she said to him. He wasn’t sure if she’d been deliberately avoiding him since his dopey remark earlier, or if she was flitting around like a butterfly to make new friends. Either way, he was glad she’d come over to him.
“Having fun?”
“Sure am. I’m meeting some great people here. It was sweet of Dylan to invite me. Sorry if I abandoned you.”
He raised his beer bottle to his lips. “No problem. I spent my time keeping Adam amused.”
Jessica shot a questioning glance at Adam.
“He’s quite a party animal these days,” Adam explained, tucking his free hand into his trouser pockets.
Zane gulped the rest of his beer. He wouldn’t be here if Jessica hadn’t changed her mind about coming. “C’mon Jess. Looks like the meal’s being served. I’ve got me a hankering for some barbecue chicken.”
“Adam, will you join us?” she asked.
Adam shook his head. “I’ll see you over at the table later. I’m going to have another drink first.”
Zane began moving, and Jessica kept by his side as he headed for a table occupying the far corner of the massive patio. “Chances are we won’t see much of Adam tonight. He keeps to himself pretty much.”
“Does he?” she asked. “Why?”
“I don’t really know. We got friendly when I leased the house from him. And we had some business dealings, but I sensed he’s a loner. It’s probably why he was standing with me, over against the wall.”
“Well, he was cordial to me.”
“Yeah, I know.” Zane dipped his gaze to the swell of her breasts teasing the top of her frilly sundress. Her skin looked creamy soft and—Lord help him—inviting. With that blond hair flowing down her back and her eyes as green as a grassy meadow, she made his heart ache. “I saw the two of you walking out to the water.”
“All I did was ask him about his designs. Architecture has always fascinated me.”
“Yeah, that’s probably why he spent time with you. He loves talking shop.” Lucky for him, Jess didn’t notice the sarcasm in his voice. He managed to pull a chair out for her, crutches and all.
Man, he’d be glad to rid himself of them.
It couldn’t happen soon enough.
* * *
They’d stayed at the party a little too long. Zane was smashed, going over his liquor limit an hour ago, and now she struggled to get him out of the car. He obviously didn’t take his own advice. Hadn’t he warned her of not drinking too much, because in his handicapped state, he wouldn’t be able to help her? Well...now the shoe was on the other foot. “Hang on to me,” she said, reaching inside the car.
“Glad to, darlin’.”
He slung his arm around her shoulder, nearly pulling her onto his lap.
“Zane!”
An earthy laugh rumbled from his throat.
“Not cute.”
“Neither are y-you,” he said.
After a few seconds of maneuvering, she managed to get him upright.
“You’re b-beautiful.”
Oh, boy. She rolled her eyes and ignored his comment.
He swayed to the left. Sure-footed he was not. She leaned him up against the car. “Here.” She shoved a crutch under his arm, tucking it carefully but none too gently. “Please, please, try to concentrate.”
Maybe she should’ve taken Dylan up on his offer to drive Zane home. But Zane wouldn’t have any of it, insisting he could manage.
Men and their egos.
Now she had two hundred pounds of sheer brawn and muscle to contend with. “Lean against me, Zane. Try not to topple. Ready?”
He nodded forcefully, and his whole body coasted away from her. “Whoa!” She gripped him around the waist and tugged with all of her might to bring him close. Letting him go right now would be a disaster. “Don’t make sudden moves like that.”
“Mmm.”
He sounded happy about something. She was glad someone was enjoying this. When he seemed secure in his stance, she took a step and then another. With his body pressed to hers and one shoulder supporting his arm, she managed to get him through the garage and inside the house. By the time she made it to his bed, her strength was almost sapped. “Here we go. I’m going to let go of you now.”
“Don’t,” he said.
“Why? Are you feeling dizzy?”
He shook his head, and his arm tightened around her shoulder. She was trapped in his warmth, his heat. And as she gazed up into his eyes, they cleared. Just like that. The haze that seemed to keep him in a woozy state was gone. “No. I’m feeling pretty damn good. Because you’re here with me. Because I can’t get you out of my head.”
As if his own weight was too much to bear, he sat down, taking her with him. She plopped on the bed, and the mattress sighed. Streaming moonlight filtered into the room, and their reflection in the window bounced back at her. Two souls, searching for something that they’d lost. Was that what the attraction was?
“Are you drunk?” she asked.
“Not too much anymore.” He pushed aside her hair at her nape, his touch as gentle as a Texas breeze. He nipped her there, his teeth scraping around to the top of her throat and the sensation claimed all the breath in her lungs.
“You sobered up fast,” she whispered, barely able to form a coherent thought. Having his delicious mouth taking liberties on her neck was pure heaven.
“I know when I want something.”
His nips were heady, and she tilted her head to the side, offering him more of her throat. “Wh-what do you want?”
With his good hand under her chin, he turned her head, and then his lips were on hers, pressing firm against her softness, igniting fireworks that started with her brain and rushed all the way down to her belly. She turned to him, roping her arm around his neck, kissing him back. He smelled like pure male animal, his scent mingling with whiskey and heat. Her breasts perked up, and her nipples pebbled against the silky material of her dress.
“I want to kiss you again and again,” he rasped over her lips. “I want to touch your body and have you touch mine. I need you, too. So badly, sweetheart.”
Oh, wow. Oh, wow. Oh, wow. A fierce physical attraction pulled at her like a giant magnet. She couldn’t fight the force or the combustible chemistry between them. And Zane didn’t give her time to refuse. With his left hand, he began unbuttoning his shirt and did a lousy job of slipping the buttons free until she came to his rescue.
“Let me.” She shoved his hand away and quickly finished for him. With his shirt open now, his chest was a work of art, muscled and bronzed. She itched to touch him, to put her hands exactly where he wanted her to. She inhaled, and as she released a breath, she spread her palms over his hot, moist skin. From the contours of his waist up his torso to where crisp chest hairs tickled the underside of her fingers, she savored each inch of him.
A guttural groan exploded in the room, and she wasn’t sure if she’d made that sound, but one look into Zane’s eyes darkened by desire and she knew it wasn’t her.
He was on fire. His skin sizzled hot and steamy, his breathing hitched and all of that combined was enough to blanket her body with burning heat. “We can’t,” she said softly.
She had to say it. Because of Janie. Because of Steven. She and Zane were both trying to heal, but none of that resonated right now. None of it seemed powerful enough to derail the sensations whipping them into a frenzied