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Zane slipped his arm around her waist. “Let’s get you upstairs.”
Mom bustled about putting the casserole in the fridge and writing instructions on how to heat it up, despite Lori telling her she knew how to turn the oven on and shove the damn thing inside.
Zane and Dad launched into a discussion about next year’s baseball season, and Lori kicked off her shoes and did exactly as she’d told Mom she’d planned to; she flopped onto the couch and surfed channels, coming across a showing of Scrooge—the original, and thank goodness she’d only missed the first fifteen minutes.
Fussing completed, Mom made a move to leave, but not before several reassurances that Lori or Zane would call if they needed anything. “Anything at all. You call me. Night and day. That’s what I’m here for. You never stop being a parent, you know.”
Lori let Zane see them out, and then she patted the spare seat beside her. He ambled across, the remnants of worry lines still visible in the dip of his eyebrows and the tightness of skin around his mouth. Zane had suffered through this experience far more than she had. She wanted her fun, teasing man back. And she knew just how to make him reappear. He’d fight her, at first, but he’d give in.
He had to.
“Can I get you anything?”
“Just you.”
“Sure you’re not thirsty, or hungry?”
“After eating seventy billion chocolates, nope.”
“I’m surprised you’re not throwing them back up.”
“There’s still time.”
He chuckled. “I’ll look forward to it.” His arm came around her shoulders, and he pulled her to his side, his legs splayed wide. “I love this movie.”
“Yeah, it’s a goodie.”
Shame you won’t get to see it.
She began her seduction routine—if one could call it such—by tracing circles on his parted thighs and humming in contentment. Inching higher, she increased the pressure, burrowing her nose into his neck and breathing in his woodsy, musky, all-Zane scent.
“I know what you’re doing.”
“And?” She licked a path from his ear to the slope of his shoulder, moving his T-shirt aside to free more skin for her to explore.
“It’s a no.”
“We’ll see about that.”
A rumble rolled through his chest. She wasn’t sure if it was laughter or desire. Either was fine by her.
“Lori, you just got out of the hospital.”
“I did? Wow.”
“Funny.” He caught her wrist and kissed it. “You need to rest.”
“No, I need to live.”
“You can live once you’re rested.”
She’d anticipated this argument. It was textbook Zane, especially after he’d blamed himself for her ending up in the hospital in the first place. He didn’t need to tell her that’s how he was feeling. It was clear in his words, his expressions, his movements, as if he was afraid that if he moved too fast, she’d shatter into a thousand pieces. It was written in how well she knew him, better than he knew himself. Zane was an open book. She’d read to the last page of this latest version of their story and decided she wasn’t keen on the ending. If she didn’t nip this in the bud, right now, then he wouldn’t be able to help himself. He’d fuss and try to protect her from anything he saw as risky.
Straddling his thighs, she went to work on his belt. She’d made a mistake thinking slow seduction was the way to go. Fast and furious was a better idea. It gave him no time to think or to reject her.
“Lori.” He sounded weary, but his eyes were hooded as he gazed up at her, a faint flush creeping over his neck when she tugged down the zipper and freed him. He sighed. “This isn’t a good idea.”
“I think it’s an excellent idea.” She bent her head and swallowed the crown, dipping her tongue into his slit. Time wasn’t on her side. If she didn’t work him into a frenzy in the next ten seconds, she’d lose the battle.
