Chapter 6

six

?. . .?

Zander

I knock firmly on Chrissy's apartment door, my heart pounding in rhythm with my fist. The cool night air does little to calm the heat simmering beneath my skin. I need to see her. Now.

The door swings open and there she stands, her hazel eyes wide with surprise. "Zander? What are you doing here?"

My gaze rakes over her, drinking in the sight I've been craving for weeks. The soft curves of her body are draped in a silky robe that clings in all the right places. Desire coils tight in my gut.

"I had to see you," I say, my voice low and rough with need. "I can't stand this distance between us anymore."

Chrissy bites her plump lower lip, uncertainty warring with longing in her eyes. After a charged moment, she steps back and gestures for me to come inside. The apartment is dimly lit, shadows dancing on the walls. The air feels heavy, weighted with unspoken desires.

I follow her into the living room, my body gravitating towards hers like a magnet. She turns to face me and I can't tear my gaze away from her. The way the robe frames her figure is mesmerizing. I ache to run my hands over her soft skin, to claim her mouth with my own.

"Zander, we can't keep doing this," Chrissy whispers, but there's no conviction in her voice.

I step closer, until mere inches separate us. Her intoxicating scent wraps around me, fueling my need. "I don't care about anything else. I only care about you."

My fingertips graze her cheek, trailing down the elegant column of her neck. Her pulse jumps beneath my touch and a shaky breath escapes her parted lips. The sexual tension crackling between us is a living thing, threatening to consume us both.

"Tell me you don't feel this too," I murmur, my thumb brushing over her full lower lip. "Tell me you don't want me as badly as I want you."

Chrissy's eyes flutter closed for a brief moment before locking with mine again, dark with desire. "I do, Zander. But..."

I silence her protests with a searing kiss, pouring every ounce of pent-up passion into the press of my lips against hers. She melts into me, her hands fisting in my shirt as a needy moan rises in her throat. I deepen the kiss, my tongue tangling with hers in a sensual dance. My hands map the curves of her body, desperate to touch and explore.

We stumble backwards until Chrissy's back hits the wall. I cage her in with my arms, my body fitting perfectly against her soft curves. Her robe has slipped off one shoulder, revealing creamy skin that begs to be tasted. I trail open-mouthed kisses down her neck, reveling in the little gasps of pleasure that escape her.

"Zander, please..." Chrissy breathes, her nails digging into my shoulders. "We shouldn't..."

But her body arches into mine, betraying her true desires. I capture her mouth again, silencing any further protests. In this moment, nothing exists except the scorching heat between us, the overwhelming need to make her mine. Consequences be damned. All that matters is the feeling of her skin against mine, the way she trembles under my touch.

I'm lost in her, drowning in the depths of my desire for this incredible woman. And I never want to come up for air.

My hands find the tie of Chrissy's robe, tugging it loose. The silky fabric parts like water, revealing her lush curves clad only in a thin nightgown. My breath catches at the sight—she is a vision of sensual beauty in the dim light. I want to worship every inch of her body.

"I'm going to take care of every beautiful inch of you, baby," I tell her, my voice rough with awe. "Give that pussy everything it needs.

Chrissy's eyes are dark with desire as she gazes up at me. Her hands work at the buttons of my shirt with desperate urgency. "I need you, Zander. I can't fight this anymore..."

"Then don't," I growl, shrugging out of my shirt and pulling her flush against my bare chest. "Let me love you, Chrissy. Let me show you how good we can be together."

I capture her mouth in a searing kiss, pouring all my longing and frustration into the slant of our lips. Chrissy matches my passion, her tongue dancing with mine as her hands map my shoulders, my back. I groan into her mouth when her nails rake lightly over my skin.

Driven by a primal urge to claim her, I hoist Chrissy up, encouraging her legs to wrap around my waist. She gasps at the bold move, fingers clutching at my shoulders for balance. I can feel the heat of her core through the thin barrier of her panties, stoking my arousal to a fever pitch.

Chrissy breaks the kiss with a moan as I grind against her. "Bedroom," she pants, eyes glazed with need.

I carry her down the hall, our mouths fused in deep, drugging kisses. The rest of our clothing is dispatched in a flurry of grasping hands and whispered pleas. By the time we tumble onto the bed, we are skin to skin, nothing left between us.

I take a moment to drink in the sight of Chrissy laid out before me, all creamy curves and soft skin. My hands skim reverently over her body, committing every dip and swell to memory.

Chrissy arches into my touch, a breathy moan escaping her kiss-swollen lips. "Please, Zander," she whimpers, desperation coloring her tone. "I need you inside me."

"Fuck yes, that's what I'm talking about." Seeing her wanting me like this has me going insane. I kiss her as I settle between her parted thighs, the heat of her core scorching against my aching flesh. With agonizing slowness, I ease into her slick depths, groaning at the exquisite feeling of her body welcoming me home.

Chrissy cries out, nails digging into my shoulders as I fill her completely.

"God, you feel incredible," I rasp against the shell of her ear, punctuating my words with a deep, languid thrust. "So tight. So perfect."

Chrissy rolls her hips to meet mine, urging me deeper. Our bodies find a primal rhythm, rocking together in a sensual give and take. Soft sighs and reverent touches mingle with breathless pleas and grasping hands. We lose ourselves in the push and pull of our joining, climbing higher with each fevered slide of skin against skin.

I place my hands on either side of her face and force her to look into my eyes. "I'm not just fucking you, baby. You understand that? I'm making love to you. You stop fighting us. You understand me? I'm going to take care of everything."

Chrissy whimpers, her inner muscles fluttering around my surging length. "Don't stop, please don't stop..."

I capture her mouth in a searing kiss once more, swallowing her cries of ecstasy as I drive into her with abandon. My own release coils tight at the base of my spine, white-hot tendrils of pleasure spiraling through my veins. With a hoarse shout, I empty myself deep inside her welcoming heat, her name a reverent chant on my lips.

We cling to each other as the aftershocks slowly fade, hearts pounding in sync. I trail tender kisses over Chrissy's face, brushing damp strands of hair from her flushed cheeks. In this perfect moment, everything else fades away. All that remains is the undeniable rightness of her body entwined with mine.

"Stay with me tonight," Chrissy murmurs, her eyes soft and vulnerable in the muted light. "I don't want to let you go just yet."

I gather her close, savoring the feel of her curves molding to my harder planes. "Wild horses couldn't drag me away," I promise, sealing my vow with a slow, deep kiss.

The gray light of dawn filters through the curtains as I slowly blink awake, momentarily disoriented. The events of last night come rushing back—Zander's unexpected arrival, our explosive argument that morphed into something else entirely. The ache between my thighs and the warm, solid presence at my back serve as undeniable proof that it wasn't just a vivid dream.

Panic claws at my throat as the reality of the situation sinks in. I slept with Zander. Again.

My career, my reputation...everything I've worked so hard for could be ruined if this gets out. The thoughts sour the blissful afterglow.

I try to slip out of bed without waking Zander, desperate for some space to clear my head and figure out how to handle this mess. But the moment I sit up, his arm snakes around my waist, tugging me back against his chest.

"Where do you think you're going?" he murmurs, nuzzling into the crook of my neck. His voice is still rough from sleep, sending shivers down my spine.

"I...we...," I stammer, trying to ignore the way my body instinctively melts into his. "If anyone at work finds out-"

"Stop." Zander's fingers press gently against my lips, halting my anxious spiral. He shifts so he can look me in the eye, his gaze intense but tender. "I know you care about proving your worth at work, and your work ethic is one of the many things I admire about you, but stop worrying, beautiful. I don't care what anyone thinks, Chrissy. I want this. I want you."

My heart stutters in my chest at his words, equal parts thrilled and terrified. "But our careers," I whisper. "The gossip, the accusations of favoritism..."

"We'll handle it," he says firmly. "Together. I'm not going to let narrow-minded busybodies stand in the way of something this real." His thumb strokes along my cheekbone, his touch grounding me. "I'm all in, Chrissy. Professionally, personally...in every way. If you'll have me."

Tears prick at the backs of my eyes as a tentative hope unfurls in my chest. Could we really make this work? The logical part of my brain throws up a dozen red flags, but my heart is already leaping ahead, daring to imagine a future where I don't have to choose between love and ambition.

I hesitate, my heart torn between the undeniable pull toward Zander and the fear of jeopardizing everything I've worked so hard for. The morning light filtering through the curtains casts a soft glow on his chiseled features, making him look almost ethereal. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the words I know I have to say.

"Zander, I..." My voice catches, and I clear my throat. "I think we need to keep things strictly professional at work. At least for now."

His brow furrows, a flicker of hurt crossing his face before he smooths it away. "I understand your concerns, Chrissy. But I don't want to hide this—hide us."

I reach out, taking his hand in mine, marveling at how perfectly they fit together even though his is so much bigger than mine. "I don't want to hide either. But the thought of people gossiping, the backlash it could cause... I've worked too hard to let anything tarnish my reputation."

Zander searches my eyes. "Why are you so worried about this?"

I try to look away, but Zander won't allow it. He grabs my chin and forces me to meet his gaze. He knows there's more to it than I've been letting on.

I exhale and finally confess, "My mom slept with her boss, and people always gave her shit about it. Hell, they gave me shit about it too. I don't want to be like that."

Zander's thumb traces soothing circles on the back of my hand, his touch both comforting and electrifying as his eyes soften with understanding. "Why didn't you just tell me that from the start?"

I shrug. "It's not exactly the sort of thing I'm proud of." Zander is silent for a long moment before he concedes, "We'll be discreet. Keep our personal life separate from work. But I don't want to pretend that this never happened, that it doesn't mean anything."

I bite my lip, torn between the desire to throw caution to the wind and the deeply ingrained need to protect myself. "It means everything to me, Zander. You mean everything to me."

He pulls me into his arms, my head fitting perfectly into the crook of his neck. I breathe in his scent, a heady mix of sandalwood and something uniquely him. "We'll take it slow. Figure it out together. But I'm not going anywhere, Chrissy. I'm in this for the long haul. You're mine, baby."

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I blink them back, overwhelmed by the depth of emotion in his words. "Okay," I whisper, my decision made. "We'll keep it professional at work. But when we're alone..."

Zander's lips curve into a wicked grin, his eyes darkening with promise. "When we're alone, all bets are off."

He captures my mouth in a searing kiss, and I melt into him, my doubts and fears dissolving as he shows me once again just what we're going to do every time we're alone.