Above and Beyond (Twist of Fate 4)

Zach lifted up long enough to reach behind his head and pull his shirt off. Seeing him straddling me as he revealed his broad chest was like watching a work of art being unveiled. I'd seen Zach shirtless a few times when I'd been younger, but seeing his body and knowing that it was, for the moment anyway, mine was entirely different. His muscles were taut and his tanned skin glistened. He didn't have a lot of body hair but the treasure trail that disappeared into his pants had my erection reaching a whole new level. My fingers ached to touch him, so before he'd even finished removing the shirt, I reached out my hand to see if the hairs running from his abdomen southward were as soft as they looked. Zach actually stilled when I put my fingers on him, and I quickly jerked them back.

His eyes lifted to meet mine and he held my gaze as he removed the shirt entirely. I heard it rustle a bit as it fell to the floor and then it was forgotten because Zach was reaching for my hand. He put it back in exactly the spot it had been and then covered it with his own.

I took the move as permission and began exploring the planes and curves of his body. Zach's hand stayed on mine, but he didn't guide my moves at all, and at one point, he actually closed his eyes and seemed to just relish my touch. The sense of power that came over me, knowing that I brought him pleasure, was almost too much to take. The kid in me was afraid to take the leap but the man in me reveled in the opportunity to give Zach the chance to lose himself for a while. I wanted more than anything to chase away whatever demons haunted him, even if it was just for a short time.

I used one hand to leverage myself up off the bed. Zach accommodated me and shifted back a little so I could sit up. I wrapped my arms around his back, marveling at how hot and tight his skin was. I stroked his shoulder blades along the length of his spine as I sucked in a breath and closed my mouth around one of his nipples like he’d done to mine. All the awkwardness I felt went up in smoke when Zach moaned and then threaded his fingers through my hair as if to hold me in place. I had nothing to go on but instinct and the memory of what Zach had done to me, so I did my best to mimic it. I wasn't sure how I was doing until a breath of a whisper reached my ears.

"Lucky," Zach murmured. I almost didn't recognize his voice. It was a mixture of soft and hard. Of relief and need.

His fingers tightened in my hair and he pulled my head back so he could lean down and kiss me. This time his kisses were desperate and needy, almost frantic.

I loved it.

I loved every second of it.

I didn't even regret that my exploration session had ended when he lowered me down to the bed and took back the control he'd so generously given me. I was still able to use my hands to explore him as my mouth worked frantically to keep up with his. I could feel a few raised patches of skin along his rib cage and on his back, but I couldn't tell what had caused the old injuries. I would have noticed them years earlier when I'd seen him shirtless, so I knew they had to be new. Maybe from when he’d been redeployed. If we’d been a real couple, I would've softly asked him about them. But we weren't a couple and I knew if I voiced my concern about them, it would bring what was happening between us to a screeching halt.

I had no clue how long Zach and I kissed for, but when he shifted off my body, I actually cried out, "Zach, no, don't stop!" I grabbed his arms hard in the hopes that I could somehow convince him not to end this. He paused and then leaned over me and brushed a soft kiss over my mouth.

"I'm not going anywhere, baby," Zach whispered. He kissed me deeply and then, instead of climbing off of me, he proceeded to kiss his way down my body. I still found myself holding on to him for as long as I could but when he did climb off of me, I sucked in a breath and forced myself to release him. I watched him with apprehension as he stood alongside the bed. But he didn't turn and walk away. No, he bent over and put his hands on my hips and then he gently pulled my body to the edge of the bed. I thought that meant he wanted me to stand, but when I tried, he flattened his palm over my chest. I got the silent message and stayed where I was. With him looming over me, I should've been nervous or scared, but nothing about Zach frightened me beyond him walking away. I knew that no matter what happened between us, he'd never physically hurt me.