“Boys.”
Zane threw back his head and laughed at that. “Few women are as free as you seem to be. It’s very attractive.”
“Free?”
“Yes. You take what you want, be it going to town on a plate of food or directing me to get on my knees for you.”
She knew he would go back to that, but she wasn’t sure when it would happen. The fact that he’d liked that wasn’t lost on her. She was always directing, but she wanted to be directed too. “If you don’t ask, you won’t know.”
He nodded his head. “That’s true.”
“So, what now? You brought me up to this exclusive restaurant I’m not sure if it was to impress me or if you just like the food here.” To be honest, the man was right. He made her nervous. Not because of anything he did but of the way they seemed to crackle with sexual energy. Zane was not someone you got attached to, and neither was she. Still, their chemistry almost crackled when they were together, and he looked like such a good time.
“Are you impressed?” Zane didn’t answer the question just upped the tension when he moved closer to her.
“If I am, what do I get.”
The man’s smile only tugged to one side, and it made him cute instead of ruggedly handsome. “Oh, I don’t know if you want the answer to that.” He opened the door, and they walked to the elevator.
Should she be upset that he didn’t make a move on her in the private room? Should she be upset that she didn’t? Tempest rarely waited for what she wanted, but she’d have to be honest with herself. She’d wanted him to try something in there.
“I’m thinking of a few places for us to consider as a venue for our masterpiece. Let me pick you up tomorrow so I can show you what I’m thinking, and we can brainstorm.” Zane said as they waited for the elevator car to come up.
“Tomorrow is Saturday,” Tempest said, squinting her eyes at him.
“I know, and the day after that is Sunday. Is that a problem?”
The elevator opened, and Zane waved Tempest on before he followed her.
“It’s usually my relaxing day,” she said as he walked beside her.
“Well, if you would rather do this on Sunday, we could make that happen too.” Zane didn’t look as if he really cared, but since this was a special assignment and they had lots to do, she felt terrible trying to keep her normal status quo.
“No, tomorrow is okay.” She stopped right before they got to her car, but he took her key fob, opened the door, waited for her to sit down, and then fastened her seat belt. Tempest wasn’t sure if it was the care he put into the task, the gentleness of his touch, or something else, but wow. The gasp that escaped her mouth didn’t go unnoticed by Zane. His eyes were on hers as he completed that task, and her noise made his pupils dilate a bit. “That was unnecessary. I could have fastened my own seat belt.”
“You can do everything for yourself. I’m aware of that, but it made me feel good to do, and I find I’ll do almost anything to make your breath catch in your throat.” Zane was in her space but not in her face, and that was a good thing because little niceties like that made her way too appreciative. A short time away from this man would hopefully put all these swirling thoughts into perspective.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I’ll be thinking of all the ways I can make that happen tomorrow.” Zane said as he backed away from her.
“I know that we have a short time to get a phenomenal space together, but I don’t know how we will cut through all of this and work.” Tempest was nothing if not honest.
“I’m sure we will think of something, but for now, just get ready for tomorrow.”
“What should I wear?”
“Whatever you’re the most comfortable in.” Zane backed away from the car.
“You want me to come naked?” With him moving away a little, she felt she could joke more. If she’d have said that earlier, she was sure they’d have tasted each other’s bodies as dessert.
“Abso-fucking-lutely.”
Tempest pulled out of the driveway and watched him watch her drive off. She was way out of her depth, but she loved a challenge almost as she’d loved sex, but when they were the same thing… Have mercy.
CHAPTER SIX
ZANE
Zane had woken up early that morning and was in a good mood. Just thinking about spending the day with Tempest got him going in so many ways. This wasn’t just about how sexy she was. It was more about working with someone as dedicated to her work as he was and how much fun he was having just getting to know her.
This woman had him planning shit besides just making sure he had enough supplies in case something happened. He was picking up a few things to put in a basket for where he was going to take her for their planning session. He was so at ease he was practically whistling, and that was probably why he’d not felt the thunder cloud behind him.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Zane Calder.”
Zane knew that voice, and although half of him was sorry that he’d taken pity on her and shared her bed, the other wondered if he’d be at the same position he was in with Tempest.
“Ava.” Zane found that when he faced a woman who felt scorned, it was best to say as few words to them as possible.
She looked at the contents of his basket before glancing back at him. “I guess you found your next victim.”
“Look, Ava. I’ve tried to be nice to you before, but it will not go on for long. I did nothing to you that you didn’t want, and I never promised it would be more than the one night you agreed to.” Zane watched Ava’s face go from her usual pallor to an almost purple hue. He didn’t do commitments or anything close to it, but he didn’t like this part. Making women feel inadequate. Not that he felt guilty because he didn’t. Everyone was on board until afterward when they wanted to see them again. He’d just had no desire to do so.
“My friend Tempest will not let you get to her like I did. You better not fuck her around.”
“Tempest and I are working together, and that’s all you need to know.” Zane rolled his cart away before going back to her. “I didn’t fuck you around either. I’m sure if you think back to the conversation we had before, and after the fact, it would come to you.”
He’d finished with his shopping and refused to let Ava and her surprise attack make the excitement of spending the day with Tempest wane.
Packing his goodies into a basket and then making his way to Tempest’s home wasn’t done with whistling, but he was still pleased. Her house looked exactly like he’d expected it too. It was small and neat, with rose bushes on either side of the porch.
He rang the doorbell and waited. There was no welcome sign, no Bless This House, no cutesy mat in front of the door. It looked as if someone serious lived here.
The door opened, and Zane was blown away. Instead of the perfectly manicured Tempest greeting him at the door, there was a disheveled woman who appeared to just have woken up. Looking at her was like a punch to the gut. Sleep tousled hair, flushed face, full lips… From the look of her, she slept like she lived: wild and free. He wanted to see it play out for himself, although he wasn’t one to stay through the night until breakfast.
“I didn’t know you were coming so early.” She folded her hands across her chest and looked at him. “Do you ever sleep?”
Tempest moved back and allowed him to come in. He’d not thought about bringing coffee or Danish, but that was because she hadn’t seemed to like it the day before.
“Sleep is for people who have nothing to do. We have a campaign to win.” He followed her to the kitchen.
“Do you want coffee or tea while you wait?” Tempest looked like she was still half asleep.
Taking her into his arms and nuzzling her cheek wasn’t what he’d planned to do. That didn’t stop her from snuggling into him like they’d done this before. “No thanks,” He placed little kisses from her ear to the side of her mouth.
“Wait just a minute until I get dressed.” She pulled away
from him and disappeared quickly.
It didn’t take long for him to find his way around her kitchen. It was nicely set up and logical. He’d made two cups of coffee in her coffee maker before sitting down to drink it. He’d wondered if this woman really did have some magic in her DNA because he was acting way out of character. The problem was that he was enjoying it, so he’d just let it flow.
Taking his first sip, he appreciated the warmth going down his throat, but he wasn’t sure what was going on in other areas of himself. He didn’t have long to ponder as she came back.
She spotted the coffee on the table and picked it up to drink it. If she’d have drunk a bit at the event yesterday, Zane would have known how she liked it today. He watched her as she drank. Professionally dressed up Tempest was a thing he’d understood, but this simply dressed, ponytail wearing beauty blew his mind.
“What?” Tempest asked when she noticed he’d not said anything.
He cleared his throat and stood up before her. “Nothing. I just wasn’t prepared to be blown away with how you look dressed down.”
The expression she had on her face was wary, so he stood up, wanting to leave no mistake in what he was talking about. Placing his hand on her cheek, he rubbed the soft skin and looked into her deep brown eyes.
“Blown away?” She said slowly like she was trying to make sense of the words.
“I’m used to seeing you in hair buns, red lips, and power suits. When I got here, you looked like a sexy sleepy fairy, and now you look like comfort personified.”
“It’s Saturday.” Was all she said in response to his words, and suddenly, he wanted to know what comfort tasted like. He lowered his head slowly to give her time to accept what he wanted to share with her or walk away, but she didn’t look like she was in the mood to stop him. Her soft lips parted under his after the first two touches of his mouth on hers.
She put down her coffee and wound her hands in his hair. Pulling him closer and opening fully under him. This wasn’t a woman who passively sat by and accepted what was given to her. This woman was a taker, and although he wouldn’t have thought that was a turn on, he was finding himself shocked at what he liked when it came to Tempest.
He was just getting ready to settle in and see where this lush woman would take this, but she broke the kiss and took a step back. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t disappointed, but he’d had a plan for the day, and he wanted to follow it.
“I’m ready to go when you are,” Tempest said, taking her coffee cup to the sink.
Well, he’d had some coffee, tasted comfort, and it wasn’t anyone’s fault but his that he would walk around with a quarter chub all day. He rinsed out his cup and followed her out the door.
“Are we taking your car?”
“Is this you thinking I don’t want you to drive me around?” He loved the smirk on her face.
“Look at you all wound up today. I just wanted to know if you wanted to drive separately, or we were taking one car.” Tempest opened the car door and hopped in before he could say another word.
When he got in, she was facing his side of the car. She waited until she was settled in before she reached her arm over him and drew the buckle across his body languidly before clicking the seat belt. He watched her hand as she did that, and she stayed hovered over him until he looked her way.
“I like to return favors.” Her voice was soft and a bit husky. The different facts of this woman intrigued Zane. He liked them all, and that was the most shocking thing about this. Did he want to get to the horizontal mambo? Yes, because there was odd sexual energy between them, but he knew his track record, and he knew hers too. It didn’t bode well for them doing more than appeasing their sexual appetites.
“You return favors, huh? I’ll keep that in mind.” Zane tried to get himself under control before he started this day of wonder for Tempest. “Do you need help with your seat belt?”
Tempest gave him a saucy look as she returned to her seat and fastened her seat belt. “I’ve got it this time.”
The ride to where they were going was just outside the town, but it gave him a few good minutes to find out more about her. “Where did you come from Tempest?”
“Why do you want to know so much about me? I know you said it’s for the job, but that’s not your MO.” Although she was buckled in, she practically sat, so she was facing him.
“Hey. I’m multifaceted. I can be interested in people and where they come from.”
“I was born a couple of towns away, but I went to college here and decided to stay.”
“You’ve been here for about eight years?” Zane kept his eyes on the road as he tried to read between the lines.
“Are you asking me my age?”
Giving a quick look her way and huffing a laugh at her comically shocked expression. “It’s a piece of information that I was curious about… sure.”
“This is what I can tell you about me. I’m honest, I enjoy my job, and I love to have a good time. If you want to know something, just ask. You don’t have to beat around the bush.”
Taking a dramatic breath in and letting it out. “How old are you, Tempest?”
“I’m 28 years’ worth of experience, and you are 36. I read it when you were in the Who’s Who Under 40 editions of The Jump Off.” She sounded smug, so he didn’t look over.
“Ha… Now who’s checking out who?”
“It’s a local entertainment magazine. I read it to keep myself current on what’s going on.”
“You just had to burst my bubble.”
“Someone has to do it. You can’t go around all big bubbled.”
Pulling onto the land where he wanted to create the venue, he cut the engine and turned toward Tempest. The look on her face was more than enough to make him happy he’d chosen this place.
“I think you found my favorite spot,” she whispered.
This woman would be the end of him. He just knew it.
CHAPTER SEVEN
TEMPEST
He’d taken her to a farm with a large stable and acres of green grass. It was as if he’d read her mind. She got out of the car and walked toward the barn.
The doors were open like someone had prepared it for viewing. She walked in and found they made stable for functions more than animals. There was no reason she should be disappointed, but she was just a little.
“I’m taking it that you like the place,” Zane said when he caught up with her.
“I’m a big fan of rustic décor and shabby chic. Barns are my favorite venues. They’re big and airy. You can dress them up and down.” Tempest stopped for a second. “What will be your part in this?”
“I will create a second spot beside this one to give us more room. Nothing in the city gave me this feeling, but this place doesn’t have enough room.”
“Makes sense.” Tempest started up the stairs to the loft. She loved how the wrap around overhead allowed for some space away from the event but kept you in the know. “This is gorgeous.”
“I’m glad you approve. I had a few other spots we would visit in case you didn’t like this one, but it’s my favorite as well.”
Tempest turned to Zane, now noticing that he had a large basket that he’d gotten from somewhere. “What’s that?”
“I thought we could test out the ambiance and then have something to eat up here. We’ve only had a few sips of coffee, and I’m hungry.” Zane set the basket on a table, and she watched him. He had a tablecloth, plastic containers filled with food, and even fresh flowers.
“Look at this spread.”
“Well, when you’re going out with a decorator, you can’t forget the decorations.” Zane finished setting up the table before he turned to her. “Are you ready?”
Tempest watched Zane looking at her expectantly and knew what had to be done. She stepped close to the chair he held for her. “Is there someone here to show us around?”
Zane’s eyebrow quirked up. “No. We are looking around ourselves, and then we lock
up. Did you want an escort?”
“Not particularly.”
“Are you planning on sitting down to eat the feast I brought for us?” Amusement shone in those green eyes, but of course it would, they were very similar people. She’d bet he knew what was coming.
“It will be difficult to get around this elephant in the room for a week.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, waiting for him to agree with her, but he said nothing. “Do you agree?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know what you’re agreeing to?” Tempest ran her fingers up the back of his nape and into his hair.
“If it involves you wrapping your body around mine and threading your fingers through my hair. I don’t care what I agree to, as long as it means I get more of that.” He moved his hands to her back and pulled her closer.
“Do you remember I told you I return favors?”
“I remember that, but if you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, I don’t want it returned unless you want to return it. That was something I did because I wanted to, not because I was expecting anything in return.” Zane stroked her back when he spoke, and she wasn’t even going to tell him how much she adored that.
Pushing away from him, she hooked her hand on Zane’s pants as she sat down. “Oh, I want to return the favor. You’re not the only one who only does what they want to do.”
“Tempest.” His voice was deep and sexy.
“Yes, Zane.” She looked up at him as she undid his jeans and smiled when he growled. “I think I like your growl like you like my gasp.”
“Then, I guess you like them very much.”
She liked the way he concentrated on her face like there would be a magic trick. There would be magic, she’d make sure of that. She rubbed her hand along the thick bulge in his black cotton briefs before she put her mouth to the hot throbbing cock that lay covered and attempted to learn its shape with her mouth. The moan she heard above her was deep and went straight to her core.
He shuttered a little, and that made her bold. She reached into his briefs and pulled him out. It was a beauty. Thick and veiny with a fat mushroomed head.
How About Never Page 4
