Chapter 12: PART ONE

"Gorgeous. Still totally gorgeous."

"I'm a lot older." She swallowed. "The body's not quite the same."

"It's still beautiful to me." He stroked his palms down her hips and over her tummy. "It will always be beautiful to me, no matter how old you get."

She swallowed and closed her eyes, not sure she wanted to see his reaction as he took in every inch of her skin, every dip and swell and curve. When he didn't move his hands again or say anything, she forced herself to open her eyes and look at him. The mixture of acute hunger, desire, and lust she saw burning there nearly did her in.

"Gorgeous," he repeated again then dropped to his knees. "A taste. I have to have a taste."

He nudged her thighs apart, coasting his thumbs gently over her skin before pressing his mouth to her core, panties and all. He stroked the length of her with his hot tongue, pressing the flimsy fabric into her heated, wet flesh. She balanced herself with her hands on his shoulders, fingers digging into muscles harder than granite. She rocked back and forth into the contact, every nerve sparking, pushing herself into his scorching touch.

Without any warning, a tiny orgasm broke over her, barely enough to take the edge off the need bubbling inside her. Zack made a humming sound of satisfaction as he pressed his tongue harder into her slit then sucked the fabric into his mouth.

She was still quivering, still aroused, when he rose, lifted her, and placed her gently on the bed, disposing of her panties and tossing them to the side. He bent her legs at the knees and pressed them apart, staring at her with such hunger it nearly made her heart stop.

"You're still overdressed." Her voice sounded so foreign to her, as if someone else was speaking. "Turnabout is fair play."

"Okay, but don't blame me if this is over before it barely gets started. I've waited too many years for this."

Bailey shocked herself by saying, "That's okay. We have all night."

The look on his face was almost savage. "Yes. We do."

He shucked his clothes off, and Bailey was mesmerized by the sight of him. His tall frame was packed with sinewy muscles, not the least bit softened by age. The soft curls of dark hair on his chest were still as thick, only now they were sprinkled with the same silver as the hair on his head. Flat stomach, lean hips, and long legs completed the mouthwatering picture. Almost. The finishing touch was the very thick erection jutting from his body and the heavy sac beneath it.

Bailey sat up, pushing herself back against the pillows, and reached out a hand.

"Let me touch, okay?"

"Only a little." His lips curved in a rueful grin. "Like I said, I'm right on the edge here, Bailey."

"But you also agreed we've got all night. Please, Zack?"

He moved onto the bed, situating himself between her legs and rocking back on his heels. When she wrapped her fingers around his cock, he sucked in a deep breath, and all his muscles tensed.

"Careful," he warned again.

But it had been so long, she just had to feel him, taste him. His shaft pulsed in her hand as she brushed her tongue lightly over the darkened head, the tip of it catching the bead of fluid sitting right at the top. She hummed in satisfaction as she closed her mouth around his hot flesh, her own body right at the edge again.

"Stop." Zack thrust his fingers into her hair and tugged her head back. "I can't wait, Bailey. I have to be inside you."

He reached over the side of the bed to where he'd dropped his jeans, dug into one of the pockets, and pulled out a string of three condoms.

Bailey's eyes widened. "Optimistic much?"

"Hopeful."

He tore off one packet, ripped it open, and, in seconds, was fully sheathed. Positioned between her thighs with the head of his shaft just at her opening, he took one long hard look at her and eased himself inside her.

Oh god!

He filled every one of those spaces that had been empty and craving him for so very long. Her heart pounded, and she clenched her inner muscles around him as tightly as she could, as if she could permanently hold him in place.

Zack braced himself on his forearms for a long moment as they lay there so intimately connected, his blue eyes now darkened to almost navy. She was struck with the sudden thought he could see deep inside her, and it both thrilled and frightened her.

Then he began to move, slowly at first, gaze locked with hers as he kept his in-and-out movement steady. Bailey wound her legs around him, locking her ankles together behind his back, holding him to her as tightly as she could. Their bodies moved together in a rhythm learned long ago but never forgotten. Close to her orgasm, Bailey wanted to hold on to the feeling as long as she could, to perch on the edge of anticipated release. It seemed she had waited so long for this.

But Zack had other ideas.

"I'm barely hanging on here, Bailey. I feel like I've been ready for this since the minute I laid eyes on you today."

"Me, too."

"I can feel how close you are. Let it go, sweetheart." Strain etched lines in his face. "Let it go now."

The orgasm had been steadily building inside her, deep in her body, and spiraling outward. She was shocked she was so close so soon, but it seemed her body had ideas of its own. Zack rocked into her, again and again, each thrust a little harder and deeper until everything inside her rose to the surface.

The orgasm broke over her, shaking her with its intensity, and Zack was right there with her, throbbing hard inside her as if he'd barely been able to wait for this. They clung to each other, hearts thundering, in the aftermath of the shared orgasm. It went on and on until they were wrung dry and the last shudder faded away.

And still they held onto each other, as if letting go was too symbolic. Zack lowered his head to place soft kisses along her jawline and her neck before finally lifting his head.

"Back in a minute."

He eased himself from her body and climbed off the bed, heading for the bathroom to dispose of the condom. Then he was back, sliding in beside her and spooning his body around hers. She wiggled her rear against him, feeling his cock now soft and limp, nestling against the cheeks of her ass.

He laughed, a low, husky sound. "It's going to take more than a few seconds for me to be ready to rock and roll again, sweetheart. I'm not the young stud I used to be."

"You're not an old man, either," she teased.

"Still and all, I think I need a little longer to recover."

So did she, but she wasn't about to admit it.

Zack banded his arm around her and cupped one breast in a warm palm, the way he used to every night when they climbed into bed. Memories came flooding back to her, memories she'd been doing her best to keep locked away all these years. Memories that made her conflicted again.

She felt the pleasant lassitude that claims you after really, really good sex. It definitely was really good. In the past, they'd sated themselves with each other in an intense orgasm that always left them gasping. Then, refreshed, they would indulge in the long, slow sex that was so intimate she always felt they were one person.

Will that happen here?

Zack had clearly arrived planning to spend the night. Bailey had no idea what came next, with all the challenges swirling around her, but she knew one thing. She'd finally decided to take this one day at a time. She'd probably never see Zack again after his short trip to Florida, so she was going to take every minute with him she could get.

Because she still had no clear idea of what she'd do next.

"Bailey?" He murmured her name against her hair, hugging her closer to his body.

"Mmm?"

"Think about this tomorrow while you're in your meetings. I love you, and I'm pretty damn sure I always will."

I love you, too, Zack.

Say it, Bailey.

But she couldn't get the words out.

"That's okay. Your body did the talking for you tonight. But before this weekend is over, you'll say the words out loud."

And then what, Zack?

It took a long time for her to fall into a troubled sleep.