CHAPTER EIGHT
WHEN ZANE CAME back from getting the supplies, he found Willow sitting on the hill with her back to their campsite. She’d always needed time alone to cool down, and if she was feeling their sizzling connection even half as strongly as he was, she’d need a lot of space. He glanced up the hill, catching her silhouette against the moonlight. Her legs were stretched out in front of her, and her head was tipped up toward the sky. She looked peaceful and beautiful and so frigging sexy he could stare at her all night long, which was precisely why he returned his attention to setting up their campsite.
Inside the tent, he finished laying out the sleeping bags and spread the Egyptian cotton sheets he’d bought over them, set the pillow at the top, and checked the string of LED lights he’d hung around the entrance one last time before setting out the goodies he’d brought. He took care of a few more things, tossed his phone in the middle of the bed, and went to join her.
“Hey,” she said as he dropped down beside her.
“You okay?”
“Mm-hm. Sorry about before.”
He put an arm around her. “As I said, green’s not your color. If I hinted at wanting to do anything more than letting Penny feel happy that I remembered she’d texted me, then I’m sorry. I was just killing two birds with one stone.”
She rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m just a little messed up right now.”
“I think I’ve already stolen that title. Your rep is clean.” Pressing a kiss to her temple felt natural, and really, really good. How many years had he wished for time alone with Willow? “I’m sorry for putting you through this, but I’m glad we’re getting this time together.”
She gave him a long, assessing gaze. “Are you?”
More than I ever realized I would be. “Hell yes.”
“But why? You’re stuck out in the woods when you could be anywhere else.”
“But you wouldn’t be there.”
For years they’d kept each other at arm’s length, and now heat and the past and something much bigger seemed to twine together, tethering them with an unbreakable bond. His body moved of its own accord, leaning forward, wanting her, needing her in his arms. Her eyes said, Take me, but he knew he’d never stop at one kiss. There was no way. Not this time. Before he could get carried away, he pushed to his feet, grabbed the bottle of wine she’d been drinking, and pulled her up beside him.
“Come on. I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“A better surprise than a fake engagement and photographers stalking my work and home?”
He turned her by the shoulders in the direction of the tent. The lights twinkled against the dark forest.
“Oh, Z—”
His heart thumped harder. That breathless whisper did him in. He took her hand and led her down to the tent. “Go on in, princess.”
She went down on her knees on the edge of the bed. He watched her beautiful eyes drift over their comfortable bed and the cupcake he’d set off to the side.
“I’m sure it’s nowhere near as good as yours, but I figured you might want something to go with this.” He set down the wine bottle and knelt beside her, handing her his phone. “Turn it on.”
She pushed the button, and the screen came to life, revealing the opening credits of the movie The Notebook. She covered her mouth, her eyes warm and dreamy.
“There’s a whole playlist if you’re not in the mood for that one.” He reached over and navigated to Willow’s Playlist, watching as she read the titles—You’ve Got Mail, Titanic, 50 First Dates, Sleepless in Seattle, Love Actually, Pretty Woman . . .
Scrolling through the twenty-plus titles, she said, “All my favorites.”
“Yeah.”
“How . . . ?”
“Ten years of being blown off is a long time. Each time you blew me off, you revealed a little more about yourself. Your favorite movies, that you like the Strawberry Festival better than any of the others, your penchant for custard instead of cream filling, your hatred of blue skirts and guys with no chest hair . . .”
“Oh my gosh” slipped out like a secret.
“I know I’m putting you through hell, Wills, lying to your family, taking you off the market for the next two weeks, but I’m really glad you’re with me.”
“This was my choice.” She looked at the playlist again. “I thought you were just messing with me all those times you texted.”
“So did I,” he admitted.
She grabbed his hand, as if she needed it for stability. Hold me, baby. Hold on tight.
“Z,” she whispered, emotions warring in her eyes. “I’m having trouble defining the line between real and fake.”
He cradled her warm, soft face in his hands, the scent of wine and sweet, luscious Willow drawing him closer. Desire throbbed through his veins, his hands shook with the anticipation of finally touching her again, and he didn’t even try to restrain himself any longer. “Then let’s not define it.”
She leaned forward, but the second before their lips touched, he tangled his hand in her hair, holding their kiss at bay.
“This time I make the rules,” he said too harshly, but he was half a second away from tearing off her clothes and taking all of her, and there was no way in hell he would deny himself the chance to feel.
She swallowed hard, clutching his arms so tight her nails carved half-moons into his skin, and sweet Jesus, it felt good.
“This time we feel,” he demanded. “We feel as much and as hard as we want. And we don’t worry about anyone else. Anything else. Got it?”
She was breathing so hard, “Yes,” came out as a plea.
He dragged his eyes down the length of her body, earning a shuddering inhalation, and in that moment his internal fire changed to an inferno; his desire turned greedy and dark. “Tonight you’re mine, Willow.”
He waited a beat to see if she changed her mind, but she was right there with him, so he pushed a little harder. “From this moment on, baby”—he brushed his lips over her cheek, and her breathing hitched—“I’m yours.”
ZANE’S MOUTH CAME down over Willow’s slowly, in complete control. God, she loved that about him. He never lost his cool. She gave herself over to their kiss, to his possession, no longer surprised that she wanted him so desperately. Their mouths moved in perfect sync. Intense and deep and so very real she could barely breathe. He lowered her to the bed, the weight of his hard body as intoxicating as a bottle of whiskey. This was how it had happened last time. They’d come together as if it were the only place they were ever meant to be. She drank in the taste of his mouth, disappeared into his scent, surrendered to the seduction of his hands moving over her skin like he owned her. He did own her. He always had.
His mouth moved down her neck, skipping over her breasts, and claimed the tender skin around her navel. She ground her hips, tugging his shirt up until he finally tore it off, revealing all his glorious planes of flesh, hers for the taking. He worked off her shoes and then removed his own. He watched her intently, electricity sparking between them as she wriggled out of her jeans and panties. Drunk-on-Zane Willow had serious game, obliterating the side of herself that usually held her back.
She eyed his jeans. “Off.”
Salivating to taste him, aching to touch him, she watched as he visually devoured her. His piercing stare made her tremble and wet in anticipation of finally—God, finally—getting another chance at experiencing what she’d spent years searching for, the feelings he’d given her when she was too young to appreciate how good it had been, too stupid to realize that not every man possessed the capability to make her heart and body sing. She, too, had become an actress, lying about amazing orgasms and how men made her feel, when each and every time they’d paled in comparison to Zane. She tore her shirt over her head, and he breathed harder. Holy cow, she loved that. She reached behind her to unhook her bra.
“Willow,” he practically growled. “You don’t have to.”
He was the only man who had ever really known her, who understood what it meant for her to bare her breasts. The others had never deserved that trust, and she’d never given it to them. “I want to.”
She unhooked the clasp, and her breasts fell hot and heavy against her skin. He inhaled a long, uneven breath that made her feel like she’d given him a magnificent gift.
“Sweetheart.”
The word was so full of emotions she felt it like a caress. He stripped off his briefs, and she got her first look at another part of him that had ruined her for anyone else. She didn’t think as she sank down to her knees and took him in her mouth, earning a low, heady groan, spurred on by the raging fire in his eyes as he pumped his hips. She had dreamed about what this might be like, loving him with her mouth, but nothing could have prepared her for the overwhelming need for more. She wanted to feel him inside her, to be wrapped in his arms until she couldn’t tell where she ended and he began. She wanted to disappear into them.
He must have sensed her desires. He came down to his knees in front of her, his gaze boring straight to her soul. “I’ve waited so long to touch you.”
She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, could only guide his hand to her breast, gasping with sweet agony at the feel of his rough palms loving the parts of her she’d spent her life hating. He kissed her neck, her shoulder, inciting sparks beneath her skin. She leaned forward, wanting him to take more of her, but he was in no hurry, caressing her breasts, dragging his tongue along the swell of each one torturously slowly. Taking one nipple between his finger and thumb, he lowered his mouth to the other, teasing over the peak and blowing warm air on the wetness he’d left behind.
She arched against him, and he moved to her other breast. “Zane—”
She was ready to beg and plead for him to give her more as he continued the agonizing tease, dragging his tongue around her nipple, over the peak, until she was barely breathing. Her hips began moving in time to his talented tongue, currently lavishing her other breast with the same tantalizing attention. As he lifted her breast to his lips, he kissed the tingling peak, leaving her panting and barely breathing at once.
“You’re so beautiful, baby,” he whispered, pinning her in place with a hungry stare as one hand moved down her belly to the juncture of her thighs. He pressed one long finger firmly between her swollen lips, and stilled. She grabbed his arm, rocked against that thick digit, urging him to give her what she so desperately needed. A gratified grin lifted his lips.
“You’re my heaven, Willow,” he whispered, and kissed her slow and deep until her legs shook.
Just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, he drew back just enough to slide his tongue along her lower lip, teasing her as she leaned forward, aching for more rough kisses. He kissed the corner of her lips, then slicked his tongue over the bow of her upper lip, and she imagined his mouth between her legs. A moan escaped, and he dipped his tongue inside her mouth, kissing her so softly she whimpered. Even on her knees, she feared she might crumble to pieces, and gripped him tighter.
His thumb moved in slow circles over her sweetest spot, and she closed her eyes, hypnotized by his touch. Tremors built in her thighs, rising in her chest and vibrating beneath her skin, building pressure of staggering proportions. His mouth left hers, and as she opened her eyes, his lips closed over her breast at the same moment his fingers entered her, lighting thunderous explosions inside her. He sucked her breast harder, and she clutched his head, unwilling to let his mouth release her despite the needlelike darts shooting from her nipple to her undulating center. Just when she thought she’d lose her mind, he tore his mouth from her breast and sealed his teeth over her neck. She cried out with the exquisite pain and all-consuming pleasure as her orgasm crashed over her, as turbulent as a riptide. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed against him.
“I’ve got you, baby,” he whispered.
He lowered her trembling body to the bed, gazing down at her with a look so unfamiliar it nearly stopped her heart. She felt him shaking, and when he asked, “Still with me?” it was all she could do to nod.
He kissed her tenderly at first, then urgently and exploringly. Passion pounded through her veins, blood rushed through her ears, and when he moved down her body and brought his mouth to her sex, she thought she might pass out from the sheer pleasure radiating through her. He brought her right up to the peak, holding her there so long she was sure she’d stopped breathing, and then she shattered into a million pieces, time and time again, until her body went limp. When he reached for his wallet and tore open the little square package with his teeth, she feared she had no energy left. But as he sheathed his hard length, her body awakened again, pulsing and quivering with anticipation.
She felt the broad head of his cock at her entrance, his powerful thighs nestled between hers. He came down over her, and she rose to meet him, crushing her mouth to his and kissing him like she needed him to breathe. And at that moment, she did. Maybe she always had.
“Look at me, baby,” he said into the kiss.
Entranced by his words and the emotions in his eyes, she tried to hold his gaze, but as he entered her, the pleasure was too intense. He unraveled her, inch by glorious inch, and as emotions she’d been carrying for years flooded her, her eyes fluttered closed.
He touched his cheek to hers, whispering as he buried himself deeper inside her, “Jesus, I’ve missed you.”
His arms pushed beneath her, cradling her body against his, until even air couldn’t fit between them. Their mouths came together as they began to move, and he kissed her so deeply, so lovingly, years of pent-up emotions came rushing forward. Her legs wound around his waist. He penetrated deeper, took her rougher. She clawed at his back, pleas streaming from her lips. She felt free for the first time in forever, and when he buried his face in her neck and said, “Come with me, baby,” there was no holding back.
“Willow, Willow, Willow,” he ground out as they found their mutual release, and she knew her name would never sound the same again.