forced himself to pull back.
“I’m sorry,” he rasped. “I didn’t mean this to get out of hand.”
“It’s out of hand?” She was equally breathless, and her hands went to the buttons on his shirt.
“Abby,” he warned.
“What?” she asked, glancing up, tone falsely innocent, eyes blinking up at him.
“You’re a very smart woman.”
“I am,” she agreed, still unbuttoning.
“You’re unbuttoning my shirt.”
“Also true.” She separated the fabric and placed a hot kiss on his chest.
“You know what this means.”
“In fact, I do.”
“Just so we’re clear.”
“We’re clear.”
“I can’t keep my hands off you.”
She smiled impishly up at him. “You’re doing a pretty good job so far.”
He scooped her into his arms and strode for the bedroom. “Let’s fix that.”
Her luscious lips went to his neck. “Please do.”
He was in the bedroom in seconds, setting her down on the bed, stretching out beside her, kissing her lips, her neck, her shoulders, inhaling deeply as he ran his fingers through her soft hair.
“This is the sexiest dress ever,” he told her.
“Katrina picked it.”
“Remind me to thank her.” He released the zipper and pushed the fabric down over her breasts.
Abby groaned. “I’m trying to picture that conversation.”
He kissed one nipple, bringing the tip to a bead.
Her fingertips dug into his shoulders.
“Picturing it now?” he teased.
“Huh?”
“Nothing.”
With a free hand he drew her dress up along her bare thighs, reveling in the soft, tender skin, his thumbs drawing circles as he moved higher.
She finished with his buttons, pushing his jacket and shirt off his shoulders. He let them fall to the floor, taking her lips in a deep kiss.
He touched the hot silk of her panties, and she gasped against his mouth. Her panties were filmy, barely there, and he easily pulled them off, down her gorgeous legs, tossing them to the side. In answer, her hands went to his pants, fumbling with the button and his zipper.
He retrieved his wallet, working with one hand for a condom as she pulled down his zipper, grazing him with her knuckles, her hand surrounding him through his boxers.
He followed the contours of her body, reveling in her soft skin, kissing her from her hairline to her toes and back again. Then he finally rose above her, watching her expression, the moue of her pink mouth, the glow of her golden eyes, the sheen of sweat on her forehead, and he gently pushed inside.
He groaned out loud. “How can anything be so good?”
A haze was taking over his brain. A roar had started in his ears. And all nonessential systems were shutting down.
Abigail was the center of his world. The blackmail was done. From this moment on, she had the power.
“Oh, Lucky.” She kissed his mouth, wrapped her arms around his neck, tightened her legs around his waist, her entire body cradling his.
He’d never felt anything like it. Explosions started at the base of his brain, growing in intensity, fanning out.
He heard her cry, felt her body ripple around him, and he let himself cascade over the edge.
Their breathing was ragged, and long minutes passed while he held her to him, passion slowly throbbing its way from his body.
Neither spoke. Her body was limp, and her head was tucked into the crook of his neck.
“I thought about what you said,” she whispered.
“What did I say?” Whatever it was, he’d say it again.
“About your employees being your family. It made me want to help you. To throw my heart and soul into it.”
“Thank you,” he said simply.
“You really do need to move your headquarters.”
“Can we talk about this later?” Though he accepted that she was right. He and Alex had to sit down and seriously talk about how that might work.
“There is no later,” she told him, tone regretful. “I’ve got a 9:00 a.m. flight.”
She nodded.
Her words made him feel helpless. She didn’t want to go back there. She shouldn’t have to go back there.
“Have you told them?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
“I’m never going to tell them, Zach. And you can’t either.”
“You can’t live your life for your family.”
“You’re living yours for your employees.”
“That’s different.” He loved his job. He loved working with Alex, and he took immense satisfaction in the success of Red, White and Brew.
She gave him an ironic smile and cocked her head.
“Hot tub or bed?” he asked, deciding to assume she was staying the night. Before she could refuse, he touched the bottom of her chin with his index finger, placing a gentle kiss on her swollen mouth.
“Bed,” he decided for her on a whisper. “Don’t make me let go of you just yet.”
Wrapped in Zach’s discarded dress shirt, sleeves rolled up a few turns, Abigail gazed through the window of the darkened hotel bedroom, watching the distant spot of light that was an early flight taking off from the Denver airport. It trailed across the sky, disappearing into a blend of stars on the horizon. It wouldn’t be long before she was on a plane just like that, winging her way north, while Zach made his way south.
She heard him moving behind her, and then his arms were around her, drawing her back against him.
“Hey.” His voice was husky above her ear.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” she apologized.
“I wasn’t asleep.”
She drew a breath and allowed herself to absorb his warmth. He seemed so strong, so sure, as if nothing in the world could slow him down. She tried to imagine how he’d become such a successful man, how he’d overcome what must have been innumerable challenges in his childhood.
“What was it like?” she found herself asking.
“What was what like?” he asked.
“Growing up. Alone. In the group home.”
“You don’t want to hear about that.”
She turned in his arms. “Yes, I do.”
He gazed at her for a minute, eyes dark, expression serious. “Unremarkable,” he finally answered.
That didn’t come anywhere near to satisfying her. “Were you happy, sad, lonely?”
“We were all lonely.”
She looped her arms loosely around his waist, studying his expression. “I’m trying to imagine what it must have been like when you were little.”
“It was like having a hundred brothers.”
