“You know me better than anyone else.” He cupped her head in his hand, pulling her forward to meet the heated press of his lips. His kiss was hard and fierce, bruising her mouth with passion.
“I left you once,” he murmured. “But this time, I won’t let you go. I’m gonna do everything I can to make you see we are meant to be together. I’ll fight anyone and everyone for you, sweetheart, until you’re mine again.”
*
Acutely aware of the rise and fall of Evie’s breasts against his chest, and the heat of her body, Zane almost didn’t register her touch—gentle hands on his shoulders, arms twining around his neck. His groin tightened in response.
“I missed you.” She tilted her head back until she met his gaze. “We saw each other almost every single day for nine years, and then suddenly you were gone. I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest.”
“Never again.”
She stepped back and pulled off her T-shirt. Zane’s eyes dropped to her creamy breasts encased in … oh fuck … red satin, and rational thought flew out the window. But when he took a step forward, she held up her hand.
“I gave up on relationships after Mark. I figured if I didn’t get involved with anyone, then I didn’t have to worry about having my heart broken yet again.” She reached around to unfasten her bra, letting the straps slide down her arms.
My beautiful girl.
No, not a girl. Not anymore. She’d filled out in a way that made his cock hard and his will soft. His Evie was all woman.
Zane swallowed when she sat in the center of his bed, leaned back on the pillows, folding her arms behind her head and giving him a perfect, groin-tightening view of her tight rosy nipples and lush breasts. Every instinct screamed for him to take her. His woman. Half naked. On his bed. Wanting him. But still he held back, confused by the words that belied her state of undress.
“Viper was different.” She undid the top button on her jeans and Zane drew in a ragged breath.
Viper? He didn’t want to talk about Viper when his cock was so hard he was ready to explode. Viper had no place in his bedroom, and even less place on Evie’s lips.
“Being with him reminded me of what it felt like to be with you and Jagger.” She slid her hands into the waistband of her jeans, drawing his attention to what lay beneath. “When I was with him, no one bothered me. In fact, no one dared to look at me. I never realized how much I missed feeling safe … craved it. But I thought I could be in control. I could go out with him but still walk away because I didn’t need anyone to make me feel safe anymore.” She shoved her jeans over her hips, baring red silk panties that matched her bra. But where the hell was she going with this? Did she want to be with Viper? Was this supposed to be a good-bye fuck?
“And then I saw you again.”
Ah. He was part of this story. His chest swelled with pride, as he guessed the ending. She thought him more worthy than Viper, and finally they got to have sex on the bed and lived happily ever after. Zane reached for his fly and she held up her hand to stop him again.
“I didn’t feel the same way about you as I did when you left,” she said softly, wiggling out of her jeans, her hips undulating in such a suggestive manner, that it was all he could do not the launch himself across the room, pin her down and take her right then.
“I still don’t,” she continued. “No one ever hurt me as much as you did, and now you scare me. I’m afraid I don’t know you anymore and I’ll find out things about you I can’t handle. I’m afraid of wanting you to make me feel safe. I’m afraid of loving you in case you walk away.”
“What do you need, Evie? Tell me. I’ll do anything.”
She kicked off her jeans and stretched out on his blue cotton duvet, her stomach making an inviting concave dip, just perfect for his lips. His hand dropped to his fly as she eased her panties down, just to the top of her mound. Mouth watering in anticipation, pulse pounding in his ears, he almost missed her answer.
“The truth. What really happened the night you left?”
Zane’s head jerked up. How the hell had they wound up back where they started? Except now his brain was fuzzed with lust, his cock throbbed, and he couldn’t remember why he had been so hesitant to tell her in the first place. But maybe it was a good thing. Didn’t they say, the truth will set you free?
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You just told me I was brave and strong. It was beautiful to hear. Now show me you mean it. Have faith in me.” She stretched out on his bed, all creamy skin and soft curves. So beautiful he ached.
Anything. He would give her anything. Everything. She had only to ask. And if his words hurt her, he would be there for her, comfort her, and soothe away her pain.
“Your dad…” He sucked in his lips and focused on a knot in the wooden floor. “He beat me pretty bad that night he found us together. He told me I wasn’t good enough for you.”