Summer Lovin (11 page)

“Then I think it's time we stop talking, don't you?” He leaned back against the pillows.

She followed so she could kiss him, taking unbelievable pleasure in the taste, texture and feel of his mouth. He kissed her back, tangling his hands in her hair and running his fingers through the long strands. The tugging sensation at her scalp had a rippling, erotic effect in her body. Her throat swelled and her back arched of its own volition, her body seeking deeper contact with his hard erection.

“I want you, Ryan Baldwin.” Her hand snaked between them, slowly trailing down his chest and stomach, ending at his groin. Her fingertips gently teased the head of his erection.

He clenched his jaw and fought not to allow the physical need pummeling him to become overpowering. No woman had ever made him come so close to losing control.

She did. He wondered if it was because she openly challenged every notion of propriety and behavior that had been ingrained in him since childhood or because she wanted him despite it all.

Yet he was going to have to be that by-the-rules man she'd mentioned earlier. “As much as I hate bringing up reality, I don't have protection. I wasn't prepared for this.” He should have stopped at a drugstore on the way back here.

She brushed his hair off his forehead. “Not a Boy Scout, huh?” she asked, laughing. “Would you settle for the fact that I'm on the pill and I've been tested annually? I'm safe.”

She was hardly that, Ryan thought as he looked into her green eyes. “It works for me if you can accept my word that I'm safe, too.” Never in his past had he had sex without a condom.

He wasn't lacking for women when he needed a date for an occasion and he knew who to turn to when he desired sexual release. But no woman had ever become a priority in his life, made him shift his focus from his work. No woman had made him stop and take notice.

Then there was this one, who'd caught his eye despite that she stood between him and the end of a long journey—his search for Sam, the young girl who was the answer to his long-held dreams of family.

Zoe threaded her fingers through his. “I accept.”

Which was all he needed to hear. The time for foreplay and talk was over. He eased his hand between her legs, feeling the slick wetness and damp heat that moistened his fingertips. She moaned and clenched her thighs around his hand.

She trembled and sighed, her need aching and obvious. Somehow he managed to roll her onto the mattress and continue what he started, caressing her slick outer folds as she writhed beside him. He came over her and spread her thighs, his thick, hot erection poised at her dewy entrance. Then, placing his hands on her thighs, he locked his gaze with hers and thrust deep inside her waiting body.

She gasped and let out a load moan of satisfaction, tightening around him. He found her slick, warm and snug, everything he'd dreamed of even when he hadn't known her at all. Unable to wait, he began to move, sliding in and out, a motion she met by grinding her pelvis into him, hard. Her inner walls contracted, milking him with every thrust of his body into hers. They were in sync and each motion brought him closer and closer to release. Zoe's vocal moans told him she was right there with him.

Seconds before he reached his peak, she locked her legs around his back, bringing him so deeply into her body, he thought he saw heaven. Then he exploded, his orgasm more powerful than he'd expected and lasting longer than he thought possible.

Zoe came at the same time with a succession of cries that ended with her calling out his name and pulling every last bit of energy and emotion from him, as well.

He collapsed on top of her, completely spent and satisfied in a soul-deep way.

“Wow,” she said, her voice muffled beneath him.

“Yeah.” He couldn't manage more than one word in agreement.

They lay that way for what felt like a long while until the jarring ring of the motel telephone broke into the sound of their heavy breathing.

“Who could that be?” he muttered.

“There's only one way to find out.”

With a groan of complete regret, he rolled off her to the cold side of the bed and answered the phone. He spoke to the motel operator, trying like hell to suppress a laugh at what the person said on the other end.

“I'm sorry and it won't happen again.” He somehow spoke in a serious tone. Hanging up, he turned to Zoe.

She lay on her side, spent and still breathing deeply. Her dark hair tangled around her face in stark contrast to the standard white sheets. She was so damn beautiful. He reached down for the blanket they'd somehow kicked off the bed and pulled it over her in case she was cold.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

He looked into her eyes as he explained. “The front desk said the people in the next room would appreciate it if we'd keep the noise level down and be a bit…How did the man put it? A bit more
restrained.
” This time Ryan burst out laughing.

“I'm mortified.” Zoe's cheeks turned a deep shade of pink and she smothered her face in a pillow.

He propped himself up on his side with one arm. “Yeah? You could have fooled me.” He pulled the pillow off and tossed it onto the floor.

“That phone call doesn't bother you?”

He shook his head.

She raised an eyebrow and studied him in a way that made him look deep inside himself. At any other time, under any other circumstances, being chastised for inappropriate behavior would have put him on edge, but not here. Not with Zoe. She helped him to loosen up.

To his never-ending surprise, the change didn't upset him as much as it should have.

Z
OE HADN'T MEANT
to fall asleep. In fact she'd planned on leaving Ryan's motel and spending the night in her own bed. For one thing, she didn't want to set a bad example for Sam and for another, she didn't want to create even more memories with Ryan and forge yet another bond between them. In her mind, there was enough binding them already.

But something about being in his arms had felt so darn good, she'd let herself relax and the next thing she knew, the sun was streaming through the window. Since he'd driven her here, there was no way to sneak out and avoid an awkward morning after.

She rolled over and found Ryan sitting on a chair near the small wooden desk, reading over papers. She sat up against the pillows, pulling the covers up with her.

A little late for modesty, but what the hell. “Morning,” she mumbled.

“Morning.” He dropped the pen and pushed the papers aside, then stood and walked over to the bed. Leaning down, he planted a long, thorough kiss on her lips.

Nothing awkward or hesitant about it, she thought, and all her anxieties fled. “That was nice,” she said softly.

He grinned. “Want breakfast?” He pointed to a Dunkin' Donuts bag waiting on the table.

“You managed to go out, pick up breakfast
and
get work done, all while I slept?” She glanced at the digital clock, which read 9:07 a.m.

“You were out cold.”

“Because someone wore me out last night.” Her skin tingled with the memory.

He met and held her gaze, warmth and desire evident in his eyes. “Someone wants to wear you out again,” he said, slipping a hand beneath the sheet so he could cup and fondle her breast, arousing her with his touch.

She moaned, making sure to keep her noises more quiet this morning. “I need to get home though.”

“Sam?” he guessed correctly.

“Yep. I never meant to spend the night.” She flipped the covers off and began to scramble for her clothes.

“Why don't you shower first and then I'll take a quick one and drive you home?” he asked.

She glanced up, last night's clothing hanging from her arms. Just looking at the man made her hungry for him all over again. “Wouldn't it be quicker if we showered together?” She fluttered her lashes at him too innocently, her suggestive tone all too obvious.

Zoe didn't know how much time they would have together once his secret was revealed. Once he ripped Sam from their lives. She didn't know how to cope with all her conflicting emotions and yet somehow she managed to focus only on the here and now. On Ryan and this moment in time.

He obviously felt the same way because he laughed and they did as she suggested. Then they drove back to Zoe's house, where despite her protests, Ryan walked her to the front door.

Even if she wouldn't admit it aloud to him, she appreciated that he was brought up to be a gentleman because she was grateful for the few extra minutes alone with him. Unfortunately, she had something to tell him before they parted that would definitely kill the mood. “Zoe…”

“Ryan…”

They spoke at the same time and she laughed.

“Ladies first.”

She hugged her arms close to her chest. “I really don't deserve for you to be so nice to me.”

He raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I'm not sure what you're getting at, but if you're feeling insecure, I can assure you that you were amazing in bed.” A teasing grin twitched at his lips, his dimples showing when he allowed a full-blown smile.

She flushed hot, remembering the feeling of making love with him, his body buried deep inside hers, filling her completely.

“Did you know you're adorable when you blush? Which I've managed to get you to do quite often.” He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.

“I'm very anti-Mediterranean that way. My olive complexion should protect me from giving myself away,” she muttered.

“Well I wouldn't want you to be able hide your real feelings from me. Now what's on your mind?”

She shifted on her feet. The summer sun had yet to reach its peak, yet she was blistering hot, both from nerves and from being around Ryan.

When it came to a guy or a relationship, she was usually the one in control. But she couldn't get a handle on her feelings for this man. “I…We…Last night was amazing,” she said first, not wanting to gloss over something so important to them both.

“Yes, it was.” His voice dropped an octave. “But I hear a
but
coming.”

She shook her head. “Not a typical
but.
”

“What then?”

“Look…” She exhaled hard and forced her gaze up from her shoes to his face. “We met because of Sam. Because you're her uncle and you want her in your life. And we didn't tell her about you because I needed to be sure of you and your character.”

He propped his shoulder against the screen door. “And now you are?”

“Unfortunately, I am.” He was a good man. The best kind, really. She reached for his hand, holding it tight. “We need to tell Sam the truth.” Her stomach hurt just saying the words.

She couldn't begin to imagine the fallout from the actual revelation. But it was time. She no longer had any justification to keep the truth from her family and Sam. They all had to stop living a lie, especially Zoe herself. She had to stop pretending Ryan could actually be a part of her life. She was becoming too attached to a man who was just passing through and who would leave nothing but spiraling upheaval in his wake.

Ryan glanced down at their intertwined hands. He opened and closed his mouth, unsure of what to say. He'd been so focused on last night and on Zoe, he hadn't seen this one coming. True, he wanted Sam to know he was her uncle, but he'd been content to wait until the time was right. He and Zoe had been so close, the last thing he'd considered doing was putting a wedge between them.

Which made him wonder about her motives for doing so now. Could she be using his relationship with Sam to keep him at a distance? It was possible. After all, he'd seen her wariness this morning. He'd watched her wake up, stiffen and take too long to figure out how to handle the situation. No doubt, if she'd awakened before him, she would have bolted. For reasons he didn't yet understand, he sensed Zoe was afraid.

He wanted more time to figure her out. To figure
them
out.

Yet she'd offered him the opportunity he'd come for and he couldn't turn her down. “You're sure the time is right?” he asked.

Zoe dropped his hand, putting physical and emotional distance between them. She tipped her head to one side and sighed. “As sure as I'll ever be. I just need a chance to break it to my parents first.”

“Of course. And then what?” He flexed and unflexed his hands, nerves taking over.

Questions raced through his mind. Was she going to talk her parents into just letting him take Sam home, once they got through the New Jersey red tape, or did she plan to have him stay in town awhile longer? And how would Sam react to discovering she had family after all this time?

“I don't—” Zoe started to speak.

“Elena, they're back!” Sam's voice struck him in his gut, and prevented Zoe from revealing her thoughts.

Zoe shot him a suddenly frightened look. He understood and wondered if Sam had overheard any part of their conversation.

The young girl fumbled with the lock on the screen door, but finally worked the catch, opened the door and waved them inside. “Come in! You left so early you never opened your presents,” she said to Zoe.

Sam didn't meet Ryan's gaze, but that wasn't unusual and once he saw her excitement and smiles, his concern eased. She was too happy to have heard a thing. Now all he had to worry about was Zoe viewing his embarrassing gifts.

“Do you want to help me unwrap them?” Zoe asked Sam.

“Already done.” The young girl grabbed Zoe's hand and they walked into the family room.

Ryan followed and seated himself on a chair across from them so he could watch.

Sam shook her head, her ponytail flipping behind her. “Elena said if you were gonna be rude and leave, we could still enjoy the traditional parts of a party, so I already opened the presents, well all except for the ones from Ryan,” Sam explained in a rush, as only a teenager could.

“I see. And what did I get?” Zoe asked, laughing.

“Aunt Dee and Uncle John bought you a subscription to an online dating service that lets you pick out whatever traits you want in a guy. They said you'd better make sure he's Greek.”

Ryan didn't have to glance at Zoe to know she was blushing. He also didn't have to look down at his clenched fists to realize the thought of her with any other man didn't sit well with him at all.

Sam ran through a litany of other gifts until she reached the end. “And Elena and Aunt Kassie said you already got your gift from them, not that I know what they mean.”

Ryan did and his gaze met Zoe's, every moment of last night passing between them in that one look.

“And this is from me.” Sam pulled out a pillow that she'd been hiding behind her back. “I made it myself,” she said softly, suddenly shy. “Since you have one that Ari made you, I wanted you to have one from me, too. So I could be a real sister, too.”

“Oh, Sam.” Zoe pulled her into a huge hug and over her shoulder, Sam met Ryan's gaze with a pleading one of her own. One that begged him, the “social worker,” not to take her away from these special people.

If only Sam knew the real damage he could do. He glanced from the hugging women to the hook-rug type pillow that said Sisters & Best Friends 4 Ever. A wave of nausea swept through him as he realized that in telling Sam the truth, he'd be depriving her of the security she had finally achieved in her otherwise unsettled life.

How could he do that to her? Ryan wondered.

Yet how could he not?

Sam pulled out of Zoe's grasp. “It's Ryan's turn to give you his presents.” She stepped back to reveal the wrapped packages on the table behind the sofa. “We bought one of them yesterday when we went shopping, but there's an extra thing here and I don't know what it is. But I helped him pick out the big one.” She pointed to the larger gift as she practically hopped from foot to foot in eager anticipation of the big reveal.

Zoe's eyes narrowed as she took in the presents. “Hmmm. What could Ryan have bought me? I think I'll open this one first.” Zoe winked at Sam and started peeling the wrapping off the larger present.

“Oh I can't wait to see,” Elena said from the doorway, joining them in time for Ryan's mortification.

“Same here.” Nicholas strode in and seated himself in the large recliner chair.

“Oh man,” he muttered aloud.

Zoe pulled away the last of the wrapping. “These are wonderful,” Zoe exclaimed as she examined each fruit-scented item in the basket, from bath gel, foot cream, hand cream, body lotion, to the different textured sponges.

Ryan would rather die than look at her parents now, though a covert glance showed him that Nicholas was indeed scowling at him. No doubt the man also knew his daughter hadn't come home last night and it was obvious she still wore last evening's clothes.

Well, hell, was it his fault she was thirty and living at home? Still, he cringed.

“Sam, thank you for helping Ryan pick out my favorite scents.” Zoe's soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

“It's okay. You know I love you.” Sam sounded a little more subdued, Ryan figured because the excitement of giving her gift was over.

“How about opening Ryan's other one?” Elena asked.

Now that he'd seen Zoe's pleased reaction to the bath-shop gift, he wanted to take his more practical one and shove it into his pocket. But that wouldn't be happening.

Elena, Nicholas and Sam crowded around as Zoe ripped apart the paper and pulled out the present he'd purchased to minimize the impact of the first. No chance of that happening, he thought. Now that they'd made love, and now that her family knew they'd spent last night together, he couldn't win with either gift.

He forced himself to look at Zoe. She stared at the Montblanc pen in the black box for so long, he thought he might puke.

“To sign your first contract with,” he said, his voice sounding as lame as he felt.

She met his gaze, her eyes filled with warmth, gratitude and, he thought, a hell of a lot more. “That's the most thoughtful thing I've ever heard,” she said.

“And the most dorky and lame.” Sam grunted and rose from the couch. “I'm going to Michelle's.” She was clearly as unimpressed with Ryan's additional birthday present as she was with him.

“Be back for us to go shopping around three,” Elena called to Sam.

“Thanks, Sam. Everyone,” Zoe said. “I should put all this in my room.” Without looking at Ryan, she gathered her gifts in her arms.