She didn’t.
And that told him all that he needed to know.
♀♂
What the hell was wrong with her? Why did she knowingly push him like that? Zane wasn’t the kind of man to back off freely, and she had found exactly what it took to push his buttons. With the warmth of his body pressed against her, V knew she should be pushing him away, knew she should race right across the room, throw open his front door and run. Never look back.
For the life of her, she couldn’t seem to do it. Just like the very first time her eyes met his, there was a kinetic energy that shifted between the two of them and she couldn’t force herself to move away. Zane stole her breath and her common sense with just a smile. When he actually touched her, it was even worse.
In fact, V was positive she had never met a man as capable as Zane of causing her to drop her defenses as quickly as he caused her to drop her clothes. He was like a drug, impossible to resist once she’d had a taste of him.
And as for their age difference, V didn’t give a shit about it at all, but it was the only tangible thing she had to hold on to; her only justification for putting distance between herself and the one man capable of breaking her heart. Never would V let that happen. Not after what she saw her mother go through.
Her mother and her wandering ways had taught V one valuable lesson: never rely on a man to fulfill you. As she had seen time and time again, no man had ever satisfied her mother, yet Regina continued to ruthlessly pursue them in hopes of finding the one who would. V just figured if she never started, she’d never be disappointed.
This man threatened all of her carefully erected walls because she wanted him more than she wanted anything else.
“It’s not going to work, V.” Zane’s words broke through the haze of lust that was clouding her thoughts.
“What?” V felt as though she missed a vital part of the conversation.
“Trying to push me away is only going to make me come after you more.”
One thing she had learned about this man, he didn’t say things he didn’t mean. He’d been pursuing her for about a month before he was attacked and she’d tried to push him away. He didn’t listen; always coming back for more, no matter how cruel she was with his feelings.
Whatever he thought this was, it wasn’t. What was happening between them was nothing more than a highly reactive proclivity to lust. It was one hundred percent physical reaction between two people who were attracted to one another, spurred on by some wild and impassioned urges. Oh, and pheromones. Yes, definitely those too.
“What do you want from me?” V asked the question although she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.
“Everything.” The way Zane articulated each syllable had V’s pulse soaring. The way he looked at her like she was everything and then some made her wish that there actually could be something between them. The fact was, they came from different worlds, and she wasn’t so sure that there was a way for them to meet in the middle.
Now, if he were talking about sex, V could see the potential in a short term fling with him. The man inspired orgasms with just a tilt of his head, and V could attest to what he was capable of doing with his mouth. Anything more than that was out of the question, and she didn’t want to lead him on.
“You think that somehow sex is going to make me fall in love with you?” She let the words drip with her incredulity.
“Baby, you keep saying that word like that’s all you want from me,” Zane grinned and V was damn near blinded by the intensity of his beautiful smile.
“That’s all you have to offer me, Zane,” she whispered, trying to sound convincing.
“That’s what you think. Give me a chance, V. Stop trying to push me away at every turn. All I need is a chance.”
“You don’t need to prove anything to me,” V said honestly. She knew just how real he was. She’d experienced just how incredible it felt to be in his arms. She also knew just how devastated she would feel when it was over.
“Maybe not, but I need to possess you. All of you.” Zane’s mouth was brushing against hers with every breath he took, every word he spoke.
Fuck. She was a goner, and she knew it. She couldn’t get another word out if she tried. He wanted to possess her? V knew exactly what he was referring to. He’d mentioned it before. She had seen a glimpse of his dominating side on more than one occasion, and she had a feeling he knew how worked up she got because of it.
She found herself leaning closer to him, although she knew she was supposed to be pushing him away. She was taunting him, daring him to kiss her. If nothing else, at least she could get lost in the kiss and forget about all of the emotions this man stirred inside of her.
Thankfully, Zane stole her ability to think anymore.
He crushed his mouth to hers, the evidence of his desire pressing intimately between her thighs. When his strong, warm hand slid down the back of her thigh, then behind her knee, she knew there was no more fighting him. The only thing she needed was his touch for her brain cells to stop functioning properly.
Holding her leg against his thigh, V welcomed him by pressing her hips against his. She was trapped between his muscular body and the hard pane of glass at her back, unable to move in any direction and for some strange reason, V found comfort in his touch. Zane controlled her movements, controlled every ounce of her pleasure by the way he took his time with her. If she had learned anything, it was that he wasn’t a man to rush through anything.
When his lips scraped against the side of her mouth, down her chin before trailing down the side of her neck, V tilted her head to the side, giving him better access. She reveled in the warmth of his body, the strength she could feel in every move he made. Having extraordinarily limited experience due to not having been with many men in her life, V was still thoroughly convinced that no one compared to Zane.
“I’ve missed you.” Zane’s raspy words tickled her senses and had her thrusting her hips against his more firmly, trying to increase the friction against her clit. “Tell me you haven’t missed me, V.”
She couldn’t speak, much less lie to him. She’d missed him more than she was willing to admit to herself.
“Tell me how much you’ve missed this, and I’ll give you everything you want. I’ll bury my tongue in your sweet pussy and make you come with just my mouth. You want that, don’t you?”
More than she wanted water or air or any life sustaining substance. Not having known his touch for the last three months had been hell. Having it now was like a sudden plunge into warm water, her body was overheated, and her nipples pebbled, her skin sensitive and aching for more of his touch.
“Tell me, V,” he growled as he nipped her shoulder, pulling the loose collar of her sweater down as he went. She wanted him to rip her clothes from her body and ravish her the way only Zane could.
“I’ve missed this.” She managed to say the words, trying hard to sound normal and not entirely out of her mind with desire. “But I don’t want strings, Zane. It can only be sex.”
Zane’s chuckle sent throbbing need directly to her clit. The deep, dark rumble of his voice made her even crazier with lust. “If that’s what you want, then yes.”
Why didn’t she believe him?
His mouth began moving back up her shoulder, his hand sliding up to cup her head as he lifted her face until their eyes met. “But until we decide otherwise I want all of you. No holding back, V.”
She wasn’t sure she could give all of herself because up to this point, she’d already given him more than she should have. He was putting fissures in that hard shell she’d wrapped around her heart, and she knew that any time spent with him would only increase her chances of falling for him completely.
But what else could she do? This was the only way to prove to herself that she didn’t need him. Sex and love were two different things, and she feared she was already beginning to confuse the two.
“All right.” Before she was prepared for them, the word
s escaped. But once her acceptance was out there, V realized there was no turning back.
Zane pressed his mouth to hers forcefully, taking everything he wanted and giving back tenfold. His tongue was cool, and he tasted like mint and man, and she couldn’t help herself. V pulled his head closer to hers, tightening her fingers in his hair as she tangled her tongue with his, licking him, tasting him, taking everything he had to give her. His taste, the strength in his touch, the sleek texture of his skin had her aching to be naked beneath him.
“I need you, V. Right now,” Zane growled as he broke the kiss, his hand still holding her face, his thumb brushing her cheek while the other lifted her leg higher on his hip, his erection grinding between her thighs.
She nodded, unable to speak.
Removing her hands from around his neck, she hurriedly fumbled with the button on his jeans, anxious to take what he was offering without having to think anymore. She lowered the zipper and pushed the denim down just enough to free his thick, heavy erection.
He didn’t let her go, one hand still squeezing her leg, the other splayed across her neck, the crook between his thumb and index finger tilting her head up so she was forced to meet his gaze.
“Pull your panties to the side,” he growled, piercing her with those glowing blue gray eyes. He didn’t pull away; he shifted his hips back ever so slightly so she had room to maneuver.
Unable to refuse him or herself any longer because her body remembered what this felt like, how he overwhelmed her senses, how he pushed her higher than she’d ever known before, V did as he instructed. She eased her panties out of the way, using one hand to guide his thick cock to her entrance before he took over, slamming inside of her.
“Oh, fuck!” Eloquence wasn’t something either of them possessed when their bodies came together like this. “Fuck me, Zane.”
Zane’s hand disappeared from her skin, and then returned but this time much lower, gripping her ass, lifting her until she had no choice but to wrap her legs around him, his cock buried to the hilt, her body fighting to accommodate the sensual intrusion. V fought to hang on. She was so close already; riding that fine, thin, razor sharp edge that separated ethereal pleasure from mind numbing bliss.
When he began thrusting forcefully, he used his body to support her against the wall, one arm beneath her ass, the fingers of his other hand sliding into her hair, pulling her head back so he could take her mouth. V was powerless against the intensity of her desire for this man.
Zane groaned as he separated their mouths, staring into her eyes, her soul. V could feel him everywhere.
“Baby, I’m not going to last. I need you to come for me. Fucking come around my cock. I want to feel your pussy milk my cock while I come inside of you.”
That was all it took.
Those few words sent her body tumbling into chaos; her orgasm equivalent to C4, exploding and leaving a crumbling mess as she held on to Zane with everything she had. When his body stilled, the force of his release filling her, V’s world tilted and exploded once more.
What in the world had she just committed herself to?
Chapter Three
♂♀
The following morning, when Zane opened his eyes, he was greeted with the peaceful silence of his own home. Another thing he realized he’d taken for granted. After three months in the hospital, the consistent interruptions by nurses and doctors, machines beeping, and people stopping by to visit, he welcomed the soothing tranquility that answered.
The only thing that could’ve been better... if V was sleeping next to him. She refused though. After their brief, but explosive interlude, V had silently righted her clothes, gave him that seductive little smirk he loved and then gracefully walked out of his house.
That’s what she always did. She didn’t sleep over, nor did she invite him to. Ever.
And as many times as they’d been together, it was beginning to irritate the shit out of him. But, Zane was pursuing her, and he knew if he pushed just a little harder, she’d give in to him. Before long, he was going to push her past all of the boundaries she had erected over the years. Spending the night with him soon wouldn’t be an option for her.
Hell, he’d tie her to the bed if he had to.
Hmmm... He honestly liked the idea of tying her to his bed.
Reaching beneath the blankets, Zane took his iron hard cock in his grip and began stroking slowly. Closing his eyes, he pictured V lying on his bed, completely naked... Well, maybe he’d let her leave her shoes on. The woman’s shoes were so fucking sexy on her.
The image of V in his mind became clearer. Her arms were stretched out above her head, secured to his headboard while her legs were spread wide, ankles secured, her slick, pink pussy open and inviting. The rhythm of his hand increased to match his breathing as the pornographic visual played in his head. The woman was pure, unadulterated sin as she lay sprawled out before him, her full, perfect breasts tipped with sweet, dusky pink nipples. Those mile long legs, silky smooth and her red tipped toes peeking out of those four inch heels.
Stroking his dick faster, his fist gripping firmly, Zane gave his brain carte blanche to fantasize. His breathing increased as he came closer to release, holding out only long enough to savor the image of V spectacularly naked in his mind. He could picture himself crawling between her splayed thighs, using his tongue to tease the pretty pink folds of her pussy before sliding two fingers deep in her cunt.
Fuck.
Zane came with a vengeance, his release startling him with its intensity. For three months, he resisted the urge to jack off to thoughts of V, and their quickie yesterday, although intensely satisfying, had done nothing to sate the lust that had built up over the last few months.
Although his body begged for him to succumb to just a few more hours of sleep, he managed to force himself from the bed, ripping the sheets off as he went so he could toss them into the washing machine. He needed breakfast, and then he needed to head over to Walker Demolition. His brothers would be waiting for him, he knew.
They’d purposely denied him any information about how the business was going in recent weeks, but he knew they were doing well. Ethan was a whiz with machinery, so the fact that Zane had been down and out for so long wouldn’t have impacted them in the least – as far as business was concerned anyway. But that didn’t mean he planned to leave it all to them.
In addition to wanting to talk to them about Walker Demo, Zane also had some questions about the Alluring Indulgence Resort. Like how he would be able to get in on it. He’d spent countless hours in the hospital fucking around on the internet and quite frankly, he found a few articles that caught his interest. He had a vested interest in the place; after all, he was a partner in Walker, Inc.
Zane was well aware that Kaleb, Sawyer and Travis hadn’t pushed the resort on the rest of them because they didn’t want any of them to feel obligated to join in their new venture. They’d mentioned it briefly up front, but told Zane, Brendon, Braydon, and Ethan that they were welcome to go in or keep moving forward with Walker Demo. It was their choice. At the time, Zane hadn’t been sure what he wanted to do.
He’d actually been a little restless right before the assault. Some of it had to do with the feelings V had been stirring in him, some of it was due to his need to keep moving forward. Zane felt like he had been stalled out for quite some time, but he’d never made a move to do anything about it. Now that he was back on his feet, he was more than a little anxious to keep up his momentum. His life had changed due to circumstances out of his control. He was ready to find the bright side and keep going. It was either that, or run the risk of giving in to the black rage that was slowly filling his gut.
He liked the idea of getting involved with the resort. So much so, he was ready to hire a replacement who could handle his position at Walker Demo. This new resort was going to give him a chance to spread his wings a little, explore some new avenues, and with V along for the ride, Zane was finally looking forward to something that
he hadn’t even realized was missing from his life.
Half an hour later, showered and shaved, Zane hopped in his Jeep.
As the Jeep eased along down the dirt road that would take him from his house to the offices of Walker Demolition, Zane enjoyed the unseasonably warm breeze flowing through the open windows.
He never thought he’d say it, but it felt damn good to be behind the wheel again. Even a small thing like driving was something he had taken for granted before the assault. He’d taken plenty of things for granted, including what he wanted to do with his life. He’d been given a second chance and, for whatever reason, God spared him. He wasn’t going to take it for granted a second longer.
Not with the little things, and certainly not with the big things. The first thing – or rather person – that came to mind was V. For the last few months, she’d been the only thing on his mind most days. Hell, just thinking about thinking about her made him smile. The smile disappeared just as quickly as it came when Zane remembered the real reason he had wanted to talk to her yesterday. They hadn’t even talked about Jake Sanders, or the fact that he was allegedly harassing her, and no one was fucking telling him anything.
They’d undoubtedly be talking about it later, but first, he had to meet with his brothers and get that out of the way. He hoped like hell they didn’t treat him with kid gloves now that he was back in fighting form. Ok, so he wasn’t quite there, but he was working to get there. A little more physical therapy and countless hours at the gym wouldn’t hurt him in the least.
He made a mental note to call Beau and meet up with him at the gym. It was time the two of them spent some time doing something a hell of a lot more entertaining than shooting the shit at the hospital. He certainly looked forward to spending a few mindless hours with his boy.
“Well, good morning, sunshine.” Brendon’s booming drawl met Zane the moment he stepped through the door of the small office of Walker Demolition. “Glad you could grace us with your presence.”
Zane (Alluring Indulgence) Page 4