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The two of us sat in the recliners in the warm glow of the fire, lights off, wine in hand, relaxing. “It’s great that Lucy has bought a house,” Zara remarked. “Did you know about that? Everyone seemed pretty surprised.”
“No, I had no idea. I thought she was going to move back to San Francisco now that the divorce is done.”
“It’ll be nice for you to have her around permanently, I think.”
“It will.” Gazing into the fire, I heard Zara move, glanced over to see her rising to her feet and walking to me, felt my pulse quicken at the look in her eye. She leaned forward, brushing her lips lightly across mine. I put my hand on the back of her neck to keep her there, deepened the kiss, shifting as she straddled me.
“Had a bit to drink, have you?” I felt my body stirring instantly.
“A little.”
“Getting frisky?”
“A little.” She said again. “Why? You don’t like it?”
With my hands on her hips I pulled her forward, so she could feel my erection. “On the contrary.”
“Shut up and kiss me, then.” She kissed me long and deep before leaning back and tossing back the last of her wine. My eyes widened when she turned and threw the empty glass in the fire, turning back to kiss me some more. “I hope that wasn’t one of Ruby’s best crystal glasses?”
I felt her smile as she pressed little butterfly kisses across my cheek. “No. Walmart.” Her hands roved from my shoulders and down my chest, lifted the hem of my shirt, slid across my skin. I shifted so she could pull my shirt up and off, enjoying the slow buildup of heat between us. I ran my hands from her hips, up and over her sides, skimming her breasts with my palms, smiling when she gasped before moving up to cup her face, gazing into her eyes. Losing myself in how beautiful she was. Her eyes were dark sapphire in the flickering firelight, looking at me a little uncertainly when I made no move to kiss her like she was clearly expecting me to.
I couldn’t kiss her, because I couldn’t move. The realization that I was deeply, madly in love with her had just hit me like a freight train. There was no use fighting or denying it. No use pretending it wasn’t true. The problem was I had absolutely no idea what to do about it. I certainly couldn’t tell her.
“Matthew?”
“Mmm?”
“What is it?” Zara had her hands on my shoulders, her face inches from mine, a worried frown on her lovely face.
“Nothing. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” To stop the conversation going any further I pulled her close, kissing her deeply, trying to get a grip on the emotions coursing through me.
Firelight danced across her skin when she pulled back, taking off first her sweater, then her bra. My breath stilled as I gazed at her. At the sheer beauty of her. I so desperately wanted to say what was in my heart: that I loved her, that I would go the ends of the earth for her, that I would protect her from any and every storm, if she would only let me. She tilted her head, a question in her eyes. No, not now. I knew what would happen. She would freeze, withdraw, push me away. I hoped I would find the right time, but this wasn’t it, so I merely smiled at her, drew her close and kissed her deeply, filling myself with her. Taking what I could for now. And giving the little I knew she would accept in return.
CHAPTER29
Zara
Iswore, flicking on the hazard lights and guiding the little car to the side of the road, where it sputtered to a sad stop. Rain splattered the windscreen, the fat drops falling hard. I pulled on my rain jacket, tucked my hair under the hood and got out, going to the back of the Beetle. A quick scan told me nothing, so with a sigh I jumped back into the driver’s seat, pulling the door shut against the rain. Reaching for my phone, I pressed Matt’s number.
“Hey, what’s up?”
Smiling at the sound of his voice, even despite the stress of breaking down in the pouring rain, I said, “My car’s broken down and I can’t get it going.”
“Where are you?”
“About twenty minutes out of town, coming back from New Bern.”
“Okay. I’m in Wilmington…”
My shoulders slumped. “Maybe Gabe can help me?”
“No, he’s here with me. We’re quoting on a job. Hang on.” I heard him talking to Gabe:“Hey, can you call my dad? Zara’s broken down, near the dam. She needs a tow.”
I gasped. “Mathew! No! I don’t want your dad to have to come out in this!”
“Raining, is it?”
“Pouring.”
