What a Woman Wants (20 page)

“
This place is
simply beautiful, Zach,” Anna said, glancing around at the place they had chosen to have their picnic. They had spread a blanket near a pond that was fed by an underground spring. It was a beautiful spot, picturesque and scenic.

They had returned to bed after breakfast and made love again and again, and each time Zach had filled her body with his, she felt connected to him in a very special way, making her fall in love with him that much more. He was the most considerate man she knew, and he always made sure she got her pleasure before taking his. She’d learned from listening to other women talk around the various hospitals where she worked that not all men were so selfless.

“Yes, it is beautiful, isn’t it?” Zach said. “And it has a lot of history.”

She smiled, recalling some of that history. She remembered the first time she had come here. It was with her uncle Randolph not long after she’d been united with her family. He had sat on one those tree stumps and told her how he and her father would spend their summers on Glendale Shores while growing up, and would go swimming in this pond all the time, and all the fun they had, just the two of them. She knew from listening to him that he and her father had been as close as any brothers could be, but then she had figured as much from the old love letters her father had written to her mother.

“I know,” she said softly. “This is where Haywood and Trey got married.” And smiling she added, “And where Haywood says Quad was conceived.”

Zach chuckled. “I wouldn’t doubt it.” He decided not to mention that he’d once overheard his parents say that this particular spot was where her uncle Randolph and his wife, Jenna, had conceived their daughter Randi as well. It would probably shock her to imagine her suave, polished, and debonair uncle and his beautiful and sophisticated wife being so passionate.

He then shook his head, thinking his parents were just as bad. He had walked in on them unexpectedly enjoying a passionate kiss a number of times. His parents’ ardent love for each other was something he and his sister had always accepted and appreciated, and after nearly thirty-six years of marriage, it hadn’t waned any.

“So how are things back in D.C?”

He tilted his head and looked over at her, wondering if there was any particular reason she’d asked. “Mostly the same. Everyone, especially my father, is hoping the war in Iraq doesn’t turn into another Vietnam. So many lives have been lost already,” he said.

“I hate war,” Anna said bitterly. “It was what took my father away. But then it was also what brought my parents together in the first place. I guess there’s no perfect world.”

He reached out and took her hand in his. “Sure there is a perfect world and it’s here, in this very place. I can’t think of anything more perfect than the two of us here together after having confessed our love for each other and consummating that love. In my mind there can’t be anything more perfect than that, Anna.”

His words touched her and as she gazed deep into the eyes, she felt the love he spoke of and saw it in the dark depths the same way she knew he was seeing it in hers. A shudder suddenly coursed through her, and she knew she wanted to leave their own bit of history in this place as well. It would be something they would always remember when they came here.

She pressed against him, making them tumble back together on the blanket. She then pushed up on her knees, straddled his thighs, and looked down at him. “I love you, Zachary Wainwright, with all my heart and with all my soul.”

Zach was so touched by her words that he reached out and cupped her face in his hands. At that moment he wanted to ask her to marry him, spend the rest of her life with him, but he knew to do so now without telling her everything would not be fair. And he didn’t want to spoil the moment by announcing that he wanted to run for a public office. So instead, he whispered back to her, “And I love you, Adrianna Ross-Fuller, so much I ache.”

And then he brought her head down to meet his, focusing on her lower lip, a place he’d recently discovered as a spot that could drive her over the edge. So after kissing her thoroughly, he gently attacked her bottom lip, licking, tasting, and sucking on it, enjoying the sound of the moans she made, knowing what he was doing was escalating her desire.

When he pulled back, he saw the intensity of the heat flaring in her eyes. “Oh, Zach, I want you so much,” she murmured in a voice that was filled with so much yearning, it overwhelmed him. “And I want you now,” she said, reaching out and pulling his T-shirt out of his shorts. He helped her by shrugging it off and tossing it aside.

And with desperation he’d never seen in her before, he watched her go to his zipper and with nervous but eager fingers begin lowering it. She then reached inside the opening and tightened those same fingers around him, holding tight. And then she slowly began stroking him. He felt himself grow even larger, get harder, within her grip.

“Let’s make our own lasting memories here, in this very place, Zach,” she whispered, releasing him but only long enough to whip her tank top over her head and wiggle out of her own shorts, glad she hadn’t bothered with putting on a bra and panties.

She returned to him, getting on her knees over him, and immediately leaned down to kiss him. A short while later she pulled back and smiled. “Now where was I before I stopped to take off my clothes?”

She reached for him, taking his erection in her hand again in a firm grip, noticing it hadn’t gone down any. In fact, it seemed larger than before. She’d never touched a man this way and was thrilled to do so now. She doubted there was a man anywhere any more developed or well made, and she began stroking him, kneading his thick, hard shaft, watching his facial expressions as she did so. Seeing the effect her touch was having on him made her feel wanton, sexy, and provocative.

“I can’t take any more,” Zach whispered through clenched teeth. “I want you now.”

He tumbled her backward, quickly positioning himself between her thighs. And while looking into her eyes, he entered her, feeling her body stretch wide for him as he buried himself within her to the hilt. He began moving and she began moving with him as they once again established the rhythm, the beat, the cadence tempo they had created the night before. He felt the tremors in his belly with every thrust he made, he heard the sensuous whimpering sounds she began making, and all of it increased the urgency, the craving, the necessity of being overtaken by turbulent waves together.

And then it happened, and she cried out his name when an orgasm crashed into her at the same time one slammed into him. The very air they breathed seemed to thicken with unadulterated pleasure, intense fulfillment, and never-ending desire as he thrust into her over and over again, convulsed in a climax so strong, it nearly took his breath away. He fought to inhale, exhale, as his body started shaking almost uncontrollably.

And he knew that what he had with Anna, what they were sharing, was something he wanted ... for always.

Adam sighed deeply.
For the first time in his life his total concentration wasn’t where it needed to be while working on one of his cars. Instead of focusing his attention on repairing the GTO’s transmission, his thoughts were on the woman who was upstairs taking a nap in his bed.

He smiled, thinking he had definitely gotten a lot of work out of her today. The leather upholstery in the GTO almost sparkled, and so did the dashboard and console. Once she had stopped asking questions and had gotten to work, Shannon turned into one hell of an assistant.

He had ordered in lunch, and after they had eaten, she asked if she could take a break and a short nap. That had been an hour or so ago. Several times over the past hour he’d been tempted to say to hell with working today and go upstairs and crawl in bed with her. What they’d shared earlier that day had been incredible. In his thirty-seven years he’d slept with plenty of women, but he couldn’t recall one giving him the level of euphoria that he’d reached while inside Shannon’s body.

Hell

He hadn’t counted on this. The memories. The intense arousal that wouldn’t go away. The urge to throw his wrench down and go upstairs, wake her up, and make love to her again. If he wasn’t careful, she could become addictive, habit-forming, embedded deep into his system. He had to stay grounded, on guard, and watch his own back ... but then all he had to do was recall all the things she could do to his front. His body hardened even more at the thought, and the memory had him perspiring. She had shown him that she could do a lot more with her mouth than talk sass, and he had come apart under her assault, her ultimate gift of pleasure to him.

He threw the wrench down, unable to work any longer. He knew what he wanted. He knew what he needed, and heaven help him, he knew what he had to have. Now.

He intended to quench all his desires and worry about the risk later. Not today.

Shannon slowly came
awake and forced open her eyes. She glanced at the clock on the wall and saw it was late afternoon. How long had she been napping? She smiled. If she’d been a real employee, Adam would have fired her by now.

She hated admitting it, but she enjoyed working alongside Adam on that car. They had talked, and she was surprised about all the stuff he knew about the economy, politics, foreign affairs .. . those things she figured someone in his social class wouldn’t bother knowing. She could only assume his reading of
The Wall Street Journal
was the primary reason for it. She couldn’t help but admire him wanting to improve himself.

She shifted in bed, thinking she better get up before Adam came looking for her. She pulled herself out of bed, remembering what they’d shared when she first arrived that day. No one had ever taken her on a car before, and just the thought sent her body into a fever. The man took on sex like it was his most favorite pastime.

She recalled the last time she had been in his bed, that time she had spent the night. After a couple of rounds of raw, hot lovemak-ing, he had toned things down a bit and made love to her slow and easy.

She smiled, thinking she had probably surprised the hell out of him when, while showering together, she dropped to her knees and took him into her mouth, needing to know the taste of him. Greedily, she had explored his erection with her tongue from tip to the shaft, finding it easy to do to him what she’d never done to another man. And when he hadn’t been able to take any more, he had pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard and senseless, making her climax just from the invasion of his tongue in her mouth.

Amazing.

Shannon tilted her head back and inhaled deeply. For the first time in her life she felt herself consumed by a situation she couldn’t handle with a man—one where it was obvious she was losing control. Some inner struggle was taking place, and she wasn’t sure how to proceed. The most logical thing would be to get out of Dodge while she had the chance, before Adam Corbain became her one downfall. He was all wrong for her.
Except in bed.
They had nothing in common.
Except in bed.

And that’s what she had to do: remember to stay focused on that one major point. This was an affair. Nothing more. Affairs weren’t intended to last. They were a pleasure boost, and nothing more. In a few weeks she would go her way and he would go his. He would be out of her sight as well as out of her mind. As long as she accepted and understood that, there wouldn’t be any risk involved. Satisfied with that thought, she was about to cross the room to the bathroom when the apartment door was flung open. She turned to meet Adam’s dark, intense gaze. He stood in the doorway, staring at her.

Seeing Shannon in
the brightness of day, with the sun streaming through the window, made his body ache in a way it had never ached before. There was something about her in those damn black shorty shorts.

His hand immediately went to his zipper, and he watched her watch him slowly ease it down. He felt harder, fuller, although he knew such a thing was impossible. He then inched his jeans down his legs and kicked them aside. His T-shirt followed and within seconds, he was standing in front of her completely naked.

Shannon refused to back up. Besides, a wall was practically at her back. She knew just what was on his mind, and immediately her body was ready. And she really hadn’t quite grasped the size of him all those other times. Jeez. The man was so well endowed, he should establish scholarships to the Adam Corbain School of Fine Arts.

“I want you again, Shannon,” he said, slowly crossing the floor and coming to a stop in front of her.

She tried to keep her breathing under control. “What if I said that I’m not interested?”

A smile touched the corners of his lips. “Then I’ll work hard to make you interested.”

“Think you can?” she asked.

“I believe so,” was his response. “Take off your clothes and prove me wrong if you dare to.”

“I think I will.”

He stepped back and watched her remove every stitch of her clothing. He’d never seen a striptease act so provocative. He leaned forward and backed her against the wall. “Now for a reminder.”

She swallowed hard. “You’re planning on giving me one?”

“Several.”

She believed him. There was a flash of fire in his eyes, as well as a deep, intense look of desire. She should have known better than to challenge him. There was no way she could stand in front of a naked Adam Corbain and not be interested.

And when he reached out before she could blink and lifted her up and pinned her to the wall, she knew that whatever he did to her, she would not only be interested, but would also be an eager participant.

First Adam went
for her breasts, needing to taste them, to feel them in his mouth. They were full, firm, and the nipples were protruding like they were just waiting for his attack. He stuck out his tongue and greedily licked them, sucked on the tips like they might disappear any moment.

He heard her moan, but he hadn’t given her anything to moan about yet. He had a firm grip on her forearm to keep her from sinking to the floor but placed his knee between her open legs for added support. The moment he did so, he felt her wetness. She was ready for him. But first he intended to do what he’d wanted to do last night.

Make her his meal.

He eased her down so her feet touched the floor and then he got on his knees in front of her and couldn’t recall the last time he’d done this to a woman, the last time he’d wanted to. But he needed Shannon’s taste on his tongue the same way he needed air to breathe. With a rough, sensuous growl he placed a palm between her legs to widen them, then dipped his head and claimed this special part of her as his. The moment the tip of his tongue touched her, she screamed. But that didn’t bother him. There would be plenty more screams before it was over.

For endless moments he continued to taste her like a man who’d been robbed of a meal for days. His tongue absorbed each and every sensation that passed through her, every pleasurable shock that her system endured without letting up, although she was begging him to. But then in another instant she was also begging him to continue, not to stop.

Without wavering he focused only on this, devouring her sweetness, the very essence of her womanhood. She had screamed three more times and still he wasn’t through with her. Even the way her nails were deeply embedded in the flesh of his shoulders didn’t bother him. His mouth was locked to her, tight, and he refused to let go until he was ready, and he wasn’t ready yet. He liked her taste. He was a hungry man, and he intended to get his fill.

In a matter of moments, he felt himself about to come, just from her taste, and knew where he wanted his shaft to be when it happened. Gritting his teeth, clinging for control, he pulled himself to his feet, lifted her bottom, and wrapped her legs around him, and pinned her to the wall just seconds before he thrust into her. But she didn’t seem to mind—her muscles began clenching him to pull everything she wanted out of him. It didn’t take long for that to happen.

“Shannon!”

The orgasm that exploded from deep within him sent sensuous chills all the way up his spine, his thighs firm and strong, pinned her in one spot while he pounded into her, just like she was begging him to. Her screams of pleasure made any self-control he might have had vanish. Completely. He inwardly cursed her ability to do that to him, to bring him to this. But at the moment there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

When she collapsed against him, he felt as drained as she did, and without unlocking their bodies he made it over to the bed. And when they lay side by side with their bodies still locked, he threw his leg over her hip to keep them that way

“It’s getting late and I need to leave,” she managed to whisper in a low, ragged breath.

“Not yet,” he said, rubbing her back gently before moving his hand to her bottom and gently gripping it. “We’re both tired. Let’s take a nap together.”

She met his gaze and he knew she was fighting whatever this thing was between them. This urgency, this obsession, whatever it was that seeped through their veins when they were within ten feet of each other, making them act sexually crazy.

Suddenly he felt himself get hard inside her. He knew she felt it as well.
Aw hell.

At that moment he couldn’t resist leaning over and taking her lips. He wanted her again. And at the moment he couldn’t imagine not ever wanting her.

Adam suddenly came
awake when he felt the dip in the mattress. He turned to see Shannon as she eased out of bed. He rolled to the side, lifted himself up on his elbow. It was dark outside. “You’re leaving?” he asked when he watched her reach for her clothes that were still on the floor.

She glanced over at him. “Sorry, I hadn’t meant to wake you, but yes, I’m leaving. It’s nighttime already.”

He nodded as his gaze raked up and down her naked body. “Come here for a second.”

She looked at him skeptically, not sure she wanted to do that. “Really, Adam, I do need to go.”

“I understand, but come here for a second,” he coaxed in a low, sexy voice. “I promise not to keep you, and I’m walking you down to your car.”

Unable to deny his request, she slowly crossed the room to him. “Closer,” he whispered, not moving out of his reclining position on the bed, which brought him eye to eye with her navel. He reached out and brushed his knuckles against her belly. “Umm, I think I missed a spot.” And then he leaned forward and took his tongue and swirled it around her navel while the palm of his hands eased between her thighs to caress her there.

“Think of me tonight,” he said, giving her something to make doubly sure that she did. A shiver passed through him at the thought that now he knew her too well. He had her taste down pat. He knew how she felt when she came, whether he was inside her or not. When he came inside her, the explosion that would rip through him, made him want to bury himself between her succulent thighs forever.

“I got to get dressed and go, Adam,” she said in a tone of voice he thought wasn’t the least bit convincing. But he knew he had to let her leave in order to regain his control and, most important, his common sense.

He reluctantly pulled back. “Okay, I won’t hold you up any longer. I want to ask a favor of you, though.”

She inhaled deeply and glanced down at him. “What?”

“I’m going to a drag race on the Fourth in Savannah. I want you to go with me.”

Shannon shook her head, and he could imagine what she was thinking. Sleeping with him was one thing, going on a date with him was another. That thought sent anger surging through him when she said, “I can’t, Adam. That wasn’t part of the deal.”

A curse slipped past his lips as he pulled himself up in bed to sit.

“We never got around to making any deals, remember. We’ve been too busy getting our groove on.”

She backed up, still shaking her head. “But I can’t.”

He met her gaze. “Can’t or won’t?”

She tossed her hair over her shoulder and glared at him. “Same difference.”

“Maybe it’s the same difference in your book, but it’s not in mine. If you change your mind, be here the morning of the Fourth at ten.”

She didn’t say anything, and he watched as she raced into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.