The Duke's Runaway Princess (Love By Accident) (10 page)

“Yes. And getting hotter.” He watched as her mouth opened just slightly while her fingers, that light, tentative touch, drove him crazy. He wanted her hands on his chest, against his skin. She was like a drug that he hadn’t realized he needed until she was standing right in front of him like this. “Touch me,” he commanded, and then his arm lifted, taking her hand from his shoulder to his chest.

Zarah loved the way the light sprinkling of hair on his chest tickled her palm, making her feel as if she were going up in flames with the need to touch him further. She moved her hand along his skin, testing the various textures and noting that his heart was pounding in his chest. Did she do that to him? He certainly had that kind of an impact on her, she thought as her legs brushed against his underneath the water.

Derrick couldn’t take the fluttering movements any longer. With a groan, he pulled her against him, his mouth crushing hers in a kiss that stopped all time as he tasted that mouth, the sweet, taunting mouth that had been disturbing his dreams lately.

She felt incredibly soft and tasted even better! As his mouth devoured hers, his hands shifted along her soft, satiny skin. She drove him even more wild by those sexy sounds she made with each new place he touched. When he cupped her breast, her head pulled away and he looked down into her bright, surprised gaze. He was going to take his hand way, but then she surprised him even more when she went right back into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist and her hand reaching down to guide his hand once again to her breast. When his thumb rubbed over her hardened nipple, she stiffened slightly, then pressed herself against him even more, rubbing her stomach against his erection, whimpering with a need that almost matched his own.

Derrick took a deep breath, his hand moving of its own volition to cup her perfect breasts, thrilled when her head fell backwards as the need struck her. He knew how she felt. Every time she rubbed against his erection it was hard for him to remind himself to take things slowly. All he wanted to do was pull her out of the water and make love to her on the dock.

He lifted her higher, kissing her again, tasting that sweetness that he found only with her. She kissed him back, her tongue moving against his and his hand moved the strap of her bra, lowering it so that his hand could touch her breast without the hindrance of the fabric.

“Come back to the house with me,” he growled, lifting her higher so that his mouth could cover her breast, his tongue flicking against her nipple and sucking the ripe mound, hearing her gasps of surprise and making him painfully hard.

“Can’t,” she whispered, shaking her head for emphasis.

“Why not?” he asked as his hand skimmed up her back, bringing her breast closer.

“We’re not meant for each other.” She sighed as she said those words, her eyes closed and her back arching as if to offer her breast to Derrick. He took the offering, but a part of his mind was trying to figure out what she was taking about.

He lowered her back down and looked at her passion glazed eyes. “Zarah, we’re going to make love. It’s either going to be here or at my place. Make your decision.” He was trying to get through to her, but he might have missed his window.

Zarah focused her eyes on his handsome features, reveling in the feel of his arms wrapped around her as she floated in the water against his strong body. He was trying to tell her something, but she couldn’t really figure it out. All she wanted was for him to continue to make her feel so incredibly wonderful. She loved the way his hands and mouth fell on her body and wanted to understand why he had stopped.

He kissed her gently and pulled her towards the dock. “Let’s go,” he said and started to lift her upwards.

“Wait!” she gasped and looked at him with wide, anxious eyes. “We really can’t do this,” she whispered, her hands fisting on his shoulders to keep herself from touching him further. “I can’t do this.”

“We’re already halfway through doing ‘it’,” he growled sarcastically. “I just don’t want to finish ‘it’ here in the lake. I want you in my bed so I can explore every inch of you and hear you scream out when you climax in my arms.”

Zarah shuddered, wondering how she was going to fight against that image. She hesitated, wanting so much to feel him doing things to her and exploring him just as he’d just told her he wanted to do to her. But the reality was, she had to focus on the future, on what she came here to do. Losing her virginity to Derrick would be wonderful, but she’d be ashamed in the morning.

“I really need to go,” she said and swum back out of his arms, putting distance as well as the cool water between them.

Derrick swam over so that he was between her and the ladder, stopping her but not touching her. If he reached out and felt that incredible softness again, he wasn’t sure he could stop a second time. “So what just happened? You were ready for this to happen and then something changed your mind. I completely respect that, but I need to understand what you’re thinking.”

Zarah wasn’t exactly sure herself. She just didn’t feel right about this. Grasping at straws she said, “We barely know each other. We don’t know what makes each other tick or how to communicate effectively with each other.”

“We were communicating quite well before you put a stop to us.”

Zarah blushed and looked away, treading water while he stood on the bottom of the lake. “Look, we met each other for the first time just a few weeks ago. At htat time, you were seeing someone else. So you’ve got to understand that this is a huge turnaround for you. Whatever happened to Elise anyway? And why do you think we’ll be any different?”

“Elise is gone.”

“But why? And if you aren’t willing to talk about your past relationships, why would you want to start another one so soon?”

“Just accept that Elise isn’t in the picture any longer.”

Zarah sighed and shook her head. “Derrick, this is just too crazy.”

He looked at her carefully, then finally nodded his head. “Okay. This is moving too fast for you,” he replied with grim resignation. “So we’ll go slower.”

That wasn’t really what she meant, but she would accept his interpretation if she could just get out of the lake and hide for a little while, cool her body down from his lovemaking.

“I need to get back to Mary’s shop. I promised to take over for the evening shift.”

Derrick’s smile was slow in coming, but Zarah’s body froze with reaction. She didn’t have long to wait for an interpretation of his amusement. “No problem. I’ll see you later then.” He pushed off and swam several feet away from the ladder, giving her a clear path to the exit.

Zarah waited another moment, but when he just turned around and stood there, she wasn’t sure what he was going to do.

Derrick raised his eyebrows, urging her to continue.

“Aren’t you going to turn around so I can get out of the water?” she asked, biting her lower lip because she wasn’t sure how she could get out otherwise.

“Now why would I turn around and miss such a beautiful view?”

Zarah’s temper snapped. “Couldn’t you just be a gentleman once in a while?”

He laughed and shook his head. “I tried to be a gentleman when you fell into the water. Look where that got us? All hot and bothered and wanting each other, needing that fulfillment that you’re denying us.” He let those words sink in before he said, “At least for now.”

She couldn’t believe what he was saying. He was going to watch her while she ascended that ladder? How obnoxious!

She looked over at the bank of the water, wondering if she could get out that way, but his words stopped her cold. “I wouldn’t advise that way out,” he said with that deep voice filled with amusement and anticipation. “The snakes lie in wait for the birds who come down for a drink by the edge of the river, not to mention the rodents and other animals that need to cool down.”

Zarah’s worried eyes went from the edge of the water with all the vegetation and then to the ladder, weighing her options. Which was the lesser of the two evils?

In the end, she just couldn’t force herself to climb through all those lilies and pussy willows, too afraid of snakes and bugs, or whatever else might be hiding in the weeds. With a growl of frustration, she swam over to the ladder and pulled herself up as quickly as she could.

She didn’t even care that she was still dripping wet. As soon as she reached the top of the ladder, she hurried across the deck to grab her clothes. Pulling them on wasn’t easy but she managed it in record time.

She turned around just in time to see Derrick come up the ladder, water dripping down that magnificent body of his, those broad shoulders and rippling abdominal muscles just taunting her.

“Look all you like,” he teased and stood still for her perusal. “It’s better to touch though.”

Zarah’s eyes snapped up to his and she blushed, turning away and grabbing her notes. “I apologize for invading your lake today,” she said nervously.

“Invade anytime, Zarah.”

She hurried away, heading back to the village as fast as she could without appearing to run. She suspected that he knew exactly what she was doing anyway, but didn’t care. At this point, she just needed space and time to recover.

Chapter 7

Zarah felt as if she were being cornered. No matter how many times she tried to hide, Derrick was always right there. His green eyes watching her carefully while his large, male body trapped her whenever they were alone.

The morning following their swim in the lake, she was sitting in the coffee shop before work with Mary and Suzanne and several others. They were all laughing about men, their husbands or previous boyfriends and Zarah laughed at some of the stories Mary told of the men she met before marrying her husband. The woman really cracked her up.

She glanced down at the newspaper, not really interested in reading any of the news, just wanting to keep abreast of the international headlines. Suddenly, the laughter was gone and there was only silence in its place.

Within thirty seconds, all four other women picked up their coffees, purses and anything else they’d brought with them and were walking out the door. Zarah wasn’t sure what had happened, but she wasn’t in any rush, so she remained seated. Since her back was to the doorway, she had no idea that Derrick had just walked into the coffee shop. She glanced back down at her newspaper, about to fold it up and head over to the shop when a large body sat down next to her, trapping her in the booth and moving closer than she felt comfortable.

“Going somewhere?” he asked, looking down at her and putting his arm around the back of the booth. His shoulders were so broad that they actually blocked out the rest of the café.

She shifted uncomfortably on the bench, wanting to put some space between their bodies, but he only shifted again, plastering his leg back against hers.

“I should get to the shop. Mary needs my help,” she said, but it sounded all breathy and distracted. Her eyes dropped to his mouth, wishing they were in a place where he could kiss her.

“You don’t need to be there for thirty minutes. I just spoke to Mary as she was leaving.”

Zarah looked quickly at the exit and saw her best friend and her boss heading down the street with three other women, all five of them with their heads bent towards each other as if they were discussing something of great import. “Traitor,” Zarah said under her breath.

Derrick laughed but was delighted with her expression. “So what are you reading in the newspaper?” he asked.

Zarah glanced down, trying to remember which article she’d been skimming. “Nothing really.”

“The economy is getting better,” he commented, then lifted his eyebrows as if to tell her that the conversation was now in her court and she’d better pick it up.

Zarah couldn’t pull her eyes away from his. “That’s what the statistics are saying at least.”

“You disagree?” he challenged.

Zarah wasn’t sure how it happened, but within moments, they were in a heated argument over the best way to lead the economy out of this current mess. She rolled her eyes several times when he claimed one avenue to achieve financial success but she tossed back at him another option. Back and forth they argued and Zarah laughed at how much she admired his comments.

She glanced at her watch and jumped up. “I really have to go now. I’m late and Mary will be wondering where I am,” she said and pushed against his side so she could exit the booth.

She was relieved when he slid out, allowing her to leave, but she should have known that it wouldn’t be that easy. As soon as they were standing, Derrick pulled her into his arms and kissed her, uncaring that the rest of the patrons stopped and stared, some with their mouths hanging open as they witnessed a public display of affection by their one and only Duke and the new girl on the block.

After several heart stopping moments, he lifted his head and stepped back. With a wink and a nod, he walked out of the café ahead of her, sliding his hands into the pockets of his khaki slacks and whistling while he walked down the street in the opposite direction.

Zarah watched him, her eyes glaring at him but he never turned around so he didn’t realize that she was shooting arrows at his back.

Two days after that incident, she was busy closing up the shop after a crazy Saturday. They’d sold a great deal of merchandise, but the store was a mess! She and Mary were folding and straightening when a knock sounded on the locked door.

Zarah didn’t even bother to look up as she was bent down low picking up several belts that had fallen behind a display case. She stood up a moment later to see who had just walked in, belts in hand and a worried look on her face because Derrick was walking into the store, chatting with Mary about the sweet woman’s cat.

“What are you doing here on a Saturday night?” Mary teased as she hefted a pile of sweaters onto the table. “Shouldn’t you be in London at some fabulous gala so that we can read all about it in the society section tomorrow morning?”

He laughed and shook his head, his eyes zeroing in on Zarah. “I came to take your helper out for dinner and a movie, if she has the time.” He looked back down at Mary before he said, “but it looks like you two have a lot of work to do cleaning up around here. Maybe I should come around another time?”