by Mari Carr
Tacy jumped as well, and Zac laughed. “Sorry ’bout that,” he said to the kids before guiding her from the room. She managed to make it through the rest of the scary tour without screaming, but it was a close call.
Once they made it back out onto the main street, Tacy’s phone beeped. She glanced at the text. “Lauren wants to know if we want to meet up with her and Travis at the diner for dinner.”
“It’s up to you. I know you’re here to visit your friend and I’ve been monopolizing your time.”
Tacy was touched by his thoughtfulness, and torn. She had come to Sapphire Falls to catch up with her old friend, but her body was still thrumming from the orgasm she’d just had, and the greedy, selfish, ohmigodgimmemore side of her was having a hard time deciding.
Her phone beeped again and she laughed.
Zac glanced over her shoulder and chuckled as well. “I like Lauren.”
Lauren had texted Unless you’ve had a better offer. If so, we can meet for breakfast. No. Zac is hot. Make that lunch.
Tacy texted back, not bothering to hide her response from Zac, who clearly approved. “Diner for lunch.”
Lauren’s reply was one word. Squeeeeeeeeeee!
Zac reclaimed her hand and they walked through town to the campground just across the highway. “I have some snacks in the RV that might tide us over until tomorrow. And if not, we can come back later and grab a late meal.”
They meandered along the park’s path, past quite a few RVs, all tricked out and clearly here for the week’s festivities.
When they reached Zac’s, he turned to her. “This is me.”
Zac didn’t have the camper’s awning rolled out, no beach chairs or card tables with food, or wood in the fire pit. It actually looked as though he was ready to fire the thing up and roll out of town. Which reminded her that he had only remained in Sapphire Falls in order to spend today with her.
What were his plans for tomorrow? And the day after that? Tacy knew he was looking forward to seeing the West Coast and his vacation time was limited. Could she really ask him to stay the entire week?
Once again, she was struck by the fact that she’d only known this man twenty-four hours. It seemed like longer.
“Zac,” she said softly.
“If you’ve changed your mind, we can turn around right now and I’ll walk you back to your friends.”
He’d misunderstood her reticence.
Tacy shook her head. “No. That’s not what I want. At all.”
“What’s wrong, Tacy?”
She let go of her inhibitions. She was here to live in the moment, to let go of the anxiety that hadn’t left her since she’d given up her place on the team. Worrying about the future wouldn’t keep it from coming, so she couldn’t let those fears ruin right now. Because right now was pretty damn awesome.
“Nothing’s wrong, Zac. Can we go in?”
Chapter Four
Zac sensed something was bothering Tacy, but whatever it was, she didn’t seem inclined to share. He walked to the camper door, unlocked it and waited as she stepped inside.
“Hey. This is really great.” Tacy spun around slowly, taking in his temporary home as he remained by the door and watched her.
“Yeah. It’s not bad, is it?”
“Nice of your friend to let you borrow it.”
Zac shrugged. “Ned is actually more like family. He and my brother, Justin, are partners in a marketing firm and best friends. They’re also…” He paused, wondering what Tacy would think of his brother’s marital dynamics. They didn’t really broadcast the unorthodox relationship to strangers, but everyone in their close circle of friends knew that Justin was in a committed ménage relationship.
“Also?” she prompted. Then her face cleared. “Oh, are they dating too?”
Zac shook his head. “Not exactly.”
Her confusion was adorable and he couldn’t resist tapping her crinkled-up nose as she waited for him to explain.
“They’re both married to the same woman.”
Her frown deepened. “That’s not legal.”
He lifted his hands, palms toward her. “Bella is legally married to Justin, but committed to both him and Ned.”
Tacy looked intrigued. “And it works? They’re all happy?”
“Yeah. Expecting their first kid in a month or so. Truth is, my foster sister, Dani, is in the same type of relationship.”
“Ménages run in the family?”
Zac chuckled. “Not for all of us.”
“Not you?”
“No. Not me.” Zac had seen Justin with his partners, and Dani with hers, and he’d been fascinated by the dynamics and happy that his siblings had found not one, but two people to spend the rest of their lives with. However, Zac had always known he was destined for coupledom, not a threesome. “Why? You interested in trying something like that?”
Tacy was quick to shake her head. “Good God, no. Not that there’s anything wrong with it for them. I’m just…well…I’ll be lucky to find one person willing to put up with my crap for a lifetime. Can’t imagine there are two such patient souls roaming the earth.”
Zac knew she meant her words as a joke, but something told him there was a thread of truth buried in the comment as well. Did she really believe herself difficult? Unlovable? Because he hadn’t found a single flaw in her yet.
Granted, it had only been a day, but he’d spent far less time with other women and found plenty to keep him from pursing another date with them.
“Wait. Did you say Dani? You don’t mean Dani Lewis, the singer?”
Zac nodded. “Yep. That’s her. For the record, I’m also related to Jett Lewis, the writer and my other brother, Noah, just won the grand prize on the TV show Food Fight. That was why I traveled to Vegas. The whole family went to see him in the finale.”
Tacy’s mouth hung open for just a second before she managed to close it. “That’s incredible. And your other siblings?”
“Chloe’s a photographer and Caliph is one of the best tattoo artists in New Orleans. A family full of creative types. Until you get to me.”
She grinned. “No artistic ability?”
“Can’t draw stick figures, and I seem to be the only person on the planet who can’t get a clear shot with a basic camera phone.”
Her delight grew as she continued to tease. “Can’t sing? Play an instrument?”
“Nope. And before you ask, I can’t write or cook up a storm in the kitchen either.”
She sighed heavily. “Such a shame. Well, looks like barring all that, you really had no choice but to settle for a boring career in medicine and becoming a surgeon.”
He reached out to grab her, wrapping her in a playful hug as he messed up her hair, much in the same way he would his sisters whenever they teased him. “Yeah. I’m a real disappointment to my family.”
She wrestled her way out of his grip, laughing loudly. “I bet you are. Probably just a matter of time before they start cropping you out of the family photos. No one wants to admit they have an orthopedic surgeon in the family.”
Tacy escaped his next attempt to pull her close for a tickle. Instead she began backing away from him down the narrow hallway. Zac continued to chase her, pleased with her direction. She was headed straight for the bedroom.
She didn’t stop moving or giggling until her knees hit the edge of his bed unexpectedly and she tumbled to her back. The laughter ended with a gasp when she realized where she was. And that he was standing above her.
Tacy looked around the room, and then pushed herself up to a sitting position. “Big bed for an RV.”
“Yeah. Didn’t appreciate that fact until just this minute.”
He sat down next to her, but didn’t touch her. He wanted to give her a chance to decide if this was really what she wanted. She had said as much in town and even just outside the RV a few minutes ago. But he also understood feelings could change when faced with the moment of truth.
When she didn’t balk at his clo
seness, he decided to test the waters, reaching out to run his fingers through her thick blonde hair. “You’re so beautiful, Tacy.”
She smiled shyly. “So are you. I mean…”
He enjoyed her flushed cheeks. Zac knew she wasn’t inexperienced, yet there was an innocence to her responses that triggered his desire to care for her, to take things slow, to protect her.
“Are you leaving tomorrow?”
Her abrupt question took him off guard. Then he understood her reticence outside. He shook his head. “Hadn’t planned on it. I’m not sure what’s going on between us. I mean, I’m as sensible and boring as they come, and I know deep inside we’re moving too fast and in the end, we’ll be heading in different directions. Regardless, I can’t make myself leave. I want to spend the rest of this week with you.”
“You do?” Her tone was the perfect blend of surprise and pleasure.
“What do you say we throw caution to the wind?”
She tilted her head. “Whirlwind romance?”
Zac had never pictured himself as the romantic type, but he’d been forced to endure enough chick flicks with his sisters and Mama Lewis that he figured he could pull it off. “Sounds good to me.”
He thought his response would please her, but instead she bit her lip nervously. “Zac, I’m not sure when I’m going to get the chance to…” She glanced behind her at the bed.
“Chance to?”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had a long-term boyfriend. And even when I did date a guy for longer than a few months, the relationships were long-distance, which meant they always felt more like a string of first dates. I’ve never had a chance to…”
Again the pause. “Spit it out, darlin’. You’re not going to scare me away, no matter what you say.”
“I’ve never had a chance to experiment in bed.” Her words came out in a rush, so quickly he almost didn’t understand what she said.
When he finally puzzled them out and let them soak in, he fought not to readjust his pants. His cock had gone from merely stiff to rock-hard concrete in two-point-one seconds.
“Experiment how?”
Tacy’s gaze was averted, her attention seemingly focused on her hands, which were clenched in her lap. “Nothing too wild.”
“Give me an example.”
Her cheeks moved out of the pink range into flaming red. Even so, he liked that—despite such a short acquaintance—she trusted him enough to ask.
“No one’s ever made me come so quickly. Or even, you know, on their own. I’ve always had to help my orgasms along. But you…”
She was obviously recalling their time in the closet.
“You seem to know how to. I mean, you’re really good at…” Tacy released a frustrated sigh. “I don’t want just missionary. And I don’t want you constantly asking for permission or if I’m okay. And I sort of like the idea of being taken…hard. Roughly.”
He frowned, his assumptions about her innocence confirmed. Then he felt annoyance at her past lovers. What kind of man could look at Tacy and not want to possess her, claim her? “Christ. What kind of guys have you been sleeping with?”
Tacy looked at him curiously. “What do you mean?”
“You’re not exactly asking for anything weird here, Tace. I was expecting you to start listing kinky stuff when you said you wanted to experiment.”
“What do you mean by kinky?” She looked way too interested in that explanation. His cock thickened even more. Fucking jeans were killing him.
“We’ll get there. Eventually. For now, I want you to stand up and take your clothes off for me.”
She looked surprised by his request. “You’re not going to undress me?”
Tacy was used to mild lovers, sweet guys. It dawned on him she didn’t want romance. She wanted the complete opposite. Which was a lucky break for him. Romance would have been a challenge. Domination, meanwhile, fit him like a glove.
“I’m not going to ask again.” He kept his voice low, making sure to lace it with just enough threat.
Zac kept his eyes on her face, making sure that she really did want what she’d just asked for. The change in her expression was almost instant. Her embarrassment, her discomfort faded and her eyes softened. He held his breath for one, two, three beats, and then Tacy rose from the bed, reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head.
Zac sucked in a deep breath. She truly was gorgeous. He forced himself to remain on the bed, praying for the patience to let her finish the task on her own. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to run his hands and lips over every inch of her.
Tacy shimmied her skirt down, kicking it and her shoes off. Her bra and panties matched. God, he loved matching sets.
Tacy’s underwear was surprising girlie. Pale pink, silky. The bra was one of those push-up types that showcased her breasts perfectly.
She hesitated for only a moment, until he captured her gaze. “Keep going,” he said, his voice gentler. He didn’t want to scare her. Couldn’t stand the thought of her changing her mind now. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted a woman.
Her bra fastened in front and with one quick flick, it was open. She slid the straps over her shoulders and dropped the silk to the floor. Then she took a deep breath and shed the panties as well.
Zac had slept with some lovely women, but Tacy put them all to shame. Her body was trim and toned. He studied her knee, evidence of her recent surgery catching his attention. She had clearly gone to a good surgeon. She wouldn’t have much of a scar.
“Playing doctor?” she teased.
He chuckled. “Shit. Yeah.”
She laughed and he was struck by how easy it was to be with her. Tacy wasn’t hard work. He didn’t have to put on airs or try to impress her.
“Now what?” she asked breathlessly.
And just like that, the air in the room thickened as he considered what Tacy wanted. What he wanted.
Zac stood and reached out, pulling her toward him. His hands skimmed along her arms, then her sides and her hips. Tacy shivered, though not with cold. Her skin felt too warm for her to be chilled.
He cupped her breasts, weighing the firm flesh with his palms before tightening his grip.
Tacy sighed, her eyes drifted closed.
Zac couldn’t resist a taste. Bending forward, he captured one nipple between his lips and sucked hard. Tacy’s hands flew to his hair.
He continued to increase the pressure until she cried out, the sound a beautiful blend of pleasure and pain.
“If I do anything you don’t like, tell me to stop.”
Tacy nodded. “Okay.”
“I’m going to test your limits, darlin’. Gonna take you. Rough and hard.” He repeated her request.
Her fingers tightened in his hair. “Please,” she whispered.
It was all he needed to hear. Zac twisted her toward the bed, pushing her onto her back on the mattress. He came over her, kissing her with all the strength, all the desire he’d kept tamped down.
Tacy responded to everything. Her tongue stroked his. She nipped at his lower lip, pulled his hair, and her nails scored his skin through the thin cotton of his T-shirt.
Zac held her face in his hands, turning it so that he could deepen the kiss. Tacy’s legs parted and she wrapped them around his hips, gyrating against him.
Zac pressed into her, letting her feel his cock, still trapped inside the denim.
“Take off your clothes,” she murmured against his lips, unwilling to break the kiss as she spoke.
He reached down with one hand, working the button and zipper on his jeans free as Tacy struggled to get him out of his T-shirt. Through it all, they continued kissing, neither willing to part for even a second.
They fought with his clothing for several minutes before they finally broke for air. Zac knelt above her and finished tugging off the shirt she’d only managed to get halfway up his chest.
“How do you get a body like that in the library?”
Zac chuckled. “Did I mention the gym was next door? Made it convenient for study breaks.”
He was tempted to begin the kissing again, but the pain of keeping his cock contained was becoming too much to bear. The problem was Zac knew the second he freed it, he would be hard-pressed to keep himself from taking her.
It was apparent her past experiences had come up lacking. He didn’t want to add his name to the list of lackluster lovers who’d spent time in her bed.
Regardless, something had to give. He shoved his jeans down, but kept his boxers on. Then he did a mental eye roll. Yeah. That wasn’t going to help.
Fuck it.
He pulled off his boxers, and then joined her on the bed once again. Tacy added fuel to the fire when she immediately reached for his dick, encircling the flesh and stroking.
“God, Tace. You keep doing that and this will be over way too fast.”
She didn’t relent or respond. Zac let himself enjoy her touch for a minute more, and then he grasped her wrist and pulled her hand away.
“Put your hands above your head, darlin’.”
She looked as if she’d complain, so he shot her a serious look that told her he wasn’t kidding. “You can put them there of your own accord or I can tie them to the headboard.”
Tacy licked her lips. “Is that what you mean by kinky?”
“You like the idea of bondage?”
She nodded. “I think…” She slowly lifted her arms, placing them on the mattress by her head.
The idea of bondage turned her on, but that took trust. This thing between them was still too new. He was glad to see her exercising caution. Maybe they’d revisit the idea at the end of the week.
Zac tried to ignore the way his chest tightened when he considered how short their time together was.
“Good girl,” he whispered, kissing her quickly. He straddled her waist, grabbed her wrists and dragged them higher. While she wasn’t ready for real bondage, he sensed the idea of being held captive turned her on. And her quick intake of breath when he held her hands to the bed proved it.
When he bent lower, she lifted her face, clearly expecting him to kiss her again. Instead, Zac ran his lips along her cheek before sucking her earlobe into his mouth. Her breathing grew heavier and she struggled slightly to move her hands. She was used to touching. It would be hard for her to lose the use of her hands. He squeezed her wrists as a warning to hold still.
