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She heard the foil packet rip a couple of seconds before he positioned himself between her thighs. Fighting to keep her eyes open in the blissful aftermath of her release, she gave him a languorous smile. “Wow.”
He grinned, looking a bit cocky, but it was well deserved arrogance. “You’re sure about this, Zoe? Once I have you, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to let you go.”
She nodded.
“Really sure? Our family—”
“Positive,” she said. Grasping his erection, she guided it to her opening. She was slick with her arousal and release, and his generous shaft slipped into her with little resistance.
After a millisecond, he surrendered, surging balls-deep inside her as he collapsed atop her. In spite of his forearms supporting some of his weight, he was a pleasantly heavy solidness pinning her to the bed.
“Heaven.”
“No, Zoe.” She giggled.
“Same damn thing right now, baby.” He thrust in and out, moving slowly at first. As she met each movement, keeping pace with him, he gradually increased his speed. Zoe matched it as well, reveling in every inch of his flesh fused with hers. Surely he was the perfect match for her, fitting her in a way no other man ever had.
He was pounding into her as they neared the zenith, and she was straining back, enjoying every forceful thrust. Hale grew harder inside her as he stiffened suddenly. With a roar that might have been her name, he twitched in her channel. His release triggered her own, and Zoe tightened her thighs around his to hold him close against her, her sheath spasming with each pulse of pleasure rippling through her.
As his cock slowed, no longer convulsing, Hale settled more fully over her. His lips brushed her forehead. “I love you, Zoe.”
Her eyes blurred with tears, and she nodded. It was a love three years—or more—in the development, and if it hadn’t been for Andy’s interference, they could have been together the past one thousand ninety-five days. It was a bitter thought, but she tried to swallow it and force it from her thoughts, not wanting to taint this moment with anger or bitterness. “I love you too, Hale.”
He stiffened, his gaze flying to hers. “You do?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah. Of course.”
He grinned, that same cockiness from earlier leaking through. “I knew it.”
“Uh huh.” Zoe cuddled closer as Hale turned them onto their sides, facing each other. “Sure you did.”Silence settled between them for a bit, and she was almost asleep when he spoke again.
“It won’t be easy.”
“What’s that?” she murmured sleepily.
“Telling our folks.”
“Um hmm.” Zoe suppressed a yawn. “Don’t worry about it right now.”
“I can’t not worry, honey. It’s been on my mind for three years.” Worry leaked through his tone. “I don’t want you to go through the loneliness of having your family abandon you.”
She sighed softly, forcing her eyelids to open. “I won’t. I’ll have you, even if my mom reacts in a totally atypical way and excommunicates me from the Halston-Sanders clan. We’ll have to tell them eventually, but let’s just enjoy some time together alone first.”
He scowled. ‘You want to keep us a secret?”
“No, of course not.” She smoothed a finger over his wrinkled brow, brushing away the lines of tension. “I just want to spend a few days with you in our own little cocoon before we tell anyone. We lost three years because of your dad’s…because of interference, and I want a chance to make up for some of that lost time before we worry too much about their disapproval. Okay?”
He nodded, his gaze softening. “More than okay. Completely spectacular, Zoe.”
“You too, and I think you should remind me of that again.” She held up a hand as he started to shift her onto her back. “After a quick nap.”
Chapter Four
They spent three days wrapped up in their own worlds, even calling in sick to their jobs on Monday. The phone rang a few times, but they ignored the landlines and their cell phones by mutual unspoken agreement. There weren’t many words exchanged between them, but their bodies communicated artfully.
Late evening Monday night, they had crashed into bed earlier after a marathon of lovemaking, knowing they had to face work and the real world again the following morning. Zoe was snoozing against Hale’s chest when a sound woke her.
She looked up sleepily, recognizing the sound of the door swinging open. Her eyes widened with surprise, because her lover was right beside her. Who else would be entering his apartment?
An angry flash of jealousy assailed her as she prepared herself to face a woman from his past who had been granted the privilege of a key. As the light clicked on, she blinked in surprised recognition at the face in front of her. “Lola?”
“Whoa.” Her sister took in the scene before her and started laughing. “Holy shit, Zoe.”
Before she could respond, Monica came into sight behind her little sister. Monica clapped her hand over her mouth. Tears blurred her vision, and she slumped forward slightly. “Oh, thank goodness. When you didn’t answer your phone or emails, I was certain something dreadful had happened to you. The crime rate in New York City is so frighten—”
“I knew it,” said Andy from over her shoulder. He was glaring at her and his son, who was slowly waking up.
Zoe nudged Hale to hurry along the process, glad they were both covered with the sheet.
“What’s going on?” asked Hale, sounding sleepy.
“Company,” whispered Zoe.
Andy stalked closer. “I knew you were lying to me, Hale. You haven’t gotten over your degenerate urges, and now you’ve dragged your sister into this.”
Hale opened his mouth, but Zoe cut him off before he could defend himself. “I’m not his sister, Andy, and you aren’t my father. You’ve been a great stepdad, but you had no right to send Hale away three years ago, and you have no right to pry into our personal lives now.”
Andy’s mouth gaped open, and he looked a bit like a fish out of water as he struggled for breath. “Zoe Anne Halston, I have been a father to you for six years, and this is sick and wrong. It’s…it’s incest. That’s what it is. He’s forced you into a disgusting sin.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not biologically related to Hale, and he didn’t force me to do anything.” Her expression and tone softened when she looked briefly at Hale before finding her mother’s stunned gaze. “I love him, Mom. I have for years, and he loves me too. Andy cost us three years by interfering before, but we won’t put up with that now.”
“I’m trying to save you from making a horrible mistake,” bellowed Andy. “People will talk.”
“People can go to hell.” Hale put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her back against his torso.
Andy scoffed. “You say that now, but when people find out you’re fucking your sister, it will ruin your career. Her career. Your entire life will be tainted by this.”
“Or maybe you’re worried about your life and reputation,” said Hale mildly. “We’re going to stay here in the city, so it’s unlikely anyone will even know our parents are married. If they do, I don’t think many people will care. We’re both adults, and we’ve only been stepsiblings six years—three of those apart. We didn’t grow up together, and we aren’t related. It’s not a big deal.”
“It is—”
“No, it isn’t,” interrupted Monica in a tone that brooked no argument. She touched her husband’s arm. “Oh, honey, they love each other. You can see it just by looking at them, and not because they’re in bed together. Their eyes… Everything about Hale and Zoe tells me they love each other as much as I love you.” She stretched up on her tiptoe to kiss Andy’s cheek. “Don’t be so stubborn or so concerned about people talking. Worry about your son being happy with my daughter. That’s all that matters.”
Andy still looked disgruntled, but he nodded. He was sullen and probably not onboard with Monica’s viewpoint, but Zoe was happy for the
cessation of arguing. He would come around. If anyone could persuade him, it would be her gentle mother.
Under the covers, she found Hale’s hand and grasped it with her own. He squeezed in return, and they shared a look full of love they no longer had to deny or hide.
Epilogue
Hale had to swallow an unexpected lump of moisture at the first sight of his beautiful bride as she glided toward him on Andy’s arm. The white dress surrounded her like a cloud, and she looked so innocent that he wanted to ravish her right there on the altar.
Biting back a chuckle at the scandalized reactions that would provoke, he forced a serious expression. The last thing his family needed was more talk, but Monica had insisted on the wedding being in San Diego at the family church. Hale had been right in predicting a lot of people didn’t care he was marrying his stepsister. Unfortunately, Andy had also been right.
