Zack Baker

“You’re hungry?”

Pulling a pillow against her chest, she nodded.

“Again?”

“Yes.”

“So am I,” he said, reaching for her.

She laughed. “For food, Zack, real food.”

“Okay, okay,” he grumbled. “Ill feed you so you can keep up your stamina.”

“Me? Why would I need to do that?”

“Because…”He wound his fingers in her hair and drew the strands toward him, inhaling the scent of the herbal shampoo she used, as well as the lingering hints of rose. “I’m not finished with you yet.”

“But we’ve already….Twice.”

“Third time’s a charm.”

His voice had lazy and husky undertones, something she’d never heard from him before. They sent a renewed awareness down her insides.

Zack hadn’t been lying when he said this was far more than a quick release of hormones, more than her fulfilling her duty so that he could be more comfortable. Her responses seemed to matter to him. Her pleasure mattered.

He had been demanding of her, more than she’d believed possible. She’d never told a man what she wanted, how she wanted it and what felt good. But Zack asked all those questions, and more, refused to take silence as an answer.

Yet for everything he demanded, he gave equally in return.

“Okay, food,” he said, as if reminding himself. He released her and reached for the telephone on the nightstand. “One of everything on the room service menu?”

“What? You’re not eating?”

“Gotcha. Two of everything on the menu.”

While he placed the order, she made a dash to the bathroom, searching for a robe. His low whistle of approval followed her.

Pulling the thick white terry garment from a hook behing the door, she cinched the belt, then caught sight of herself in the mirror.

Her hair framed her face in wild disarray, the layers tousled. Her cheeks were rosy, and a small burn from his afternoon shadow lingered on the side of her neck. Her lips were swollen and reddened and sparks of hazel lit her green eyes. She looked different, well loved.

Aaron had never had this effect on her.

She shivered.

As threatening as Aaron had been, he didn’t begin to compare with Zack. Aaron never wanted anything from her, Zack did—her participation, enjoyment, her total capitulation. If the relationship with Aaron had worried her, this terrified her.

“Doing okay?”

Zack came up behind her, gloriously naked and comfortable with his body. He nuzzled her neck.

She saw them both in the mirror, her body dwarfed by his rugged frame. His shoulders were twice as broad as hers, and when he wrapped his arms around her, she felt both his protection and the potential for his fury.

She wasn’t able to forget he was a man who’d thrown his first wife out in the street, a man who’d settle for nothing less than total honesty, a man who would never love her.

“Hmmm?” he asked, kissing her throbbing pulse.

“It’s just…” How did she say what she didn’t dare?

“Yeah?”

She closed her eyes, shutting out his potent image hoping that she’d also be able to banish his assault on her senses.

“I’m listening.”

“I keep wondering what I got myself into.”

He placed another kiss, followed by yet one more, then another…

Having her eyes closed only made it worse. Without her sight, the sense of touch flared powerfully.

She reached up, holding him around the forearm. She was aware of his texture—of muscle and sinew—and filled with the knowledge that there was no escape.

He was so much more man that she knew how to handle.

“You’re not sorry we made love?”

“No.”

“Open your eyes, Tegan, I want to see your reflection.”

Slowly she did.

He was looking at her seriously, completely focused on her.

“What’s bothering you?”

“Are you a mind reader?”

”Don’t need to be when you’re frowning.”

She smiled a little.

“Talk to me,” he urged.

“I’m wondering what we’ll do when we have arguments.”

His arms tightened around her, but it felt reassuring. “We’ll talk them through.”

“And what if I don’t live up to your expectations?” Slowly he released her and turned her to face him. Cupping her face in his hand, he said, “You’ll never disappoint me, Tegan, as long as you’re honest, as long as you put our child first.”

“I will always do that.”

“I know. I know.”

He kissed her, then a deep, passionate kiss that dispelled her doubts.

A knock on the door forced them apart.

He grabbed the matching robe, then disappeared.

The scent of musky male hung in the air, seeming to wrap around her just as his arms had done.

She thought she was prepared for this marriage, for their honeymoon. After all, she’d made love to him before.

But then she’d had nothing at stake emotionally. She’d hidden beneath blankets and sheets, been daring in the dark, then vanished at dawn.

Now he held her future in his guitar-roughed palms. His promises were little comfort.

She heard the murmur of voices, then the door to their suite closed.

Tegan splashed water on her face, then went into the parlor. The small table nearly groaned under the weight of the food he’d ordered.

“Zack! I was joking.”

“Figured I’d save the waiter a trip in another hour.”

If he hadn’t ordered everything, he’d come close, from fresh fruit to cheese and crackers, sandwiches and decadent chocolate dessert.

Not needing a second invitation, she tucked her feet beneath her on the chair and allowed him to fill a plate for her.

She’d been rig ht to break it off with him, she realized. He could charm when he wanted to, as he had at Matt and Val’s wedding. She’d have lost herself before she could count to three—quite happily. And when she’d learned what kind of man he really was and that he’d always try to control her, she would have been devastated—if she would have given her heart to him.

It was better it ended this way, with him saying he’d never love her, no pretenses.

“It’s called Death by Chocolate,” he said, sinking his fork into the triple layer cake.

“I think I’d die with a smile on my face,” she said.

“Open your mouth.”

Trustingly, she did, closing her lips around the fork. Rich, dark chocolate smoothed across her tongue, and she gave a tiny moan of delight.

“I’ve heard that sound before.”

Allowing her taste buds to savor, she looked up at him though all her lashes.

“In bed,” he said. “Which is where I’m going to take you soon. Death by chocolate is right.”

She finally swallowed, but when she reached for a second bite, he stole the fork. “not until I’ve enjoyced, too.”

He kissed her, long and deep, sweetness blending with his power and taking her breath.

Ending the kiss slowly, he stood. Hands on her shoulders, he drew her up, then said, “undress me.”

Her eyes widened.

“I want you to tough me,” Zack said, “feel me, know what you do to me.”

Her heart turned over. “I don’t know what to do.”

“I’m only wearing one thing.”

So was she, and now, with him watching her, she was consciously aware of that and the way the nubby material suddenly seemed to abrade her.

Unsure, blood racing, she gingerly took hold of the belt at his waist and worked the knott free. The ends fell from her nerveless ingers, then she parted his robe, reaching to shuck it from his shoulders.

He was ready for her.

Her toes sank into the carpeting.

Hard and angular everywhere, he was all male. And he was her husband.

Hardly able to talk, she asked, “Now what?”

“Feel me, explore my body. Know me as intimately as I already know you.”

Nervousness, as well as adrenaline, rushed through her.

Rigid, she stood there, looking at her. Waiting.

Wetting her lips, she whispered, “Turn around.”

After raising a speculative brow, he slowly complied.

He’d seen her; now she drank her fill of him. Ravenous, she wanted more than the quick, embarrassed peep she’d sneaked when he’d move around the suite.

Silence draped the room, and tension quickened her breathing.

Shaking, she reached out, running the tips of her fingers across his shoulder blades. She explored the contours, the feel of his flesh. Skimming the length of his spine, she stopped at the small indentation right above his buttocks.

Chickening out, she ran her hands up his back, then rubbed his shoulders before feathering her fingers through the high strands of his dark hair.

His head fell forward as she outlined, from the back. The shell of his ear.

Amazingly, warmth spread through her.

“Turn around again,” she said, the words a little squeak.

He did, with a grin that sent shock weaves into her midsection.

Instead of taking over, he patiently waited.

Face-to-face, this was more difficult. She didn’t let that stop her.

Her thumbs laced together, she moved her palms down his chest, exploring the small rise of his nipples. He jerked. Feeling the headiness of her own power, she repeated the motion. “Do you like that?”

He answered with a guttural groan.

Testing him, she gently scraped a nail across one nipple, then the other. His reaction was instantaneous and he thrust out toward her.

Enthralled, she reached for him, closing her hand. Watching the shallow rise and fall of his chest, she stroked him.

He grabbed her upper arms. “Enough.”

She didn’t think so. Despite the hot green in his eyes, she tightened her grip.

“Tegan, I’m warning you….”

She didn’t heed it.

She felt the change in him, as he became fuller, like her breasts did when he held them. “You told me before that you liked this.”

“I do.” His head fell back.

“So enjoy.”

Zack clamped his hand around her wrist. “This will be over in thirty seconds, if you don’t stop.”

Galvanized by the raw note in his voice, the primal beat beneath her palm, she said, “That’s okay.”

“No…it’s…not.” He increased the pressure on her until she leg to, thenhe drew a shaky breath before turning the tables, carrying her to the bed and dropping her in the middle of it. “Liked that, didn’t you?” he asked.

She smiled shyly.

“Then we’ll make love a different way.”

He lay beside her, then took hold of her waist and drew her on top of him.

“Ah, Zack…”

“Put your knees on either side of me.”

Swallowing her reluctance, she nodded, her hair falling around her face.

He touched her most sensitive spot and she arched, stifling a sharp gasp. She wanted him. Finding courage, she followed his lead, curving her hand around his shaft, then slowly lowing herself onto him.

He filled her, stretchd her, made her ache and burn.

Then he reached for her breast and teased the tip. She wiggled, trying to avoid the arcing sensations, but only made it worse.

She closed her eyes, seeing shooting sparks in the darkness. He lifted his hips and she rode the motion, welcoming him deeper.

Together they found a rhythm as a whirling kaleidoscope wound through her body.

She’d never experienced anything like this—so full, and hovering just this side of the edge.

Reaching up, he cupped her breasts, then, on her downward motion, squeezed her nipples.

“Zack!”

She gasped, her knees no longer able to support her. She sank lower on him, welcoming him against her womb.

“Come for me, Tegan.”

He pinched hose sensitive tips, and she shattered.

Seconds later, his own body went rigid. He pulsed against her feminine walls, sucking in a breath before spilling himself deep inside her.

Cradled in his arms, she rested on his chest.

“Thank you,” he said, “for your trust.”

She silently thanked him for showing her she was desirable. There would never be anything more than sex between them, no emotional connection, she knew. But that shouldn’t matter; she’d soon lost the connection she’d had with her ex-husband. It shouldn’t matter.

So why did it, suddenly?

Trying to push away the nagging thought that she might be starting to care for Zack, she relaxed against him, gulping when he reached for a pink feather and tickled her check with it.

“We still need to try number twenty-one.”

Teasing light fired his eyes, and she’d never seen him look so carefree.

It’d be easy to lose herself in him.

And that was one thing she dared not to do.