She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, as if she couldn’t possibly be more frustrated with him. She chose to sit next to him on the bed, which was of some consolation. “You know what? I don’t know, exactly. But I do know what it’s like to struggle or to get knocked down or to have a hard time. You don’t have a lock on that. You need to find a way to let go of what happened. Or at least move past it.”
“That’s why I came to this island. To clear my head. To try to let go of my animosity toward Black Crescent and the Lowell family. Or at least some of it. I don’t know that I can ever let all of it go.”
“Why not? Why can’t you just forgive everyone at Black Crescent for what Vernon Lowell did? It’s not their fault.” Allison’s eyes were wild and pleading. Meanwhile, the storm outside was starting to rage like never before. The windows rattled, and rain made a thunderous chorus on the roof.
“The Lowells destroy everything. Families most of all. They ruined my family. My parents got divorced because of the things they did. And for what? So somebody who was already making way too much money as far as I’m concerned could make more money? I just can’t forgive them for that. It’s the worst kind of greed.” As if Mother Nature was on his side, a massive gust of wind whipped up, smacking a massive palm frond against the French doors. He and Allison both jumped.
“Whoa,” Allison said, holding a hand to her chest, breathing hard.
“It’s getting scary out there.” The sky blackened. It was as if the sun had been extinguished.
“I’m tired of this, Zane. So tired.”
“The weather?”
She inched closer to him on the bed. “No. This. Us. We could die up here. This is serious. And I have waited for you for years.”
He was still having a hard time understanding this. Years? He really had been oblivious to her feelings, and that made him feel worse. “But I didn’t know. I swear.”
She pressed her finger against his lips. “No. I know that now. And it makes me feel like a loser, but I don’t care. I don’t want to die not knowing what it’s like to make love to the one guy I have always wanted.”
Zane felt as though his heart was going to beat its way out of his chest. In some ways, it still felt impossible that she was talking about him. There hadn’t been enough time to riffle through the memories they shared to look for hints of this crush she’d supposedly had on him. “Don’t say that. Don’t hold me up on a pedestal and put yourself down at the same time. You’re beautiful. You’re smart and amazing. You could have any guy you want.”
“Any guy?”
He didn’t understand the question. Had she not looked in the mirror? Did she not realize that she was not only beautiful on the outside, but on the inside, as well? “Yes. No question.”
She shook her head, not taking her sights from his face. “If you think that’s really true, I want you to prove it, Zane. Show me that I can have you.”
Damn, she was clever. “I see what you did there.”
“Look, I know what you’re like. You don’t like to feel tied down or obligated. I know you’re not a forever kind of guy, but will you be mine for right now? Nobody ever has to know. Not my brother. Not anyone. I just don’t want to live with this regret. I know I’m not going to get another chance.”
His breaths felt as though they were being dragged from his body as Allison’s warm eyes pleaded for an answer. How could he ever be good enough for her? She was everything any guy with half a brain would want. Gorgeous. Exceptionally smart. Sweet, while still standing for what she wanted. She was quite possibly the most complex and unpredictable woman he’d ever met. He cared about her. And she cared about him. These were not the circumstances under which he normally pursued sex. It was so much easier when there was nothing but physical pleasure on the line. There was more at stake here. So much more. But how could he say no to her again?
He pressed the palm of his hand against her cheek. The house shook with another gale. He watched as her eyes drifted shut and she leaned into his touch. The world was threatening to rip the rug out from under them, and she didn’t care. He could see it on her stunning face as she drew in a deep breath through her nose. Warmth radiated to his hand from her silky soft cheek, and he knew then that he could not let her down. He would give in to every carnal inclination he had when it came to Allison. And he would do it because she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her.
He cupped her face with his other hand and pressed his lips against hers. They stumbled into the kiss like it was the only way forward for either of them. Her tongue swept along his lower lip, sending need right through him, like a shot to the heart. His pulse picked up, and she dug her fingers into his hair, craving, needing, curling her nails into his scalp and raking his skin. He pulled her against him and lay back on the bed, tugging her along with him. She straddled his hips and ground against his crotch with her center.
Everything in his groin went tight. His mind went blank. Need slipped into the driver’s seat when she countered his weight by lifting her hips and bucking against him. He felt her smile against his lips before she got serious again, kissing him deeply and squeezing his rib cage with
