Page 68 of Wicked Intention

“When you said you wanted to go dancing, I didn’t expect big band.”

Zo pushed her hair behind her shoulder. “Regular dance clubs are too frenetic, and they leave me exhausted. The Anacapa Club is more relaxed. Dreamier.”

The elevator arrived, and Finn waited for Zo to enter before following her and pressing the floor for her condo.Dreamier.Did that mean something? Finn had been trying to read her since earlier this evening when she’d made her appearance from her bedroom. The black dress hugged her curves, giving him hope, but it also had long sleeves, a highneckline, and the hem ended right above her knees, and he couldn’t be sure it meant a damn thing. Maybe sexy, but prim was how she always dressed when she went out. It was the first time they’d gone anywhere that required something more than jeans.

He rolled his shoulders. Fuck it. He said they’d go at Zo’s pace, and they would. He could be patient, especially for her.

Sharing space with her for a week and a half had made it clear how well they fit each other. They’d worked out together, cooked together and cleaned up afterward, and they talked. A lot. He never ran out of things to say to her, and he never became bored. Maybe he’d followed Zo to LA because he’d known it would be like this between them. She was as introverted as he was, she liked to read as much as he did, and she was happiest staying home. Like he was.

Their biggest difference so far, was how cautious she was about their relationship. They’d shared a lot of kisses, but as soon as he’d tried to take things further, Zo retreated. He got it, and when he needed a reminder, Finn would think about San Isidro. They’d both lost control, and it hadn’t taken much. If she wasn’t ready for sex, then stepping back early was the smart choice.

Their hands brushed, and Zo linked her fingers with his. Such a simple gesture shouldn’t affect him as strongly as it did, but this was his loquita—everything she did impacted him.

“You’re a good dancer,” she said. “I didn’t expect that.”

“One of my foster mothers was a dance teacher.” Finn stroked Zo’s hand with his thumb and felt her shiver.

The doors opened on their floor. Zo didn’t let go of him. Instead, she led him out of the elevator until he fell into step beside her. The hall wasn’t as brightly lit at this time of night as it was earlier in the day, and her pace was slow, almost an amble. She leaned into him when they reached her unit, waiting for him to unlock the door.

They’d left a few strategic lights on, and the space wassoftly lit. Finn locked up while Zo walked deeper into the condo. Damn, she had legs that went on forever, and the heels she had on made them seem even longer. His gaze traveled up, admiring the sway of her hips and the way the dress clung to her ass. He took a deep breath and then another, dredging for some self-command before following her.

Zo met him, her arms sliding over his shoulders until her fingers stroked his nape. In heels, she was only a few inches shorter than he was, and Finn loved the hell out of that. His lips brushed across hers before he went back for a longer, deeper kiss.

He kept his hands at her waist, cognizant of the line she’d drawn, but he was already starting to get hard, and with her body plastered against his, she’d notice and back off. His control should be better—it always had been in the past—but not with Zo. With Zo, his senses were deep in sheer bedlam.

Finn broke the kiss. He figured he had seconds before she backed away and said good night, and while he might not get to take her to bed, he wasn’t ready for the evening to end. Not yet. “Want to dance?” he asked, voice thick.

For a moment, she stared at him and then asked, “You want to dance? Now?”

“No.” He struggled to leave it there but lost the battle. “I want to strip us both naked, throw you on the bed, and spend the rest of the night making you come.”

She appeared stunned, but instead of pulling away, Zo’s lips quirked up. “I like that idea better. Let’s have sex instead of dancing. Do you have condoms?”

Had she said what he thought he heard? “Yes. Are you sure, loquita?”

“Positive.” She stepped back, but instead of walking away, Zo took his hand and headed for the hallway to the bedrooms. They passed his room, the other bedrooms, and her office. The master suite was at the end of the hall, and she didn’trelease him until they were inside her sanctuary. She’d left a few lights on here, too.

Checking out the space was instinctual, but the second scan was born from curiosity. The suite was enormous with its own fireplace, a sitting area complete with a television, and the king-size bed faced the windows, giving him an incredible view of the lights of Los Angeles. Most of the room was sandy beige, but she’d gone with Caribbean blue as her color here. The stack of books on the coffee table in front of the sofa made it pretty clear that this is where she hung out—she’d spent time in the living room the past couple weeks to be with him.

In a split second, he had all the details, and he returned his gaze to Zo. She’d moved out of arms’ reach, and her fingers were interlaced at her waist. She appeared nervous, and it was the last thing he wanted. Curving his lips, he said the first thing that came to mind. “I like this. Much more peaceful than the guest room.”

She smiled in return, some of the tightness leaving her shoulders. “I like color”—she indicated the blue couch, chairs, chaise, and bedspread with a sweep of her hand—”but I also wanted to sleep.”

“As opposed to your guests.”

“Hey, the green wall is behind the bed. You’re facing the neutral one. If you can’t sleep, don’t blame it on me.”

“Loquita,” his voice dropped lower, “my restlessness is 100% your fault.” Her tension returned, and he worked to rein himself in. One obvious reason for her apprehension came to mind immediately. Damn it. “It’s not a problem if you changed your mind. Just let me know, okay?”

“I haven’t changed my mind.”

Finn raised his brows. “I can see your anxiety.”

She huffed out a long breath. “It’s not because I’ve changed my mind, it’s because this is a big step. I don’t take sex lightly.”

He had to swallow hard to clear the lump in his throat before he could speak. “I don’t take what’s between us lightly either, Zo.”

This got him another small smile. “I know. It’s part of what makes me nervous.” She moved close enough to take his hands in hers. “I want you, Finn. I’ll let you know loud and clear if that changes. Now, about those orgasms you promised me…”

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