Dream Girl

Chapter Six

She played to win. The first time they'd played, yeah, she'd let him win, wanting to stroke his ego that night. Tonight, she had no intention of throwing the game.

But damn, he was good! She could only watch in helpless admiration as he kicked her butt in their second game. And he looked so good doing it. The muscles and tendons in his strong brown forearms corded as he held the cue, his long fingers sexy as they rested lightly on the shaft. Her imagination pictured those fingers on her, and a delicious shiver ran down her spine. The determination in his eyes aroused her, and muscles flexed and rippled in his arms and shoulders when he shot. And his butt ... as he bent over the table, she had to take a deep breath when she saw how the faded denim of his jeans hugged his ass.

Despite her annoyance at losing, she had to smile at him as they hung up their cues.

"Good game,” he said, giving her that gorgeous eye-crinkling smile. He ran a hand through his tousled hair and changed the spikes to all different directions. It still looked good. She got very warm.

"Another beer?” he asked.

"Um...” She'd barely been able to choke down the first one, but she didn't want him to know she didn't like his beer.

"One more,” he said persuasively, and she nodded against her will.

The icy cold beer actually didn't taste so bad. She resisted the urge to hold the cold glass against her hot face.

They sat and talked, laughed and drank their beers. “I like watching you play pool,” Zach said with a wicked grin. She couldn't help but smile back at him, her eyes on his.

"Why is that?” she asked deliberately.

"You have a great ass.” His frankness took her breath away. His hot, dark gaze held her immobile in her seat.

"Well, thank you.” She smiled. “I've never heard that before."

"Bullshit,” he said. “I bet you hear that all the time. Actually, you're pretty gorgeous all over."

Her chest tightened as her breath caught and her heart thumped loudly. “So are you,” she whispered before she could stop herself. Their hands were resting on the table, and his slid forward and grasped hers. His skin was warm, his hand big and a bit rough. It was a very masculine hand, and she loved the feel of it. Desire hit her low in her tummy, and she felt her breasts swell a little. Yikes.

She could see desire in his eyes too. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. She was suddenly aware of her femininity. As a tomboy, she'd always been comfortable around guys ... her brothers, their friends, even many of her own friends were guys. Hell, even her roommates were guys. And although guys had found her attractive in the past, she'd never been a girly girl who knew how to flirt and act sexy.

She'd learned how to act for her sex decoy job; but for that, it was more important to be able to engage a man in conversation and have some shared interests than to be overtly flirtatious.

But sitting there with Zach, his eyes on her in that frankly appreciative way, lust clearly outlined in his handsome features, she felt so much like a girl. Her skin was sensitive and aware; she lifted a hand to her hair and flipped it behind her shoulder seductively. Her breasts lifted as she took a long, slow breath in. They felt full, the nipples hard, aching to be touched. And she knew that rush of warmth low in her tummy had dampened her panties. She shifted in her seat and saw his eyes darken as he watched her.

His hand turned hers over, and he covered her palm with his other hand, his fingers lightly touching her. She licked her lips and, when she looked up from their joined hands to his eyes, she saw him watching her mouth intently. She melted even more.

"I should get going,” she said. Her stomach tightened. She'd had so much fun tonight. More fun than she'd had in ... forever, maybe. The flutters of sexual excitement low in her tummy were something she hadn't experienced for a long time, and it was so delicious, so exciting, so ... fun.

"We could go back to my place,” he suggested slowly, softly, watching her carefully. She lifted her eyes to his and bit her lip.

"You know you want to.” His voice was like velvet.

She nodded.

"Come on."

She felt hot as his gaze locked on her, warm and attentive, and she looked down.

He paid their bill and took her hand as they walked out of the bar. She was caught in a daze. The cool night air brushed over them, and when she shivered, he let go of her hand so she could put on her sweater.

When they arrived back at his house, the front door was unlocked and the alarm disabled.

They were greeted by an ecstatic Rocky.

"He really loves you,” Ashlyn commented.

"I rescued him,” he replied. “I guess that counts for something. We're buddies, aren't we?” He rubbed the dog's head while Rocky gazed up at him adoringly. Zach glanced down the hall toward the bedrooms. “Connor's here."

Oh, shit. She still wasn't certain Connor didn't know who she was.

"Does he live with you?” she asked, following him into the front hall.

"For now he does,” Zach answered, somewhat grimly. “Guess he's already in bed."

The kitchen light was still on, but the living room overlooking the ocean was dark.

"Drink?"

Ashlyn bit her lip. Bleh. She could not force down another beer. She felt so bloated from drinking two. “No thanks,” she said. “I don't drink much."

"Okay.” He seemed unconcerned by that. “Let's go sit out on the deck."

He led the way through the dim living room and opened the sliding French doors. Rocky followed them out and flopped down on the deck near the door.

Potted shrubs and flowers lined the huge multi-leveled deck, and outdoor furniture with thick cushions looked inviting. A long, steep staircase led down to the dark beach.

"This is beautiful,” she said, walking to a railing and looking out at the dark ocean.

"Thanks,” he said. “My sister-in-law is an interior designer. She helped decorate the deck. The house still needs a lot of work inside, though."

She could hear the ocean gently, rhythmically whooshing onto the shore, the foam faintly visible against the dark water. Stars sparkled in the deep midnight-blue sky. “I'll bet it's really spectacular during the day."

"Mmm.” She felt him come up behind her and put his hands on the railing on either side of hers. His body barely touched her, but his warmth did, and she wanted to lean back into him. “I love the ocean."

"Me too,” she said quietly, taking a deep, slow breath of cool salty air. She felt him move closer, and his big hands covered hers where they rested on the wooden railing.

"I can't believe I found you,” he murmured against her hair. She closed her eyes. Her body tingled with the need to feel him. She took shallow little breaths, and her breasts swelled with longing. Then she did it—she leaned back against his big, hard body. She felt a little rumble in his chest behind her, and his arms came around her, pulling her even closer. He pressed his mouth against her hair, holding her like that, and his heart thumped wildly at her back.

His hands stroked across her abdomen, finding the hem of her tank top and moving under it, sliding across her bare skin. The sensation sent shivers of delight over her body. Then one hand slid upward, cupping her breast through the thin fabric of her bra, and the other slid lower, his fingertips slipping under the low waistband of her jeans. Her jeans were snug, so he couldn't go too low, but he kept his fingers there, the tips of them just touching her panties.

His hand on her breast squeezed gently, and she let out a little moan. Her head fell back onto his shoulder, and he leaned down and kissed the tender skin on the side of her neck, sucking a little. Her breast swelled even more, her nipple pushing into his palm.

"God, you're gorgeous,” he murmured into her ear. Hands sliding over her skin, he turned her in his arms so she faced him. She leaned back a little and opened her heavy eyes to look at him.

"So are you.” She put her hands on him like she'd wanted to all night, slid them down his back until they reached that tight butt she'd admired earlier, slipped them in the pockets of his jeans. She pulled him forward. His erection pressed firmly against her, and now he groaned. She tipped her hips forward to meet him, and the melting ache between her legs was so sweet, it was almost unbearable.

"I've been hot for you ever since I saw you sitting beside me at the bar that night,” he whispered raggedly.

"I know.” Her eyes closed and her head fell back in helpless delight. “I haven't been able to stop thinking about you, either."

"Really?” His hands sifted through her hair, fisted, and he pulled her head towards him for a kiss. His mouth covered hers in a long, deep, wet kiss, his tongue languidly rubbing hers even as he rubbed his body against hers. God, it was more than she could stand. The ache low in her belly throbbed, and she rubbed him back, almost climbing onto him in her excitement. The kiss grew hotter, wetter, and his hands tightened almost painfully in her hair.

"Oh, man,” he groaned. “You're incredible, Ashlyn.” His mouth slid over her cheek, down the side of her neck, sending delicious shivers over her body. Her nipples puckered even harder, and she pressed her aching breasts against him.

He kissed her again, his mouth opening hers even wider, hot and deep and wet. She felt dizzy. She kissed him back, sliding her arms up his warm, broad back, holding him tightly. His mouth lifted from hers and he touched his tongue to her lips, licked, and then thrust into her mouth again.

His hands relaxed in her hair, and he let the strands slide though his fingers as he lowered his hands to her shoulders. The tips of his fingers slid under the straps of her tank top and lower, to touch the tops of her swelling breasts. She wanted more and without thinking, she took a step back from him, reached for the hem of her top, and yanked it off over her head.

She looked at his face, his eyes glazed and hot as he gazed at her breasts swelling out of the cups of her bra. It wasn't the sexiest bra she owned, a basic T-shirt bra in pink flowered cotton, but he seemed fascinated by it. She smiled and lifted her arms to twine them around his neck.

"Ashlyn,” he said hoarsely, his hands lifting to her breasts, cupping their fullness. Then his fingers searched for the clasp, which he seemed to know was at the front, and with a quick flick he had it open and pushed her bra back off her shoulders.

She shrugged so it fell off her arms, dropping to the deck behind her, and leaned into his hands. God! His touch on her breasts felt so good. It was almost beyond bearing, and she felt herself go wetter between her legs.

The soft breeze off the ocean cooled her heated skin and gently blew her long hair around her face. The waves rolling onto shore created a distant, hushed sound as her ears roared with lust.

His fingers touched her hard nipples, plucked at them, gently pulled at them, sending tugs right to her womb. She moaned, and her eyes rolled back in her head with pleasure that was almost pain. Then, just as she thought she couldn't take any more, he lowered his head and took a nipple in his mouth.

Sensations shot through her to her core, jolting her, as he sucked on the tip of her breast. “Oh God!” she cried and clutched his hair, pulling his head to her breast for more. “God, Zach."

He slowly let her nipple slide out of his tugging mouth, then kissed his way over to her other breast and did the same.

She writhed beneath his hand and his mouth as he sucked, softly, wetly on her breast. She thought she might die if that aching emptiness between her legs wasn't filled, and again she pushed her hips forward, seeking satisfaction.

"Oh man, Ashlyn,” he muttered. “Hold on, honey."

He turned away from her, sliding his hand down her arm to clasp hers, tugging her over to a lounge chair. When they stood beside it, she reached for his golf shirt, trying to yank it over his head. To her frustration, it stuck on his head.

"The buttons,” he said, voice muffled under the soft fabric. He pulled it down and fumbled for the two buttons, impatiently pulled it off and tossed it aside.

Enough light shone through the huge windows of his house to illuminate his bronzed muscular chest, and her mouth watered at the sight of him. Yikes, he was gorgeous. His shoulders were broad, with large rounded muscles on his upper arms, and a flat, defined and nearly hairless chest and abdomen. She drew in a breath as her eyes moved over him.

When she lifted her eyes to his face, she saw a faint smile on his mouth at the fact that she'd been checking out his body, and she smiled back at him, unashamed. She ran her hands over his chest and shoulders. “Wow,” was all she could say, and he gave a soft laugh.

"That's my line,” he murmured, his hands moving from her waist to her breasts again. She breathed in slowly, feeling her breasts rise against his palms.

"Come on,” he murmured and gently pulled her down to sit on the lounge chair. The thick cushion gave invitingly under their weight and, turning his body, he somehow maneuvered her down onto the chair so she was lying beneath him. His hand went to the button of her jeans and flicked it open, tugged the short zipper down.

Then, eyes crossing, she felt him slide his hand into her jeans, under her panties, brushing against the curls there. All the air left her lungs, and her body went hot and tingly. She reached down and grabbed his hand to stop him.

He raised his head and looked at her. “No?"

When she saw the fierce arousal on his face, the naked want, but also his concern for her, she relaxed. “Yes,” she whispered. “Sorry. I'm just ... this is incredible."

"I know,” he whispered back. He moved away from her so both hands could tug on her jeans, and in a flash they were off and crumpled in a heap on the wooden deck. She moved her bare legs restlessly as he studied her in only a tiny pink cotton thong.

He smiled admiringly and stroked a hand down her leg, back up to the inside of her thigh, and then gently parted her legs. She closed her eyes, overcome by emotion, and then opened them again, fascinated with his face as he looked at her.

No man had ever looked at her that way.

Yes, she'd had boyfriends and she'd had sex and she'd been complimented; but she had never seen that deep, admiring desire on a man's face as he'd looked at her. In response, her mind spun out of control, and her body dissolved.

She let her legs fall apart, Zach's hands on her inner thighs, stroking up and down. Then his hands went higher, over her hips bones, across her tummy in a shiver-inducing caress.

"You're beautiful, Ashlyn,” he said, his voice low and thick.

The craving in his eyes melted her.

He leaned down and kissed the pink triangle of fabric that covered her curls. As he pressed his mouth there, he inhaled deeply. Ashlyn didn't think she could get any hotter, but at that, she was about to burst into flames. She helplessly moaned again.

He hooked his index fingers under the tiny strips of fabric on each hip and pulled the panties down, his face still between her legs. She shifted her legs together momentarily as he pulled her panties off, and then slowly, sensuously let them part again. His hands pushed her thighs even farther apart as he studied her

"Oh, God, Zach, don't,” she whispered. This was more intimate and exciting than anything she'd ever experienced.

"You're beautiful,” he murmured. His fingers explored her folds, stroking lusciously. “So pretty. I want to taste you."

Her eyes closed, and she melted into the deep cushion as his tongue touched her lightly, licking slowly up and down. His thumbs parted her and his tongue moved deeper, plunging into her, and then licking up and over her clitoris. His touch there jolted her. She was so aroused and on edge, she felt as though she trembled at the top of a cliff, and her hips lifted beneath him. “Ashlyn,” he growled. “I want to make you come."

"Yes.” Even if she could have protested, her body had other ideas, moving against his mouth instinctively, seeking, everything inside her reaching further, higher, tighter until she went over, coming in his mouth with hot, hard shudders that wracked her whole body.

She'd tumbled over the edge of the cliff and was free-falling through dark space.