Page 32 of Call Sign: Thunder
She watched as he snatched the bottle and crossed to the sink and started pouring.
"No! That's really expensive stuff!"
He ignored her, easily brushing aside her attempts at stopping him from throwing it away.
"No more alcohol. Not one damn drop. You promised me last night, remember that?"
He was nuts. "Oh for crying out loud. You're worse than my father!" She pounded her fists against his back in her frustration.
The bottle was empty and he slammed it onto the counter before turning in a flash and yanking her against his chest. She felt his right hand jut into her messy long hair, using it to wrench her head back, forcing her to look into his angry green eyes. His left arm held her waist against his fit body so hard she was bent backwards, only his vice grip keeping her from toppling to the floor.
Long seconds passed as she watched an array of expressions cross Zach's handsome face. His breathing was heavy as if he'd run a 5k. The stubble on his chin couldn't hide the twitch of his jaw as he tensed.
"You're damn right I'm worse than your father. He's lost — unsure how to help you. I don't have that problem. I don't think you're going to like my tactics for getting through to you."
His words were cryptic, but the heat in his eyes mesmerized Allie. She suspected she should be afraid, but she didn't have time.
Zach crushed his mouth to hers in a rush, claiming her violently, thrusting his tongue deep sweeping across her own tongue in a tangle of instant passion. Allison's heart pounded hard as he literally swept her off her feet, his arm still wrapped around her as he carried her to the suite's couch.
Their tongues danced together as Allison wrapped her legs around his waist. Her robe fell open enough that when he plopped down at the end of the couch, her naked sex pressed against the jutting erection confined in his jeans. The proof of his sexual desire fueled her passion and they lost themselves in each other for several long moments.
The kiss ended as abruptly as it had begun, leaving Allison out of breath and vulnerable.
Zach lectured her as she struggled to catch her breath. "Damn you for making me turn into your father."
He had sparked a fire within her and she wanted him to flame that fire, not douse it. "Hate to burst your bubble, but my father doesn't kiss me like that."
The small smile that tugged at his lips relaxed her a bit. "Yeah, well thank God for that. But I do have one thing in common with your father."
Allison seriously doubted that.
The smile was gone and the grip in her hair tightened. He pulled her closer again so she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. "We both care about you very much, Allison. And we are both damn worried about you. The difference is I think I have a pretty good idea what it is you need to get you back on track."
His words surrounded her, cocooning her. He cared. God how she wished that were true.
Her reply was breathy, "And what is your idea?"
"He's been too soft, trying to lock you up trying to protect you from the outside world, but he is forgetting the biggest threat to you right now is your own self. Your self-destructive behavior is gonna end today, Allison. You are important to me and I'll be damned if I killed men to protect you only so you could hurt yourself."
He spoke with such certainty, she almost believed him. God, how she wanted to believe him.
"You're only here for a weekend, Zach. And anyway, who died and left you in charge of me? You and my dad are in cahoots, trying to control me. I'm an adult. I can do whatever I want."
"You are an adult, and we'll start treating you like one when you start acting like one. The destructive drinking, drugs, wallowing. It ends."
His words forced her defensive wall to slam up. "How dare you boss me around. You have no idea what I'm going through!"
"Don't I? I was there, Allison. I know exactly what you've been through, so don't you dare try to tell me I don't understand."
His vehemence took her breath away. She struggled to keep it together. "I didn't ask for your help any more than I asked for my dad's."
"Maybe not verbally, but you're acting out is practically daring me to turn you over my knee and paddle your naughty behind like the brat you've been acting like."
Allie snorted, "You're fucking nuts. You wouldn't dare touch me."
His grin had her heart pounding. "Don't dare me, honey. I killed men for you. Trust me when I say delivering a sound spanking to the bare ass I feel wiggling in my lap will be a breeze."
She held her breath, unsure if she'd understood what he was saying to her, and even more, confused recognizing her longing for him to do exactly as he'd threatened.
