The moment her hand shifted off his throbbing cock, giving his brain some much-needed oxygen, he asked, “What should we repeat first?” He wanted to make sure he repeated all her favorites in the time they had left. He’d liked everything on her list, but was in the mood for one item in particular—animals are primal. His accurate interpretation: animals are primal, humans are animals. Ergo, take me doggy-style. It was the most natural position if you looked big picture at all the animals.
“Mmm, surprise me,” she said.
“How’s number five?”
Her bright blue eyes sparkled with good humor. “Don’t ask; just do, bad boy.”
He couldn’t help his grin at her turn of phrase. “Don’t ask; just do. You sound like Yoda.”
“You sound like a man who’s not getting number five.”
He flipped her to her stomach and lifted her by the hips, taking her in one hard thrust. He groaned long and low.
“Yes!” she shouted like usual when he took charge.
She arched back into him and his brain shut down, primal need taking over. Fuck academics. He was an animal.
~ ~ ~
Carrie woke that night with a gasp, eyes wide open, heart pounding. Oh, thank God. It was just a dream. She was still in Zach’s bed. She’d been dreaming she showed up to her parents’ fiftieth anniversary vow renewal ceremony when it suddenly turned into her wedding to her awful ex Edward. He’d said all the vows and the minister didn’t care that she said nothing, the marriage went through. Final. Stuck forever. She’d tried to run but got nowhere, running in place, Edward’s hand clamped around her wrist.
She rolled over, searching for Zach, and found only an empty bed. Where was he? She checked the clock on the nightstand. Four a.m.
She rolled out of bed, wrapping the blanket around her bare shoulders, and padded out to the living room. He was asleep on the sofa. She stopped in front of him and stared in the dim streetlight filtering through the living room window. His legs were too long for the sofa and he had to sleep on his side, knees bent to fit. Why would he sleep out here when he had a king-size bed in the other room? Shit. It was because of her. That first night she’d been so worn out, she’d let herself fall asleep in his bed. And then he’d made her breakfast the next morning and it was all so wonderful, she kept doing it. She should’ve asked if it was okay to spend the night or, better yet, forced herself to wake up and drive home. Guilt stabbed at her, making her chest tight. He’d given up his bed for her without complaint.
But was it really so bad to sleep with her? They were so intimate with each other in other ways. Her throat tightened, suddenly hurt that he’d rather squish onto the uncomfortable sofa than sleep with her, even though she knew she had no right to be upset. This was probably his way of not getting too attached when they were only temporary. Her stomach rolled. Okay, she’d fix this. All of this fling stuff had been her idea, so now she’d make sure he went back to his bed, where he could stretch out and be more comfortable, and then she’d drive home.
She sat next to him and ran her fingers through his thick soft hair. “Zach?”
No response.
“Zach,” she said louder, “let’s get you back to your bed.”
He didn’t stir. She nudged him a few times, but he was out cold. He was much too big for her to get him there on her own. She didn’t want to go back to his bed alone, the nightmare wedding still fresh in her mind. She slid in next to him, lying on her side, her back to his front, and pulled his arm over her waist. There. His body warmed hers, his spicy male scent surrounded her, and she completely relaxed, falling into a deep sleep.
She woke in the early morning when Zach maneuvered her onto the sofa and himself off. “Hey,” she said softly, “I don’t want you to have to squish on the sofa.”
“You fall asleep before me.” He stood, looking down at her in his undershirt and red and black plaid boxers. “I don’t want to disturb you.”
She sat up. “Your legs are too long for the sofa. I’ll go home after so you can have the bed.”
He cupped her jaw and grazed his thumb over her cheek. “I’d never kick you out of bed.”
Her breath caught, surprised at the sweetness. “Okay, then, you can sleep with me.”
He dropped his hand. “I’m just used to sleeping alone.” He left, heading toward the bedroom, probably for the connected bathroom.
She flopped back on the sofa, pressing a hand to her aching chest. What did she expect from a fling? It wasn’t like they did anything but have sex and eat breakfast together. This wasn’t a relationship, which was fine. Neither of them wanted that. He didn’t do long-term. She was glad. The last thing she needed was to lose herself again, all wrapped up in a man, supporting all of his dreams while neglecting her own.
A short while later, she heard Zach in the kitchen. Probably getting the coffee started. Lately she’d been noticing more and more of the considerate things he did. She told herself he would do them for anyone. He was still every bit the bad boy she’d hoped for, back from a mysterious no man’s land, a world traveler with survival skills, a skilled sensual lover that left her wrung out, limp and sated. He probably had a checkered past too. All the guys that hung out with the Campbell family did. She hadn’t pressed Zach to share intimate details and he hadn’t offered. Further evidence that this was a fling. Neither of them was interested in true intimacy.
He probably didn’t think twice about having coffee ready first thing when she woke. Or leaving an extra towel and washcloth for her on the dresser. Or cooking for her.
Or sleeping on the sofa so he wouldn’t disturb her sleep.
Had she been all wrong about him?
He stepped out of the kitchen and pulled his undershirt off in a quick two-handed move. That got her attention. Tanned skin, defined pecs and abs, those muscular wide shoulders. She sat up, hoping the boxers would drop next.
He inclined his head toward the bedroom. “Shower with a twist. You’ll like it.”
She shot off the sofa. It didn’t matter what he had in mind, all of his ideas were fantastic. And she not only liked it, she loved it.
He waited, his eyes eating her up as she approached him, completely naked, feeling beautiful and sexy under his gaze. At the last minute, she pivoted toward the bathroom, just out of his reach. He caught up to her and swatted her ass. She let out a small squeak of surprise before he scooped her up, tossing her up and over his shoulder. He was definitely bad in the best sense of the word.
Much later, they made their way to the kitchen. They both guzzled water and then helped themselves to the waiting coffee. They’d turned sex into an Olympic sport and had to rehydrate regularly.
“Take a seat,” he said before turning to get breakfast stuff out of the refrigerator.
She did, bringing her coffee with her. “What’re you making?”
“Omelets.”
So, okay, eating breakfast together every morning was kind of domestic and relationshipy, but she couldn’t help herself. He was such a good cook. And he wanted to cook for her. She couldn’t be so rude as to let all of his culinary efforts go to waste.
She sipped her coffee and thought about her parents’ upcoming fiftieth anniversary celebration. Yesterday her mom had warned her that Edward was bringing his twenty-year-old fiancée. Her mom had offered not to invite him when they’d first started planning the event, but Carrie had said it was fine. She planned to be polite and work around him. Besides, it would’ve made things awkward for her parents on this special occasion. Edward and his parents had shared most special events with their family—Christmas Eve parties, Fourth of July, summer vacations. She’d missed him last Christmas while she’d been at her friend Claire’s wedding and had skipped the summer activities, but this renewal ceremony was a big deal, so she sucked it up. It wasn’t every day your parents celebrated fifty years together.
Too bad things hadn’t worked out with her and Edward like everybody had hoped. She’d told her parents they’d brok
en up because Edward had strayed. She’d left out the kinky sex he’d sought elsewhere to keep her “pure.” God, she loathed Edward, the cheating liar. He’d deprived her of passion while he’d been doing all sorts of depraved sex stuff with…whoever. Thank God he’d been religious about using a condom. She’d had a thorough STD screening, anyway, once she’d realized what he’d been doing.
But now that she knew he’d be there with a young fiancée at his side, she had cold feet. The renewal ceremony was technically past the agreed upon two weeks for her and Zach, but she’d dearly love to show up there with her sexy badass boyfriend to show Edward she’d moved on and was doing just fine.
The delicious scent of breakfast cooking—omelet with ham and green peppers—reached her a short while later. It would be hard to miss out on all of Zach’s delicious breakfast food once their two weeks were up, but that was the deal. Maybe she could keep it going just a little longer.
She took a deep breath before saying as casually as she could manage, “I know our two weeks will be up next Saturday, but would you mind if we extended it by one day?”
Zach turned from the stove to look at her. His dark hair was still damp from the shower with comb lines from where she’d combed it. So hot. He let her do whatever she wanted to him. “Why?”
She hated to ask, but it would make things so much easier with her ex. “Next Sunday is my parents’ fiftieth anniversary. They’re renewing their vows in a ceremony on the beach and…” She winced, hating to bring up Edward.
“And?” he prompted.
She sighed. “My ex Edward will be there. His parents are close friends of my parents. I was hoping you’d go as my date.”
“Your parents invited him, knowing he hurt you?” His voice, gruff and curt, told her what he thought of that. She warmed, knowing he was on her side.
“They offered not to invite him, but I didn’t want to make things awkward. Edward’s family has always joined ours for special occasions.”
His lips formed a flat line, studying her for a long moment.
“I admit I don’t have the most honorable of intentions. I want to make him jealous and show you off.”
His lips curled in a slow sexy smile. “Nice.”
“So you’ll do it?”
“Yeah.” He turned back to the stove.
She shifted uncomfortably, imagining Edward saying something unkind and Zach striking back or maybe even kicking his ass! He had that alpha thing going on. She didn’t want any kind of testosterone showdown on her account. Not that Zach was in love with her. They both knew this two-week one-day fling was about sex.
“Uh, Zach, please don’t say anything to him, okay? No matter what he says, let me handle him.”
He didn’t reply. Just kept cooking barefoot in his sexy blue T-shirt and faded jeans.
“I mean it,” she said firmly.
He shifted the omelet to a plate and crossed to her, setting it in front of her. “If you could handle him, you wouldn’t need me there.”
“Forget it,” she muttered, annoyed at how well he could read her. She didn’t need him there, but she really wanted him there. She could feel Zach’s eyes on her as he continued to stand by her side.
“Carrie.” His tone was surprisingly gentle.
She didn’t reply, just sliced into a corner of her omelet. She didn’t want him to feel sorry for her and she definitely didn’t want to share about Edward’s stupid fiancée because she was afraid she’d end up all teary. That could’ve been her and, even though she’d turned him down when it was her, it still stung. Edward and this other woman couldn’t have been together very long. Edward took six years to propose to her and then not until after she’d dumped him. His proposal was a last-ditch effort to get her back. She took a small bite of omelet and groaned. Effing delicious.
“Just watching you eat is an erotic experience,” Zach said gruffly.
She found herself smiling. “So’s watching you cook. Guess that worked out.”
He cupped her head and dropped a kiss on top of it. “I’ll be there.”
A warm glow filled her, her throat tight with emotion for his understanding and support. Before she could manage a thank-you, he’d returned to the stove. Feeling better, she ate her delicious omelet and, a short while later, he joined her with his breakfast, taking his seat across from her.
“You want me to be extra badass in front of your ex?” he asked, slicing into his omelet. “Black leather jacket, swagger, swearing a blue streak, maybe a switchblade in my back pocket.” He widened his eyes. “Bit of the crazy eyes?”
Her hand went to her throat. Her sweet senior citizen parents would die! “Maybe not that far.”
He inclined his head. “Your call.”
“I love your badass look just like it is. Wild hair, beard, and all that hard muscle.”
“Funny, I was going to say the same thing about you.” He grinned and took a bite of omelet.
“Not quite the same,” she said, reaching over and stroking his beard.
He finished chewing before saying, “I’m overdue for a trim. I’ll get cleaned up in time for the anniversary thing.”
“Don’t do it on my account.” No matter what he looked like, her parents were going to be curious about him. “Maybe we should get some of the basic info on each other so we’re not caught off guard when you meet my parents.”
He ate some omelet and took a sip of coffee. “Shoot.”
“How old are you?”
“Thirty-four.”
“Middle name?”
“Edward.”
“No!”
He smiled, his eyes crinkling up at the corners. “Kidding. Zachary Joseph Harrison.”
She threw her napkin at him and he laughed, handing it back to her. “I’m twenty-six,” she said. “Carrie Elizabeth Young.”
He ate some omelet and spoke around it. “You’re too young for me, Carrie Young.”
“Ha-ha. I can take you.”
He met her eyes with a devilish gleam. “Sure can.”
She blushed at the reminder of all the intimate things they’d done. “So you know I’m a nurse and you’re…” She waited for him to fill in the blank. She’d spent all of her free time with him this week, mostly not talking. She’d held back her curiosity, but now that he was sharing, she was dying to know more.
He sipped some coffee and studied her over the rim. Just when she thought he wasn’t going to answer, he said, “Currently unemployed.”
“Because you just got back from Indonesia?”
“In part.”
“And what did you do there?”
He sliced some omelet and chewed, taking his time answering her. Finally he said, “Checking out the islands, hiking and camping in the forest.”
“No wonder you look like a wild mountain man. Is that how you make money? Travel tours of the islands?”
He resumed eating.
She stared at him for several long moments while he said nothing, his sole focus on his food. She gave him that, he was probably hungry. Finally she couldn’t wait any longer. “Zach? Is that what you do?”
He lifted his coffee mug to his mouth, muttered, “Yeah,” and took a sip.
“Cool! I’d love to take a tour with you.”
He set his coffee down and met her eyes directly. “I’d love for you to see Indonesia. Beautiful scenery, beautiful people.”
“When do you go back?”
He stared at the table for a moment and then met her eyes. “I’m heading to Singapore next for a two-year gig. Right after Christmas.”
“Oh.” She forced a smile. “I’m starting grad school in a couple of weeks for my master’s in nursing. I’m going to be a certified pediatric nurse practitioner. I was lucky enough to get full tuition coverage with a teaching assistantship.”
“Congratulations. How long is your program?”
“Two years.”
Their gazes locked for a moment of shared recognition of what that meant. Two years,
two different continents, two very different career paths.
Finally Zach broke the silence, saying quietly, “Sounds like we both have a two-year plan though you’re getting a semester’s head start.”
“I guess so.” He’d still be gone for two years. She stared at the table, her fingers tightening into a death grip on her mug. She forced herself to relax her fingers, lifted the mug to her lips, and realized it was empty. Caffeine was not what she needed right now. She nearly vibrated with tension, blindsided by a separation across the world. She swallowed down the emotion that had no place here. She had no claim on Zach, had worked hard to keep things light. So, she got her wish, fate intervened to make them an impossibility. She’d get through this ordeal with Edward and then say goodbye to Zach. Her gut churned. No, that wasn’t right. Zach had been good to her and he didn’t deserve being used as a buffer for a situation he had nothing to do with.
She lifted her eyes to his. “You don’t have to be my date for my parents’ anniversary. It was selfish of me to want you there. I’ll deal with Edward myself.”
“Too late, already invited me.”
“Zach.”
“Carrie,” he growled with a note of finality.
She lifted her palms. “Okay, okay. Thank you.”
He grunted and returned to eating.
She debated if she should warn him about the kind of man he’d be meeting. They were as different as two people could be, which she was happy about, but she didn’t want Zach to be caught off guard. Edward was a snooty intellectual, something he’d worked at. His parents were down to earth.
“Edward is a brilliant doctor,” she said. “A brain surgeon.”
“So? Even smart people can be stupid.” He finished his omelet in one big bite, his teeth snapping together.
“Zach.”
He chewed and swallowed. “What?”
“That was sweet.”
“Nothing sweet about it. Edward was clearly stupid to miss out on all you have to offer.” He cleared his throat. “I mean, you have so much passion and all.”
She blushed. “You’re the one who’s so passionate. I’m just trying to keep up.”
Bad Boy Done Wrong Page 8
