Page 24 of The Cottage on Pelican Bay

She looked up at him, marveling at how he stood towering over her as he removed the T-shirt from her body. He didn’t seem surprised to see she was totally naked underneath it. How had he known?

When she asked him, he said, “There are some things a man can tell. I take it you knew I was on your property.”

“Yes. I knew the moment you put in the access code. There’s a buzzer and a camera that alerted me. I guess I never mentioned that to you before.”

“No, you’ve never mentioned it,” he said, unbuttoning his shirt.

She watched the slow movement of his hands. There was just something arousing watching a man remove his clothes. Especially this man. Her body was aching for him. Did he know it? And why did he have to look so damn sexy? “Now you know.”

“Yes. Now I know.” He tossed his shirt aside.

His shoulders were massive and masculine, and his abs were tight and impressive. She was tempted to rub her hands over his chest. Just thinking about doing such a thing sent an intense sexual greed through her. He must have seen the deep longing in her face and removed his pants and briefs rather quickly. Or it could have been seeing her naked had made him want to speed up. Whatever the reason, she was totally appreciative. They reached for each other at the same time and ended up tumbling onto the bed in each other’s arms.

Their mouths joined in a kiss that made her head reel. It was as if he needed her as much as she needed him. The wildness and hunger of his kiss revealed as much, and bone-melting heat began spreading throughout her body. If the manner in which he was making love to her mouth was indicative of the way he intended to make love to her body, she wasn’t sure she would survive the experience. It was a good thing she’d eaten well today. She had a feeling she would need her strength.

When he ended the kiss, he stared down into her eyes a second before whispering, “You’re beautiful and you taste delicious.”

She had news for him. She thought he was handsome and just as delicious. In her mind, beauty wasn’t just in one’s looks but in the way a person carried themselves. The times she’d spent with Saint had always been special, which was why she always wanted more.

He leaned closer and his warm lips moved across her cheekbones, her chin, and nuzzled her ear before returning to her lips.

Then Saint’s mouth was on the move again. With toe-curling determination, his lips moved toward her chest and captured one nipple in his mouth. She moaned at the sucking sensation—gentle and then strong—as he began to devour it.

“Saint...”

He paid homage to the other breast as his hands traveled down her body to comb his fingers through the damp curls between her legs. She wasn’t sure how long she could last and when he inserted a finger inside her and wiggled it around a few times, she came, climaxing hard against his hand. He quieted her scream with a kiss.

Releasing her mouth, he moved away from the bed to get a condom packet from his slacks. After sheathing himself, he returned and placed his body over hers. He leaned down and kissed her again. When he broke off the kiss he stared into her eyes as he joined their bodies. She was certain that she felt him all the way to her womb.

His skin was hot against hers. He was just as hot for her as she was for him. When he lifted her hips, she clasped her legs around his waist. That was when he began thrusting hard in a rhythm that had her purring while at the same time her thighs began to quiver.

How was he able to do this to her, make her want and need him to the point where his thrusts into her body and roll of his hips against hers had her shuddering inside out? His head dipped to her breasts and when he captured the other nipple in his mouth, she fought back a scream. He should know by now that his mouth on her breasts did things to her. It was her hot spot. That was fine, because she had discovered his.

Reaching her hand up, she caressed the side of his face, right below his ear. He released her breast to stare down at her, and when her fingertip caressed him in that spot again, she saw the glaze of intense desire in his eyes just seconds before he let out a deep groan. Then he threw his head back as he increased his thrusts, pushing her to heights of rapture she’d only ever experienced with him.

“Saint!”

“Zara!”

His hips rocked against her as he thrust harder, over and over. Together, they came before he collapsed on top of her. Prior to him shifting their bodies to lie side by side, she had felt his heart pounding against hers. Now the room was filled with a deep silence, except for their heavy breathing. That had been some lovemaking. Every woman should have such an experience in her life at least once. She’d never felt this hot for a man before and wanted more.

He held her in his arms, kissing the dampness from her forehead. “I’m so glad our paths crossed again today.”

“I’m glad, too, Saint.”

She was certain he didn’t know the half of it. He hadn’t a clue just how much she’d meant those words. Her cautious side warned her to pull back some, slow down and think logically of where she might be headed if she didn’t. But then another part of her knew she would be fine since no man would ever have her heart again. No emotional attachment, no commitment and no expectation of anything other than the moment.

As he gathered her closer into his arms, Zara knew while it lasted, she wanted many more moments with him.

Saint slowly opened his eyes to the bright sunlight coming through the cottage’s bedroom window. Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, he saw it was a few minutes past seven.

The bed was empty, but he could smell coffee. He could also smell the scent of Zara all over him. He closed his eyes and bit back a groan as he remembered all they’d done last night. When they’d made love a second time, he had barely slid inside her before she began raising her hips to entice him into a fast rhythm. Then there was the time the tip of her tongue had grazed the head of his shaft. And he definitely couldn’t forget when she’d ridden him. Hard.

Stepping out of bed, he slid into his slacks and left the bedroom to head for the kitchen. She wasn’t there and he looked up when he heard movement in the loft. After pouring a cup of coffee he went up the stairs and paused when he saw her sitting in front of an easel with her own cup of coffee close by. She was wearing his T-shirt again and he thought her sitting there, with the hem having ridden up her thigh, looked so damn sexy and he felt another boner coming on.

When she’d opened the door yesterday wearing that shirt, the first thing that crossed his mind was that since that shirt was his that she was his, too. But he quickly quashed that notion. Zara was a free spirit who didn’t belong to anyone. She’d played that game before with some asshole and she wouldn’t do it again. He thought that was a pity. She was a beautiful, warm and loving person who had a lot to give a man. The right man.

“Good morning.”

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