Until he’d scented Jackie. And damn if the snarly creature hadn’t rolled over on it’s back in ecstatic joy. The man hadn’t been too far behind.
It had taken over ten years for Zan to understand what his father spoke about. Wooing Jackie was taking everything he had. Her moods were mercurial, her temper quick. She was so smart, so passionate in everything she did, and so damn sexy that just thinking about her made his blood heat. Yeah. He wanted her bad. Loving the temperamental, sexy doc was going to be the death of him.
Jackie chose that moment to exit the bathroom. Her long hair was down and still damp from her shower. But glory be, she was wearing a dress. In a cherry red with little white designs throughout. Zan felt his mouth dry up. Far from risqué, the dress had cap sleeves, a scooped neckline and fitted waist that flared to her knees. Despite taking her one more time just before dawn, she now appeared demur and untouched, while he was hard enough to pound spikes.
Sweet enough to eat. Again. And he wanted to. Desperately. In three greedy bites.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice thick with sleep and lust.
“We don’t have much time, Zan.” She crouched next to her suitcase, not looking at him. “If you’re going to shower, you need to hurry.”
Shower? Hell. He didn’t know if he could stand. He dragged his eyes away to look at the bedside clock. Not enough time for what he wanted. Maybe.
She straightened and then moved stiffly to the coffee maker. Her shoulders were back, her body tense. She still refused to meet his eyes. And he didn’t like that. Not one damn bit.
Silently he rose and padded, naked, to her. When he lightly touched her arms she jolted as from an electric shock. “We don’t have time for this.”
Now he was getting pissed. “Time for what? I just wanted to say good morning.”
“Good morning.”
When she didn’t move, didn’t so much as glance back at him, he felt a snarl rip through his chest. He’d be damned if she was going to pretend last night hadn’t happen. Knowing he was being a little rough, he swung he around, forcing her face up with two fingers under her chin.
The blush staining her cheeks had him feeling like a heel. Damn. She was embarrassed. But why? “I was hoping for a good morning kiss.” He gentled his tone.
“Oh. Um. Well.” She was so sweetly flustered that his anger drained away.
Women and their zany mood swings. He’d never understand it. Taking control, he leaned down, brushing a soft kiss to one corner of her mouth then the other. Hers eyes fluttered closed and he cupped her face, pressing his lips full on hers. She softened and he swiped his tongue over the seam of her lips. When she opened to him, he took full advantage, thrusting in deep, and possessive. Her hands wrapped around his neck and she edged up, crushing her breasts to his chest. One hand tangled in her damp hair, the other snaked around to cup her ass, pulling her tighter against him, trapping his erection between them. A groan of need escaped. He’d only wanted Jackie to look at him, kiss him. But at her touch, that need for affection had quickly raged into a blazing inferno.
He’d just pulled the hem of her dress up to her ass when a heavy fist pounded on the room door. “Hey,” Scott yelled. “You ready yet?”
Jackie jerked out of his arms and Zan cursed a blue streak.
“We gotta take the rentals back and eat, man. The plane won’t be serving a seven course meal you know.”
Zan strode over to the door and yanked it open, not at all concerned that his cock was hard and angry. It matched his mood at that moment. “You’re dead.”
“Jesus. Watch where you’re pointing that thing.”
“I’m going to point it in your ass in a minute.”
At Scott’s raised brow Zan did a mental rewind. “Wait. That came out wrong.”
“Ya, think?” Jackie came up behind him, a sparkle of amusement in her brown eyes. Her lips were wet and red from his. She had a touch of beard rash that had him scraping a hand over his rough whiskers. While he liked the idea of marking her, especially since she no longer bore his claim on her neck, he’d never desire to hurt her. “Will we be eating breakfast then?”
Scott grinned. “It’s the most important meal of the day. The hotel restaurant serves a breakfast buffet and I’m ready to graze.”
“Great.” Zan turned to Jackie. “You hungry?”
“Hmmm. I could eat.” Her eyes dropped briefly to his cock, making it twitch back to fullness after his stupid comment to Scott.
He forced blood back to his brain and glared at the other man. “Take Jackie and don’t let her out of your sight. I’ll be down in ten minutes.”