Thrusting into her hard, he pinched her clit between his fingers and she came in a rush of pleasure as he spilled himself inside her. He wrapped his arms around her tight and pulled her back against him.
She lay next to him, savoring the sense of closeness. But she had to move. Daylight was filtering through the heavy curtains. She’d arranged to go for a run with Jess and if she didn’t show up, Jess was likely to come looking. And she needed a shower. Actually she needed a bath—a long, hot soak to ease away the soreness between her thighs. But that would have to wait.
She pulled free and sat up.
“Hey, where are you going?” he asked sleepily.
“For a run. With Jess.”
He sat up, dragging a hand through his already tousled hair. He looked amazingly sexy tousled. But then he always looked sexy. She was betting she just looked a mess.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Wrong.” She shoved down the sheet and made to get to her feet. She was naked and after the night they’d shared, she really shouldn’t feel self-conscious. But she did.
Or maybe it was because of the night they’d shared.
Shaking off the feeling, she got to her feet, kept her steps slow as she crossed to the bathroom. Zach was still on the bed, watching her as though she were insane. She ran the shower, letting the water wash away the scent of sex and Zach. When she turned off the water and blinked open her eyes, she found him standing, leaning in the open doorway, totally naked.
“Come back to bed,” he coaxed. “I promise to give you a total body workout.”
“Can’t,” she muttered, glancing at her watch. She toweled dry, wrapped the towel around herself, and headed back to the bedroom. Zach stepped aside to allow her to pass and then followed her. “I can’t afford to miss another day. I did nothing yesterday.”
“Nothing?” He sounded almost scandalized, and she realized she might have been less than diplomatic.
“You know what I mean. I need to keep on top of this if I’m going to pass that physical.”
“Is it really so important?”
She stopped her search for her panties and turned to face him. “You know it is.” She didn’t have anything to wear except her bridesmaid’s dress, so she picked it up off the chair and pulled it on, not bothering to fasten the zipper. It would work for the journey from here to the room she was supposed to be sharing with Jess.
After dragging her sandals from under the bed, she slipped them on and headed for the door. When she looked back, he had a frown on his face; she reckoned he wasn’t used to not getting his own way. It would do him good.
“Thanks for last night. It was fabulous. And this morning.”
He nodded. “You’ll come back later?”
She hadn’t thought further than the night with him. Did she want more? Her mind flooded with the feel of him, the taste of him. He’d shown her pleasure she hadn’t known existed. Of course she wanted more. But she also liked him and that was dangerous.
“Come on, Dani. I’m not asking for forever. We’re good together. Why not make the most of it until we part ways?”
Which they inevitably would. They would eliminate the threat to Zach and he would go back to his normal life, or she would pass her physical and go back to hers. Either way—there was no future for them together. And that’s how they both wanted it. In the meantime…
She gave an abrupt nod. “I’ll be back.” And she slipped out of the room.
…
“You bastard.”
“What?” Zach glanced up from his laptop where he was working on edits to meet Dani’s furious gaze from across the room.
“You asked Jess to take me off the job.”
He hardened his lips, unsure which tack to take. Maybe let her get it out of her system.
“If you didn’t want me around, you only had to say.”
“Don’t be an idiot.”
She stalked into the room, coming to a halt a foot away from where he sat and stood, hands on her hips. This close he could smell the fresh sweat. Her red-gold curls stuck damply to her slender throat and forehead. She was dressed in black Lycra shorts that clung to her hips and thighs and a black sports bra that left her midriff bare. And all that bare flesh glowed with a light sheen of sweat. He had the urge to lick her flat belly, to taste the saltiness of her skin. Maybe it would take her mind off giving him the dressing-down she was obviously building herself up to.
“I’m not an idiot,” she growled.
Okay, maybe not the right time for any licking. Perhaps he had just better let her get it over with.
“Of course you’re not an idiot,” he murmured soothingly.