Page 65 of The Cottage on Pelican Bay

The moment Zara’s back touched the bed Saint kissed her again. Instinctively, her mouth began mating greedily with his. His kiss was unapologetic and provocative, with a wildness in his taste that made her head reel. He deepened the pressure with those strong, hard, sexy lips, exploring her mouth for all it was worth. Not only did she groan, she also began shuddering from head to toe. He didn’t merely kiss her, he made love to her mouth with toe-curling determination and deep possessiveness.

He released her mouth and slid out of bed to begin undressing. She couldn’t help but give him an appreciative smile because she loved it when he stripped for her. He removed each garment slowly and seductively, and she licked her lips and watched him.

Zara knew he got turned on knowing she was getting an eyeful of everything. While watching her watch him, he removed his shirt and his chest expanded as his breathing grew just as erratic as hers.

It still mystified her just how strong the sexual chemistry between them continued to be. Everything about him could turn her on. His look, his touch and even the sound of his voice. Whenever she was with him, she felt pure raw desire that both aroused her body sexually and stirred her mind. And now it mesmerized her heart. She’d even come close to confessing her love for him a short while ago on the porch. That slipup meant she needed to have more control of her emotions.

Which was easier said than done. When he stood before her completely naked, she felt a hypnotic pull to him and stood up from the bed. Now it was his time to watch her undress. It wouldn’t take long since she was in her two-piece swimsuit. However, she felt naughty and decided to make it worth his while.

She knew how much he liked her breasts, so she took her time undoing the top. The deep look of desire in his eyes was beginning to affect her nerve endings. Especially those connected to her nipples. It didn’t take much to remember the way he would lick them, like they were the tastiest treat he’d ever had. From the way he was looking at her exposed breasts, she had a feeling he was thinking the same thing now.

Tossing the top aside, she adjusted her body to slide the bottom portion of the swimsuit down her legs. There was nothing to it and she tossed it aside to join the top. Saint barely gave her time to readjust her body on the bed when he swooped his mouth down on hers like a starving man. Like all his kisses, she felt his wants and desires. More than anything, she wished, oh, how she wished, she could feel his love. But he’d told her more than once that love no longer had a place in his heart. She had felt the same way, but he had changed her mind. What was the chance of her changing his? Could she?

All thoughts were vanquished from her mind when he broke off the kiss to trace a path of kisses from her neck and down her chest toward her breasts. Her nipples hardened in response and the second he slid one between his lips, she heard him emit a deep guttural sound from his throat.

She figured that he intended to drive her over the edge when his hand lowered between her legs and a finger eased inside her. She groaned from the stroking and massaging that finger was doing to her, filling her with wants and needs that matched his own. He suddenly lifted his head to stare at her and the intensity in the depths of his gaze immobilized her. She saw passion in his eyes, but there was something else there, too. A look she’d never seen before.

Before she could figure out if she was actually seeing something or imagining it, he lifted her legs to wrap them around his neck and buried his head between her thighs.

“Saint...”

It flashed across her mind that maybe she should start calling him Sinner. What he was doing to her, and the way he was making her feel, had to be bad. But then she decided it felt too good to be bad. His tongue, she decided, should be outlawed.

A jolt of something sensual shot through her when the tip of his tongue began making wiggly motions with incredible intensity that made her scream out her pleasure. He ignored her scream and continued his assault.

“Saint!”

She screamed again when another orgasm struck. Only from this man could she receive maximum pleasure and be consumed with so much desire. When he finished, he moved up her body and latched his mouth to hers. She could taste herself on his tongue. That made her come again.

“Saint...please.” And she was still moaning for more.

“I intend to give you everything you want, baby,” he whispered as he spread her legs apart and positioned himself between them.

Before she could draw her next breath, he slid inside her and began thrusting deeply. Gripping his shoulders, she held on tight, knowing he intended to give her the ride of her life. They mated with an intensity that had her groaning and him growling. It was as if this connection was meant to last forever, and neither could get enough.

He pumped harder and she grinded against him, refusing to miss a beat. She needed this. She wanted it and she loved him. When she left Catalina Cove, the memories were all she would have, and she intended to store up as many of them as she could.

As her body continued to experience the most potent and powerful ecstasy imaginable, she knew giving him up when she returned to Boston would be the hardest thing she’d ever have to do.

27

Saint slowly became awake and the first thing he noticed was that he was in bed alone. He shifted positions and when he did, he drew in the scent of his and Zara’s lovemaking. The potency of it was still in the air, all in the bedcovers and absorbed into his skin. He looked out the window and saw dusk was just settling. Although he was certain they’d spent the last five hours in bed, it had been early when he’d arrived.

Pulling himself up to sit, he rubbed a hand down his face. He doubted Zara knew just how attached he was to her and that was a good thing. Could he convince her to love again?

His thoughts shifted to what she’d told him about buying that vacant building. He had named that painting Imagine for a reason. She had even acknowledged that meant she would be visiting Catalina Cove on a more frequent basis. However, at no time did she hint it had anything to do with him. He was certain when she left for Boston next week their affair would end, and she had no intentions of restarting it whenever she returned to town.

Frankly, he wouldn’t want her to do so anyway. It would be just like his relationship with Mia had been. One that ultimately didn’t lead anywhere. He wasn’t sure he could handle that sort of involvement with a woman again. Did that mean he would have to settle? Give up passion, desire and the strongest sexual chemistry for a woman that he’d ever known, to settle for someone who didn’t stir those things in him, but wanted marriage and a family? Why couldn’t he be like some men and have it all?

He heard Zara moving about in the other room and wondered what she was up to. It was past dinnertime. Did she want to go out to eat, or would she prefer him to grab takeout? There was only one way to find out. Stepping from the bed he slid into his trousers. The moment he opened the bedroom door he picked up the scent of food.

Zara was cooking. On occasion she would surprise him with a cooked meal or two. It didn’t take long for him to realize she was a pretty good cook, although she admitted it wasn’t something she liked doing all the time. While in college she befriended someone from Atlanta who loved cooking and had shown Zara how to prepare several dishes, mostly of Southern cuisine. But then there was no way you could be born and raised in Catalina Cove without knowing how to prepare a few seafood dishes. Even if your parents were wealthy enough to have a personal cook that prepared all the meals. Zara had once told him how their cook had no problem letting her assist her in the kitchen whenever Zara’s parents were away traveling.

He entered the kitchen and found her, bent over and looking into the oven. He wasn’t sure what she was cooking but whatever it was, it smelled delicious. But then she looked delicious. She was wearing a short robe and he had a feeling she didn’t have a stitch of clothing on underneath it.

Deciding not to torture himself by standing there lusting after her, he said, “Something smells good.”

She closed the oven door and quickly turned to him and smiled. “I hope so. I’m preparing a seafood potpie.”

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