One minute, Sandie’s heart ached at the sadness crossing Zachary’s face when he mentioned his mother was gone, and the next it tripped into a rapid beat as his eyes lit with a blue flare of lust. Hauling her up against that rock-hard body she’d craved for the past week, she greeted the forceful possession of his mouth with a low moan, opening for his tongue’s invasion with willing enthusiasm. Like she remembered, he kissed with carnal intensity, stroking over her teeth, gums and tongue, nipping at the soft fullness of her lower lip then sucking her tongue into his mouth with a strong pull. The flavor of him washed over her as she tunneled under his shirt, enjoying the flex of his chest and ab muscles dancing under her exploring hands. Lifting her right leg around his hip, she tightened in a lame attempt to get closer, to latch on and never let go.
In the blink of an eye, Zachary released her lips, yanked her hands off his hot flesh, and whipped her top over her head, taking obvious care over her bruised face. With a quick flick, he divested Sandie of her bra and filled his hands with the soft flesh of her breasts. Gripping his wrists, she leaned into his rough kneading, a low moan escaping past her teeth-bitten lower lip, followed by a desperate plea. “Zachary… please.”
“Do you honestly think I’ll let you off that easy?” His guttural tone sent a shiver down her spine, the tight clench of his jaw and obvious bulge straining against the zipper of his jeans proof he was as needy as she. Unfortunately for Sandie, Zachary’s control far out-weighed hers.
Spinning her around, he pressed his denim-covered, hard-as-a-rock erection against her butt as his hands slid to the waistband of her jeans. Nipping her earlobe, he whispered, “First, you sneak aboard my yacht.” She shuddered as he delved inside her pants and cupped between her legs. “Then you refuse to leave me in peace.” Her hips jerked with the swipe of one calloused finger up her seam. “Your submissiveness and eager responsiveness was your next infraction, driving me crazy and wreaking havoc with the peaceful excursion I had planned and been looking forward to.”
“I… I’m sorry… wait!” She gasped as he slipped inside her pussy, grazed her swollen clit then withdrew. “No, I’m not. It was, is, amazing, what you do to me—don’t stop.”
Zachary’s deep chuckle didn’t bode well for the immediate release Sandie needed. “You don’t call the shots, baby, remember? Your biggest error came when you put yourself in jeopardy.” He placed a feather-light kiss on her aching cheek as he slid both hands into her loosened jeans, shoved them down then wrapped one thick arm under her breasts. Wedging his other hand between her butt and his hips, he gripped one buttock and squeezed the malleable flesh. “Firm, yet so fucking soft,” he breathed in her ear. “Just as I remembered.”
She whimpered as he slid a finger between her buttocks and grazed her back hole, having no defense against his experienced touch or the soothing brush of his lips over her throbbing cheek. “I never got around to fucking this pretty ass, but rest assured, I’ll rectify that omission this time around.”
“Oh, God.” Sandie sucked in a deep breath as he slid those diabolical fingers down her crack, lifted her to her toes with a forceful, two-finger thrust into her weeping vagina then withdrew his soaking fingers and returned to prod at her back entrance.
“Deep breath,” was the only warning he issued before breaching her tight sphincter with those slick fingers, refusing to let the snug fit deter him from embedding both digits up to the knuckle.
Zachary had been the only man to invade her most private orifice, and she still marveled at the sensations brought to life along that forbidden channel, the pleasure his deep-rooted plunge wrought. Pressing her buttocks against his hand, she bit back another plea he would only ignore.
“Kick off your shoes and pants,” he ordered with a slow withdrawal that tickled sensitive nerve endings and ratcheted her arousal to a feverish pitch. It wasn’t an easy task to accomplish since he kept her pinned against him, his fingers returning to possess her ass with another jab upward, but desperation for release aided in getting the job done.
“Good girl. Over here.”
Without removing his fingers, Zachary shuffled Sandie toward the sofa, removed the tight band of his arm and nudged her forward with a press between her shoulder blades. “Brace yourself against the back.”
She’d never felt so decadent as she did in that moment, naked, bent over the couch with her shins resting against the seat’s edge and Zachary’s fingers still buried deep inside her butt. That was, until he lifted her right leg and instructed her to place her foot on the cushioned seat, the position spreading her buttocks and leaving both her dripping pussy and filled back hole wide open and on display.
“Now?” she asked, turning her head and flicking him a hopeful glance to go along with the needy plea.
“No. Punishment first, pleasure second.”
The quick, sudden withdrawal of his fingers followed by a blistering smack drew a startled yelp, but the instant, searing pleasure/pain sent her arousal spiraling out of control. “I can’t…” She teetered with the next smacks then breathed a sigh of relief when he snaked his free arm around her hips to steady her for his assault.
Red-hot pain rose across her buttocks as he delivered an unrelenting barrage of spanks covering her butt, the steel embrace of his arm the only thing enabling her to remain in position. Her backside swelled and throbbed with heat, feeding the need pulsing between her legs in a steady drip of her cream. She ached to cup her breasts, press against the stiffened peaks to ease the discomfort of their rigid hardness, but dared not let go of the back of the sofa.
“This is how it’s going to be, Sandie.” Pressing against her throbbing flesh, the rough denim abraded her tender skin and another wet gush spilled from her empty, needy sheath. “I’m going to fuck you senseless then you’re going to tell me what’s going on. No arguments.”
She cried out when he emphasized that last point with a smack between her legs, right over the tender folds of her labia. “You don’t understand,” she all but wept, instant fear for his safety taking precedence. “He knows people, powerful people.”
“Damn it,” Sandie groaned when she heard the rip of a condom package and rasp of a lowering zipper, sounds stating he was ignoring her worries. Then he was filling her pussy, pounding into her with fast, womb-touching thrusts that shook her entire body. Tiny mewls of building pressure morphed into loud gasps as he drove her to the pinnacle then retreated before she could topple over. The tight grip of his hands on her hips was the only thing keeping her braced over the sofa, the wide spread of her levered leg offering him easy access to pummel her sheath with a steady bombardment of jackhammer plunges that grazed her clit and battered that special spot sure to increase her pleasure. Zachary’s low grunts and heavy breathing mixed with her panting breaths as he took her with relentless force, each jarring ram inside her quaking vagina aimed at driving her higher and higher.
“Oh, God,” Sandie whimpered when Zachary teased and withdrew one too many times, leaving her to quake on the edge, pining for the free-fall. Taking a huge risk, she moved her right hand from the sofa back to stroke his erection as he pulled back. His low curse and the telltale jerk of his cock gave her satisfaction as she inched one finger toward her protruding clit and pressed the swollen bundle of nerves against his rigid hardness.
“You’re going to pay for that, Sandie,” he warned her. “But, for now, let go. Come all over my cock, baby.”
Sandie broke apart with his permission, her slick channel convulsing around his girth in tight, gripping spasms that pulled his climax to jettison into the latex with nerve teasing jerks. The world tilted on its axis with the explosion of pleasure, bright lights bursting behind her eyes, their cries of release and the rhythmic slapping of their bodies echoing around the room.
She would’ve collapsed if he hadn’t kept a hold of her waist as he withdrew from her still clutching pussy. Straightening, she leaned against his heaving chest, enjoying his tight hold and labored breathing that matche
d her own. “That was… I have no words.”
Neither did Zach. Working to get himself under control, he wondered what the hell had come over him. Ever since he’d sped around that street corner and had seen Sandie struggling in that brute’s arms, her face already swelling from being struck, he’d been consumed with a caveman mentality that had taken over his iron-clad control. Somehow, someway, the appeal of his little stowaway’s courage, defiance and spirit had slipped past his guard and under his skin. Now he had to figure out how to keep her there.
Running his fingers in a light caress over her damp labia, he admonished, “You’ve been neglecting the chore of keeping yourself smooth for me.”
“I’ve had other things on my mind—how’d you find me?”
Releasing her, he stepped back and yanked up his jeans but left them open as he took her elbow. Her stomach took that moment to release a loud rumble of displeasure. “When was the last time you ate?”
“I can’t remember—hey, there’s my sketch pad.”
“It had dropped behind a lounge. The drawings of Hope’s Crossing led us there first, then the proprietor steered us to Pensacola with the names of the shelters she gave you. Come on. You can take a shower while I order dinner. Bring your backpack to my room.”
“Why your room?” she asked, the breathless catch to her voice stirring his cock anew.
“Because that’s where I want you.”
“Oh, okay.”
There’s the girl I remember, he thought as he led her down the hallway to his room. For the first time since he’d plucked her off the street, a smile tugged at his lips. Her easy compliance and light of mischief in those eyes helped ease his tension. With any luck, he’d be able to take advantage of her relaxed, sated state of mind to get some answers.
“Bathroom’s through there with clean towels. Don’t bother dressing when you’re done. I like you just the way you are.” Not giving her time to argue, he strode out, a jaunt to his step for the first time in a week.
Chapter 12
As much as Sandie had enjoyed the thrill of parading around on Zachary’s boat naked, she wasn’t about to encourage his insistence on getting involved with her problems by returning to eat with him without putting something on. Standing in his decadent shower, under the sensation inducing pelt of four shower heads, she took a few more moments to enjoy the lingering hum of pleasure throughout her body from his rough possession. Remembering his words, she picked up the razor she’d found in the cabinet. Once she was done, she ran her fingers over her smooth flesh, smiling as she imagined Zach’s approval. She’d again been debating whether it was the man or the weeklong absence responsible for this last round of exalted pleasure before deciding it didn’t matter. It was what it was, and she’d enjoy it while she could because nothing had changed. She still couldn’t put him at risk by staying.
After a brisk towel dry that worked to stir up her juices again, she padded out of the bathroom naked. Though she was going to ignore his instructions about not bothering to dress again, she realized she didn’t want to don her jeans and tee shirt again. She tried not to picture herself wrapped around Zachary’s body on the raised, king-size bed situated under a large sky dome. Apparently, from the way her pussy still pulsed, her climax earlier had only taken the edge off her need, leaving her to ponder her options in dealing with this new side of Zachary she found very appealing.
Strolling to the large, walk-in closet, Sandie didn’t hesitate to flip through his shirts, picking a soft, silk button-up to slip on. Glancing in the full-length mirror in the custom-designed closet, she thought her green eyes appeared even more vivid against the jade shirt, but that didn’t make her poorly cropped hair clinging to her cheeks and neck look any more attractive. She winced at the vivid, blue-tinted puffiness of her cheek, another unsightly feature. He’d surprised her with the gentle kiss he pressed to her face. The contrast between that tender gesture and the spanking he hadn’t stopped delivering still bemused her. The constant throb had given her a headache, and between those two pains and the lingering ache across her backside, she could sure use a few extra-strength aspirin to get through the night.
The fabric’s satiny caress brushing over her skin drew a full-body shudder as she turned away from her disturbing image and lifted a hand to button the shirt. Her nipples beaded from the light graze of her knuckles, her thighs tightening as the hem skimmed over them halfway between crotch and knees. As she walked, the silk glided over the ultra-sensitive flesh of her shaved labia, reminding her of the painful swat he’d delivered there, and the instant, searing pleasure it created.
Her pulse throbbed in nervous excitement as she set aside her aches and poor appearance and skipped down the hall toward the succulent aroma emanating from the kitchen. Rounding the corner, Sandie noted the top of the line appliances, cabinets and counters that made up a chef’s dream kitchen then smiled when she saw the cartons of takeout.
“With everything you could ever need to cook with at your disposal, why order takeout?” Hitching onto a stool across the wide counter from where he stood eyeing her in his shirt with a raised brow, she cocked her head and waited for his answer.
“Did you forget I’m a pampered rich guy? I don’t cook, but I still want the best. If I told you to…” A knock on the door caught both their attention, and with a curious frown, he went to answer.
Zachary’s surprised exclamation mingled with a deep voice saying, “Good to see you again, bro. I tried to get back for the funeral. Sorry I didn’t make it.”
“You’re here now, and it’s damn good to see you, Dax. Get in here.”
His invitation to the other man jarred Sandie off the stool as she recalled her near-naked state wearing nothing but Zachary’s shirt. She’d only taken two hasty steps when his stern voice halted her in her tracks with a one-word command.
“Stop.”
Sandie whipped her head around, heat enveloping her face as his tall, black-haired friend entered the apartment and looked her over with an appreciative glint in his vivid green eyes. Her toes curled with the tingle of awareness dancing under her skin, but she didn’t know if the immediate reaction was due to the other man’s intense gaze or the equally hot look in Zachary’s eyes.
Holding out his hand, Zachary beckoned her over. “Come here, Sandie. I want you to meet a good friend who just surprised the hell out of me with his return stateside. This is Doctor Dax Hayes.” Hauling her next to him, he turned to the doctor. “Dax, meet Sandie. I’m still working on getting more out of her, like her last name.”
Extending her hand, she ignored the reminder of how little they knew about each other and how much she’d kept from him. She had a feeling he’d insist they rectified both soon. “It’s nice to meet you, Doctor.”
“Dax, and it’s a pleasure. It’s rare Zach can surprise me after all the years we’ve known each other, but you’re a pleasant one. Your face would benefit from some ice.” He turned questioning eyes to Zachary, but didn’t inquire about her injury. “I won’t stay, just wanted to offer my condolences and let you know I’m back. Right now, jet lag’s insisting I head home. Maybe we can get the guys together before I start up at the hospital again.”
“Damn right. I just introduced them to our new venue for gatherings. We’ll plan something soon.”
“Looking forward to it. Sandie, I hope to see you again. Goodnight.”
“He’s another good friend?” she asked after he’d shut the door behind Dax.
Zachary walked over to the freezer and pulled out an ice pack. Wrapping it in a towel, he handed it to her with his reply. “Yes, very good. We haven’t seen him in over eighteen months, not since he signed on with Doctors Without Borders out of the blue.” Steering her back to the table, he said, “You’ll see him again and meet Sean and Jackson when we get together on the yacht for a short cruise. Those are pain relievers sitting next to your glass. That and food will help along with the ice. Let’s eat.”
Holding the cold compress
against her face, Sandie resumed her seat and returned his implacable look with a glare. “I can’t stay or return to your boat, and no, I can’t tell you why. Oh, God, that looks good.” The shrimp scampi he piled on a bed of rice then slid in front of her smelled so tantalizing, her stomach growled in loud demand.
“Eat and tell me why you can’t tell me what’s going on with you.”
She found it easier to concentrate, and breathe, when he remained standing on the opposite side of the counter. Those laser-sharp, blue eyes boring into her were enough of a threat to her resolve without adding the close press of his body to deal with. She appeased her hunger with several bites while racking her brain about what she could say that would get him to back off delving into her problems. Something had happened in the past week that prompted Zachary to have a change of heart toward her. She wondered if he’d always possessed this caring, protective side or if maybe his mother’s death accounted for the change she saw. Grief, she knew, could either bring out the best, or the worst in a person.
“Sandie.”
That low warning tone caused goosebumps to pop up despite her being plenty warm. One thing hadn’t changed in the days they’d been apart. Her response to him, his heated, probing looks, deep, commanding voice and hard body, remained just as quick, and maybe even more volatile than on the boat.
“I won’t put you in any more danger than you’ve already managed to put yourself. Look, I’m not going to apologize for hiding out on your boat, but I will thank you for those few days of ‘fun in the sun,’ ” she said with a wicked grin. “Since you were gung-ho to get me off as soon as possible, I don’t understand your sudden change of heart. Trust me, you’re better off letting me go without knowing anything else about me.” She set down the ice pack and pushed back her plate. “This was delicious. Mind if I turn in now?”