Page 17 of Bound in Paradise
Bastards! All of them.
Dani fisted her fingers in her long, dark hair and tugged. She needed to get a grip. Knowing Zack wasn’t married changednothing.He was here for business, nothing more. And she’d worked too hard to let Zack Kincaid waltz back in and disrupt the life she'd rebuilt. He was just as dangerous as her father and uncle. More so, because he had the ability to sway her more than anybody else. She had to stay strong and hold on to her ideals. Stay true to herself.
Men were cheating bastards. Even Luca, the only man she truly trusted, had a son with a married woman. He’d just goneabout it in a different way, and seduced Zoe’s husband, Ryan, as well.
The vicious thought brought Dani up short, shocking her. Jesus, she needed to stop this! Neither Luca, nor Ryan and Zoe, deserved that kind of disservice from her. They were in a consensual poly relationship and had been for years. It was one of several among the islands’ employees, and there was no cheating or deceit involved. Such a thought was so far beneath her, she was ashamed. In fact, she’d been overjoyed when Luca had stood up to Lorenzo’s old-fashioned ideals and made it quite clear that her uncle needed to accept Matteo as his heir, because there would be no others.
Disgusted with herself, she deleted the email and closed out her computer, but as Dani left her office, the memory of Zack’s intense gaze lingered. All these years later, and she was still a fool for the man. He still made her act out of character. It was unnerving.
Dani straightened her shoulders, determination setting in. She'd survived Zack Kincaid once. She could do it again. This time, she was stronger, older, wiser. She wouldn't let her guard down, no matter how much her lady garden was begging to be watered.
That hussy could make do with BOB. Her battery-operated boyfriend had never let her down.
9
Unbelievable!
All day, Dani had felt on edge. Despite her pep-talk, every look, every interaction with Zack had tested her resolve and the knowledge that he wasn’t married burned in her brain, frying every neuron wired for good sense. He’d lied to keep her at arm’s length. She needed to remember that.
Still, she’d come home with one single goal in mind; to take the edge off the insatiable desire that had consumed her all day.
She’d come home to BOB, refusing to admit how lonely and pathetic that might be, and instead consoled herself with how reliable he was. How he could be depended on to provide a perfectly satisfying orgasm without any of the heartache and disappointment that went with a real live man.
But right now, BOB appeared to be mocking her. She’d stripped out of her office clothes, laid down on the cool sheets of her bed… and nothing.
She’d even changed the batteries.
Frustrated, Dani tossed the useless vibrator aside and flopped back onto her pillow with an exasperated groan. Her body thrummed with unfulfilled need, every nerve endinghypersensitive. She squeezed her thighs together, seeking friction, but it only intensified the ache between her legs.
Memories of Zack's strong hands and piercing gaze flashed through her mind. She could almost feel the ghost of his touch on her skin, hear his deep voice murmuring in her ear. Dani shook her head, trying to banish the thoughts. He was her ex for a reason. She didn't need him or any other man.
But as her fingers drifted down her body of their own accord, skimming over her breasts and stomach, Dani couldn't help imagining they were Zack's. She bit her lip, torn between giving in to the fantasy and maintaining her pride. The throbbing between her thighs made the decision for her. With a resigned sigh, she slid her hand lower, closing her eyes as she began to stroke herself.
Her fingers moved in slow, teasing circles, building the tension that had been simmering all day. Dani imagined Zack's calloused hands on her body, his lips trailing hot kisses down her neck. They’d been so good together. So perfectly in tune. A soft moan escaped her as she increased the pressure and speed of her strokes.
But it wasn't enough. No matter how she touched herself, she couldn't reach that elusive peak. Frustration mounted as her body refused to cooperate. She needed more - more pressure, more friction, more... something.
With a growl of annoyance, Dani sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Maybe a cold shower would douse this maddening arousal. As she stood, her gaze fell on her phone sitting on the nightstand. An idea - a dangerous, reckless idea - flashed through her mind.
Her hand hovered over the device as she warred with herself. It would be so easy to call him, to invite him over. To let him satisfy this craving in ways her own touch never could.
"No," Dani muttered, clenching her fists. She wouldn't give Zack the satisfaction. Wouldn't give in to temptation so easily. She was stronger than that.
But as she turned away from the phone, a wave of loneliness washed over her. The emptiness of her cabana seemed to mock her resolve. Dani wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling small and vulnerable.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered, pacing the length of her bedroom. Her skin still tingled with arousal, her body wound tight as a spring. She needed release, needed to feel something other than this maddening frustration.
Before she could second-guess herself, Dani strode to her closet and yanked out a slinky black dress. If she couldn't trust herself around Zack, she'd find distraction elsewhere. The resort was always bustling with attractive, willing partners. Surely, she could find someone to scratch this itch without the complication of feelings. Even she could admit men were sometimes necessary when it came to sex. Not often, but sometimes.
As she slipped into the dress, Dani tried to ignore the voice in her head reminding her that no one had ever made her feel the way Zack did. No one else knew her body as intimately or had ever been able to read her desires with a single glance.
"Stop it," she hissed, smoothing the dress over her ample curves. She applied a coat of bold red lipstick, the color a vivid compliment to her olive skin. She refused to think about how good it would look rimmed around Zack’s cock. Nope, not going there.
With a final glance in the mirror, Dani grabbed her clutch and headed for the door. What she didn’t expect was to barrel headfirst into a solid wall of muscle.
Strong hands gripped her arms, steadying her. Dani's breath caught as a familiar scent enveloped her - a heady mix of sandalwood and pure male that could only belong to one man.
"Going somewhere?" Zack's deep voice rumbled through her, igniting every nerve ending.
