Rascal

by Lea Hart

  “I don’t know, Zach. It just seems…”

  “What? Too tempting?” Seeing her cheeks flush in the last of the evening light, he let out a whistle. “Damn, you do find me tempting.”

  Letting out a groan, she closed her eyes. “I’d have to be dead not to. You’re an incredibly attractive man, and I’m not blind.”

  He ran his hand over his T-shirt and grinned. “Those are some very nice adjectives you’re using, and if I’m not careful they may go to my head.”

  “I’m sure they will, and I’m also confident that you’re quite used to women fawning over you on the regular.”

  “But having the woman you’re interested in tell you she finds you attractive is a whole other ball game.”

  She shrugged, but didn’t respond.

  “Stay the night, Cecily, and let’s snuggle on the couch and find a movie to watch.”

  “And you promise to behave and not tempt me?”

  “I promise to be the perfect host, but dialing down my sexiness is damn near impossible. To say otherwise would just be a lie.”

  Standing, she picked up their dishes. “Then I’ll do my best to resist.”

  He stood as well and gave her a sympathetic smile. “I know, baby. Just know that when you find it impossible, I’ll be nothing but gracious.”

  “Such a gentleman.”

  Zach took the dishes from her hand and set them on the table. “I am a gentleman, but there will come a time when that’s the last thing you want me to be.” Encasing her in his arms, he felt her full breast press against his chest as he inhaled her scent. He took in a long breath and prayed the fact his dick saluted the situation wasn’t going to be much of a problem.

  Desire took hold and seeing her face lift and her gaze meet his told him it had gotten a hold of her too. Her lips parted, and awareness pulsed between them.

  He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her closer, sealing his lips over hers.

  Nothing more than a gentle kiss.

  Until his desire to really taste her became overwhelming.

  Sliding his tongue across her lower lip drew a soft moan from her, undoing him in ways he couldn’t understand. When she gasped, he stole entry and intertwined their tongues, tightening his hold on her neck.

  Time stopped.

  Anything that wasn’t about the kiss disappeared.

  Their lips melded, making his mind focus on the delicious taste of her as he let himself fall under the wave of desire.

  On and on it went, until the need for oxygen made them break apart. Breathing heavily, he rested his head against hers and glanced down, noticing her nipples had beaded into tight points. Which made his thick erection pressing against his jeans very happy they were in agreement.

  “Is this you behaving?” Cecily asked.

  Stepping back, he nodded. “Pretty impressive, right?”

  She pushed her hair over her shoulder and let out a breath. “Not even a little.” Picking up the dishes, she walked toward the house.

  “It would be if you knew how fucking much I want you,” he mumbled as he picked up the remaining dishes and followed the siren call of Cecily’s swaying hips.

  ***

  Cecily lay in Zach’s arms and couldn’t come up with a big enough lie to tell herself. Her resolve was slipping along with the quips and minor insults she’d so successfully used to keep him at a distance. His hand was roaming over her body with abandon and she couldn’t come up with one decent argument why she shouldn’t let him.

  Except the one about it being a horrible idea to grope someone with whom you were professionally involved. Add to that his penchant for leggy blonds and she should be stopping this make out session posthaste.

  But she really, really didn’t want to.

  He was the exact opposite of the polite, well-behaved men she’d spent her time with in the past, and his greedy mouth and insatiable hands were tantalizing. He possessed her with a combined forcefulness that turned her on and then doused her in a gentleness that melted her defenses.

  Feeling a little out of control, she decided to turn the tables and see if she could wrestle some back.

  Skimming her hand down his face, she ran her nose along his cheek and inhaled his musk. “You think you’re running the show.”

  “I sure the fuck am,” he replied as he slid his hand under her T-shirt and unhooked her bra with a mere flick of his wrist. “You have any objections?”

  “Probably,” she replied as she lifted his shirt and let her hand rest next to the zipper of his shorts.

  Sucking in a breath, he closed his eyes. “Are you a devil woman sent here to test me?”

  “Might be,” she replied as she moved two fingers just inside the waist of his shorts. “It’s hard to say, though.”

  “I know we’re fooling around, but I need you to have some mercy on me.”

  Laughing, she moved her mouth close to his. “I’ve got all the mercy you need.”

  “I hope so, since there isn’t a thing in the world I wouldn’t do for you.”

  “Any little thing?”

  “Any. Thing.”

  Passion and tenderness filled his gaze, and the gates of her heart started to rattle. Then kindness and warmth came along and made them jangle with an unholy clanging.

  Lust was easier than love, and since she’d never had the latter, she decided to focus on the former. Framing his face, she poured all the feelings she didn’t understand into the kiss she laid on him and hoped it was enough to turn the soft feelings into the sharp lustful ones she understood.

  She gave him a teeth-clashing, soul-wrenching kiss and hoped it made the soft fluttery feeling in her stomach disappear.

  Two mouths molded together shouldn’t make a person want to change their life, but the way theirs mated suggested otherwise. Untangling her tongue from his, she wrenched her mouth away and took in a lungful of air. “I…”

  “Want more?”

  “Not exactly,” she replied as she pressed her hand against his heart, feeling the rapid beat.

  “Scared?”

  Lifting her eyes, she tried to determine if she could sell the lie she was about to tell. Not getting a feeling either way, she blew out a puff of air. “Not even a little.”

  Pulling her tight against his chest, he chuckled. “Baby, don’t ever take up bank robbery or poker because you can’t lie for shit.”

  “I’ll have you know—”

  “What would you have me know?” he asked as he lifted her chin. “How fucking incredible and dangerous the chemistry is between us? Or maybe you’d like to talk about how we fit perfectly together?” Bending down, he brushed several kisses over her cheeks and nose. “Or how incredible our mouths moving together feel?”

  “Lord, have mercy,” she mumbled.

  “You can ask, but I’m guessing there will be none coming, because whoever is in charge is about to send us a message to nut up and appreciate what we’ve been given.”

  Pushing away, she rested her hand on his arm. “And since I can’t actually nut up, what would you have me do?”

  “I’m thinking you metaphorically can, with your eyes closed.”

  Laughing, she closed her eyes. “You couldn’t be more right.”

  “Oh, but I can,” he replied. “About a lot of things.”

  “Are we going to watch a movie or what?”

  “Or what. Which by the way will include my hands mapping your body and all the ways I can make you moan, whimper and beg for more.”

  “You ready for the same, Zach?”

  “Not even a little, since you already seem to own parts of me I wasn’t planning on giving up.”

  “Life will do that to you.”

  Bending his head, he dragged his mouth along her neck. “Get ready baby, because I plan on owning every part of you by the time the curtain closes.”

  “We’ll see.”

  “Yeah, we sure as hell will.”

  Tilting her neck so he could have better access, she told h
erself it wasn’t possible. Then he kissed her behind her ear and she wasn’t so sure.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Zach stood in his garage and looked out at the quiet street as the sun rose over the Red Rock Canyon and let out a long breath.

  Not any calmer for the effort, he turned to his weight rack, lifting the barbells. Enjoying the burn in his muscles, he began his second set and let go of the jumble of thoughts racing around in his head.

  Eleven long days had passed since he’d seen Cecily, and it was ten days too long as far as he was concerned. Hearing footsteps, he looked up and saw Cole stride across the street. “Morning.”

  “And it’s a damn fine one at that,” Cole replied.

  “Fuck you.”

  Cole let out a chuckle and sat on a bench. “Can’t piss on my parade, because my woman took real good care of me this morning.”

  “Uuggh, can you quit talking about how freaking happy you and Kelly are.” Zach turned and finished his reps then racked the weights. “I’m glad you two have found your bliss and all, but please, for the love of God and my sanity, please turn down the volume.”

  “Not possible, brother, ‘cause she’s wearing my ring and knows the wedding isn’t far off.”

  “Did she actually agree to set a wedding date?” he asked as he uncapped a water bottle and drained it.

  “Not exactly, but I know she will before too long.”

  “You hope.”

  “I don’t need hope because if she drags her feet too long, she knows I’ll take her down to one of those chapels on the strip and insist we get it done.”

  Zach pitched the bottle into the trash. “If Kelly were not such a kick-ass human being, I’d be worried for her. But since she has you by the tail, I know she’ll keep you in line and not let you get too carried away.”

  Cole rolled his shoulders. “We both know who runs the show, and it ain’t me, so you’re definitely right. And if you ever repeat this conversation, I’ll have to harm you.”

  “Are you going to be okay with that for the rest of your life?”

  “What part?”

  “The part that allows another human being to own the softest part of you?”

  Cole nodded as a grin split his face. “Wouldn’t want it any other way. As long as she’s by my side, there’s nothing I can’t accomplish. I had a taste of what losing her feels like, and it’s nothing I’m interested in experiencing ever again.”

  “Proud of you for going after what you want and not letting your demons stop you.”

  “They sure tripped me up though and made me fall on my face.” Crossing his arms, he let out a breath. “The shit the three of us grew up with has left us with scars and coping mechanisms that are not all that healthy, and the sooner we learn some new ones the better.”

  “Did wanting Kelly in your life on a permanent basis teach you that?”

  “Yeah, ‘cause doing the old stuff sure as shit didn’t work. She’s made me a better man, and I imagine there’s still a lot more she’s got planned, so who knows how awesome I’m going to be when she’s done with me.”

  “I never thought I’d meet a person who’d actually make me consider letting out the reigns on my controlled life, but it seems it’s happened.”

  “What are you going to do about it?”

  “Right now, nothing since she’s been in Northern California and only responds to half the texts I send.”

  “Have you heard of this invention called the airplane? Heard it makes travel real easy.”

  Zach lifted his finger and flipped off his brother. “Believe me, I’ve thought about hopping in my car or getting on a plane a hundred times, and it’s only through sheer will that I haven’t.”

  “Trying to be cool?”

  “Not even a little. Just trying not to scare the shit out of her and stalk her ass by showing up at her front door uninvited.”

  “The only advice I can give you is to lay your shit out there and pray she accepts you for who and what you are. You’re an all or nothing guy and always have been. If she can’t deal with your big feelings and emotions, then better you know now and not later.”

  “I keep that shit locked down and am a reasonable controlled adult who—”

  “On the outside, but on the inside you’re a beast who feels too much, hurts too much, thinks too much and most importantly loves too much. It’s the best and worst thing about you, and any woman in your life needs to understand that and accept it.” Standing, Cole put his hand on his brother’s shoulders. “I for one think it makes you a kick-ass human, because you’re one hundred percent in with everything you do and all your ‘too much’ is the stuff that’s worth loving.”

  Zach felt himself choke up, and dropping his head, coughed to cover up his emotion. “Kelly really is a fucking miracle worker, because that speech you just made was…”

  “Inspired? Brilliant? Moving?”

  “All three, man.”

  “Good,” Cole replied as his front door opened and Kelly stepped out. “Better go.”

  “See you at the office later.”

  “Will do,” he replied before jogging across the street and sweeping Kelly into his arms.

  “Lucky bastard,” Zach said quietly, knowing that he’d like something similar. A thought that terrified the shit out of him for a million different reasons, not the least of which was what would happen if he lost control.

  Something he’d battled his whole life.

  Sighing, he picked up the barbells again and decided to focus on his workout and not the painful edge of anticipation he’d been experiencing since he kissed Cecily two weeks ago.

  ***

  Cecily studied her best friend, Inez, and shook her head as she refilled her glass. “How can you dismiss him out of hand? You haven’t even had a drink together, and for all you know he could be the love of your life.”

  “The likelihood of Norbert Gumquist being the love of my life is laughable. And I’m not dismissing him, but simply putting him to the side while I explore other options.”

  “Fine. I’ve done all I can do and need to leave it be.”

  “Amen and thank you.”

  “Do you want to order Indian food or Chinese?”

  “Indian, since I’ve been craving samosas all week.”

  Pulling out a stack of to-go menus, Cecily sighed. “What’s going to happen if I move to Vegas? We’ve lived within blocks of each other since we were five, and I’m not sure what I’ll do if that changes.”

  “Me either,” Inez replied with a frown.

  “Which means you need to move to Vegas, or I need to get a new job and stay in the area.”

  “And that gives me a perfect opening to begin my inquisition about you and Zach.”

  Dropping her head to the table, she let out a sigh. “I don’t even know where to begin.”

  Inez lifted her glass and swung it around as she raised an eyebrow. “Start with the hickey you came home with and move backwards.”

  “Must I?”

  “Yes, because I’ve waited two weeks for the story and need to hear how a grown woman gets a hickey from a man she allegedly isn’t that interested in.”

  “My body is interested.”

  “Clearly.”

  “But my head is fighting the good fight.”

  “Because of his short attention span and wandering hands or something else?”

  “Well those factors sure don’t help, but if I’m being totally honest it’s because he scares the shit out of me.”

  “In what way?” Inez asked as she took the menus and picked out the one for the Indian restaurant.”

  “A lot of ancient insecurities are starting to flare up, and I’m thinking that’s a bad sign. I’m actually asking myself old stupid questions like, am I enough? Will he lose interest the minute he comes? Is he as big of a player as I think?”

  “Those nasty voices have been quiet for a while, so what’s made them come out and start shouting again?”

  “I’
d like to lay the blame on him, but I can’t seem to talk myself into it.”

  “If being with him doesn’t make you feel like you could conquer the world, why bother?”

  “Because, I think he’s the one who’s going to make me face down all those old stories once and for all.”

  “Very clever of the universe to send you a package so irresistible that you have no choice but to take him on.”

  “I had the same thought and am slightly irritated.” Taking a sip of her wine, Cecily looked out the window. “I’d rather just leave the old crap where it is and lock the door so I can hold on to my illusion that I’m an emotionally healthy adult ready for a relationship. But that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.”

  Inez patted her hand. “Mother universe has other plans and you’re going to have to dive into this one so you can learn your lessons and move on once and for all.”

  “I’d rather not.”

  “If you don’t then someone else is going to come along, and since you like Zach’s sexy body you should do it with him. Because if tough lessons need to be learned, they might as well be accompanied by some mind-blowing orgasms.”

  Laughing, she lifted her glass in toast. “Can’t argue with that.”

  “Do you think he’s actually capable of giving them to you, by the way?”

  Remembering the kissing and groping they’d done, she had absolutely no doubt. “Yes, he definitely can.”

  “Excellent,” Inez replied as she clapped her hands. “Just remember he may not be meant for a starring role in your life and could just be a supporting character that only gets a scene or two.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Don’t let your boyfriend block you from finding your husband.”

  “Good point.”

  Lifting the menu, she ran her finger down the options. “I’m going to order our food and then we can make a list and see if Zach has a prayer of lasting more than a month.”

  Cecily lifted the wine bottle and topped off their glasses and nodded. “I love a good list.”

  “Which is why I suggested it,” Inez replied. “Do you want to grab your highlighters before we start?”

  “Seems like a good idea.” Cecily stood, then walked into her office wondering if the old ritual would be enough to make the idea of Zach McCallan manageable. He didn’t seem like a man who could be reduced to a pro and con list, but she had to at least try. Because if she didn’t, the wild and uncontrollable feelings he evoked might wash her away, leaving her broken on the shore.