Page 44 of Treat Her Right

Whirling so fast she almost lost her balance, she gasped, “I didn’t hear you!” and in the next breath, with relief, “I was afraid you’d changed your mind.”

Her lack of self-protection shook him; she put her heart on the line without reserve, and he felt her trust like a deep responsibility—a responsibility he didn’t want. “I had to get Dani settled down.”

Her eyes a faint glow in the light of the moon, Wynn looked toward his house. “Will she be all right in there alone?”

“Dani sleeps like a bear hibernating. But if she should wake up, she’ll look in the hot tub for me. We’d see the patio light.”

With her arms still squeezed around herself, she nodded. “That’s good.”

“Are you nervous?”

“A little.” She shifted her feet, moving a tiny bit closer to him. “I’ve never had a sexual assignation before.”

Zack smiled. “Me, either.”

“No?”

“I don’t bring women to the house because of Dani. This is her home and I would never do that. My work schedule is crazy enough that when I get time to be with her, I don’t generally like to waste it with women.”

“Waste it with women,” she repeated slowly, as if figuring out the meaning to his words. “You haven’t dated much since your wife died?”

“More recently than ever before.” He’d been bride hunting, so it had been necessary. “Not that more means very much.”

“I know you haven’t been celibate.”

He laughed at her incredulity. “What is it about you, Wynn, that you can amuse me at the most awkward times?”

She frowned. “I didn’t mean to amuse you. And what’s awkward about now?”

Zack touched her cheek, let his fingers trail down to her throat and her bare shoulder. She wore a dark sleeveless cotton dress—like a long shirt—and she felt warm and very soft. “This is awkward because I’m so turned-on I can barely breathe.”

“Zack.” She rushed against him, clinging to him, her hands strong on his shoulders, her body pressed full length against his own. “How…how are we going to manage this? Not only haven’t I had any assignations, but I’ve never made love in a hammock before either.” She lifted her head and he felt her gentle breath on his jaw. “Have you?”

“No, but it doesn’t matter.” He kissed her, a light kiss to her temple, the bridge of her nose, the corner of her mouth. “Are you one hundred percent certain of this, Wynn?”

She offered a slight hesitation that just about made his heart stop, then nodded. “Very certain.”

“Thank God.” He kissed her, tasting her excitement and her urgency, which almost mirrored his own. Her lips were soft, and they parted for his tongue. Kissing Wynn was…well, it was definitely exciting. But it was more than that. Kissing her affected him everywhere, making his head spin and his abdomen cramp and his thighs ache.

He slid one hand down her back to her lush behind and pulled her in close, then groaned when she rubbed herself against his erection.

They both panted.

Wynn went to work on getting his shirt pushed off his shoulders. He shrugged it off, letting it land in the grass. With a sound of approval her fingers spread wide over his chest, tangling in his body hair, caressing his muscles, teasing over his nipples.

He backed her into the tree and briefly pinned her there with his hips, grinding himself into her. He filled his hands with her breasts and their mouths meshed hotly, licking and sucking. Zack felt her pointed nipples, felt the lurch of her body as he gently rolled one sensitive tip. It wasn’t enough. He caught the narrow shoulder straps and pulled them down to her elbows. She slipped her arms free and the dress bunched at her waist.

Moonlight made her breasts opalescent, made her nipples look dark and ripe. Shuddering with lust, he bent his head and drew her right nipple deeply into the heat of his mouth.

“Zack!”

“Shhh….” He licked and tasted and plucked with his lips. The husky sounds she made, hungry and real and encouraging, fired his lust. He lifted her dress.

She wasn’t wearing panties.

“Damn.”Zack stared at her wide eyes while his hands moved over the silky skin of her bottom. He closed his eyes, exploring her, relishing the feel of her, the carnality of the moment. “Damn, Wynn,” he said again.

Her voice was a breathless, uncertain murmur. “I…I thought underwear might just be in the way, and I didn’t know if…”

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