Forever (Time for Love Book 1)

by Charles, Miranda P.

  Zach switched off from the rest of the conversation. So Rebecca lived with one of her best friends in an apartment her rich boyfriend had put her up on? That was kind of strange. If he were the boyfriend, he'd want them to have some privacy when he visited. And he knew it wasn't about Rebecca feeling lonely while living alone. She'd lived by herself in her old place and she'd said she enjoyed the privacy.

  Hmm. Another question he must get the answer to.

  'What for, Zach?' Jeff's voice in his head asked.

  I just want to know, he answered like a petulant kid. He wasn't prepared to dig deep for his motivation.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Rebecca sat quietly next to Sarah on a two-seater couch in one of the lounges, sipping a glass of wine. Phillip had roped Sarah into a conversation about some skin problem a friend of his was supposed to be having, but Rebecca couldn't find the motivation to rescue her best friend from the annoying man. Her mind was still dwelling on what Zach had divulged earlier in the dining room—that he'd never dated Miss Universe-Australia.

  She'd always believed that the woman was the reason Zach hadn't returned her calls when she'd tried to contact him a few weeks after they'd broken up. If it were true that Miss U-A was never in the picture, then Zach simply hadn't wanted to talk to her again.

  She glanced at Zach surreptitiously as he chatted to Vicky and Marilyn. The two women flanked him and were competing for his attention. Her heart ached. She pretended to cough to cover the fact that her eyes had moistened.

  Damn it. So much for swearing she was over him.

  "Hey, you okay?" Sarah asked.

  Rebecca nodded, realising that Phillip had disappeared. "How was your talk with dear Phillip?" she asked sarcastically.

  Sarah rolled her eyes. "I bet you it was him suffering from an itchy skin condition, not a friend."

  Rebecca snickered.

  "Anyway, you looked lost in thought there," Sarah whispered. "Thinking about Zach and Miss U-A?"

  Rebecca simply smiled.

  "Hey girls," a deep voice called out.

  "Hi Zach," Sarah said casually while Rebecca could only manage to stare. Damn it. What the hell was wrong with her?

  "Would you like another drink?"

  "No, thanks. I'm fine," Sarah answered. "Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom."

  Rebecca's mouth dropped open as she watched Sarah stand up and walk away. She couldn't believe Sarah was leaving her alone. With Zach.

  "Bec? Another drink?"

  "No, thank you," she murmured. To her surprise, Zach sat down on the spot Sarah had just vacated—right next to her.

  "So... how've you been?" Zach asked.

  "Not bad, thanks. You?" Her heart was hammering so hard she was glad her voice didn't waver.

  "I'm okay," he replied, staring at the empty glass in his hand.

  After an awkward silence, Zach shifted to face her. "Listen, Bec, since we'll be on this ship together for a whole month, we might as well clear the air."

  Rebecca's eyes widened. Oh, so they were going to talk right here, right now?

  "Things didn't end so well between us," Zach continued. "But for the sake of making this time as enjoyable as possible for everyone, especially my grandmother, could we agree to let bygones be bygones? It would be nice if we could have a conversation and not feel uncomfortable with each other. We've both moved on so there's no point feeling funny in each others' presence."

  She forced a smile even as her heart constricted again. He'd really moved on. "That's a great idea," she croaked.

  Zach took a deep breath. "Also, I do have something I want to ask you just so I could clear my mind of some unanswered issues. Would that be okay?"

  "Sure," she said distractedly. Her mind was still on the fact that Zach had admitted that he'd moved on. It wasn't a surprise at all. But having him confirm it to her face was still like being punched in the gut.

  "Whatever your answer, it won't affect the truce that we've just agreed to. I'll be fine with whatever the truth is, as long as it's the truth. Okay?"

  Her brows furrowed at the seriousness of Zach's tone. "Okay."

  "When you broke up with me, was it because of someone else?"

  Her jaw dropped to the floor in complete surprise. What the hell did he mean by that?

  "I just need to know because... well, because I'm the kind of person who needs to know," Zach said, looking down on the floor.

  "I don't understand, Zach. You know why I broke up with you."

  Zach scowled. He opened his mouth to say something, only to be interrupted by Vicky, who came holding two glasses of wine.

  "Here you go, darling," Vicky said sweetly, holding one of them out to Zach.

  "I didn't want any," Zach answered with a smile.

  "This is your favourite—and mine," Vicky purred.

  "Zachary!" Magda called from a couple of tables away. "We're having a debate here that we need your input on. I'm sorry girls, I just need to borrow him for a few minutes."

  With a sigh, Zach stood up. "Excuse me, ladies."

  Rebecca waited while she mulled Zach's question. She still didn't know what he'd meant. Was he asking if she'd broken up with him because she'd suspected he was dating someone else? Why would he think that, though? Had he been dating someone else while they were a couple?

  When Vicky headed to the grandmothers' table and said something that made everyone laugh, including Zach, Rebecca decided not to wait any longer. She doubted Zach intended to continue their conversation tonight. She went to the group and excused herself. "I think I'll head off to my room now."

  "Oh, sure, dear," Magda said. "Goodnight. We'll see you tomorrow."

  "Goodnight, everyone." She left without looking at Zach. She couldn't. Not without showing Magda and the rest that there was something amiss. Her short conversation with Zach had rattled her to the core.

  *

  "Bec!"

  Rebecca turned and stopped to let Sarah catch up to her.

  "Going back to our room?"

  "Yeah, I'm beat," she said with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes.

  "What's wrong? Did you talk to Zach?"

  "We started but we didn't really get anywhere. His grandmother wanted him."

  Sarah's face was thoughtful. "You know what? I can't make up my mind whether to encourage you to completely ignore him or to confront him with the truth so you could have closure."

  "Zach said we should just get things off our chest and let bygones be bygones."

  "Really? That's a good idea, if you ask me. After all, you can't keep on avoiding him when we're all here together for Magda. You'd be bumping into each other and you wouldn't want to feel uncomfortable. It would ruin your whole trip."

  Rebecca nodded. It was a good idea, so she'd remind Zach they had a conversation to finish if he failed to follow through on it.

  "Well, I'm gonna head back to the lounge to say goodnight to Magda and the others," Sarah said. "I'll see you in our room in a few minutes."

  *****

  Rebecca was towelling herself dry from her shower when she heard the knock on the door. She rolled her eyes, remembering that Sarah had purposely left her key behind, expecting they'd come back to the room together.

  She wrapped the bath towel around her and went to open the door. Her heart lurched in her chest at the sight of Zach staring back at her in surprise.

  "What are you doing here?" she asked breathlessly.

  Loud conversation floated down the corridor and Zach came in, closing the door behind him. "You wouldn't want strangers to see you like that," he said huskily.

  "I thought you were Sarah."

  Zach simply gaped at her.

  Rebecca forced herself to look away from his heated gaze. "What do you want, Zach?"

  "I want to continue our conversation."

  "I do, too. But can we do it tomorrow? It's late."

  "I'd rather not. I don't want to run the risk of getting interrupted again."

  "W
e will be anyway. Sarah will be back any minute."

  As if to prove her point, there was another knock on the door. This time it was really Sarah, whose eyes widened as she took in Rebecca's 'attire' and Zach's presence.

  "I just came out of the shower when Zach knocked. I thought it was you," she explained hastily.

  "Can we talk tonight, Bec? Please?" Zach asked quietly.

  She nodded. "Let me get dressed."

  "How about I leave the two of you to talk," Sarah said. "I'll have another drink at the lounge, then come back in half an hour."

  "You don't have to leave the room, Sarah," Zach said. "We'll go somewhere else."

  Sarah glanced at Rebecca.

  "Yeah, you stay," Rebecca confirmed.

  *****

  Rebecca followed Zach to the lifts, not quite sure if it was excitement or dread that was sitting at the pit of her stomach.

  The elevator door opened and Zach placed his hand on the small of her back to escort her in. Electricity zinged in her body at that little touch. Oh boy. That wasn't good for her system, which was already going haywire just from being so close to him.

  She played with her room key as they rode the lift in silence, trying to keep her mind blank and her breathing even. When the door opened, they stepped out and Rebecca looked around in confusion.

  "Where are we going?" The floor they were on didn't look like any of the public areas of the ship.

  "Everywhere else is bound to be noisy and busy," Zach answered, leading her down the corridor. "I thought we'd go to my suite for privacy."

  Desire unexpectedly bloomed in her belly with a force that surprised her. But Zach's serious countenance tempered her reaction. He didn't look like he had anything ungentlemanly in mind.

  She mentally smirked at herself, grateful that Zach wasn't looking at her blushing face. It would do her well to remember that Zach had moved on to other warm bodies. There was no reason for her to assume he was contemplating doing anything else but talk. Ahh, that was a depressing thought.

  Zach opened his door and she stepped into his suite, which was as impressive as Magda's.

  "Drink?" he asked.

  "Just water, thanks. I think I've had enough alcohol for the night."

  "Did you go from a two-glass limit to about ten little sips only?" Zach teased, pulling out a bottle of sparkling mineral water from the fridge.

  She gave a nervous laugh. Had he been watching her?

  He handed her her glass and poured one for himself. "Shall we sit?"

  "Sure." She settled on the sofa and tried to look relaxed.

  Zach sat on the chair adjacent to her. She waited for him to say something, but all he did was gape.

  "Um, so where do we start?" she asked, unnerved from his silent attention.

  "Let's continue our conversation from earlier, and let me ask my question another way." Zach toyed with his glass before continuing. "Were you seeing someone else when we were together?"

  She stared at him in shock before anger took over. "What?! Are you serious?!" she asked. She couldn't even believe that was the question he'd wanted to ask. "You know exactly why I walked away, Zach. It was my reaction when I learnt the feeling wasn't mutual. Why the hell did you even think I had someone else?"

  Zach squeezed his eyes shut, as if in pain.

  "You thought I cheated on you? Did you think I lied when I said I loved you?" Her voice rose higher, hurt and insulted.

  "Did you? Lie, I mean," Zach asked quietly, his gaze intense.

  She jumped up from her seat. "Damn it, Zach. No!" To her horror, tears started running down her cheeks. She tried to stifle her sobs, but they came out as strangled gasps. Why the hell did she have so little self-control around Zachary Carmichael?

  "Hey," Zach said gently, rising up from his seat. "I'm sorry," he said as he gathered her to him and started rubbing her back in a soothing motion.

  All at once, Rebecca's senses were assaulted by everything Zach—his alluring masculine smell, the feel of his strong arms around her, his muscular chest pressing against her breasts... They brought back memories that were too powerful to ignore.

  Desire reawakened deep in her belly and swiftly coursed through her veins, along with the simple fact of needing Zach. Mindlessly, she tilted her head up, clearly offering him her mouth.

  She watched as Zach's already dilated pupils grew larger, darker. His gaze zoned in on her parted lips, and she felt his heart race in his chest—or was that hers? With her mind overcome by her body, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself hard against him.

  Zach groaned and his mouth descended on hers with a force that delighted her and made her rub her hips against his hardness. She'd long suspected that their seven months apart hadn't done anything to diminish her feelings and desire for him. Now she had proof. She could literally sense the protective walls she'd built around her heart crumbling against the passionate melding of their mouths. And she was helpless to do anything about it.

  "Bec, why are you here?" Zach murmured against her lips.

  "What do you mean?"

  He pulled back, his eyes questioning as he searched her face. "Why did you accept this job?"

  "Because I couldn't say no to your grandmother," she answered truthfully, breathing hard from their torrid kiss.

  Zach's gaze dropped to her heaving chest, his eyes hooding and lips parting. Oh, she knew that look well. He wanted her. Badly. And damn it, she wanted him. More than her next breath.

  In that moment, she made a decision. This time, she'd act without thought of the repercussions. All she wanted was to once again be with the man she still loved. If he still desired her, perhaps there might be another chance for a future with him, right?

  She reached for him and brought his mouth back to hers. Grabbing his hand, she guided it to her breast as she snuck her other hand between their bodies.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Zach groaned as he realised Rebecca's intentions. God, he shouldn't. He mustn't. He still had questions, and this was all about closure, not getting into bed with her again.

  But Rebecca's lips were hot, her tongue playful, her breasts—fuck—her breasts were firm and full. And, oh Lord, her hand was burning on his upper thigh, a few inches away from his steely erection.

  "Bec, I don't think we should—" His feeble protest died, replaced by a gasping hiss, as she started rubbing his hardness.

  "I didn't mean to lead you on with that kiss," he mumbled, trying to hold on to some control even as his thumb flicked a hardened nipple through the material of her clothes.

  In response, Rebecca moaned and started kissing his neck.

  Ah, it was too much for a mere mortal like him to deny this woman who still made his body burn with desire.

  Throwing all caution to the wind, he reached behind her and tugged down the zipper of her dress.

  "Zach," Rebecca breathed as his restless hand roamed her naked back.

  "Do you really want this?" he rasped against her throat.

  "Yes."

  He caught the hem of her dress and lifted it off her. Sucking in a deep breath, he stared at her flimsy bra. It did absolutely nothing to hide her rosy nipples, which were straining for his attention.

  With impatient fingers, he undid the front clasp, then wasted no time capturing one of the peaks with his mouth, laving it with his tongue and tugging it with his lips.

  Rebecca gasped, clutching his hair as she arched her back toward him. With a swift move, he laid her down on the sofa and eagerly took off her panties.

  Right now, he didn't care about anything but this moment. Right now, he wasn't the wealthy CEO who needed to be on guard against women who might have ulterior motives. Right now, he was only Zach, the man who needed the woman before him like oxygen.

  He parted her legs and positioned himself in between, nipping and kissing her upper thighs as his mouth made its way to the apex.

  Rebecca's legs quivered in anticipation and he groaned in delight. Nothing he
ightened his arousal more than making Rebecca crazy with pleasure. And he knew just how to do that.

  He licked her wetness and a guttural sound escaped him. She tasted just as he remembered—utterly intoxicating. Eagerly, he flicked his tongue against her hardened nub and was rewarded by a lusty cry—exactly what he wanted to elicit from her. He pleasured her with his mouth, and when he knew she was close to the edge, he inserted two fingers in her, eager to bring her to climax.

  Rebecca pushed at his shoulders, making him look up in surprise.

  "You, Zach. Please. I need you now," she breathed.

  That was a plea he simply couldn't refuse. Hastily, he took off his pants and briefs as Rebecca fumbled with the buttons of his shirt.

  "Are you still on birth control, sweetheart?" he asked.

  Rebecca's hand stilled and her face flushed. "No," she said in a small voice.

  He stared at her for a second before hurrying to his toiletries bag to get a condom. In no time, he was sheathed and back with her on the couch. He discarded his shirt and lay on top of her.

  Rebecca immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. With a grunt he entered her, and his breath left him at the pleasure of being inside her once again.

  He thrust, slowly, wanting to make it last. But Rebecca's writhing body under him was too much for his self-control. It had been far too long since he'd had Rebecca, and hell, he was only a man. He didn't have what it took to stop himself from driving into her with unbridled passion.

  "Oh, God... Zach," Rebecca keened, her hands grabbing his behind, urging him to go faster still, deeper still.

  "Bec... baby... so good..." he gasped breathlessly as he increased his speed. Much too soon, he felt Rebecca's telltale tensing. When her body clamped around his thrusting cock over and over, he toppled over the edge with a yell as he emptied himself inside her.

  *

  Zach reluctantly stopped planting butterfly kisses on Rebecca's face and neck when his phone rang. As someone with great responsibility, he'd learned not to ignore calls made to his direct line, in case they were emergencies.

  "I have to get that," he said, giving her another peck on the lips.

  "Okay," she said with a satisfied smile that made him grin.