by Laurie Roma
Just a minute, she told herself.
She could let go for one minute and simply enjoy.
They attacked one another. Long months of sexual tension exploding out in a battle of dueling tongues and quick, nipping bites. Fire raced over her skin wherever he touched, and her own hands desperately gripped at him. A moan tore from her throat as his large hands cupped her breasts, flicking at her puckered nipples with his thumbs.
She hadn’t been prepared for her response to him. Hadn’t know she could lose herself so completely to the passion he made her feel. It felt so good to finally be in his arms, but she knew they needed to stop before they did something they would both regret.
When he let out a low groan and started pulling at the ties of her pants, she fought for control. Pushing at his chest again, she pulled her mouth away from his. “Stop. Dante, please.”
He froze immediately, body tight with tension. “Why, Zoe?”
She wanted to flinch at the mixture of anger and pain in that one word. She couldn’t blame him. A minute ago, she’d been doing her best to all but crawl into him, but she couldn’t let it go any further. It wasn’t a choice she made lightly, but she had to protect herself…and him.
With no idea what to say, she remained silent. It hurt, watching the bitterness that flashed into his eyes as he pulled back from her so their bodies were no longer touching. Instantly, she missed the heat of his body. Dante Fox wasn’t a man a woman said no to easily, and she wished she didn’t have to.
By God, she wished that more than anything.
His dark hair was disheveled as he jerked his hands through it. She watched the thick muscles of his biceps flex as his arms lowered again. His light-blue eyes pierced through her, accusation and anger clear for her to see.
“I guess I still have to prove myself to you,” Dante bit out icily. “Fine. One more month. I can wait one more goddamn month. But once this fucking bet is over, there will be no more games between us.”
It wasn’t a threat. It was a promise.
And knowing it made her shiver with awareness.
Dante let out a low, vicious curse as he took another step back. Anger surged, bright and hot. How dare she sit there looking at him with such wounded eyes. She was the one who’d rejected him…again, and it was impossible to hold back the resentment he felt every time she did.
His hands clenched as he fought the urge to jerk her to him again, to pull her back into the storm of passion that had raged between them. She’d kissed him back, damn her. He knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
He could feel it…could fucking sense it.
It was torture being in the same room with her without being able to touch her, and now that he’d finally kissed her, tasted her, it was even worse. His cock was brutally hard, throbbing with a painful ache that made him want to put his fist through a wall. Instead, he turned away, trying to pace away his frustration until it became more bearable.
She had been wild in his arms. He’d felt the need vibrating through her, waiting to break free. Her slim, firm body had fit against him perfectly, just as he knew it would. Her breasts weren’t large, but they were a good size for her small frame and they’d filled his hands completely. He’d felt her tight nipples stabbing his palms, and he’d had to fight back the need to rip her top off so he could suck the little berries into his mouth.
Just thinking about it made his cock throb in angry demand. Damn it. He could still taste the sweet, wild honey of her on his lips, and he wanted more. He wanted all of her.
Restraint didn’t come easy to him, but seeing her sitting there looking so damn fragile and wary made him fight for control of his raging hormones. Dante knew he could seduce her. The way she had melted in his arms told him it wouldn’t be hard to push past her defenses, but there was a hint of fear in her voice when she’d asked him to step back that he couldn’t ignore.
Something held her back, and it was more than just her reservations about his reputation. Instinct forced him to tread softly. It was an itch on the back of his neck that had saved his life before. Even though this wasn’t a combat situation, Dante felt like he was fighting for his life all the same…the life he wanted with Zoe.
Dante didn’t understand how he knew it, but he respected it. She was too important to him not to. No matter how hard it was for him, he’d give her the space she asked for. But there would be no going back now that he’d tasted her.
He was fucking obsessed, he thought bitterly. What the hell was it about her that brought out this dark need in him? He’d never felt this way about another woman before. Hell, he’d avoided getting serious with anyone in the past, making sure that the women he took to bed knew that all he was offering them was a few hours of hard fucking with no strings attached.
But with Zoe it was different. He wanted to take her, to own her completely. It should have scared the shit out of him, but for some reason, it didn’t. It just seemed to make some sort of crazy sense in his mind.
Zoe watched Dante stomp around the room and thought back to the bet they’d made three months ago. Since she’d started working for him, Dante had never tried to hide the fact that he wanted her. And she’d wanted him. From the first moment she’d seen him tending bar, she’d wanted him. It had been her first real attraction toward a man.
Lust, she’d thought at first.
But as she’d gotten to know him, she’d quickly realized it was so much more than that.
It hadn’t taken long for the gossip to reach her. Dante loved women, and he’d had his share of them. Hell, he’d had more than his share, but he never kept them for long. She couldn’t blame the women of Breakers for lusting after him. Dante Fox was a prime specimen of a man, with a bad boy reputation that added a hint of the danger to him.
She’d heard the rumors. Knew that he was supposed to be a wild lover, with an unending surplus of energy in the bedroom. Just thinking about that made her nervous, and jealous of those who had firsthand knowledge of his skills at seduction. She knew this had been the longest period of time he’d ever gone without having a woman in his bed. It was better to let him think that it was his reputation that was making her hold back. She’s never thought he would agree not to be with any women for four months just to have her, but he had.
Just knowing that made her heart melt. Dante wanted her enough to show her just how much she meant to him. They had a connection between them that was impossible to deny. He’d never kissed her before tonight. Never unleashed all the sexual tension that had been building between them that she’d known was there, waiting to ignite. And right now—looking at him in all his pissed-off glory—she wondered how much longer she’d be able to resist him.
Her lips felt swollen from his kiss, and she pressed her fingers to them as if she could hold onto the feel of him. He’d given her something amazing…her first taste of real passion. To anyone else, their kiss would have been a small thing, but for her, it had been earth shattering. She loved the way his dark hair fell down over his eyes. It made her want to reach out to push it back off his face, made her want to cup his cheek and lean in to kiss him again.
Zoe knew he didn’t understand. How could he know just how much she wanted the comfort and safety she knew she’d find in his embrace? How could he know just how much she cared for him, or how much she’d give to be his?
But, she couldn’t have him. Not as long as she was living a lie.
Dante stopped pacing and turned back to her as she slipped off the table and moved to put her violin back into its case. She heard him take a few deep breaths, and forced herself to keep moving away from him.
“I didn’t know you played.”
Zoe paused, then removed the shoulder and chin rest from the instrument before wiping it down with a soft, clean cloth she kept in the case. The violin was a priceless collector’s piece, but more than that, it was a personal treasure to her, almost like a best friend.
And it was one of the only things she had brought with
her from her old life.
“I don’t play much anymore,” she said softly.
“What was that last song you were playing? I’ve heard it before, but I can’t place it.”
“It was Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” one of my favorites. It may not be as old as some of the classics, but it’s still a wonderful piece.”
“It makes an impact,” he agreed.
When she was done, she closed the case, securing the locks in place then fiddled with the strap before turning to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry for coming in after hours without permission.”
Dante frowned at the docile tone of her voice. He was used to her sniping at him, not sounding so contrite. For some inexplicable reason, it made him angry. Usually, Zoe was a hot package with a fiery temper, one he’d been singed with countless times before. Actually, for some sick reason, he enjoyed their verbal sparring, and it made him confident they were more than a match for one another.
“Since when the hell do you ever ask my permission for anything?”
“I…” When she trailed off and winced, his irritation increased.
“Christ, you have the keys and the codes. It’s not like you were bothering anyone here, but it’s almost fucking three in the morning. You should be home, sleeping in your damn bed.”
And I should be there with you…
Thinking about her in bed was a bad idea. Images of her slim body writhing on silk sheets beneath him slammed into his brain, making his dick twitch in his jeans. Any more thoughts like that and his cock would end up with the zipper impression of his jeans on it. No, fantasies like that wouldn’t do him any good. Not if he wanted to get out of the bar without taking her.
Zoe’s eyes fired at the censure in his tone, and seeing that bit of temper settled him a bit. He liked the way her eyes narrowed and how the gleam of annoyance made them sparkle.
Yeah, he was a sick man.
“You’re one to talk. What are you doing here right now? Dante, this isn’t good for you. You need your sleep. Were you at the gym again?”
His eyebrow quirked up. “Worried about me, angel?”
Her lips tightened as they always did when he called her by that nickname. She didn’t like it, and knowing that just made it even more satisfying to use it.
“Someone has to,” she muttered as she put her jacket on. Once she zipped it up, she picked up the violin and slung the long strap over one of her shoulders so the large, rectangular case lay over her back crosswise.
Dante reached down and picked up his own hoodie, never looking away from her as he put it back on. “We closed at midnight. I didn’t see your bike out back.”
Zoe sighed a little. “I went home after closing, then walked back about an hour ago.”
His expression darkened. “You walked here at this time of night? Alone? Are you fucking out of your mind?”
Zoe fought the urge to roll her eyes at him. It was well known that Dante took safety of the women who worked for him seriously. It was even standard practice for one of the guys to walk the female staff members to their vehicles at the end of their shifts, but when it came to her, Dante’s concern bordered on fanatical.
At first, she’d been insulted by the way he acted as if she couldn’t be trusted to cross the street on her own. That was, until she realized just how fiercely protective he was of her. She liked that he cared about her. When he thought she was working too hard, he would jump in and lend a hand or harass her until she took a break. When he didn’t think she was eating enough, he shoved food at her and bitched until she ate.
People often commented that she and Dante fought like an old married couple, and even though he did annoy her at times, the idea of it pleased her immensely. Still, uncertainty plagued her thoughts. Zoe had fallen for him, and she knew, without a doubt, it was more than a passing crush. But Dante wasn’t a man who kept women around for long once he had them, and she wasn’t looking to become another of his castoffs.
Self incrimination struck her. That wasn’t fair. Dante wouldn’t be putting so much effort into getting her if he was just planning to toss her aside as soon as she gave in to him. No relationship came with guarantees, and it was wrong of her to demand one before being with Dante.
But Zoe’s past made it difficult to even consider having a future with him.
Pushing aside her frustration at the mess that was her life, she focused back on their conversation and realized that Dante was scowling at her as he waited for her to respond to his insulting reaction to her walking to the bar by herself. Keeping her tone light, she said, “It’s only four blocks. I was fine.”
“Stubborn woman.” Dante snorted with disgust. “I’ll take you home now. We’re going to have a couple of hard weeks, and we have the anniversary party coming up. You need to get some fucking sleep,” he snapped. “Don’t push me, Zoe.”
“You mean like you’re pushing me? You’re such a bossy bastard sometimes.”
“Damn right I am.”
“I know we’re going to be busy this week, but remember, I’m off on Tuesday.”
His scowl deepened. “Damn it. We’ve got spring breakers in all week. I need you here.”
The irritation in his voice didn’t bother her. It wasn’t like she hadn’t told him that she was taking Tuesday off. The bar was usually closed on Mondays, but they were open this week for the spring breakers that flooded the town. Dante usually made sure that all the staff members took at least one other day off during the week, but right now it was all hands on deck.
“I’m going wedding dress shopping with Kali and the girls on Tuesday.” She paused before asking, “Are you willing to tell them I can’t go?”
Dante winced. “Hell, no. Those women would kill me.” He paused before adding, “Then Hammer would drive over my bloody remains for upsetting Kali.”
She smirked at him. “Yeah, he probably would.”
“Don’t sound so happy about it. Fine. Whatever. I’m taking you home now.”
“I don’t need—hey!” She tried to jerk away when he gripped her arm.
There was a storm in his eyes as he used his hold on her to pull her closer, so close that she felt his breath on her lips. His voice lowered to a furious hiss. “Either I take you home, or I take you on the goddamn bar floor. Right here. Right now. Make your choice.”
Sensing the seriousness of his words, she stopped arguing. He was too close to losing control to push him any further. “Okay, caveman. You can walk me home.”
He grunted at the use of her own nickname for him, and let her go easily when she pulled her arm from his grasp. It pissed her off that she was still left feeling shaken. Even though he’d grabbed her firmly, he had been careful. It was one of the dichotomies that was Dante Fox. He was bad-tempered, even surly at times, yet he was always gentle with her when he touched her.
When she had first met Dante, his intensity had frightened her, but as she’d gotten to know him better, she’d come to realize that he would never hurt her. It just wasn’t in him. Sure, he could be violent, but never with a woman, and especially not with her.
That was one of the things that made Dante and his friends so amazing. They were all large men—some of them were even quite scary—but they made an effort to temper their strength with those weaker than them.
Still, she knew firsthand the damage a man’s fists could do.
Zoe knew that Dante would never hurt her physically, but the damage he could do to her heart could be catastrophic if she really let him in. She wasn’t a coward, though. Somehow, someway, she would figure out a way to face her fears, but the past was difficult to forget.
But it was more than just learning to trust Dante with her heart.
Telling him the truth about herself would also mean trusting him with her life.
The silence was heavy between them as Zoe followed Dante out of the bar. He paused briefly to reset the alarm before they stepped outside. She waited patiently beside him as he relocked the side door, not
wanting to spark his anger again if she took off without him.
Zoe tilted her head up and breathed in the night air. It was dark outside, but the high-pitched tweets of birds broke through the quiet, hinting at the morning to come. She wasn’t surprised when Dante bypassed his bike, choosing to walk her home instead. Just as well. Riding on the back of his Harley with her arms wrapped around him wouldn’t do either of them good.
They had never done this before, taken a walk together on a nice spring night. It seemed so…normal, and would have been pleasant if the silence between them wasn’t so strained.
The streets were well lit by lamp light, and the sidewalks were free of cracks. The citizens took pride in their town, and it showed in the care that was given to every detail. Zoe loved the town of Breakers and had from the moment she’d arrived. At first, she’d been scared and wary of moving to a small town she’d never been to before, but what she had found felt like home to her.
Zoe looked up at her apartment building as it came into view. It was a three-story structure that had been converted out of an old warehouse, with a large balcony attached to each unit on the top two floors, while each ground floor apartment had a nice size patio. Several staff members from the bar also had apartments in the building, giving her a sense of security from having people she knew living so close if she needed them.
Their steps slowed as they came to the end of the walkway leading up to the building. He hadn’t looked at her as they’d walked, but he turned to her now. She pressed a hand to her stomach as she felt it flutter, just like it always did when he looked at her that way. She felt self-conscious and unsure what to say to break the awkward silence between them. Still, she had to say something about what had happened between them early. “I’m sorry about before—”
“I’m not,” Dante said softly. “I’m not going to apologize for kissing you, because it would be bullshit. Things would be different if you didn’t want me, but you do. I know you do.”