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It was almost a relief when the evening drew to a close. Allegra’s attempts to monopolise Zac’s attention had moved Lisane from mild amusement to irritation. Had the beautiful barrister no scruples?
Don’t answer that!
The ‘goodnight’ process took a while, and Lisane felt her tension ease as she slid into the passenger seat of Zac’s sleek Jaguar shortly before midnight.
Thank heavens for the weekend. It would allow time to put the finishing touches to the kitchen trim, then mid-week, when the laquer paint had hardened, she could hang the lace curtains.
The cottage was gradually coming together. She adored the homely country-style furniture and refurbishing she’d chosen. It suited the one-hundred-year-old wooden structure, and she’d painstakingly polished the wooden floors, added rugs and wall-hangings in cross-stitch and tapestry.
She could walk indoors and feel at peace with her surroundings. Her plans for the garden were underway, a vegetable patch already yielding some fine produce; and while she still had some work to complete in the flower borders, there was time to bring it to its full potential.
Tomorrow, after a lingering breakfast at one of the city’s pavement cafés, Zac would deliver her home.
Tonight…what remained of the night was theirs.
Just the thought of how it would end caused her heartbeat to accelerate and heat to course through her veins.
Gentle fingers brushed her cheek, almost as if he sensed what she was thinking, and she covered his hand with her own for a few timeless seconds before releasing it to offer him a lingering smile.
The Jaguar swept down into the underground car park beneath the tall city apartment building and came to a smooth halt in Zac’s designated space.
He took hold of her hand as they entered the lift and buried his lips in her palm. His eyes were almost black, and she was willing to swear her bones began to melt at the degree of emotion reflected in those dark depths.
She needed to have his mouth on hers…his hands on her body, moulding each sensitised breast, exploring pleasure pulses, bringing her sensual heart alive and aching…for him, only him.
The lift slid to a halt, and minutes later they entered Zac’s luxurious apartment. Floor-to-ceiling glass provided a panoramic view of the city, myriad lights and bright neon winking against an indigo sky.
It was a sight which never failed to enchant her, and she crossed to the tempered glass and gazed beyond the cityscape to the darkened outline of distant hills.
There was piped background music cued in low, courtesy of Zac’s sound system, and she turned as magnificent curtains swished closed from the touch of an electronic button.
Dimmed lighting provided soft illumination, turning the large lounge area into their own private world.
‘Come here.’ Zac’s voice was deep, husky, and Lisane took hold of his outstretched hand.
He drew her in and held her close to his hard body, then lowered his head to nuzzle the sensitive skin beneath her earlobe.
‘I’ve waited all night to be able to do this.’
Slow-dancing.
Lisane closed her eyes and let emotion take over her body. It felt so good to be like this with him. To breathe in his male scent beneath the fine tailoring; to have the freedom to slide her hands beneath his jacket and savour the heady warmth. Feel the hard musculature and sense the quickened beat of his heart.
This was where she wanted to be. With him. The physical whereabouts hardly mattered, nor did the soft, lilting music drifting from expensive speakers.
There was only the man, the heady, dreamy sensation, and the need to feel his hands, his lips on her body, arousing, with the promise of how the night would end…and the journey.
He was a generous lover, intent on gifting the ultimate in pleasure, and she swayed slightly, almost missing her step…and felt the slide of his hand to the base of her spine as he held her firm against him.
His arousal was a potent force, and she lifted her arms to encircle his neck, then sank in against him as he lowered his head down to hers.
Magic.
She felt his fingers loosen the slide-comb holding the length of her hair, sensed the silky fall of it around her shoulders, and the slow threading of his fingers through its length.
He adored the feel of it, the faint fresh smell of her favoured floral-scented shampoo. The way she tossed her head in the throes of passion, and the tumbled mass of waves that fell like a curtain across each cheek…or cascaded down her naked back as she arched up against him and flung back her head.
He could bury his face in its silky length and savour the sweetness…her.
Beautiful, so very beautiful inside and out. Intelligent, clever, yet without artifice or contrived coquetry.
He wanted her…in his life. In his bed. He hadn’t given much thought for how long. There didn’t seem to be the need. The status quo suited him…suited them both. He couldn’t see any reason for anything to change.
Zac took the kiss deeper, and Lisane experienced the familiar deep pull of desire.
Had they stopped moving? She wasn’t sure, didn’t care.
All that mattered was his mouth on hers, possessing with such tactile skill she became lost. His, solely his in a way that rendered her wanton…and wanting.
His clothes, hers, were an inconvenient barrier they each sought to remove. Urgent hands, accompanied by barely audible sounds as the need to feel skin-on-skin contact became unbearable, closely followed by the shimmering satisfaction as the last shred of silk slithered down onto the carpeted floor.
In one fluid movement she leapt up against him and curled her legs around his waist, and sensed rather than heard the soft, laughing groan deep in his throat.
Seconds later he eased his mouth free from her own and feathered light fingers down the length of her spine, teased the curves of her buttocks, then unerringly found the warm, moist heat of her.
Wickedly clever fingers sent her high, the spiralling sensation causing her to gasp with the intensity of it, and she clung on to him, unaware of the soft, guttural sounds emerging from her throat as he brought her to climax.
He reclaimed her mouth, sweeping the soft inner tissue with his tongue, before tangling with her own in an erotic exploration that mirrored the intimacy of sexual possession.
She wanted more…so much more, and she lowered her body a little so the intimate heart of her rested against his powerful arousal. Then she moved, slowly, in an evocative teasing slide that had his heartbeat thudding in his chest and rendered him almost without breath.
‘Minx.’
A soft knowing laugh emerged from her throat. It had been Zac who’d taught her to totally relax and enjoy sex. To receive and gift pleasure without inhibition.
‘Bite me.’
‘Now, there’s a thought.’
‘Promises, huh?’
Lisane moved up against him, then gave a surprised gasp as he adjusted her position, eased his length into the moist heart of her…and surged in to the hilt.
She was aware of stretched tissue, intimate muscles enclosing him…and their readiness to convulse at his slightest move.
‘What are you waiting for?’ Her query was a breathless murmur, and she felt the press of his mouth against the vulnerable curve of her neck.
‘You. To catch up.’
‘Wretch.’If he wanted a challenge, she’d give him one!
The move was hers, and she relished being in control…until he took over. Then nothing mattered except their escalating pleasure and a libidinous climax that shattered them both.
Afterwards he carried her into the shower, where they gently bathed each other beneath the pulsing water, then, once dry, they walked naked into the bedroom and slid beneath the cool percale sheets to indulge in a slow, sensuous after-play…drifting fingers sliding over smooth skin, the gentle brush of lips, and soft, indistinct murmurs of appreciation.
On the edge of sleep Lisane sighed a silent word of thanks. For the man who cradled her close, and the place she’d reached in her life.
It was good. Very good.
No other man had made her feel so aware of her emotional heart…or so alive and incredibly sensual.
There was a certain danger in analysing her feelings in depth, for she was wary of repeating her mistake with Alain.
Although what she shared with Zac was different…so very different.
Love?
She didn’t want to go there. Dared not. For it would mean contemplating an admission of sorts…one she wasn’t ready to make.
It was enough their togetherness lasted a while.
CHAPTER TWO
LISANE came awake to the feather-like drift of fingers teasing a path over one hip, and the breath caught in her throat as they slid a little and sought the warm, moist, intimate heart at the apex of her thighs.
Soft lips nuzzled the sensitive curve at the edge of her neck, and she felt her pulse thud to a quickened beat as those skilful fingers found the highly sensitised nub, stroking it gently until she arched against his hand, wanting, needing more.
‘Good morning.’
Zac’s musing drawl sounded close to her ear, and her mouth curved into a generous smile as she opened her eyes to look at him.
Tousled dark hair, beard-shadow darkening his sculptured facial features…those eyes, so warm and liquid brown, and a mouth to die for.
‘It’s Saturday.’
Silent laughter lightened his gaze and his lips curved a little. ‘And this is important…because?’
‘I get to do this.’
He’d taught her so much. Where to touch and how. She knew what caused his breath to hitch. The way his body tensed when she enclosed his arousal and began to tantalise, driving him to the edge, the faint hiss as she brought him close to climax in what became a test of his endurance. The times he reached it and assumed control…the occasions when he allowed her to take charge.
Their loving was at times hungry, primitive, when passion ruled and surpassed all else. Mostly, it was slow and incredibly erotic, a true feast of the senses.
Lisane moved in close and brushed her lips to his cheek. ‘Do you have anything important planned for the next hour?’
Zac moved a little so her mouth met his. ‘Nothing without you.’
Morning sex, Lisane mused as they rose from the bed, was a great way to begin the day.
Together they shared a leisurely shower, then, towelled dry, she followed him into the bedroom and collected fresh underwear from her overnight bag and pulled on jeans and a pink singlet, added a cropped top in black and slid her feet into kitten heels.
With quick, smooth fingers she caught her hair into a loose knot, applied minimum make-up, added a touch of lip-gloss, then packed her overnight bag.
Zac took it from her hand, and trailed light fingers down her cheek. ‘Hungry?’
‘Uh-huh.’ Her eyes sparkled with mischievous humour. ‘For food.’
He pressed a thumb-pad to her lower lip. ‘Of course.’
She was something else. Intelligent, savvy and possessed of an innate honesty. What was more, there wasn’t an ounce of coquetry…which made for a refreshing change from most young women of his acquaintance.
Together they decided on a Park Road café not far from Lisane’s cottage, selected a pavement table and ordered a full breakfast, preluded by strong, hot coffee.
The sun shone brightly, promising a warm late-spring day, and there was a freshness in the air that would dissipate as the temperatures rose, along with the humidity.
It seemed almost a shame to consider spending most of the weekend indoors. For a moment Lisane thought wistfully of Zac’s waterfront home at Sovereign Islands, his cruiser moored at the jetty, and the occasional weekend they’d spent together there when the constraints of work had allowed them free time.
‘More coffee?’
Lisane was seriously tempted to delay their departure, and it helped a little to know she could. Except she knew time was an important factor, given Zac was engaged in a particularly difficult case, one that required long, tedious hours as he meticulously built undisputed evidence and framed his questioning technique in preparation for a trial due soon to go to court.
‘I’m fine.’ She slid her sunglasses into place from atop her head, and rose to her feet. ‘It’s time to hit the road.’
Zac paid the bill, then caught hold of her hand as they walked to where he’d parked the car.
‘Thanks for breakfast.’
He slanted her a warm smile. ‘My pleasure.’ As the night had been. And the early hours of the morning.
She made it easy for him to relax and unwind, didn’t make any demands, and rarely rose to anger. None of which were an act. He never felt the need to play a part, and her wit and wisdom provided a lightness that had been seriously missing before she entered his life.
They reached the Jaguar, and he saw her into the passenger seat before crossing to the driver’s side.
A few minutes, maybe five, was all it took to reach the street where her cottage was situated, and Lisane leant towards him as soon as he brought the car to a halt outside her gate.
‘Take care, and don’t work too hard.’ She brushed her lips to his cheek, and bit back a faint gasp as he framed her face with his hands and took possession of her mouth.
Oh, my.
She could hardly find her breath when he released her, and she met his warm, steady gaze, glimpsed the faint wickedness evident…and wrinkled her nose at him in teasing remonstrance.
‘I guess that’ll hold me for a while.’
A wide smile curved his generous mouth. ‘Sassy. Definitely sassy.’
Lisane reached for the door-clasp, caught up her overnight bag and slid out from the car. ‘Go suss out the legal arguments that’ll tie the bad guy up in legal knots.’
His soft laughter remained with her as the car disappeared from view, and she smiled a little as she extracted her house-key and unlocked the front door.
