Double Dare

His cock went rigid. He shouted her name. He jerked as he came, sending tremors up her spine. Gasping, he eased her down the bed, one hand moving to her clit, stroking her quickly to a rapid orgasm.

Her whole body was suffused with heat and sparkling fireworks that flew from her pelvis. Each time she felt it would drift and ease. She was dragged in its wake to the next plateau, in a blissful cycle of tiny dynamite explosions. Zac moved one finger lightly against her clit, drawing a further echo of glory from her body. She began to tremble in the aftermath.

He moved, went to the bathroom. She reached up for him when he returned and as she did, a sob left her body without her being aware that it was coming. She felt him kiss her face, moving over its surface with his warm firm lips.

"Hush," he murmured and she crawled against him. She could just see the outline of his face in the darkness, the flash of reflected light on his eyes when he moved. He switched a small light by the bedside on and she squinted, as she grew accustomed to its brightness.

"You're so beautiful, every bit of you," he whispered.

"So are you." She untied his hair, her fingers wrapped in the strong strands

"You do know that I'm falling in love with you, don't you, Abby?"

She stared at him, her heart racing with sheer joy. He loved her too. "What did you say?"

He moved to her ear. "I love you Abigail Douglas."

She smiled. "I still can't hear you."

He gave an exasperated sigh and moved to look at her face. He looked pained, desperate. "I love you, Abby." He looked at her smile and gave a quiet laugh, his expression relaxing. "You did hear me."

She nodded and reached for him. She pulled his head close and whispered his words to him then added many of her own, telling him.—finally telling him how much he'd come to mean to her.

They drifted towards sleep while still kissing one another gently, a new sense of awareness between them. "I don't want to be parted from you, Zac," she said as sleep took her, but she didn't hear a reply.

Chapter Thirteen

Stepping out of the shower, Abby grabbed one of the big fluffy towels from the rail and wrapped herself in it. She wiped the steam that had gathered on the mirror and combed her fingers through her hair. From the bedroom she could hear the sound of Zac's voice. The door was slightly ajar and she smiled. He was on the phone.

She walked over to the chair near the door where she'd left her wash bag, and unzipped it. Rooting around inside for her moisturizer, she paused when part of his conversation reached her.

"I understand your position, really I do. That's why I got back to you as soon as I could." He sounded concerned. "On Monday this situation will be resolved, either way. I'm sorry, but I really need you to keep quiet about what's going on here until then."

Abby straightened up, clutching the moisturizer in her hand. Discomfort nettled its way up her spine. Keep quiet about what's going on here? Why did that make her feel so uncomfortable? The idea of keeping anything quiet, she supposed. There was a lot about Zac she didn't know. I've fallen in love with a virtual stranger. She took another step closer to the door, craning her neck to hear.

His voice had dropped but he was talking faster.

"Don't you think I know that? It's a bloody mess. I'm sorry that I got you involved, really I am." There was a pause. She sensed that he'd stood up. "No, calm down. Okay, so you went in there for dubious reasons, but you haven't done anything that dodgy, and certainly not illegal. You're letting your feelings get the better of you. Just take it easy and we'll talk about it on Monday." Again there was silence.

Abby clutched at her towel where it was folded over across her chest and swallowed.

"Yes, you have to do what you think is best for you, I respect that, but if it's at all possible for you to leave it until then, I'd appreciate that."

She heard the sound of him moving, putting the phone down. Gathering herself she darted back towards the mirror. She could see the startled expression on her own face. Her heart was racing, instinct making her wary. There was a knock at the bathroom door.

"Come in."

He walked in and stood behind her.

She busied herself applying moisturizer, her mind turning over rapidly. Keep quiet until Monday?

He looked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. There were clearly things about him that she was unaware of, potentially unpleasant things. Could she face that, could she face finding out that there was something about him she maybe didn't want to know, but should?

"Were you on the phone?" She tried to ask the question as nonchalantly as possible.

"Yes, it was a work problem, something that wouldn't wait."

She nodded. What could she say? She'd overheard his conversation and noticed it sounded suspicious?