Page 67 of Bad Boy Done Wrong
“I knew what you really wanted.”
“And what was that?”
He shifted his hand, stroking his thumb across her lower lip. “It wasn’t passion, though you were sorely in need of that experience.”
“Tell me.”
“Everything on your wish list was focused on you because you wanted to feel special.”
“I did?”
“Yes. Your ex made you feel less than, so your secret desire was to feel special.” He pulled his phone from his jeans pocket and tapped a few times, pulling up the list. “Okay, take number one. Dessert comes first.” He met her eyes. “Besides the obvious sexual euphemism, it says I want to come first with you. I want to feel special. See?” He looked down at his phone again. “And this next one. Top floor. I would like to be important to you. High on top. I want to feel special.” He lifted his head. “See how it comes back to that?” He rattled the next few off in a rapidly rising voice. “Sunday drive, can’t even keep my hands off you in a car because you’re so damn special; squeaky clean, can’t stop touching you even in my personal time—”
She cut him off. “You’re brilliant!” Her cheeks burned, embarrassed that he’d seen right through her, delving deep to what evenshehadn’t realized she wanted. No other man would’ve taken that list and read so deeply into it. He was amazing. Utterly amazing.
“Here’s another one,” he said. “Animals are primal. I want to feel alive in my skin. I want to feel—”
“Special,” she finished for him. He seemed to enjoy figuring out the puzzle of Carrie. She liked it too since he was so good at it.
He kept going with extra enthusiasm. “Yes! The focus is on you so you feel special. And what does meeting Harvey, a wallbanger, represent?” He raised his brows. “Strength on your partner’s part to lift and hold you for a duration of time, but also your partner would be overcome with passion, face-to-face, focus on you. And, of course, Jane Bond can’t help but have the focus on her since she’s tied up.” He shoved the phone back in his pocket and grinned. “I like that last one a lot.”
She flew into his arms and kissed him. This time his focus was back on her and he took over the kiss, gripping her hair, his lips hard and demanding, his tongue thrusting inside. She mewled in the back of her throat, already hot and wet and ready. His other hand cupped her ass and slid between her legs, igniting her. She pulled at his shirt, desperate for skin on skin, but was still caught in his hold. Just when she was about to demand he rip his clothes off, he lifted his head, gazing into her eyes.
“Do you agree with my interpretation?” he asked in his gruff and growly voice.
“Yes, you’re so observant,” she said in a breathy voice.
He kissed her gently. “I am. For you and everyone else but not myself. All this time I thought I wasn’t good at relationships, but I was just waiting for you.” He lifted a hand and cradled her jaw. “You’re special to me.” His voice was gruff with emotion. “More than I ever imagined someone could be. You’re it for me, Carrie.”
Her eyes stung, overwhelmed once more by the love pouring out of him. All for her. “I can’t believe you read between the lines to what I really needed. I didn’t even know I was putting that in there until you said it.”
He gave her a small smile. “Takes a special someone to see, an anthropologist type.”
She framed his face with her hands. “A good man.”
He turned his head and nipped her palm. “I’ll still be your bad boy in the bedroom. That comes naturally.”
“No holding back.”
He kissed her. “Couldn’t if I wanted to.” He scooped her up, carried her to the bed, and lowered her to the mattress, but he didn’t join her right away. Instead he stood, gazing down at her before flashing a brilliant smile. “You arethewoman, Carrie Young. I’ve been looking for you.” She recognized her pickup line from weeks ago.
She held out her arms to him. “Yeah? Where’ve you been looking?”
He climbed on top of her, resting on his forearms, and spoke in a husky voice. “Everywhere.”
She wriggled under him. “Rip my clothes off, bad boy, and have your wicked way with me.”
He obliged because he was a verygoodbad boy. Once they were both naked, he settled between her legs but didn’t take her in his usual hard thrust. Instead he slid in slowly and then stilled. He cradled her cheek with one hand and gazed into her eyes.
“Carrie,” he rasped in a voice thick with emotion.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“I have a wish list. One thing on it.”
She ran her fingers through his short hair and then across his shoulders. “Tell me.”
He didn’t reply, merely shifted, kissing along her jawline as he made love to her, taking her slow and deep. Her head dropped back and he nuzzled along the side of her neck.
He kissed her and spoke against her lips. “I want all of you.”
“Yes,” she whispered, wrapping her arms and legs tight around him. “You have me. All of me.”
He got more aggressive then, pumping hard and fast in what felt like a claiming. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders, hanging on for the ride. He slipped a hand under her hip, lifting her to take him deeper. She moaned as the pressure built within her. And then his eyes locked on hers and her breath hitched, her heart racing as she read in his eyes what he really wanted from her.
“Zach, I love you unconditionally with everything I am.”
His eyes watered and then he surged into her, his mouth crashing over hers. The intensity ratcheting up with the most powerful force of all—love.
And then she flew, coming apart safe in his arms, holding him through his own shuddering climax. He gave her his weight and they stayed like that, tangled up in each other. Merged in body and heart.
