CHAPTER 19
Present
THE STORM HAD STARTED AGAIN and rain pounded all around us, against the windows of Zach’s penthouse. It drowned out the sound of the outside world, the traffic, our breathing, even my thoughts…
I didn’t want to think.
For five fucking minutes, I didn’t want to fight or be angry or hate everything.
I didn’t want to pretend I didn’t want this.
So when Zach threw me onto his bed, I didn’t even complain about being manhandled. Instead, I propped myself up to watch him. My elbows dipped into his mattress, covered in silky black sheets. I sat there, on his large bed, naked and bare, only having my thong as a cover. However, I didn’t attempt to cover up anymore. I was facing my fears and insecurities head-on this time. Plus, the arousal clouding my judgment made it pretty hard to concentrate on anything excepthim.
Zach stood at the end of the bed, tall and strong. The lights were off, but the night cast him in its shadows. The bulge in his pants was unmistakable, but he didn’t give me much time to wonder what laid beneath the fabric of hisclothes. His hands went to the back of his neck, pulling his T-shirt off.
I swallowed.
Tan muscle covered in black ink. Complex tattoos stretched across his defined body. Over his large arms, chest, torso, and defined abs – stopping right before the V-line which disappeared under low-hanging sweatpants. Two red lines were slashed against his chest, and a chill ran down my spine when I remembered I’d left them there with my knife.
This was the first time I’d seen him without a shirt. I’d been too shy to really look at him earlier in the shower. I’d caught glimpses of different areas before, but nothing compared to seeing him like this. My core tightened with desire and I felt my nipples hardening even more. Ineededto feel him again.
In one swift motion, he pulled down his pants along with his boxers, before straightening and standing in all his glory. It took everything in me to hide my embarrassment and nerves at the sight of him fully hard. Regardless, my cheeks burned and I had to bite my lip to keep from blurting out something stupid likehow big he was.
He already fucking knew.
He’d murmured it in my ear before, and I guessed the joke was on me because he hadn’t lied one bit.
I took my time taking in every inch of him, not even caring when he smirked at my obvious admiration. Everything about him was chiseled – his chest and six-pack, even his cock – and I slightly hated him for the perfection. For how it made my body have a mind of its own and for taking my power and control away from me.
He made me feel everything at once.
Anger.
Fear.
Ecstasy.
Want.
Need.
There was no denying it anymore. I just wasn’t sure how I was going to tame the desire inside me.
Zach watched me back with equal fire, his eyes night-dark, devouring light in their intensity.
He advanced, placing one knee on the bed and fixing me with a gaze so dark it made me shiver in anticipation. Every move was calculated, aimed to show off his muscles and strength. He climbed over me, forcing me to lay down flat on the bed as his chain hung down from his neck. Holding his weight in his hands on each side of my head, he watched me for a moment.
Before I knew what I was doing, my hands were running up the sides of his body. When I reached his strong shoulders, I dug my sharp nails into his muscles. Neither of us broke eye contact once and I thought I was going to lose my mind if he didn’t stop teasing and start touching me.
That was all it took for him to drop his head and finally kiss me, lowering himself on his forearms and pinning me to the mattress with his weight. My hands moved to his neck, then his hair, tugging and pulling, both kissing like time was running out.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been thiscloseto somebody.This safe. This secure. This wanted.
A soft groan of disapproval left me when he pulled away, but it was quickly replaced with a whimper when he lowered his mouth to my chest, swallowing one of my nipples.
I moaned when he slightly dug his teeth in before sucking. Back in the living room, he’d only kissed mearound the area, leaving me breathless only to intentionally drive me crazy. But now, he was focused on it, giving me what I wanted. Switching between my breasts, and massaging them in his rough hands, giving both his full attention.
“Tell me, Maria,” He rasped, coming back up so his lips brushed mine. “Has anyone touched you like this before?”