ELEVEN
Olivia lifted her almost empty glass and drained the remains of her martini as her grandmother chattered about the latest news from town.
Not that she or Zane had the slightest curiosity about the goings-on at the Paint and Sip. At least she assumed he wasn't interested despite the look of intent focus coloring his handsome features.
He was probably just being polite.
But what if he wasn't?
Was it possible that he gave women screaming orgasms regularly, and what he did in the shower was of no more significance than, say…the odd trip to the market? She glanced over with what she hoped was an expression of mild interest and tried to determine if the intimate act had affected him in any way.
The tick in his jaw could mean something. So could the slight bounce in his knee. Tearing her eyes away, she looked down and watched his hand cover hers.
"Olivia…"
Tuning back into the conversation, she looked between her grandmother and Zane. "Yes?"
"My goodness, dear. You've barely said a word since we sat down." Margret clucked her tongue. "Perhaps I underestimated Zane's powers, and his fear of intimacy won't be quite the barrier we imagined."
"Wait, my fear of what?" Zane asked, sitting forward.
"Well, look at the time," Olivia said as she stood and wrestled the almost empty glass out of her grandmother's hand. "You should head back to town before it gets dark."
Margret laughed and kissed her granddaughter's cheek. "Good for you."
"Liv, you don't have to hustle Margret out. I'd love to hear all about what you two have been discussing."
"Grams needs to get home."
"I do," Margret said firmly. "I have the ladies coming over."
"Well, don't keep them waiting," she interrupted, praying her grandmother would keep the details of their earlier conversations to herself. There was no need for Zane to know that she'd been talking about him with some regularity.
"You two will have to come to dinner this week."
"I'll call you," she replied as Margret swanned out of the room.
The porch screen door slapped shut, and she felt the muscles in her neck relax. "Well, I'm sure you want to be getting home."
"Not really," Zane said as he picked up the plate that held the remnants of the cheese and crackers. "We could make some dinner and…"
Spinning around, she speed-walked toward the kitchen, wrestling with her second thoughts about getting involved with Zane. She set the glasses next to the sink and calculated the risk of heartbreak resulting from a short affair. How low did the number need to be before she moved forward?
"Are you having second thoughts?"
She accepted the plate and set it on the counter. "About what?"
"You and me." Zane lifted Olivia and set her on an empty section of the counter. "Are you still interested in giving me that raincheck?"
She closed her eyes. "Yes. As long as we don't talk too much."
"That's not real encouraging, Liv." He ran his thumb over her cheek. "Especially since you love nothing more than sharing your thoughts on everything great and small."
"Not anymore." She opened her eyes. "If we do talk, there will be no doubt about our incompatibility. It might be best just to tear each other's clothes off and keep conversations to a minimum."
"Considering you're a chatterbox, I'm gonna say that's damn near impossible."
Olivia mimed, zipping her mouth closed. "Bet I can find something better to do with my mouth." Zane's eyebrows shot sky-high, and she laughed. "It's not that shocking?"
"Maybe not, since you were discussing big-dick energy within days of meeting."
"Be that as it may…"
"Liv, just tell me what you want."
How did the man manage to be both menacing and romantic? She looked up, sensing there wasn't much difference between him and a wolf.
What would he do once she gave him the go-ahead? "I'd like…"
"Yes?" he asked, moving closer.
Feeling beautifully pinned by his massive body, she traced her finger lightly along the ropey muscles decorating his forearms. "To see what it looks like when you lose your manners."
"That can be arranged. But first, shouldn't we…"
"If you say talk again, know I'll rescind my offer." Her heart traveled in a ricochet pattern as a growl erupted from his chest, and his fingers flexed against her thighs. "A little meaningless sex never hurt anyone. And there's no reason to believe we'd be the exception."
"And that's where you'd be wrong." He slid his hand under the hem of her dress and gripped her thigh firmly. "But I'll save that discussion for another day."
She pressed her mouth to his. "I knew you'd see my way is best."
"For now," he murmured.
"Forever," she mumbled as his fingers slid inside her panties, making her lingering doubts disappear.
The few social skills Zane possessed slipped away as Olivia moaned into his mouth. Why was their mating the one thing she didn't want to discuss? "Liv…"
"Zane, it doesn't have to be more than sex." She ran her finger over his jaw. "Maybe we just need to satisfy our curiosity. Get each other out of our systems."
"What if…"
Olivia shook her head. "Nope. We're going to ravage one another and hopefully do unspeakable things."
"But…"
"What we're not going to do is make it into more."
Sliding his finger over her bundle of nerves, he watched her eyes flutter closed. "You sure have a lotta rules, and I don't know that I'm interested in following them."
"Well, that's disappointing."
He arched an eyebrow as she shifted her hips. "Bet you'll get over it once my mouth touches you."
She leaned into his touch. "Or I get my mouth on you."
He let out a low chuckle. "We can save that for later."
Olivia hooked her leg around Zane's waist, drawing him closer. "You sure?"
"Yes!" He gathered her dress and pulled it over her head, hearing laughter spill out of her mouth. "Better." He gave her a dirty kiss and felt her small hands slide inside his shorts. "You want something?"
"You."
"Here?"
She pushed his shorts down his hips. "Yes!"
"You sure about this, Liv?" Her head bobbed in agreement, and he had no choice but to do as she asked. "Are you absolutely…"
"Why are you still talking?" She let out a huff. "You're supposed to be mindless with desire and unable to control yourself."
"Oh, don't you worry, woman. Control has left the premises." He bent down and teased a nipple through thin lace. "But any man who doesn't get a real clear hell yeah is a fool."
Olivia took his face and squished his cheeks together. "Zane Hawker, would you be kind enough to fu…"
"That's not a word that will ever describe what you and I do."
Olivia let out a sigh. "Well, that's disappointing."
"No, it's not." He dragged his teeth across her bottom lip. "We can do dirty things to each other all night long. But it's never going to be fucking."
"Okay," she wiggled out of her panties. "I'm ready."
"God damn." Feelings he couldn't name filled his chest as he pulled Olivia closer. He took a deep breath and slid his fingers inside her wet heat. "This for me?"
"Yes…"
"Good." He pushed his erection away from his stomach, slid it through Olivia's slick folds, and then eased inside. "God damn."
"Indeed," she said against his neck.
Her fingers dug into his shoulders, and he heard her take a deep breath. "You feel so good, Olivia. I'm gonna drown in you."
"Yes," she said with a moan. "Drown together."
Was there anything sweeter than being enveloped in this woman's heat? Gritting his teeth, he willed himself to take his time. "Let's take this to the bedroom."
"No way," Olivia groaned, wrapping her legs around his waist. "I want counter sex."
He let out a rough groan, took her at her word, and gave her a feral thrust. She met him with a roll of her hips. "Wouldn't mind a little more room to work." Her gaze dropped to where they were joined, and she let out a little whimper when he worked himself out and then slowly back in.
"I…think…"
"I'm doing it wrong if you can still form a thought." He bent his head and let himself go. If she wanted dirty kitchen sex, he was damn well going to deliver. He built up his pace, and the ancient dance began.
The beast and the beauty were a match, after all.
Moaning into the most insane kiss of her life, Olivia wondered why a grumpy recluse was the one to light her world on fire.
She did what she could to turn off the doubtful voice and focused on the man's magic. Who cared if, three days ago, he wanted no part of her? Today, he did, and she wanted to wring every delicious drop of satisfaction she could.
Physical pleasure hadn't been a part of her life for far too long, and she needed to savor every naughty second. The sound of Zane's possessive growl knocked away her thoughts, and she let lust whip through her veins. "You are…"
"Making you incredibly happy?" he finished as he lifted his head.
His gaze was coated with a hunger she wasn't entirely prepared for. Had anyone ever looked at her with that kind of desire?
Raw lust and something so unmistakably sweet clawed at her defenses, and she tugged on his arms until their faces were close. "Yes."
"We're only getting started."
She bit back a smile and reveled in the bite of his tone. This, she thought, is what I've been waiting for.
To be consumed.
Desired wholly.
Looking into his eyes made words she couldn't utter brush against the inside of her throat. She mentally swept away the sentiments and focused on the blunt finger pressing against her clit. If this was how she was meant to lose her mind, then so be it.
Her stomach shuddered, and she cupped his jaw, watching his long lashes brushing against his cheek. The way he made her feel…how had he managed to make her body a servant to his?
Touchable masculinity.
That's what the man playing her body like an instrument had.
Every thrust made her body pulse.
She gripped his incredible ass with both hands and tried to bring him closer.
The word more ran in a loop across her mind, and one particularly well-placed thrust had her keening. "Zaaaaaaane…"
"Going to hit that spot a hundred more times, babe."
His pelvis ground against her heat. Harder. Deeper. The world shimmered, and her body began to shake. Everything she thought she knew about sex and pleasure flew out the window. "I'm going to…"
"Do it!" He cupped her head and pressed it against his chest. "I want you to shatter into a million pieces."
Emotions exploded—sudden and intense.
"Zane."
"I got you, Liv."
Her body began to dissolve along with a couple of hard-won defenses. How had he managed it? One last drive of his body set off her release. Pleasure spiraled as he unleashed the last of his assault.
Hanging on for dear life, she gave in to the pleasure blackout and heard Zane's roar of release.
How had she underestimated him?