Rapture (Renegades 7)

Within seconds, Zahara saw the glittering orgasm on the horizon. With her

hands pinned by his, her hips rocking and thrusting her pussy against his hot, wet, open mouth and rough tongue, Zahara climaxed with a scream. But one orgasm wasn’t enough for Chase. He groaned against her pussy, and even when her hips fell against the sofa, he worked her and worked her, drawing more climaxes, more screams, delivering more ecstasy.

Only when she jerked her hand from his and covered his mouth did he stop.

She dropped back against the sofa, panting. Still dressed. God only knew how many orgasms later. And all she could think while she stared at the ceiling was…

Branded.

Zahara dropped her arm across her eyes.

Fuck. She was so screwed.

Chase pushed up on his knees and leaned close, forcing her thighs apart. He lifted her arm from her face to reveal a kick-ass grin, sex-crazed hair, and sparkling eyes. His low, deep chuckle raised gooseflesh on her thighs. “I think I can help you with those workouts you wanted to get in this weekend.”

Zahara laughed, groaned, then covered her eyes again. And all her ideas for a few days of rest and recuperation went up in smoke.

4

Zahara’s phone vibrated when the plane was still five minutes from LAX. The man sitting next to her cut a look at her phone, then turned a disapproving glare on Zahara.

She ignored him and tapped into the messages that had come in during the flight. Her gut tingled with anticipation to see one from Chase. Her job in Boston had changed scope, and she’d been away for two and a half weeks instead of one. Her hours had also been so crazy, she and Chase had been playing phone tag most of those sixteen days.

Now, seeing his name on her phone made her heart jump. But his message stirred a lick of unease. Please call as soon as you can. I need to talk to you about something important. Not exactly the I can’t wait to see you, come straight to my place she’d been hoping for.

Over their short time apart, his messages had gone from sweet and sexy to serious and sullen. In the back of her mind, a little voice kept saying, I told you to stick to one night. But no, you had to go and make it a fucking weekend.

But oh, what a weekend. They’d taken a road trip up the coast. Gone wine tasting. Stayed in an adorable little bed-and-breakfast. Bonded on a level she hadn’t believed herself capable of. It stood out in her mind as the very best weekend of her life. And considering she had a kick-ass job, an amazing group of friends, and traveled all over the world, that was saying something.

During those two days and three nights, Chase had changed her mind about the possibility of a relationship between them. She’d come to realize that while sleeping around with actors could damage her career, having a real relationship with one, a good relationship, wouldn’t necessarily cause a problem. A relationship wouldn’t make her look like a woman who jumped into bed with just anyone—all too prevalent in their industry. And out of all the men in her past, Chase was the only one who tempted her to take that risk. Because he’d been right. They were epic together.

Warmth quelled the nerves buzzing beneath her ribs. But only until her true feelings for him pushed to the surface again. Her emotions were too strong to deny—she loved the man.

Her knee started bouncing, her hands wringing. Long-standing, deeply-rooted fear speared the center of her body. A little voice in her head kept screaming, You’re so stupid. He’s just going to fuck you up.

She battled the darkness back with good memories from their time together. Chase had helped Zahara to do something she’d never been able to do with a man—trust. Trusting him so completely with her body had been a stretch. Trusting him with her hopes and dreams had been even harder. And trusting him with her heart had been as terrifying as free-climbing the Phoenix in Yosemite. But yeah, she had to admit it, her heart was his. Looking back, she knew part of her heart had been his before they’d ever landed in bed together.

From the moment she left him Monday morning, Zahara had been anxious to get back. The whole meaning of time had changed. She’d been counting down the days until the job ended and she could get home. To Chase.

But rereading his last message created fluttering wings of angst in the pit of her stomach. She searched for benign reasons for the tone of his messages. Maybe he’d been offered a part that would require him to relocate for a time. Man, that would suck. They could barely communicate with one of them traveling. If they were both traveling, it would make their new relationship more work than joy. Though the fact that he wanted to talk to her about it was good. Wasn’t it?

Another message caught her eye—from her boss, Jax Chamberlin. We’ve got an amazing offer on the table for you. Let’s talk as soon as you get in.

Jax had been around Hollywood a long time. If he called something amazing, Zahara took notice.

She put her phone away for landing and worried her lower lip. She hoped whatever Chase needed to talk to her about was nothing more than wanting to get her into bed again.

Her mind drifted back to their weekend together. She smiled at the memory of him teasing her awake with coffee and pastries he’d picked up while she’d been sleeping, then kept her in bed all day. Of ordering all their meals in. Of listening to him talk to his family over the phone. Of showering with him the morning she’d left for Boston.

The plane made a rough landing, pulling Zahara from her thoughts. Her first call was to Jax. She figured that would be a quick conversation. The one she needed to have with Chase… Not so much.

“Get in okay?” he asked as soon as he picked up.

“Just landed. I got your message. What’s up?”

“Let’s talk about it in person. Lexi and I are at a press junket at the Omni. The boring stuff is over. Now it’s just pictures, food, and friends. Chase is here. He asked about you. Get settled and come on over.”

Chase is here.