by Lori Ryan
That had the intended effect. Jesse threw her head back and laughed, just as he hoped she would. “What are you – sixty?”
Zach smiled, loving the sound of her laugh. He could begin to see what he imagined was the old Jesse coming back. She laughed more. She was sweet and caring, and she was beginning to look a lot lighter these days. She wasn’t carrying the heaviness around that she’d had about her when he first picked her up in Connecticut.
“You know what I mean.” Zach leaned back and put his feet up on the coffee table as he watched Jesse work.
“Yeah, I know. Well, the little stuff has stopped. The ingredients are all what you expect them to be, but there are still weird things happening. The other day, one of the freezers went out and everything in it melted. People were talking about whether it might have been done on purpose again, but I don’t know. That would hurt everyone or hurt the school itself. There doesn’t seem to be any point in that if it’s just one of the students trying to get ahead of the other students. I think the heavy competition is leveling out. A few people have left the program. The people left seem to know where they stand in the rankings now, so I think trying to hold anyone else back to make yourself look good is kind of pointless at this stage.”
Jesse pulled the pot of chocolate off the stove and grabbed a plastic bag of confectioner’s sugar. She gripped the sides of the bag and pulled, but nothing happened. Zach watched as she frowned at the bag, then tried again, appearing to put all her strength into it.
“Need help?” Zach asked as he rose and walked over to the kitchen.
Jesse scowled at him making it hard for him to keep the edges of his mouth from twitching into a smile. She looked like a child stomping her foot and insisting that she can do it herself.
“I can do it,” she said, further solidifying the image.
Zach just nodded and waited.
Jesse turned the bag a bit to try a different angle, pulling this way and that.
“I just thought I’d ask, you know. Cuz, I’m right here and all,” Zach said, again gesturing for the bag.
“No, I’ve got it,” Jesse said with emphasis. And, just then, she did get it – in a big way.
The bag opened and exploded with an enormous poof of the light, fluffy confectioner’s sugar landing all over Jesse. In her hair, on her face, covering her from head to midriff in a light white coating of sweetness.
Jesse stood wide-eyed and startled. “Son of a biscuit!”
Zach tried to keep a straight face, but it was no use. Between the look on her face, the fact that she was coated in powdered sugar, or her bizarre attempts to avoid swearing, he couldn’t keep the laughter from coming out. And once he started, he couldn’t stop. Even when Jesse put her hands on her hips and started toward him.
“That’s funny, huh? I’ll show you funny, mister.” She headed his way with her hands raised as if she’d just love to share the sugary mess that coated her.
Before he thought it through, Zach grabbed her wrists to stop her, but that brought him too close. Too close to the sweet goddess with the bewitching eyes that twinkled with fire when she was mad at him. Too close to the dangerously tempting scent of Jesse covered in sugar. Too close to her tantalizing neck, covered in the finest sheen of powdery sweetness that Zach knew would melt under his tongue.
His eyes narrowed in on the sweet curve of her neck, and his mouth watered in anticipation. Just one taste. One sweet lick to tide him over. To satisfy the burning desire he’d been fighting for so long. Instead of holding her back, Zach was using his firm grip on her wrists to pull her close. Close enough to taste.
The air thickened and heated around them, and Zach swallowed hard, knowing he was about to make a mistake, but utterly helpless to fight it. Zach dipped his head and slowly let his lips brush over the sweet, soft skin. When he licked his lips, he tasted the sugar and growled, going in for more. All thought was gone now. Zach feasted on Jesse, completely blinded to thought or reason, or what was right and what was wrong.
Because this – Jesse in his arms – felt so right. Zach pulled back and watched her eyes, waiting to see if she’d stop him. But she didn’t. She stared at his mouth, and that only turned the heat running through his veins even higher, turning the air around them hotter by the second. Memories of Jesse’s moans as she tossed in her dreams flitted through to him and he felt his body harden in response. And then there was simply no holding back.
Zach closed the distance, brushing his lips against Jesse’s and feeling her soft exhale at the contact. He let his mouth cover hers and his tongue brush over her lips, seeking entrance. She gave it willingly and moaned as his arms came around her, pulling her into his embrace, pressing his body to hers. Zach slanted his head, deepening the kiss, and heard the soft, sweet moans he’d fantasized about in response. Try as he might, Zach couldn’t stop himself now. There was no turning back as he felt Jesse press her body against him, pulling him further into her spell.
***
Jesse thought for a split second she was dreaming again. She was so used to her mind running off on fantasy trips when Zach was close to her that, for a moment, she thought for sure that was all this was. Then she blinked, and Zach’s body was still pressed against her. He’d pulled back from the kiss to look into her eyes, but he didn’t break his hold, didn’t break the contact that let her know he was just as attracted to her as she was to him.
“We should get you in the shower,” Zach said, his voice gruff and hoarse.
“Probably,” Jesse whispered back, as just the thought of showering with Zach sent heat pooling between her legs. Then she snaked a hand behind his neck, letting it curl into the dirty-blond hair that gathered at the nape and pulled him closer. This time, it was she who began the kiss, but he took over, controlling it almost instantly, turning her knees to butter and setting her womb on fire.
God, how she wanted this man. And she had no intention of turning back on this now. Bad idea or not, it had already started, and she wouldn’t stop it.
Zach broke with her lips and began exploring her neck with his mouth, his tongue. Little nips with his teeth that sent tingles racing through her body. He spoke with his mouth still against her skin, letting her feel the heat in his breath, the want in his hands and mouth.
“I’ve wanted this for so long, Jess. Every time I look at you, I dream of stripping off your clothes and carrying you to bed. Touching you. Tasting you. Burying myself in you.”
Jesse trembled with each word. “Please,” she whispered, and Zach answered by lifting her into his arms.
He carried her through the master bedroom to the bathroom and turned on the shower with one hand, never breaking contact with her body and his lips. Jesse felt nothing but heat racing through her, building in anticipation as Zach stripped her of her clothes. Powdered sugar still coated her everywhere, despite Zach’s impressive efforts with his mouth.
Jesse stepped under the hot spray and watched as Zach pulled his T-shirt over his head. Jesse couldn’t hold back a small moan. Her fingers itched to touch the solid muscles of his chest and stomach. She held her breath as Zach’s hands moved to unbutton his jeans. She’d dreamed of this moment for so long and now it was only seconds away.
When Zach stood naked before her and slipped into the shower, Jesse thought she would burst from the need, the anticipation. She greedily ran her hands over his powerful shoulders and down to his chest as his hands explored her body in equal measure. When Zach reached her breasts and skimmed rough fingers over her nipples, Jesse’s head fell back and she surrendered completely to him. When his mouth sought out one nipple as the other hand continued to tug and tease, Jesse lost all reason. There was no outside world, no anxiety, no right and wrong. There was only this moment, these sensations, this overwhelming need being met at last.
Zach reached over and shut off the water.
“I want to take my time with you in bed.” He wrapped Jesse in a towel and moved them to her bedroom then laid her gently on the be
d, as if he treasured her. Jess had never felt more special, more wanted in her life.
But Zach paused. He held his body above hers and looked down into her face. “Are you sure you want this, Jesse? Are you positive?”
Jess smiled and brought her arms around his neck, pulling his body down over hers even as she raised her hips to try to meet him again. “I’m positive. Absolutely, positive.”
It was like letting loose a force above her. Zach made his way over her body with his hands and mouth. Jesse couldn’t believe the heat and hunger burning through her.
How does he do this to me?
Being with Zach was so much more intense than Jesse had ever imagined. He ran the tip of his tongue over her nipple and then breathed warm air from his mouth, making her squirm and push her breasts toward him. He answered with a small nip of his teeth, tugging at her nipple until she cried out with the combined pleasure and pain of it.
Zach showered her with open-mouthed kisses until she thought she’d scream from the torture of it. Jesse wanted more. To feel the heat of his skin against hers. To feel him slip inside her, to fill her. Finally.
“God, Jess. You’re so beautiful. So incredible,” Zach whispered as he raised himself up to the top of the bed to meet her lips again.
Before Jesse knew what hit her, Zach had looped an arm around her waist and flipped them. He on his back with her straddling his hips. She pulled herself upright and smiled at the sharp intake of breath from Zach as he looked at her. But the smile was lost on her lips as his hands came up. Zach cupped her breasts, then raised himself up to capture a nipple in his mouth, swirling his tongue around until Jess felt as if he were swirling her brains around with it. She couldn’t think. Couldn’t function. Could only feel the sensations racing through her body.
Jess thought she would burst with wanting and need as heat swept through her. Zach kept one hand on her waist to steady her and brought one hand down between her legs. His thumb swept over her swollen core, the moisture greeting him as if to show him how ready she was for him.
“Zach,” she gasped as his thumb rasped over and over. With one more firm suck of her nipple, Jesse was stunned at the sudden orgasm that hit her. The sweet release ripped through her body as Zach drew it out, until she collapsed on top of him. Her head was in a fog as he rolled her to the side.
“I’ll be right back,” Zach whispered, and the loss of him at her side was immediate and painful.
Within seconds, Zach returned. Condom in hand, he joined her on the bed once more. Jesse watched in awe as he sheathed himself. He was incredible. His taut body was tanned and lean, each muscle standing out as if sculpted by an artist’s hand out of clay or marble.
Zach’s body covered her, forearms cradling her head as he looked into her eyes.
“You’re sure, Jess?”
Jesse just laughed. A raspy, needy laugh. She’d have to do serious damage to this man if he stopped now.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I’m sure.”
Jess reached down and guided him into her, then her breath hitched in her throat as he took over and eased in so slowly, she thought the torture would kill her. She felt every inch of him as he stretched her, pushing deep, making her arch into him to try to take him even further. It was absolute bliss.
Zach pulled back out just as slowly, then sank back to the hilt making Jesse writhe and moan. Nothing had ever felt as good as Zach did inside her. Nothing had ever felt so right. Jesse looped her arms around Zach’s neck and pulled him down to catch his mouth, kissing him deeply as he began to plunge faster. She pressed her hips up to meet his strokes, feeling another orgasm building, coiling tight and ready.
***
Zach could feel Jesse tightening around him and knew she was close, so close to coming again. She felt incredible. So much more amazing than even his fantasies had been. He focused all his energy on holding his own release back as long as he could, wanting to let Jesse come again. Zach lowered his head, grazing her nipple with his teeth as he sped up, plunging over and over into Jesse’s sweet, mesmerizing depths.
Zach knew from the tingling in his spine, the tightening, he wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. She felt too good, too wet and hot and tight for him to hold on. Zach moved to her other nipple, sucking deeply, and felt her explode around him, taking him with her into oblivion. He pushed through, plunging again and again, drawing out her pleasure as long as he could, before sinking down on top of her, utterly spent.
They lay together, trying to catch their breath. After so many weeks of wanting, needing to know her taste, her touch, how it would feel to be inside of her, Zach didn’t want to let go. He rolled to his side and slipped out of her, grabbing tissues from the nightstand to clean them both up. He smiled as she snuggled into his side and he tightened his arms around her, pushing away the guilty feeling that he’d betrayed Jack. That he’d let Jesse down by letting this happen. He didn’t want to think about that now. About how this should never have happened.
But just as sleep snuck up to claim him, Zach heard Jess mumble two sleepy words that turned his blood cold. “My hero,” drifted off her lips as she drifted into sleep and he knew in that moment, he’d made the worst decision of his life. She didn’t want him. She’d just fallen for the idea of a savior, and he’d probably just set her recovery back by miles.
Chapter Twelve
Jesse felt a smile play over her lips as she woke from the best sleep she'd had in months. She remembered the way Zach had looked at her when they’d made love. The way he touched her as if treasuring her, cherishing her. Jesse took a minute to let the memories of last night wash over her, then stretched and reached out to the other side of the bed.
Empty.
Jesse opened her eyes and saw Zach sitting in the chair in the corner. Before she could smile at him, her gut clenched, and she realized several things in the span of a split second. He was dressed and sitting in a chair instead of in bed with her. He looked like shit. And, he was looking at her as if he were about to break her heart.
Here it comes.
“Jesse—” Zach began, but she cut him off.
“What is this, Zach?” Jesse tried to keep her breathing steady, to keep the tears at bay. She knew what he was about to do, and she wouldn’t let him see her cry.
“I’m so sorry, Jess. I shouldn’t have...” He let his head hang and shook it as if he couldn’t find words. “I should never have taken advantage of you like that. I shouldn’t have let that happen, and I’m so sorry.”
Now Jesse began to feel the stirrings of anger inside as he spoke to her as if she were a child or an idiot.
“If I recall correctly, and I’m pretty damn sure I do, there were two consenting adults in this bed last night, not just you. You’re not responsible for my fucking decisions, Zach.” When Jesse got mad, she tended to swear a lot, and she could feel a whole hell of a lot of mad coming on.
Zach still shook his head as if trying to turn back time and erase what happened. Or at least erase the knowledge of it in his head.
“No, Jess. You haven’t been yourself lately. You’re in counseling, and you’ve been working so hard to deal with your anxiety, and I’m supposed to be a part of that treatment plan. I crossed a line that I can’t ever cross.”
Jesse got up and pulled on a bathrobe. She fisted her hands on her hips and glared at Zach.
“So, what now? You’re just going to pretend this didn’t happen? We’re just supposed to go back to the way things were and pretend neither one of us has any feelings for the other? Cause, you can lie to yourself and to me all you damn well please, but I know the truth. I know what I saw and felt last night – and it sure as hell wasn’t nothing.”
Zach stood, his calm demeanor only serving to fuel the anger Jesse felt.
“No, Jesse. I’ve called in one of my people to come finish the assignment. I’ve told Jack I won’t be able to finish out the time with you. My replacement will be here soon.”
Jesse felt as i
f her jaw must be on the floor. “You’re leaving?” Now she really did have to fight to shove back the tears.
I will not fucking cry in front of him.
Suddenly, Jesse was so tired of feeling weak and needy. She was done needing people to help her get around. She’d made a couple of solo trips without Zach, and she could do it again. She was through with this.
“Fine,” she spit out. “Have a great life, Zach.”
Jesse didn’t wait when he tried to talk to her again. She turned and shut herself in the bathroom. Only after she had turned on the water, shed her robe and stepped under the hot soothing stream did she allow herself to cry.
Five minutes. You can cry for five fucking minutes and then you’re done.
***
Zach watched the bathroom door slam and felt like a part of him had just been torn away. His feelings for Jesse were nothing but genuine, but that didn’t mean it’d been okay for him to act on them. He was always talking to his employees about this very possibility, telling them never to get involved with a client. He’d even fired one guy when he’d stepped over the line and gotten involved with someone he was supposed to be protecting.
How was Zach supposed to fire himself? He’d put himself on desk duty for starters. His people could handle any assignments that came in. Zach would take himself out of the field and handle the office for a while.
He walked into the living room just as the front desk called to let him know his replacement had arrived. After telling them to let her up, Zach went to the door of the suite and opened it, waiting for Savannah to arrive. She’d been with him since he opened his company six years ago and was a good match for Jesse.
“Hey Savvy,” he greeted the tall blonde woman who stepped off the elevator. She had a duffel bag slung over her shoulder, just like the one he had packed by the door. They went inside the suite and sat down. He’d wait until Jesse came out, transfer her to Savannah and go.
