by J. M. Walker
I took the dress from Meadow, pressed it up to my body and moved to the floor-length mirror. “It’s perfect.”
Zach
ALL BREATH LET MY lungs as Luna approached me. The sound that escaped my chest was a half groan, half growl. Fuck me, she looked good enough to eat. I shook myself. I couldn’t have these thoughts about her. But I did. On one hand, I was thankful that things between us were finally moving in a different direction other than just being friends. And on the other, I was terrified.
My stomach clenched, forcing that fear to the back of my mind.
There were only a few years between us but these feelings, this want, this need , it was new. I always thought she was beautiful. Being half-Italian made her skin glow with a delicious tan. I still shouldn’t have these thoughts about her. Besides the fact that her father was a scary fucker, she deserved better. So much better than my broken, moody soul.
The inner turmoil trembling through me, tugged and pulled, damn near splitting me apart.
“She deserves better.”
My stomach clenched.
Luna’s chocolate brown eyes caught mine, a slow smile spreading on her beautiful face. Her dark hair fell down around her shoulders in waves. The black dress that hugged every inch of her curvy frame, sat snug against her body. It fell just below her knees. It left little to the imagination but was still sexy as hell just the same. It accentuated her figure in ways I had only fantasized about. My dick twitched, pushing against the fly of my pants. Even he was happy to see her.
Confusion coursed through me as this newfound awareness slid through me. I hadn’t reacted this way to a female in a long time. Too damn long if you asked me.
“How do I look?” Luna asked, twirling around.
I forced back the urge to bite my knuckles. The fabric of her dress hugged her hips and sat snug against her ass. Her body would fit perfectly in my hands.
“Good,” was all I said instead.
“Really?” Her face fell. “Just good?”
No, Moonbeam. I want to reach beneath your dress, swipe my tongue between those full thighs and show you exactly how beautiful I think you look.
“Yes,” I croaked. Fuck, this was going to be a long night.
“Oh. Okay. Well you look handsome.” She walked past me and that was when I caught it. A sweet sugary scent wafted into my nose.
A growl escaped me then.
She paused, looking up at me, her brows furrowing in the middle. “Zach?”
I had to rein it in for fear that I would do things to her before she was ready for them. My gaze dropped to her full red mouth. She hardly ever wore makeup but tonight, her lashes were long and thick, and her lips were painted a deep crimson. The color heightened the red in her cheeks while her dark lashes made the slight caramel in her eyes, pop.
“I’m having a hard time, Moonbeam,” I said, wrapping my hand around her forearm. Brushing my thumb back and forth, I reveled in the way her skin erupted into tiny goosebumps. “A really hard fucking time.”
“W-What do you mean?” she asked, her voice shaking.
I leaned down to her ear, placing my hand on hers that was on the door handle. “Something…I don’t know what but this…fuck.” Taking a chance, I licked along the shell of her ear. An electric current shot between us at the soft contact. It was so small, but it was definitely there. “I’ve known you for years but I’ve never…this…” I couldn’t form a coherent thought where she was concerned. Something switched between us recently. I wasn’t sure why or how, but I did know that I wanted to explore it more with her.
“Zach,” she whispered.
My hold on her arm tightened. I was losing control. She was making me forget everything I had come to know and just feel. Just be. But I couldn’t. Not with her. Maybe never with her. It was too dangerous. I could never be enough for her.
I pulled back before I did something both of us would regret.
She watched me, her dark eyes billowing with lust that I felt all the way down to the marrow of my bones.
“Get in the car, Moonbeam,” I grumbled, heading around to the driver’s side. Before I got in the car, I adjusted myself and took a deep breath. This was a bad idea. A very bad idea. I was playing with fire where Luna was concerned, and I knew that it was only a matter of time before both of us got burned by the raging inferno growing between us.
***
(Luna)
Zach was looking at me differently tonight. He had been looking at me differently for a while actually, but I only just noticed how much when he licked along the shell of my ear. My skin tingled. I could still feel him. His desperate grip on my arm. Hear the growl of his deep voice. See the lust in his dark eyes.
Maybe the girls were right. Something was definitely growing between Zach and me. But even if that were the case, I could still feel him holding me at a safe distance. We may have been close, and I was the only one out of our friends he actually made a point to talk to, but he was still pushing me away.
My chest tightened at that thought.
His hands white knuckled the steering wheel. That sexy muscle in his jaw ticked. He looked good even though he was pissed about something. He wore a black tailored suit that was made for his big, strong body. A red tie sat against the white dress shirt covering his torso. The jacket to his suit hung in the back.
“Why aren’t you wearing your jacket?” I asked, figuring that was a safe question.
“Because it’s proper etiquette. Also, driving with a suit jacket on, is uncomfortable as hell.”
“Oh.” I ran my hands down my thighs. “Dresses aren’t overly comfortable at times either.”
He only grunted.
I looked out the window. We were still in our city, if you could even call it that. It had grown quite a bit since our parents were kids, but it was small compared to most.
“I hate these dinners,” Zach confessed, tugging on his red tie.
“Why do you do them then?” I asked, thankful that he had broken the silence.
“So, my father doesn’t have to and if I want to take over the business, this is my job. Although I could just hire people to do it for me…” His dark eyes flicked to mine. “I like being in control too much to let someone else do it.”
I shivered at the innuendo. “Well…” The questions were on the tip of my tongue, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted the answers or not. So of course, I asked anyway, “What’s going on? With us?”
Zach looked back out onto the road. “I don’t know, Moonbeam. I really don’t know.”
I cleared my throat, running my hands up and down my thighs. “Well…let’s enjoy dinner, have a drink or two and go from there. I’ll sit quietly while you do your business stuff and be the eye candy on your arm. Okay?”
Zach blew out a slow breath and scratched the dark scruff on his jaw. “Alright, Moonbeam. That sounds perfect if you ask me.”
We pulled into the parking lot of an Italian restaurant. I had never been there before because it was expensive, but I had always wondered what the food tasted like.
“Wow.” I sat forward, taking in the smaller building that had a noticeable chandelier hanging from the ceiling inside the restaurant. “I’ve driven by this place but I’ve never eaten here.”
“I only come here when I want to impress my clients or if they choose to eat here. The client I’m meeting tonight picked this place. I can’t really argue with him since I’m trying to buy one of his buildings.”
“Really?” My head whipped around. “You want to buy his building?”
“Well, I want to buy several of them actually. They’re in the perfect spot in downtown New York. They overlook Central Park and would be perfect for a hotel. I want to gut them and put up one big building.”
“Are they apartment buildings?” I asked, worried that people would be losing their homes.
“No, Luna. They’re businesses and before you say that I’m trying to take jobs from people, I’m really not. They’ve already be
en notified that the buildings will be sold. That was on the owner’s part. I just got notice that he was selling them in the first place.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Zach gave me a small smile. “You were worried that I was taking someone’s job from them. Weren’t you?”
“Well…I was actually worried that you were taking someone’s home. But I also know how hard it is nowadays to get a decent job.” I shrugged. “I didn’t think you were like that, but I’ve never seen you in business mode, so I wasn’t sure.”
He smirked. “My grandfather was the ruthless one when it came to shutting businesses down, so he could buy the buildings. My father taught me different. I learned from him to search out places that are already listed and put in an offer that way. I also gave each of the employees a job opportunity.”
My heart warmed. “You’re a good guy, Zachary.”
His grin grew. “Let’s get this dinner over with.”
***
(Zach)
Luna was absolutely breathtaking. She would pass a glance at me every so often when she thought I wasn’t looking. But I was. I was always looking at her because I couldn’t help it. I looked at her because seeing her was something that helped me through my day. Even when we were kids. There had always been something about her that calmed me.
When we walked into the tiny restaurant, I could feel all eyes on us. The men watched her, wishing it was them she was latching onto. The women looked as well but I didn’t give a shit. I only had eyes for Luna. I just wished I would have made a move years ago.
“People are staring,” Luna murmured, pulling me from my guilt-ridden thoughts and curled her hand tighter around my bicep.
“Let them stare, Moonbeam.” I kissed her temple. “You’re beautiful. The men are jealous.”
“So are the women,” she countered.
The lust billowing between us was like a bomb and I couldn’t wait to watch it fucking explode.
She stared up at me, something flashing behind her dark eyes.
A throat cleared.
Both of us turned, finding a tall man standing at a table. “Mr. Porter.” He held out his hand. “It’s been awhile.”
“Luna, this is Chase Black. Chase, Luna Stone.” I returned the handshake. My stomach twisted at the way he was looking at her. His cold calculating eyes raked over her, no doubt imagining her naked and writhing beneath him.
She shivered, tightening her hold on my arm.
“It’s a pleasure meeting you, Miss Stone.” Chase offered his hand again.
She took it.
He caught my eye, winked, and placed a peck on the back of her hand.
Luna stiffened, snatching her hand back.
Chase chuckled, sitting. “I wasn’t aware that we could bring a date or else I would have brought one myself.”
“I assumed you would be bringing a date. But that’s beside the point. I brought a date, so you would keep this professional,” I threw back at him, knowing that if Luna wasn’t there, he would have threatened me already. It was why I was sent to meet with him instead of my father. Because my dad would have killed him already.
“How are your parents?” Chase asked, ignoring my statement. “I’m actually surprised it’s you here and not your dad. Although, if he brought your mom—”
“Careful,” I bit out.
Chase’s grin grew. “Anyway, let’s get down to business because like you, I have better things to do.” His gaze flicked to Luna’s before giving me a small smirk.
Luna shifted beside me.
I reached under the table and grabbed her hand. She stopped moving, finally relaxing beside me which then caused me to do the same.
I still had to play it cool. Especially where her father was involved. I was man enough to admit it, Vincent Stone Senior scared the shit out of me.
“My father said you were looking at selling the building near Central Park.” I took a sip of my water. “You already told the residents, so I don’t have to do your dirty work.” I sat back, placing the glass on the table. “I’ve also been told that your own father is adamant on you not selling the building. Or any of the buildings for that matter.”
Chase’s jaw clenched. He sat back in his chair, running his fingers along the dark scruff on his jaw. It was funny in a way. Although we looked nothing alike, we were similar in the way we worked. But I would never throw anyone under the bus to get to the top. Not unless it came to bulldozing through someone like him. Then, I would have no issues doing it.
“My father left me in charge of the company after he became sick.” Chase sat forward, his dark brows narrowing in the center. “So, I highly suggest leaving him the fuck out of it.”
I bit back a chuckle, knowing I had struck a nerve. I didn’t give a shit. I didn’t like him. I didn’t like his father. I also didn’t like how both of them tried to undermine my own father by bribing the owner of a hotel to sell the building to them and not my dad. It was a ruthless business, but these people didn’t have to resort to that shit.
The waiter took that moment to come over. “Good evening. I’m Jacob,” the young man smiled. “I’ll be taking care of you this evening. Can I start you off with some drinks?”
“I’ll have a glass of your best red,” Chase said, not taking his gaze off of mine.
“What would you like, Luna?” I asked her, brushing my thumb over her pulse point.
Her breath caught. “I’m fine with just water,” she said. “Thank you.”
The waiter nodded, looking my way. “And you, Sir?”
“Water is fine as well.” I would have a drink later. I was already on the verge of saying whatever was on my mind. Alcohol would only make it worse. I didn’t need that to happen. I had to close this deal.
The waiter nodded again and headed to the bar to put the order in.
“Alright, Zach.” Chase crossed his arms over his chest. “Care to tell me what that shit was about? If your father were here, he wouldn’t resort to pissing me off.”
I shrugged. “My father isn’t here, now is he? Just like yours isn’t either. We’re doing this our way. Without them. So, are you wanting to sell the building or not?”
***
(Luna)
Watching Zach in action was hot as hell. His demeanor was something I had never seen before. I knew that he was a powerful businessman due to his dad teaching him everything he knew but that was it. I had never seen his performance.
Zach’s jaw was set, his hand never left mine and his words flowed. By the time he was finished, Chase had buckled and sold the building to him.
“You’re a stubborn fucker,” Chase mumbled, throwing his napkin on top of his plate.
Zach shrugged. “I come by it honestly.” He gave my hand a squeeze.
Chase chuckled, running a hand through his dark hair that was short on the sides and a little longer on top. “Only one man has ever made me cave that quickly and he’s dead.”
I shivered at the thought.
Zach rolled his eyes. “He’s referring to his grandfather,” he told me. “So dramatic, Chase.”
Chase’s laugh deepened. “It worked.” He nodded my way. “It made her squirm.”
“It seems that Zach made you squirm as well,” I threw back at him. “Or else you wouldn’t have signed over the building to him in less than ten minutes. Next time, I should keep time. See if Zach can crack you sooner.”
Chase’s mouth fell.
Zach only grinned.
“Well this has been fun.” Chase stood, stuck his hand out and waited.
Zach rose to his feet, returning the handshake. “Until next time.”
Chase grunted and left the restaurant.
“He didn’t even offer to pay,” I said, watching him leave before turning back to Zach.
“I’m not surprised.” Zach finished off his water when the waiter returned.
He smiled down at us. “Would you like dessert?”
Luna
“THANK YOU FOR DINN
ER,” I told Zach as he put the car into park. I realized then that he didn’t park directly in front of the house I shared with the girls. Probably a good idea with the peering eyes that lived with me.
“You’re welcome.” He turned toward me. “Thank you for coming with me and keeping me sane. And calm.”
“I didn’t really do anything,” I told him. It wasn’t like I did a whole lot of talking.
“You did.” He cupped my hand that was on my knee. “You did more than you could ever know.”
My gaze flicked to his. An unknown energy passed between us. “Zach?”
He pulled my hand to his mouth, placing a soft peck on the back of it. “Luna, I don’t know what’s going on and I’m probably going to go to hell for this but fuck it.”
Before I could ask what he meant, he pulled me against him and crushed his mouth to mine.
I gasped, which gave him the incentive to push his tongue between my lips. A moan escaped me. I had been kissed before but not like this. It was like Zach was trying to reach inside me and find out all of my dark and dirty secrets. Secrets that were only meant for him to know.
His hands roamed down my back, a path of goosebumps following with them.
Snaking my arms around his thick neck, I deepened the kiss, taking his tongue farther into my mouth.
A soft growl escaped from somewhere deep inside his chest.
“Zach,” I whispered against his lips.
He broke the kiss, leaned back, and rubbed his nape. “Shit, Luna. I’m…fuck, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” My heart pounded hard behind the walls of my ribcage. “I just…I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Neither was I.” He cleared his throat, dropping his hands in his lap. “I am sorry.”
