‘It will do?’ she teased, her laughter floating lightly around them. ‘How romantic.’
Zeke rolled his eyes.
‘Shut up and kiss me.’
‘Willingly,’ she agreed, taking one of his hands in each of hers and throwing them around her back as she stepped into the circle of his arms and pressed her lips to his.
Fire roared through her. As he kissed her back, demanding and unyielding as ever, the guttural sound of his approval made desire pool between her legs. He claimed her mouth with his, plundering over and over, using his lips, his tongue, even the rough pad of his thumb, to devastating effect. With no question as to which of them was in control.
She arched against him as if trying to urge him on further, pressing every malleable inch of her lithe body against every muscular, merciless inch of his. But still Zeke seemed determined to prolong her exquisite agony, catching her hands and raising her arms to hold her wrists in one big hand as he allowed his mouth to travel from her mouth to her jawline, but no further.
Tia moved her body, half undulation, half writhe, until Zeke growled at her.
‘Be still.’
‘I can’t,’ she gasped, the rawness of his tone scraping deep within her. ‘I need more.’
‘Then I’ll make you.’
Without warning, Zeke crushed his body to hers, trapping her between his solid chest wall and the cold wall behind her. The pressure helping to ease the ache in her straining nipples. And then, finally, he lowered one hand and grazed it over her breasts. Cruelly on the wrong side of the fabric.
‘Is this where you want me?’ Teasing, taunting. ‘Here?’
Tia could only moan and breathe his name. The wild thing inside her clawing its way out.
‘Or maybe here?’ He skimmed his hand lower over her dress until his knuckles brushed her heat.
‘You know exactly where,’ she muttered, arching her back then lifting her hips to reconnect with his departing hand.
Instead, she connected with something far more solid, and primal. And Zeke’s groan of response galvanised her.
She took advantage of his momentary lack of focus, freeing her hands from his grip above her head and loosening his hold on her. Then, her eyes locking with his, she slowly, deliberately, sank to her knees in front of him.
‘Tia...’
‘Shhh.’ A wicked smile toyed with the corners of her mouth. ‘I’m only doing what you did for me barely a few weeks ago.’
Then, sliding her hands to his waistband, she unhooked the suit trousers and drew the zip down in one perfect flourish. It was only as she slid them down his legs, her hands running down the front of his thighs and revelling in the power of the muscles beneath her palms, that Zeke pushed her away from him and took a step back.
‘No. This isn’t how it’s going to go.’
Tia frowned, confused. She stood up and might have stumbled towards him, if he hadn’t looked so hostile.
‘What isn’t?’ she challenged shakily.
‘This. You. It isn’t going to be like that.’
She blinked, her mind whirring. And then the truth began to dawn, ravaging her as it did.
It was about his leg. What she’d done.
‘This is about control,’ she whispered, horrified. ‘You only want me if you’re running the show.’
‘That’s nonsense.’
‘It isn’t. You want me to give myself up to you completely, and be vulnerable, but you refuse to do the same for me.’
‘Forgive me if I thought I was just trying to make you scream in pleasure. I confess I rather like it when you shout out my name as you come apart against my lips.’