Horizons (11 page)

“Ordinarily, so is mine,” Zach told her. “But in this
instance, with the two of us about to become so intimately acquainted, I sure as hell don’t want either of us exposed to something that could prove fatal. Now, tell me I’m wrong to be so cautious,” he dared her.

“No, you’re being very wise, which is the only way to treat sex in this day and age,” she allowed. “Which leads us right into another phase of the same topic. How do I know that sleeping with you, a total stranger, would be safe?”

“I suppose you’ll simply have to take my word for that, the same as I’ll have to with you. I will tell you this, however. I’ve been very particular about the few women I’ve slept with since Rachel died.”

Kelly eyed him curiously. “What do you consider a few?”

“Let’s just say I can count them on the fingers of one hand, and let it go at that, shall we? What about you, Kelly?”

“I just filed for divorce three weeks ago. The only man I’ve been to bed with in the last five years has been Brad.”

“That leaves your husband and any extramarital activities he might have enjoyed,” Zach said pointedly. “Was that what led to your divorce?”

Kelly shook her head. “No, contrary to all that is popular these days, that was not our problem. We have
…
correction
…
we had differences of another sort altogether.”

“Mind revealing a few, just to ease my curiosity?” he urged.

“Yes, I do mind, as a matter o
f
fact, but I’ll tell you anyway. In a nutshell, Brad wanted the perfect wife, the perfect hostess, a stand-in-his-shadow-and-mirror-only-his-image spouse. He’s on the fast track, and doesn’t want anyone to slow him down. I tried. I agreed to put off having children, while he got himself established in a prestigious law firm. I gave dinner parties and invited all the right people, until I could recite their boring bureaucratic bull
in my sleep. I joined a garden club, a country club, and learned to play bridge. And I hated every minute of it.

“Through it all, I got to listen to Brad harp and deride the way
I
walked and talked and dressed. Nothing I said or did was good enough. To top it all, I’d started my first salon in our second year of marriage, with money my grandparents left to me. Brad was miffed that I didn’t put the money into our savings account, earmarked for his future political career, naturally. Still, he didn’t whine too much, since he figured it was just something to keep me busy, something to play with for awhile, like with a hobby. He certainly never expected that I’d stick with it and make a profit.

“Then I started planning the second one, and he flipped out. After all, how could he aspire to a government position, when his wife sold sexy undies? It just wasn’t done in the better circles, you know. To hear him rant and rave, you’d have thought I was peddling pornography. To quote an old adage, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I quit trying to be the model wife and went back to being myself. When that didn’t meet with his approval, I filed for divorce, much to dear Brad’s surprise and dismay. If he’d listened to me just once, instead of always turning a deaf ear and hearing only his own exalted voice, he’d have seen it coming.”

“I suppose a divorce will be a black blot on his otherwise spotless resume?” Zach presumed. “And Brad is against it?”

Kelly’s grin was decidedly wicked. “Tough noogies! We’ve had presidents who’ve been divorced. Let him deal with it the best way he knows how.”

“Then you feel no remorse over your break-up?” Zach inquired.

Kelly frowned at him. “Of course, I do. Who wouldn’t after living with someone for five years and trying to make
a go of it? When I first met Brad, I thought he was the best thing since peanut butter! I was crazy in love with him. It’s very sad to see all that die. And for what? Lofty dreams of grandeur and glory? A seat on some dreary committee? Status? Not in my book, Zach. If that’s all Brad wants out of life, more power to him, but I need more.”

“Such as?” he prompted.

“Lasting love. True devotion. Equal respect. Children.” Her smile was poignant and shaded with whimsy. “I want that vine-covered cottage, or a fair facsimile thereof—pets, station wagon, toys clogging the driveway, and a couple of rocking chairs on the porch. Someone to grow old with, like Wynne did with Ja
mes.” Kelly slanted him a self-
conscious look, and shrugged. “Now, aren’t you sorry you asked? I really gave you an ear-full, didn’t I?”

He smiled back. “No, I’m not sorry, and I’ll bet it did you good to unload. Do you feel better now, with all of that off your chest?”

“Immensely,” she admitted sheepishly. “Thank you for letting me snivel.”

“Hey, I’ve got broad shoulders,” he told her.

His off-hand comment turned her attention to his broad, bare torso. “I’ll say you do,” she murmured appreciatively. Her hands came up, splayed, to measure the width of his chest. Her fingers sifted through the dark mat of hair furring it. “God! Just looking at you makes my mouth water,” she confessed softly. “And touching you is making my insides melt.”

Zach gave a husky chuckle. “Horny little cat, aren't you? How long has it been, Kelly?”

“It’s not just that. It’s a number of things. For one, I’ve got this inane urge to celebrate being alive. An aftereffect of such a close brush with death and too much adrenaline, I suppose. And what better way to vent those emotions than by making love, affirming life? Added to that, I guess
you’d say I’m on the rebound, looking to assure myself that I haven’t lost my feminine appeal. So, be forewarned, Zach. You might only be using me, but I’m doing likewise. Hopefully, we’ll both benefit, and can part friends once we’re rescued.”

“You think our relationship is destined to be that shortlived?” he queried.

She nodded. “I don’t see how it can be otherwise. You like being in control of things, and
I
abhor being manipulated. We’re both leaders, and that can only spell trouble in the long run, all this physical chemistry, or whatever, aside.”

“I’m glad you’re not going to try to deny that, at least,” he told her. “We’ve definitely got sexual attraction on our side. If we were magnets, we’d be stuck fast to each other.”

“A case of opposites attracting? Hardly.” She shook her head. “It’s just raging hormones. Enhanced by the fact that you’re so magnificent to beho
ld…
so absolutely, beautifully male!” She licked her lips, as if hungry for the taste of him.

Zach groaned. “Now you’ve done it. I’ve got all sorts of fantasies about what you could do with that moist pink tongue.”

“Tell me,” she urged.

“I’d rather show you,” he countered, his head lowering toward hers. “And vice-versa.”

“Show and Tell after all?” she joked.

“Yeah.” He nibbled on her earlobe, sending shivers through her. “Speaking of fantasies, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to ‘make it’ with a redhead.”

“My hair isn’t red. My hair is blonde. Straw—”

“
I
know, strawberry blonde. Close enough.” He switched sides, and nipped at the other lobe.

Kelly’s knees wobbled. “I should warn you. I’m not on the pill, and I will hold you responsible for any repercussions. Not marriage, mind you, but I don’t believe a man should shirk his parental duties.”

“Your warning is duly noted.” His tongue traced a wet path across her jawline, and continued down her throat. “Do you have any other remarks or objections, before I make mad, passionate love to you?” He suckled the pulse point at the base of her throat. Warm, calloused hands slid inside her blazer to cup her breasts through the thin, slick fabric of her camisole.

“Yes. Hurry,” she commanded on a hiss of delight. As she spoke, she was shrugging awkwardly out of her jacket. It scarcely hit the ground before she was tugging at the button and zipper of Zach’s trousers. His hands were just as busy unfastening her slacks. And all the while, his lips were devouring hers. Her mouth frantically mating with his.

He tore his mouth away long enough to mutter, “God! You’re not wearing a bra or anything under this flimsy top.”

“Camisole,” she supplied breathlessly.

“And your panties are nothing but a scandalous scrap of lace. Woman, if I’d known this was all you were wearing under that demure pant suit, I’d have had you on your back much earlier.”

“So what’s holding you back now?” she goaded, tugging her top over her head and throwing it aside. “Need some help?”

She caught his ankle with hers, sending them both tumbling to the ground. She landed on top of him, their legs tangled, her breasts crushed into the dark pelt on his chest, pelvis to pelvis.

“Shy thing, aren’t you?” he commented on a wry chuckle. He shifted, parting his legs and trapping hers wide apart. His hand cupped her crotch, stroking her
through the satin panties. “Lord, but you’re hot! And already wet for me. I can’t wait to taste you there.”

Sh
e whimpered. “Next time. I…
oh, please! I want you now!”

Near to bursting himself, Zach didn’t waste any more time on preliminaries. He simply freed himself from his briefs, tugged the elastic leg of her panties aside, and plunged into her. It was akin to being imbedded in liquid fire, forcing an immediate groan from deep in his throat. Atop him, Kelly moaned and wriggled, burying him to the hilt in her moist heat, and Zach thought he would die from the waves of bliss pulsing through him. He knew it wouldn’t take much to push him ewer the edge, but he wanted to hold on long enough to take Kelly with him.

He needn’t have been concerned. On the third thrust, Kelly stiffened, her head thrown back and her throat stretched taut as she exploded around him. Her muscles contracted in a tight velvet grip that wrenched him into his own violent climax.

Chapter 11

T
he resultant aftershock
s of their lovemaking sent them
into a prolonged series of shudders, until at length they lay limp and trembling, still twined together.

Zach stroked Kelly’s damp back, savoring the soft texture of her skin. “Was that you shrieking to high heaven, or was it me?”

“Both, I think,” she replied on a shaky sigh. “I hope the others didn’t hear us.”

She felt him shrug. “I don’t care if they did, as long as
they don’t feel inclined to investigate.”

She gave a languid laugh. “I’m too weak to move if they did,” she confessed. “You melted all my bones.”

His chuckle reverberated from his chest to hers. “That good, huh? And we didn’t even get around to any of the a really innovative stuff.”

Kelly poked at his ribs with her finger. “Don’t brag. It’s not polite.”

“I’m not bragging, sweetheart,” he informed her bluntly. “I’m promising better things to come.”

They lay quietl
y for a few moments, recouping their strength. Then Zach said, “Hear that? It’s raining.”

“Can’t be,” Kelly murmured drowsily. “If it was, we’d be drenched.”

Zach twisted beneath her, craning his head. “Kelly, it is raining. Cats and dogs, as a matter of fact. I can see it And you’re right. We
’
re dry. The trees are forming a canopy over us.”

She rolled to gaze around. “This is weird. I’ve never seen trees like these. Look at the trunks. They’re as straight and smooth as posts.”

“Geez!” Zach slapped at his forehead. “What a dunce I am! Those aren’
t trunks, Kelly. They’re supporti
ng stems. Aerial roots. And not from several trees, but from one. We’re lying under a giant banyan tree.”

She shot him a look of disbelief. “Honestly,” he avowed. “There’s one on Maui that covers nearly an acre. It’s a regular tourist attraction.” He paused, then tacked on excitedly, “Do you realize what this means?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re about to enlighten me. And let me add that you’re beginning to sound a lot like Blair.”

He ignored that last comment. “We now have a shelter. We won’t have to erect thatch huts.”

Kelly cocked an eyebrow at him. “Planning to sett
l
e in for awhile? This does not sound encouraging. Personally, I’m hoping to be rescued in the next day or two.”

“So am I, but in the event we’re here for longer, it’s best to be prepared. Or, in this case, to take advantage of nature’s bounty.”

“Does this mean we’re going to move camp again?” she inquired dryly. “I thought we needed to stay near the beach, close to the bonfire.”

“Look.” He turned her around and pointed through
the trees. “We’re sitting on a knoll,
which gives us a good
overview of the southeastern shoreline. I could run the distance in a minute or so. It’s also closer to the pool. Here, we have shelter, plus the sea breeze to help ward off the bugs. The best of both worlds, so to speak.”

“No,” Kelly countered. “The best of both worlds would be to have this island in the middle of my backyard. Call me spoiled, but I’m accustomed to my indoor plumbing and to h
aving a shopping mall convenientl
y located.” She rose, adjusted her panties, and assessed their surroundings with a slight frown. “Lacking that, this will have to suffice, however. I just wish it offered more in the way of privacy.”

Zach let his eyes skim the length of her incredibly long legs, across the curve of her hips, the indentation of her waist, to the pert jut of her breasts. “I’ll second that,” he agreed readily. “Let me work on the idea.”

She caught his avid perusal and grinned. “Wow! If I’d known having a fling with an architect brought these kinds of perks, I’d have considered it sooner. My kitchen could stand some major remodeling. And I’ve always wanted a hot tub.”

Zach reached up and tugged her down to kneel at his side. His hand guided hers to his revived erection. “Would you settle for a hot rod, instead?” he quipped.

She laughed at his bad pun. “Only if you promise to give me the ride of my life.” She flexed her fingers, felt him lurch in her grasp, and winked saucily. “I don’t come cheap, Zach, but I am willing to negotiate.”

I
f Kelly thought she’d almost lost her mind the first time, their second round of lovemaking was the clincher. Zach was in the mood to take his good sweet time, intent on exploring her body until he knew it more intimately than she did. And just as eager to have her explore his with
equal devotion. There wasn’t a spot of female flesh he didn’t kiss, lick, lave, or suckle—until Kelly was a quivering mass of desire. Nor did he stint on his praise of her, though some of his comments struck her funny bone.

“You have the sexiest earlobes I’ve ever come across.”

“Sexy earlobes?” she echoed, shivering as he nipped at one with his teeth. “I always thought one set was just like any other, excepting size, of course.”

“Uh-uh. Yours are just the right shape. Dainty, delectable, with just a hint of fuzz.”

Kelly laughed aloud. “Yeah, I appreciate the fact that you don’t have big tufts of hair sticking out of your ears, either, Zach. Chest hair turns me on, but ear hair? No way!

He practically glowed. “My chest hair turns you on? With your health club, I figured you’d be more into the smooth, oiled, muscle-flexing type.”

“Shows how much you know,” she countered, feathering her fingers over his chest, relishing the way the hair tickled her palms. “Besides, there’s not a thing wrong with your pecs, big boy. Watching you flex these babies could make a dedicated virgin cream her jeans.”

He actually blushed, though he was quick to return the compliment. “Yours are something else, too, lady. Satin to the touch, nipples like ripe strawberries set on mounds of whipped cream. Absolutely luscious.”

He cupped one in each palm, weighing them in his hands before pressing them together to form lofty peaks on either side of a deep valley. “Perfection!,” he declared softly. “And I adore this little mole on your left breast. Sort of X marks the spot, pointing to the sweetest confection a man could want.”

“Knock yourself out,” she offered generously, tingling in anticipation as his mouth lowered over her breast. “The candy store is open, and all yours.”

That mole was the first thing to receive his attention. Kelly had never before realized how sensitive it was. Perhaps it was the rasp of his three-day beard over it, and across the delicate skin of her breasts that excited her so rapidly. And the way he lapped at her nipple, wetting it, then blowing on it to make it crest even more. She was literally panting by the time his mouth finally closed over one turgid peak. He suckled, and nipped, and wrapped his tongue around it, leisurely toying with her, displaying a finesse she’d previously only dreamed of encountering. He treated the other breast to the same slow, sweet torment, making Kelly ache as she’d never ached before.

Her fingers tangled in his dark hair, holding him close, wanting more. Then, suddenly, he drew the nipple further into his mouth, suckling so strongly that she lurched upward with a desperate cry, feeling the tug deep within her. Again,
and her insides coiled more tautl
y, collecting and preparing for the impending upheaval which, to her immense shock, followed immediately thereafter.

She shuddered. She shivered. She clung tightly to Zach and cried out, again and again. When at length she began to descend from dizzying heights, she murmured in amazement, “Good grief! I can’t believe it! I’ve never
come that way before, without… without…
”

“Being touched here?” he supplied, cupping her sex with his palm. His smile was smug, but after what she’d just experienced Kelly decided he’d earned the right. The edge of his hand massaged the sensual nub nested there and, on a gasp, she quivered anew.

“Kelly, sweetheart, you’re so incredibly responsive.” As his fingers continued their foray, his mouth mapped a trail of kisses across her chest, down her stomach, on a direct path to the golden delta at the juncture of her thighs.

She knew where he was headed, what he intended. “No, it’s too much!” she gasped, tugging at his hair in an
attempt to deflect him from his chosen target. It was wasted effort on her part. He would not be deterred.

“I’ve got to taste you, or die thinking about it.”

“Not yet. God, Zach! Show some pity! I haven’t even come down from the last time.”

“I don’t intend for you to. I want you to go higher, further, time and time again. I love watching you come undone.”

His tongue found that tiny button at the same time his fingers delved inside her. For Kelly it was blissful torture.

“Purr for me, Kelly,” he urged. “Talk to me. Tell me what you’re feeling, what you want.”

She writhed beneath him. “Stop!” she whimpered. Then, “Oh, more! More! Harder!”

His fingers, slick with her dew, pushed into her, twisting. His tongue flicked deftly back and forth, his lips tugging at her with wickedly exquisite skill—and she could only hiss, “Yesss! Zach, yesss!”

Within seconds, she was soaring again, feeling as if she’d split apart at the seams. She couldn’t tell up from down, and no longer cared. She was on a runaway carousel ride, spinning round and round
…
on and on it went. And just when she thought she’d reached the pinnacle, Zach and his magic mouth sent her flying higher. Vaguely, through the whirling mists, she heard him urging her onward— and herself screaming his name.

Barely missing a stroke, Zach straddled her and plunged into her torrid, quivering depths. He could not recall ever being this aroused
…
. this hard
…
this engorged. With a sigh bordering on a sob, he immersed himself fully in a single, swift stroke. It was heavenly—and hot as hell. He could feel her silken muscles pulsating around him, and his own frantic pulse echoing hers.

She bucked beneath him. He answered her need with his. Retreating, advancing. Forcing himself to start out
slowly, gradually increasing the tempo, making both of them wait for the grand finale. Anticipating it. Savoring it. Until at last Zach got caught up in his own design— out of control, subject only to nature’s urgent demand. On a final, desperate thrust, he let himself go, spewing into her like an endless fount. Spasm after wondrous spasm shook him, and through clenched teeth his cry of triumph emerged as a muted howl.

It was several minutes before either of them could resume breathing normally. “You’ve wrung me out, woman. All that’s left is to hang me up to dry.”

“You’ll have to manage on your own,” she informed him wearily. “I’m about as limp as a rag doll with half its stuffing missing.”

He patted her bottom. “Nope. You’re stuffing’s still there. In all the right places.”

“Ssh. I’m trying to nap. And when you talk, the sound vibrates from your chest to my ear. Pillows are supposed to be seen, and not heard.”

“I thought that was children, not pillows.”

“So pretend you’re a big kid and pipe down.”

‘Got news for you, babe. You haven’t got time for a siesta now. Not unless you want one of the others to wander by and catch you as naked as Eve without her fig leaves.”

“Crap!” With a great show of reluctance, Kelly pushed herself into a sitting position. “For a deserted island, this place certainly lacks privacy.” She reached out and rumpled his hair. “Then again, you’re going to do something about that, aren’t you? That was part of the deal, wasn’t it, Tarzan?”

He arched a dark eyebrow at her. “Tarzan?”

Kelly grinned. “Yeah, aside from your incredible acrobatics, both off the ground and on it, that was some jungle yell you let loose a couple of minutes ago. Sent visions of loincloths dancing in my head.”