PassionsPoison (4 page)

His smile lit his face before he bent his head to pull her
into a soul-searching kiss. She wound her arms around his neck and his hard
body pressed her against the counter. As their tongues entwined, she forgot to
breathe.

Abruptly, he stepped away and put his hands into his front
pockets, a gesture she was coming to adore. He stared at her as if he had to
make a life-changing decision, but then looked away.

He strode around to the stove and turned off the oven. He
didn’t glance at her. “I’m glad that’s settled. Do me a favor and pour us more
wine and I’ll serve.”

Breathless, she managed to nod at his back and went to the
living room to retrieve their glasses.

Unsteadily, she poured their drinks and set them in front of
the plates. He had put their plates across the table from each other instead of
next to each other like he had the last time. Perplexed, she sat as he served.

He took his seat and without looking at her, dug in, but his
eyes widened.

She paused with a forkful at the ready. “Is it okay?”

Zach looked at her as he chewed and winked. “This is good.”

“You sound surprised.”

He took a gulp of wine. “Well, you have to admit, using
boxed macaroni and cheese to create a pizza doesn’t sound…normal.”

She crinkled her nose. “Hey, I grew up eating this, but I
guess you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right.”

“Oh please.”

Zach laughed. He liked this woman. She was different from
other lovers he’d had. Getting laid had never been a problem for him. Keeping
it to no more than three times, his magic number, was tough, but it was for
their own good. As much as he wanted a lifelong partner, his two deadly
engagements had cured him of that dream.

They ate in companionable silence, something his parents
often did. When he finished every single morsel, he sat back. “That was
excellent.”

A light blush rose in her cheeks. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.
And you’ll have some for tomorrow, if you want. Do you eat leftovers?”

He stood and picked up the plates. “All the time. I think
cooking for one is a pain in the— Uh…so I make something big on the weekend and
live off that for a few days. Afterward, it’s catch as catch can. Bear Tracks
Bar is usually the main catch.”

Bea brought her wineglass and sat on the stool at the island
counter behind him as he rinsed the dishes and loaded the dishwasher. He wished
she’d sidle up against him instead of sitting on the stupid stool.

“If you only cook for one, does that mean you’re between
girlfriends right now?”

He paused before slipping the last dish into the rack.
Subtle she wasn’t. And it wouldn’t be cool to explain he didn’t have
girlfriends per se. “You’re pretty blunt, even for an Italian.”

She shook her head. “Oh, I’m not Italian. I mean, yes, my
name is and my Rappaccini ancestor was, but there have been so many
nationalities in the family, I couldn’t claim to be anything but a mutt.”

He gazed at her. Black straight hair, prominent nose,
deep-brown eyes and olive skin so smooth he never missed an opportunity to
touch her. His brain screamed pure-blooded, hot Italian. “Well, I would guess
there must have been more Italians than mutts in your background.”

She broke eye contact, absently swirling the remaining wine
in her glass. “That could be, but it would be difficult to know. Just like it’s
difficult to know if you have someone special in your life at the moment. I mean,
if you do, she wouldn’t appreciate me being here.”

The familiar gut reaction made him turn his back on her and
move to the fridge. His “someone specials” had died. There was no way he’d risk
having another one. “I don’t cheat if that is what you’re asking.” He grabbed a
beer, closed the door and faced her. “Do you?”

She squirmed in her seat and finished her wine before she
answered. The pause made him wonder what she hid.

“No, I don’t cheat. Actually, I haven’t had anyone around
long enough for that to be a possibility.”

She looked him in the eye before she continued. “My one
long-term relationship was with my first boyfriend. He went into a coma, but he
came out of it. Thank God. I hope he found a great woman to marry. I know he’s
better off without me.”

Zach’s mind buzzed. She felt guilty her boyfriend went into
a coma. Why? Did she cause his coma? Was there an accident? Maybe she could
relate to what he’d been through and understand his limitation on their time
together. He found himself wanting to know, but he didn’t want to get serious
right now. No, he wanted to get naked. He reached his hand out to her. “Come.”

Gracefully, she rose from the stool and let him lead her
into the living room. This time, when she sat on the couch, he sat next to her,
putting his arm around her as they faced the fire. He leaned in to nibble on
her ear. “I want you, Bea.”

The tremor that passed through her body told him all he
needed to know. Turning her head to face him, he initiated a kiss. No sooner
had her tongue touched his then his cock hardened. At this rate it would all be
over in five minutes, and he prided himself on his ability to please a woman.
He forced himself to take control of his body while he enjoyed the sweet
recesses of her mouth before nibbling a path down her soft neck. She smelled
like oranges, and he inhaled deeply.

“Zach.”

Bea’s breathy whisper met his groan as he lifted his head
away from her collarbone. “Yeah.”

She refused to look at him, focusing instead on his cuff
where she worried the material between her fingers. “I…I want…”

He brushed back the hair from her face and forced her to
look at him. “Yes. You want me?”

Bea smiled shyly. “Could you take off your shirt? I want to
see your chest again.”

“Your wish is my command.” Standing, he unbuttoned the
flannel and threw it across to the other couch. “Better?”

She devoured him with her gaze. His chest appeared a golden
brown in the fire’s light and his pectorals looked harder than granite,
dwarfing his dark, erect nipples. She licked her lips. “Are you cold?”

His seductive grin sent chills racing through her body,
readying it for what was to come.

“No, I’m burning up. Want to feel?”

“Yes.” She stood and ran her fingers through the short black
hairs covering his contoured torso. They were so soft against the hardness of
his muscles that she wanted to stroke his body for hours. She traced her
fingers around his nipples, causing the tips to harden more. Her own nipples
ached in response as she dropped her hands.

He took a deep breath, causing his chest to grow larger
before her eyes until he released it. Following the dark line of hair with her
gaze, she itched to slip her fingers into his blue jeans and cradle the hard
cock that moved as she stared. Would it be long or thick or ruddy or crooked
or—

“Your turn.”

“What?” Startled from her focused concentration, she glanced
up to see him raise his eyebrow.

“Fair’s fair. I want to see you without your shirt.”

Moisture seeped along her folds at his words. She wanted him
as much as he wanted her, but in a much different way than her normal sex
partners. Her attraction to him had nothing to do with her toxic body. Plus,
she liked him. What could she do? She could refuse. He would respect her
decision, but she wanted this. How could she keep him from coming inside her,
from taking her poisons into his body? She didn’t want to hurt him.

“Bea?”

She licked her lips and started to unbutton her sweater. Her
mind raced as she let the garment drop on the couch. Hungry for him like no
other man she’d been with, she searched for a solution. She pulled the dainty
camisole over her head and stood in her lacy pink bra.

He lost his grin as his gaze feasted on her cleavage.

She had to think, but his look, combined with the moisture
between her legs, made it difficult for her mind to cooperate.

He gazed into her eyes. “Take off your bra.”

Her heart beat so fast she had a difficult time breathing.
Placing her hand between her breasts to calm herself, she unhooked the front
clasp of her Fredrick’s bra. His gaze riveted to where her hands separated the
two cups, and she shrugged herself out of them.

“You’re beautiful, like the snowfall. Delicate, soft and
perfectly formed.”

Her heart melted at his words, but she remained still,
wanting his hands upon her, and yet afraid of the fire he started within her.

He stepped closer and massaged her breasts as if he knew
they had been uncomfortable in their confines. When he touched her areolas,
stroking until the skin puckered into ridges, he caused her nipples to harden
to painful tips. She ached inside her core for this man’s cock. She wanted him
to the hilt, filling her.

He groaned. “I could eat you right here.”

The image of his handsome face between her legs nearly
buckled her knees.

That was it! She could let him lick her to orgasm, an activity
she had no time to enjoy with her other lovers. It shouldn’t hurt him too much
since he wouldn’t be inside her and she still had a few days before having
intercourse was a necessity. Her quandary solved, she relaxed and smirked.
“What are you waiting for?”

“Ah Bea, you’re a wet dream come true.”

Whether it was his words or the first flick of his tongue on
her breast, she wasn’t sure, but her body responded, her pussy leaking into her
thong. His tongue sent exquisite pings of pleasure to her nipple, and the
connection between it and her pussy was alive and well. She grabbed his
shoulder as she swayed.

He moved his mouth to her other breast, nipped at the tip,
swirled the nipple with his tongue and sucked gently. She moaned at the sharp
excitement he created and her knees weakened.

He grabbed her to him, his breath heavy in her ear. She
could feel the bulge in his jeans pressing against her above her mons.

She tried to inch herself higher, desperate to feel him rub
her clit, but he turned her to face the fire. He reached around to hold her
breasts, one in each hand as he nibbled at her neck.

He murmured against her skin, “You’re so smooth, you glow in
the firelight.”

His fingers found her nipples and rolled them lightly. She
let her head drop back against his shoulder as the lightning pleasure he
produced raced downward, engorging her pussy. He moved his hand over her
stomach and into the waistband of her jeans, headed for her thong.

She let her knees bend away in mortification. What would he
think of her if he felt how truly soaked she’d become? But he followed her down
to the floor, down to the sheepskin.

He chuckled against her back as they knelt there. “Oh no,
you’re not getting away from me that easily.” He pressed his cock into her
lower back, above her ass.

She turned her head to speak to him. “I wasn’t trying to get
away. You made my knees weak.”

He nuzzled against the back of her ear, his fingers
continuing their homage to her nipples. “Perfect, I like your knees weak.”

She couldn’t focus with his teeth making little bites along
her neck, producing exquisite goose bumps across her skin. “Zach?”

“Hmmm?”

“Wouldn’t the furs feel nicer if we didn’t have our jeans
on?”

He stopped nibbling and pulled back. “Definitely.”

Before she could blink, he jumped up, unzipped his jeans and
his cock sprang forward, freed from the denim. He stepped from his pants,
completely naked.

The man didn’t wear underwear. Very sexy. And his straight,
thick cock stood at attention, begging for her touch. She reached for him, but
he caught her hand before she made contact. He raised his eyebrow. “Fair’s
fair.”

“Okay, but I’ll need both hands.”

He squeezed first, then let her go. She turned her back on
him and faced the fire. Quickly, so he wouldn’t see her moisture, she unzipped
her pants and pulled her thong and jeans down her butt. Then sitting on the
luscious fur, she wiggled the clothes off past her feet.

He knelt beside her, pulled the garments from her hand and
threw them on the couch behind him. “If you really want to feel the furs, lie
back.”

The promise in his eyes told her she wouldn’t be
disappointed, so she let the softness of the fur envelop her. She didn’t expect
the erotic feel of it between her legs. “Oh.”

He winked at her surprise. “Feels sexy, doesn’t it?”

She nodded, unable to speak at the knowing tone in his
voice. How many other women had he made love to on these skins?
Stop it.
She had no right. If he had an inkling of the number of men she’d had sex with,
he would throw her out in the snow.

He lay next to her on his side. “What is it, Bea?”

“Nothing. Just surprised at how well you know me already.”

He smirked as he brushed her hair out over the fur. “I know
very little about you, but I hope by the end of the night, I’ll know a lot
more.”

Her body vibrated with a need he caused, and liquid seeped
from between her legs and onto her inner thighs. He leaned over and kissed her
forehead, her nose and finally her lips, but when her tongue begged for entry
into his mouth, he refused. Instead, he trailed licks and nips down her neck.

She pushed her hand through his thick hair and guided him to
her nipple, which received the attention her mouth had craved. After causing
one peak to be so hard she ached between her legs, he moved to the other,
giving it equal attention and an extra bite that sent an electric pulse racing
to her clit.

She kneaded her hands into his shoulder muscles as he licked
his way to her navel, the seeping between her legs now a constant. Her pussy’s
anticipation of his mouth had it swelling beyond anything it had ever done. Her
heart beat for his kiss, his touch.

He licked her waist and sucked on her hipbone before he
moved his hands to spread her legs. As he brought his palms along the insides
of her limbs, he stopped. “You’re bare.”