Page 61 of Nothing to Do

Zane. He was the difference. The catalyst for her reassessment of her life, of her being.

“Thea?” Whipping around fast, her mouth opened but any hint of a response died at the sight of him. In board shorts, hair wet, his gorgeous form glistened with the sea she’d been inhaling not so long ago. “You okay, baby?”

“I couldn’t sleep without you.” The instinctual response was the truest she’d ever spoken. That was it. Dumb as it was, he was the thing missing from her soul. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

“Shh,” he said and closed the space between them.

Scooping his hands around her jaw, he elevated her mouth, silencing it with his.

Salt merged between their damp lips, that was the ocean, them and the foreverness that surrounded them. All that she needed to be was enclosed in that kiss. What he was, they weren’t supposed to apologize, they were supposed to be eternal.

He reached beyond her without breaking their kiss and swept the net aside. She assumed anyway because it wasn’t there when he walked her backward and took her hips to guide her down to the bed.

She helped him rid her of the cover-up and as she slipped down the straps of her nightdress to wriggle out of it, he shoved out of his shorts and came down onto the bed with her, easing her up until her head was nestled between the pillows.

Her fingertips trailed down his body as his mouth spoiled hers again. No questions, no judgment, he’d accepted her there, accepted everything about her.

Just as her tongue got used to its companion, assuming it would be there forever, it slipped free.

“Zane,” she whispered, prepared to beg. But he didn’t reply, his mouth traced its way down hers until he guided her leg over his shoulder. “Oh, Drift, you don’t have to—”

The slide of his tongue quieted her again. Oh, that man. This man. Her man? Oh, God, please. Right then, under the talent of his mouth rousing and awakening her, she couldn’t think anything more than how much she wanted it to be true, how much she wanted him to be hers.

“Hmm,” he purred against her then pushed his tongue into her and out, up through her folds.

“Zane,” she gasped, her knees pulling higher.

Weight on her belly held her there, a deep pressure of need, of desire. That same anchor rocked her hips against the waves of pleasure sparking and clenching beneath his intimate kiss.

“Sweet Thea.” The vibration of his mouth against her clit rushed her to the edge, so the moment his tongue caressed it, she called out, pushing into the stability of him keeping her steady.

Her chest rose and fell, each pant followed the other. Oxygen eluded her. The sparkles of satisfaction before her eyes, and in her heart, sought refuge. One they found in him when he appeared above her again.

“Thank you,” she managed to whisper.

He kissed her. “Any time, baby. I didn’t want to sleep without you either.” Honestly? Maybe. She smiled anyway because truth or not, his welcome meant the world. “I’m going to take a quick shower and then I’ll be back, okay?” She nodded. “Don’t go anywhere.”

How could she go anywhere when everything she needed existed right there. He slipped out of the canopy and disappeared into the closet. The shower went on… Hmm, she’d already enjoyed her own cleansing steam in her room, but she could sneak in there, see if maybe Zane wanted his own delight.

Her heart rate was still climbing down, and by the time she felt stable enough to even think about moving, he swept the curtain aside and dropped down next to her with a kiss.

“Alessia’s in a suite with her friends,” she said, running her fingers into his damp hair. “She’s having the time of her life. Thank you.”

“It’s the company that makes the difference.” Lying down, he pulled her against him. “You should move in here.”

Her lips curled. “Just like that?”

It was hardly forever, but he barely seemed to give it a second of consideration.

“If your sister is with her friends, you’re better here. We can go to work together every morning.”

She laughed. “When we spend lunchtimes talking, we never get back to work. How much work will be done if we have breakfast together?”

“Hmm…” His fingertips tickled down her arm. “I thought all the sex would be a greater obstacle but, you’re right, maybe it is the food’s fault.”

On another laugh, she closed her eyes. “If I get fired, I’m staying here forever.”

“I’ll call your boss then, tell her what you really think of her. What time’s it in Missouri?”

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