Midnight Secrets

chapter

TWENTY-FOUR


Zach glanced in the rearview mirror as he turned onto Beach View Drive. If Savannah hadn’t realized they were headed to his house, she knew it now. Not only was his home closer, which meant she could be in his arms sooner, he wanted her to see the place. If she remembered it from years ago, her memories wouldn’t be good. The house hadn’t been much to look at then. And now, though still small, he’d done a lot of work on it and was proud of how it’d turned out.

He pulled into his driveway and was relieved to see her pull to a stop behind him. As he got out of the patrol car, he watched her face. Yeah, the surprise was there but so was her beautiful smile. She confirmed his thoughts when she stepped out of her car. “Zach, this is amazing. Did you do all of this yourself?”

Despite himself, he couldn’t help the warmth her comment gave him. Having grown up in what many people might call a hovel, it felt damn good to be proud of where he now lived, especially since it was the same place.

“I started on it as soon as I came back here. Took me six months to finish.”

She came to stand beside him. “You’re very good with your hands.”

Her low, husky voice made the double entendre even sexier. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the house. “Let me refresh your memory of just how good I am.”

He turned the key to enter the house, fighting the crazy urge to carry her over the threshold. She’d either think he was insane or it would scare the hell out of her. Resisting the impulse, he just held the door open for her to go inside. The instant the door closed, he grabbed her and swept her into his arms.

Startled, she laughed and said, “But I want to see the house.”

“Later.”

She didn’t argue. Her eyes took on a soft glow as she put her golden head on his shoulder and looked up at him. It took all his resolve not to lay her on the hardwood floor and love her until they were both breathless. Never had she looked more wonderful to him. Since he intended to take his time, a comfortable bed was definitely the way to go.

Turning left, he headed to his bedroom, grateful that his necessity for order included a neat and clean house. His childhood had taught him to do things for himself, and the U.S. Army had reinforced those principles. When he’d gotten up this morning, he’d had no idea he would be spending the afternoon in his bed with Savannah.

He dropped her feet to the floor beside the bed. For just a moment, he took the time to savor that she was actually here, with him. How many torturous nights had he longed for her, never really believing he’d have another chance?

“Zach?” she whispered softly.

Locking his eyes with her, Zach undressed her slowly. In a dim part of his mind, he was surprised at the steadiness of his hands, because everything inside him was at the edge of explosion. After the hell he’d gone through this morning, he was surprised he could function at all. As he slid the dress from her silky shoulders, she reached up to unbutton his shirt. Zach caught her hands and stopped her. “Not yet.”

“Why?”

“Because the instant I get my clothes off, I’m going to be inside you.”

Delight brightened her eyes. “Since that’s exactly where I want you to be, what’s the problem?”

“I’ve been dreaming of having you here, in my house and in my bed, for days. I want to savor every single moment.”

She dropped her hands and Zach rewarded her with a soft quick kiss. “I’ll make waiting worth your while.”

Her lips curved in amusement. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Zach lowered his gaze and took in what he had uncovered. A lacy flesh-colored bra covered what he knew was pure perfection, the most beautiful breasts in the universe. Unhooking the front clasp, he pushed the material back and confirmed his memories. Ivory mounds with small rose-colored nipples, her breasts were just the right size for his hands and mouth. Dipping his head, he licked a puckered nipple. Her gasp made him smile. That was a sound he intended to hear a lot in the next few hours.

His tongue swirled around the hardening flesh and then gently bit it, causing another gasp. Unable to wait, Zach wrapped his arms around her, covered her breast with his mouth, and sucked hard, the roaring in his ears almost drowning out her sighs and gasps. Lifting his head, he admired the glistening mound. Leaning forward again, he flicked the tight nipple with his tongue. Her responding gasping sigh was his reward.

“Zach, please,” she groaned. “Let me touch you.”

The urgent need in her voice almost made him relent, but he had so many more plans for her. Stepping back slightly, he pushed the dress from her hips and swallowed his own gasp. Minuscule panties barely covered her sex. Zach took a deep breath and inhaled the delicious scent of her arousal.

His fingers hooked into the thin band at her hips and pulled the panties down to her knees. “Sit on the bed.”

She dropped onto the bed and Zach went to his knees before her. Pulling the whisper-thin material down her long, silky legs, he threw them over his shoulder. She laughed softly and then caught her breath when he pulled her to the edge of the bed and his hands went to her knees, spreading her legs apart.

Zach looked down at the gleaming, moist flesh protected by soft blond curls. Paradise awaited him.

“Do you know how many nights I dreamed of this?” she whispered softly.

Surprised, he looked up at her. “You dreamed of me?”

A sad smile tilted her lips. “So many nights.”

His heart clenched. “I promise to make up for every one of those nights.”

Something odd flickered in her eyes but she covered it quickly with another soft smile. “Then get to work, mister.”

He wasted no time doing her bidding. Using his thumbs to spread the folds of her sex, Zach leaned forward and licked. At her soft gasp of approval, he delved deep, burying his tongue as far inside her as he could go. Plunge, retreat, and then plunge once more, Zach reveled in her taste, her sighs and pleas, and the slender fingers that tangled and pulled at his hair, pressing him deeper into her sex. Seconds later she stiffened as a powerful climax rushed through her. Her release sweet and moist in his mouth made him wish he had enough control to lick her to another orgasm, but he was just barely hanging on now. Still, Zach stayed inside her, using gentle thrusts and small laps of his tongue to ease her back to earth. He continued until her throbbing stopped and her body relaxed. When her hands loosened on his head, he pulled away.

Surging to his feet, he began to unbutton his shirt. Savannah’s fingers went to his zipper and he assumed she was going to help him undress. He was only halfway right. Smiling up at him, the burn of desire in her eyes set to the highest flame, she whispered, “My turn.”

Her body hot with a fiery need she barely recognized, Savannah unzipped Zach’s pants. She had wanted to take it slow and undress him the same way he had undressed her. That wasn’t possible anymore. If she didn’t get him naked and on the bed with her soon, she wouldn’t be responsible for her actions.

With single-minded determination, pleasure and satisfaction her only goals, she opened Zach’s pants, revealing steel-gray underwear that barely covered his erection. Impatient, she tugged until both pants and underwear were bunched below his hips. His erection sprang free, the hard length almost smacking her face. Taking advantage, Savannah licked the long, solid steel of him, and then, despite the harsh, urgent sound of his protest, she opened her mouth and took him inside, to her throat.

Zach’s hands held her face, at first she thought to push her away, but instead, he weaved his fingers through her hair, giving her the freedom to take as much of him as she wanted. Inexperienced as she was with this kind of lovemaking, the groans and whispers of encouragement coming from above told her she was doing it right. A good thing, because she loved his taste.

“Stop … I can’t take much more.”

Neither could she. As much as she wanted to take him to completion and have him explode in her mouth, she couldn’t wait another second to have him deep inside the part of her throbbing to be filled.

She pulled away and scooted to the middle of the bed. Zach wasted no time pulling off his remaining clothes and then joined her. Before she could bring him to her and inside, she was startled when he pulled her into his arms and held her tight against him as if he never wanted to let her go.

“You okay?”

Breath shuddered through his big body. Not answering, he held her in his steely arms for a few more seconds and then he pulled back slightly to look down at her. The naked emotion on his face astounded her.

Her hand cupped his face. “What’s wrong?”

“Not a damn thing,” he muttered, and then covered her mouth with his. Plunging deep, his tongue tangled and dueled with hers. Grabbing his shoulders, Savannah held on, loving the fierceness and desperate need she felt in him.

Without taking his mouth from hers, Zach rolled her onto her back and came over her. Savannah wound one leg around his hip, inviting him inside. With one smooth, hard thrust, he was at last a part of her.

Sensation spiraled through him to Savannah, causing them both to climax simultaneously. Face buried against his shoulder, a small squeal erupted from her as a burning, consuming heat, like a thousand tiny suns, exploded within her. Zach stiffened in her arms and she felt his release. Holding him tight, she treasured the trembling of his big body, the groaning breaths, the gasping moans. Most of all, she treasured his whispered words: “Savannah … my love.”

Zach rolled over, surprised that Savannah was no longer beside him. For a man who’d spent much of his life hearing and reacting to the slightest noise, not hearing Savannah leave the bed should concern him. It didn’t. There was no one he trusted more than this woman. Years ago she’d stolen his heart with her honesty. Nothing had changed.

Raising his head, he spotted her across the room, standing beside the bureau next to the window. Rain bashed against the windowpane. It was abnormally dark for the middle of the day, but Savannah seemed like sunshine. Long, wavy blond hair reached below her shoulders, wild, untamed, and exactly how he loved it. Her skin still held that luminescent glow as if a candle burned within her. The shirt he’d worn earlier hung on her slender frame, landing at mid-thigh and revealing those long, silky legs that had recently been wrapped around him.

Apparently realizing she was being watched, she turned and gave a slow, sexy smile. “I didn’t realize you were such a good photographer.”

He’d been so focused on admiring her, he hadn’t realized that she was looking at the pictures on the bureau. “I never even owned a camera until I went into the army. I traveled to some amazing places and thought I’d just take a few shots here and there. The moment I put the camera in my hand, it was like I’d been missing an appendage.”

She picked up one of his favorites—a little Afghan boy, about five years old, holding a ragged teddy bear in one hand and a chocolate bar in the other. Zach had been on foot patrol and had spotted the kid. He’d taken the chocolate out of his backpack and offered it to him. The kid’s two front teeth were missing and every soldier who’d witnessed his smile that day had been touched. Zach had snapped the shot and knew he would never consider giving the photograph to anyone else. He’d had more than a few people offer him money for his work. He had never taken photos for money—every picture meant something to him that money couldn’t replace.

“That’s one of my favorites.”

She laughed. “The chocolate bar probably helped with that smile.”

He didn’t bother to tell her that later that day, the entire village had been wiped out by a tribe of militants who were punishing the villagers for accepting aid from the Americans. Some memories were meant to be buried a thousand miles deep.

“Your house is amazing. I had only seen the outside of it before, but I can tell you did a lot of work on the inside, too. Everything seems fresh and new.”

Yeah, he had practically gutted the house. There might’ve been a few good memories here that he didn’t mind remaining, but for the most part, it had been a major catharsis to get rid of everything that reminded him of his childhood.

“After I moved back here, I started up a small construction business. No major building, just renovating. This house was my office, too, so I wanted it to look nice.”

“What happened to your business?”

“I turned it over to one of my workers. I still help him out from time to time, but being police chief keeps me plenty busy.”

She drew in a deep breath, tightening the material slightly and revealing the sexy, silken body beneath it.

Zach swallowed a groan and patted the pillow beside him, hoping he didn’t look or sound too desperate. “Why don’t you come back to bed?”

“I was thinking of bringing you something to eat.”

At the mention of food, his stomach produced a giant growl reminding him that breakfast had been hours ago. He had skipped lunch because he had been looking for Savannah. “I’ve got some chicken salad in the fridge.”

He was about to throw the sheet off and get out of bed, but she stopped him with “No, stay there. Let me bring it to you.”

Other than in the hospital, which he figured didn’t count, he’d never been served in bed before. Zach dropped his head back to the pillow. “Now, I could get used to that.”

She snorted. “Don’t. My kitchen skills have diminished greatly over the years. Having fully prepared food is what I do best.” She turned to go out of the room and then stopped, shooting him a sultry smile over her shoulder. “By the way, I’m your dessert.”

She disappeared before he could answer back, but his body responded to her words like magic. Arousal surged, tenting the sheet covering him. Zach sighed his contentment. He had her here with him; they’d just made love and would do so again very soon. It was as if his dreams so long in the making were finally coming true.

Where did they go from here? She had a career she loved. Zach had worked hard to attain his position and status here, but it meant nothing without Savannah. How would she feel if he told her he’d move to Nashville if he could be with her? Hell, he still had no idea what he meant to her. There was desire, but was there more? Had she forgiven him for deserting her?

Something else they hadn’t yet talked about was the dead animal on her doorstep. Teenage prank or a threat? If it was a threat, who’d made it? Henson and Clark Dayton swore their innocence, and while their level of crimes was at best juvenile and he had absolutely no use for either of them, a dead animal went lower than he thought even they would stoop.

In the midst of searching for Savannah and being convinced someone had taken her, he had called the DA’s office in Nashville and talked with her boss. There’d been no more threats made against Savannah. The sentencing for the perp she’d put away would take place next month. Garrison didn’t believe the X-Kings had traveled all the way to Midnight to leave a dead animal on her doorstep. Zach hadn’t believed it either but felt the need to double-check. And they would remain on his suspect list until he knew the truth. No one was above suspicion. But if not the X-Kings and not Dayton or Henson, then who? And why?

“Lunch is served.”

He sat up and smoothed out the bed. “Come join me.”

She placed the tray in the middle of the bed and then crawled under the covers with him. Food suddenly no longer seemed an urgent need. He reached for her and she held out her hand to keep him at bay, laughing. “Oh no, we eat our meal and then comes dessert.”

He grinned. “I always thought dessert made for a great appetizer.”

“Nice try, but I think I’ll have more energy if we eat first.”

Since he had specific plans that included expending a hell of a lot of energy, Zach picked up a sandwich and took a giant bite. Munching contentedly, he said, “So you don’t have the chance to cook often. I remember you were once a damn good cook.”

“Either you have a selective memory or you were exceptionally hungry. Most of my stuff was as basic as it comes. Now I don’t even have time to cook the basics.”

Zach demolished his first sandwich and went back for the second one. “So what’s a typical day like for Assistant DA Savannah Wilde?”

Savannah shrugged, uncomfortable with where their discussion was leading. If she told him what her average day was like, he’d soon learn that other than work, her life was about as dull and empty as a hollow drum. She liked it the way it was. Safe and predictable was how she coped. Zach was too inquisitive to just let it go at that. He would want to know why a twenty-eight-year-old woman had almost no social life and the only true friends she had were her two sisters. Explaining that might veer too close to when and how she’d chosen this almost monastic lifestyle. She could not go there now. Both Sammie and Bri had told her she was going to have to tell him the truth at some point. They were right. But at what point? She didn’t know. But today wasn’t that day.

Aware he was waiting for her reply, she shrugged and said, “I usually get to the office by seven. When I’m in court, I’m usually there from around nine till around four. If I’m not in court, then it’s a lot of paperwork, phone calls, some fieldwork.” She shrugged again. “You know the drill.”

“So what do you do in your downtime?”

“I volunteer at a crisis clinic close to my apartment.”

“Do you date much?”

Since her dating life consisted of a handful of blind dates that had been about as exciting as watching paint dry, she shrugged evasively and said, “I’m not seeing anyone special right now.”

His eyes held more questions but thankfully he let it go. “Did you get to see your grandfather much after you moved away?”

Feeling safer with this topic, she relaxed and continued eating. “Once a month he would meet the three of us in Mobile.”

“Why Mobile?”

“It was close by for him. And he loved the city. I always thought if he’d been younger, he would have moved there after we left home.”

“I was real sorry to hear about his passing.”

She swallowed around the sudden lump in her throat. “He went quickly and quietly. We’d just seen him the week before, and though he was in his early eighties, he still looked years younger and acted that way, too. It was a shock when Gibby called and told us.”

“I wish I’d gotten the chance to say goodbye to him. He was one of the finest men I’ve ever known.”

“He thought a lot of you, too.”

“I figured he’d be furious at me for what I did.”

He had been furious, much more so than Zach might expect. She’d had to beg him many times not to interfere. If he’d had his way, he would have gone to Fort Benning and literally dragged Zach home.

“He tried to remember …” She cleared her throat. “We all tried to remember the good times.”

Dropping his half-eaten sandwich on the tray, he took her hand and held it against his mouth. “Do you think you’ll ever be able to forgive me?”

“I’ve already forgiven you, Zach. You explained what happened. That’s all in the past.” Shoving the tray out of the way, she turned and softly kissed his cheek. “Now, what about that dessert?”

He grabbed her shoulders, pulled her over to straddle him, and growled against her mouth, “Just so you know, I usually ask for second and third helpings on dessert.”

Savannah lost herself in the magic, forgetting for just a little while that major issues surrounded them. Sometime soon, they’d have to face them. But for right now … for right now, this was all she needed to survive.