PassionsPoison (27 page)

Zach grinned. “I can do that.”

She pulled out of his arms and sat back in the chair next to
the hospital bed. “Or we can wait over a week and see if I collapse, and what
if that happens? What if I’m not cured? What if this didn’t work? Don’t you
see, falling in love with you has messed everything up.”

Zach gazed at his stunning woman and tried not to laugh. She
loved him and stubbornly wanted to keep him safe. What man could ask for more?
He took her hand. “Beatrice Rappaccini, will you marry me?”

Joy lit her eyes before her body slumped and her hand
slipped from his. Another tear slid down her cheek. “I can’t. Not unless I’m
cured.”

He tried to sit up and found he could, though he’d admit to
a weakness he’d never had before. “Come here.” He lifted his hand.

She sat on the bed and faced him. He brought her hand to his
lips. “Don’t you see, I don’t care if you’re cured. I love you. I want you in
my life forever. I almost lost you once and I can’t risk that again. If I have to
be sick once a week, then so be it. Maybe Josh can work on that antidote. He
needs a project anyway.” He cupped her cheek. “Marry me, Bea.”

She turned her head and kissed his palm before meeting his
gaze. “Zach, I love you too, which is why I can’t marry you until I’m sure
being together won’t endanger your life. After I met you, I knew I couldn’t
hurt any more men. I’m certainly not throwing that decision out the window now
that I have you. You mean everything to me.”

He searched Bea’s eyes for any sign she might weaken in her
decision, but she had made up her mind. He sighed. “Very well. Then I guess we
better test this cure of Josh’s and see where we stand because,” he snaked his
hand behind her neck and pulled her to within inches of his lips, “I’m never
letting you go.”

He closed the distance between them and urged her to open
her mouth. When she did, he claimed her as he claimed her soul, with everything
he had in him. This woman was his life. She would be his forever. As her hands
rifled through his hair, her tongue mated with his and his cock responded. But
his head swam with lightness and he fell back upon the pillow.

“Zach!”

The panic in Bea’s voice had him fighting the darkness. He
opened one eye. “Sorry, just need a little more sleep.” With no more strength
left, he let himself be carried away to dreamland.

* * * * *

Bea parked her vehicle next to Charlie’s Escalade. Josh had
kept Zach in the hospital for two full days, claiming dehydration and
nutritional needs, but he wouldn’t meet her gaze when he gave his explanation,
which had her wondering what he hid. She stepped from her car and picked her
way through the soft ground. Though she wore hiking boots, thanks to their
latest stretch of warm weather the mud was far worse than the first time she’d
arrived at Zach’s. At least she wore more practical shoes this time.

She’d meant to give Zach time to settle into his old
routine, but she couldn’t stay away. She had no idea whether it was because she
loved him or her body craved him. But it didn’t matter because she couldn’t
resist his unique pull on her.

The two men were huddled around Zach’s Harley when she came
to the valley opening. Charlie was on his haunches using a tool of some kind
and Zach hovered over him, making sure Charlie fixed her up right. Of course,
Zach had to be shirtless and sexy as if she needed more reason to be attracted
to him.

He spotted her and a huge smile lit his face. “Hey, Bea.
About time.”

He left his prized Harley and strode through the muck to
grasp her in a bear hug and twirl her around.

She couldn’t help her laughter. “Zach, put me down.”

He let her feet sink into the ground, but he held on.
“Uh-uh. Not ’til you give me a kiss to rival my hug.”

A challenge to her mind had to be met. Pulling on his neck,
she brought his mouth to meet hers and slipped her tongue between his lips. As
she devoured him, his hands roamed her body. The heat in her rose and found the
place between her legs. She wanted him inside her. Now.

“Ahem. That’s my daughter’s throat you have your tongue down,
boy. I’d have to say I’m not that pleased by it.”

Bea pushed away from Zach as her cheeks heated in shame. How
could she have forgotten Charlie? He stood with a large wrench in his hand as
if he thought he might need to use it.

She forced a laugh. “I’m sorry, Dad. I didn’t mean to ignore
you.” She gave her father a kiss on the cheek.

He wrapped her in a bear hug of his own. “You be glowing,
girl. I do like that.”

She gave him a genuine smile. Though he refused to be one of
her mother’s lovers anymore, he still liked being her dad. “If I’m glowing,
it’s because of this man.” She stepped next to Zach to link her arm around his
waist, but her feet went out from under her.

Zach never let her hit the ground. Holding her aloft in his
arms, he brought her to where the bike stood parked on solid, dry earth.

Charlie followed. “Yeah, I guess if he makes you happy, I
can let it be. He obviously has good taste both in women and bikes. But if he
ever makes you unhappy…”

Bea sensed Zach stiffen beneath her at the threat. She
looked her father in the eyes. “Don’t worry about that, Dad. He’d never test
the wrath of my six fathers again.” She smirked at Zach. “Right, honey?”

He gave her a lopsided grin that told her she would pay
later for teasing him, but he nodded. “Anything you say, beautiful.”

The warmth that spread through her had nothing to do with
his magnificent body and everything to do with his heart. “Uh, Zach, you can
put me down now.”

“Right.” He let her feet hit the ground, but kept a
possessive arm around her waist.

She didn’t mind at all. “What are you two doing with the
Harley?”

Charlie wiped down his tools before loading them in his
toolbox. “What didn’t we do? I’ve got this baby purring like a kitten.” He
looked at Zach, who moved to help Charlie pick up. “You’ll find you get better
gas mileage and an extra burst of RPMs in fourth gear. Bring her up to speed
next time you ride and then let her rip down a good mile straightaway and
she’ll take care of you all season.”

Zach handed Charlie his tire pressure gauge. “Thank you. I
owe you one.” He extended his hand to shake.

Her dad shook his head. “Naw, we don’t carry debts among
family.” He gave Zach a quick hug before bending to pick up his toolbox.

Zach moved forward fast. “Here, let me bring that to your
vehicle.”

“Fine with me.” Charlie turned to Bea. “You take care, girl.
Let me know how things turn out.”

She nodded solemnly. Charlie understood what she was up
against. How did other women manage with only one or two fathers? She needed
every single one of hers.

Zach returned as Charlie backed out of the driveway. “Did I
pass father test number five?”

She took his hand in hers. “Yes, you did, as long as you
keep me happy.”

“Oh, I know how to keep you happy.” Zach picked her up and
strode toward the house.

Bea grabbed hold of his neck and planted a wet kiss on his
cheek. “Does keeping me happy include strawberries and whip cream?”

He brought her to the door and let her feet go, but held her
close against his chest. “It includes anything and everything, Bea.”

Her heart skipped a beat at his sincerity and a niggling
fear wormed its way into her brain. “All I need, Zach, is you.”

His lips brushed hers. “And all I need is you.” His eyebrow
raised. “However, I did buy these new vibrating nipple clamps I thought you might
like to try. But if all you need is me?”

Bea laughed before she hit him on the arm.

In a flash, he spun her around and pinned her against the
basement wall. “Hitting me already? Does that mean you like it rough, beautiful
lady?”

The tone of Zach’s voice had her libido going from zero to
sixty in half a second. Her limbs melted against his hard body as he pressed
her against the concrete wall. “What I like is you, rough boy. It’s been two
long days.”

He reached his hand beneath her Henley and unclasped the
front of her bra. Licking her neck, he answered, “Two days and sixteen hours,
but who’s counting? All I know is I need to slide my cock into your moist pussy
right now.”

Bea tried to breathe past the lightning flash of excitement
that pulsed by her heart and down to her groin. But Zach’s mouth had found her
breast and his nibbling teeth had her arching into him, her need for air
fulfilled only by panting. She grasped his shoulders as one of his hands
unbuttoned her jeans and snaked its way between her thighs.

If he hadn’t been pressing her into the wall, her knees
would have buckled already, but one hand pinned her, holding her up. His mouth
began to suck as his finger pushed open her pussy and slid inside. Bea moaned
in pure pleasure.

“Zachary?”

The strange voice filtered through Bea’s cloud of euphoria
at the same time Zach froze.

The voice came again, a distinctively feminine voice with a
slight Maine accent. “Zachary, is that you under the deck?”

Zach straightened. “Hell. It’s my mother.”

Bea wanted to disappear into the wall at her back, but she
doubted even that would help. Zach began to turn but she grabbed his arms.
“Wait.” Despite the shame flooding her, her panic gave her strength and he
hesitated when her nails bit into his arms.

He glanced at his biceps. “Great, now I’ll have nail marks
to prove what we were doing under here.”

She glanced at his face to see if he was angry, but his grin
remained.

She let go. “Let me at least close my bra and button my
jeans.”

He nodded, his grin widening. He was
enjoying
this.

Another voice reached them. “Zachary, is this any way to
greet your mother?”

The stern male baritone added to Bea’s frustration, which
caused her fingers to slip as she attempted to button her pants. Zach pulled
her shirt down over her waistband to hide the button and grabbed her hand.
“Come on. I want you to meet my parents.”

Bea stumbled once, her knees still weak, but Zach held on to
her and gave her a reassuring smile.

It didn’t help.

Except for talking about the logging company, Zach had never
indicated what type of relationship he had with his parents.

As they came to a stop in front them, he put his arm around
her waist and brought her close. “Mom, Dad, this is Bea. I told you a little
about her on the phone last week. Bea, this is my mom Ginny and my dad Nathan.”

Bea tried a tentative smile. Zach’s mom appeared friendly,
but his dad had Andy’s height and Gerry’s build with a weathered face. Before
she could say “hello”, she found herself in a Chantilly Lace-perfumed hug. She
looked over Ginny’s shoulder at Zach, who crossed his arms and winked.

Ginny stepped back. “It’s so wonderful to meet you, Bea. The
only girlfriends my Zachary has introduced us to, before you, were his
fiancées. I’m so thrilled to meet you.”

Fiancées? Zach had fiancées? “Thank you, Mrs. Woodman. It’s
nice to meet you too. I hope you can tell me more about Zach. It would appear
he’s left a few details out.” She raised her eyebrow at him and felt vindicated
when he had the grace to flush.

He gave his mom a kiss on the cheek and a welcoming hug.
“It’s not as if I knew you were coming. Why the sudden visit?”

Mrs. Woodman stepped back and beamed, making her round face
glow. Bea liked her already. She reminded her of what Mrs. Santa Claus would
look like, if she existed.

“Dear, I had a hunch you needed to see us. You know I always
follow my intuition.”

Mr. Woodman shook his head like a man used to his wife’s
idiosyncrasies and held out his hand. “Do you have a last name, Bea?”

She shook his calloused hand. “Yes, Rappaccini.”

He raised his brow, reminding her so much of Zach that she
relaxed a little. “I imagine that gets spelled wrong more often than not.”

Zach pulled her back against him and gazed at her. “No
worries there, Dad.” He switched his gaze to his father. “It’s going to change
to Woodman very soon.”

Bea pulled out of Zach’s grasp at the same time his mother
clapped her hand on her leg. “I told you, Nathan, didn’t I? I know my baby when
he’s in love.”

Bea stood stiffly, trying to control the boiling in the pit
of her stomach. “Actually, that’s not a true statement.”

Ginny gazed at Zach with such hope Bea felt like the Grinch
who stole Christmas, but she wouldn’t start her relationship with Zach’s
parents on a lie. She glared at him.

He shrugged. “I did ask her to marry me, but she turned me
down.”

“What?” Zach’s mom rounded on her so fast Bea took a step
backward.

Zach grinned.

Wonderful, make her the villain. Bea faced Zach’s shocked
mother. “Mrs. Woodman, it has nothing to do with Zach. I have some health
issues I need to take care of and until I’m sure Zach will be happy with me as
his wife, I’m not ready to commit.”

Ginny grabbed Bea’s hand in her own and headed for the
basement door. “Oh, my poor dear. You must tell me all about it. Maybe we can
help. You know, Zach has a very good friend who is a doctor.”

Bea looked over her shoulder at Zach as his mother led her
toward the house. His perpetual grin said he enjoyed the pressure he’d placed
on her. But when he shrugged as if he hadn’t done anything, she decided upon a
little revenge. “Tell me, Mrs. Woodman, does this doctor friend specialize in
sexually transmitted diseases?”

* * * * *

Zach led Bea outside. The temperature had dropped, giving
him a reason to bundle her in his Chamois shirt and keep her close. He didn’t
understand why she had to go back to her little apartment when he had plenty of
room in the house for all four of them. He tried again. “Bea, you don’t have to
leave.”