by Lynn LaFleur
She nodded.
Zach took the receiver from her limp fingers. “Good morning, Breanna,” he said, his gaze locked with Jade’s.
“Good morning, Zach.”
“You don’t mind if I hang up now, do you? I want to ravish your mother.”
Breanna giggled. “Go for it.”
Zach pushed the “off” button and laid the telephone on the counter. “Good morning, Jade.”
“Good morning,” she whispered.
Tunneling his fingers into her hair, he tilted her head to the exact position he wanted and kissed her. She immediately relaxed and parted her lips for the thrust of his tongue. He kissed her slow and deep, the way he’d learned she liked.
She purred.
That sound shot straight to his shaft. With his lips still pressed to hers, he wrapped one arm around her waist and lifted her. He turned and set her on the large butcher-block table in the middle of the kitchen. Before she had the chance to pull away from him, he clasped the back of her head with one hand and held her still while he devoured her mouth.
God, he loved kissing her.
Using his free hand, Zach jerked her silky robe off one shoulder until her breast was bared. He cupped the full mound and ran his thumb over the jutting nipple. Jade whimpered. Still kissing her, he kneaded her firm flesh…lifting, squeezing, tugging on the hard nub. Her breathing grew heavier, her kisses more frantic. She wrapped her legs around his waist and hunched into his pelvis.
He needed to fuck her, but not yet. Not until she’d come at least once. He clasped her hips and pulled her to the very edge of the table. Pushing her thighs far apart, he leaned over and buried his tongue in her pussy.
“Zach!”
She came almost instantly. Zach pushed two fingers inside her and felt her contractions clench around them. Once wasn’t enough for him. He continued to pump his fingers in and out of her body as he licked her clit.
When the contractions from her second orgasm stopped gripping his fingers, Zach stood and thrust inside her.
Jade reclined on the table, her eyes closed and her fists tightly clenched at her sides. Her robe remained tied at the waist, but hung open to expose those beautiful breasts. He pushed the lapels wide and cradled the heavy globes.
“I love your body,” he said huskily.
She opened her eyes and looked at him. “I love what you do to my body.”
“How about if I keep on doing it?”
“Oh, yesssssss.”
Zach increased the speed of his thrusts. He slipped his hands beneath her buttocks and lifted, letting him drive deeper into her pussy. Jade cupped her breasts, caressing and twisting her nipples. The sight of her pleasuring herself sent him over the top. The orgasm slithered down his spine and grabbed his balls. He dug his fingers into Jade’s hips and groaned out his release.
Zach had to lean against the table since his legs felt like overcooked noodles. When he was certain he could stand on his own, he tugged Jade to a sitting position. “Wrap your arms and legs around me.”
She did as he said. He lifted her from the table and carried her from the kitchen.
Directly into the shower.
He leaned over and turned on the faucet. Warm water sluiced over them.
“Zach, my robe!”
“It’s washable, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but I usually wash it in the washing machine, not the shower.”
He grinned. “So be different today.”
She laughed. “You’re a nut.”
“Guilty as charged.” He stepped to the side until Jade’s back touched the wall. “I’m a nut for you.”
He shifted his hips, and she gasped. “How can you still be hard?”
“Good metabolism.”
She chuckled, but it quickly turned to a moan. “I can’t believe how deep you get.”
He drew his cock out to the head, then thrust inside her again. “Believe it.”
Water cascaded over Zach’s back as he leisurely fucked her. His first orgasm had left him satisfied, so he was in no hurry for a second one. He’d rather concentrate on Jade and what she needed.
The sound of her breath catching made him pick up the pace. She clutched his shoulders. She nipped his neck. Her fingernails dug into his back. Zach knew those were all signs she was about to come again.
Jade arched her neck and groaned. Two more thrusts and he followed her.
Zach didn’t move for several moments. He leaned heavily against Jade’s body, afraid his knees would buckle and he’d drop her. “Intense” didn’t begin to describe the orgasm he’d just experienced.
“Oh, yes,” Jade whispered. “Fantastic in the shower too.”
He lifted his head from her shoulder and looked at her. “What?”
“Nothing.”
Zach strongly suspected her comment had something to do with her earlier conversation with Breanna. “Were you and your daughter talking about our lovemaking?”
A lovely blush bloomed in her cheeks. “Maybe a little.”
“You told her I’m fantastic?”
She ran her fingers into his wet hair. “Oh, yes.”
He smiled. “Fantastic is a good description. I like that.”
“It’s the truth. I don’t think I had as many orgasms in nineteen years of marriage as I’ve had with you.”
“Mmm, and we still have the rest of the day…and night.”
“Oh, my God, I’ll never survive.”
“There’s always mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.”
Jade smiled wickedly. “There is that.”
Zach chuckled. He liked when her naughty side surfaced. “For now, I think we should get this robe off of you and finish our shower.” The sound of Jade’s stomach rumbling made him chuckle again. “And feed you.”
“I was about to cook breakfast when someone ravished me.”
“Are you complaining?”
“You think I’m crazy? I’ll never complain when you ravish me.”
“That’s what I like to hear.”
*
Jade slowly wandered into the next room. Zach had completed the outside walls of his house, the roof, and the studs that divided each room. It appeared he was currently working on the electrical. Numerous wires hung from the ceiling and snaked down the studs. “Guest room?” she guessed.
He nodded. “I have two, in case my brother and sister want to stay over at the same time.”
She stepped through the doorway into the next room. “Which room is this?”
“My computer room.”
“I’m a little confused about the directions. Do the windows face west?”
“Yes. I like to watch the sunsets.” He gestured toward an opening to their right. “My bedroom connects to it. I wanted a separate room for my computer and files, but still convenient to get to.”
Jade walked into his bedroom. She’d never been a good judge of size or distance, but it looked huge. “How big is this?”
“Almost six hundred square feet. The house is close to three thousand square feet.”
“Why so big for a single guy?”
Zach shrugged. “Because I wanted it and I can afford it, especially since I’m doing the majority of the work myself.” He slipped his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. “I may have gone a bit overboard in here, but I have a king-sized bed. I plan to have a large entertainment center on the south wall. Plus, that square footage includes the walk-in closet.”
“I certainly love my walk-in closet. That and the kitchen are what sold me on the house.”
“That isn’t the house you lived in with your husband?”
“No. We sold that when we divorced and divided the profit.” All this talk of size and features gave Jade the perfect opportunity to dig a little deeper. “It’s a great house for a family.”
“I guess. I hadn’t thought of that.”
“Don’t you want to have a family?”
“Maybe, with the right woman.”
Jade swallo
wed. She definitely was not the right woman for that.
He removed his hands from his pockets and walked toward her. “I honestly haven’t thought about children of my own, Jade. I come from a large family. I have three uncles on my dad’s side and four aunts on my mom’s side and they all have kids.” He stopped in front of her. “I love my cousins, but I don’t know if I’m dad material.”
“You’re a sensitive, caring man, Zach. You’ll be a wonderful father.”
“I’m not in any hurry.” He cradled her neck in one hand. “I always wear a condom, Jade. Common sense demands it, both for protection and birth control. I didn’t use one with you last night or this morning.” He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “I’m clean. All our escorts have regular physicals and blood work. We insist on it.”
“I haven’t been with a man in two years.”
“I know that, but what about birth control? Are you on the Pill?”
“No.”
“I’ll admit I’m not up-to-date on all the birth control methods available now. What are you using?”
“Nothing.” She touched his hand, pressing it closer to her. “I can’t have any more children, Zach. I had several ovarian cysts over a period of years. They were all benign, but my doctor suggested I have a hysterectomy when I was twenty-seven. I did.”
“I saw the faded scar, so knew you had some kind of surgery.” He gave her a crooked grin. “I’ve studied your body the past few days.”
His joke made her smile. “You have been rather…up close and personal.”
“I’ve loved every second of it.”
“So have I.”
He kissed her, slowly and thoroughly. Jade’s toes curled inside her shoes while her heart clenched in her chest. This would be their last night together. The thought of never seeing Zach again was more painful than if someone jabbed a knife into her. But she had no choice. This conversation about family and children proved that.
Zach ended the kiss and took her in his arms. Jade went willingly, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. She wanted every second of time with him she could get before she had to tell him goodbye.
“I’m falling in love with you, Jade,” he whispered.
His words froze her for several seconds. Slowly, she unwrapped her arms from around his neck and leaned back so she could see his face. “What?” she asked weakly.
“I’m falling in love with you.”
“But-but you can’t.”
His eyebrows drew together in a frown. “I can’t?”
“No. Zach, I’m ten years older than you.”
“You have a weird hang-up about age, Jade.”
She pulled away from him and took two steps backward. She could think more clearly when he wasn’t touching her. “I just told you I can’t have children. Even if I could, I don’t want to. I’m almost forty. I certainly don’t want to become a mother again at my age. I’m content to wait for grandchildren.”
“And I just told you I’m in no hurry to be a father. I don’t know if I even want to be a father. I don’t have a burning desire to see a miniature version of me running around.” He took her hand and raised it to his mouth. He ran his tongue between her fingers while he held her gaze. “I want to be with you. That’s all I care about.”
Jade’s heart began to pound. This man stood before her, a man so handsome and sexy that he almost seemed unreal, telling her he wanted to be with her. She wanted to be with him too, but how? It wouldn’t be fair to him for them to continue their relationship, knowing there was a good chance he’d change his mind about having his own children someday. She would never stand in the way of him becoming a father.
“Give us a chance, Jade.”
Grasping at anything she could to keep from weakening under his intense blue gaze, she asked, “What about your…job?”
“I have no job, at least not as an escort. The business belongs to my brother, sister, and me. I’ll recruit new escorts. I’ll do paperwork. I’ll help Michelle with the yard work if she wants. I won’t be intimate with any other woman. I only want to be with you.” He gestured around the room with his free hand. “This is my main job now—building my house.” He kissed her palm. “I hope I can call it our house someday.”
Jade groaned. “You aren’t making this easy.”
He grinned devilishly. “Good.” With one tug, she was back in his arms. “I’ve made a very good living with Coopers’ Companions and most of what I’ve earned is in the bank. I wouldn’t have any problem supporting us.”
“You’re moving way too fast.”
“I move fast when something is important to me.” He ran his hands up and down her spine. “Spend time with me. Let me show you how good we can be together.”
“You’ve already shown me how good we can be together.”
“I’m not talking sexually, although I’ll admit I intend for the sex to continue at every opportunity.”
“Thank goodness.”
Zach chuckled, but quickly became serious again. “The first time I saw you, walking down your hallway toward me, I forgot to breathe. That’s never happened to me. There isn’t a doubt in my mind or heart how I feel about you.” He kissed her gently. “A chance, Jade. Give us a chance.”
She could do that. She could spend more time with him, see if it might really be possible to have a future together.
She wanted it to be possible.
“We could give it a try and see what happens.”
Zach smiled. “That’s all I ask.”
Chapter Fifteen
Zach stepped through the entrance to Coopers’ Companions whistling “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction”. The song had worked well for him one week ago. He saw no reason to change now.
He’d found out seven days ago today that he would be Jade’s escort to her hospital’s gala. His life had completely changed since then. He’d been happy being an escort, but no more. He didn’t want any other woman but Jade.
God, he loved her. Waking up with her in his arms this morning had felt so right. He could hardly wait until they made it permanent. He didn’t want to spend one night without her.
“Where the hell have you been?”
Brent’s roar made Zach turn. His brother stood in the doorway to the office, a ferocious scowl on his face. “Good morning to you, too, Brent.”
“Don’t give me that ‘good morning’ shit. I’ve been trying to call you for two days. I’ve left half a dozen voice mails on your cell. Why haven’t you called me back?”
Zach passed his brother and walked into the office. “I’ve been busy.”
“Too busy to check your messages?”
“I took the weekend off.” He flopped down in one of the two chairs before the desk. “Haven’t you ever taken a weekend off?”
“No.”
“I guess I’m not as dedicated as you.”
Still scowling, Brent sat in his own chair and reached for a stack of papers on top of the desk. “I’ll let it slide this time.”
“You’ll let it slide? Who’s the oldest here, Brent?”
“Age has nothing to do with this, Zach. We’re running a business. You don’t ‘take the weekend off’ without checking in.” He fanned the papers in his hands. “I could’ve set you up both Sunday night and last night. I had to send Rod in your place.”
“We’ve never gotten any complaints about Rod.”
“Yeah, but it should’ve been you, Zach.”
“I can’t go on every date. I’ve slacked off lately since I’ve been working on my house. You know that.”
Brent frowned. “Yeah, I know that. But you are the escort most requested, the one who’s built our reputation.” He shook the papers toward Zach. “I’ve already taken twenty-five calls this morning from women who need an escort this weekend. We only have fifteen guys, counting you and me.” He slapped the papers back down on the desk. “I knew we should’ve hired more escorts months ago.”
“However many you think we need to hire, add one
more. I’m quitting.”
The stunned look on Brent’s face would’ve made Zach laugh if this wasn’t such a serious matter. Brent’s mouth opened and closed, then opened and closed again as if he didn’t know what to say.
“You’re what?”
“You heard me. I said it quite clearly.”
Brent chuckled. His chuckle turned into boisterous laughter. Zach waited, his temper slowly rising, while his brother guffawed.
“That’s good, Zach.” Brent wiped his eyes. “I needed a good laugh.”
“I’m not joking. I am no longer an escort as of this minute.”
Brent’s laughter abruptly died. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about quitting. I’m talking about having a life of my own with one woman.”
“Wait a minute, wait a minute.” He held up his hand, palm out. “What one woman?”
“Jade Talmage.”
Brent’s eyes widened and his mouth slackened. “Jade Talmage? The old broad you took out Saturday night?”
Zach clenched his hands into fists on the arms of his chair. “Jade is not old, and she’s not a broad. I highly suggest you watch your mouth, little brother.”
“My God, Zach, she’s almost forty! What did she do to you? She couldn’t have been that hot a fuck.”
“Yeah, she was that hot, but it isn’t just sex, Brent. She’s charming and lovely and fun to be with—”
“You sound like you’re spouting lines from some 1950s romance novel! Grow up, Zach.”
“You’re a fine one to tell me to grow up. You can’t see past a woman’s pussy. I see everything about Jade, and I like what I see.”
“The next thing you’ll say is you looooove her,” Brent said with a snarl.
“I do love her.”
“Christ!” Brent surged to his feet. Placing his palms flat on the desk, he leaned forward and glared at Zach. “This is insane! You can’t leave the business for one woman.”
“I’m not leaving the business. I’ll still work in any way you or Michelle need me to. But I won’t be an escort. I won’t cheat on Jade.”
“You’re the one the ladies ask for! They all want a piece of that big dick you carry between your legs. Apparently, so does Jade Talmage.”