Expecting His Secret Heir

by Dani Wade

  “Yes.”

  “I saw you with them, Zach,” she said, squeezing him a little tighter. “I’ve watched you interact with them since that first trip out there. They respect you. Your direction and judgment.”

  Her gaze remained clear and direct, pulling him in.

  “That doesn’t come from Blackstone backing. You have to earn that. Which you did with your integrity and hard work. They know you because you’ve proven yourself time and again. And that’s why they won’t judge you for indulging in some of what we girls call me time every so often.”

  Her assessment left him speechless and in desperate need of a few minutes to himself. As if she completely understood, she graced him with a sweet smile and continued on her exploration.

  Leaving him and his emotions behind.

  Twelve

  Eager for something to do, Zach carried the bags up the stairs to the master suite. Simply furnished in beige suede with accents reminiscent of the nearby woods, the atmosphere was soothing without being feminine. He dropped the bags, wondering where he would put Sadie’s stuff.

  With a self-deprecating shake of his head, he conceded that he hadn’t thought through his plans for this visit very well. He could put her bag downstairs, but he wasn’t about to give even a ghost of an impression that he wanted her that far away. Upstairs, he had a few drawers built into the closet, filled with his own clothes.

  Maybe they’d stay busy enough that clothes wouldn’t be necessary.

  They definitely weren’t necessary for what he had in mind. He glanced from the bed to the French doors leading to the balcony and hot tub. For the first time, Zach planned to explore every fantasy he could with a woman. Until now, he’d always held back. The intensity of his nature kept him cautious.

  But tonight he was cutting the caution tape and diving in headfirst.

  As he heard her footsteps on the stairs, a tremble started in his hands. Not hard enough to be seen, just subtle enough to be felt. He clenched his fists, unwilling to give in to the need to pounce the minute she strolled through the doorway.

  But when she came in, she didn’t look around, didn’t inspect her surroundings with the curiosity she had downstairs. Instead her gaze rested solely on him.

  Just as she had downstairs, she reached for him. Only this time, her touch wasn’t intended for comfort. She moved in close. The faint scent of sugar drifted over him as her hands traveled across his chest to grasp the edges of his open flannel shirt. Slowly she pulled down, just hard enough for him to feel the weight. Then she let go and slipped her hands inside. The same feeling of need came over him, multiplied by a hundred.

  But he refused to take the reins...just yet.

  The light scrape of her nails against his ribs through the undershirt tested his resolve. His eyelids slid closed. A few deep breaths might help...

  She pressed her mouth against the underside of his jaw.

  ...maybe not.

  His heart raced as she nibbled and licked her way to his neck, then down along the sensitive skin of his throat. He growled a warning.

  And heard her giggle.

  With a quick move, he lifted her by her arms and tossed her lightly onto the bed behind them. A high-pitched squeal signaled her surprise. He stood his ground at the mattress’s edge, staring down at her with the knowledge that the game was now his. He was in control. He would make the next move.

  For both their pleasure.

  “Strip.”

  The command sounded loud in the room, firm in its intent. Her eyes widened, and he didn’t miss the catch in her breath. Slowly, as if to tease him, she crawled to her knees, then straightened. Her fingers traced up her sweater to the trio of buttons right below her breasts. He could almost feel the seconds tick out as she released each one with agonizing delays.

  If she only knew just where that teasing would lead.

  Next came the long-sleeved T-shirt beneath. How could a woman make pulling a shirt over her head so incredibly sensual? As she reached for the button of her jeans, the tremble in his hands became a reality.

  The zipper traveled down ever so slowly. Just when he wondered how she would complete the move, she rolled confidently down onto her back. Holding his gaze with her own, she braced her knees and lifted her hips into his line of sight. She worked the heavy material down over her hips, then paused with her palms flat against her thighs.

  Now it was his turn.

  His patience at an end, he grasped the material and pulled. The jeans came off in one easy move. Sadie lost her balance as her feet were swept off the bed and fell back with a little bounce. The lamp on the bedside table left no shadows to hide her body. Zach was free to savor every inch with his gaze as much as his touch.

  He took advantage as he systematically stripped his own clothes away. As he crawled onto the bed, a new feeling took hold of him. He didn’t recognize it at first. When he did, he probably should have been ashamed. After all, this was the age when women weren’t owned by men. But deep inside, the urge to brand her as his was undeniable. To cover her body with his own and take her until no other man would dare touch what was Zach’s alone.

  Primitive. Forceful. Necessary.

  He could concede that this relationship wasn’t forever as long as he wanted to...but his body would never believe it.

  Straddling her stomach and arms, he bent low over her upper body. Just as she had earlier, he pressed kisses along her lower jaw. Only his were openmouthed and hard, drawing moans from deep within her throat. He moved lower, sucking at the base of her neck where the delicate indentation between her collarbones begged for his attention.

  She squirmed, but he wasn’t giving her the chance to distract him with her touch. As he traveled out to the delicate structure of her shoulder, he swept the strap of her bra aside. Then he stripped the bra itself down to reveal pale, trembling mounds of succulent flesh. Pressing them together with his palms, Zach admired their strawberries-and-cream color before lowering his head to drive her wild.

  Because he remembered everything that made Sadie moan, sigh and cry out. And he used that knowledge to his full advantage.

  As much as he wanted to hold out, to extend their loving to the brink of insanity, the throbbing pulse between his thighs insisted otherwise. He made quick work of her undergarments, then took immense satisfaction in lifting her legs and wrapping them around his waist.

  She needed no prompting but immediately pulled him in tight. He barely had enough reach to snag a condom from the bedside table and cover himself. Then he slid home.

  This time, there was no controlling his rhythm, no holding back. Their bodies strained in time with each other. Her cries filled the air. The feel of her fingernails on his back sent a sharp zing down his spine.

  Almost over. Not yet. Not yet.

  He buried his face at her throat, absorbing the vibration of her hoarse cries with his mouth. Her body tightened around him, a long, slow squeeze that pulled him in and sucked him dry.

  It was many moments before Zach could open his eyes to the glare of the lamp beside them, even more before he could ease away from the tangle of their limbs. He made them both comfortable, then plunged the room into darkness.

  A dim glow from outside permeated the French doors. Not the light of the moon, but maybe its shadowy reflection off the ever deepening snow on the deck. He lay on his side watching it, Sadie pulled close and secure against his chest. As he listened to the deepening of her breath, he had the same feeling he’d had on the nights before a few missions gone wrong. The sense that he’d made a mistake, missed something that was going to come back to bite him in the ass.

  But he was too happy to care. If Sadie was a mistake, she was by far the best mistake he’d ever made.

  * * *

  “But I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”


  The amused, calculating look in Zach’s eyes told her he didn’t care. Not in the least. “Well, I have one, but I promise not to use it.”

  Oh, she was in trouble. But she tried to protest anyway. “It’s cold out there.” The idea of the hot tub in the snow sounded romantic, but she’d have to actually go outside naked to accomplish it.

  “So...”

  As Zach tracked her around the bedroom, Sadie tried to think of another motive for staying inside. Normally, dawn was something she only saw for photo shoots. But this seemed to be her punishment for trying to ease out of bed and find a robe to cover her naked body. Now she attempted to both avoid Zach and keep the robe, which proved useless as he pounced.

  Her squeal echoed in the room when he swept her into his arms and stalked for the French doors. The first blast of cold air on her bare bottom made her gasp.

  Yep, exactly what she had wanted to avoid.

  The Neanderthal carrying her didn’t appear fazed. “Zach,” she said. “I’m naked.”

  “And all the more beautiful for it.”

  Thankfully Zach had prepared the tub while she’d been in the bathroom. The cover was already off and steam rose in smoky tendrils from the water. After a few steps, he tilted her until her toes met the blessed warmth. Inch by inch he eased her in until the water covered her like a blanket. Then he slid his sleekly muscled limbs in behind her.

  The water bubbled against her skin, reawakening the sensual needs that simmered below the surface whenever Zach was anywhere close. Zach’s strong hands kneaded her shoulders, further weakening her resistance.

  “See,” he murmured. “This is worth the walk, right? Or rather, the ride?”

  “Totally,” she mumbled back. “And I’ll believe that until the minute I have to get out and walk back into the house.”

  Zach laughed, the sound echoing around them. “Then I better make the interim worthwhile, huh?”

  You always do.

  But she didn’t let herself say the words out loud. She let her body speak them instead.

  It wasn’t long before Zach’s hands moved from working their heavenly magic on her shoulders back up into the wildly tangled locks of her hair. He alternated hands, squeezing and pulling one at a time, just enough to release the tension from her scalp.

  Sadie thought she might melt into eternal bliss.

  Every touch, every word spoken became a treasure to hide in her heart. The only gift she might ever be able to give herself, because once she had to leave him, nothing else would ever compare to these memories.

  Suddenly his hand in her hair was guiding her. A nearby seat hidden in the bubbles became a shelf for her to brace against. The vista before her swirled with dancing snow swept up from the forest floor, and the saturated pinks and blues of sunrise reflected off sparkling icicles.

  She felt Zach’s warm skin against her back, forming a shield between her and the cool air. Not that she noticed. Her mind was too focused on the moment when he made them one, bringing their bodies together in a connection as glorious as the beauty around them.

  He moved inside her, all around her. The water splashed and bubbled in an accompaniment to their harsh breath. His fingers continued their ballet of tightening and letting go, building her anticipation.

  “You’re so beautiful, Sadie,” he murmured with his mouth against her shoulder, only adding to the myriad sensations.

  How could she ever let go of such perfection?

  In response to the thought, her body clamped down, desperate to hold him within her for as long as she could. She arched her back, trying to take him deeper. To make him as much a part of her as she could.

  He moved in and out, every drag and pull intensifying her response. The low rumble of his voice added to the tingles, coaxing her into submission, commanding her response. Finally, just as the sun peeked over the horizon, her orgasm rolled through her, forcing Zach to catch his breath. He held still, buried in her inch by glorious inch.

  Her mind exploded along with her body, screaming the knowledge of her love for this man. So loud, she had to bite down on her tongue to hold the words inside. Instead tears fell, mingling with the steam surrounding them.

  Zach groaned, thrusting a few last times before he slowed down with a sigh. He pressed firm kisses along her shoulder as his arms surrounding her trembled ever so slightly. He murmured tender, soothing words against her skin.

  Something inside Sadie died at the thought that she couldn’t have him forever. But as her eyes drifted closed, she did her best to imprint every second to memory.

  Then again, how could she ever forget any of these incredible moments? She only hoped she never did.

  * * *

  There was a lot to be learned about another person when you spent several days in a row alone together, just as Sadie did during their time snowed in at the cabin. Sharing the same bed brought a whole wealth of knowledge.

  And not just about sex.

  For instance, Zach was a side sleeper. He cuddled in close every night, but her position didn’t seem to matter. She could face out spoon style, or snuggle her cheek against his chest. Either way, he almost never moved more than the barest shift. He wasn’t a tosser and turner, which made sleeping with him a bit like having access to her own human pillow that supported her body and didn’t self-adjust after she’d made herself comfortable.

  It might have sounded uptight, but Sadie had learned after many interrupted nights’ sleep with her sister that she could only be awakened so many times before her brain started to short-circuit. Sleep was, quite frankly, important to her.

  Tonight, their third here, started the same as both the other nights. Sadie drifted off to sleep wondering how many more nights she would have like this. Would they be going home tomorrow? Were the roads safe up here? She hadn’t had more than the briefest of glimpses out at the road and wasn’t sure that she wanted one.

  Frankly, she didn’t want their time together to end.

  An adulthood spent in a sickroom had given her the unfortunate ability to instantly wake up at the slightest noise or movement. Only Zach’s movements weren’t slight.

  First he flopped onto his back so that his side bumped against her back. She rolled over to face him then snuggled up to a pillow instead. He was probably trying to get comfortable. Then he jerked again, mumbling something under his breath.

  A little odd for the man who usually slept like a rock for six hours a night. Reaching out, she laid her palm against his bare chest. His skin was hot, with a light sheen of sweat.

  A few seconds later, he jolted again. Then again, and again. It took her a few minutes to realize that the man she thought couldn’t be shaken was having a nightmare. Seconds later he rolled over, this time throwing out an arm that caught her unawares as it struck against her side.

  Her gasp sounded loud in the room. Suddenly, Zach sat straight up, his body at attention. Sadie froze, too, not sure whether or not it was safe to reach out again. Who knew what Zach was reacting to—and she had a feeling he wasn’t entirely awake.

  So she held still, counting the spaces between his breaths, waiting for him to gain consciousness. As he did, the feel of the room changed. His muscles loosened one by one. Then the sound of a ragged breath met her ears, interrupted by a hard swallow.

  When he turned to her, she couldn’t see his expression in the gloom, but she could hear the emotion in his voice. “Sadie? Sadie, are you okay?”

  Now she sat up, automatically reaching out a hand to rest against his biceps. “I’m okay, Zach.”

  She barely made out the shadow of him shaking his head. “I think—I think I hit you.” His ragged breathing continued. “I’m damn sorry, Sadie.”

  “I’m perfectly fine,” she assured him. “It was more like a bump. I was just in the way, Zach. No harm done.”

&
nbsp; “I still shouldn’t have...”

  That’s when she realized there was a slight tremble beneath her palm. Not a full-blown reaction. Something she suspected he was using all his might to control. But it was there, all the same.

  “That must have been a doozy of a nightmare,” she said.

  Even Sadie, who kept a lot to herself, would have wanted to talk something like that out. If for no other reason than to rid herself of the haunting images that could linger after a very intense nightmare.

  Apparently Zach didn’t, because he was silent. Which was fine. It wasn’t for her to decide what Zach wanted to share. But that didn’t stop her protective instincts from surging to the front.

  Being protected, being taken care of, was as foreign to Zach as it was to Sadie. She wasn’t going to let that hold her back.

  Curling her fingers around his elbow, she pulled him in her direction. He resisted at first, but she wasn’t giving up. As he twisted toward her, she reached for his other arm, then used them to guide him down against her. She lay back against her pillow, positioning him along her side.

  “It’s okay, Zach,” she repeated softly.

  Her heart leaped as he buried his face against her neck, but she held still. It took time. Soon his skin was flush against hers, his breath puffing gently along her collarbone and his arm heavy across her waist. There were no more signs of the shakes, but she sensed a struggle for balance. One she couldn’t influence, but she could provide a safe haven until he found it.

  She embraced his shoulders, securing him to her. Then she closed her eyes and measured her breaths. Soon his breathing matched hers, his rhythm evening out. Only then could she truly relax deep down inside, no longer worried that the nightmare would win.

  He might not sleep well, but at least his body could rest.

  But sleeping didn’t seem to be what he had in mind. Just as she began drifting toward slumber, his leg shifted over hers, sliding between her thighs. Languidly his hand explored what flesh it could find.

  And she was more than happy to welcome his touch.