I've fallen in love with you."
"Thank God,” he said before covering her mouth with his. He kissed her long and deep before he broke away, both of them once again breathless.
"I do have a question, though,” she said in a teasing tone.
"Anything,” he said. “Ask me anything."
She gave him an incredibly, seductive smile, full of future promises. “Just where in the hell is that remote control?"
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About the author:
Kristin Daniels has always been a reader of romance, but it wasn't until several years ago, when she discovered the erotic romance genre, that she finally figured out what had been missing from all those other books she'd read before. She currently lives outside Chicago with her wonderful husband and three children. Find her on the web at www.kristindaniels.com.
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