Down by Contact - A Seattle Lumberjacks Romance (31 page)

Yeah, he’d take Kelsie with him and keep his
privates intact.

* * * *

Zach wiped his sweaty palms on his black
slacks. Kelsie had picked out the damn things at Nordstrom’s, and
they cost more than the rest of the clothes hanging in the closet,
minus the suits she’d also purchased. Crap, maybe he was a moron, a
cheap-assed moron. Meanwhile, Kelsie sat next to him playing her
part as the dutiful, yet strong-willed wife, dressed to the hilt in
a sexy, soft pink suit she’d bought on that same shopping spree.
Zach had converted a spare bedroom into a closet for her expanding
clothes and shoe collection.

It took them a week to get an appointment
with Veronica, and she made them come to her house in the evening
instead of meeting with them at Jacks HQ. Zach figured it was
intentional.

At least the team won their last game, which
should put her in a reasonably good mood. Plus, he’d played nice
with Harris, complimenting him in front of the press. Thank God the
man had deserved his praise.

Zach’s after hours activities should’ve left
him exhausted. Instead, he’d been all over that field, stuffed the
running back behind the line of scrimmage countless times, and
sacked the quarterback twice. He’d been awarded defensive player of
the week.

Yet his on-the-field accomplishments paled
compared to the elegant, sexy woman who’d been his partner these
past couple weeks. Damn, just looking at her now puffed him up with
pride, while desire infiltrated his tight control. Zach forced his
thoughts away from his gorgeous wife. This definitely wasn’t the
time for a hard-on.

Veronica breezed into the room, a glass of
wine in hand. The woman liked her wine and could be a mean drunk.
He hoped to God it was too early in the evening for her to be
beyond her first glass.

Veronica ran her disapproving gaze over Zach
and graced Kelsie with a tense smile. His wife—it still seemed
weird to think that—stood and they did that air kiss thing women
often did. At Kelsie’s prodding look, Zach lumbered to his feet.
Veronica took a seat across from them, and Zach sat once the ladies
sat, like a well-trained dog. He hated this bullshit manners crap.
What the hell difference did being pompous make?

Zach hated phonies. So why was he married to
one? Even temporarily? The obvious answer was sex and keeping her
safe, not that he’d seen a sign of her stalker in a few weeks. The
not-so-obvious might be in part because Zach believed—or wanted to
believe—she’d changed. Yet, the cynical side of him laughed at the
ludicrous thought that anyone could change that much. Zach sighed.
Maybe a person could. Maybe Kelsie’s first marriage truly did
change her.

Veronica snapped her fingers and a servant
magically appeared. The tall thin man stood in the background. “Yes
ma’am?”

Zach almost snorted out a laugh. The guy had
an English accent. Who the hell employed an English butler
anymore?

“Wine for my guests please. And some
appetizers.”

Zach stiffened. Oh, crap, he didn’t want to
eat or drink in front of this woman. Whenever he did, disaster
happened, not just the time he’d spilt wine on her dress. At a
pre-season party welcoming new teammates, Zach bumped her from
behind, causing her to dump an entire plate of spaghetti on her
expensive white suit. Then he’d insulted her prissy
boyfriend-of-the-week by asking if he was gay because he was a
hairdresser. Not exactly politically correct and just the beginning
in a long line of bad situations with the owner’s daughter. Thank
God Mr. Simms’s sons weren’t nearly as uptight. They were good
guys.

The butler poured a miniscule amount of wine
in a glass and handed it to Zach then the guy stood nearby as if
waiting for something. Zach glanced at Kelsie. She nudged him with
a knee. Zach tried to remember all the dumbass rules for drinking
wine that they’d gone over. He held it up to his mouth and took a
sip. The stuff tasted like crap. Swallowing, he plastered a smile
on his face and nodded. “That’ll be fine.”

Kelsie smiled encouragingly at him and
squeezed his thigh in a show of support, an action which went
straight to his sex-crazed cock and brain. Veronica frowned, cluing
him in to the fact that he’d screwed up again. Somehow.

The butler smiled sympathetically at him and
filled his glass about a quarter full then filled the ladies’.
Next, he positioned a tray of appetizers so small they were barely
bigger than Zach’s pinkie. He stared at the miniscule bites and his
stomach growled.

“Damn, those are small. What are you guys
going to eat?”

Veronica glared at him, not finding his
remark the least bit amusing. Kelsie smiled demurely, as if he’d
commented about the weather.

Zach reached for a handful and stopped
himself. He drew his hand back, stuffed his hands in his lap and
waited for Kelsie and Veronica to take one first. Shit, he just
said another stupid thing. It came out of his mouth before he could
contain it like a defensive line of all rookies trying to stop an
all-pro running back.

Veronica’s face puckered into an expression
of absolute disapproval. She sighed and picked up a tiny piece of
something and placed it on her tongue. She savored it as if she
were eating a huge, juicy steak. “So I understand you’re looking
for a donation list for the Christmas gala?”

Kelsie deferred to Zach. He sat up straight
and tried his nicest smile. “Yes, we’ll be calling the potential
donors in an attempt to get a commitment from them for dinner and
the silent auction, which will also be offered online.”

“Let’s hope you start winning games. It’ll
help your case.” Veronica glared pointedly at Zach.

“We won last week.” Zach defended not just
himself but his team.

“Barely, and to a mediocre team.”

Zach caught the warning in Kelsie’s eyes.
She turned to Veronica. “The arrangements are coming along nicely.
Zach’s old mansion is perfect for this.”

“As you know, this gala has been hosted by
my family in our home for years. So it’s definitely associated with
our name and the team. I’m expecting this year’s to be as
spectacular as past galas.”

“We’ll do you proud.” Zach forced a
smile.

She didn’t appear to believe him. “You don’t
have a choice. Either of you.”

Zach scooped up a couple tidbits and popped
them in his mouth. Good thing he could barely taste them because
what he could taste, tasted like crap.

A short time later, Zach left with a bruised
and humiliated ego, but he had the coveted list. Kelsie managed to
get a commitment from Veronica to call some of the billionaires
personally. Zach pulled out of the long, winding driveway and onto
the street.

“You did fine.” Kelsie leaned over and
kissed his cheek.

Zach squared his shoulders and puffed up his
chest. “You really think so?”

“Yes, better than a few months ago.” She
rubbed his knee. Her touch went straight to his dick.

“Veronica didn’t appear to think so.”

“Veronica expects perfection. I don’t.”

“Good then, I don’t need to do any more of
this manners crap.”

“Yes, you do. We’ll continue the Tuesday
lessons before you meet with Tyler.”

“Yeah, but we’re married now. I don’t need
to worry about this shit. You’ll take care of it for me.”

“What about at parties?”

“I’ll follow your lead just like Tomcat does
with LaShonna.”

“It’d take an elephant to lead you in the
right direction.”

Zach frowned. “You just said I did
okay.”

“You did. And I’m proud of you and your
progress, but there’s still a long way to go.”

Zach sighed and kept his eyes on the road.
“I’m trying. Really I am.”

“In your own weird way I believe you
are.”

She had no idea how hard he was trying.

Trying not to fall so deeply for her that
he’d never recover.

* * * * *

Kelsie sat in the passenger seat and chewed
on her lower lip. Zach’s aftershave teased her nostrils, making her
hyperaware of the big man next to her, not that he needed
aftershave to catch her attention. His pure physical presence did
that. She studied his face in the dashboard light and loved what
she saw.

Over the past few weeks, she’d explored
every inch of his muscular body, run her fingers through his thick
dark hair, and kissed his very sexy mouth. She marveled at how such
a big powerful man could be so gentle and caring.

A lock of his dark hair fell across his
creased forehead. She pushed it aside, while he gripped the
steering wheel, as if attempting to concentrate on the road. She
placed her hand on his knee.

“Zach?”

“Yeah?” He stared straight ahead, but his
hands tightened on the steering wheel as he maneuvered his too big
truck around cars parked on too narrow streets.

“I want you.” Her voice sounded oddly
breathless. She always wanted him. In fact, wanting occupied way
too much of her time. Sure, she’d enjoyed sex before, but not like
this. Never like this. This melding of two minds and two bodies
went beyond normal sex.

“Right now?”

Kelsie smiled and slid her hand higher until
she stroked his crotch. His erection strained against the expensive
fabric of his trousers. She took mercy on him by unzipping his
pants, if you could call it mercy. She wanted her hands on him.

“Kelsie. Stop.” His hoarse growl didn’t have
anything to do with stopping. In fact reading between those lines,
his voice screamed go, go, go.

“You’re so sexy in such an incredibly male
way.” She slid her hand under the waistband of his boxers and
stroked him.

A tortured groan was ripped from his chest.
His eyes rolled back in his head until he almost hit a parked car
and swerved to miss. “Damn. Woman. You’re going to make me
crash.”

“Then pull over. We’re still several minutes
from home, and I can’t wait. I want you now.” He’d reduced her to
this, so sex-crazed she’d do it in a car on a residential city
street.

“You’re evil.” By his tone of voice, he
loved her brand of evil.

“Always have been. Always will be.”

For a moment his expression faded to
confusion. She knew why. Bad choice of words. She’d reminded him of
what a manipulative bitch she’d been, but this wasn’t about
manipulation. This was about lust, pure animal lust and a lot
more.

Kelsie glanced around the street, looking
for a likely spot, a dark, secluded spot. A small city park with a
small lot for a few cars was only a block away. She pointed at it,
and Zach read her mind. He sped toward it while Kelsie milked his
cock with her hand. Just as he turned into the parking lot, she
lowered her head and took him in her mouth.

“Oh, damn.” He braked to a stop, rammed the
truck in the park, and switched off the ignition in a series of
frenzied moves. Kelsie opened her mouth wide and took him inside.
He arched his hips and pressed deeper into her mouth. Burying his
fingers in her hair, he pushed her down further. When the head of
his penis touched the back of her throat, she pulled back. He let
her, even though his fingers tangled in her hair.

She licked the bulbous tip, sliding her
tongue along the velvety skin and savoring the salty taste.

“Kelsie, I don’t recall this in your manners
book. What’s the proper protocol?” He groaned and shook his head
back and forth, eyes squeezed tight.

“Protocol?” She glanced up at him, keeping
her fingers wrapped under his hard shaft.

“Yeah, for giving your husband a blow job in
a truck in a public park. Is there a proper way to have public
sex?”

“We’re not having public sex. Yet. We’re
only in the foreplay stage. But no, there’s not a proper way. This
is all very improper.”

Zach glanced around the dark lot. Kelsie
followed his gaze. Old cedars towered over the truck and cast
ominous shadows. Kelsie shook off the creepy feeling someone might
be watching them, like her currently absent stalker.

“Maybe we should go home.” His voice sounded
strangled and not entirely convinced as she rubbed his erection to
make him forget who and where he was.

“You’re a conservative guy, aren’t you?” The
throaty whisper didn’t sound like her.

“You just figured that out?” He ground his
teeth together while she moved her hand up and down.

“Your idea of sex is missionary or doggie
style.” Which was true, sorta. But did the man ever make good use
of those two positions.

“I’ve never heard you complain.”

“You won’t, but we could start by being a
little more adventurous.” Why she was pushing this, she didn’t
know. Other than she’d always harbored a bit of a dangerous streak,
like the time nineteen-year-old Kelsie had seduced the
twenty-something pageant judge who was a former member of a defunct
boy band. She got him so hot and bothered, they did it up against
the wall in his private backstage dressing room after
rehearsal.

And Zach put
her
on a pedestal? She
wasn’t just a mean girl, she was an opportunist. Actually, had
been, but no more. This thing with Zach had nothing to do with
opportunity and everything to do with overwhelming need.

“Does sex with me bore you?”

“Not on your life. Missionary sex with you
is more exciting than kinky sex with any other man.”

At first he puffed out his chest a little,
then the full effect of what she’d said seemed to sink in. “You’ve
had kinky sex?”

Well, yes.
But fake husband or not,
Zach didn’t need to know. “It’s just a statement. Doesn’t mean
anything.” She bent down and took him in her mouth again. He pushed
her down further onto his erection. Kelsie took him deep, fought
off the gag reflex, and let him slide inside until her nose pressed
against his pubic hair. He held her there for a moment, and she let
him. She pulled back and took a gulp of air then went after him
again.