Falling for the Ghost of You(37)

Zane growls low in the back of his throat at my movements. I tug at his shirt, insistent. I need to feel his skin. He lets go of me only long enough to help me get it off, raising it over his head and tossing it away. I run my hands up and down his chest. Finally, finally I can touch him! He’s incredible…silk over steel, so smooth and streamlined. My hand moves over his wildly beating heart. I’m doing that to him! A sense of power rushes over me as he groans and kisses me deeply.

My shirt is hanging open, I realize when he pulls back slightly. Zane watches my face carefully as he slowly unhooks my bra. I flush with embarrassment when his gaze lowers and he exhales softly. Then his warm hands and talented mouth are on me, and I forget my self-consciousness, and I’m swept up in how good it feels.

My hands trail slowly down Zane's ripped abs. He stops me when I reach his zipper.

"Hold up, Violet." He chuckles unsteadily. "You're killing me here."

I take a deep breath. "Do you have anything? I mean...protection?"

"No." He smirks when I make an incredulous face at him. "I got rid of it all so I wouldn't be tempted to break down your door one night and have my dirty way with you."

I gape at him. "Were you really that tempted?"

He looks down at me, letting his gaze linger on my exposed skin. "Oh, yeah."

"Oh, um, okay," I mumble, crossing my arms over my chest. "I guess we should..."

I trail off, gesturing at...nothing. Zane places both hands on my thighs, and crouches down a little so we're face to face.

His gaze is serious, intense. "Do you want to have sex with me?"

Whoa. I blush at his bluntness. "Um...wow, that’s kind of personal…" I look everywhere but at him.

Zane catches my chin and holds me still. He raises an eyebrow and waits.

I force myself to look at him, his fathomless star-lit eyes, the dark angel beauty of his face. "Yes," I say finally, my voice soft but steady.

Zane searches my face intently. After a couple of seconds, he smiles. "Okay, then. Not today, though."

I smile back. "Guess not."

I can hear the disappointment tinged with relief in my tone and so can Zane.

He runs a finger gently down my jaw to my neck. "Hey," he says teasingly. "There are other things we can do."

He doesn't have to spell it out for me—the promising gleam in his eyes say it all. He pushes me down on the counter, and proceeds to take me to heaven.









Chapter 14



I'm lying there, panting and limp as a noodle—and utterly speechless.

Zane lifts his head to look at me. He cracks a grin at the look on my face. “You okay?”

I clear my throat, testing to see if my brain is working. “Um. Give me a minute.”

He chuckles, and I can hear that hint of male satisfaction in his laughter. He lets me catch my breath before he starts talking again.

“You know, I read your books,” he says out of the blue.

“You…” I can’t look at him, suddenly feeling incredibly vulnerable. “Oh.”

“They’re really great. Funny as hell, and clever.”

A warm glow falls over me like a cozy blanket. “Thanks,” I say shyly. “I didn’t—”

The sound of the doorbell interrupts me. Panicked, I look towards the direction of the door.

Zane glances over at me. "You expecting someone?"

I shoot up into a sitting position so fast, I think I give myself whiplash. "Oh, my god! Mark!" I gasp.

"Your dinner date?"

I nod frantically. The clock on the microwave reads 6:57. I look down at my mostly naked body. Crap!

"Relax," Zane says with a lazy smile. "I'll get rid of him."

I look him up and down. He's shirtless, his jeans unbuttoned and unzipped. "Uh, not looking like a sexy Calvin Klein ad, you won't."

He chuckles, but to my relief, buttons and zips. He grabs his shirt on the way out. "Better?" he calls over his shoulder.

"Definitely not," I say under my breath.

I lie back down, grinning my head off. That was incredible! So that's what all the fuss was about! And we didn't even have sex—technically. If real sex is anywhere as good as not-sex, then yes, please! Wow, I feel great, sort of boneless, and kind of dirty—but in a good way.

My afterglow is cut short by the sounds of hideous screaming.

Mom's ringtone!

I fall off the counter, scrambling to find my phone. As I shout "Hello!" into the phone, I wonder why I didn't just let it go to voicemail.

"Hey, hon! What are you up to?" Mom's voice chirps in my ear.

Oh, nothing. Just had an incredibly mind blowing experience, courtesy of your soon-to-be step-son.