Special Delivery (2 page)

“Zach,” she said breathlessly. Their gazes connected. “What a…nice surprise.”

Corina immediately frowned to herself at what she must look like. The last time Zach had seen her, she’d been wearing makeup, her wild, curly mane had been tamed into soft ringlets and she’d been dressed in a black, low-cut shirt trimmed with lace, paired with jeans that had hugged her heart-shaped ass. Today, she had on yoga pants, a soft V-necked T-shirt and her hair was gathered in a messy bun at her nape. Since seeing Zach last week, she’d fantasized about meeting up with him again, and this was so not the look she imagined she’d be sporting if they ever crossed paths again.

“It seems like we meet again over a package,” Zach said with a smile so sexy Corina almost ripped her clothes off right then and there.

Priscilla waddled up next to her and began slowly sniffing Zach’s feet.

“Oh, you have a basset? My grandmother had one when I was a kid. He was the best dog,” he said as he knelt to scratch Priscilla’s long ears. He smoothed his hand across the top of her head and softly cooed to her.

Amazed, Corina watched as the pooch wagged her tail and rolled her obese body over so Zach could pet her belly. She’d never seen her dog take to a stranger so easily. Not that Priscilla was a viscous dog. She just didn’t care to expend any energy on strangers.

“Wow, I’ve never seen her like this. She normally doesn’t care for anyone but me and my brother. She usually keeps to herself whenever anyone else is around.”

“I just have a way with women,” Zach said with a wink.

Corina started to say she bet he did. With his perfectly sculpted body, handsome face and the way his shorts cupped his cock, she imagined he rarely spent a night alone. The thought caused a fire of envy to burn in the pit of her belly. She had to remind herself to calm down. Even though she’d enjoyed a lusty evening the night of the calendar shoot with her vibrator and Zach’s image in her mind, her logical side knew she had no claim on the man. He could see whoever he wanted, and she was positive that included plenty of women. Unsure what to say or how to end the conversation, she balanced the small cardboard box in her right hand and tried to coax Priscilla away from Zach with her left.

“He’s a busy man, girl. You can’t hog him all to yourself,” she said, unclear if she was speaking to the dog or herself.

“It’s okay, I like the attention just as much as she does, maybe more,” Zach told her.

Oh, so he was attention-hungry. That explained why he was so comfortable modeling in the buff for her.

“So, are you going to the charity auction and the ball next week?” Zach asked her casually. He clipped the small electronic clipboard device to the belt at his waist.

“I don’t know. I was invited after I did the photo shoot, but… I’m not sure.”

“You should come—and make sure you bid on me at the bachelor auction, of course.”

Corina was so surprised at his statement that she dropped the small cardboard box at her feet. Why was Zach—Mr Out of My League himself—asking if she’d be at the event? She opened her mouth to speak but no words would come out.

“Is that a yes, or are you trying to think up a way to let me down easy?” he asked, his dimples appearing.

“It’s a yes,” Corina said breathlessly. She suddenly remembered Michelle was waiting for her. How long had she been gone? Five minutes? Ten?

“I forgot. I’m in the middle of a shoot,” she said as she motioned to the back of the house where her studio was located. “I hope to see you next week? At the event?”

“Definitely,” he promised with a smile.

She gave him a shy grin and closed the front door.

* * * *

“Holy cans, girl. I wish I had a set like yours,” said Anderson.

He smoothed his slim, long-fingered hands over his flat chest. He stood admiring his reflection in the mirror located in the entryway of Corina’s house. With his chestnut hair gleaming and his rented tuxedo, Anderson looked every bit the part of a handsome stud. It was too bad he was gay. And her brother.

Moving to stand beside him, Corina gave herself a final once-over in the mirror. Her long, red hair had been sculpted into big, loose waves and her emerald satin dress fit her like a second skin. Her voluminous curves filled out the top of the bodice. She picked her matching clutch up off the entryway table and let out a sigh.

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this. Let’s go before I change my mind, throw on some sweats and park myself on the couch with a bowl of ice cream,” Corina said with a shrug.

“What? And leave all those sexy bachelors for your brother? Hey, now that’s not a bad idea. Unfortunately I can’t get into the ball without you, and there’s no way I’m staying home tonight. All this,” he said as he ran both his hands down the front of his body, “looks way too good to waste on just you and Priscilla. Now get your ass in the car,” he commanded and opened the front door.

Corina pushed past him and dug her house keys out of her small purse. She hoped this evening would pass quickly, but something told her she wouldn’t have such luck.

Once they arrived at the event, Anderson plied Corina with drinks.

“Are trying to get me drunk?” she grumbled.

“You need to loosen up, sweetie.”

“Says you,” she said with a shrug.

“Wow. It looks like a tuxedo model just walked in.” Anderson licked his lips.

Corina turned, following her brother’s gaze to see that it was Zach who he was staring at with unabashed lust in his eyes.

“My God, he’s hot. Too bad for me he’s straight, but it’s good news for you,” he said as he tipped his glass toward her.

She had to admit the man was even more mouthwatering in his black-tie garb, but she didn’t want to confess to Anderson how attractive she found Zach, not yet at least. She knew she’d be on the end of an interrogation once she explained the playful banter she and Zach had exchanged during the calendar photo shoot. She’d save that fun story for another time.

“How can you be so sure he’s straight?” Corina asked him with mock skepticism then sipped her champagne.

“I just know. It’s a gift, sis,” Anderson said with a wink.

Corina rolled her eyes then downed the remaining contents of her fluted glass in one unladylike gulp. Twisting the stem between two fingers, she let her gaze linger on Zach. She admired the way the tuxedo blazer hugged his wide shoulders and muscular chest. As though sensing her stare, Zach turned toward her. His eyes met hers and seemed to penetrate to her core. A slow smile spread across his lips, his dimples appearing. The muscles in her stomach clenched in response.

A woman speaking over the PA system broke the moment between them. Zach, who had been standing near the bottom of the stage, slipped behind a curtained area where, she assumed, the other bachelors were waiting to be brought out for bidding. Once Zach was out of her sight, Corina shifted her attention toward the emcee on the stage.

“Okay, ladies. Let’s loosen those purse strings. It’s time for our bachelor auction to begin.”

A series of high-pitched hoots and catcalls broke out from the estrogen-pumped crowd.

As if on cue, waiters came around once again with trays of champagne flutes, plying people with alcohol to aid in the women’s bids. Deciding to play it low-key and enjoy the show, Corina and Anderson watched from a back corner as each stud strutted his stuff on the stage in an attempt to collect as much money for the cause as they could. To pass the time, she sipped her drink and appreciatively took in each bachelor’s runway walk and the frenzied bidding among the women, who were now rowdy thanks to the liberal flow of the complimentary libations.

One by one, each man was sold to the highest bidder. Her patience
and
her nerves were nearly worn thin by the time, as luck would have it, Zach was announced as the final bachelor. Corina grabbed another glass of champagne and let the sweet, acidic bubbly slide quickly down her throat. Her palms began to sweat when she saw Zach take the stage.

“Oh, baby!” Anderson said. He watched Zach mosey up to the end of the catwalk. “That man is walking sex.” Anderson ground his hips seductively toward Corina.

The bidding started almost as soon as Zach had finished his sensual strut. Dollar amounts were being shouted out almost faster than the auctioneer could keep up with them.

Propelled by alcohol and the frenzied atmosphere, Corina took a step forward. Before she knew what was happening, she heard herself somewhat drunkenly shout, “Two thousand five hundred!”

The heat of shame crept across her face under Anderson’s skeptical blue-eyed gaze. He said nothing but shook his head and gave her a knowing smile. Corina turned her attention back to the auctioneer on stage and her heartbeat accelerated when another woman near the front outbid her.

“Six thousand!” Corina shouted over the din.

“Damn, somebody’s determined to get her man,” her brother said.

However, Corina barely heard his teasing remark. She held her breath as she listened to the auctioneer count backward from three then enthusiastically announce that Zach had been sold to her for the outrageous sum. She’d done it. She’d bought her sexy delivery man.

Now what?
she wondered.

Chapter Two

“So, what do you have in store for me, Corina?” Zach asked and tightened his hold on her hip.

The two were dancing together at the charity ball following the auction. He hadn’t left Corina’s side since she’d stepped forward to claim her prize after bidding on him.

“What if I said I haven’t decided yet?” Corina asked. She knew all the bubbly she’d drunk had something to do with her saucy answer.

Zach merely smirked and raised an eyebrow at her reply. The song came to an end and they stopped moving briefly in the silence while they waited for the next melody to start. In that moment, Zach held her still in his arms and locked his gaze on her. A shiver traveled down her spine. In an attempt to make the situation less sexually charged, she brought up their impending outing.

“So, about our date, do you enjoy spending time outdoors?”

“Yes, I love the outdoors. Just what do you have in mind?” he pressed again.

“With a body like yours, I figured you had to get a lot of fresh air and exercise.” When the words tumbled out, Corina placed a hand over her lips as though to ensure she didn’t say anything else embarrassing. Alcohol had caused the filter on her mouth to cease working completely.

“I mean…never mind. Back to our date. I’ve planned a simple picnic lunch at Forest Park. And afterward, I thought we could walk around, visit the museums,” she said.

“That sounds fun. But, you get me all day, you know? Since you’ve planned lunch, why don’t I plan dinner?”

“Okay. Are you going to give me a hint about what we’re doing for dinner?” Corina asked while waiting for the band to introduce the next song.

“Nope,” he said simply as he swept her into his arms again.

The musicians played a slower number, and Zach pulled her closer.

“You know, technically our date Saturday won’t be our first.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, we chatted during the calendar shoot, so that was our ice-breaker. Then I rang your bell,” he said and bobbed his eyebrows up and down. “And I met your dog. That’s a pretty serious step. Then tonight, this is practically our third date.”

“And everyone knows what happens on the third date,” Corina said around a giggle that ended with a hiccup.

She’d really had too much to drink. She looked up into Zach’s eyes and noticed the dark irises seemed to glitter like onyx. He narrowed his gaze at her. Now she’d gone and done it. She must have embarrassed him with her blathering.

“Of course I know what
most
people do on the third date. But, sometimes you meet someone and the connection is there and you just can’t wait that long,” he purred.

He ran his hand along the ample curve of her hip and settled his fingertips at the top of her ass. His electrifying caress caused a bloom of desire to unfurl inside her. The tips of her nipples hardened and tingled from the intimate position of his hands. She leaned even closer to him, loving the feel of his solid chest as it pressed against her breasts. She repositioned her hips, her thigh to grazing his pelvic region. When she felt the rigid length of his cock touch her leg, her pulse leaped and her sex clenched in response.

Corina brought her gaze up to his and read the blatant sexual look on his face. God help her, she wanted to rip his clothes off and jump him right in the middle of the dance floor at the sophisticated event. She rolled her lips inward as she thought about placing that big, thick cock in her mouth. She wanted to feel the friction of its smooth head gliding across her tongue. She pictured the way his slim hips and plump ass would look while he pumped into her mouth. Unable to help herself, a soft moan escaped her throat, the fantasy playing out in her mind.

His fingertips dug into the meaty flesh of her hip, and she knew his mind had to be traveling down a similar path. Zach gave her a slow, almost imperceptible nod. Corina was panting for breath, but it had nothing to do with the sexy dance she’d just shared with him. She decided to take the lead and show Mr Out of My League an evening he wouldn’t soon forget. She turned her head to the side and placed her mouth beside Zach’s ear.

“Follow my lead,” she told him then released herself from his grasp.

Scanning the crowd for Anderson, she found him at a table occupied by a few of the night’s bachelors and their bidders. Anderson’s arms flailed in an animated way in front of him. She knew he was regaling people with a wild story. She was thankful for that, because she didn’t want her brother to see what she was about to do next.

Corina excused her way through the throng of guests on the crowded dance floor then snaked between a series of tables to get to the back of the enormous banquet room. As casually as she could, she looked over her shoulder to ensure Zach was keeping up with her. He was. The roar of rushing blood reverberated in her ears above the music and gaiety of her surroundings.