by Dylann Crush
She wanted to stop. Giving in to the feelings she had for Alex would only cause pain in the long run. She’d always been able to separate physical desire from her emotions. What had changed? If they did this, there would be no turning back for her. He’d leave and she’d end up more alone than she’d been before. If she let him in, opened her heart, he’d leave a hole a mile wide.
So she did what any smart, self-sufficient woman would do. She lowered her hand and cupped him through his jeans. He moaned and slid his hand under her shirt. His fingers moved up her rib cage until they stopped at the edge of her bra. He pulled back. His gaze met hers.
“You really want to do this?” His voice came out husky, gravelly, so sexy she could feel herself edge toward the brink of something magical, fantastical, terrifying.
The question hung in the air between them. Seconds ticked by. His brow furrowed while he waited. She had the power to end this. To make sure she didn’t lose a part of herself.
But then she nodded. His lips curved into a smile and she committed it to memory so she could pull it out later when she was sure to play this scene over and over again in her mind. The moment that she jumped with no safety net. She’d either get caught up by Alex or crash.
As he rolled her onto her back and began to kiss his way down her neck, across her collarbone, his hands lifted the hem of her shirt. She silently urged him on. Her fingers played with his hair, ran over his shoulders. Then her shirt went over her head. His mouth settled at the spot between her breasts. Her breath hitched, her hips bucked, and she arched into him.
He chuckled, his breath warming her skin. She wanted to flip him on his back, bite her way down his chest, and get on with it. But she made herself still and tried to enjoy the warmth of his tongue, the heat of his breath, and the way his touch sent shivers up and down her spine.
He moved his mouth from her bare skin to the cup of her bra. Then he ran his tongue under the lacy edge, meeting the sensitive skin of her breast. She shifted, aching for the same sort of contact lower. His mouth moved and his teeth scraped against her nipple through the fabric of her bra. She cursed padded cups, vowing to never ever buy them again.
“Tell me what you want.” His voice rubbed along her nerve endings, exposing them one by one.
She took his hand and lifted it to her mouth. As those icy blue eyes searched her gaze, she kissed each one of his fingertips. He smiled as he watched her. Then she lowered his hand between them, pushing it past the waistband of her jeans.
His eyes sparkled. “You ready for me so soon?”
As his fingers explored, she unbuttoned her jeans. “I’ve been ready since the day we met. Just wondering why it’s taking you so long to catch up.”
His mouth parted like he wanted to say something. But he licked his bottom lip instead. “Are you calling me out for not moving fast enough for you?”
She shrugged as best she could. “Call it what you want.”
His finger slid into her and she clutched the bedspread with both hands, trying to remain unaffected, even as he stroked her.
“All right. Let’s take this to the next level then, shall we?” He pulled his hand away and she wanted to cry at the loss of his touch.
Before she could make a move, he’d unbuttoned his jeans, slid them off, and reached behind her for the clasp of her bra. She whispered her thanks to the universe that the man couldn’t resist a challenge. Then his mouth found her breast and she couldn’t think at all.
* * *
* * *
So sweet. Her skin tasted like she’d bathed in a mix of sugar and honey and maybe even maple syrup. He couldn’t get enough. And what was with the attitude she’d been flinging at him? Alex didn’t care what kind of inner demons she was battling inside. He just wanted to take her. With every ounce of his being he wanted to possess her, drive her crazy, and fuck the cocky attitude right out of her.
He smiled as he sucked a nipple into his mouth and she arched into him. She might try to pretend she wasn’t as desperate for him as he was for her, but her hips didn’t lie. And she’d been bucking and grinding against him for the better part of the past ten minutes.
Moving down her stomach, he pressed kisses against her skin, his sole focus on reaching the apex of her thighs and driving her crazy with want. Yeah, he probably should have given a quick thought to the fallout of tonight’s tryst, but she certainly seemed willing. Whatever happened, he’d have to face it tomorrow. Now wasn’t the time for preliminary regrets. Now was the time for action.
He didn’t have a condom, so he wouldn’t be able to go all in. But he could deliver satisfaction another way. And she certainly seemed like she’d be a willing recipient of his tongue. He nudged her legs apart and hooked her knees over his shoulders. She spread before him, unashamed and eager. Her willingness made him so hard it bordered on painful. And he couldn’t get enough.
As he watched her white knuckle the covers, he lowered his head and swiped his tongue along her entrance.
Her hips shot off the bed. He put a hand on her navel, forcing her down, then pinned her in place while he explored. With her eyes clenched, she tried to move her hips but he kept his palm in place. His tongue worked her over, edging her closer and closer to her release until her body went taut. Her hands moved from the sheets to his head. One wrapped into his hair and tugged. He could probably get off just watching her get off. She bit her lip, preventing her moan from escaping, but he could feel it rip through her.
Finally, she stilled. Her eyes opened and she sought out his gaze. “Come here.”
“Who, me?” he joked, already climbing up the bed to lie next to her.
She kissed him, her mouth hot on his. Then she wrapped a hand around his length. His eyes rolled back in his head. Their tongues swirled together as she began to stroke him. Her other hand reached down, cupped his balls, and damn if he didn’t want to let himself go. But he held back, trying to extend it as long as he could. He moved his hands to her breasts, toying with her nipples as she gave him the best damn hand job of his life. She seemed to know the perfect line between pleasure and pain and gave him just enough, taking him so close to the edge that as hard as he tried, he couldn’t stop the wave of release surging through him.
His hips pumped back and forth and he was lost to her touch. He had to give her credit, she didn’t pull back at all. When he’d finished, his body still, he glanced over at her. She smiled, a sweet, knowing smile that rocked him to his core.
“Well that was fun.”
He grinned back. “Fun?”
“Yeah.” She got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom, her hips swaying, making him wish like hell he’d had the forethought to carry a condom with him. Next time he’d be better prepared. He almost laughed at that thought. How the hell could he ever have been prepared for the petite firecracker named Zina Baxter?
The faucet turned on and then off again and she came out of the bathroom with a wet washcloth. “We better get cleaned up. My alarm’s set to go off in about five minutes to feed the pups again.”
He took the washcloth and wiped himself off while she pulled her shirt on over her head. On his way to the bathroom he glanced over at the pups, sound asleep in their laundry basket. “Should we wake them up to eat or let them sleep?”
She peered over the edge of the bed and glanced at the pups. “They do seem pretty content.”
Content. That was the feeling that had settled in his chest. It was unfamiliar, so he hadn’t known what to call it. He was content for the first time in as long as he could remember. Tomorrow would bring a whole new set of problems but for tonight, in this moment, he didn’t want for anything.
“Let’s let ’em sleep.” He climbed back onto the bed and pulled Zina close. “And maybe we can catch a little shut-eye before they wake up.”
“I thought you couldn’t fall asleep.” She nestled against his chest.<
br />
“That was before.”
“Before what?”
He nudged his nose into her hair as he spooned against her back. “Before you wore me out. Now shh.”
“You’re very demanding all of a sudden.”
She had no idea. The kinds of demands he wanted to place on her had nothing to do with sleeping. But he needed to rest. Especially if come morning he was going to figure a way out of the mess he’d gotten himself stuck in. He chose not to respond but pulled her tighter instead, cupping her breast with one hand and holding her hands in his other.
Sighing, she settled into him, the fullness of her ass pushing against his crotch. This he could get used to. But he wouldn’t let himself. Too much time had shown him that he wasn’t worth betting on. He had a wanderlust inside him so strong that nothing, not even the soft curves of a woman like Zina, could release that pull.
He wondered, what would it be like to wake up every day with the same woman in his arms? To go to sleep every single night knowing exactly where he stood and where his place was in this world?
He thought about it, expecting that same sense of tightness to fill his chest. When it didn’t, he should have relaxed. Maybe whatever this thing with Zina was had loosened the curse around his heart. But thinking that this was where he was meant to be, to stay, did make his heart pound. Damn, he had it bad either way. She sighed, the tension leaving her limbs as she drifted off to sleep.
He tried closing his eyes, tried letting sleep claim him, but it was no use. One of the pups let out a soft whimper. Then another. They sounded off like a chain reaction, connected by some sort of invisible thread that held them to one another.
Gently, he pulled his arm out from under Zina and rolled to the side of the bed. He might not be able to stick around but at least he could let her get a few hours of sleep.
He got the puppy formula ready and reached for the pup making the loudest noise. It settled against his chest, sucking on the dropper. Why couldn’t life be this simple? Demands were issued, needs were met. His whole life had been an epic shit show in screwing up that simple flow. He didn’t know where he might stand with Zina come morning, but wherever it was, he wanted to be ready.
seventeen
Zina rolled over in bed and opened her eyes. For a moment she tried to figure out where she was. Then it all came back to her. The pups, Alex’s lips on hers, Alex’s lips on her . . . oh shit. She pulled the covers away to reveal her bare legs, bare thighs, and bare booty. Her cheeks heated. Even though she was alone in the room, his room, she reminded herself, embarrassment crawled over her skin.
She flung herself to the edge of the bed. The puppies probably needed to eat. But the laundry basket was gone. She located her jeans and her bra on the floor and struggled to get dressed. There was no time for rest. She had to figure out what to do with the puppies and how to get her dogs out of the warehouse if Alex really thought he was going to be able to make the new timeline the wedding planner demanded.
As she rounded the bend in the staircase and headed toward the kitchen, she caught a glimpse of Alex’s legs through the crack in the doorway. He was barefoot, the hem of his jeans barely touching the top of his foot as he sat in one of the chairs at the kitchen table.
“So what’s she going to do with all of them?” his grandfather asked.
She should clear her throat or knock on the door to let them know she was there. But a part of her wondered what he was going to say . . . if the night they’d shared would have any kind of impact on his response.
“I don’t know.” His voice lodged in her chest, warming her from the inside out.
“It’s a shame how people treat these dogs,” his gramps said. “Keep ’em around while they have value, then toss them aside like yesterday’s news when they’re done with them.”
“Is that what you think Char and I have done to you?” A hint of hurt laced through Alex’s words.
Zina didn’t want to eavesdrop, but her feet stood rooted in place.
“May as well be. I think me and Herbie got something in common, right, buddy?”
Herbie wagged his tail and licked the old man’s hand. Zina noticed the tidbit he passed under the table. She’d always had a no-food-from-the-table rule when it came to her dogs. Looked like Alex’s grandfather didn’t seem to think the rules applied to him.
“Good morning.” She pushed through the door and tried to paste a smile on her face. Maybe Alex hadn’t shared that she’d spent the night. Maybe she still had a shred of pride intact.
“Well aren’t you looking like a peach this morning?” Alex smiled from across the table. He held a puppy in his arms. “Gramps made coffee. Help yourself.”
She moved to the counter to grab a mug, hoping coffee might flush away the awkwardness of a morning after. It would have been uncomfortable enough between the two of them without Alex’s grandfather joining in the mix.
Just smelling the pungent brew cleared her mind a bit. She opened a cabinet in search of a mug.
“Let me give you a hand.” Morty pushed back from the table and moved toward the coffeepot.
Zina stepped back to get out of his way. Herbie followed him from the table, probably hoping for another nibble.
“Here you go.” He handed her a mug. “Cream’s in the fridge if you want it. Sugar’s on the counter.”
“Thanks so much.” She fixed her coffee, then took a seat at the table. “How are the puppies this morning?”
“Good. They all made it through the night.” Alex gave her a grin, one that settled her concern for the pups and also created an uncomfortable warmth inside her stomach.
“Thanks for taking care of them. I need to get them over to the vet today. Maybe we can find a surrogate mama dog to nurse them.”
“They can do that for dogs?” Morty asked. “The pups will take to a new mom, just like that?”
“If she’s willing, yes.” Zina caught an undercurrent of tension pass between Alex and his grandfather.
“Too bad it didn’t work that way for you, son.”
“That’s not fair.” Alex bristled. His muscles tensed and for a moment Zina thought he might launch himself across the table.
“His ma wasn’t exactly the nurturing type.” Morty lifted his mug toward Zina. “Too bad we all can’t pick our kin, huh? Did Alex tell you he was in school to become a vet?”
“He mentioned it.” Zina took a sip of her coffee.
Alex got up from his chair, set the pup down in the basket, and stalked out of the room. Morty shook his head. “He’s a good man but he doesn’t know how to grow roots.”
She didn’t know how to respond. Was he directing his comment at her? Did he expect her to say something in return? “Oh, I um—”
“He’s got a good heart. As soon as he finds something worth sticking around for, he’ll make a good father and husband someday.” The older man gazed into his mug.
Zina gulped down a giant swig of coffee and set the mug down. “I’m going to get the pups out to the warehouse. Have a good day.”
She didn’t wait for him to reply. Armed with the laundry basket of puppies, she covered the distance from the house to the warehouse in record time. She didn’t need to know Alex’s whole backstory. Didn’t need to know he came from what sounded like a broken home or that he had mama issues. She balanced the basket on one hip while she wrestled the door open. One of her volunteers saw her struggling and rushed over to lend a hand.
Zina filled her helper in on how to care for the pups, then left to run home for a quick shower and a change of clothes. She still had that adoption event scheduled for tomorrow and needed to get ready. Whether she liked it or not the penguins were coming and she had to make room.
As she pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road, her cell rang with a call from Lacey. “How’s the mama to be this morning?”
&nbs
p; “Not good. Not good at all,” Lacey answered. “Where are you?”
“On my way home to grab a shower. We found some puppies in the woods by the warehouse and I spent all night feeding them.” And doing unmentionable things to your penguin handler. She decided to keep that part to herself.
“Bodie’s at your place.”
“My house?”
“Yeah. A call came in last night. Someone saw something strange going on over there. I couldn’t reach you, so he went over to check it out.”
“What happened?” Her heart jumped into her throat. She tried to swallow her fears back down but the knot of worry wouldn’t budge.
“I don’t think the roof collapsing was as much of an accident as we thought. There may have been some foul play involved as well.”
“What do you mean?” Zina pressed on the gas, eager to get home and figure out what Lacey was talking about.
“Someone doesn’t like the fact that you’re helping all these pit bulls. I think they’re trying to warn you to stay away.”
“That’s crazy. I’ve been working at the rescue for a few years now. No one’s bothered us before.”
“Yeah, but Bodie’s getting close to figuring out who’s behind the dog-fighting ring. Maybe the two are related.”
Zina’s mind spun with possibilities. She’d originally thought Bodie’s dad and grandfather might be behind the dog-fighting ring. But when they were arrested last year for smuggling huge amounts of Cuban cigars into the country, she gave up on that idea. Since she’d teamed up with Bodie to take on the cast-off pitties he came across, they’d received some publicity about the shelter and the dogs. Maybe the people behind the dog-fighting ring were feeling threatened.
“Tell me what happened.” Zina needed to know what would be waiting for her when she got home.