Chapter Five
Zach should leave Sarah alone. She’d been through hell. The last thing she needed was him taking her up on an offer she made when she couldn’t be expected to make sane decisions. And yet…
She’d told him she wanted him for a long time. He’d be lying if he pretended her words didn’t make him feel as if he could strut for the rest of his life or never come off from the cloud her words had put him on.
The shower beat on their heads, and his cock strained against his zipper in his rapidly soaking pants.
“Hold on.” The wetter they got the worse it would be to remove them. He backed a step, nearly tripping out of the shower when he did. Smooth, Zach, smooth.
“One of us is going to topple over.” She laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.
“Won’t be you.” He finally got the rest of his pants off and discarded them to the side of the room. “I’d never let you fall, sweetheart.”
She pulled him closer, and since he had his clothes off he could appreciate the beauty of being in the shower with such a hot woman and the warm water on his back.
He trailed kisses down her cheek toward her neck. Sarah smelled of cherries and he wanted to bite her. When his teeth grazed her pulse point, he gave into the urge. She sighed, and he forced himself to stay gentle.
“Harder,” she whispered. “Sometimes I like the pain.”
So his lady had some masochistic tendencies? Damn, it made him harder.
“Sending you in here was an elaborate plan to make you wet and warm. Didn’t you catch on? I got some condoms from the front of the motel.”
“Really?” Her eyes were huge. “I didn’t guess. My radar is really off. I’m not usually fooled. I thought you weren’t interested.”
Zach shook his head. How could she possibly have thought he didn’t want her? “Sarah, you tell me you want me between your legs and you think I’m going to say anything except ‘yes, please?’”
“I could make you say please, Zach.” She kissed his chest, running her tongue around his nipple. “I could make you want to.”
He lifted her by her bottom, taking them both out of the shower and back into the motel room. Somehow, he managed to grab a towel on his way out, which he quickly wrapped around her. Sarah’s statement required an answer, so he gave her the truth. “You could make me to do about anything you want. For tonight, why don’t you let me take care of you?” Zach pinched her ass through the towel, and she shuddered. He had to double-check. “Still like a little pain?”
“As you see.”
“Good.” He yanked back the towel. Zach had wanted her dry, although not being able to see her naked left him bereft. Fuck if he was going to deny himself anything when it came to Sarah.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Does that mean you’re a sadist?”
He shook his head. “Not particularly. Let’s say I’ll get off giving you what you want. Eventually.”
“Um.” She pressed her forehead to his. “Zach, usually I want to play. In private, anyway. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Hmm.” He kissed her nose. “I do, actually. Half-naked in bed isn’t the time or place for us to figure out what works for us, agreed? I’m going to make you feel good and then put you to bed. Tomorrow will be soon enough to figure out if we match in kink.”
If she really needed to have sex in public, he’d find a way to go there, although it had never worked for him in the past. He’d tried to get into it when her brother dragged him around in and out of the clubs years before. For Sarah, he’d give it another go if it was a must-do.
He laid her on the terrible bed, which would forever more be among his favorite locations in the world. She stared at him, running her hand across the side of his face. “I enjoy vanilla, too, Zach. Being with you seems close to heaven for me. I never thought it would be, you and me in an old hotel room getting sweaty. The stuff out of fantasy.”
He quieted her with a kiss. Her words did things to his equilibrium and he couldn’t let it throw him. Her lips were soft, her skin hot, and her body, for the moment, all his.
Zach ran his hand down the length of her until he reached her pussy. She shuddered when he patted her thighs, and it made his mouth go dry. How did he get this lucky? Sarah was strong, athletic, and her legs were those of a runner. He traced a circle around her pussy, but didn’t dive closer. Tormenting her for a moment was much more fun.
The soft curls covering her pussy beckoned to him in the dimness of the lousy motel room. “I wish I could take you somewhere better. Make love to you on satin and roses.”
“I’m not the kind of girl who needs those things.” She shivered beneath his touch.
“Need, maybe not. Should have? Absolutely.” He would do his best to make the old hotel room a good memory.
“Zach…” Her voice drifted off when he pressed his finger inside her pussy.
“Want me stroking you, do you?” He grinned. Foreplay was his favorite part. Well, maybe second favorite. The warm up before the actual entrance meant he got to show his woman—and the term fit her to a T—that he could make her body purr.
“More.” She arched her back as he stroked her.
“Think I can manage.” He found her clit and pinched it. She moaned and closed her eyes. “Ride with me. I want to see you come in a little bit.”
And he’d had enough of talking for a while. He wanted to live in the moment and let himself enjoy being with her. She thought he was a fantasy? Sarah had no idea how much the opposite proved true. A month earlier, he’d never have let himself imagine seeing her could be more than a dream let alone getting to touch her spectacular body.
Adding a second finger to the mix, he teased her clit some more until he felt her juices on his hand. Yes, he wanted her wet and out of her mind.
“Spread your legs farther open for me, sweetheart.” He tapped on each knee until she did what he said. “Good. Exactly what I want.”
Having her come from some clit play would rock, but on his tongue? He’d fucking love it. Zach bent forward, loving the sweet manna smell of Sarah aroused. An urgency to have her made his balls ache, and he knew when she touched it him, it wouldn’t be long until he spent. But he refused to hold anything back in giving her pleasure.
Sarah would find release more than once if he had anything to say about it.
He leashed his desire and set about making her tremble. Zach replaced his fingers with his tongue. She tasted sweet, and the bundle of nerves came out to play more as he savored it.
Sarah reached forward and stroked the top of his head in time to the swirl of his tongue. He stopped his movement, only to replace his tongue with his teeth. Gently, yet firmly, he bit, hoping her previous reactions to slight amounts of pain proved true. She cried out his name, her body bucking while wetness coated his lips. He drank her deep, loving that he got to share an intimate moment with her. His cock hardened to the point of pain.
When she seemed to slow and her panting quieted, he pulled back to regard her. She stared back at him, her eyes hooded, passion in their dark depths.
“You have the look of a guy who knows he got a woman off. I think of it as male smugness.”
Huh. He grinned. “You’re funny. You know that?”
She sat, her long, dark hair falling forward over her shoulders. “I know I want you between my thighs.”
His pulsing cock reminded him he wanted it, too. Big time.
Zach reached to the side of the bed for the condoms he had gotten from the front of the motel, where they had a machine. His hands shook, reminding him of his desperate situation. Sarah grabbed the foil from him. “Let me.”
She grinned while she tore open the condom wrapper. “Over here, Zach. Lay next to me. On your back.”
He scooted over to where she indicated, on his back. His heart rate picked up when she rolled toward him, condom in her outstretched hand.
“Wow, Zach, you’re fucking huge.”
“Ah…thanks.”
It had only been his own hand for so long, stroking himself, getting himself to really unsatisfying conclusions. Should he tell her? Probably not. A confession of his desperate need wasn’t hot.
Her hand stroked his cock once, and a moan sounded from deep inside his throat. Every nerve ending in his body flung to life.
“Careful.” He sounded hoarse, and he was surprised he could manage to pull air at all. “I’m close.”
“I can see that.” She winked at him before she rolled the condom onto his shaft, sheathing him completely. “Don’t move.”
“You want to ride me, sweetheart?”
She raised her eyebrows. “I want you to hush, Zachery Daniel, and let me take care of you.”
“Tonight is supposed to be about you.”
She placed her finger over his mouth. “Part of me is a caretaker. Particularly in bed. You stopping your arguing with me and actually doing what I say because it’ll make you feel good is how you make tonight about me.”
If she wanted to take care of him to make herself happy, he’d be glad to go along. “What did you have in mind?”
“For tonight, how about we keep it simple?”
She moved until she was mostly on top him. Her breath was sweet when she pressed her lips to his. It was the sweetest kiss he’d ever received. She kissed a trail down the center of his chest until she reached his sheathed cock. His balls ached. Was it possible he was going to spill himself like a teenager?
“Hold on there, Zinc.” She smirked when she used his Metal name. “A big, tough Marine such as you must be able to keep yourself under control.”
Years of denial and the simple disbelief of getting to be naked with Sarah argued with her otherwise true words. “Oorah, Sarah. You’re tormenting me.”
“Because I know you love it.”
With another wink, she stroked him hard in her hand before she straddled him, still not taking him inside her. He moaned, his hips bucking. Fuck. With gentle fingertips, she tickled his leg. The strange sensation eased some of his imminent need to plunge into her until he came.
She inched forward, rubbing his dick around her clit before she sank down onto him, taking him balls deep when she did. He grabbed her ass, holding her still for a moment so he could really feel being deep inside her. One perfect moment…
“You ready?” Her voice dropped a level and god it was so hot.
“Ride me, baby.”
She took her own breasts in her hands as she slid up and down his cock. With no good place to hold on while he enjoyed the show, he rested them on her thighs. It would give him easier access if he wanted to rub her clit and give her extra pleasure.
Anything for Sarah.
***
Sarah had never been so turned-on in her life. Zach had already gotten her off once. She would have loved to have gone down on him, to take him into her mouth and deep throat him until he called out her name over and over.
He’d been close. She’d seen the strain his face showed before she felt it on his cock. There was something really powerful about bringing a strong man like Zach so close to losing his cool.
So she rode him instead.
In and out, she squeezed with her thighs. Every moan, curse, and groan he made was music for her soul. She was finding ecstasy with Zach, and right then she owned him. He didn’t belong to anyone else. The women she’d watched coming in and out of his life from a distance while she silently worried about each and every deployment didn’t matter.
He was hers, and despite the horrific circumstances of their reunion, she had no intention of letting him go without a fight.
Zach pinched her. “Where is your head, hot stuff?”
She grinned at the endearment. “It’s here with you, Zach. Where else would it be?”
“Good.” He gripped her rear end before he flipped her over. His action shocked her. Wow, she hadn’t seen his move coming and her giggle took her by surprise, too. “If I have to keep you under me to make sure your mind is where it’s supposed to be, that is what I’m going to do.”
He surged into her, a hand holding him above her as the other gripped her hair. “Look me in the eyes, sweetheart. I want your gaze on me until you shatter into a million pieces.”
Oh god, his words, combined with the way his cock rubbed against her clit every time he pushed in and out of her, drove her crazy. He’d told her to keep her eyes open. Although she might be tempted in other circumstances to tell him where he could shove his orders, she did want to do exactly what he said. In bed? God, yes she did.
Needed it.
Her body cried out, yes, please let her come. The pressure grew, rose, and travelled up her spine. Her hips rose to meet his and she was so wet.
“So fucking beautiful, Sarah. You’re something out of a dream. Squeezing my cock as you do, fitting me so fucking perfectly.”
Yes, hell, it was as if she’d been made to have him inside her. He let go of her hair and reached between them. “I’m close, Sarah. And so help me you are going first.”
Zach rubbed her clit in time with his pressing inside her. His moves were all the pressure she needed. Yes, her body exploded around him. Liquid surged from her core, and she closed her eyes, finally letting her gaze leave his blue depths.
She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything, except feel. Did she leave her body? She didn’t know, didn’t care. Fuck. Yes.
Distantly, she heard Zach call her name. She squeezed her legs around him tighter as her body milked his, pulling him deeper, wishing she’d been on the pill and they’d been blood tested so they could be skin-to-skin. She had Zach deep inside her.
At last.
She must have passed out, because the world kind of drifted away on a pleasant haze of sex and Zach.
***
“Sarah.” Zach’s deep voice called to her and she groaned. They’d had sex and she had conked out.
Hot, Sarah. Great. Zach must be so thrilled to have a sexual partner who fell asleep with him still inside her. I’m Sarah Steele and I can do better than I did. She’d show him. Several times for the rest of the night.
She stretched, opening her eyes. “Sorry, I guess I dozed off.”
“Oh, you did more than that.” Zach leaned over her, his whiskered cheeks rubbing hers in a delicious jolt before he kissed her right beneath her eyes. “You’ve been snoring for six hours.”
Snoring? Six hours? She sat and then had to stop because dizziness threatened to overtake her. “I so don’t snore.”
“Oh?” His blue eyes danced with laughter. Other than a lamp he turned on across the room the motel remained bathed in darkness. “Then it must have been someone else lying next to me in the bed sawing wood. My mistake. I’m sorry I had to wake you. We need to be out of here before the sun comes out.”
“Right.” Her body felt tight, not the languid ease she should feel after coming the way she did. “Give me a minute. I’ll be ready in two.”
Zach stood. She noted he was fully dressed and he smelled of soap. Had he been awake so long he had showered? She’d slept through all the noise?
“I knew you were the kind of girl who could be awake and gorgeous in two minutes.”
“I don’t know about gorgeous. I will be ready.” Silly man. Being teased by Zach could become an addiction.
She got out of bed on unsteady feet, yet managed to make her way to the bathroom where she found her clothes had been hung on the motel’s hangers. Zach again. Add considerate to the list of traits she admired about him. Had he gone to bed at all or did he spend the night fixing everything? She’d have to ask him, could offer to drive.
When she had reassembled herself into some manner of presentable—after their hell was over she was getting her hair done and a facial, too—she walked out of the bathroom. Zach shot her a heated glance, which left her wishing they had more time.
“When we’re on the road, I’ll order you a crowbar and maybe some donuts.”
She paused. “Am I going to need a crowbar with my donuts?” Had she missed some part of a plan?
“Shit.” He closed his eyes before opening them again to go with a tic in his jaw. “I can’t find the word. I obviously don’t mean what I said. Let’s go.”
Her lover turned on his heel and walked out of the room, pausing outside the door to look left and right. When he’d moved a distance away, he stopped and waited for her. Just enough space between them to show how uncomfortable he was.
Shit. She had stumbled onto his soft spot. Sometimes he said the wrong words, leftover from his brain injury. He’d told her and he’d done it once in the car when he first woke up from his headache. The tightness in his jaw, the way he tensed. Zach wasn’t okay with it any more than he was with the migraines.
Her heart turned over twice. He was there, he was alive, he was incredible, and he beat himself up constantly over things that were in no way his fault. How could he not see how incredible he was? Where most men faltered, Zach stayed strong. Even through dying.
Hello, morning, time to be totally insensitive. When they were giving out lessons in not being a complete ass, I missed the day.
“Zach.” She fell into step with him.
“Don’t. Okay? Don’t.”
He took her hand, only the teasing from earlier was gone. Instead, stony silent Zach—probably the way he behaved when he was being Zinc—took his place. It was fifteen minutes until he spoke again and only then because he pulled into a coffee house drive-thru to order. When the woman spoke over the intercom, he looked at her.
“You should tell her what you want. I don’t want to say the wrong thing.” He looked at the steering wheel.
Not the time to argue with him, especially since she really didn’t feel like letting the complete stranger on the other end listen in. She did as he asked, getting herself a latte and a scone before she looked at him. “Hungry? Thirsty?”
“Black.” She noticed he left out the word for coffee when he said it. “Not hungry at the moment. Thanks.”
Always polite. She had to lean over him to speak to the intercom, which at least let her place her hand on his arm. The strain between them when everything had been so easy threatened to make her head explode.
“And a medium black coffee and a croissant.” She leaned back. “You’re not hungry, fine. You need to eat something. You can eat it later if you prefer.”
He nodded and didn’t answer as he paid the woman in utter silence. They drove a few more miles while she sipped her drink and stewed about what to do.
Finally, she really couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m really sorry. Okay? I totally didn’t realize you were misspeaking or I wouldn’t have pointed it out. I say the wrong word sometimes and I didn’t survive a head injury. I can see now how it’s a really big deal for you and I’ll be more cognizant with how I react in the future. How long are you going to punish me for an honest mistake?”
“I’m not…” Except he gripped the steering wheel tighter. “I’m not fucking punishing you.”
“Sure feels as though you are.”
“How am I doing that?” The muscle in his jaw ticked again. Zach had a tell when he got really upset and it was right there at the top of his jawline. “I’m not upset with you. I’m…embarrassed and sick of it. Okay? So can we not?”
“There’s absolutely no reason for you to feel in any way weird about it. Hell, Zach, you’re doing so well I practically forgot you’d been exploded.”
He didn’t answer for a moment. “The scars on my body didn’t remind you last night?”
“Oh, you’re talking about a vanity thing. Funny, I thought you were too tough for such trivial crap.” His eyes flashed, and she knew she’d gotten on the right path. Let him at least express his anger, better than the resigned nonsense they would never push through. “I saw the scars. I didn’t comment because they are what they are. You’re alive. I care a lot more about your heart beating than marks on your skin.”
“Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to go through every day wondering if I’m going to say something wrong?”
“No, I don’t. If it were me, I’d put it away, deal with it if it happens, and not spend so much time obsessing over something clearly out of my control.”
He stopped speaking again, and she also shut up. What the hell was the matter with her? She was dishing out advice she had no earthly right to be giving. How the hell did she know what it was like to be him? What he should and should not be doing?
I don’t know how to keep my big mouth shut.
The sun rose while they were on the road, and she stopped obsessing enough to actually let herself enjoy the colors as they painted the horizon. The earth around them awoke. The sky looked blue and clear.
“Another day, another chance to do things better.” He didn’t look at her as he uttered the words, and she wondered if he spoke to her or to himself.
“I never see the sun rise. I’m either desperately trying to find a few more hours of sleep or I’m already at my desk, working.”
“I haven’t taken a lot of time to enjoy them lately either.” He cleared his throat. “Listen, when we stop for lunch, maybe we could talk terms. About the things you want to do in bed and what I’m absolutely not cool with.”
Well, his words constituted quite an abrupt shift if nothing else. Was he offering her an olive branch? She decided to accept it as thus.
“All right. Sounds like a plan.” She sipped her coffee again. “Never got kinky with any of the women you were a serial monogamist with?”
His mouth formed a smirk and some of the tension in his jaw eased. “A serial monogamist?”
“As far as I could tell, you didn’t do causal. You went from a serious relationship to breaking up to another until you ended again. Lots of posing and smiling on your Facebook page.” Until the bitch Ally… She shook her head. No need to be cruel, even in her thoughts.
“Spent a lot of time focused on my dating life?” He full-on grinned. “Honey, I’m so flattered. And to answer your question, I gave kink a go by following…a friend…to some of the kinky clubs he liked to frequent. Wasn’t my thing.”
She let his words digest. “Did you pause over the word friend because you were about to say Adam?”
“Thought that might be a little TMI for you, sweetheart.”
“Shit. Yes. Never again. I don’t want to know anything about Adam’s sex life. No.”
She rubbed her eyes as though she could purge the image of her brother doing things she didn’t want to know about from her imagination. “Blah. I need a shower.”
Zach’s laughter filled the car. She took a large gulp of cooling coffee. At least she’d found some way to improve their morning, although she might never be able to look at Adam again. After she hugged him to death for still being alive, of course.