by RC Boldt
Seeing his concerned gaze, she gave him a slow, sweet smile before sliding closer to him. “Never better.” She leaned her head on his shoulder. “Never better,” she whispered.
As they swayed on the dance floor, she watched as Raine and Mac danced nearby, him twirling her intermittently, bringing her up flush against him, looking down at her affectionately. Seeing her friend’s eyes shining with so much love, seeing Mac return that look ten-fold, nearly brought tears to her eyes.
Her friend had been through so much after dealing with cancer and Mac, well, he had experienced a horrific final deployment over in Afghanistan. Those two deserved all the happiness in the world.
Looking back over to the table where Miller was now missing but her brother was chatting up—surprise—not one, but two women, she wondered when he would settle down.
A hand running down her back in a soothing manner drew her from her thoughts. She felt him press a kiss to her hair, her eyes falling closed. God, it would be so easy to get used to this. This feeling of being safe in his arms, of being cared for, being held just … because.
But she couldn’t allow it. She had to fortify herself against becoming too used to it. Because Laney knew what would happen in the end.
Right then, though, she wanted to bask in this feeling, in the moment. It couldn’t hurt to enjoy the feel of his arms wrapped so securely around her, his hard body against hers, those tiny, intermittent kisses to her hair he probably thought she didn’t notice.
This was the closest she’d ever get to what Raine and Mac had. And she had accepted it long ago.
* * *
Holding Laney in his arms like this was pure heaven. That was the best way he could put it. He knew he was probably being gag-worthy to others, but couldn’t help but press the smallest kisses to her hair. The way she was resting her head against him, her body was so relaxed, for once, he felt like her walls were finally down. This … this was what he’d always wanted. To have Laney let down her guard and let him in, to just be with him.
Looking over to where their other friends were dancing, watching Raine and Mac together, he felt envy run through him. He wanted that, the kind of love that radiated from both of them. Anyone within a few miles of the two could see they were completely in love and had eyes only for each other.
His gaze was pulled in the other direction of where Tate had been dancing with Lawson. Wait. Holy shit. She wasn’t dancing with Lawson any longer, but with Miller? Hell, those two had some past—that was evident to anyone with eyes—but he had yet to hear the story. He could see the myriad of feelings run across Tate’s face as she tried not to make eye contact with the former SEAL. His expression was shuttered, but when Tate spoke a few brief words to him, Zach noticed a split second of hurt flash in the man’s eyes before he masked it.
Laney lifted her head from his shoulder and looked up at him as the next song began playing. Her gaze, burning with such intensity that it nearly took his breath away, flitted between his eyes and lips.
She held his gaze, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. “Can we head home?”
Zach let out a low growl and pulled her even closer to him, dipping his head down to her ear. Brushing her hair back from it, his lips latched onto her lobe, tongue flicked at it once, twice, before answering her. “Yes.”
He wasn’t sure he had ever seen Laney move as fast as she did just then. She darted over to each of their friends, saying her good-byes, while he received laughing glances from them. Lawson flashed him a thumbs up and pretended to swipe at something near his groin. “Cobwebs,” he mouthed. What a douche.
As he and Laney were about to head out of the karaoke bar, Foster stood. Here we go again, he thought with an inner groan.
“You want to head on out and wait for me at the door?” Zach offered.
Laney crossed her arms, obstinately, her gaze fixed on her brother when she answered, “No. I’m walking out with you.”
Foster didn’t appear to be fazed as he maintained his focus on Zach. “What are your plans?”
Laney threw her hands up, giving a loud, exasperated sigh. “Seriously, Fos? You really want to know our plans? We plan on doing it.”
Foster’s gaze still remained on Zach. “Still on the long haul plan?”
Zach felt Laney’s curious gaze on him but his eyes didn’t waver from her brother. “Yep. Same plan as always.”
The two men stared at one another for a long moment before Foster finally nodded, giving him a slap on the shoulder that made him nearly wince at what was probably going to be a bruise later. “You two have a good night.”
“And remember to wrap your wacker before you attack her!” Lawson called out behind them before yelling, “Ouch! What? I’m just advocating safe sex! Sheesh, woman.”
He heard Laney giggle as they walked out of the karaoke bar and through the adjoining sports bar to the main exit. When they stepped out the open doors to the sidewalk, he felt a soft hand grasp his own. Startled, his eyes met hers, noting her tentative look. Giving her a wink, he raised their joined hands to press a kiss to hers before they stepped off the sidewalk to where the Chevelle was parallel parked.
Unlocking the car, he opened the passenger side door for her, helping her get seated. He nearly groaned as her dress slid higher on her thighs, showcasing what appeared to be endlessly long, tanned legs. The thought of those legs wrapped around him as he thrust in—
“Zach?” Her voice jerked him from his thoughts. “You planning on getting in the car with me or are you just going to stand there staring at my legs all night?” she teased.
His brow lifted. “Funny lady wants to walk home, does she?”
“Get in the car, Mayson.” Her eyes flashed with heat and something else he couldn’t identify.
Closing the door securely, he walked around the back of the car, discreetly adjusting himself before opening his door. As he slid inside and fastened his seatbelt, he started the car, putting it into gear, giving a jolt of surprise when he felt her hand on his thigh.
Looking over at Laney, her eyes on him, she turned her hand over to have the palm facing up. He slid his fingers through hers and watched as her eyes briefly fell closed as if she were savoring his touch. He brought her hand up to place another kiss on it, and when her hazel eyes opened, he saw the yearning in them.
“Ready to go home?”
The corners of her lips turned up in the slightest of smiles. “Yes, let’s go home.”
That word resonated deep within him.
Home.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
AS THEY WALKED THROUGH THE door to her house, Laney felt like she and Zach were transitioning to something deeper. The house was silent as they removed their shoes onto the mat by the door. She could feel the weight of his gaze and the fluttering in her stomach alerted her to nervousness threatening to break free.
“Laney.” His voice was low, gravelly.
Inhaling deeply before raising her eyes to meet his, she felt like someone had sucked all the oxygen out of the room. His eyes were burning with passion and … something more. It was that—the something more—that made it difficult for her to breathe.
He closed the distance between them, backing her against the wall. Reaching his hands out to cup her face, his thumbs caressed cheekbones. His heated gaze flitted from her hair to her eyes before coming to linger on her lips. One hand slid down her face to allow his thumb to tenderly swipe back and forth over her bottom lip. When her tongue darted out to meet it, tasting the pad of his thumb, she reveled in his sharp inhalation.
“Laney,” he breathed out her name, as if he were trying to tell her a dozen things with just one word. She felt entranced, unable to look away, watching the gray in his eyes seem to churn like the clouds of an impending storm over the Atlantic.
“Zach,” she whispered. His eyes fell closed as if the sound of his name on her lips were euphoric. When he opened them, they were smoldering with such heat, passion for her. And so full of tenderne
ss.
No one had ever looked at her this way. None of the guys she’d dated—er, slept with.
That’s because you’ve been picking the wrong ones, her heart told her. This is the one.
Laney felt her eyes grow wide and her throat felt tight.
“Stop.” His voice was like a lifeline, dragging her from overwhelmingly heavy thoughts. “Just be with me, Laney.” God, the way he asked—almost begged—triggered something within her. She reached to bring his body closer to hers, to press her lips against his in a tender kiss containing so much warmth and emotion that it took her by surprise.
Her lips sipped at his before she tilted her head to deepen the kiss, her tongue sliding inside seeking his. As soon as their tongues met, she heard the rumbling groan Zach released before he took over the kiss. His hands slid into her hair, fingers tightening to pull it slightly as he tasted her, his tongue dancing with hers. Zach pressed his hard body against her, letting her feel his arousal beneath his khakis.
She gasped as he trailed kisses down the side of her neck, pressing a kiss and then flicking his tongue out to taste her skin. Laney felt her nipples harden and, as if he knew what she needed, one hand released its hold on her hair and slid down to cup a breast. Her breath hitched as she felt him slide down the zipper along the side of her dress, part of the bodice falling to expose the red, strapless, lace bra. He helped ease the lone strap of the dress over her shoulder, letting it drop down, gathering at her waist.
“Fuck, Laney.” His words were nearly a growl as he regarded her breasts encased in the lace, hardened nipples pressing against it. His gaze returned to hers. “You take my breath away.”
‘You take my breath away.’ The words replayed in her mind and she basked in the sentiment, the sweetness of them.
And, just like that, another tiny sliver of her heart became his.
* * *
Zach bent his head, placing his lips around her nipple, his tongue rasping over the hardened peak through the lacy fabric of her bra. His lips closed around it, gently sucking it into his mouth, savoring her taste, her response as she arched, pressing her breasts to him.
His hand slid downward, pushing the dress down over her hips to fall at her feet. His fingers toyed with her panties. Releasing her nipple, he looked down at her, so gorgeous with slightly mussed hair from his fingers, his eyes stopping at the sight of her panties. So gray. So plain. So unlike Laney’s typical colorful choices. He raised his eyes to meet hers and what he saw in them made his breath catch, his chest tighten.
“Gray?” His voice came out raspy. Laney was anything but a gray kind of girl. She basked in vibrant color and patterns. Her gaze was searching before it lowered to his lips, as if she were afraid to meet his eyes.
“Your eyes …” She trailed off before she added, “Gray’s kind of become my favorite color.”
Zach waited for her eyes to meet his own, and when they did, the vulnerability in them took him by surprise.
“Laney,” he breathed before his mouth came crashing down on hers in a kiss so full of emotion that it took even him by surprise. Sliding his arm around her waist, the other went beneath her legs to lift her.
“Wait! Zach, you’ll hurt yourself. I’m too—”
“Stop,” came his gruff response. “The only word you should be fitting in that sentence is the word sexy.” His eyes were serious as he carried her back to her bedroom.
She let out a tiny laugh. “Did you just tell me to say ‘I’m too sexy’?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I guess I did.” He laid her down on her bed. “You got a problem with that, Kavanaugh?” he asked, one eyebrow raised.
She ran her gaze over the length of him before answering him in a whisper. “The only problem I have is that you’re way overdressed, Mayson.”
“Oh? You mean you want to see all of this,” he gestured to the length of his body, “naked?”
Nodding, she sat up, getting to her knees on the bed, crooking a finger at him. “Come here.”
He came closer to her, until his knees hit the side of the mattress. “I’m here. Now, what are you going to do with me?” His eyes were hooded as he looked down at her in her bra and panties.
Reaching for the hem of his shirt, her gaze not breaking from his, she began to lift it up. “Everything.” Pulling the shirt over his head, she let it fall to the floor before working on the button on his khakis.
When her fingers reached beneath the waistband, his eyes fell closed, sucking in a ragged breath. Her touch on his skin was euphoric. He couldn’t restrain his own hips from jerking toward her. She lowered the zipper, and pushed down his khakis, letting them drop in a heap on the hardwood floor.
Zach watched as her hot gaze centered on him, on his hardness, before she grasped him in her soft hand, fingers wrapping around him. He let out a low hiss, his eyes falling closed. Her touch was like heaven and hell; heaven in that he never wanted it to stop and hell because he felt like he was fighting a losing battle on controlling himself around her. All he wanted to do was throw her back onto the bed and lose himself inside of her, to make her cry out his name, make her feel the same bliss he was feeling.
“You’re so hard, so beautiful,” she breathed. His eyes opened to look down just as she leaned forward, taking him in her mouth.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuuuuuuck. Her mouth was so hot, so wet. And the suction, the sliding up and down …
“Laney, you’re killing me, right now,” he gritted out. His fingers combed her hair back from her face to watch her. Her hazel eyes met his and he watched her mouth slide up and down his cock, her tongue rasping against him, and then felt a hand cup him. That was what sent him over the edge.
Zach pulled her from him, her lips wet from loving him, driving him crazy. He had to have her.
Right. Now.
He reached to unfasten the clasp of her bra before sliding her back on the bed. Seeing her lying there, unbelievably beautiful, was nearly his undoing. He grabbed the gray panties, hurriedly sliding them down her legs, tossing them to the floor. Grasping each ankle in his hands, he spread her legs a bit wider, placing her feet flat upon the bed.
“Oh, Laney,” he breathed. “You enjoyed making me crazy, didn’t you?” he murmured the question as he traced her folds with one finger before sliding it deep inside of her.
She let out a loud gasp. “Yes. God, yes.” He watched as her hips lifted instinctively, eliciting another gasp when he slid a second finger inside.
The room was silent but for the choppy sound of their breathing as he lowered his head to place his lips around her clit, sucking it hard, while his thrusting fingers worked their magic. A moment later, he felt her inner muscles contract, heard her cry out his name. Laney’s hips moved rhythmically as she worked herself over his fingers, riding out her climax.
Holy shit, that was beyond hot. As the tremors subsided, he slowly slid his fingers from her body, watching as her eyes opened. She bit her lower lip before giving him a hesitant smile. “Sorry about that. Guess I was a bit fast on the trigger.”
He shook his head with a grin. “Don’t ever apologize for that.” He rose over her, the length of his hard body pressing against hers, making them both hiss at the contact. “That was,” he pressed a kiss to her neck, his hot breath fanning her skin, “so sexy.”
Laney reached an arm out to her bedside table, rummaging in the drawer, handing a condom packet to him.
“I need you,” she gasped as his mouth found her earlobe, running his teeth along the edge before sucking it gently between his lips.
“Put it on me,” came his gravelly request, raising his body from hers.
Laney opened the packet, tossing the wrapper to the floor before she unrolled the condom over the tip of him, smoothing it along his hard length.
“Laney.” Her eyes met his as he lowered himself down onto her. “You’ve got me so turned on that I’m not sure I’ll last very long.”
A hand wrapped around him, making him groan. “I need you insid
e of me. No more talking,” she told him.
“But I thought you liked my talking,” he spoke against her throat as he probed her opening with the tip of his hard cock. Running his teeth against the column of her throat, he pushed just a fraction inside of her, smiling at the sound of her sharply drawn breath. “Thought you liked when I told you that I wanted you to come all over my cock. How I want to feel you tighten—” He broke off when her inner muscles clenched around him.
“You’re right,” she agreed, her breath coming out in a wisp. “I do like your talking.”
“You like when I push deep inside of you like this?” He thrust deeper, groaning at the feel of her tightness, her heat surrounding him. Two hands grabbed his ass, pulling him toward her.
“I need you deeper.”
He complied, pushing and rocking himself as deep as he could go.
“You feel so good, Zach.” Her hands glided over his back, one coming to rest at the back of his head, her fingers sliding through his hair. He leaned in, their mouths meeting, their kiss feeling somehow different. Softer. Like it had more feeling in it. Like it was more intimate. It was just more.
And as they lost themselves in each other, he realized that it felt like more because it wasn’t one sided this time.
For the first time ever, it felt like he and Laney were both making love.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
SOMETIME THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, AMIDST the time spent exploring one another’s body, Laney realized she wanted some answers from long ago. She finally broached the subject, lying on her side facing him, resting her head on her hand.
“You know you were a complete ass when we first met, right?” She cocked an eyebrow at him.
Zach gazed at her thoughtfully a moment before answering carefully. “Laney, I want you to know that I never meant to piss you off that day.” His lips turned up into a self-deprecating grin. “I was so flustered when I saw you standing in the Media Center that I tried to be smooth. And while I meant to say you were distractingly beautiful …” He ran a hand over his face before letting out a long sigh. “You know the rest.”