She cringed. “Great.” Pushing herself to standing, she shoved the chair aside and then took the two steps for the door. With nothing more than a glance at Zeke, she brushed past him and headed the opposite direction down the hallway toward the living suites.
Unfortunately, he followed her. She could feel him at her back.
When she reached her door, she opened it with shaky hands and turned around. “You’re not coming in. I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“I think you have a lot to say to me. I just heard some of it from the hallway.”
Voices sounded from around the corner. The last thing Michelle needed was for someone to catch her arguing outside her suite with Zeke, so she stepped back, grabbed his shirt, and jerked him inside.
As soon as the door shut, she lost it. “Look, I don’t get why you’re pissed at me.”
His mouth fell open. “I’m not pissed at you. Clearly you’re pissed at me.”
She stepped back. “Fine. You’re right. But I’m not blabbing about it to other people. I haven’t said a word to anyone about us. You’re the one holding clandestine meetings out in the cold discussing me.”
“Oh for heaven’s sake. That’s pure bullshit. And so is the fact that you haven’t spoken about us. Emily knows quite a few details about us. So does Kate.”
She flinched. He was right about that. “Fine. Yes, I told my friends we kissed. I thought they were my friends. It didn’t seem like a big deal. Now not only is everyone avoiding me, but you’re still discussing it behind my back like it’s an issue. So what? We kissed. We’re adults. We can move on. Why the secret meetings and ducked heads?”
For a moment he said nothing, and then he finally licked his lips and spoke in a softer voice. “We did way more than kiss.”
What was he talking about? “Fine, some kissing and groping. It’s not like we had sex. I think I would remember that.”
“That’s not what I mean.” He rolled his eyes.
“What the hell do you mean, then?”
“I mean, you speak of us flippantly as if it meant nothing.”
She took another step back, more confused than ever. “Apparently it did mean nothing to you.”
He shook his head. “That’s not true. I admit I got cold feet worrying about what might happen to us if we started dating because I’m a little unsure of myself and I didn’t want to screw things up when we have to work together, but what we had meant a lot to me. If we didn’t work together and I was a stronger person and I thought I could ever be the kind of man you deserve, I would pursue you in a heartbeat.”
She inched backward slowly until her knees hit the edge of the couch and she lowered to sit.
He continued. “Emily said you were hurt because you found me laughing at Meredith.”
Michelle swallowed and looked down at her lap, wringing her fingers together. “That’s true.” She found it hard to admit, but she kept talking in a low voice. “I was jealous. We spoke a lot about how hard it is for you to even smile. You never laugh. And then I found you falling out of your chair laughing with your ex-wife as if she were the funniest person on earth.”
He rushed across the room and sat next to her, wrapping one large hand over both of hers. “Meredith is a bitch. You must have walked by at the exact moment I realized she had only come here because she imagined I would get some sort of giant payout from the government for my trouble. She’s a gold digger. When I figured out her agenda, I did fall out of my chair laughing. At her, not with her. I’m sorry.”
Michelle lifted her face. “She came after you because she thought you had money?”
He nodded, giving her one of his half smiles. “You missed the part where I sobered and told her to get the hell out of the bunker and never return. I marched her fancy ass to the front of the building and someone escorted her off the premises.”
Michelle didn’t know what to say. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
He sighed. “I’m an ass. Meredith reminded me how terrible I was at relationships so I got it in my head that we shouldn’t pursue this thing between us, and then you seemed to think the same thing, so I let it go.”
“Then why were you and Emily and Ryan discussing it outside like it’s some sort of private club?”
He smiled again, melting her a little. “Emily brought it up. It’s not like we’ve discussed you before. Today was the first time. She started nagging me about clearing the air with you. She’s relentless. I was blindsided.”
Michelle matched his smile. “Yeah, Emily can be that way. But she’s been avoiding me.”
“Maybe it’s just a coincidence? I don’t think she’s avoiding you. She spent fifteen minutes reading me the riot act. She wouldn’t do that if she didn’t care about you.”
True. “Did the three of you take up smoking?”
He shot her a strange look. “Nooo. Why?”
“Because you keep sneaking off outside together like smokers.”
He gave her a sampling of his laugh. “Nope. Not smoking. It’s getting nice out. We like to get fresh air and get out of the lab sometimes. Emily is attached to Ryan, so she usually comes along.”
“So, I could join this club of yours?” she tested.
“Of course. Please do. Unless you intend to join Emily and gang up on me as if I’m a complete idiot.”
Michelle bit her lip. “So, where does this leave us?”
“I don’t know. I’m sorry I gave you the wrong impression. I should have had the balls to face you. I guess I didn’t because I knew if I got you alone to try and explain why we shouldn’t be together, I would feel like I do right now and end up kissing you instead.”
Her smile widened. “How exactly do you feel right now?” If he felt half as many butterflies in his stomach as she did, he wouldn’t be talking any longer.
He released her hands, eased his palm up her arm, and cupped the side of her face. A second later, he leaned forward and kissed her. The kiss was soft and sweet for several seconds before he tipped his head to the side and deepened the contact, turning it into something urgent and hard.
Her nipples jumped to attention at the sudden change of events, and she spun her body to face him, grabbing his waist with one hand and flattening the other on his chest.
Like every time he kissed her, she had no idea how much time passed, nor did she care. It felt so good to be touching him again. Goose bumps climbed up her skin. Nothing had changed. She wanted him. Maybe she was desperate from months cooped up in a bunker with so few options, but she didn’t think so. Especially since any other doctor or scientist on staff would be a better choice if she was judging them by how they treated her and how often they spoke or smiled.
Maybe she liked the challenge? She was a pleaser, and she’d been aware of herself reverting to her old ways when it came to Zeke. A strong desire to ensure he liked her even while she’d been pissed at him for seemingly enjoying his ex-wife’s company a bit too much.
When he released her lips, it was to kiss a path to her ear and breathe into her. “If we don’t stop now, we’ll never make it back to the lab, and people will start wondering where we went.”
Her face heated. “Shit. We’ve been gone a while,” she whispered, wishing the rest of the world and all its problems would disappear for a few hours so she could live a little. She still wasn’t sure this was a good idea, but she at least wanted to spend some time with him to see if they were compatible.
He pulled back, holding her arm and her face still. “You have plans for tonight?”
“I was going to hide in my suite and stare at the pages of a book I haven’t been able to concentrate on since you blew me off.”
He smiled. “Maybe I could join you? I’m reading the same book.”
She closed her eyes. “I like that plan.”
Chapter 10
It was late by the time Michelle got back to her suite. She had grabbed dinner from the cafeteria and returned to the lab to oversee a new experiment some o
f the staff was conducting. She hadn’t seen Zeke in several hours, so she worried he might have given up and gone back to his suite.
But when she rounded the corner, she found him leaning against her door. In addition, he was holding flowers. “Truce?” he asked as she approached.
She stepped close to him, took a whiff of the flowers, and closed her eyes. “Definitely.”
After opening the door and letting them both in, she took the flowers and headed for the kitchen. She didn’t own a vase, but a glass would work. “How did you manage to get flowers?”
“I had them delivered to the gate. One of the security guards brought them to the bunker.”
“That’s impressive.”
“It was just a phone call.”
She realized he had followed her when his voice sounded close to her ear. Seductive. “It was more than that,” she murmured as she set the flowers in the glass of water.
“Okay, you might be right. I’ve never bought flowers before. It took a few minutes.”
She glanced up at him. “You’ve never bought flowers?”
“Nope. I’m not really a flowers kinda guy.”
“And yet…”
“And yet.” He stepped closer, crowding her against the counter. When he set his hands on either side of her, blocking her in, she inhaled sharply. His expression was intense. He scanned her face. “Have I mentioned how sorry I am?”
“Yes. But you only get half the blame. I’m sorry too.”
“Accepted. Can we skip to the part where I kiss you again?”
“Please.” She settled her hands on his waist as he leaned in and set his lips on hers. Her entire body relaxed as he claimed her mouth. She hadn’t realized how tense she’d been until then. Weeks of frustration and anxiety related to both work and her awkward relationship with Zeke.
She was still wearing the usual scrubs, which were not attractive on anyone but practical for their work. She wished she had showered and dressed in something more appealing, but there hadn’t been time.
Zeke had damp hair, jeans, and a navy designer T-shirt on. He looked like a man on a date.
She looked like a woman who’d just come from the lab. She leaned back, breaking the kiss, and met his gaze. “Would you mind if I took a shower? I feel gross, and you smell amazing.” She leaned closer and nuzzled his neck, inhaling his scent mixed with whatever soap he’d used.
His hands slid to her waist, and he pulled her closer. “You may if it makes you more comfortable, but don’t feel like you have to on my account.”
“It would make me feel less self-conscious.”
His hands slid to hers. “Go ahead.” He permitted her one of his rare smiles.
“You’ll wait?”
“Of course.”
She blew out a breath. “Thanks.” After ducking under his arm, she hurried through to her bedroom and into the bathroom. The hotel setup of the suites meant no one had a large space, but they were new and much better than driving back and forth into town every day.
In the last few months, no one had been permitted to leave the facility without a good reason anyway. It was lucky for them that they had enough housing to accommodate everyone. More trailers were being brought in every few weeks too.
Eventually the bunker would be bursting at the seams. She wondered if Temple was still considering transferring some people.
Michelle shut the bathroom door, turned on the water, and shed her clothes to drop them in the hamper. The second the water was warm enough, she slid inside. Normally she could shower quickly. She wasn’t a high maintenance kind of woman. But tonight, she wanted to shave and take a little extra care. Just in case.
Feeling rushed, she worked fast, and got out in short order, only to realize she didn’t have any clothes in the bathroom. “Shit,” she muttered. Had she shut the bedroom door?
She dried off, combed through her hair, and wrapped the towel around her. If she could quietly slip into the bedroom, maybe he wouldn’t notice her tiptoeing to the closet.
Her plan was completely thwarted when she opened the door softly to find him lying on her bed. He was on his side, head propped in his hand, facing her, smiling.
She licked her lips. “I forgot clothes.”
“Do you really need them?”
She inched closer. “Depends.”
“Depends on what?” he asked narrowing his gaze.
“On whether or not you intend to keep yours on.”
He smiled. “That’s up to you. I’m in favor of the idea, if you are. But, I don’t want to be presumptuous.”
She was only a few feet away from him when she spoke next. “You’re in my bedroom, lying on my bed, looking good enough to eat, and you don’t think that’s presumptuous?”
He reached out a hand and snagged her wrist, pulling her the rest of the way to the edge of the bed until her thighs hit the mattress. “Will it be presumptuous if I tug that towel off you and lick the last drips of water from your body?”
She gasped. Her nipples were hard points. Her sex was now wetter than she’d been in the shower.
He lifted a finger and traced it along the top edge of her towel. “Am I moving too fast? I’ll stop if you want. I couldn’t help myself. When you said you were going to take a shower…and I couldn’t keep from picturing you naked…and then you came out without clothes…”
“Not too fast,” she whispered. She would have had sex with him every time he’d been in her suite if he hadn’t been so damn cautious. He somehow managed to chase all common sense from her mind when he was around.
He was also a different man when they were alone together. At work, he was quiet, reserved, serious, stern. As soon as he was alone with her, he changed. He somehow managed to talk and smile and flirt and make her body hum with need.
She gave him a playful shove so he fell onto his back, and then she climbed up next to him and settled against his chest on her side. As she stared down at his face, she knew for certain she wanted to have sex with him.
To hell with reason. She hadn’t had sex in many years, and she was strung so high she was going to implode soon. Deciding she should mention that fact, she blurted out, “I’m going to fumble. I haven’t been with a man in a long time.”
“Well, technically I haven’t had sex in fourteen years,” he joked. “So I have you beat.”
She swatted at his chest. “Ten of those don’t count, but I’ll still give you the point.”
“Are we keeping score?” he teased.
“No. Just warning you that I’m not that experienced and it’s been a while. I might embarrass myself.”
He chuckled deep and low. And then he flattened her on her back and swapped positions so he hovered over her from his side. “I may have been married, but you should know Meredith was my only sex partner, and it became obvious fairly quickly that she didn’t have any interest in sleeping with me, so it didn’t happen often. I’m about as nervous as a man can be at the age of thirty.”
She slid her hand up his arm. “Don’t be. We’ll agree that the first one doesn’t count, get it awkwardly out of the way, and then start over. Okay?”
He laughed. “Michelle, every second I’m with you counts. Holding you like this while you’re wearing a towel counts. Kissing you counts. Looking into your eyes counts. I’m counting the seconds until I can see you naked and run my tongue across your nipples.”
A chill raced up her body. He was so damn articulate when it mattered. And apparently it mattered. She stared into his eyes as he held her gaze for a long time.
Slowly, his hand came to her waist, and then he slid it up to the spot where she’d tucked the towel in above her chest. Still holding her gaze, he tugged the towel free and pushed it aside.
The cool air of the room made her shiver, but when he set his hand on her stomach, she absorbed his warmth.
His gaze burned a hole in her until he finally lowered it to her lips and then lower. His actions felt incredibly reverent as he turned his attent
ion to her chest, his hand easing up to cup her breast.
Her nipple jumped to attention, the stiff peak growing incrementally tighter under his perusal.
His fingers danced around her chest, eliciting exactly the response any woman would have to such contact. Each time he grazed a finger over a nipple, she arched slightly. When he circled the sensitive tip, she bit into her lower lip. If he kept this up, she might come from him worshiping her chest alone.
She was powerless to intervene in any way. Her brain wasn’t firing right. She couldn’t even convince her arms to lift from her sides. Instead, she only managed to fist her fingers in the towel and sheets beneath her.
Finally, he leaned over and took one nipple in his mouth, suckling it gently. He flicked his tongue over the tip rapidly, making her part her lips on a moan.
Perhaps emboldened by her reaction, he nudged her legs apart with his jean-clad knee and settled it between her thighs.
Somehow she found the will to lift her free hand and grab his waist. She smoothed her fingers under his shirt, finding warm skin that she needed to see more of. “Off. Zeke. Take off…your clothes.”
He lifted his face a few inches, smiling. “I’m busy.”
“Get un-busy. Please. You’re making me self-conscious.”
He tugged his shirt over his head, obliging her at least in part, and then he surprised her by sitting up and undoing his jeans. He leaned back to lift his hips, and then the denim disappeared, his underwear with it.
Finally, he was as naked as her, his erection pressing into her thigh as he resumed his position leaning over her. “Happy?”
“Very.”
His lips covered her nipple again, sucking harder this time. His hand was at her waist, pressing her into the mattress as if he realized she was about to squirm out of his reach.
When his knee resumed its place between her legs, she moaned. Her fingers found his biceps. Her nails dug into his skin. “Zeke…”
He lifted his face a few inches, letting his fingers take over the exploration of her nipple. “Damn, I like that sound.”
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