An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Sand Angel

ISBN 9781419915420

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Sand Angel Copyright © 2008 Mackenzie McKade

Edited by Sue-Ellen Gower.

Cover art by Syneca.

Electronic book Publication April 2008

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/)

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

SAND ANGEL

Mackenzie McKade

Dedication

To my fun-loving daughters and their daddy.

Trademarks Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

Coke: The Coca-Cola Company

Fox: Fox Racing, Inc.

Honda 250 CR: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha TA Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Hummer: AM General Corporation

Kawasaki: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.) Polaris: Polaris Industries Inc,

Rattlers: Arena Football League LLC

Rhinos: Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA

Styrofoam: Dow Chemical Company

Suzuki: Suzuki Motor Corporation

Chapter One

Over a dune, affectionately called a hit, a rider on a dirt bike capped the rise, soaring twelve feet or more into the air. Like a choreographed move, his lithe body parted from the Honda 250 CR, hands gripped tightly on the handlebars, his legs extended above his head as he performed the death-defying Kiss of Death.

Silence reigned. Gasps of awe and appreciation replaced it.

While Drew Thompson watched the crazy bastard in the distance, he held his breath along with hundreds of people perched on the edges of their all-terrain vehicle’s seats in the Imperial Dunes in Glamis, California. Mouths hung agape. All eyes pinned on the sonofabitch to see if he’d land the motorcycle or be gifted with a soil sample. A face full of sand would be more than the idiot could hope for with a stunt like that.

Fully decked out in matching red, black and yellow Fox riding gear, including helmet and gloves, the rider brought the heavy bike down like a pro. The audience exploded with applause. The air in Drew’s lungs released in one gush as his knees hugged the quad, the four-wheel all-terrain vehicle of choice for most of those watching the display. The rider was good, but reckless. They were twenty miles away from medical assistance. The on-site services wouldn’t cut it for a serious injury. In a desolate area like Glamis, whenever the beating sounds of a helicopter’s rotor could be heard you knew it was a bad accident.

Drew shook his head and looked at his college buddy straddling this year’s newest Polaris quad. “Crazy bastard,” Drew said aloud this time.

Josh Davis leaned over and whacked Drew hard on the back. “Isn’t that what this weekend is all about? Getting crazy?” His mischievous grin from childhood hadn’t changed.

As if to corroborate his comment, a busty blonde climbed upon the seat of a sand rail and quickly removed her jersey, waving it to get the rider’s attention. The vehicle, equipped with a heavy-gauge roll cage, swayed as she jumped up and down, shaking her naked breasts in front of everyone. The dirt bike rider ignored the display and sped by.

Extended nipples displayed the woman’s excitement and desire to meet the rider. The sexy way her body moved, the sensual smile on her face screamed, “Take me.” Whatever her intentions, she had the crowd in an uproar.

Including Drew.

What could he say? He was a man and, like any red-blooded male within eyeshot, blood rushed to his groin. It had been a while since he’d gotten laid. Where he’d been stationed the last three years you didn’t dare touch a woman, nor had he wanted to.

No. There was only one woman who could send that sort of fire through his cock, and he had no idea where she was.

The material of his riding pants tightened across his lap. He shifted his hips to accommodate the growing sensation. When the blonde cupped herself, her thumbs playing across the hard nubs of her breasts, he sucked in a tight breath. His balls drew painfully against his body.

His eyes closed for a second as he saw Zoë’s face. The tilt of her small nose, the sprinkle of freckles hidden beneath skin so soft he could have held her forever. But he hadn’t. Instead he’d left her behind to pursue his career, or at least that’s what he kept telling himself.

“Come to Mommy, sweetie,” the blonde atop the sand rail cooed, gaining Drew’s attention again. His eyes opened.

Josh cocked his head in the direction of the woman flaunting herself. “Like I said…let’s get crazy. And perhaps laid?” He wiggled his brows.

Drew had no doubt that Josh would be stripped and rode hard before the night was over. He was a chick magnet. His golden hair and movie-star good looks drove women wild. But that rich, dark tan was from the Arizona sun, not California. Drew achieved his in the deserts of Iraq. He pushed his fingers through his wavy black hair and stood, stretching his legs on the quad’s foot pegs.

Damn. It felt good to back in the States after three years in that Godforsaken country. INN, International Network News, had contracted him to photograph the war against terrorism. As he had expected, the job had furthered his career, but cost him more than the new position in Arizona was worth.

He didn’t sleep well at night. More often than not he woke to chills and fevers. More importantly, he’d lost the one person who had really meant something to him.

Zoë.

He blew out a small breath of disgust. If only he’d had foresight and a little more courage.

The scent of dust lingered heavily as a few more riders raced up and down the hill. The gritty taste was already invading his mouth.

Before him it was becoming a game of one-upmanship as more individuals began to show off their talents or stupidity. Most riders at Glamis rode quads or drove Rhinos—a sand car, or rails, which were more acclimated to moving freely about the hills and mountains of sand.

The daredevil on the Honda went airborne again. This time he performed a Nacnac, legs positioned and extended out on the same side of the bike, drawing himself back upon his ride before it landed. Drew had to hand it to him. It took a lot of moxie to ride a dirt bike in the sand. Not to mention strength. The guy’s arms must feel like jelly about now.

Josh yelled, “Hell, yeah,” as a woman following on a quad caught air. She rode it for a while before settling the four-wheeler down like it was nothing. The flow of hair trailing behind her helmet brought Drew’s mind back to Zoë. He had hurt her before he left for Iraq. He couldn’t blame her for never returning any of his letters.

His shoulders fell as he released a breath. God, he had missed her.

The years hadn’t erased his memories. He remembered the smell of Zoë’s skin, a soft, powdery musk, and the feel of her silky skin beneath his hands. She had been so innocent, but eager to please him. It hadn’t even entered her mind to stop him as he peeled her clothes off one article at a time.

His groin tightened with the thought of their first time together. Under a blanket of stars, he had removed her T-shirt that summer night. She gazed at him so trustingly with those big blue eyes. Her smile was timid and shy, moonlight bathing her in light and dark shadows. With a single tug her bikini top came loose, baring her full breasts for his touch—his taste.

Beneath the heavens he had taken her down upon the sandy beach.

Drew tried to be gentle, make her first time a memory she’d never forget. But Zoë had been so willing, his feelings so raw, that just touching her had made his control waver. Like a nervous schoolboy, his hands shook, his breathing hard and labored. The moment he slid between her thighs, buried his cock deep, he was lost in the depth of his emotions. Her sharp inhale, the tender cry of his name on her lips as she shuddered in ecstasy, had scared the shit out of him.

Drew threw a nervous glance at Josh. Why hadn’t his friend mentioned his sister? Guilt and regret had been Drew’s friends for the past three years. Instead of the beating he’d expected when he showed up on Josh’s doorstep, he’d been invited for a weekend of fun in the sun, probably the last trip of the season if the heat bearing down upon his shoulders was any indication.

With the back of his hand he swiped at the beads of perspiration dampening his forehead. Nights were cool, sometimes downright chilly, while the days were drastically different. The Dunes could get hotter than a branding iron after March. In fact, the small restaurant and bar located in no-man’s land closed after Easter, which was only a couple of weeks away.

Midmorning and it was already warming up. More people were shedding layers of clothing by the minute.

Well, except for the blonde, who was now struggling to pull her jersey over her head as two rangers on ATVs headed in her direction. She quickly took a seat as the rail’s driver gave it gas. In a flash, they disappeared amongst the crowd that protectively folded around her.

A lighthearted chuckle pushed from Drew’s lips. Riders were a strange bunch, but they protected their own.

Glamis, California, known as The Sand Toy Capital of the World, attracted people like the fun-loving woman and the excellent rider who pulled a wheelie and was now riding his back tire in their direction.

Drew huffed, “Showoff,” as he settled back upon his quad and reached for the key to start the engine. It was time to ride. His butt and legs were going numb from staying idle for so long.

As if the rider heard Drew’s derogatory comment, his head turned, pinning his goggled sight right on Drew. The shaded lens lent eeriness to the stare. A whisper of unease Drew couldn’t explain made the hair rise on his arms. No one had hearing that good, especially among the engines revving up and chatter of people talking.

A sharp spin and the rider power-banded. He pulled the clutch, giving the bike a surge of gas, and headed straight for Drew. As the motorcycle grew closer, the rider showed no intention of slowing. Muscles tensed as Drew fumbled with the key to start his bike.

The rider was closing in.

Drew’s pulse jumped and then sped.

The idiot was going to crash into him.

Just before impact the rider made a razor-edge turn. His tires dug deep into the sand as he whipped around.

“Fuck!” Drew yelled. He and Josh barely had a second to shield their faces with their forearms as the huge wave of sand swallowed them up, leaving them covered in gritty particles and dirt. Not to mention the angry sting as sand pitted his skin.

Without a second thought, Drew swung his leg over the broad seat of his quad. He didn’t bother dusting himself off as he began to move. “I’ll kill the sonofabitch for roosting us.”

The rider sat quietly waiting. His engine revved challengingly.

Drew’s heated footsteps pounded into the sand that gave slightly beneath him, forcing him to channel some of his anger to simply stay afoot. It wasn’t easy walking in the inflexible riding boots. No play in his feet or ankles made for a stiff advance as he beat a path toward the soon-to-be dead rider.

Josh was hot on his trail. His hand landed on Drew’s arm, slowing him down. “Drew. Hey, Drew. Calm down, buddy.”

Drew yanked his arm free. “Fuck calm. I’m going to rub the little bastard’s face into the sand.” Drew had always been carefree and even-tempered, but that was the past. The years had changed him. You couldn’t witness what he had in Iraq and remain untouched. The world was full of stupid people. Soon there’d be one less.

As Drew approached, the rider switched off the engine and reached for his helmet. With a sharp yank the headgear rose, a flow of strawberry-blonde hair tumbled from beneath. The softest skin Drew had ever touched was revealed inch by lovely inch, until he was eye to eye with the woman he had left behind three years ago.

He jerked to a dead stop. All he could say was, “Zoë?”

She looked past him or, more accurately, through him and said one word. “Josh.” The slow, menacing growl in her voice revealed she was more than perturbed at her brother. Clearly, Josh hadn’t informed either of them of the other’s presence this weekend. As icy blue eyes again met Drew’s, she muttered, “Drew” like it was an obscenity.

The crowd was quickly beginning to descend upon them. More than a few people were surprised to discover the mystery rider was a woman, especially the blonde who had removed her shirt. Drew saw her in the distance—the rail’s driver was giving her a rash of teasing.

Before they were trapped in the throng, Zoë crammed her helmet on her head, adjusting her goggles, started her engine, and raced through the masses.

Sand shifted beneath Drew’s feet as he slowly turned to confront his friend. Josh’s arms were outstretched, his palms facing Drew. “Before you say it, I just thought—”

“No.” Drew sucked in a tight breath.

He was trembling.

Dammit. He had no idea that seeing Zoë again would have this affect on him. He hadn’t even flinched when pinned beneath rapid fire—well, until he’d been shot. “You didn’t think or you would have told me she was going to be here.”

The anger in her hard features was nothing like the pain he’d seen on her tearstained face before he left years ago. A face he saw time and time again as he drifted in and out of consciousness lying in that hospital bed. Even now he could hear her cries, her pleas, for him to choose her over his career. “How the hell did she learn to ride like that?”

Josh’s arms drifted to his side. “You left.” He shrugged. It was one of those simple actions that said, hey-buddy-you-screwed-up. A shake of his head added silently, what-did-you-expect? “She went wild. Mom and Dad couldn’t control her. Late nights. Partying.” He wet his lips, sputtering as he got a taste of the gritty sand that covered him like a sheet. His lime-green and black riding gear was as dusty as Drew’s blue and white outfit.

Drew knew he didn’t look much better. He brushed at the thick layer of sand on his arms, sending a light tan cloud into the air.

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. That wasn’t his Zoë.

“Next thing we know—she’s gone.” Emotion softened Josh’s brown eyes. “Man,” he shook his head, “she didn’t let any grass grow under her feet.” His regret disappeared as a half-grin slid across his face. “Hooked up with a guy…er, company that sells bikes, quads, toys of all sorts.”

Josh was a party boy. Toys were his specialty, as were women. Pride and perhaps envy brightened his eyes as he spoke about Zoë.

“She’s been all over the U.S. racing and performing freestyle demonstrations. Doing pretty good, too. Ought to see her rig.” Josh glanced over his shoulder in the direction his sister fled. There was no sight of her—only mountains and mountains of light brown sand. “Well…that is if she hasn’t already left.”

Drew moved toward his quad. “Any idea where she went?” No way was he going to allow her to leave without at least talking to him.

Josh swung a leg over his quad and reached for the key. “If she got the message I left on her cell phone she should be parked right next to us.”

Drew slipped his helmet off the handlebars and over his head, before he tugged his goggles across his eyes, and straddled the bike. Foot on clutch, he down-shifted several times to first gear, started the engine, and then released the clutch slowly as his thumb pressed the gas.

With a jolt, the quad lurched forward. He revved the engine and sped away. But to where? He scanned the barren terrain. Every hill looked the same. Drew recalled Josh telling him that more than a few people got lost in the Dunes, a stretch of sand three to five miles wide and about sixteen miles long.

As Josh rode beside him, his friend pointed to the GPS on the quad.

Duh. He knew that. The ground positioning system was a necessity in an environment like this. He checked the settings, made a sharp turn and headed after Zoë.

When he arrived at camp, which was a collection of tents and travel trailers, he drew to an abrupt stop. His heart collided against his chest as Zoë slipped her shirt over her head, revealing the black exercise bra beneath. Once-ivory skin was now tanned, rippling over tight muscles. There wasn’t an inch of fat on her, which every man around noticed as a series of catcalls sounded. She ignored them as she draped the shirt across her bike seat. Determination in her steps, she headed toward her trailer.

Standing at the back of her toy hauler, she pushed in the first lever and raised it before crossing over to the other side to unfasten the final lever. Then she eased the ramp to the ground, flipping the final lip of the ramp down. It was clear she intended to load her bike.

Josh was right about her leaving and her rig.

The toy hauler had to be thirty-nine feet long. Add to that the fact it had two slides which enlarged her bedroom and living space when extended out, as they were now, and Zoë had a house on wheels. Her four-wheel drive, one-ton pickup was nothing to frown at either. Damn, the woman had to be doing well. Her ride was magnificent.

Hell. Zoë was magnificent.

A combination of curves and dips set his body to meltdown. His cock twitched, swelling at the thought of feeling her warm flesh wrapped around his again. Wild images of what he’d do to her surfaced, as always. He wanted to dominate her. Make her plea for him to pleasure her. Instead, three years ago her soft, hungry kisses had stolen his control.

But not this time.

Drew couldn’t help reaching down and cupping his hard length.

After he divested her of the bra and savored the taste and feel of her firm breasts, he would work on getting her out of those damn boots and pants. A shiver raked his spine as he thought of tasting the honey between her thighs, a thought that had kept him with an almost constant hard-on in Iraq.

Damn if his cock didn’t swell even more. If this kept up he wouldn’t be able to walk.

He watched her move with confidence, at ease in the new world she had carved out for herself—a world without him. How ironic. At nineteen she had wanted him, now she wanted nothing to do with him. The distance he put between them three years ago he felt would do them good—test their love. His fingers tightened on the bike’s handle grips.

It was a lie.

His feelings for her had scared him to death. She’d been so sweet and innocent. His thoughts of ravishing her anything but mild. His taste ran on the kinky side. Something about her made him feel primitive and wild. He’d wanted to tie her up and fuck her until she screamed for him to stop. But he knew he couldn’t touch her—not like that. The seven-year age difference between them had made him feel they were a world apart. So he used his career opportunity as an excuse and left.

With heavy footsteps, she made her way back to her bike, gripped the handlebars, and began to push it up the ramp. The muscles in her arms strained. She released a small grunt—of exertion or frustration, he didn’t know.

Zoë was leaving.

Every fiber in his body screamed for him to stop her. It clawed in desperation beneath his skin. His fingers flexed with the need to touch her. Three years ago he had made the biggest mistake of a lifetime.

This was not going to be a repeat performance.

Chapter Two

Perspiration moistened Zoë’s heated skin as she rolled the bike up the ramp of her toy hauler. She hadn’t been prepared to see Drew again. Unwanted memories flooded back. He didn’t have to make contact for her to remember how it felt for his hands to stroke her skin, the warmth of his mouth sucking on her breast, or how his cock filled and claimed her. Dammit. She hadn’t even forgotten his spicy scent, the sensual brush of his breath across her neck, the soft, sexy drone of his voice, and more devastating—the taste of his kisses.

A shiver raked her spine. All she should be thinking of right now was getting out of there and fast. She tightened her grip on the bike’s handlebars to still the tremor in her hands. Three years she’d worked to erase his memory. She didn’t need this now. Muscles tensed, inflexible boots braced against the ramp, she strained to load the bike that usually boarded easily. But not today.

Nothing was going to be easy today.

The bike abruptly halted. The reverse inertia caught her off guard.

As if the damn thing had a mind of its own, the bike pulled against her forward

thrust. She released a tight squeal, as the soles of her boots slipped. Arms flailing, balance lost, she began to fall. In slow motion the bike leaned to the side of the trailer out of her reach. With robotic movements she stumbled backward. Just before she struck the ground, two strong hands reached out and pulled her into an embrace.

Zoë closed her eyes. Truth was if he had loved her he wouldn’t have left. Yet she couldn’t shake the sensation of his arms wrapped around her. Familiar hands that could awaken every nerve ending and make her body sing with joy.

Stop it. Zoë mentally shook the wayward thoughts from her head. He would never be a part of her life. Besides she didn’t have time for relationships. Her riding career took her all over the United States and sometimes internationally.

When her eyes opened, regret shone in his, or was it pity? Did he think she was still that lovesick woman who wanted nothing more than to spend her life with him? The image of the home, picket fence and Drew’s children she had painted in her mind years ago was bullshit.

She’d been an idiot.

If nothing else, Zoë had her pride. No way would she give Drew the satisfaction of seeing her squirm, of revealing that she still thought of him from time to time. She had to get her shit together and then she’d leave.

“Going somewhere?” Drew’s deep, sexy rumble was like liquid silk against her skin. It smoothed across her flesh and covered her like a blanket on a cold night.

Crap. Crap. Crap. His voice was so provocative it caused her breasts to fill with desire. A blazing flame licked unmercifully at the tips of her traitorous nipples, bunched into hard peaks. She didn’t even want to think about what was going on between her thighs, now moist and slick with need.

Shoulders rigid, she shrugged out of his grasp. Zoë prayed for courage as she slowly turned to confront the man who had broken her heart. “What’s it look like?” Her voice was brittle, perhaps a little too high pitched. She cleared her throat, as her hands rushed to her hips to hide the shaking that began when his dark blue eyes met hers.

“Like you’re running away from me.”

Like you did? she wanted to say, but she left the words unspoken.

He paused for what seemed like forever. “Zoë…” She could hear an excuse festering as her name softened on his tongue. He reached to touch her cheek.

Zoë jerked her head away, stepping back as she released a huff of disbelief. “Oh puleeze… Running? From you? You wish.” Her response came out a little too bitter.

Where her bravado came from she had no idea. Her brain felt numb, cloudy, but apparently her mouth didn’t.

Thank God something was working.

His brow furrowed. For what seemed like forever he simply stared at her. The silence was unnerving. Her palms were clammy and any moment she expected her stomach to growl with the frustration building inside her.

“Then what are you doing?”

“Duh.” Her eyes widened as she released a weighted breath. With the brush of a hand she pointed inside the trailer. “Loading my bike and unloading the quad.”

Surprise brightened his eyes. She felt a rush of excitement that she had unsettled him.

“I came here to ride.” Even though her tone was nonchalant, she wondered where that response had come from—there was no way she could stay here. She glanced over his shoulders as if she looked across the Dunes to reinforce her statement.

She swallowed hard, feeling her shoulders droop as her aplomb slipped. With a slight shake, she quickly steeled them once again. She couldn’t lose the ground she had now.

At what point had her conscience decided she wasn’t running away or trying to get as far from Drew as she possibly could? Yeah. She was proud of her newfound courage, but she’d never make it through the night, much less the entire weekend, in Drew’s company. She had to be crazy to even try.

A puzzled expression tightened his features. He frowned. “Do you need some help?” he asked hesitantly.

She threw him one of her best are-you-kidding? looks. “Nope. Been doing this by myself for some time. Good to see you again, Drew.” She spun around and headed back up the ramp holding her breath, hoping this was the end of their conversation. She didn’t know how much longer she could maintain the false, detached shell.

As she gripped the handlebars of her bike, she heard sand crunch beneath Drew’s boots as he walked away. Her own movements were quick. She always moved quickly, one step away from a memory that could bring her crashing down and destroy her.

Tying down the bike didn’t take long and neither did unloading her quad. She unscrewed the gas cap, picked up the gas can sitting just inside the trailer, and topped off the quad’s tank. A warm breeze slid across her bare skin. She glanced at her shirt still lying across the bike’s seat.

Screw it. She’d ride without a shirt. Her exercise bra hid more than a bathing suit top did.

“Sis?” She refused to acknowledge Josh as he came up from behind her. She gave the gas cap an extra turn. “Zoë…”

Her boot connected hard with the front tire, releasing some of her frustration, before she faced Josh. “You could have at least warned me.”

Josh had the good sense to look abashed. He nervously licked his lips and then grimaced. Sand still coated him. She should have felt remorse, but she didn’t.

“He just showed up on my doorstep as I was leaving. What was I supposed to do?”

She flinched at his bald-faced lie. “Bullshit. Ever heard of that little thing called a cell phone?”

“Ever hear of turning it on?” he threw back at her.

Damn. She wanted to stomp her foot. “Okay. You got me there.” She seldom remembered to turn the stupid thing on. It was only by chance that Josh got a hold of her and found out she was passing through town. They hadn’t seen each other for a while and agreed to meet at Glamis for a long weekend—it was Thursday, which meant it was going to be an even longer weekend then she had anticipated.

Boy, was that a wrong decision.

“But Drew?” Zoë hated the whine that slipped out. She regrouped. “Dammit, Josh.”

He reached for her, surrounding her with loving arms. He worried about her, as did their parents. They didn’t understand her passion or her desire for speed. Hell. Her boss was even worried. Everyone understood Josh’s appetite for toys and pushing the limits. Why it was so hard for them to believe a woman wanted the same thing, she had no idea. There was more to life than a husband and a family. She didn’t need either. Her chin inched higher as she fought moisture filling her eyes.

Zoë attempted to jerk free but Josh didn’t let her go. He rested his chin on the top of her head. “Would it hurt too much to talk to him?”

Every muscle and tendon grew tight. She could almost hear the hard shell she’d erected around her begin to crack. “Josh,” her voice was a mere whisper, “let me go.” Her jaws clenched so hard they ached with the pressure.

“Zoë?”

“Now,” she firmly demanded. She had to get away.

When he released her a wave of relief almost swamped her. Her toes curled in her stiff boots, the discomfort enough to help her focus inwardly, gain the strength she needed.

It smarted, but she forced a smile she didn’t feel. “Nothing to say.” She walloped him on the chest with an open palm.

Before he could say anything else, she moved quickly toward her quad. Throwing one leg over the quad, she said, “Let’s ride,” before she crammed her helmet on her head. With both hands she raised the goggles that rested on the mouthpiece of her headgear to shield her eyes.

No one saw the first tear fall or the one that followed it.

She needed to escape. Needed to outrun Drew’s memory.

A twist of the key and the bike roared to life. The vibration between her thighs did nothing to quell the heat that simmered since she first saw Drew. It was like a flash flood as a million sensations seduced her. The achingly tender way he entered her body that first time, stealing her innocence as well as her heart. The repeat performances that had left her hungry to learn more, experience more. Each time more heated, more carnal.

And then the devastating loneliness.

Zoë didn’t wait for Josh as she popped the clutch and gassed it. All four tires dug into the sand, throwing it everywhere. A gust of warm air hit her in the face as she applied more fuel, tearing away from Gecko campground and Drew.

There was freedom in the wind. Speed was the only thing that fed her soul these days. But the Dunes were no place for stupid moves.

The quiet beauty of the ocean of sand lulled people into a false security. One minute the ground would be beneath her. The next she could be flying off a slip-face, a miniature cliff, soaring fifteen feet or higher in the air. The crashes weren’t a pretty sight.

Zoë knew never to ride alone or to venture farther than she could see. Well, one out of two wasn’t bad. Chalk her up as only half-stupid.

Adrenaline was like acid pumping through her veins as she approached an enormous dune cut by wind and weather. The tallest dunes were two hundred feet tall and scared the shit out of newcomers.

But not Zoë, especially today.

That little hormone that stimulated her heart and increased her blood sugar, muscular strength and endurance was quickly pushing Drew to the back of her mind. All she saw was the challenge—the top of the mountain. The surface was smooth, no tire tracks announcing that anyone dared to approach it. That made it Zoë’s mountain. It dared her to conquer it. This was what she longed for—the challenge, the isolated bubble that surrounded her when she went into the zone. It was her mountain. That is until an idiot crossed in front of her making her swerve to avoid hitting him.

Concentration blown, she circled around, preparing herself for another approach when the same lame-dick passed in front of her again. Fit to be tied, she came to an abrupt stop. Pushing her goggles down upon the rim of her helmet, she tore her headgear off and placed it on the handlebars.

“I’ll kill the sonofabitch,” she mumbled beneath her breath as she stomped toward the rider idling his quad.

When she got within several feet of the rider he pulled his helmet off.

Drew.

A gush of frustration pushed from her lungs. The damn man had changed clothes. Instead of the blue and white Fox ensemble, he now wore a matching yellow and black getup. Josh and Drew were the same size, muscular and six-two. She’d forgotten that Josh owned more ensembles then she did. It would be no hardship in sharing his clothes and boots with Drew.

Damn, he was sexy sitting on that bike.

The vibrant color was striking against his dark skin. She shook her head, pushing the thought away. She should have recognized Josh’s spare quad. Just then an identical quad passed by, and then another.

Okay. So maybe she wouldn’t have.

“What the hell are you doing?” she barked.

“Stopping you from killing yourself.” He cut the engine, threw his leg over the bike and stood up. Zoë didn’t miss the concern glowing in his eyes as he closed the distance between them.

“Killing myself? Don’t you realize that your idiotic attempts could have killed us both?”

“What was I supposed to do—ride up beside you and ask you nicely to pull over?” When she didn’t answer quickly enough, he said, “You would have tried to outrun me. Right?”

“Yeah. But—”

“But nothing. That hill is too much for you. Can’t you see no one is challenging it?”

All she could do was laugh at his attempt to protect her. “Now? After all this time you think you have a right to interfere in my life? To protect me?” She shook her head and started to turn away when he reached out, connecting with her arm, to jerk her body against his.

She didn’t have her shirt on, only the exercise bra. His rough jersey teased her skin, rasping her tender nipples against the cotton of her bra. His warm breath swept across her face. The smell of freshly applied deodorant and cologne, warm and spicy, assailed her.

When she opened her mouth to speak he stole her breath away with a kiss. Not just any kiss, but one with pressure and heat as he stroked his tongue across her now-sealed lips. She couldn’t open up to him. She couldn’t afford a taste of what she’d missed for three years.

His tongue was as persistent as she was obstinate. He nipped her bottom lip. She whimpered, the small cry parting her lips. He took full advantage of her moment of weakness and swept in to deepen the caress.

Hot and moist, his tongue stroked every inch of her mouth, breaking down her resistance one layer at a time. Arms loosely by her side, she melted against his chest. For a moment she feared she might fall if he hadn’t tightened his embrace. It took all she had not to return his affection, to stay impassive.

“Kiss me,” he whispered against her mouth. His lips were featherlight as he slid them back and forth, a wicked enticement.

“No,” she said emphatically.

“Kiss me, baby.” No fair using the endearment he had used so many years ago. It made her tremble, causing her breaths to be ragged and audible as he shamelessly continued. “Kiss me like you used to. Hungry, as if you could eat me up.” There was a plea to his voice she had never heard before.

“No.” She wouldn’t give in to him. Even when he traced the bottom of her lip with his sinful tongue, she refused him.

He had never been forceful with her, so when he cupped her head her immediate response was to pull back, to resist. More pressure was applied as his eyes grew darker with desire and their noses touched. They were both breathing heavily. No words between them, only the sexual tension that cried out for release.

But she would fight it. She had no other choice—she couldn’t let him past the barrier she had erected. Besides, she didn’t want him. She had a new life to live.

A sandpapery growl rumbled deep within his chest. His nostrils flared.

Zoë had never heard or seen anything so primitive, so arousing. In a moment of desire, she forgot where they were. For just a second she thought of giving in, of taking what she wanted. That was until two girls in a sand rail slowed down and said, “Get a room.” A stream of laughter followed as they revved the engine and pushed forward.

Zoë trembled as she tried to reel her emotions in.

“We could, you know.” His voice was deep and coarse, his eyes flames of fire burning her up with his heat.

She couldn’t think. “Could what?” She had to keep her distance and hold onto the last bit of strength she had. There was no way she could taste him and then walk way, because that’s what would become of this moment of weakness.

“Get a room, baby.” His fingers wove through her hair. “I’ve dreamed of holding you again.” His lips brushed hers so lightly she thought that maybe she imagined it. “Kissing you.” His nose caressed hers, his eyelids heavy with desire. “Zoë.” Her name was just a whisper. “Let me make love to you.”

Zoë’s breath caught in her throat as a rush of moisture dampened her panties. How many lonely nights had she thought the same thing, dreamed that her cold vibrator was Drew’s hard and thick length slowly parting her folds, pushing deep and fast into her body?

But in the end she was always left shivering and crying, still unfulfilled, or worse— in the arms of a strange man.

No. She wasn’t about to relive this nightmare again. Heat rolled across her face. Her body tensed. She wasn’t a toy. He couldn’t drift back into her life and fuck with her head.

Damn him to hell.

“Why wait for a room?” she cooed bracing her palms against his heaving chest.

He sucked in a mouthful of air and pressed his hips to hers. His firm erection dug into her belly.

Good. He would feel the full effects of her next words. “Just drop your pants, hon. I’ll give you one here for old time’s sake.”

Talk about hell freezing over. He went ramrod stiff. The fingers in her hair tightened as he pulled her head back so that her neck arched, strained. A nerve ticced in his forehead. The veins and tendons in his throat became more pronounced. “Don’t ever cheapen what we had, Zoë.” He sounded angry, like she felt.

Her laugh came out choked. “What we had? We didn’t have anything worth holding on to. You proved that.” She pulled her head away from his fingers. A mass of tingles splintered across her skull as her hair roots were stressed. His grip tightened further, increasing the sensation, an ache she craved. Pain was something she had learned to live with, even desired. “Don’t come knocking on my door thinking those old feelings are alive. They died the day you left.” The venom in her words must have struck the right chord, because he released her as if she had sprouted horns. The furious expression that twisted his features made her take a step backward.

Zoë didn’t wait for a response. Without another word she spun around, hopped back upon her quad. She didn’t take the time to put on her helmet and goggles. She just slung them over the handlebars, started the engine and rode away.

Chapter Three

What happened to the innocent, loving girl Drew had known? The woman who sped away on a four-wheel ATV was not the one he left three years ago. He crawled upon the seat of his quad. Had she erased him from her mind because his leaving had hurt her?

Did he really have to ask? Her response to him revealed her fury. He had been a selfish prick. Both of them had paid the price. The question in his mind remained—was there still something left in her heart for him, something worth fighting for?

As he watched sand rails and one quad after another pass by, he felt his anger growing. He had written, apologized. Even as hard as it was, he admitted that he was wrong to have taken the assignment. In one letter he told her he’d come home if she’d have him. Yet each of his letters had been returned unopened.

What was he supposed to have done? Shit-canned his career and returned home to a woman who didn’t want him? Lose everything?

Fuck it. He turned the key with too much pressure, making the engine screech. If he had to tie her to her quad she’d listen to him.

The sun was beginning to set as Drew rolled into camp. Josh already had the grill going and the scent of hamburgers tempted him.

He had changed his clothes, but his hair was still full of sand from Zoë’s previous roosting. Removing his helmet, he could feel the tiny granules of sand against his sweaty scalp. They itched as he scratched, trying to relieve the discomfort. He needed a shower and another change of clothes, preferably something more comfortable than riding gear.

But first he needed to square things away with Zoë.

As he walked up to Josh, his friend pushed a cold beer into his hand. “Where is she?” Drew asked, before pressing the can to his lips. The liquid was cool and refreshing against his parched throat.

“Toy hauler. Didn’t look happy. Whad’ya say to her?” Drew didn’t miss the concern that darkened Josh’s eyes.

Drew ignored him as he headed for Zoë’s trailer. She hadn’t even loaded her quad or raised the ramp. The backend of the trailer was agape. He took that as an invitation and stepped in. She wasn’t anywhere in sight, but he heard water running and looked toward the small bathroom.

Showering.

He’d give anything to join her, to soap her supple body, his hands touching every inch of skin. Instead he gazed around the trailer and waited.

Toy haulers had become all the rage. As he scanned past the small kitchen, he wondered if Zoë lived out of the trailer. It was immaculate. No oil stains on the floor where her bike and quad resided. From where he stood he could see her bedroom—her bed. What he would give to take her right here—right now. Feel her warm, wet body sheathe his aching cock. And Lord knows it was aching as it strained against his riding pants.

He had to change the course his thoughts were taking or he’d fill his pants with cum before Zoë even got out of the shower.

On the walls were a couple pictures of Josh, their mother and father. Still, a cold or lonely sense lingered between the walls. Compact. It had everything one needed. Running water, refrigerator, oven, heating and cooling, even a small color TV sat on the counter. Across from the kitchen were a table and two bench seats and a full size couch. The bathroom and bedroom were the only areas separated by a sliding door, which was open.

Sorrow and a good dose of guilt washed over him as he heard the water stop. Zoë shouldn’t be living like this. She should be married with a home and a couple of kids— his kids.

Where the thought came from he didn’t know. Maybe it was the senseless deaths he’d seen in Iraq. Knowing that many lovers, husbands and wives lost someone special and for what? Maybe it was the emptiness he felt in his own life. He brushed his fingers through his hair.

Damn. He sure fucked up both their lives.

The door squeaked as she exited the bathroom. A little blue towel wrapped around her body, another turbaned around her head. She hadn’t noticed him as she headed for the small closet. As she bent to pick something up the towel inched higher. Drew leaned forward to catch a glance at the softness between her thighs.

A knot formed in his throat as his cock jerked to attention. Hunger built like a raging river. It took every ounce of control not to go to her, not to take her down to the floor and part those long legs. The thought of how hot and wet she would be had his mouth watering to taste her.

A flare of anger struck him as he remembered the backend of the trailer was wide open and everyone and their dog could see her blessed body. He moved quickly to block her from anyone’s view. The shuffling of his boots startled her.

A tight breath squeezed from her lungs as she spun around. Her gaze rolled to the ceiling when she saw him. “What the hell are you doing in here?” She gripped the towel around her like it was a shield.

With slow, wide steps he began to close the distance between them. “We need to talk.”

Her shoulders rose and fell on a huff. “There’s nothing to talk about, Drew. Just give it a rest.” Sadness filled her reddened eyes.

Had she been crying?

He squared his shoulders. “Zoë, I wrote.” His gaze swept across her face, down her slender throat to where the tops of her breasts were exposed. He watched a bead of water disappear between them. He wanted to follow the drop of water with his tongue, taste every inch of her skin.

“Yeah. Mom said you did.” She glanced over his shoulder. “I should have closed that door or at least pulled the curtain.” There was a plastic curtain looped and tied at each side of the opening.

“Why didn’t you read my letters? Why didn’t you write?” God, he wanted to touch her, but her body was ramrod straight. The frown on her face said she wasn’t open to any of his advances.

“Why? You said it all when you left.” Her tongue darted across her full lips. “Now if you’ll get lost, I’ll get dressed.”

“No.” He reached for her, fingers closing around her arm, as she tried to turn away from him.

Surprise lit her eyes. She stared at his hand. Then pinned him was a scowl. “No?”

“Not until you listen to me.”

The muscles in her jaws tightened. “You have nothing to say I want to hear.” Her voice shook. A flush of color dotted her cheeks. “Just get out of here.” The rise in her voice must have drawn Josh’s attention, because he appeared in the doorway.

“Everything okay?” her brother asked.

She cocked a brow. “No, it isn’t. He won’t leave.”

“Drew?” Josh took a step up the ramp.

“Back out and shut that damn ramp.” The warning in Drew’s hoarse voice fell on deaf ears. Josh took another step toward them. Desperation was building fast inside Drew. He’d fight Josh if he had too, but he wasn’t leaving until he had his say.

Worry wrinkles creased Josh’s forehead. Indecision warred in the depths of his brown eyes as he looked at Zoë. “Sis. This has to stop, before something happens to you.” He pinned Drew with a stern glare. “Hurt her again and I’ll kill you.” There was an eerie softness in his tone that left no doubt he meant it. Gone was the casual camaraderie they had shared. He turned to his sister, again. “Zoë?”

She was trembling. Hot daggers flew from her eyes as she glared at Drew.

“Zoë!” Josh repeated sternly.

“Okay,” she ground out between clenched teeth. “The good old boy’s club is alive and well even in this Godforsaken place.” She tossed Josh a look that would have killed a weaker man.

Josh backed out, but not before giving Drew one last warning glare. Slowly he raised the ramp. It shut with a solid thud as Josh slid one and then the other lock in place.

Fingers curled into fists, Zoë turned away from Drew. “Say it and then get out of here.”

This wasn’t the way it was supposed to be. He didn’t want her filled with fury. “Look at me, Zoë.” He reached to guide her chin toward him and was greeted with a sharp slap as she knocked his hand away. Another attempt ended with the same result as she skirted around him.

She was breathing hard. Her rigid stance dared him to try again. The towel on her head had worked free. Long, wet hair draped across her shoulders, resting at the bend of her elbows. She looked wild, untamed.

Something snapped. The single thread of control Drew held vanished.

He lunged.

Quick and unhampered by the heavy, unbendable boots he wore, she dodged him. In the confined space there was no place to go, except through the side door and outside.

She wouldn’t escape him that easily. As she ran past him, he caught her wrist. She swung the free one, striking him hard against the cheek with her fist.

“Shit!” That stung.

Then her fingers folded around the doorknob. He blinked as he got a handful of towel.

“You wouldn’t,” she breathed.

“Release the knob, Zoë.”

The squeak of the knob sounded as she twisted it.

He yanked the towel free, revealing every inch of her glorious body.

She spun around and attacked. The impact was so great that it knocked him backward. His hand jutted out, catching her arm. They both fell. He twisted so that he took the brunt of the fall, pulling her atop him as they landed on the floor.

Like a wildcat, she scratched and clawed.

Before she could do either of them damage, he rolled her naked body beneath him. It wasn’t easy, but finally he got her wrists together and pinned above her head. Her breathing was erratic. Succulent breasts rose and fell rapidly.

“Get off me.” Her struggles quieted by the weight of his body. “Drew—”

He silenced her with a kiss and was rewarded with a fierce bite to his lower lip. He jerked back, tasting blood—his own. “You play dirty, baby.” He used his knee to wedge between her naked thighs.

“I don’t play at all. Now get off me.”

He had never seen her angry before, never seen the fire that burned in her soul, like it did at this moment. It made him hot. With a dip of his head he took her rosy nipple into his hot, wet mouth.

Her breath audibly caught. A throaty whimper followed. “Stop.” The one word was filled with desperation. “Drew. Stop.”

But he didn’t—couldn’t.

The flesh in his mouth was soft, her nipple hard against his tongue. Small bumps rose around the swollen nub as he licked around and around it. Slowly, he worked his knee against the apex of her thighs, rubbing.

She tasted so good. Felt even better as his hand slipped between them. Just like he remembered, she was warm and wet. When his fingers parted the softness of her sex she cried out. The desperate sound wrenching from somewhere deep in her throat made him break the suction he had on her breast.

Tear after tear flowed like rivers from her closed eyes.

“Zoë?”

Silence, except for her soft sniffles.

“Baby, look at me.”

Her eyes remained closed. If anything her tears increased as her body began to shake uncontrollably.

Shame twisted his gut. She hated him and he almost took her against her will. The knowledge was something he couldn’t bear. His hand slipped from between her legs. He released her wrists. Lightly, he skimmed his fingers across her cheek before he pressed his lips softly to hers. Kissing her for what might be the last time.

He rolled off her and got to his feet. She didn’t move or open her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Zoë. I never meant to hurt you.”

The door closed quietly as Zoë heard Drew leave. She lay on the cold linoleum floor of the toy hauler, her body racked with tremors, her eyes moist with tears. She didn’t have the strength to fight his unwanted advances.

Liar.

That was the crux of this terrible mess. She did want his advances. His lips on her breast had been heavenly. With each suckle the threads of arousal tugged at her pussy. His mouth warm and wet, his cock pressed to her thigh made her hungry for more.

When he parted her legs, drove his knee against her tender flesh, her thighs opened wider on their own accord. But when he’d touched her, discovered her wetness, her need for him, she had died a thousand deaths.

Humiliated. She couldn’t help the burst of emotion. The need simmering through her body was an uncontrollable wildfire. Hot liquid fire surged through her veins. Shamelessly, she had released another wave of desire into his palm. Her body did everything but scream, “Fuck me”, though it had lingered on the tip of her tongue, aching for release.

Slowly, she rolled to her side, drew her knees to her chest and hugged herself. For years she had run from Drew’s memory. A strangled sob broke from her throat, but felt like it came from her heart.

Her skin felt too tight. The pressure inside her body heavier than it ever had been. The pain ripping through her chest hurt. She wanted it to stop.

Needed it to stop.

Desperately, she drew herself into a tighter ball.

The sad truth was she could never run fast or far enough to get away from Drew’s memory. When he left her, Zoë had pulled some stupid stunts, partying and drinking, until she discovered she had a natural talent to ride. Riding gave her a purpose, a goal in life—to be the best. It had saved her from destroying herself. Yet somewhere something went wrong.

The first year she competed, her daredevil attitude won her awards and status at her company. She had been unique—a novelty. Yet as she began to compete against the men, she heard their grumblings. They said she was taking more chances—dangerous choices.

When other women wouldn’t try a jump or stunt, she would. Dave, her boss, said she was heading down a destructive path, becoming more of a liability than an asset. Some of the people she worked with called her an adrenaline junkie. What the hell did they know? Funny thing was they didn’t say the same thing about the men who followed her. Yet she understood why they did what they did. The rush was a high, better than any drug. She craved it. The silky epinephrine was hers anytime she wanted it.

Slowly, she uncurled her body and pushed herself to her feet. Shaky legs held her upright. She went to the cupboard, took out a shot glass and the bottle of tequila next to it and poured. Without a second thought she downed one shot of courage. It burned so good.

Carrying the bottle and glass, Zoë drifted toward a chair and slowly sat down before the kitchen table. With a critical eye she took in her surroundings before setting the bottle and glass down. As a young girl she had dreamed of a ranch, a horse and a family—little girl’s dreams. She released the air in her lungs.

Josh had brought Drew home the summer she turned sixteen. A weak smile touched her lips. Smitten was too mild a word. He had turned her world upside down and inside out. She did everything to get his attention, even kissed him. Her eyelashes brushed against her cheekbones remembering that night.

Zoe had always been sure of herself, knew what she wanted, and she wanted Drew. “You’re too young, baby.” His eyes had glowed with a fire that heated her blood. At the end of summer he had left on an assignment, returning three years later to stoke the flame that still smoldered inside her.

A tremor raced up her spine, shaking her from head to toe. The memory shifted and it was her nineteenth birthday. She stood before him ready, willing. They had spent a wonderful weekend at the lake. Loved and shared what Zoë had thought were plans for a future together. But they had been her desires—not his. Drew’s plans hadn’t included her. His career had been more important.

Zoë leaned forward, elbows on the table as she buried her face into her palms. Damn him for returning now. Just when she thought she had her life figured out he came waltzing in to mess with her head. She picked up the bottle and poured another glass. “No way,” she said, before downing the liquor. She wasn’t falling for him a second time, no matter what.

Chapter Four

Laughter floated on the warm air. Drew sat on a lounge chair in the shade of the awning that hung from Josh’s fifth-wheel trailer, brooding, his gaze darting toward Zoë’s toy hauler. The beer in his hand was cold as he pressed it to his lips and let the amber liquid flow down his parched throat.

In the distance, campers were pouring in like ants, one right after another. Soon their semi-peaceful site would be swarming with people. And if Drew didn’t know better, they looked to be heading straight for him. As a barrage of trailers and campers descended, Drew wondered if Josh had invited all of Phoenix to California—at least that’s what it looked like from the Arizona license plates. Men and women poured from their vehicles, each having a handshake or hug for Josh as they stepped out to greet one another.

Not Drew’s thing. He wasn’t up for company. His confrontation with Zoë had not gone well. Though he did have to admit that for a brief second the unyielding woman had vanished and he had held the soft, warm girl she used to be. He had felt the moment of surrender when her body responded to his touch. Her nipple had been diamond-hard against his tongue. Her pussy wet and slick as his fingers probed between her thighs.

His cock jerked with the recollection. Again he felt the tingly sensation in his groin as blood rushed to fill his sac. This was what he had to look forward to over the long weekend. A woman who despised him and an eternal hard-on for said woman.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. The only thing that thwarted the direction his mind headed was Zoë’s silent tears. Her wet emotion pulled at his heartstrings. It was true that her body had been accommodating, but not her heart.

She hated him.

He had hurt her again.

The darn hamburger he’d eaten after he showered was now settling like a weight in his stomach. The near-empty beer he held wasn’t much better. He chugged down the remainder in one gulp, reached for the ice chest, retrieving another. With a quick twist, he popped the top and then took a sip. All the while, he continued to eye Zoë’s trailer, waiting for her to emerge.

Earlier, she had refused Josh’s encouragement to come out and eat. Her insistence had earned Drew a quiet scowl from her brother.

When a truck door slammed and a jolly howl followed, Drew turned his attention to the new arrivals.

Sonofabitch, if it isn’t Dean Conner. Drew pushed to his feet and met Connor halfway.

“Well look what the dog dragged home.” Connor’s large hand jutted out in welcome. He pumped Drew’s arm like a water handle. “Shit, Drew. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.” The brawny man released Drew and then slapped him on the back.

Conner had been a halfback for the Rattlers. Arena football was all the rage in Arizona. The man’s square jaw, muscular neck and rowdy good looks had always kept the women nipping at his heels. “Damn, buddy, I’m glad to see you made it back in one piece.”

Drew shared Connor’s sentiments. Yet there were times when Drew had wondered whether he would return. Fact was he came back with more than he left. A couple of pieces of shrapnel embedded in his body were souvenirs he would have rather left behind.

From the passenger side of Connor’s big, black truck, a pretty little sable-haired gal in a halter-top and a pair of short-shorts slipped out. With a sway to her hips, she sauntered up to Connor.

Her gaze danced across Drew in heated appreciation. “Dean, are you going to introduce me to your friend?” she purred, smiling up at Drew through heavy lashes.

“Woman, do I have to remind you you’re here with me this weekend?” Connor chuckled, as he wrapped a brawny arm around her shoulders.

If Drew remembered correctly, Connor and Josh shared their female conquests and sometimes at the same time. Was she one of their little playthings?

Connor pressed his lips to her forehead. “Drew, this little minx is Kari. Drew just got back from Iraq.”

She wiggled from beneath Connor’s arm and inched closer to Drew, crowding his personal space. “A soldier boy. I do love a man in uniform—or out of one.” She ran a single finger along the dip in his T-shirt’s neckline, focusing on the spot, before she tilted her nose and smiled up at him. Her fingernail scraping against his skin and her coy expression sent goose bumps across his flesh.

Damned if his cock didn’t take the opportunity to stand at attention, alerting her to the reaction she had on him. A coy smile touched her lips, then her tongue made a slow, sensual trail across her bottom lip.

His gaze darted back to Zoë’s toy hauler. A twitch of anxiety tightened the muscles across his shoulders and up his neck. The last thing he needed was for Zoë to catch him with Kari.

Arms dangling by his side, Drew sucked in a breath, while searching for an excuse to become scarce. “Uh—”

Connor must have seen Drew’s discomfort. “Ease up, Kari. Drew is a professional photographer and freelancer for INN.”

A sparkle lit in her amber eyes as they raked a path across him from head to toe. “Photographer? I hope you brought your camera, hon. Maybe later we can have a private photo shoot of our own.”

Yep. Drew was pretty sure this one was one of Connor and Josh’s girls. Connor didn’t appear fazed by her sexual innuendo. In fact, the man was grinning ear to ear. “Party in my trailer later.” Connor wagged his heavy brows. Then he slapped Kari on the ass, making a smacking sound. A delightful giggle was her answer. “Come on, hussy. Let’s get the rail and quads unloaded.”

Again, her tongue made a slow, sexy path between full lips. “Later,” she promised as one eyelid dipped in a seductive wink, before turning away from Drew.

Kari was bad news. An interference he didn’t need this weekend, not when he was attempting to get back into Zoë’s good graces.

A Hummer pulling a trailer with two sand rails, and another truck and toy hauler, pulled off the road and into the sand. The deep steady rumble and rich scent of diesel filled the air as the one-ton truck eased into a place perpendicular to Josh’s trailer. Drew recognized the driver as Trent Manning. He and Josh had gone to college with the dark-haired man. Trent switched the engine off and climbed out of his truck. A handful of men followed him as they immediately went to the back of his rig and unloaded six quads then moved to the other vehicle.

With Connor’s trailer aligned the same way to Zoë’s and a couple more rigs placed horizontally in front of them, their campsite formed a perfect rectangle creating their own private party area.

Already Drew could hear the hiss of beer bottles opening and laughter as women disappeared into the trailers and men started stripping their clothes off where they stood, reaching for their riding gear and donning it. It wasn’t long before the sharp twang of two-stroke engines versus four-cycle ranged loud and clear. These people took their riding seriously. Drew guessed setting up camp could wait in their eyes.

It was time to ride.

Zoë must have heard the commotion because she stepped out of her trailer fully dressed for riding.

Drew’s pulse leaped. He didn’t have any of his gear on. As he moved hastily toward the trailer to retrieve his clothing and boots, he saw Zoë fall into the embrace of one man after another. He watched as Trent picked her off her feet, swung her around, and then slapped a big kiss on her. When he sat her on her feet his arm remained around her.

A growl vibrated up Drew’s throat as he dropped his shorts where he stood. He crammed one leg into his pants. Like an idiot, he hopped around on the other foot, before he gained his balance. Pants on, he pulled the jersey over his head and quickly took a seat. It chapped his ass to see her so comfortable among a shitload of rowdy and surely horny men. As he pushed his foot into a sock and then his boot, he saw Zoë walk away with Trent toward a sand rail. Drew fumbled with the snaps of his boots, leaving the top ones undone as he reached for his other sock and boot. Everything inside him wanted to yell out at her, draw her attention, as she slipped behind the wheel of the vehicle. Yet he knew there was a ninety percent chance she’d simply ignore him. More than likely the odds were closer to a hundred percent. As he jumped to his feet, fastening his belt, he began to hastily move toward her.

The sand rail engine screamed to life.

Too late.

The vehicle’s front tires popped off the ground, high into the air.

“Shit!” Adrenaline coursed through Drew’s body fast and furious. The speed and sharp incline stole his breath away. He knew any minute it would fall backward and kill both her and Trent.

As his heart crashed against his chest, shouts of excitement rang from individuals within eyesight of the spectacle. Zoë steered the contraption on its back tires down the road, riding it out.

Damn her. She was going to be the death of him.

This was not the innocent girl he left behind. No. This one had a wild streak a mile wide. He didn’t take a breath until the front tires of the rail bounced against the ground. Even then, she spun the vehicle on a dime, cutting into the sand and spraying sand from beneath her tires.

How the hell was he going to catch up with her? Probably the better question was what was he going to do when he caught her?

“Hey, sugar, looking for me?” The sexy, soft-spoken words made him spin around. Kari slithered to his side. Her arm curled around his. She was dressed in riding gear from the waist down, but her chest sported a bathing suit top that didn’t leave much to the imagination. Her full breasts stood invitingly, urging him to reach out and cup them.

Drew didn’t want to appear rude. He eased his arm from hers as he forced a smile he didn’t feel. With as much aplomb as possible he glanced down at Kari. “Just heading out.” His voice reflected disinterest, while his insides felt like they were tied in knots.

This was exactly the reason he had run in the first place. His feelings for Zoë were uncontrollable. She lit a fire in him like no woman ever had. When he was around her the desire to touch her was overpowering. All he could think about was going to bed each night buried inside her body and waking each morning wrapped in her arms.

She drove him crazy.

Turned him every which way but loose.

Hell, she kept him in a constant state of arousal.

Bright pink fingernails slowly crawled up his arm as Kari insinuated herself again around his arm. “Why don’t you stay behind?” He caught her not-so-subtle glance toward Josh’s trailer. “I’m sure we can find something to entertain us. Maybe a photo shoot.” Her free hand stroked up and down his arm as she snuggled in closer.

He couldn’t keep his eyes off the rail and stream of quads following as they disappeared in the distance. “Kari—”

With a jerk she pulled her arm from his. He glanced down at her. “Don’t tell me. You’re sniffing at her heels too.” That foxy tone disappeared, replaced by a chilly bite.

Drew didn’t dare ask who she referred to, but he did anyway. “Who?”

“Umph.” She frowned, her perfectly plucked eyebrows pulled inward. “The Davis chick. Josh’s sister. Didn’t you see her grand exit or the line of worshippers following her? She did this last year.”

Drew didn’t like the sound of that. Now that Kari mentioned it, the camp did seem a little quiet, too bare. And there was no way in hell he’d catch Zoë now.

“You don’t have to worry about Zoë anymore. She’s mine.” A skeptical laugh met his announcement.

Kari shook her head. The sneer on her face held contempt. “Yours and how many others?” She turned to leave, stopping to glance over her shoulder. “When she’s through with you, sugar, I’m available.”

Drew didn’t realize it, but his hands were fisted. His ears burned with an inner heat. Red-hot anger rushed through his veins. Zoë was his—no one else’s. The sooner she admitted it the sooner they could put the past behind them.

Heavy steps expressed his determination as he headed toward his quad. In seconds, he had his helmet and goggles in place. Slung his leg over the seat and started the quad. It whined and then roared as he pressed the gas and sped away from camp.

In the distance a huge brown cloud rose. The smell of dust and the sounds of small and large engines permeated the air.

The races had begun.

There was no doubt in Drew’s mind just where he’d find Zoë.

He approached the makeshift raceway aligned with quads, dirt bikes, rails, Rhinos, trucks, jeeps, any and all types of all-terrain vehicles on both sides. The strip was a series of whoop-de-dos, hills and valleys of various heights and spacing.

Drew slowly pulled up and parked next to Josh who sat on his quad by Dean Connor. Connor and a man Drew had yet to meet both had their legs hanging casually through the piping of his rail.

“Where’s Zoë?” Drew asked, easing his goggles and then helmet off his head.

Josh’s expression was grim as he used a wet-wipe to clean his goggles. “She should be coming over that ridge shortly.” Concern rimmed his friend’s eyes. Maybe Drew wasn’t the only one worried about the chances Zoë was taking riding, or in this case driving.

From over a particularly large hill a rider on a dirt bike caught air. He soared high, but on his landing, for a mere second, he lost control, sliding into a squirrelly, a trail of waving lines in the sand behind him. The next to appear over the horizon was a monster truck. Its horn burst into a long wail like a train whistle that stirred the crowd with excitement. As the jacked-up truck raced down the track, each whoop-de-do tested its shocks and carriage.

Then as Drew anticipated, Trent’s sand rail appeared, Zoë at the wheel, as another vehicle ran alongside. No one could claim she sandbagged the race. Trent was gripping the oh-shit bar for dear life. As she hit a hill, she gassed it, soaring higher and further than the dune buggy that was now behind her. Sand sprayed into the crowd as they landed hard.

Applause and cheers of appreciation followed her win.

“Fuck,” Drew heard Josh whisper more to himself than anyone in particular. But Drew’s glare was pinned on Zoë as she whipped the rail around, heading toward them.

Connor threw a lighthearted glance toward Josh. “Damn, Davis. Your sister drives that thing like she stole it. Hell on wheels.”

The dark-haired man next to Connor leaned over to address Josh. “Your sister is something.” His grin of appreciation held a little more admiration then Drew cared for. Heat crawled across his face.

As Zoë stopped behind them, Drew and Josh both climbed off their quads. Drew’s first instinct was to jerk her from behind the wheel and carry her kicking and screaming back to camp. They needed to talk and resolve the issues between them. There were too many men sniffing at her heels for his comfort. Even now, Connor and his friend were eyeing Zoë with too much interest, and then there was Trent.

Trent released his death grip on the bar in front of him. “Josh, your sister is crazy.” His chuckle was a little strained.

Zoë’s face showed no expression, her eyes hidden behind shaded goggles. But Drew swore he could feel her steely glare on him. Her perfectly sculpted lips became pinched, puckered slightly as her head turned in his direction. All he could think of was tasting her—kissing the tightness from her mouth.

The little gal had an attitude that he couldn’t wait to adjust.

Josh waved Drew back as he veered around the rail heading straight for Zoë. “Yeah. I know.” He bent near her and whispered something in her ear that Drew couldn’t hear over the quads tearing down the track behind him.

Zoë’s return comment made Josh’s frown deepen. When he tried to speak to her, she hit the gas, slamming Trent against the back of the seat. The rail’s wheels spun, whirling sand from beneath them and once again roosting everyone within distance.

The vein in Josh’s throat bulged as he watched Zoë disappear beyond a tall dune. Silently, he shook his head and walked back to his quad.

Tension raced across Drew’s shoulders. “Where did she go?”

Josh ignored him. “Come on. Let’s ride.” In seconds he disappeared over another dune in the opposite direction of his sister.

Clearly something was wrong between the siblings. More importantly, Zoë was gone. Alone, with another man.

This was not how Drew had planned their reunion. He needed a plan to get her back.

Chapter Five

With evening came the cooling of temperatures and streaks of orange and red color across the western sky. Trent had stalled the sand rail in the middle of a witch’s eye, a bowl-shaped area surrounded by three or more tall sand dunes. They were hidden from everyone’s view, even the regulation flag that jutted eight feet into the air couldn’t be seen over the ridge of sand.

“Why’d you stop?” Zoë asked as warning bells went off inside her head. “Trent, this isn’t safe.” Someone could be on them in a matter of seconds. If they weren’t watching where they were going they’d land right on top of them.

Trent slipped off his helmet and goggles. His black hair was slick with perspiration. He sat quietly for a moment and gazed at her. His eyes darkened with an emotion Zoë didn’t want to face.

Lust.

She didn’t need this. Not now.

“Be with me this weekend.” His voice was deep and gravelly.

Thank God for colored lenses, Zoë thought as she hid behind her goggles. She slipped a smile across her dirt-streaked face. What a mess she must look and Trent was making moves on her. “Trent, get real.” She reached to give him a playful slap against the chest, but he caught her hand. The Velcro made a scratchy sound as he tore back the grip and slowly peeled her glove off before he pressed her wrist to his lips. All the while, his heated gaze remained steadfast on hers.

Her breath caught on an inhale.

Damn. Trent was sexy, looking up at her through heavy-lids. Just shy of six feet, he was solid masculinity all the way. Not to mention, he had a smooth, polished way about him that easily drew women to his side. Like Josh, he knew his way around women. He wasn’t a bad lover. But he wasn’t Drew. Or maybe that’s what she needed—a diversion. Zoë briefly closed her eyes behind her mask.

No. If she had her choice of men she would give her soul to be with Drew.

“We were good together,” Trent said refusing to release her hand.

The truth was that last year Trent had been a substitute for the man she really wanted. “You mean we were good in bed,” she corrected. The lighthearted chuckle she anticipated releasing instead came out tight. Even she heard the unease in her attempt to jest.

Okay. A different approached was needed.

“Now’s not the time, Trent. Get us out of this eye.” There was more to her anxiety than knowing someone could appear at the peak of one of the sand dunes and then be on them in a flash.

Shamelessly, Zoë had held Trent while she fucked Drew in her mind. Each moan and cry of ecstasy had been for Drew. Just the thought of Drew tightened her nipples into pebble-hard peaks beneath her jersey. The memory of his warm, wet mouth on her breast earlier released a flood of desire between her thighs.

God, what she would give to feel his cock easing in and out of her aching pussy.

Trent’s brown eyes darkened more as he reached for her. “Zoë, I want you. I’ve always wanted you.”

Zoë tried to pull away, but her seatbelt held her snugly in place. The thought of holding someone else while Drew slept thirty feet away turned her stomach. The idea of him being wrapped in another woman’s arms made every bone in her body ache. She had seen Kari wrapped around his arm. That woman was trouble.

The revving of an engine as a rail topped the crest was the only thing that saved her from the kiss she knew was coming as Trent draped his body over hers.

Startled, he jerked back behind the wheel. “Shit,” he said, as the vehicle dodged, barely missing crashing into them. He crammed his helmet on and turned the key, stirring the engine to life.

“Get us the hell out of here,” Zoë yelled, as a quad bounded over the dune, once again missing them by a hair. “I want to go back to camp.”

The ride back to camp was done in silence. Trent pulled the sand rail inside the area formed by their trailers, positioning the buggy near his trailer. Theft was high at the Dunes. The closer you slept to your toys, the safer your equipment was.

Zoë climbed out of the vehicle and removed her helmet and goggles. As she moved toward her toy hauler, Trent intercepted her. “Zoë, I mean it. Just think about it.”

She didn’t want to lead him on or give him false hope. “Isn’t going to happen, Trent.” But if she knew him, he wouldn’t stop trying.

The frown Josh flashed her as she walked past him didn’t go unnoticed. He had no right to quote safety do’s and don’ts of riding. She was a big girl. Hell, she was better at riding than him and probably most of the guys.

Before her foot landed on the first step of her trailer, fingers closed around her arm, stopping her short. Slowly her gaze moved across the large hand restraining her, cruised along the tight muscled arm, until she came eye to eye with Drew.

Well, crap.

Anger simmered in his glare. “Where have you been?”

Damn if he and Josh didn’t make her feel like she was sixteen again.

She jerked her arm out of his grasp. “Fuck you.”

With a thud she found her back pinned to her trailer, Drew’s body pressed solidly against hers. The heat of his fury seeped into her skin.

“Don’t push me, Zoë.” His warm breath flowed across her face. “Where have you been?” She watched his full lips move and all she could think about was kissing him, thrusting her tongue into his mouth, tasting and taking what had been denied her for so long.

Instead she said, “Laying low in a witch’s eye screwing Trent’s brains out. Where the hell do you think I’ve been? Uh…riding.”

The intensity in Drew’s eyes sent a shiver of fear racing up her spine. She had never seen him like this. He was furious. Jealous.

Before she could take a breath, he pressed his mouth against hers. There was anger in his kiss, almost punishing in its force. Teeth struck teeth. His tongue darted between her lips, moving quickly as he jerked her into his embrace.

No. She couldn’t let this happen. But like always, she melted in his arms. She had no willpower when it came to Drew. The grip she had on his bare arms softened. Her tongue dueled with his. Her nerves tingled like live wires, massive energy contained against its will beneath her tight skin. Currents rushed to her nipples, stinging the hard peaks. That familiar drawing sensation, sharp and prickly, made her breasts swell with the need to be fondled and stroked by Drew’s fire.

“Zoë?” Her name barely registered as she saw a flicker of movement behind Drew. The kiss ended as Trent moved closer, so he was now fully within her view. “You okay, Zoë?”

“She’s fine,” Drew growled, refusing to relinquish her. If anything, his body pressed closer to her. His lips brushed lightly against hers as he spoke. “Leave us alone.”

Now this was awkward.

Caught in Drew’s mesmerizing stare, she blinked, trying to break his hold.

“I’ll hear it from her mouth, thank you.” There was a bite in Trent’s response.

Tension built in the air, thick and heavy.

Zoë didn’t want trouble. She just wanted to finish their kiss. No. That wasn’t right. She wanted to get away from Drew.

“I’m fine,” she said, her lips whispering across Drew’s. His hips ground against hers and she could feel his rigid erection. For a second she forgot about the intensity of the moment and just wanted to feel that long, hard cock buried between her thighs. When Trent didn’t move, she repeated, “I’m fine, Trent. Drew was just leaving.” She raised a brow in warning.

“No, baby, I’m not leaving.”

She gave him a firm shove, but he didn’t move. Her voice dropped low. “Listen. Things could get real nasty—fast—if you don’t release me. I know this group of men. You’re the outsider here, Drew. We can talk later.”

Or never, if she had her choice.

He stepped back, but instead of releasing her he grasped her hand. She didn’t miss the challenging look he gave Trent.

This was not good. Not good at all.

“If you two boys want to beat each others’ brains out, be my guest.” She jerked her hand out of Drew’s. “I’m out of here.” Before Drew could grab her hand again, she ducked his attempt and slipped into her trailer.

Zoë waited a heartbeat, listening for crunching bones and growls that didn’t come. Thank God. Someone had changed the twang of country music to the steady beat of rock. The artist sang “I like big butts,” and the men around the campfire joined in the chorus.

The party had begun.

Chapter Six

Josh threw another glance toward Zoë’s toy hauler as he popped a top on a can of beer and took a swig. He leaned forward in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees. “Her boss called me.” There was a slight edge to his voice. He swallowed hard before he continued. “After her show in Phoenix she’s got some time off.”

Drew set his plate down on the empty chair next to him. The steak had tasted like leather and went down like chunks of cement. It wasn’t the quality of the food but the foul mood he was in. It had been over an hour since his last interaction with Zoë. Night had fallen. A full moon graced the sky littered with bright stars. While they sat around the campfire smelling the burning pine, laughter and music filled the air as parties began all around them.

And still no Zoë.

He reached into the ice chest that sat between him and Josh and grabbed a bottle of beer. “And?” He knew there was more to what Josh had to say. As Drew twisted the cap it made a hissing sound. A drip of cold water dropped on his bare thigh just below his denim cutoffs. He held the chilly bottle away from his naked chest and took a drink. His hair was still wet from his brief shower, but was quickly drying beneath the breeze. His bare feet sat on top of his sandals. It felt good to be clean. If only he could have washed away his mistreatment of Zoë. First his unforgivable behavior in her trailer and then his he-man act when she returned from riding. Instead of clearing the air between them, he seemed destined to screw it up more.

“And—” Indecision played across Josh’s face as the light from the fire flickered over his features. He took a deep breath. “Her boss thinks she has a death wish.”

Drew sat straight up in his chair. “What?”

Josh shook his head, watching the door to Zoë’s trailer as his voice lowered. “He’s told her to seek counseling.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I haven’t told Mom and Dad. I don’t know how.”

Drew couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I had no idea.”

Josh pinned him with an accusing glare. “How could you? You weren’t around.”

Drew mentally felt the jab of his friend’s words. “The guy’s crazy. Not Zoë.” Not his precious angel. She wouldn’t place her life in danger. Duh. Was he the crazy one? From what he’d already seen of Zoë she was riding the edge.

Josh’s mouth turned into an incredulous curve. “Are you blind? This isn’t the same little girl you left behind three years ago.” He shot quickly to his feet. “She doesn’t come home, doesn’t call. This is the first time I’ve seen her in over a year. Man, your leaving fucked her up good and proper.”

Felt that barb too.

Uncomfortable having an angry man hover over him, Drew slipped his feet into his sandals and rose. The tendons in Josh’s neck were drawn tight. Even in the dark Drew could see his friend’s eyes bright with concern and accusation.

Josh’s face went cold, unreadable. “If you’re not here to make right by my sister then you leave her the fuck alone.” There was something dangerous in his tone, his mien. His fingers curled in fists, arms straining at his sides as if he fought the urge to strike out at Drew.

Now wasn’t the time to remind the guy that he was the one playing matchmaker this weekend. Besides Josh was right.

Drew had made a mess of their lives—it seemed not only his and Zoë’s. “I’m not leaving this time. If she’ll have me, I’m staying.” His words surprised him, but the minute he said them he knew it was true.

A huff of disbelief left Josh’s mouth. “Well, buddy, my guess is she won’t have you. Not by the way she was looking at you the last time I saw you two together.”

“That’s going to change,” Drew said as the door to the toy hauler opened and Zoë stepped out.

She wore a pair of jean cutoffs, a high-cut tank top that showed off a bellybutton ring Drew had never seen, and a pair of tennis shoes. Scrapes and scars marred her beautiful legs and arms—something he hadn’t noticed when he had her stripped naked beneath him.

“Hungry?” Josh asked as she bent over her quad.

Her snug shorts caught Drew’s attention. Damn she had long legs, legs he couldn’t wait to have wrapped around his waist.

“No.” She continued to check the gas and oil levels. Her hair was braided down her back, falling forward each time she bent over.

Drew couldn’t help moving closer. The woman had a great ass, which several of the men in their party happened to notice as they whistled. Possessiveness gnawed at his gut.

She was his woman.

“Zoë, leave that thing alone and come eat,” Josh said, playing the concerned big brother.

She snorted.

Drew had never heard her make the unladylike sound before, but it suited the new her. No, the woman before him was hard, carved from a difficult life, one that he had inadvertently caused.

Dammit. This wasn’t only his fault. He had written. He had offered to come back home.

A set of headlights blinded him as a sand rail revved up its engine and tore down Gecko road. Several people on quads followed. Night riding was legal but dangerous. Add to that drinking and you had a combination for disaster.

When Zoë slipped her helmet on, Drew closed the distance between them. She was already on the quad as he reached her.

“Not tonight, baby.” He placed his hand on her arm. She stared at his hand for a moment then slid her gaze up his arm until their eyes met. He didn’t see anger, only sadness.

Had she cried after he left her? Did she still have feelings for him?

Her tongue swiped across her lips. “Drew, I don’t want to fight. Besides I’m just checking my quad.”

The smell of soap and shampoo and something uniquely Zoë, that soft powdery scent, assailed his senses. “Talk to me instead.” Her skin was cool beneath his palm as he smoothed it up her arm and over her shoulder. Slowly he caressed her collarbone with his thumb. “I need to talk to you, Zoë.”

She looked away. “I’m tired, Drew.”

“I know, baby.” He wanted to hold her. Tell her what she meant to him. Ask her to forgive him.

“I need to ride.” She replaced one pair of colored-lens goggles for clear ones and tugged them on.

“You’re not dressed for riding.”

“I know, but— I just need to ride.” Ignoring him, she reached for the key,

He cupped her hand. “If you’re going, I’m tagging along.” He slid on behind her. His crotch fit snug against her ass. Bare thighs hugged bare thighs. Immediately, his cock hardened. This wasn’t going to be easy.

“Riding double is illegal in California,” her voice cracked, as she scooted forward, attempting to put distance between them.

He almost laughed. There was no way she was getting away from him. “Then we’ll have to stay one foot ahead of the rangers.”

“You don’t have a helmet, goggles.” The minute the words left her mouth, Josh was there with Drew’s headgear. “Thanks, bro.” The endearment from Zoë held a hint of sarcasm.

Drew settled the helmet and goggles in place. “Looks like you’re stuck with me.”

“Then hold on.” She gassed it.

By the grace of God he didn’t fall off as the bike lurched forward. Instead he wrapped his arms around her bare midriff. She felt good in his arms, even if they were moving quickly through the sand. They hit a bump and his hands slid up her rib cage, discovering she wore no bra.

“Nice,” he hissed in her ear, but he doubted she heard because of her helmet. Or maybe she did hear. She spun the quad into a turn that nearly dumped both of them off the bike. He moved his hands back along the defined muscles of her abdomen. The damn woman had a six-pack. He traced the line of muscles, playing a moment with the bellybutton ring that slid back and forth.

The front brakes grabbed and she applied pressure to perform a stoppie. The back tires rising from the ground threw them forward. She dipped low against the gas tank.

Damn her. She was intentionally trying to throw him over the handlebars.

“Good try, sweetheart,” he said, as she topped a ridge, stopped and killed the engine. The headlights died, leaving them bathed in moonlight.

In the distance the roar of engines filled the night. Dancing headlights were all around them. Laughter and hoots and hollers joined the chaos. It was an all-out free-for-all.

“Why’d we stop?” he asked. She was up to something, he knew it.

She gave him a little push with her shoulder. “I need some breathing room.”

He slid off the bike and she followed. As a second thought, he reached for the keys and pocketed them. No way in hell was she leaving him stranded at night in the desert.

Her laugh was weak at best. “Afraid?” She removed her headgear and set it on the quad’s seat.

He followed suit. “Always with you, baby.” And that was the truth. His feelings for her scared him to death. He wanted her so bad his cock ached, but it was more than that.

Zoë drifted away from him. She peered over the ridge into the dark unknown. Drew couldn’t help but notice how lonely she looked standing there by herself.

Life was so unfair. Time after time she had prayed to be wrapped in Drew’s arms. Now that it had happened all she could think of was getting away from him. As her vision adjusted to the darkness, she wondered if she should load up and take off tonight. Maybe swing by Mom and Dad’s and make amends for staying away for so long. Or maybe she’d hit one of the clubs and go on a weekend drunk.

Her emotions were raw. The last thing she needed was Drew confusing her. But that’s just what he did as his warm hands slid around her waist, pulling her against his firm body. An impressive erection pressed against the small of her back as a shiver raked her.

She closed her eyes. Even now, her breasts swelled and her nipples were sensitive tips rasping against the cotton of her shirt. The pulse between her thighs begged to be stroked, filled. She fought the urge to wiggle against him. To work his hard cock between the cleft of her ass.

“Cold?” he hummed in her ear, as his lips smoothed across her cheek and down her throat. The tickling sensation made her pull away, but he held her firmly against him.

“No.” Her answer came out a sigh. He sucked gently on her neck. “Drew, stop.”

“This?” he murmured, as he nipped her neck and then repeated the light suction.

“Yeah. That.” She tried to sound pissed, but she missed the mark. Instead she groaned the words and unconsciously bent her neck giving him more access.

His large palm caressed her belly then moved slowly to slip beneath her shirt and cup a breast.

She sucked in an audible breath and held it.

“Do you want me to stop this, too?” His thumb played over her nipple, teasing it to an aching peak. “Or do you want me to suck your nipple into my hot, wet mouth?”

“No. Yes,” she hissed, but it came out sultry instead of angry.

He pinched her nub and rays of desire shot through her breast. The back of her head fell against his chest. “Oh God.” Arousal dampened her thighs. Her nipple became unbelievably hard beneath his touch. Strings of desire pulled at her pussy. The small contractions increased with the steady pressure of his fingers.

His chuckle was soft and warm, filled with male satisfaction. “Do you like it hard, baby? Do you like sweet, sweet pain?”

Her mind screamed yes.

When he released her nipple and blood rushed in, along with the tingles of feeling that brought more delicious sensation.

No. Oh please no. Don’t stop.

Before she knew it he was fondling both her breasts. Her back arched, pressing her breasts into his hands. She should have felt shame for her surrender, her weakness. Still, she held onto the glimpse of hope that this time he would choose her. This time he would stay.

What a fool. What was she thinking? That maybe what she needed was a taste of him to quench her thirst. Perhaps all she needed to drive him from her soul was to experience what she had longed for all these years.

Fantasies were always better than the real thing—weren’t they? What she had felt for him was in the past. After she fucked him, she’d be able to walk away. Besides, he was just a man.

Right?

“I’ve missed you, Zoë.” There was an ache in his voice as his tongue traced the shell of her ear. “I’ve been so lonely without you.”

Heat brushed her cheeks. He had no idea what lonely was. Lonely was three long years of sleepless nights. Lonely was a hunger never fed. Lonely was being in a crowd, but never really existing. Lonely was the unworthy feeling she got every time she pictured him walking out on her.

Now that was lonely.

She trembled. Her heart raced a staccato beat in her ears.

He tightened his arms around her. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

Damn him. Tears threatened to fall. She closed her eyes, refusing to give into the pain burning behind them. “Drew, I can’t do this,” she choked. The seams of her soul felt like they were ripping. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold herself together.

Before she could resist, Drew spun her around and his lips met hers. There was nothing gentle in his kiss as he pushed past her lips, taking what he wanted. He touched her in places she hadn’t known existed, with a hunger she hadn’t expected.

Like a dam bursting, she lost it.

Her hands were everywhere, touching and caressing his broad shoulders, needing to get closer, needing to feel everything she had missed. Hip to hip, the blessed outline of his hardened cock pressed against her belly made her undulate to get closer. The need to feel him between her legs, parting and filling her, was overwhelming.

She whimpered, the sound an ache from her heart, as she sucked his tongue into her mouth, savoring the taste of the past. Her hands moved frantically over him, touching, pulling, dying to experience everything she’d been denied.

God, she wanted more. Craved more.

Uncontrollable tears swelled. Fell, one after another. Her body rubbed against his, fast, furious. Her fingers shook as she fought to release the button of his waistband. She had to feel his cock in her hands, taste it upon her tongue, and feel it deep inside her.

He stilled her hands, drawing in a strangled breath. “Slow down, baby.”

Her answer was a cry of distress. She choked on the knot stuck in her throat. Gulps of air threatened to strangle her. No way could she survive another rejection. No way. Please, she silently prayed.

Chapter Seven

Shit! What was going on? Drew’s breathing was harsh as he pulled Zoë against his chest. The night air was cooling off, but that wasn’t why she shook or, for that matter, why he did. He nearly came in his shorts twice as she touched him with a caress that he’d dreamed of. She was hot and wild, uninhibited in her desire. Something he hadn’t expected.

The mewling sounds she made thrilled him. He had never seen so much passion in one woman. Had she missed him? Or was it the tightrope she walked? Was he just another challenge?

He cupped her face in his palms. “Let me make love to you the right way. In a bed.” With his thumbs he wiped away her tears.

Bright blue eyes looked at him pleadingly. “No, please. Right here—right now.” A tremor slithered through her body and he felt it beneath his hands.

He couldn’t draw his gaze from her beautiful tearstained face. “But, baby, we’re standing on the top of a dune, headlights all around. We’ll get caught,” he warned. Yet there was an excitement in the idea that he couldn’t ignore. To take her with the hint of discovery, to know that someone would witness what was all his, set a match to his fuse.

“I don’t care, Drew.” His erection jerked with her declaration. She gripped his arms tightly. “Fuck me. Fuck me hard and fast.” She pressed her hips to his and moved enticingly across his aching loins.

Hearing her pretty little mouth say that dirty word surprised and thrilled him. Damn. The woman had changed.

A growl rumbled deep in his chest. There was no way he could take her gently. He’d waited too long to claim her. Before the night was over he’d be apologizing to her once again. He inhaled a ragged breath and drew inside himself for that elusive control.

Without a second thought his palms caressed her abdomen, moving across her breasts, as he pulled her shirt over her head. The effect of the moonlight on her ivory globes was sexy as hell. He gazed at her thin suntan lines. Bikini. A very small bikini.

She stood quietly beneath his perusal. Her gaze was wide, wild, a hunger he had never seen before.

“Zoë, you’re beautiful.” He reached for her, wanting to feel her hard nipples slide across his chest. She went willingly into his arms. He moved her body back and forth, her softness against his hardness. “Mmmm…I waited forever to do that.”

His palms slipped into the curve of her waist as he reached for the button on her waistband. He heard and felt her suck in a breath as the zipper made a hissing sound when he pulled it down. The palms of his hands slid across her hips, over her firm ass.

He stopped for a moment, feeling their roundness. Knowing he had to be dreaming.

“No panties.” A smile creased his mouth. “I like that,” he hummed in her ear.

“Touch me, Drew.” Her voice quivered.

“I will, baby. I’m trying not to go too fast. Trying to be gentle.”

“Don’t. I can’t wait.” She stepped away from him and pushed her shorts down around her hips, her knees. Kicking her tennis shoes off, before she shimmied out of her shorts one foot at a time.

Drew couldn’t believe it. Zoë stood bare-assed beneath the moon. He stepped out of his sandals. He couldn’t wait any longer.

“Fuck me, Drew.” She held her arms out.

He had never had so much trouble with a damn button like he did when he tried to undo his cutoffs. All thumbs, he shook. It felt like forever before he was as naked as she. Sand squeezed between his toes as he went to her.

When their bodies touched it was an explosion of sensations. Her hands were everywhere. He couldn’t get close enough, couldn’t touch her fast enough and couldn’t kiss her deep enough to quench his thirst. He loved the way she pulled his tongue into her mouth and sucked on it. Just the thought of her sweet lips around his dick, taking him deep, made him tighten his ass cheeks, praying not to lose control before he satisfied her—took her to heaven.

With a finger he traced the crevice of her ass and around the puckered skin of her anus. The tight spot flexed and he wondered if she had ever been touched, fucked, in that forbidden zone. At the thought, blood filled his scrotum, pulling his balls tight against the base of his pulsing erection.

“Baby, I need to taste you.” He was already guiding her backward toward the quad.

The sound of a rail roared. Headlights bouncing as it hit one dip and then another. But the riders didn’t stop, didn’t see the two naked lovers beneath the stars.

Drew pushed the helmets off the bike seat, before he picked Zoë up and sat her sideways on the seat of the quad.

“Spread your legs for me,” he demanded as her hands rested on the seat. Slowly, achingly slow, she began to part them. Another growl erupted in his throat. “Open them wide, so I can see what I’ve been missing.”

“Drew…” His name was a whimper on her trembling lips as she spread her thighs.

His cock arched, angry and hard, needing to sink into the softness before him. But he had to taste her essence. “Are you wet for me, Zoë?”

She cried out at his words, her head lolling back. Her breasts were lovely pushed forward. Even in the moonlight he could see her swollen folds moist with arousal.

Damn. She looked like she was on the verge of climax and he hadn’t even touched her.

Her breathing was short, quick inhales. “Please. I can’t wait.” One of her feet wedged on a front tire, the other on a back tire of the bike, making her vulnerable to his desire. Exactly the way he wanted her.

“How wet are you, baby?” He bent between her thighs and blew a long stream of warm air against her pussy.

She nearly came off the seat. Her entire body shook wildly. “Wet. Oh. God. W-wet.”

“So pretty. Mmmm…” He could smell her arousal. The sweet scent of woman.

His woman.

“Drew. Touch me.” Her voice was husky, with anticipation, or was it desperation? Her firm ass squirmed against the seat, as if she sought to ease the ache between her thighs.

This was too exciting. He had never had a woman climax by the sound of his voice. Could he make her scream without even touching her?

“I’m going to touch you and so much more.” He blew once more on her swollen folds. Again she raised her hips from the seat. “I’ll trace the soft lips of your pussy with my tongue.”

Her eyes closed. Her facial features contorted, twisted as if in pain. “Drew.” His name came out on a cry. As her tongue slid across her bottom lip, she opened her eyes and looked at him. They glistened with unshed tears.

“Would you like me to part your folds, taste the honey hidden between them, baby?”

Zoë moaned and the deep release turned him on. She thrust her hips, trying to make contact with his mouth a whisper away.

“Yes. Please,” she begged.

Her need was making him impossibly harder. His balls wedged between his legs were tender, so tender he widened his feet to ease the discomfort. They were both longing for that moment their bodies came together, but he couldn’t turn back now.

“Is your clit sensitive?” In the darkness he couldn’t see it. But he knew it would be full, erect, waiting for him. “If I flicked my tongue over it, wrapped my lips around it, would you scream out my name?”

The mention of the sensitive organ made her come undone.

“Drew.” His name was a deep, throaty groan as her body tensed. She writhed as her orgasm washed over her. “Oh…God.” Her lips formed the prettiest little “o”. She pushed her legs together squirming on the bike’s seat.

Zoë was gorgeous in the throes of passion. One by one, her muscles and tendons melted in a heap upon the leather.

That had never happened before. Climaxing without any manipulation was a first for Zoë and it was incredible. Her body hummed with sensations. Drew had awakened every nerve ending, bringing them to the surface so that just the brush of his breath and his deep voice had been the catalyst to a fantastic orgasm.

Or had it simply been her need for him? He didn’t even have to touch her to make her hot and ready. Even now her body was reheating with thoughts of him actually going down on her. His tongue stroking, wrapping around her swollen clit.

He stood in front of her, his magnificent erection jutting out before him. The moon behind him shadowed his physique, made him appear ethereal. His fingers were clenched into a fist. She couldn’t tell whether she had pleased or upset him.

“Did I tell you to close your legs, Zoë?” His tone was grating, almost hoarse.

Excitement raced through her at the demanding tone in his voice. Still, she took her time to reposition her legs, spreading herself for him. Through feathered lashes she stared up at him.

His nostrils flared.

Her softened nipples drew tight into peaks once more.

For the first time in a long time she felt pride bubble up inside her. She gave him that erection. He wanted her. It might not be forever, but at least for tonight, maybe the entire weekend.

“I should punish you for coming without me.”

A smile crept across her face. “Will you spank me?” The thought released a flood of anticipation, wetting her thighs.

A rumble rose from his chest. God, she loved it when he growled. With a finger beneath her chin, he asked, “Would you like me to spank you, Zoë?” His shoulders rose and fell. His breathing elevated.

There was no hesitation in her answer. Not yes, but hell yes. “Yes.” Tie her up, flog and whip and, indeed, spank her. She’d take whatever Drew was willing to give her. Another release of arousal dampened her pussy.

He swallowed, hard. “Stand up.” He took a step back to give her room to do as he requested. When she did, he said, “Face the quad.”

Her heart raced as she turned her back on Drew. What was he thinking? Her lashes brushed her cheeks. She couldn’t believe they were standing in the middle of a desert naked. Any minute someone could come upon them. Darn if the thought didn’t make her wetter.

The heat of Drew’s body almost burned as he pressed against her. His cock slid between her legs, rubbing against her moist folds. She leaned back, loving the feel of his skin on hers. His arms came around her body, his palms cupped her breasts. She felt like putty in his hands, melting at his touch. She glanced down at his large hands encompassing her. This was what she’d been missing.

His hips moved slowly, working his erection back and forth between her thighs. Teasing and pleasing but not entering her. The roughness in his tone was gone when he whispered. “You were amazing.” He paused briefly before continuing, “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are when you come?” He ground his hips to her ass. “I almost came with you.”

His hands smoothed down her rib cage, abdomen, until he dipped a finger into her sex. “Man, baby, you’re wet. Thick, rich cream. Are you always this wet or is this just for me?”

“You, Drew. Only you.” She meant every word. It had always been just for him.

“Mmm…” She felt his murmur against her back. “Lean forward. Rest your forearms on the seat of the quad.” When she bent, grasping the seat before dipping further to place her forearms flat, he said, “Spread your legs. Wide.”

It was one thing baring herself and being able to see what Drew was doing, but having him behind her brought the unknown into play. She couldn’t read his expressions, look into his eyes. The position felt more vulnerable—more exciting.

“You really have a beautiful ass, baby.” A gentle touch caressed her globes and then vanished. The next sensation appeared at her ankles. Strong fingers wrapped around them, dragging her legs further apart, splaying her wider. A slow caress up her inner legs followed. “Long, sexy legs.” His deep, throaty voice triggered a million goose bumps to scamper across her skin. Her nipples firmed into painful points.

He was doing it again, stoking the flame inside her with just words. But this time his sinful touch moved up her thighs, closer to her center of heat.

“Drew, please.” What was it about this man that stripped her of her strength, left her begging?

“What, Zoë? What do you need?”

“You.” The answer came out before she knew what she was saying. Dammit. She had to find some strength, something to hold on to. She felt like she was drowning. Helpless when it came to Drew.

“Only me?”

She braced herself. Swore she wouldn’t answer. But, yes, only him.

A shriek of surprise met his hand landing playfully against her ass. The next swat was firmer, sending fire and a warm sensation straight for her pussy. It felt so good.

“Only me?” he repeated, softly caressing the hot areas he had spanked. A few more slaps landed hard against her skin before he ran his fingernails across the offended areas, shooting pinpricks through her skin.

“Only you,” Zoë screamed, gulping down a breath of air. “Now fuck me.” She didn’t have to ask again. In one swift move he parted her folds and drove deep inside her. “OhmyGod.” The three words came out as one in a gush of air.

He was long and thick, stretching and filling her so completely. Fingertips burrowed into her hips as he held them immobile. She felt him tremble. His breathing was short, quick pants. He fucked her fast, hard and relentlessly. Flesh slapped flesh. The sound and the intensity with which their bodies came together made her wild. She threw back her head, her mouth parting on a cry.

A tingle and building pressure that suddenly drew tight low in her belly made her breath catch. The feeling was so exquisite. Beyond anything she had imagined.

“So slick. Wet. Friggin’ tight.” Drew’s voice was breathy. He pressed a palm to her abdomen. “Damn, woman, I can feel myself moving in you from the outside. You feel so good.” His pace quickened, hips slamming into hers, forcing his cock in and out with a heated frenzy. “Come for me, Zoë.” His palm smoothed down her belly, one finger touched her clit and she went off like a Roman candle.

Her back arched. She screamed. The cry couldn’t be contained if she had wanted to. One after another, currents of ecstasy raced through her body, awakening every nerve. Blood pumped wildly through the chambers of her heart. Spasms struck unmercifully, causing her to jerk in his arms as he continued to thrust, wringing every sensation from her body. One last push into her and he stilled. A grunt and a deep groan filled the air. She felt a tremor shake him. Again he gripped her hips tightly, as if he thought she might try to get away, while his cock jerked, pumping the last of his seed.

With a small jolt he collapsed over her back. Her own legs felt like rubber. She locked her knees to avoid falling.

“Sonofabitch.” He released a heavy breath. “I never dreamed it would be this good.”

So much for her theory regarding fantasies being better than the real thing. Fucking Drew had surpassed what she had remembered or dreamed of these past years.

An engine roared as a Rhino tore over the hill. Their headlights danced up and down. Drew jerked Zoë around and behind his back as the sand car topped the hill. At one point they were bathed in light. His gaze darted around, looking for his shorts which were nowhere to be found. He cupped his dick as the idiots grew closer.

“Everything okay here?” a male voice called out. His passenger chuckled. Laughter bubbled up behind him. Zoë peeked from around him. “Fine. We’re fine.” She released another stream of laughter. Drew shook his head. A sheepish smile crawled across his face. Damn fine predicament, caught holding his balls while the little vixen behind him laughed her ass off. “We’re fine. Thank you.”

“Fuck, man. We’re sorry.” But somehow Drew didn’t hear the apology in the man’s guffaws.

“Yeah. Yeah. Just cut the lights or get out of here so we can get dressed.” The moment was awkward. Still, Drew couldn’t believe how good Zoë felt. She robbed him of his senses, made him tremble uncontrollably as she rubbed against his back. Gone was his fear of losing himself in her.

This was right.

“Need any help?” the male passenger asked between spurts of tittering.

Zoë shifted as if she made to step around him. He pushed her back behind him. “Don’t even go there,” Drew warned.

“I was just going to suggest they help find our clothes.” Her tone was light and playful. “Boys, if you could just shine your lights over here.”

“Dammit, Zoë.”

The men in the Rhino released a belly laugh that had Drew chuckling too. Zoë had become quite the little tease. The woman had a set of balls that would rival any man’s.

“Looks like you have your hands full,” one of them said.

They had no idea.

Drew was thankful when they revved their engine and pulled away.

“I ought to spank you for that,” Drew said as he turned to face Zoë.

The cutest grin tipped her full lips. It was the first smile he had seen today. “Been there—done that!” she squealed as he reached for her and she dodged his grasp.

“Smartass. Now let’s find our clothes and get back to camp.” He had every intention of continuing their loving in a more private and convenient place.

Chapter Eight

For the first time in a long time Zoë Davis felt happy. The night had grown crisp as she snuggled against Drew’s warm back. Her cheek pressed close, inhaling his masculine scent. It made her giddy—she was sixteen again and full of dreams. She couldn’t stop her hands from stroking the firm muscles beneath them, as she held on while he drove the quad back to camp.

But there was something else about the moment. It was an inner peace she had never experienced. Trent had once told her she wouldn’t allow herself to be happy with any man other than Drew. She had watched Josh enter one relationship after another only to see it crumble and die. Yet Josh didn’t run away. He always bounced back.

Why hadn’t she? Unlike her, Drew drove the quad in a slow, cautious manner which gave her a lot of time to think.

Had she pushed everyone away from her these past years? Did she bury herself in her work just to keep her distance, not fall for someone else?

Drew checked the GPS and confirmed they were headed in the correct direction and continued his pace. Each dune was carefully approached. It was taking a helluva lot longer with him driving than with her, but as long as she could hold him in her arms, she wasn’t complaining.

From out of nowhere sadness overcame her. The gloomy feeling swept over her like a cloud. This perfect scene would end and then what? She must have loosened her grip, because he clasped his arm and hand to hers and squeezed, reassuringly.

The lights of Gecko Road appeared in the horizon. With the number of vehicles and camping trailers aligning it, the place looked like a small city. Within minutes they were pulling into their camping spot.

Instead of the three chairs around the campfire there were several. Leave it up to Josh to attract the partiers. Not to mention women. The redhead on his lap appeared to be playing a game of tonsil hockey with Zoë’s dear brother. When she released Josh for air, he set her to her feet, stood and quickly approached.

“You’re back.” Josh’s gaze slid to Drew’s questioningly. There appeared to be some silent boy talk going on between them she didn’t quite understand. When Drew reached for her hand, Josh smiled. “Okay. Let’s party.”

“Not me.” Now that Zoë wasn’t caught in lust’s spider web she had to think. It was time to get her life in order. She wasn’t sure if that could be accomplished with the bewitching spell she felt when Drew was around. “I’ve been driving all day. I’m going to bed.” She released Drew’s hand but instead found herself pressed to his chest and locked in his embrace.

“Not without me,” he whispered in her ear as his arms tightened around her.

“Drew—”

“Don’t even think of going there.” He stopped her excuse cold, tugging her braid.

How did he know?

“There’s no escaping me, baby.” There was determination in his voice as well as a gleam in his eyes. Or was that just the campfire reflecting in his eyes? “Good night, Josh.” Drew started to guide her toward the trailer.

“Well, big boy, did you forget something?” she asked, dragging her feet.

He faltered. “Forget?”

She nodded in the direction of the quad. “Leave the bikes out tonight and they’ll be gone in the morning.”

“She’s right. I’ll take care of locking down ours. You guys put Zoë’s in the hauler,” Josh said as the redhead closed in on him. He laughed. By the looks of how the woman was coming on to Josh, he’d better put the bikes away sooner than later, because the woman had plans for him tonight.

Zoë broke away from Drew and headed for the trailer as he retrieved the quad. It didn’t take any time to get it loaded. The smell of gas and oil permeated the trailer.

“I need another shower,” she said, turning on the lights. Truth was she needed a little time to think through this new revelation. Wash away the lust and get her shit together.

“I could use another shower too,” he said kicking off his sandals.

There was no way they would both fit in the small enclosure. “You want to go first?” she asked, feeling extremely uncomfortable with the situation. She had lost control out in the desert. She couldn’t do that again. But dammit, she wanted this time together even if it was for just the weekend.

“Nah.” Drew made himself comfortable in a chair across from the table and watched her. He pushed to his feet and stood. Curling a finger in her direction, he called her to him. She went willingly, unable to resist. His arms closed around her. “You’re thinking too hard.” He rested his chin on the top of her head. “I don’t have all the answers, but for tonight let’s simply enjoy each other.” He paused. “Uh…we didn’t use a condom out there. Do I need to go get some?”

Enjoy each other? Easier said than done, but that’s exactly what Zoë wanted. One night wrapped in Drew’s arms. Tomorrow she could sort out how she would handle his leaving. But tonight she wanted to be smothered in his kisses, lost in his arms. “I’m clean and on birth control. You?”

He grinned. “Clean, minus the birth control.”

Warm hands dipped in the curve of her waist as they moved sinfully up her rib cage to the hem of her shirt. His thumbs grazed the underside of her breasts. The light sensation made her nipples tighten, a delicious throb fill them. Their bodies parted long enough for him to relieve her of the shirt and then he removed his. When the sensitive nubs rubbed across his bare chest she couldn’t help the soft mewl that escaped her mouth.

Her arms went around his neck as she pulled him into a kiss. As her tongue slipped into his mouth, she tasted hope and sweet expectation. Something she hadn’t felt in a long time. He made her forget. He made her believe.

Yet how could he chase away three long years and fill her with girlish dreams again? But that’s just what he did. Wrapped in his arms she could almost believe he wanted her this time and there was a chance for them to be together.

Fingertips tugged at her zipper. When he undid the button she didn’t know. Her zipper rasped and she found her shorts around her ankles. Never breaking the kiss, she stepped out of the cutoffs and toed off her tennis shoes. As she did, she heard another zipper fall, and Drew’s shorts followed hers to the floor.

Their lips met. The pressure of his cock against her belly made her deepen the kiss. Their tongues twined, mated. She couldn’t hold back the love she felt for him.

Yes. It was love. It had always been love. No matter how fast or far she ran she couldn’t evade the truth. She still loved Drew Thompson.

They were breathless when the kiss ended.

Cheek to cheek, he groaned, “I need to be inside you. I want to tie you up and fuck you so bad.” His mouth slid across hers, kissing her deeply once more. When they parted his gaze was dark, haunted.

Zoë silently backed away. What was going on here? She was losing herself in Drew again.

An expression of regret flashed across his face. “Zoë, I— Damn, woman.” Exasperation laced his words. He threaded his fingers through his hair. “You make me crazy. Make me think of the most perverse—wicked—things to do to your body. But I can’t help it—I never could. I want you every way imaginable.”

A weight in her chest made inhaling a monumental task. She swallowed hard, her tongue swiping between her dry lips. Did she dare give in to her desires? Take what Drew offered knowing that tomorrow she might wake to find him gone?

She was a fool.

When Zoë opened her arms invitingly in surrender, his nostrils flared. Fire lit in the depths of his eyes. A burn she felt clear to her bones. His excitement showed in the sudden jerk of his cock. She could have sworn it grew firmer, longer before her.

“You’ll allow me to tie you up? Take you any way I want?”

Just the thought released moist desire between her thighs, a throb beginning that wasn’t there only seconds ago. She had no idea that Drew was into bondage and domination. The little spanking in the desert should have clued her in, but she was too overwhelmed with lust to care about anything.

Truth was she had dabbled in the lifestyle a year ago. Zoë had found it exhilarating. She could release herself into someone’s care, think of nothing but pleasuring and being pleasured. There had been freedom in the experience. Not to mention pain had become her friend. She loved the sting of a whip, the pressure of nipple clamps, and being restrained intensified her climaxes. What would it be like with Drew?

For a moment she wondered how he was going to tie her up. When he spied her tool box, he left her briefly, retrieving something from the box. When he held up a couple of bungee cords, she smiled. Those things were certainly versatile.

Drew disappeared behind her. Hands on her shoulders, they made a sinful path down her arms until he grasped her wrists. Slowly he pulled them together behind her. A shiver of anticipation raked up her spine.

As the cool cord wound around her wrists, she admitted finding deep satisfaction in handing control over to someone else. For a moment she could be anyone she wanted to be, not the weak woman running from a memory. More importantly, she had been able to believe that the man who held her was Drew. And now it was really happening.

She felt a tug on her braid as the tie came loose. With assured hands he began to unravel her hair. It was cool slipping across her shoulders and down her back.

Without a word he took a cushion from the chair and placed it on the floor. When he faced her he was thoroughly aroused. Even his balls were tight against his body.

“Kneel.” A deep rasp appeared in his voice that hadn’t been there before. As she slid to her knees, he sucked in a tight breath. Her submission was turning him on. It wreaked havoc inside her body too. Desire twisted low in her belly. Her nipples ached to be pinched and sucked. And she was wet, the warm liquid sliding down her thighs.

A pearly bead of pre-cum appeared from the small slit of his cock. Her tongue eased across her lips with the need to taste the salty drop of his essence.

Her intent gaze elicited one of those sexy growls from Drew. His fingers folded around his engorged shaft and he gave it several slow pumps. “Do you have any idea how you look, baby?” His legs were parted, his hips thrust forward as he stood before her masturbating. His palm moved firmly up and down.

She’d never seen a man take himself in hand. It was beyond exciting. Another rush of desire dampened her thighs. The ache between her legs was becoming unbearable.

Drew couldn’t believe this was happening. The picture before him was more than he had hoped for. Wrists restrained, Zoë on her knees in a show of surrender was something he had dreamed of. “You’re gorgeous.”

The bungee cord was secured lightly around her wrists. She could escape if she wanted to. The real thrill was that she didn’t want to.

The hunger and excitement in her eyes was killing him. He released his dick and moved forward, closer to her lips still swollen from his kisses. Heart racing, he couldn’t think of anything but how those lips would look wrapped around his cock.

“Fuck me with your beautiful mouth, baby.” His fingers tangled in her silky hair, pulling back lightly so her slender neck arched. He wanted to see her eyes, needed to watch her reaction as he entered the same mouth that had kissed him so passionately only seconds ago.

When he was within touching distance, her pink tongue slid between her lips and swept across the sensitive head of his dick, stealing a taste. A shudder shook him from head to toe.

Damn, that felt good.

He eased closer. Her mouth parted and his cock disappeared between her lips, until he was seated halfway into her warm, wet recess. With slow swirls her tongue danced around his length. Sliding up one side and then curling around the head of his shaft, applying pressure on the small slit. Then the suction came, a pull that nearly buckled his knees. The light scrape of her teeth set his hips in motion.

His fingers tightened in her hair. She moaned a pleasure-pain sound.

“Fuck me, baby.” She took him deeper, and then eased him out until just the head of his cock was in her mouth. Her tongue swirled again around the crown. “Yeah. Like that. Nice and slow.” On another stroke she took him to the back her throat. “God, baby. Yes.” Her eyes watered. Her nostrils widened with each strangled breath, but she took him deeper. The muscles in her neck tightened, her cheeks hollowed as she sucked him in earnest.

He made a hissing sound as he inhaled a tight breath. His balls slammed against the base of his cock. It felt like she was swallowing him. Her throat muscles pressed and convulsed around him.

Fuck! He was going to lose it.

Before he could pull from her warmth he exploded, filling her mouth with his semen. He couldn’t stop trembling as jet after jet splashed against the back of her throat. Her eyes widened. She made a little choking sound.

Shit! What had he done?

Her eyelids slid closed. The soft, sated moan she released made his toes curl. She wanted his seed. And if he questioned the fact, the way she licked and suckled, wringing every bit of his semen from him until he was spent, erased any doubt.

His heart melted.

When Drew slipped from Zoë’s mouth, her delicate tongue licked her lips like a cat cleaning the cream off her whiskers. Her light blue eyes opened and she smiled.

“You’re going to be the death of me, baby.”

Her laughter was soft and sexy as he assisted her to her feet.

“What’s next?” she asked with a hint of eagerness that thrilled him.

“There isn’t anything sexier then a bound woman on a motorcycle.” Pictures of half-naked women straddling motorcycles were a sure way to sell a magazine. Every man’s fantasy was to strip a woman completely free of her clothing, let the leather of the seat caress her swollen folds, then fuck the shit out of her, before going for a ride. In that order, he chuckled silently.

Her Honda 250 CR was securely strapped to the ceiling and floor. It didn’t take long to have her exactly where he wanted her, straddling the bike. With a little adjustment to the bungee cord around her wrists now in front of her, he lengthened it so that he could run the other hook to the ceiling, raising her arms high above her head.

With her thighs parted, he had a splendid view of her splayed pussy. Her raised arms made her chest arch presenting him with her delicious breasts. With a swipe of his finger he parted her folds further.

“Damn, baby, you’re wet. I can’t wait to taste you.” His finger slipped into his mouth. It was honey on his tongue as he sucked her essence from his finger.

She clutched the bungee cord in her hands. “Then stop talking. I’m dying here.” Her voice was heavy with desire. Sensual lashes lowered lazily to shadow even more sensual eyes. The woman was the sexiest creature he had ever seen.

With thick, strawberry-blonde hair draping her shoulders, her arms constrained high above her head, she looked wild and untamed—a challenge.

He could never pass up a challenge.

A stirring in his loins, and blood rushed down his cock. Unbelievable. He was hard again.

“Drew?”

He took a step back and admired his handiwork. “Not yet. I want to look at you for a minute.”

“But, Drew, I’m horny…I need you.” The whine in her voice was so contradictory to her new hard-as-nails persona.

“Pleasure yourself on the seat.” He eased backward until the back of his knees touched the chair behind him, forcing him to sit.

She pulled against her restraints. “Undo my hands.” Her lithe body squirmed so enticingly across the leather. The scent of her heat mingling with the leather was heady.

He widened his thighs and took his cock in hand. “No hands. Use the seat.”

Her brows furrowed. Her bottom lip jutted out. “Not fair.” Her gaze snapped to the slow rhythm of his hand stroking up and down. “You’re using your hand.”

“Yeah. But I’m not tied up.” He leaned back in the chair, relaxing, as he continued the steady pumping.

She leaned forward, pressing her pussy against the cool seat. Her hips rocked back and forth. “Drew, this is torture watching you.” Suddenly her eyes closed, her mouth parted on a cry as she touched a sensitive spot. It was so fucking hot to see her sensual expression, to know her juices dampened the area beneath her.

“Ride it, baby.” He tightened his grip. She was so uninhibited. “Rub your clit hard against the leather.”

Feet on the foot pegs, she angled herself so the seam of the seat wedged between her slit. The muscles in her thighs and calves firmed as she used the sway of her body to increase the friction.

Rosy nipples puckered, full breasts bounced with the grinding of her hips. Her mouth remained slightly open. She panted softly. Her lashes floated down on her cheekbones, as she released the sexiest mewling sounds.

He had never known a woman as passionate as Zoë at nineteen. But the one before him now was a hot-blooded temptress.

“Stop, baby. Don’t come until I tell you to.”

Eyelids mere slits, lips puckered, she groaned her disappointment. “Drew. I’m almost there.” Her chest rose and fell rapidly.

Releasing his cock, he pushed to his feet. “I want to taste you as you come.” Hastened steps carried him to her side. “I want your juices all over my face, baby.”

“Dammit, Drew. Don’t talk like that or it’ll be all over before you even untie me.”

“Who said anything about untying you?”

Frustration wrinkled her forehead. He rolled her nipple between two fingers. She arched into his hand.

“You’re mine to do with as I want. And right now I want your wrists bound and your thighs parted.” He released her and gripped her by the waist, lifting her so she could swing her leg over the bike sitting sideways. “Now spread ‘em, baby.”

She didn’t hesitate.

As he moved between her thighs he realized that although this appeared to be a wonderful fantasy, it just wouldn’t work. There was no way his tongue would get the access he needed to truly pleasure her. If he moved her closer to the edge she’d fall right off the bike.

Somehow he must have revealed his quandary, by a look or the exasperated breath he exhaled, because she started to giggle. The light airy sound caressed his ears like a soft breeze. He loved hearing her happy.

His palms cupped her face. “So you think this is funny?” He gave her a quick, firm kiss before working quickly to unfasten her wrists.

“Not exactly all it’s cracked up to be, is it?” Her arms folded around his neck as her legs circled his waist and locked at the ankles behind his back. “Why not take me to bed and fuck me? Hmmm…” she hummed as he moved through the trailer.

They landed on the bed in a heap of laughter. He tried to kiss her, but she jerked away, fighting him as they wrestled around the bed. Breathless, he finally caught her by the ankle and parted her thighs, opening her wide for his pleasure. Sultry was the best word he could think of for the expression on her face as she watched him slowly bend each of her knees so the soles of her feet were flat against the cover.

Slipping his palms beneath her ass, he raised her hips off the bed and lowered his head between her legs. Her breath caught as he kissed her folds, his tongue licking a path along her slit.

Her fingers wove through his hair. He fought the pressure she exerted to force him closer to her tender opening. Her hands clenched tighter in his hair. Sweet pain, as she cried, “Drew, please.”

His tongue circled the engorged little bundle of nerves and she shattered. She bucked and rocked against his mouth as he held her close, licking and sucking and nibbling on the hard bud. Then he sank his tongue deep inside and lapped at her juices flowing with her climax.

“Oh God.” She jerked beneath his assault. “Stop, Drew.” She pushed against his head trying to drive him back. “I can’t take any more.”

But she could, and he wouldn’t stop.

Again she jerked away, convulsing. He continued until he wrung another orgasm from her delicious body. The scream she released was probably heard by all.

Loud thumps, pounding on the outside of the toy hauler confirmed it. Everyone had heard Zoë’s cry of passion. Muffled laughter and dirty comments permeated the walls of the trailer.

From between Zoë’s legs he gazed up at her. He didn’t know if the flush on her cheeks was embarrassment or the heat of the moment. Yet he knew the twinkle in her eyes was for him and him alone.

The trailer began to rock as the people outside pushed and shoved. Josh had found himself a wild bunch to party with tonight and it appeared Zoë and he were their entertainment.

Slowly Drew covered Zoë with his heated body. Nothing would stop him from taking her again. With a single thrust his cock slid into her warm, wet core. She arched, releasing an audible sigh as he drove deep inside. Picking up the rhythm of the rocking trailer and ignoring the boisterous crowd, he made love to Zoë before falling asleep in her arms.

Chapter Nine

It had to be seven o’clock, end of curfew, because engines began to start one after another. Eyes closed, Zoë listened to the high-pitched intensity of a Suzuki winding up and the four-beat roar of a Kawasaki. Scents of gas and oil drifted through the open window at the back of the trailer.

Crap. That’s why her and Drew’s little party had been shared with everyone outside. The walls were thin enough as it was. An open window brought every sound and smell inside out and outside in. She couldn’t help the smile that crept across her face. It was the second time last night that they had been caught with their pants down, literally.

A gentle breeze stirred the curtains and the light of day peeked through. Yawning, Zoë stretched her arms, reaching high above her head. The rest of her body followed.

Ouch!

Muscles she hadn’t used in a while made themselves known. She was delightfully sore. Thoughts of their decadent night, the way Drew held her, touched her, came back to deepen her smile. Every minute spent with Drew was worth the sweet discomfort she now felt. With a casual turn she rolled over to wish him good morning, only to discover that she was alone in bed.

A moment of panic overtook her, disappearing when she remembered Drew was an early riser. The sheet slipped off her naked body as she rose. The linoleum floor was cold beneath her feet. Every time she moved she found a new place that was tender. As she drew closer to the open window she could smell bacon cooking. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since early yesterday.

Pulling back the curtain she could see both Josh and Drew standing around the cook stove that Josh preferred using instead of the one in his trailer. Josh was dressed to ride in a red Fox outfit, while Drew wore jeans and a polo shirt. Kind of odd attire for the desert.

Grease popped as she heard Drew say, “I plan on going with Zoë for counseling.”

Zoë’s jaw dropped. How does he know about– Dave. I’ll kill the bastard when I get my hands on him. Damn boss was worse than a nosy family member. She’d only agreed to go to counseling after he threatened to contact Josh. Sonofabitch did it anyway.

With a spatula, Josh began to remove bacon from the pan. “Keep her in bed and she won’t get an opportunity to hurt herself.”

Ohmygod. They know everything. Humiliation fanned across her cheeks, fast and furious.

Drew slapped Josh on the back. “That’s my plan, bro.”

“Yeah. I know. We heard you. Sounded like you two had a good time.” Josh dodged Drew’s playful swing.

The curtain slipped out of Zoë’s hands. She blinked back disbelief. Plan? Her stomach suddenly spasmed. She bent at the waist, clutching her arms around herself. She was going to be sick. What was last night? A pity-fuck?

How could she be so stupid? Drew didn’t care about her—not on an intimate level. It was some elaborate plan for…what—to stop her from killing herself?

She drew herself to her full height.

If Dave told Josh about the counseling, then he also told her brother about why she was going and his theory on her death wish. As if the thought even entered her mind. She was a daredevil, not stupid.

And Josh had told Drew.

Tears welled in Zoë’s eyes, but she fought them with anger. Blinking hard she pushed them right back where they came from. “You righteous sonsofbitches.” The trailer shook beneath her heavy footsteps as she made it to the bathroom. With a twist of her hand she turned the shower on. She had to get Drew’s scent off her now.

Drew had given her a little taste of happiness. Even if it was bittersweet this morning, she had learned something. Happiness couldn’t be found through another individual. You had to want it—work for it—just as she had done throughout the years.

She stepped beneath the flowing water. It was warmer than she preferred. Was it the water temperature or the heat coming off her body? As she began to soap her arms, she realized something.

She was in charge of her happiness.

She had wasted three years pining for Drew. And look what she had done to her life. Such a fool. She shook her head and rinsed off. This was where the foolishness ended. She shut off the water.

Grabbing a towel, she rubbed it briskly over her body. She knew it wasn’t going to be easy. She stepped from the shower and walked toward her small closet. There was no way to just turn off how she felt about Drew, nor the rush of adrenaline she loved when it came to performing. Her gaze scanned the outfits hanging. It was hard to explain the pleasure she got with each death-defying act she performed. It had become her life—what she lived for.

A vibrant pink riding ensemble caught her attention. With a jerk she opened a drawer and retrieved underwear.

Surprisingly, Drew hadn’t been the only driving force behind her desire for speed. Yes. Speed just made it easier to forget him. With speed came accidents and there was no denying that pain numbed his memory, but he wasn’t the reason she rode. She was good—damn good.

As she slipped her bra and panties on, she realized just how much she had allowed Drew to mess with her mind. She pulled the jersey over her head and sucked in a breath of regret. Drew was all she had ever wanted. With angry movements she pushed her legs through the riding pants. He had deceived her once again.

But she was stronger now. He would leave and this time she wouldn’t fall apart. Maybe she’d go back home, mend the tear in her family’s relationship.

Filled with a brand new sense of purpose, she put her socks on, slipped her foot into one boot and then the other, snapping them tight. For the next two days she would enjoy what Glamis had to offer. Sunday she would head to Phoenix and say hi to her mom and dad.

Now all she had to do was stay away from Drew.

Plate in hand, Drew headed toward the toy hauler, taking a step backward as the door swung open and Zoë stepped down. Crap. She was already dressed to ride. Both he and Josh thought that by keeping her busy, they’d be keeping her out of trouble.

He’d just have to seduce her into seeing things his way. He liked the sound of that plan.

She didn’t say a word to him as she passed by and began to release the ramp at the back of the trailer.

“I brought you breakfast,” he said, leaning in for a kiss that caught her cheek as she turned away. Hmmm…something wasn’t right.

Glancing over a shoulder she looked down at the eggs and bacon he held, then at him. “Ahhh…that’s sweet. I hope you didn’t go to any trouble. But if I remember correctly there’s a little restaurant and bar down by the Glamis Beach Store. I have a craving for a hamburger.” She moved up the ramp, her footsteps tapping on the floor as she disappeared into the toy hauler.

He shot a desperate glance in Josh’s direction. His friend urged him on with the brush of his fingers.

Zoë appeared again, but this time she was rolling her Honda 250 CR down the ramp. The bike meant trouble. Big trouble.

He moved in, stopping her with his free hand on the bike’s handlebars. “Ah…I thought we’d disconnect the toy hauler from your truck and take a ride to Brawley. Check out the sites.”

She tugged the bike out of his grasp. “Good idea. While you and Josh are there pick me up some tampons.” She threw over a shoulder, “Oh, and a big box of pads.”

Well that put a dampener on the seduction angle. Talk about bad timing. He could still hold and kiss her. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth when he remembered how aroused she got with just the sound of his voice.

“Not Josh and me.” He set the plate down on a chair and hurried to her side. “You and me—alone.” He poured all his sexuality into his voice. “Come on, baby.” He lowered his tone and brushed his hand up her arm. “Let’s take a ride.”

She bent down, pointing to certain parts of her bike as if she mentally checked off all necessary items that should be verified before she rode. Then she stepped around him, grabbing a gas can to top off the bike’s tank.

“Nothing’s in Brawley. Came through it on my way here.” She popped up so quickly it caused him to stumble backward to avoid clashing with her. “But knock yourself out. See for yourself.”

Shit. This was harder than he thought. He brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. “How about you and me go back to bed?”

Her brows rose mockingly, before she placed her hot pink helmet over her head. The matching goggles followed.

Damn. He’d forgotten about the tampons. And how many helmets did this woman own? Even her boots and gloves matched.

When she threw her leg over the bike, he shot a desperate glance toward Josh. There didn’t appear to be anything that was stopping her and Drew wasn’t ready to go riding. He had counted on taking her back to bed or going to Brawley.

“Wait. I’ll go get dressed and we’ll ride together.” He hastily started toward Josh’s trailer, as Josh moved to his quad.

“Can’t. Stomach’s growling. Gotta go.” She raised her foot and kick-started the bike. The engine roared to life. Twist of the wrist, she throttled it. Her front tire rose from the ground as she rode her back one.

“Shit.” Drew made a beeline for the trailer.

Josh was already hot on her trail.

Chapter Ten

Idiots. Laughter bubbled up inside her, recalling the panicked expressions on both Josh’s and Drew’s faces when she asked them to pick up some tampons. Fast thinking. Pretty clever too, if she said so herself. Certainly, that little revelation would extinguish Drew’s desire. All she needed was for him to keep his distance throughout today and tonight.

As she ripped through the sands of Glamis on her bike, the crisp chill of morning stung her cheeks. She loved morning rides. Everything seemed so fresh and new. It was the hours that followed that usually screwed it all up.

From the corner of her eye she could see Josh following her. So, between Drew and Josh she was going to be on a short leash. A flash of temper rose when she thought of Drew insinuating that he was going to counseling with her. The man had some nerve. Hell, if it wasn’t for him she probably wouldn’t be going. Before she took off for Phoenix she’d set both Drew and Josh straight. She was a big girl now. She didn’t need or want male interference in her life.

Ahhh…hell. That wasn’t true either. She had never felt anything like Drew’s thick, hard cock filling her. Her nipples puckered at the thought. She loved the little growl in his voice, the way he dominated her—fucked her.

Still, she didn’t want Drew because he felt guilty or sorry for her. That was worse than not having him at all. And she couldn’t believe that Josh was in on this, probably the one who talked Drew into seducing her.

How was that for brotherly love? Couldn’t he just believe in her? Support the one thing in life she loved?

Her skin felt too tight. She could feel her blood begin to boil, a prickly sensation moving just below the surface. With the rise of anger she increased the throttle. It seemed that the two went hand in hand. Anger and speed.

No. She cut the gas, slowing down. That was before. Her riding would not be dictated by her mood. She was a good rider. Damn good. She had a bright future ahead of her if she used her head wisely. Yet she couldn’t pass the jump that approached. She hit it going a reasonable speed, catching air as she lunged off a dune.

Man, there was nothing like being airborne, heavy metal between her thighs. She landed the bike and didn’t look back to see if Josh took the jump too.

The distance from Gecko campground to the small beach store was quite a ride, but finally she pulled in front of the restaurant and cut her engine. She wasn’t really hungry anymore, but what the hell—she was here.

“Shit. Zoë, you were flying.” Josh pulled up next to her as she was removing her helmet. “You’ve gotta be more careful.”

She ignored him. He didn’t know what speed was really about. With a twist, she removed her key, strolled to the restaurant’s door and pushed it open. Sand littered the floor. The small gritty particles crunched beneath her boots. The place was packed. The noise level was boisterous. There was only one table unoccupied as she walked over and sat down.

A waitress plopped a glass of water and a menu in front of her and walked away without a word. Friendly little place. Perhaps I’ll trip her on her next round.

“What’s got your panties in a twist?” The chair scraped across the floor as Josh pulled it out and sat down.

“No twist here.” She peered over the menu. “Are you following me?”

“Uhhh…” He grabbed her glass of water and drank slowly. “We’re supposed to spend the weekend together. Remember?”

She sat the menu down and scanned his handsome features. “You’re a lousy liar.” Zoë was about to lay down the law, when the waitress waltzed over to the table. The biggest, brightest smile was plastered on her face as she set another glass of water on the table. Then she leaned over so Josh had a view right down her shirt as she handed him a menu.

“Are you ready to order?” she purred.

Zoë wanted to poke the woman with her fork.

Josh shuttered his dreamy brown eyes. “Zoë?” he asked, without moving his gaze from the woman’s busty cleavage.

“Yeah. Hamburger, no catsup. Fries. Coke.”

“And you?” the waitress asked. Somehow it came out sounding like a proposition, but what the hell. What Josh did with his life was his business. Still, it didn’t hurt to give him some of his own medicine.

“What happened to the redhead you were with last night?” Zoë asked nonchalantly.

“A Coke will do,” Josh muttered, as the disappointed waitress moved away from the table. He shot Zoë a heated glare. “Was that necessary?”

She shrugged. “Not any more than your interference in my life.”

“I’ve never interfered in your business.” His face went blank like it always did when he was lying to her. He could pull the wool over anyone’s eyes but hers. She knew him too well.

She swallowed hard, steeling herself. “I know you know about the counseling—that Dave called you. I know you planned this whole thing with Drew just to keep your crazy little sister from killing herself.” Her fingers curled into fists. She blinked away the tears that threatened. She wouldn’t cry. Her chin inched higher as if she could hold the emotion back with the rise. “How could you? Don’t you have any faith in me?” But she couldn’t hide the pain in her voice, nor stop her chin from shaking.

He reached across the table to cup her hand and she jerked away. “Zoë, I didn’t plan on Drew coming. But when he showed up at the house? Well, I just thought—”

She pushed from the table. “I’ve lost my appetite.” Reaching in her boot she laid a ten down on the table.

“Zoë, you have to eat.”

“No, Josh, I have to ride. And if you follow me…” she looked him straight in the eyes, “I’ll run you off the road.” She spun around, her heavy boots slapping the floor as she jerked the door wide and disappeared.

Drew pushed open the restaurant door and looked around the small diner. Josh’s quad was parked outside, but Zoë’s bike was nowhere to be found. Noise rose as he scanned the room. In the corner Josh sat, alone, with his shoulders hunched. If his deflated posture was any indication, things weren’t looking good.

Drew crossed the room. “Where is she?” He pulled out a chair and sat down. The hairs on his neck took the opportunity to make themselves known as they rose in warning.

Josh looked up from the table. “Gone.” Drew leaned slightly forward. His brows pulled together. “What do you mean, gone?”

Josh shook his head. “She must have heard us talking this morning. Damn woman.” His friend’s long face showed his concern. “Hell, Drew, she even thinks I set it up for you to seduce her.” He brushed a weary hand through his hair.

“Fuck.” Drew got to his feet. “Why didn’t you follow her?”

The dubious laugh Josh released put Drew further on edge. “She threatened to run me off the road. You should have seen her face. She’d do it too—and enjoy every minute.”

Drew pinched the bridge of his nose. The damn dust in this place was giving him a horrible headache. His fear for Zoë wasn’t helping it. “What are we going to do now?”

“Pray.”

“Dammit, Josh, I mean it.” Tension crawled across Drew’s shoulders and up his neck.

“So do I.” He stood like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. A huff of disgust left his lungs. “Man, I screwed the pooch on this one. Whatever made me think I could mend the rift between the two of you?”

“You can try to answer that question later. Right now we need to find Zoë.” Drew headed toward the door. “I need to explain. I need to tell her I love her,” he said more to himself than Josh.

* * * * *

Glamis was big. Really big. After an hour of racing up and over hill after hill, Drew steered his quad over to the side and waited for Josh to pull alongside him.

“This is futile,” Josh said. “We’ve checked all the large dunes and exhibition sites. She could be anywhere.”

“Maybe the best thing to do is to go back to camp. She has to come back sooner or later.” Just then Drew heard the thump thump of helicopter wings. It was a familiar sound.

“God. No,” Josh whispered, gazing into the sky at the aircraft that moved quickly through the patches of clouds. His face lost all color.

“What?” Before Josh could answer, Drew heard the sirens in the distance. He knew they only called in the helicopter when someone was really hurt. He’d seen this scene over and over again in Iraq. Especially in places out of the way like Glamis. The helicopter and miles and miles of desert caused memories to swamp Drew. He could still hear the soldiers’ cries and screams sometimes at night.

Drew felt like one big bundle of nerves as he revved his engine and followed the crowd racing in an effort to see where the aircraft headed. Disaster was a magnet, pulling people toward it. Morbid really. Yet he had seen more carnage than he cared to ever see again.

Neither he nor Josh spoke what was on their mind.

Zoë.

Briefly, Drew lost control of his vehicle, nearly wiped out on a patch of soft sand. His quad swerved one way and then the other, making squirrellies, trails of waving lines, in the sand behind him.

Zoë had to be okay. There was so much he needed to tell her. So much of his life he wanted to share with her. His wrists and hands ached from the long ride to the restaurant. But he rode hell-bent, at the same time paying close attention to the shifts of the sand as they topped one hill and then another. The bottom fell out beneath him once and he went soaring through the air, leaving his stomach somewhere between where the ground disappeared and then reappeared with a thud. At the rise of a particularly large dune, Josh stopped. Drew pulled up beside him.

In the distance, the helicopter was landing. The lights on a ranger’s paramedic truck flashed as a crowd swarmed the area. It was difficult to see exactly what was going on, but it didn’t look good. And it was right around where their campsite was.

It seemed to take forever to get off the dune and make their way through layers and layers of gawkers. Josh and Drew parked their bikes between Zoë’s and Josh’s trailers and made their way on foot, pushing and shoving through the crowd. Drew moved like the devil was after him. Josh was right beside him.

The wall of people was too thick to breach. Josh turned to a bystander. Breathless, he asked, “What happened? Who’s involved?”

“Race gone bad,” the man said. “Damn shame too.”

“What?” Josh and Drew said in unison.

“She was a pretty thing.”

Drew held his breath. “What was she wearing?”

When the man said, “Pink,” something died inside Drew. Nothing could hold him back as he and Josh tore through the crowd. The masses broke and they stumbled into an opening.

Zoë was being loaded upon a stretcher, while two other people were being lifted into the helicopter.

As they tried to make their way toward Zoë, they were stopped by several rangers.

“She’s my sister,” Josh growled as he tried to pull away from the officers restraining him. His eyes were bright with emotion. “Let me go.” He jerked free and ran to Zoë’s side.

What was Drew to say? He couldn’t even claim to be Zoë’s boyfriend. He was probably the last person she wanted to see. In silence, he watched Josh rush to her side as the paramedic hastened to stabilize her.

Zoë wasn’t moving.

Chapter Eleven

Thump. Thump. Thump. The repetitive sound was like giant bird wings. Zoë couldn’t tell if it was coming from outside her body or from within her head until she felt the sting of sand and a flood of warm air surrounding her. Helicopter. The pounding only added to the splintering pain in her head. She ground her teeth together.

From past experience she didn’t dare open her eyes for fear the morning sunlight would slice through them like a knife. Add to that the uncomfortable pressure that squeezed her midsection and the fact her right wrist felt weighted, Zoë knew she was in trouble. The familiar sensation of ice water rushing through her veins revealed she was connected to an IV. She couldn’t lift her hands or turn her head—neck, arm and even leg restraints.

Great. That’s all I need. A whimper of distress pushed from her lips.

“Easy, Miss Davis.” Someone, a paramedic she concluded, slipped an oxygen mask over her mouth. A cool gush of air filled her lungs. “Do you know where you’re at?” His gentle voice did nothing to calm the turmoil churning inside her.

Zoë’s body ached like she’d been hit by a truck. Of course, what more could she expect after doing a full-gainer over the bike’s handle bars?

When am I going to learn?

A deflated sigh pushed from her lungs. A sharp pain caught in her chest. She fought to breathe. It burned.

Please don’t let it be a broken rib.

“Glamis.” Her voice came out muffled. She knew the drill. “I had an accident. Head hurts, ribs sore, but I’m okay.”

Yeah. Right.

After leaving Josh at the restaurant, Zoë had headed to the campsite, determined to get the hell out of there. More than angry, she was primed when a rider on a Kawasaki pulled up beside her and revved his engine. A cocky grin plastered across his face.

“So you wanna race, big boy?” The desire to wipe the sand up with this guy was strong. Who was she kidding? It wasn’t him and it wasn’t a desire—but a need. Zoë was an adrenaline junkie. There was no way she could walk away from a challenge, especially in her heated condition.

The memory rolled through her head. Sand sprayed from their back tires as they both floored it. Everything was going well, she was just about ready to take the lead when a rider and quad came from out of nowhere. The rest was something of a blur.

She remembered jerking the handle bars to the right, swerving to miss him. Behind her there was a sickening screech of metal striking metal. Screams. She turned her head to see what was happening.

One minute her wheels were on solid ground. The next—nothing. She caught air, the sand more than ten feet below.

Immediately, an epinephrine rush hit. The stimulus to her heart was amazing. It was a drug—a high that she lived for. For a moment, Zoë felt invincible. Unconquerable. Invulnerable. That was until the ground rose swiftly to meet her. The bike’s front wheel bottomed out, pushing the shocks all the way down. Next thing she knew she was doing her rendition of Evel Knievel. The sudden stop catapulted her over the handle bars. Thankfully, that’s the last thing she recalled.

Tears welled in her eyes but she fought them. When had she become such a dumbass? Truth was she was getting tired of the pain but she couldn’t help herself. She was always looking for the highest mountain, the fastest track, the greatest experience.

The blood pressure cuff around her biceps began to firm, getting tighter and tighter. Dammit. She had to get out of here.

Zoë swatted at the oxygen mask. “Get this thing off me.” She raised her eyelids to see a young man dressed in white with black-rimmed glasses, hovering over her. “Ma’am, you need to keep it on,” the ambulance attendant insisted.

“Now,” she growled. The effort it took to speak hurt like a sonofabitch. As the man reached for the mask, she glanced over his shoulder. In the distance, Josh broke from the gathering crowd, running toward her. His ashen face was something she didn’t want to deal with—not now.

“Sis, hold still.” His brows tugged together as he fell to his knees beside her.

“I’m okay. Just a bump on the head,” she insisted, even as nausea threatened to crawl up her throat. She struggled to drag in another breath. Her eyes were watering, stinging from the dust and sand and emotion that refused to be restrained.

“Miss Davis, you were knocked unconscious,” the paramedic explained.

Zoë prepared herself for the effort she knew it would take to talk. “It’s not the first time.” She tried to laugh, but the ache in her side stole it away. “Won’t be—last time.” Please, God, don’t let Josh see how much that hurt. She batted her lashes at falling tears. “Nothing a couple of aspirin—” the breath she sucked in wedged somewhere in her throat, “and a shot of tequila won’t cure.” Her humor fell flat as Josh cursed, wiping the tears from her face. She didn’t need his sympathy—she didn’t need anyone’s. “Josh, get me out of here.”

Josh reached for her hand and squeezed. “Zoë, please.” She’d never heard such a sorrowful plea in his voice. “Let ’em take you to the hospital and check you out.” The worry in his eyes made her cringe. This was the reason she never contacted her family when she got hurt. Of course, he was right about the hospital, especially if she expected to leave tonight. No way did she want to place other people’s lives in jeopardy because of her stubbornness. The continuous flap of helicopter blades told her that someone had already gotten hurt.

Dammit. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. It was a race, just like any other race. Instead of showing her true feelings, the fact that she cared, like always Zoë turned to sarcasm. “So genius, if you’re riding with me to the hospital, how are we getting back once they discover it’s just a bump on the head? Taxi? Here in the desert?”

Color flared across his face, revealing Josh hadn’t thought that far. “Uh…I’ll have Drew follow us.”

“No.” Her abrupt response caused a burst of heat behind her eyes. She paused, gathered her strength. After the agony subsided, she said, “You follow. I’ll be okay.” She glanced at the paramedic’s blurry name tag. “Tell him, Smith.”

Smith nodded, pumping the blood pressure bulb so hard she swore her arm might fall off. “Like she said, it’s probably nothing, but it’s best to make sure.”

Josh hesitated then pushed to his feet.

God love him. Even with all his interference, Zoë knew he cared. How could she stay mad at him? “How fast can this meat wagon go?” she asked as Smith and his female partner raised the gurney and slid her into the ambulance. Faking a smile, she added, “Can I drive?”

An uneasy chuckle squeezed between Josh’s thin lips. “Better tighten those straps or you’ll be in for the ride of your life.” She heard him add, “I’ll be right behind you, Zoë.”

“Lock and load,” Smith yelled to his partner and the door slammed shut. With a jerk the ambulance lunged forward.

“Man. I hate hospitals,” Zoë groaned.

* * * * *

Fortunately the outcome was as she predicted. A bump on the head, bumps and bruises from thinking she could fly without wings. Nothing serious—this time. Luck didn’t last forever. How much longer would hers hold out?

The nurse pushing Zoë down the hallway was nice enough, but it was humiliating riding in a wheelchair when she had two perfectly good legs. Instead of meeting Josh in the waiting room, Zoë would have given anything to have her rig outside. She didn’t rely on anyone. With shaky hands, she clutched release papers and her boots in her lap. The nurse had given her a little pair of blue booties to wear.

Bottom line, Zoë was scared. She’d had the last three hours strapped to a backboard to think about things. Riding was her life, she loved it. It defined her. She wouldn’t know who she was without it, but it had become a crutch. What hurt the most was the discovery that what had happened between her and Drew had been an excuse for her behavior. She had no one to blame but herself. She’d been weak, unable to deal with his “rejection”.

It was time to make a change, time to get her life back on track. How did one do that when the past looked her in the eyes? Drew stood beside Josh. His stare was intense as his gaze swept over her. She got the impression he was taking inventory, counting fingers and toes. He needed to look beyond the obvious because it was brain cells she was missing. She knew better than to take her eyes of the road.

Josh shifted his feet nervously. The sheepish expression on his face told her that he expected her to explode the minute she saw Drew, but she didn’t have the energy. Soul searching was tiresome and her body ached. All she wanted was her bed.

Drew kept his distance. Josh moved forward, leaning in to envelop her in a big bear hug. Damn him for being so good to her. Zoë fought tears threatening to fall. She wouldn’t cry.

“Look at you,” Josh whispered. He released her to stretch to his full height. His fingertips hovered over the bandage on her forehead where a goose egg lay beneath. “Zoë—”

She eased her head away. “Scraped and bruised but good as new.” Her attempt to soften the moment didn’t work. Her chin quivered as she fought control.

“This can’t go on.” As his mouth opened to continue scolding her, she pushed out of the wheelchair making him take a step backward.

“Josh, don’t go there.” Without another word she headed for the sliding glass doors.

“Miss Davis,” the nurse called out to Zoë, but she ignored the woman. Instead she scanned the parking lot for Josh’s truck.

The day had gotten hotter. A sultry breeze teased her long hair. She could feel the heat of the asphalt through her booties. The rough surface made itself known with each step. The smoky scent of someone barbequing from a nearby neighborhood filled the air. Her stomach growled, a reminder she hadn’t eaten today or most of yesterday. She needed something before taking a pain pill, which she fully expected to do once she got back to her trailer. No need to fill the prescription the doctor gave her. She had plenty in her bathroom cabinet.

Josh’s crew cab truck was parked a stone’s throw away. As the click of Josh unlocking the vehicle sounded, Drew walked up to her and took her boots and papers from her arms. He opened the backseat door. She didn’t hesitate to crawl into the truck. To avoid the awkwardness of having Drew next to her, she lay down. He stood there for a moment. The heat of his stare burned her. Slowly, he closed the door and moved to the front seat and got in.

The oily scent of diesel permeated the cab as Josh started the engine. “We passed a Walgreens down the way. I’ll stop there to fill your prescriptions.”

“No need. I’ve got what I need.” She rolled over on her side, back facing them. The leather seats were soft and enveloped her in their rich scent.

“Uh…what about the other thing?” Josh asked.

Her brows tugged together. Other thing? A smirk touched her lips. She’d almost forgotten about the tampon comment she made earlier. “No. Just take me to my rig.”

“Hungry?” Drew asked. His husky voice held a tremor she felt deep within, abruptly shattered when Josh hit a speed bump, making her stomach pitch.

“No.” She buried her face in her arms praying she wouldn’t get sick. That was all she needed—to appear even more helpless. She wanted the security of her trailer, a place where she didn’t have to pretend.

“Well, sis, you’re gonna eat something if I have to force feed you.” Determination lowered Josh’s tone.

“No fast food,” Drew interjected. “She doesn’t need anything greasy.”

Zoë didn’t want to think, much less argue. She remained quiet as the truck pulled to a stop. While Josh and Drew discussed what to order, she adjusted her body, finding a more comfortable position. Only one door opened and slammed shut. The engine continued to run, the air conditioner humming, blowing cool air. Who remained behind?

“Zoë?” The hesitancy in the way Drew said her name warned her that he expected to discuss something she’d rather not.

She pinched her eyelids closed, feigning sleep. They didn’t need to talk and they certainly didn’t need to discuss things when her emotions lay so close to the surface. If she could just hold on a little longer she could put Drew Thompson behind her.

Zoë reveled in the minutes of silence that followed. Thank God. She’d dodged another bullet.

“Baby, you got the situation this morning wrong.”

Evidently, she didn’t dodge fast enough. Every muscle tensed, increasing her discomfort. Not to mention, her rein of control slipped as tears filled her eyes. “Please. Not now, Drew.” Not ever.

No more was said until Josh climbed back into the truck. “She asleep?”

“No.” Clearly she hadn’t fooled Drew.

Digging through the sack, Josh said, “Zoë, I got you chicken soup. Get up and eat it while it’s hot.”

Zoë uncurled herself. Every strained muscle screamed with resistance. She barely held back a moan as she reached for the Styrofoam cup he handed her along with a plastic spoon. She removed the lid, steam floating off the top as she inhaled the delicious aroma. Pressing the cup to her lips, she took a sip. It was hot, tasty. They say chicken soup is good for the soul. She doubted it would help if she bathed in the stuff, but she did have to admit it felt good flowing warm down her throat.

Another drink and she glanced up, finding both men watching her intently. Her arched brow brought them both around. Before long the smell of hamburgers filled the cab. They ate in silence as they headed for the Dunes.

Roaring engines, the smell of oil, gas and dust made Zoë feel right at home when they pulled into camp. It was closing in on one by the clock in Josh’s truck. Everyone was back for lunch and heading right for them.

Before she could open the door, Drew was there, assisting her out like she was an invalid. Trent was the first one to her side. Drew reached for her, but wasn’t fast enough. Trent wrapped his arms around her. She noted he didn’t squeeze her like he usually did and for some reason that irritated her. She wasn’t a damn porcelain doll.

“My bike okay?” she asked, patting him firmly on the back.

“I took care of it for you, doll. A busted fender, scratched, but engine still runs.” He left an arm around her shoulders. “Man, you scared the shit out of me. By the time I got back from my ride you were gone. I didn’t know where they took you.” He cradled her like he would never let her go. “Now how about I escort you back to your trailer and take care of you?” His blue eyes were filled with concern.

“That won’t be necessary. I’ll take care of her.” Drew moved next to her, scowling at Trent with enough heat to fry an egg. A cloud of tension formed around them.

“Neanderthals,” she huffed, ducking beneath Trent’s arm. The quick movement sent pain through her ribs. She grabbed her side and groaned.

“See what you’ve done,” both Drew and Trent said in unison to each other. If it didn’t hurt so much, Zoë would have laughed. It was Josh who came to her rescue.

“Let’s get you settled, sis.” He moved past Drew and Trent and followed her to the trailer. She made it up the steps and inside without any further confrontation.

Without being told to, Josh began to undress her, carefully easing her jersey over her head. He touched her so gently it was as if a fist tightened around her heart. She had to do something to chase away the unwelcome sentiment.

“Looks like you know your way around a woman’s body,” she joked.

“Shut up.” He chuckled. “I’ll help get your riding gear off and then you’re on your own.”

“No tucking me in bed?” She smiled down at him as he knelt, stripped her pants off leaving her in an exercise bra and a thong.

He looked up at her. “If I do anything, I’ll tie you to the bed to keep you off that damn bike.” She laughed, but he wasn’t smiling anymore. As he got to his feet, he said, “Tomorrow I’m driving you to Phoenix. You’re staying with Mom and Dad.”

The hair on Zoë’s neck rose. Red-hot anger flared across her face. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

He didn’t back down, glaring at her. “Dammit, Zoë. This has gone far enough.”

She tried to calm herself by inhaling slowly and releasing it even slower. “I know that you’re concerned but Dave over-exaggerated.”

“Over-exaggerated.” He swept his heated gaze up her legs, over her exposed body. “Look at you.” He trembled. “You’re scraped and scarred.” He swallowed hard. “I know about your hospitalizations.” He choked on his next words. “Why didn’t you call me? I would have come.” He paused for only a minute. “Sis, I don’t want to lose you.” The truth was in his misty eyes. She had never seen her brother cry. Never realized how much her actions were hurting him. Were her parents suffering as badly?

Zoë couldn’t speak. She snaked her arms around his waist, buried her face against his chest and wept.

He held her, not saying a word. His tears fell, mingling with hers. She was thoroughly shaken by the time he released her.

“You need to rest,” he said, turning his back on her as he wiped his eyes on his jersey’s sleeve.

“I’ll be okay,” she attempted to reassure him.

He nodded and made haste out of the trailer. She watched him through the window as he avoided Drew and went straight to his quad. His hands were shaking as he slipped his helmet on, dropped his goggles over his eyes, and tore out of camp. Clearly, they were sewn from the same cloth, both running when things got tough.

Zoë felt drained. All she wanted was to sleep. She knew that when she woke nothing would be the same.

Chapter Twelve

Night had fallen, but that didn’t slow the people of Glamis. Drew sat in a lounge chair nursing his third beer, while loud music and laughter joined the roar of vehicles darting in and out of the campsite. He found it mesmerizing to watch the mass of headlights climbing the mountains of sand and then disappearing into the darkness. It looked like an army of ants at work.

For those who had settled around the campfire, liquor flowed freely. Josh appeared to be drinking more than usual as he popped a top on another cold one. His friend had been visibly shaken when he left Zoë’s toy hauler earlier. After two hours of riding, his mood hadn’t changed. In fact, he ignored the attentions of the redhead from last night who rubbed against him invitingly. Several times he had stolen away to check on Zoë. Even now his gaze was pinned on her trailer. It was around nine o’clock. She had slept the day away.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Kari cooed, hanging a thumb from her low-riding jeans as she moved between him and Zoë’s trailer, blocking his view. Her windbreaker was gaping wide so the deep-cut shirt revealed the swells of her breasts. She gave him a seductive smile as she strolled closer. The scent of woman, soft and feminine, surrounded him as she placed a hand on his shoulder, and then moved to stand behind him.

He tensed. “Best keep your penny.” She probably didn’t want to hear that her presence was the last thing he needed or that his mind was on the strawberry-blonde woman who just stepped from her trailer.

Kari was quick. Her touch firmed, pushing him down into his chair as he started to rise. With deft fingers, she began to massage the knots tightening beneath her caress. He didn’t miss the frown on Zoë’s face as she suddenly turned away. Damned if Trent didn’t appear from out of nowhere and move to her side, ushering her toward his trailer. Josh stood in the distance looking at Drew as if he expected him to do something—anything.

Drew’s dilemma had every nerve in his body on fire. He grabbed one of Kari’s hands to pull her away, but she took it as an invitation, landing in the middle of his lap. Within a heartbeat, her arms were snaked around his neck. Her lips pressed against his.

Caught off guard, his was momentarily paralyzed. When he opened his mouth to object, Kari deepened the kiss, thrusting her tongue deep inside. It took more strength then he cared to use on a woman to break her grip. Rising, he sat her soundly on her feet and stepped away. His gaze darted toward Trent’s trailer only to find Zoë in the man’s arms, slow dancing. Her body was svelte, sexy as they moved as one. Several others joined them on the makeshift dance floor.

Red-hot anger crawled across his face, singing his ears. His fingers curled into fists. Bodies and feet in rhythm, Drew could tell they had danced before. The familiarity of how Trent smoothed his hand down her back, nestling it close to the swell of her ass, revealed they had been more than dance partners.

“Looks like she has another man in mind tonight.” Kari leaned into him. She stroked her hand up his bare arm. “Why don’t you join Connor and me tonight?” Drew snapped his gaze toward Kari. Holy shit! The woman was inviting him to a threesome. He was into kink, but multiple partners weren’t his thing. Perhaps he was too possessive, or was it selfishness? When he made love to a woman he wanted her full attention on him and him alone. And that woman was Zoë.

“Thanks, but no thanks.” Drew maneuvered himself out of Kari’s grasp. The casual air around her froze as her palms shot to her hips. “She doesn’t fuck the same man two nights in a row. You might as well accept it.” A snide grin stole across her face. “Besides don’t knock what you haven’t tried—” She narrowed her eyes on Zoë. “She’s into it.”

For a moment, Drew couldn’t speak. The thought of Zoë with another man was enough to make his stomach churn. To think of her with two men at once nearly sent the heat in his face to a raging fire.

Damn it. He had no right to tell her what she could and couldn’t do, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to do everything in his power to try. Right now was as good a time as any. He walked away from Kari, heading toward the dancing pair. Before he reached them a strong hand folded around his biceps, stopping him in his tracks.

“She doesn’t need a scene tonight.” Josh looked drawn, tired. “Just back off. Give her a little room. Zoë knows how Kari is. They’ve played this game before. Kari wants what Zoë has. That means men too.” He released his hold on Drew. “Word of warning, don’t try to make Zoë jealous. It will turn on you badly.” He pressed something into Drew’s hand. “It’s her trailer key.”

Drew nodded his thanks as he slipped the key into his jeans pocket. Perhaps Josh was right. Although it went against his better judgment, maybe he was better off taking it slowly. He pinpointed his gaze on the dancing couple. “I don’t think I can stand by and let her sleep with him.” The mere thought of her wrapped in Trent’s arms made Drew break out in a cold sweat.

Josh slapped Drew on the back, drawing his attention. “Give her a little credit. She doesn’t want him.” He paused, looking like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. “All I ask is that you make her happy. She deserves that.”

Again, Drew nodded. If she gave him a chance, he’d work a lifetime at seeing to her happiness.

As the night waned, the crowd got louder, more riders turning in their quads for a beer. Drew was glad to see that Zoë wasn’t drinking. She refused the fourth drink offered her tonight, but not the attention of nearly every man in camp who wanted to dance with her. Of course, that only drove Kari to make a couple more attempts at seducing him. He fought her off admirably but it was wasted effort if he expected Zoë to notice his efforts.

Not once did Zoë look his way. Even where she stood, she kept her head turned. Trent rose, trying to pull her into an embrace. With a sidestep she dodged his grasp. Drew couldn’t make out their words, but he knew exactly what Trent was up to as he glanced toward his trailer, trying to pull her in its direction. She shook her head, jerked loose, and walked away. When he began to follow her, Drew fought the urge to intercept him. Instead, he took a breath, not releasing it until she was safely in her trailer, alone.

“Hey, man, how about some help here,” Josh called out to Drew. He and several others were rounding up the quads, putting them nose to nose, before stringing chain through their handlebars to lock them up for the night. Drew slid a quad into neutral and rolled it over to where Josh was working. “I told you so,” Josh muttered, placing a lock around the chain and securing the ends. “She still loves you.”

If only that were true, Drew thought. “How do you know?”

Josh looked up at him with sincerity in his expression and voice. “If she didn’t, she’d be in Trent’s arms right now.” He brushed the sand off his hands. “Now how about another beer?”

Parties at Glamis always rolled into the wee hours of the morning. It was one o’clock before the lights in Zoë’s trailer blinked out. Another hour before Drew got up the nerve to use the key in his pocket.

The floor moaned beneath each of his steps as he entered. He didn’t want to frighten her so he whispered her name. When there was no response he slipped further inside. Her soft powdery musk filled his senses as he moved toward her bedroom. A slit in the curtains bathed her in moonlight. She slept hugged tightly to a pillow. Her features were tight, rigid.

Slowly he backed away. She needed to sleep. But he couldn’t leave. Toeing one shoe off and then the other, he stretched out on her couch, his feet hanging over the side. Just being near her was enough for him. There would be other nights to show her how much he loved her.

* * * * *

A cry in the night startled Zoë awake. She jerked into a sitting position. Outside the trailer she could hear the last of the diehards stirring. The music was silent, but laughter still rang. The alarm clock on the dresser announced three o’clock in neon red. She was tired and sore. The effects of the pain pill she took earlier clouded the edges of awareness. As she slid back upon her side, another mournful cry stopped her cold. Her pulse jumped as quickly as her imagination. Someone was in her trailer?

No. It wasn’t possible. She had locked her doors before turning in for the night. “Zoë.” Her name was just a whimper, but she’d know that voice anywhere. Drew. The damn man had somehow broken into her home. With enough anger to light a fuse, she tore off the sheet covering her and swung her legs over the side of the bed, every sore muscle announcing its presence. Her feet beat out her fury as she stormed down the several steps leading to the living room, stopping dead in her tracks when Drew groaned as if he were in pain.

Her first thought was that he had hurt himself riding. Concerned, she didn’t wait a second to flip the switch and bathe the room in light. Drew was curled up on her couch fast asleep, but it wasn’t a peaceful slumber. His forehead was moist with perspiration. He tossed and turned, nearly falling off as he muttered, “Travis dead. Where’s Norm? Gone?” Tears leaked from his closed eyes. He threw his arms around his head as if protecting himself, while he drew into a tighter ball.

Zoë pressed a palm to her mouth. What had he gone through in Iraq? She had stayed away from listening to the news, knowing that any information about the war would bring memories of Drew to the surface. It had been selfish, but it had been the only coping mechanism she had.

“Oh God,” he moaned as if the tortured cry was ripped from his soul. “I’ve been shot. Zoë!” This time he screamed her name.

“Shot,” Zoë whispered in disbelief as she dropped to her knees before him. She could have lost him, was her immediate thought. He jerked, the motion almost tossing him off the couch as she caught him, braced him from falling. “Drew,” she choked out his name.

“I need you,” he sobbed, each word filled with so much anguish they were a vise around her heart, squeezing, slowing ripping her apart. The agony on his face nearly broke her heart. “God, I need you so much,” he said breathlessly.

Had he needed her? Uninvited tears blossomed and fell down her cheeks. She batted at them, trying to chase away the guilt that rose. She hadn’t read any of his letters—couldn’t. When the first one had arrived she’d instructed her mother to return it unopened. Each time her mother had tried to talk to her about Drew, Zoë refused to listen. Instead, she ran away. Keeping distance between her and her family was distance between her memories of Drew.

He groaned low and deep, and the mournful sound made Zoë reach for his hands. They were cold to the touch. She held them tightly, hoping the heat of her body would warm him. “Drew. Honey, wake up.” She leaned in and kissed his brow.

“Zoë?” His eyelids rose then snapped shut when they met the light.

“Yes.” She sniffled, fighting back the need to take him in her arms. “It’s me.”

“Sonofabitch,” he growled. “I’m sorry.” His weary tone was filled with regret. He squinted, looking up at her through misty eyes.

“Sorry?” Her response was a mixture of tears and laughter. “What for?”

“I woke you up.” He released her hands and rubbed his palms over his face. He looked as exhausted as she felt.

“You cried out in your sleep.” She quickly got to her feet, wiping her eyes, hoping he didn’t notice her tears. Nervously, she pulled at the hem of the silky blue teddy she wore. She should have grabbed a robe. A single strap slid off her shoulder and she nudged it back up.

“I—” He sighed, briefly closing his eyes again as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Sorry.” Slowly, he moved into a sitting position.

Zoë sat down at the far end of the couch, leaving distance between them, afraid if he touched her she would fall apart. “You were shot?” He jerked his puzzled gaze to meet hers. She forced a smile. “You talk in your sleep.”

Dismay weighed heavy in his watery eyes. He shook his head and looked away. “Damn dreams.” He roughly combed his fingers through his dark hair.

Silence lingered until she said, “Well?”

“Yeah.” His response was short. It was obvious he didn’t want to talk about it, but she had to know.

Zoë inched a little closer. “Dammit, Drew. What happened?”

He clenched his jaws. For a moment she thought he would ignore her, then he said, “I accompanied Motor-T, transportation, to a camp north of Baghdad. They were short fuel, food and medical supplies. We were about three clicks from our destination—”

“Clicks?” she interrupted.

“Three thousand yards. That’s when we were ambushed.”

Zoë felt her blood thicken. She had never let herself believe Drew was in any danger. Hell, she hadn’t let herself think at all. If she was focused on the next race, the next jump, she didn’t have to worry about anything but the finish line or landing.

“The first RPG exploded in front of our truck.” He must have realized she had no idea what an RPG was because he added, “Rocket propelled grenade. Shrapnel from the blast blew out our windshield.” His gaze suddenly became perplexed. His expression grew distant, almost as if he were a million miles away from her. “We were locked in the field of fire. Bullets ricocheted as they struck the truck, others burying into it, including into our driver.” Again, he grew silent. He clutched his hands together, his elbows resting on his thighs. His voice shook as he began to speak again. “The truck swerved. I grabbed the wheel.” He rapidly shook his head. His stare pinned on the floor. “We were surrounded—no way out. Screams.” He paused. She wanted to reach out to him, but he blurted, “Cries for help. God, I was never so glad to hear the whirling blades of the Apache ’copter overhead. The gunship opened up a spray of bullets. There was crossfire. I felt a searing slice of metal burn into my chest. I couldn’t breathe. The next thing I knew I was in the hospital.”

The tendons and muscles in his neck bulged, tightened. She could see he fought for control. He swallowed hard before meeting her gaze. “Thoughts of you were the only thing that pulled me through the months lying in that bed. I had memorized your touch, the soft, musky scent of your skin, and your kiss. But each time I woke in the darkness you weren’t there.”

No, the silent word rang in her head. She fought to restrain the emotion begging to be released. She wouldn’t feel guilty. He had been the one to walk away. Still, she couldn’t stop the pang to her heart. They had both been alone. She drew her legs beneath her, folded her arms around her to stop from reaching for him.

“I wrote,” he said as if that explained everything. His leaving—rejection.

“I know,” she replied dryly.

“Why, Zoë?” He laid a hand on her thigh. She felt the warmth of his touch as though it were a flame heating her blood. “Why didn’t you read them?”

It was her turn to let regret surface in her strangled voice. “I couldn’t.” She prayed for strength, prayed that this moment would come quickly to an end. She didn’t want to hear what he had to say, leaving old wounds gaping wide.

The harrumph he released sent a chill through her. “I wish you had. I wanted to come home, baby. Marry you. When I received no response I didn’t think there was anything to come home to. I sure as hell got the message that you had moved on.”

A knot of emptiness formed in Zoë’s throat. She couldn’t breathe—couldn’t speak. What had she done? No, wait. How could she trust him? He had abandoned her, chosen a job over her—left her.

He brushed his fingers through his hair again. “After I was released from the hospital, returned to the States, I thought maybe…”

“Maybe we could pick up where we left off?” Zoë pulled her legs from beneath her, setting her feet on the floor. He drew his hand back into his lap. She steeled her shoulders. If he ran once before what would stop him from doing it again? “I’m not the same person you left behind.” She couldn’t contain her bitterness as she rose. “I’m sure you’ve changed in these past three years too. Fact is you might not like the person I’ve become.” Who could blame him? Her innocence was gone. Instead she stood before him a cynical woman, one who would rather be alone than set herself up for another failed relationship.

“Couldn’t we try? Start anew?” he asked.

Chapter Thirteen

Drew pushed to his feet and closed the distance between them. The second the back of his hand smoothed across Zoë’s cheek her eyelids drifted downward. She was velvety soft. He caressed her gently, fighting back the desire to jerk her into his arms and devour her. “The connection is still there, baby,” he whispered, pressing his lips to each of her eyelids, tasting the salty tears she denied release. She tried so hard to be tough, but he knew the woman he fell in love with was still there. “You can’t deny it.” He nibbled on her earlobe and she melted in his arms, her body sagging forward to get closer to him. With his fingertips, he traced her jawline, stroking a path down her slender neck, along the lacy ridge of her teddy to the hollow between her breasts.

Her mouth parted upon a gasp. “Drew. Please…” Her desperate plea drifted away as her head lolled back. He couldn’t take his eyes off the sweet swells of her breasts rising and falling before him. He had to taste her—had to know that she still wanted him.

His cock was rock-hard, begging to be set free from its confinement in his jeans. He leaned forward, capturing a silk-covered nipple. Zoë whimpered the soft and needy sound. He tongued the rigid peak, scraping his teeth across the sensitive flesh. “You’re trembling,” he moaned, before latching on again and sucking the tip deeper into his mouth. When she cupped his head, held him to her, he smiled.

Slowly, he slid the straps of her nightie down her shoulders. The material slipped further, baring the breast he had left unattended. He cupped its weight in his hand, caressing the engorged nub with his thumb. Excitement surged inside him when she guided his head to her bare nipple, crying out as he took it into his wet mouth.

“Clothes,” she breathed. Her half-shuttered eyes were dark with desire. “Take them off. I need to feel you.”

Drew ignored her request, knowing that anticipation would build—her need grow—if he didn’t give in to her demand. Instead, he released his hold, hooked his thumbs into the elastic of her panties and dragged them slowly down her legs. He didn’t have to wait for her to step out of them—she did so with haste. The sweet scent of woman rose to meet him. “Are you wet for me?” he asked, taking a deep breath. His mouth watered to taste her. He couldn’t wait to have her writhing beneath his assault as she climaxed. Blood rushed to his groin. His testicles hardened, pulsing as if they had a heartbeat of their own.

“Yes. God. Yes. Your T-shirt,” Zoë groaned, her fingers moving to the hem. He caught her palms in his, gathering them together and drawing them above her head so he could cuff her wrists in one of his large hands. “No. I need—” She pressed her body against his, rubbing up and down. “Need you now.”

He wedged a knee between her legs and let the rough cotton of his jeans slide over her moist pussy. She rode him wantonly, capturing him in her heated gaze, never looking away from his. His arousal soared. His heartbeat raced. Damn. The woman she had become was friggin’ hot. Yet he had to remember that she had recently been in an accident. He couldn’t take her fast and hard like his body was screaming for.

Drew placed his mouth next to her ear and murmured, “Come for me, baby.”

From deep within, a cry of ecstasy tore from her. “Drew!” She thrashed against his leg, trying to jerk her wrists free. He loved the way she screamed his name, loved how uninhibited she was, riding him to enhance every sensation. He watched her intense expression, knew the moment that she exploded—rode the crest—and then began to decline, because her face softened with a sated sigh of relief. There was no pretending, only bare honesty in her need. What she wanted, she took without shame.

As her climax ebbed, he released her wrists and she relaxed against him, circling her arms around his waist. Her heartbeat raced, thudding against his chest. Her breathing was still labored. She nuzzled her face into his neck, placing tender kisses against his skin to send goose bumps across his arms.

The ache in his groin firmed. He needed to part her thighs and bury himself deep inside her. “Let me make love to you?” he asked. He had taken too much from her already. If this was going to work, she had to be willing, had to want him as much as he needed her.

Zoë didn’t speak, only nodded her acceptance.

He stepped away from her, reaching for the hem of his T-shirt and jerking it over his head. Her gaze swept across his chest. She licked her lips, looking like a sexy, sleek cat savoring the meal before her. His cock hardened, lengthening as she dipped her fingers into his waistband and dragged him to her. With a deftness he hadn’t known she possessed, she unbuttoned his jeans and had the zipper released in no time. His swollen erection pushed into her hands.

“No shorts?” She grinned, wrapping her slender fingers around his shaft. She pumped the hand closest to his crown, while the other one made little twisting movements, her fingers firming and then releasing. The sensation nearly blew the head off his control. Conflicting emotions assailed him. He hated that she was so skilled, but pleaded inwardly she wouldn’t stop.

“Damn. Zoë,” he groaned, rocking his hips. “Baby, stop or that’ll be all there is of this night.”

The giggle she released sounded like the same mischievous ones he had heard a million times before he left three years ago. Instead of stopping, she bent forward and flicked her wet tongue over the small slit oozing pre-cum.

Drew nearly jumped out of her grasp. Every muscle in his body tightened. That familiar drawing sensation just before climaxing shot down his cock. His toes curled as he grabbed her hands, stilling them. It took a moment for him to calm the fire raging inside him. “You little minx,” he hissed, when he was able to breathe again.

Laughter brightened her tired eyes, reminding him once again what she had gone through today. She tried to stroke him, but he wouldn’t allow it. When that failed, she leaned forward and laved his nipple, making him jump once again. He couldn’t believe how sensitive his body was to her ministrations. Even the hair on his arms stood at attention as she nibbled, and then pulled the nub into her mouth.

“Fuck, woman. You’re going to be the death of me,” he grumbled beneath a grin, as he watched her tease him, sucking, licking and biting. He bent his knees, dipping as he thrust, driving his cock between her thighs. In slow, long strokes, he caressed his erection across her hot folds.

“Mmmm…” she hummed. “That feels good.”

Two can play this game. He brushed his chest against her hardened nipples. Grasping the cheeks of her ass, he spread and kneaded them, until she began to push against his hips.

“Take me to bed, Drew,” she whispered.

He didn’t wait for a second invitation. With a swoop of his arm beneath the bend of her knees, he lifted her into his arms. Eyelids shuttered, her arms folded around his neck. She exhaled softly, nestling her head against his shoulder.

With a flick of his finger, he turned off the lights. Carefully he made his way toward the bedroom. Moonlight beamed through the curtains, draping her in shadows as he laid her down and then climbed in beside her.

“I know you won’t believe this, Zoë, but I love you,” he said, before covering her body with his.

Zoë couldn’t believe her ears. Had Drew just confessed his love? Her mind was a mass of confusion. Elation. Anxiety. Fear. She wanted to believe him but something inside her warred against dropping her barriers, letting him back into her life. He was the only person who could destroy her.

“You’re thinking too hard.” He smoothed the wrinkles from her forehead. “I know you have no reason to believe me.” With a featherlight touch, he kissed her. “Let me show you.”

Without another word, he moved down her length, parting her legs to sit between them. Starting at her knees he made long, sweeping strokes with his fingertips to the crease where her thighs and hips met. He laced his fingers through her pubic hairs, but he never touched the part of her aching to be caressed. It was sweet torture. An engine roared, its headlights shining momentarily into the trailer so that she could see the intensity on Drew’s face, and then just as quickly darkness closed over him once more. When he moved to the inside of her legs, closer to her pussy, she raised her hips invitingly.

“Touch me,” she begged shamelessly. It was no use. When it came to Drew she had no willpower. She wanted him—right here—right now.

“Patience, baby.” His voice was deep and sexy, making her want him even more. A wet fingertip circling her areola made her nipples sting, draw so tightly they hurt, but it was a sweet pain. A ray of sensation shot to the apex of her thighs, eliciting a moan from her lips. She arched her back, pressing her breast into his touch, but he didn’t tweak her nub nor fondle it between his fingers. Instead, he raised her hands above her head then trailed a path down the inside of her arms, staying away from the bruise on her rib cage. She yanked her arms back to her chest, laughing as chills skittered across her skin.

“It sounds so good to hear you laugh,” he said, covering her body with his. He wedged her legs apart with a knee, settled his hips against hers so that the tip of his cock was perched at her entrance. He parted her swollen folds and pushed between them. It was a magnificent feeling being stretched and filled. This was what she’d missed, dreamed about every night. She grasped his biceps, holding on, spreading her thighs even wider. He didn’t stop until he was seated deep inside. Then he bent and captured her lips.

His kiss was a tender caress. Their mouths fit together like they were made for one another—perfect. Languidly, he slid his tongue from corner to corner, nibbling on her bottom lip, before dipping inside to taste. He flicked his tongue against hers playfully. She smiled against his lips.

“What?” he muttered.

“I love the way you kiss,” Zoë admitted, caught in the moment. She was rewarded with another titillating caress. His lips were soft but firm. He coaxed, teased, but in the end took what he wanted, deepening the kiss and ratcheting her arousal up two more notches.

In long, tantalizing strokes, his cock mimicked his tongue gliding in and out of her hot, moist sex. The magic of his touch forced her apprehension to the back of her mind. This was a moment to savor. She wouldn’t think. Instead, Zoë locked her ankles around his waist. The position allowed for better penetration and if he had any thoughts of stopping he’d have to fight her for release. While his hands smoothed over her body, awakening every nerve so that every inch of her felt as if it were ablaze, she held on tight. Soft, needy cries bordering on desperation seeped from between her parted lips. She wanted this second to last forever—she wanted Drew forever.

As the muscles in her womb began to firm, contract, she fought to prolong the inevitable. She tried to focus on her breathing, tried to find her center point within that allowed control, but it was useless. The flush of heat that always consumed her as her climax approached, hit like a tidal wave. “No,” she whimpered, mentally clawing to hang on to the precipice she dangled from.

Drew’s reaction was to thrust hard, driving deeper before he rotated his hips, striking the back of her cervix to make her back arch and come off the bed. Over and over the walls of her pussy tightened and then released to drive her wild. Relentlessly, the contractions went on and on. Moaning, tears misting her eyes, she bowed beneath him, reveling in every ounce of sensation racing throughout her.

“Zoë.” Her name was a heated cry as Drew suddenly grew tense in her embrace. His hips slammed against the cradle of her hips. His elbows locked, raising him so that their chests didn’t touch. He jerked several times, as he tossed back his head, and then stilled. “Fuck,” he ground out from clenched teeth. “Oh. God…” His arms shook almost as if he fought them to keep from falling on her. A profound groan tore from somewhere deep inside him as he climaxed. His explosive release bathed the walls of her womb with warmth, before he carefully collapsed atop her.

In the quiet of the night, Zoë held him, swearing she would never let him go, even though she knew it was a lie. They were both runners. The question was, who would leave first?

Drew was boneless. Every ounce of energy spent in what was the most sublime moment he had ever experienced. He had finally admitted his love, bared his soul and made love to the woman of his heart. His only hope was that she believed him. He had heard the skepticism in her tone, but as he held her and felt her let go he could have sworn she had given herself entirely to him. But then that’s what he wanted to believe.

“You okay?” he asked rolling off her, settling on his side and drawing her into his embrace before she could think to move away.

“Yes.” Zoë nuzzled his skin, nipping him, before she buried her face in the curve of his shoulder and neck. Her hand was warm as she smoothed it across his chest, stopping at the remnants of his gunshot wound. An uncomfortable silence followed. “Why’d you leave, Drew?” If he had any doubt that his leaving had wounded her, the sorrow in her voice was all the evidence he needed.

“I was a coward.” Shame and regret washed over him. They had lost so much from his actions. “You wanted forever after and that scared the shit out of me.”

She stiffened in his arms, trying to pull out of his hold. But she wasn’t going anywhere. He needed to make her understand.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s just I felt myself becoming lost in you.” She trembled at his words, from anger or distress he didn’t know. “I couldn’t control my thoughts and feelings for you. At the time I thought the distance between us would be healthy—straighten out my head.”

She released a strangled whimper. “Let me go,” she muttered.

“Not this time, Zoë.” His gut twisted with the knowledge that he was causing her so much anguish. But he couldn’t stop now. One after another the words tumbled out of his mouth. “Don’t you see? I was wrong.” He held her tighter—desperately. “I couldn’t sleep—eat. The loneliness was unbearable. I begged you to take me back, but you never responded to my letters. When I finally accepted you didn’t want me in your life I gave up. I took some of the most dangerous assignments, but it never erased the feel of your skin or the taste of your kiss from my memory. The only thing it got me was nearly killed. When I was released from the hospital and returned to the States, Josh’s was my first stop. I came looking for you.”

Warm moisture dampened his chest. She was crying.

“Ahhh…baby, don’t cry.” Her tears were ripping his heart out. The darkness stole his ability to see if they were happy or sad tears. “I just want a chance to make things right. Will you give me that chance?”

Her voice was tight as she choked, “I don’t know if I can.” A knot of emotion formed in his throat. Then she said, “Just hold me for tonight.”

Relief washed over him. She hadn’t given him the answer he wanted, but at least she didn’t kick him out of her bed. He had the rest of the weekend to convince her of his love. He kissed her lips softly and then held her as though he’d never let her go.

Chapter Fourteen

Nice. Oh so nice. Zoë moaned deep and long, stretching to feel the aches and pains of yesterday’s events attempting to steal the delightful tingle shooting up her pussy. Morning light filtered through the trailer’s bedroom window. She squinted, noticing the pillow next to her was bare, but the sheet draped across her body tented at her hips. She couldn’t stop the smile that engulfed her as she stripped away the covering to unveil Drew positioned between her legs.

He looked up through dark, sexy eyelashes and licked his lips. The sensual act sent chills racing up her spine. Her pulse did double time. There was something about this man that made her lose all control. Especially positioned where he was with an expression that promised more of last night’s loving.

“Good morning.” His palms were on her thighs, massaging gently. She stifled the girlish giggle building inside her. “Good morning.” This was what she had dreamed of so many times, waking beside Drew. Well, not actually beside him. This was even better.

Eyes locked on one another, he dipped his head, licking a path along her folds. She gasped as the cool air met her now wet flesh. “Mmmm…” he hummed, the vibration setting her blood simmering. “You taste and smell so good.” He took a deep breath, pure ecstasy across his face.

Without a second thought, Zoë reached out and touched his cheek, smoothing her hand across his morning stumble. He had the bad-boy persona down pat as he greeted her with another roguish grin. It was his wildness that had attracted her from the beginning—and still made her weak in the knees each time she looked at him. Yet he had changed. Three years ago he had never professed his love nor would his words have been so heartfelt as they were last night. Could she believe him—should she?

Zoë might be crazy, but her mind was made up. If they couldn’t work things out, she’d take all she could get this weekend. Only a fool would pass up this chance. The selfish need to believe he wanted her was too overpowering to resist. “Don’t let me stop you.” She widened her legs and invited him to continue.

Gentle kisses fell on the inside of her thighs while he caressed her pubic hair softly. “Beautiful,” he whispered.

She felt beautiful this morning. Hell, he had always made her feel beautiful. From their first meeting he had looked at her as if he could eat her up—and now he was. Just the knowledge of what was to come made her breasts swell and her nipples grow taut. Moisture dampened her thighs. She couldn’t wait for the moment his lips touched her aching flesh.

A large finger pushed between her folds, causing her thighs to part further. It felt good as he pumped in and out of her sex.

“You’re so wet. Slick.” He extracted his finger and traced it along her slit and circled her clit before he entered her again. As he leisurely finger-fucked her, he nibbled and licked on the outer and inner lips of her sex. When he lightly flicked his tongue back and forth, barely touching her clit, she released a whimper of need. Heat coiled low in her belly. The spring drew tighter the closer he licked toward the sensitive bundle of nerves. A featherlight touch followed by a much harder sweep of his tongue, he varied his strokes to tease and build her arousal. As he lubricated the area with his saliva, he breathed warm puffs of air.

Zoe threaded her fingers through his hair. She loved the silkiness gliding across her thighs. Her hips rose and fell, meeting both the rhythm of his finger and tongue. Slowly, he drew the tip of her clit into his hot, wet mouth and sucked. She firmed her grip on his head, holding him to her as the slightest of spasms began to ignite, popping like fireworks. He must have sensed her oncoming excitement because he buried his face and growled, suckling and slurping with obvious pleasure.

Her body began to burn, the heat to rise. It felt if she couldn’t widen her legs far enough, his finger couldn’t get deep enough or move fast enough to outrun the blaze spiraling up her channel. The urgency with which she moved beneath him heightened his pace. His muffled growls were driving her wild.

All of a sudden, he extracted his finger. His warm wet digit circled her rosebud, once, twice.

God, it was amazing. She had never allowed anyone to take her there. Yet it felt so natural with Drew.

The pressure he exerted increased, little by little. Unconsciously, she pushed against his finger, wanting—needing. When he slipped inside her tight entrance, stars burst behind her eyelids. The pain was bittersweet, clashing with her explosive orgasm. It was a maelstrom of sensations racing in all directions. Fingers, toes, it was everywhere all at once. Then his lips closed around her clit and he began to suck, setting off yet another series of strong contractions.

“Drew,” she screamed. Her fingers curled in his hair. The sharp burn in her ass blended with the constrictions of her womb. It could only be described as euphoria. A throaty, sated groan pushed from her mouth. She had never felt anything so stimulating. It left her breathless.

Zoë’s heart raced. Her body a throbbing pulse as he rose on his palms with a thoroughly pleased expression on his face. Slowly his gaze burned a path up her length until their eyes met.

“I can’t wait to fuck your ass.” She swallowed hard with his admission. Just the thought made her ass pucker and her blood pressure soar. “Feel you tight around my dick.” His voice dropped an octave. He pushed to a kneeling position and then rested his butt on his calves. His fingers wrapped around his hard erection. He slid his palm up and down. “Come here.”

Damn. He was hot. The look in his dark eyes, the way the muscles in his arm flexed as he masturbated made her ache to lie there and watch him pleasure himself. Instead, she gathered her knees beneath her and awkwardly moved before him. He released himself, reached out, spearing a hand through her hair to cup the nape of her neck. With a jerk he pulled her to his lips.

His kiss was hungry, demanding. There was no gentleness in his touch. Their teeth meshed, tongues dueled. She tasted herself and felt a flush of heat surface. The intensity with which he ravished her mouth made her lightheaded. Chest to chest, she wrapped her arms around him, hardly noticing that he had moved his hands down her body and raised her so she hovered above his legs. Slowly he eased her down, his cock separating her folds. Each glorious inch of him filled her until he was buried deep within.

The remnants of her orgasm remained, leaving her feeling weak, vulnerable. She barely withheld the words, “I love you,” as he rocked her back and forth.

“I missed you, baby.” He slanted his mouth over hers again, but the kiss was brief as his lips found other places to caress—her earlobe, her neck and the hollow of her shoulder blade. His hands moved across her skin almost as if he were memorizing every curve and mound. He left no place untouched and then he grasped her hips bringing her down hard.

“Yes,” Zoë moaned, as he struck a particularly sensitive spot and every muscle inside her drew taut. Her nipples began to sting, her breasts heavy with need. “Fuck me hard,” she begged, wanting all of him in the most primitive of ways. The loss of inhibition with nothing standing between them was what she craved.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” His voice was coarse like sandpaper. He held her braced against his hips, his fingertips vibrating against her skin. She felt his cock throb. Knew he was close.

It was true she was sore, but the sweet pain he offered was worth it. “You won’t and I need you, now.”

A low rumble began in his throat as he maneuvered her off his lap and turned her so she rested on her hands and knees on the bed. Perched behind her, he thrust once, entering her so deeply she screamed, “Yes.”

A shiver raked her spine. This was what she wanted—needed. Zoë let her elbows collapse so that she could rest her head on the pillow before her. She raised her ass to enhance his caress. Hands on her hips, he rocked her back and forth, slamming into her so they came together creating a raw, fleshy sound that did more than thrill her. She hungered for it. It must have had the same effect on him, as the urgency of his movements increased along with his breathing. The scent of their lovemaking was thick in the air. There was nothing that existed except the two of them.

She glanced over her shoulder. Drew’s gaze was pinpointed on her ass, watching his cock slide in and out of her pussy. He made a hissing sound as he sucked air through clenched teeth. She loved the intensity of his stare. The way he arched back and then thrust vigorously.

“Fuck,” Drew rasped, as his trembling hand found her clit. With a single pinch her world shattered. While her womb contracted rhythmically, spasms moved in waves toward her cervix, his fingers dug into her hips and he went rigid. Her body was ablaze, lost to sensation as they tumbled into heaven together. In that spectacular moment, she was complete. For once she didn’t have a care in the world. Her mind and body were finally at peace.

Drew couldn’t remember ever being this sated. He sat up and reached for a wetwipe off her nightstand and wiped his hands before settling back beside her. Blissfully, he rolled to his back, pulling Zoë atop him. In silence they lay wrapped in each other’s arms. He brushed back her long hair and kissed her neck. She was so beautiful and damned if the woman didn’t taste sweet. Her essence still lingered on his tongue. He could smell her on his face.

“How about we head for Phoenix today?” He didn’t want to share her with anyone. Locked in a quiet hotel room with Zoë was something that really appealed to him. It would also keep her safe until they could address the problem at hand.

She jerked out of his arms moving off him. “What?” He didn’t miss the surprise in her voice. A frown pulled her brows together. He could almost see her bristle.

“I just thought maybe we could go to my apartment.” He tried to pull her back into his embrace, but her resistance made him withdraw.

“I don’t need a keeper,” she snapped. The pretty flush of her orgasm turned to red-hot resentment. This was not the way he wanted to end this morning’s loving.

“Baby, no one said you did.” He smoothed a palm up her arm. “If you want to stay, we’ll stay. I just thought—”

“That you’d keep me safe—off my bike?” she interjected sharply. “Wasn’t that your and Josh’s plan?”

Well, she had him there. A lie would only hurt the progress he had made with her so far. Instead he chose to toss a question back at her. “What’s going on here?” He sat up, coming face-to-face with her. “Why is it that your employer is so concerned? Why do you feel the need to take so many chances?”

“Just because I take risks doesn’t mean I have a death wish.” She swiped her hand across her face, pushing an errant curl out of her eyes. She nibbled on her bottom lip. He took it as a good sign that she fought to keep control of her temper. “You have to trust me that I know what I’m doing.” Drew wished he could, but he had seen firsthand her unsafe behavior. “I’m good,” she said matter-of-factly. “It’s not just me boasting, but the truth.”

Her expression went thoughtful. “There’s a rhythm to a bike, almost a camaraderie between us—we’re one. I can’t explain it.” She paused, staring at him, but giving him the feeling she looked through him. “It just is,” she concluded before her eyes brightened and he felt she really saw him. “I know when the moment is right. I feel it in my bones. There’s nothing like the escalation of pushing the limits.” She released a blissful sigh as if for a moment she had been soaring through the air or challenging a mountain.

“Dammit, Zoë.” He grabbed her by the arms and held them out before her. “How do you explain the scars over your beautiful body?” Road rash was sure to blame for the discoloration of spots on her arms and shoulders. Not to mention the obvious scars left by stitches. He couldn’t forget the bruises and raspberry spots left from the yesterday’s accident, an accident that had two men in the hospital. A shiver slid up his spine with the thought that the outcome could have been much worse for Zoë. She could have broken her fucking neck.

Zoë broke eye contact, looked away. “Risk doesn’t come without some kind of payment.”

He wasn’t letting her off that easily. He released her arms and caught her chin between his index finger and thumb, guiding her attention back to him. He raised a brow.

“Okay.” She released an exasperated breath. “Yes. Sometimes—maybe—I go beyond the limits. Sometimes I feel as if I can’t help myself, but it’s always ended fine. I’ll be just fine.”

He knew they couldn’t get to the root of the issue now. Getting her angry wasn’t going to help either. “Is it wrong to worry about you, Zoë?”

She reached out and stroked his cheek. “No, but don’t try to suffocate me. I’ve been too long on my own for a man to start riding roughshod over me. I won’t have it. And I won’t give up riding. It’s who I am. I love it,” she said with so much passion that he knew it was true.

What a quandary. Drew speared his fingers through his hair. Zoë was an adult. He had no hold on her. The woman she had become was complex. He’d already seen what playing the overprotective he-man had accomplished—absolutely nothing, but pissed her off. So he said the only thing he could. “Promise me you’ll think before you do anything dangerous.”

“What’s the fun in that?” she asked making his gut clench until she smiled and leaned in to brush a kiss across his lips. “I’m kidding. Yes. I’ll think before acting. Now what do you say we get dress and see what Josh is cooking? I think I smell sausage.”

Drew got the message loud and clear—conversation over.

Except for the bruises and scars that marred Zoë’s body, she was gorgeous scooting off the bed. There was such confidence in her stride as she went to her closet and pulled out a riding ensemble like the red one she wore the first day. Obviously, she intended to ride. Drew sighed as he got to his feet and moved toward his clothes lying on the floor. Guess he couldn’t ask more than her promise to be careful. Of course, he would be right there with her, because he wasn’t letting her out of his sight.

Chapter Fifteen

The musty scent of dirt filled the air as a quad raced by Zoë, spraying gritty sand from its back tires. A cloud of dust engulfed her along with the irritation that she wasn’t creating the haze. She never rode at the back of the pack. But today was different. Josh rode on one side of her quad, Drew on the other. They had her boxed in at a subdued pace as they cut through the Dunes. The gentle swells they guided her over made her think of a carnival ride, controlled and safe.

Talk about having your wings clipped. The need for speed crawled across her nerve endings, making her teeth clench. Great. Now she had a mouthful of dirt. She spat the nasty taste from her mouth. She knew the boys meant well, but this wasn’t who she was. She didn’t do casual riding—it was no less than balls to the wall for her. Her need for an adrenaline rush could almost be described as a junkie needing a fix. Zoë felt like she was itching to climb out of her skin.

When she sped up, so did Josh and Drew. Their proximately made it difficult to maneuver without taking a chance of running into them. No way could they be having fun. Fun was tackling the tallest mountain, soaring over a cliff, leading the crowd or racing. This was child’s play and she’d had enough.

Zoë gassed it and they followed suit. The roar of the engine was something that had always turned her on. She couldn’t explain it, but perhaps it was the vibration filtering through her body, between her legs. Josh and Drew weren’t expecting her sudden slow down as they rushed past her. Both of them cut the gas at the same time, snapping their hooded gazes back at her. Immediately, she made a sharp turn and headed in a different direction. They made no hesitation in making an about-face, but now she determined the pace and decided where they would go.

Covered from head to toe in her red riding gear, gloves, helmet and goggles, the cool breeze caressed only her bare neck and cheeks. She felt free, invincible as she left the ground and caught air. It was an awesome feeling. She controlled the three hundred pounds of metal beneath her that landed and continued to rip through the sand. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Josh take the jump and then Drew. Both made a solid landing that made her smile. They were ready to try something a little more challenging. Perhaps it was time for China Wall.

There was always approximately two hundred feet between her and Josh and Drew as she raced up and down one mountain of sand and then the next. She rode hell-bent, cutting grooves in the sand, loving the high arc the sand made diffusing from beneath her back tires. She didn’t stop until she came to an enormous swell of sand. Quads, bikes, rails, Rhinos, and even a truck or two aligned the base of the peak. A rider on a 250 Honda CR was trying to climb it.

As Zoë pulled her goggles and helmet off she murmured, “Not enough speed. Wrong gear. He isn’t going to make it.” She called it right. His engine choked as he tried to switch gears, and his bike began to lose traction, slowly slipping back down the mountain.

Josh and Drew pulled up next to her. If the concern looks they shared as they removed their helmets and goggles meant anything, they weren’t happy with her. Oh well.

As a quad approached the steep incline, she grumbled, “You’re sitting too far back.” In disbelief, she watched him jerk back on the handlebars. “Wrong thing to do, buddy. Argh…” Everyone gasped as the quad flipped backward, thankfully tossing the rider aside and out of harm’s way. In a dramatic roll both quad and rider tumbled head over heels down the mountainside. She prayed both stayed on their separate paths and didn’t meet. When they finally came to a stop, several men quickly made their way to the rider, while others to the quad. When the rider rose and began to walk, she inhaled a breath of relief. “Stupid sonofabitch. That could have been nasty.”

A roar of an engine made her turn in her seat. Connor and his dark-haired friend pulled up beside them in a rail and stopped. She was thankful that Kari wasn’t with them. Zoë really didn’t like that woman. Especially the hungry way she looked at Drew. “Let’s go,” Drew said, reaching for his helmet. Josh seemed to have the same idea as he reached for the key to start his vehicle.

Connor grinned, crawling out of his sand rail and making a direct path toward Zoë. “You gonna try it?”

“No,” both Drew and Josh chimed in unison.

The heat of embarrassment crept up her neck. They didn’t have confidence in her. “Maybe,” she said just to needle Josh and Drew. They both had the good sense to remain quiet. Zoë didn’t know what the big deal was. Perhaps Josh didn’t remember that she had climbed this hill before, or maybe he hadn’t been present. She really couldn’t remember at the moment. Either way it hurt and made the I’ll-show-you attitude within her begin to rise.

“Think you can make it in a rail?” Connor’s friend asked, a provocative smile on his handsome face. The man didn’t look as good as Drew did in his lime-green getup, but he filled a pair of riding pants out quite nicely.

“A rail?” Now that was a challenge. Zoë had never attempted this hill driving a rail. She’d seen it done—knew it could be done. That really was all she needed as she swung her leg over her quad. “Guess I could give it a try.” She grabbed her head gear and headed for the vehicle.

“Zoë?” Concern laced her name as Drew climbed off his bike.

Damn. Did he have any idea how much she needed him to trust her? She had made him a promise to think before she acted. She stopped and thought about the probability of success. Yep. She was confident she could accomplish the task—well, almost. One never knew absolutely until they rested at the top of the mountain. One thing she knew for sure—she was going to have fun trying.

Zoë slipped behind the wheel of the rail, pulled her seat belt tight, and then looked over to the man sitting in the passenger seat. “Going for a ride?” She fastened her helmet, drew her goggles on.

He grinned, held out his hand. Their gloved hands met and they shook. “I’m Dane Glover, and I’d ride to the moon and back with you.” He shifted his goggles in place and reached for the oh-shit bar in front of him. “Go, darlin’.”

Ahhh… Just what she needed—a sweet-talking devil by her side. Not to mention two angry ones watching her every move. She wanted to say, “C’mon, boys, a little support here,” but she knew it was useless.

“Hold on.” She turned the key, revving the engine. With an eagle-eye, she gauged the run she would need in order to reach a speed so that at the steepest point the engine wouldn’t cut out and slow her approach. Sure that she knew what she was doing, she whipped the rail around. She glanced over at Drew. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was frowning.

As she positioned the sand rail and slammed the gas pedal to the floor, a rush of adrenaline coursed through her veins. It was the most awesome feeling, some would say better than a climax, but of course they hadn’t slept with Drew. The rail cut through the sand like butter. Dane was laughing, she felt her smile widen. They were going to make it on the first attempt. Two-thirds of the way up they hit virgin sand, a soft spot that had never been ridden on. The vehicle’s tires spun, digging into the sand, but not gaining traction. They began to skid. Zoë didn’t fight the inevitable. They were going down.

The sensation of falling out-of-control was a high of its own. Heart racing, she glanced at Dane and he macho’d up a weary grin. Zoe didn’t push her luck, applying just enough brake to slow the descent, too much would swing the rail around and they would surely roll. When they rested at the foot of the mountain Drew, Josh and Connor were there to meet them. Connor was in hysterics, the same couldn’t be said for Josh and Drew.

“Let’s go, Zoë,” Drew demanded, reaching for her. She dodged his grasp. If she were a man it would only be expected for her to try again. She hated the disparities between female and male.

“Back up, boys or I’ll run over your toes,” she announced just before she crammed the gear into reverse. Determination tightened her grip on the steering wheel. She would show them. Zoë narrowed her sight on Dane. “You want out?”

“Hell no,” he yelled. “Let’s go.”

The engine roared as she sped toward the mountain. Sand sprayed in all directions creating a cloud of dust. She didn’t ease up on the gas, kept it steady as they climbed. At the two-thirds mark her heart stuttered. I have to make it.

Dane shouted, “Hell yeah!” as the rail easily cleared the remainder of the distance.

Perched on the top was a magnificent view. For miles she could see valleys and peaks in the sand. She literally glowed from the inside out. The screams of approval from people below were what she lived for.

“You fuckin’ rock, woman.” Dane reached over and gave her shoulder a hearty shake.

Drew held his breath as Zoë started back down the dune. The sensation of going up a mountain was a little different than coming down it. It definitely was not for those with acrophobia, fear of heights. As she eased the vehicle down the mountainside he didn’t know whether he wanted to strangle her or hug her close. He chose the latter. As she climbed out of the rail he jerked her into his arms. He couldn’t see her face behind her dark goggles, but her smile shone with pride.

“Damn you,” he growled giving her a little shake. “You had me tied in knots.” She pulled out of his embrace and removed her head gear. “If it were anyone other than me you’d be down here with the crowd urging the rider onward. Besides I made it—that’s what counts.”

No, what counted was that she was all right. He slung an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close as the man who rode with her approached. He was grinning ear-to-ear. “That was friggin’ awesome. Let’s do it again.” Drew didn’t have time to intervene before Zoe said, “That’s it for me. I think I hear a margarita calling my name.” She turned in his embrace, weaving her arms around his neck. “How about you?”

He gazed into her blue eyes, so bright with excitement. Instead of answering her he bent his head and captured her lips. She returned his fervor, matching the urgency of his tongue dancing with hers. She held on tight—he held her tighter. He was just about to deepen the kiss when Josh said, “That’s enough, you two.”

Drew squeezed her once again before releasing her. “C’mon, baby.”

“Party at my trailer,” Zoe yelled over her shoulder as they headed back to their quads. Party? That’s not exactly what he had in mind. Stripping her naked and having his way with her was the direction his mind was heading.

The heat of the afternoon sun beat down on them as they made their way across the miles of dunes. He tried to keep up with Zoë, but the woman was like greased lightning. The minx was riding a high and it showed. He realized that this was what she lived for.

By the time he and Josh pulled into camp, she was nowhere to be found. There was a moment of panic until he saw her quad. Someone was barbequing with mesquite. The woodsy scent filled his senses as he made a beeline for her trailer, Josh close behind. He didn’t knock, just pulled the doorknob and climbed the stairs.

Zoe stood at the kitchen counter in only an exercise bra and her riding pants. Her boots and socks lay by the couch. “Open the back of the trailer, Josh. It’ll make it easier for those that want to come in.” She dumped a handful of ice into a blender, flipped a switch and the concoction inside began to swirl. From the refrigerator she grabbed several limes and tossed them all at once at Drew. “Cut these up.”

Drew fumbled with the fruits, awkwardly catching them. He spied a cutting board and sat them down upon it, before he pulled open a drawer and extracted a knife. “How do you feel?” If it weren’t for the bruises no one would even know she’d been in an accident.

“Great.” Her smile glowed with happiness. “I haven’t felt this good in a long time. Come here and kiss me.” She didn’t have to ask twice. He tasted tequila upon her lips as they met his. His fingers slid beneath her silky hair capturing the nape of her neck. She leaned into him, pressing her body against his as her arms wrapped around his waist. “Drew.” Her mouth moved across his.

“Yes,” he said breathlessly.

“The margaritas are done.”

Well, shit. So they were and the first of the partiers were beginning to fill the trailer. Josh seemed to know her trailer pretty well, reaching into a cabinet to find some plastic cups. He dipped them in a plate of shallow water to wet the edges, before dipping them into a platter of salt. Zoë filled each one to the brim and Drew started handing them out. She got about five drinks out of this batch and started a new one.

Someone started the music and Zoë began to sway to the sexy tune. God, the woman was sensual. He wanted her body moving like that beneath him. He was lost in his thoughts, until Josh pushed a shot of tequila in his hand. Together they raised their glasses, each downing the shot in one gulp. Drew shuddered. “Ahhh…” The sting felt good as the golden liquid burned a path down his throat.

After several more blenders were prepared, the party moved outside, growing larger by the minute. People from nearby campsites were strolling over and getting into the moment. As Zoë stepped back into the trailer to use the bathroom, Josh moved to Drew’s side.

“Thank you,” Josh said offering Drew a beer. The bottle was cold against his skin. “This is the happiest I’ve seen her in a long time.” There was a light in his friend’s eyes that hadn’t been there since Zoë’s accident. “I don’t envy you though. She’s a handful.” He chuckled, but added, “Worth every bit of the trouble. What are your plans?”

“Plans?” Hell, Drew had no idea. Right now he was taking it one step at a time. “Guess I’ll see how she wants to proceed. I’m not sure how she feels about me—the two of us.” He took a drink. “Don’t know if she’ll consider letting me accompanying her to Phoenix. But, my friend, I’m going to do everything possible to ensure that we’re related and soon.” He slapped Josh on the back and the two broke into laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Zoë asked, walking into Drew’s arms like she had done it a million times before. He hugged her close. It felt right to have her next to him.

Josh placed his fingertips beneath her chin. His expression softened. “I’m just happy for you, sis.”

She stepped from Drew and embraced her brother. Drew thought he saw a tear glisten in her eyes even though she grumbled, “You’re not getting mushy, are you?”

Josh pulled away from her. “Don’t be silly.” But Drew saw the same emotion shining in both siblings’ gazes. Josh cleared his throat. “Let’s get this party rocking,” he yelled, grabbing Zoë’s hand to twirl her around.

As they danced, Drew pondered Josh’s question. Clearly, Zoë wasn’t willing to give up her riding career. The thought of her traveling alone wasn’t something that sat well with him. It was even harder to swallow, knowing that she would be surrounded by a bunch of horny men.

“You’re thinking too hard,” Kari purred, leaning into him so that their hips touched. She ran her fingertips up his arm. Under shuttered eyelashes, she peered up at him. “I can make you forget.” Drew knew a proposition when he heard one. Furthermore, he had no doubt she could live up to her sexy offer, but he wasn’t interested. His mouth opened to tell her so when Zoë appeared. She glared at him.

His mouth opened. “I—”

Zoe held up a hand, shushing him, before leveling her steely gaze on Kari. When she spoke her voice dropped several octaves. “I’ll say this once and only once.”

Kari haughtily raised a brow. Her palms went straight to her hips.

Zoë’s jaws clenched. The slightest flare of her nostrils told Drew the shit was about to hit the fan. He tensed, ready to grab her if she flew into the bitch staring her down. He wasn’t prepared when the tightness in Zoë’s face vanished and an eerie smirk appeared. Her chin dipped as her eyes darkened. “Unless you want your ass kicked from here to China you won’t ever lay a hand on my man again.” It wasn’t a threat, her menacing tone said she meant every word.

Kari’s face turned scarlet red. She huffed, opened her mouth to speak, but must have thought better, snapping her lips together. Instead, she spun on her toes and disappeared into the crowd.

Without a word, Zoë slowly turned to face Drew. Shit. This was the last thing he needed right now. He was completely caught off guard when her hand jutted out, catching his jersey, fingers curling in the fabric as she jerked him forward. His eyes widened. Before he could speak, explain he was innocent, she pressed her lips to his. It was a mark of ownership, firm and demanding. For all to see, she staked her claim on him.

Drew’s pulse sped. His soul soared. This was the sign he had been waiting for—she still cared. He held her tightly, giving as much as he received.

When their kiss ended, they were both breathless.

“Trailer. Now.” Her command was short and decisive, leaving no room for discussion.

What man in his right mind would pass up an invitation like that?

Not Drew.

He grabbed her hand and with quick steps headed for her trailer. The door slammed against the wall as she pushed it open and yanked him inside, almost pulling him off balance.

“Damn. These boots,” he muttered, stumbling. Before he could steady himself, Zoë’s hands were everywhere, pulling at his clothes. Her lips frantically sought his. There was no tenderness in her touch as she jerked his jersey loose from his pants. She ravaged his mouth, her tongue caressing every inch. When he countered, thrusting his tongue to meet hers, she released a desperate cry that tore them apart. Her eyes were dark with desire as she tugged his shirt off and tossed it over her shoulder.

Her feverish desire was a fucking turn on. Drew’s cock hardened instantly. Blood rushed his sac, drawing it close to his body. He couldn’t move fast enough to disrobe her, dragging her jersey over her hand to throw it aside. With nimble fingers, he unfastened her pants, worked them and her thong down her long legs, meeting resistance. “Damn boots,” he grumbled.

As he started to unsnap her boots, she breathed, “Can’t wait. Need you now.”

“Woman, you’re going to be the death of me.” Drew whirled her around so that her back faced him. She wiggled out of her exercise bra as he unfastened his pants and jerked them down around his knees. “Hold onto the counter,” he said, before grabbing her hips. With one thrust, he parted her folds and entered her.

“Drew.” She arched her back and groaned deep and long.

“So wet.” He sucked in a choking breath. “Tight.” His toes clenched in his boots as he attempted to keep his climax at bay. The strong pull in his erection was somewhere between pleasure and pain. Even as a teenage boy he had never ejaculated before satisfying his partner. This time would not be the first—at least he prayed it wouldn’t. Desperate to draw his attention off the firming between his legs, he grasped her breasts, kneading, before latching onto her engorged nipples with his fingers. One pinch and she threw back her head and screamed his name again.

The second her womb squeezed his aching shaft, he exploded. Stars burst behind his eyelids. His pulse sped. He moaned as her body flexed around him. He had never felt anything so earth-shattering. There was nothing to do but feel, savor the moment.

Drew draped her body with his. Both were covered in a light sheen of perspiration. He dreaded leaving her warmth, but the door wasn’t locked, not to mention the back of the trailer was open. The only thing that hid them from others’ sight was the plastic curtain that had fallen to cover the entrance.

Before he broke their connection, he leaned in close and whispered, “I’m not through with you.” Soft laughter met his ears. “I’ll close and lock the trailer up.” He jerked his pants over his hips and fastened them before heading for the back of the trailer. “Take those damn clothes off. I want you naked and in bed when I return.

Chapter Sixteen

A sensation of tranquility wrapped around Zoë’s heart as she gazed at Drew sleeping beside her. Damn, the man for being so good looking. She brushed a tendril from his forehead, noticing he was perspiring even though the room felt cool to her. She had switched on the air conditioner while Drew closed the back of the trailer. Even now there was a breeze blowing over their naked bodies. The scent of dust was gone. Instead the smell of rain filtered through the vents.

Their afternoon delight had turned into another tumble in bed, and then they had drifted asleep in each other’s arms. Her chest rose and fell on a blissful sigh. No matter how hard she tried to deny it, she loved him. Her earlier outburst proved it. She chuckled silently. Kari’s reaction to her threat was as she expected. The woman was all talk, no guts. Yet the expression on Drew’s face was priceless.

Not only had Zoë’s calm exterior surprised him, it had been a revelation to her. She would never get over Drew. When the realization set in, the rest was intuitive. No one took what belonged to her—including her man.

Emotion tightened her throat. Did she dare believe that all of this was actually happening? That Drew had truly returned, wanting to rekindle what they had?

Before she could ponder those questions Drew cried out. He mumbled. His words incoherent as his fingers curled into fists and his face twisted in anguish. What the hell had he gone through?

“Zoe.” The panic in his voice made her reach out and touch him. “Where are you?” he murmured, moisture seeping from behind his closed eyelids.

He was crying in his sleep.

Tears misted Zoë’s eyes. The sorrowful moans he made were breaking her heart. She folded her arms around him, holding him to her. “I’m here…” She paused, swallowing hard to keep her emotions restrained. “I’ve always been here.”

It was true. Although she had put up a good exterior front, on the inside she had yearned, dreamed and she had waited—waited for his return. Lonely days, sleepless nights, they had been for him and him alone. She had become an empty shell with a void in her life that no man could fill, except for the one she held.

She buried her face against his chest. “I love you,” she whispered, unable to silence the tenderness that made her entire body tremble. “Damn you,” she choked. “I’ll always love you.”

Zoë startled when Drew’s warm palm smoothed across her back. She tensed, squeezing her eyes closed, praying that he hadn’t heard her confession. What would he’d say? Would he run again?

Her shoulders squared, her arms falling to her sides, as she prepared herself for his response. He was quiet for longer than felt comfortable. Every muscle inside her body tensed. If only she had kept her mouth shut.

When he spoke, his voice was shaky. “I-I love you too.” He drew her closer, pressing his lips against her forehead. “Let me in, Zoë. Let me love you.”

Her pulse sped. “I’m scared,” she blurted, then clenched her jaws tight. Oh God, did I admit that?

Drew rolled her gently upon her back. Her nipples tightened, not from arousal, but fear. She didn’t want to meet his gaze but she did. His eyes were rimmed red with emotion, from his dream or the current moment, she didn’t know. He propped himself on an elbow. “I made a mistake. We’ve both suffered. Let me make it right.”

Zoë wanted to believe him. “You hurt me.” She hated the childish tone in her voice. To add to her mortification, her chin began to tremble. Painful memories threatened to surface.

“Oh, baby.” He caressed his knuckles across her cheek. “I know. I’m sorry. But I’m back now and I’m not leaving.” She couldn’t help leaning into his hand. She hungered for his touch. “Please let me back into your life.”

Mentally, she heard her hard-as-nail exterior begin to crack. Be strong. Breathe. Yet when his lips met hers, she crumbled like a day-old cookie. Her arms flung around him. She held on tight, speechless, while her mind cried, Yes. I’ve missed you so much.

Their naked bodies came together, chest to chest, hip to hip. His kiss magically washed the anguish of the last three years away. Instead, a happiness Zoë hadn’t felt in a long time embraced her. Within seconds, she found herself trapped beneath him. His firm cock pressed to her belly. His mouth ravished hers as she surrendered body and soul.

When their lips parted, he said, “Say you’re mine.” Zoe was still trying to catch her breath, her mind whirling with what was happening. He dragged her hands above her head, pinning them against the bed. “Mine,” he repeated.

Raindrops began to pelt the trailer, making tinny sounds. She could hear the rustle and voices of people rushing around the campsite outside. Doors opened and slammed shut. There was a brisk knock against the side of the trailer.

“Drew. Zoe.” There was urgency in Josh’s muffled tone as he stood at their door. “Wake up. Damn rain.” The awning wasn’t out. That meant he was standing in the pouring rain.

“Your brother has impeccable timing,” Drew grumbled. When the banging continued, he growled, moving from atop her. He climbed off the bed and then paused. “I should let him drown out there.” Zoe laughed, her breath catching as Drew swept his hot gaze up and down her naked body. “You’re so beautiful. Stay here. Don’t move.” He turned, padding down the steps and across the room to the door. From where she lay naked, Zoë could see Drew as he opened the door and peered out. “What the hell do you want?”

“Get dressed. We’re going to town for dinner,” Josh said.

Zoe groaned, bringing her arms to her side. She didn’t want to share Drew with anyone. No, she had other things in mind, like having Drew thrusting deep inside her.

“Not interested.” Drew’s quick response put a smile on Zoë’s face. Perhaps he was thinking the same thing.

Zoë heard her brother’s carefree laughter. “You sure?”

“Absolutely.” Drew shut the door and locked it. He pivoted, catching her ogling his masculine form. Dark hair, sensual eyes, broad shoulders, six-pack abs and a narrow waist. He was so sexy, handsome, standing before the doorway.

Drew grinned. “Now where were we?” The stairs creaked as he approached.

Zoë’s heart pounded with joy. She opened her arms invitingly. There was nothing she would prefer than to spend the rest of the day and evening locked in Drew’s embrace, savoring his kisses and devouring his body. Just the thought firmed her nipples into taut beads. Moisture released between her thighs. She was ready—more than ready. The tingles tightening her womb grew stronger.

Just out of her reach, he stopped. “I think you owe me an answer.” His eyes twinkled when her gaze shot to his cock. She licked her lips.

Mmmm… He looked good enough to eat.

Her blood pressure soared as he took himself in hand, his finger squeezing as he stroked from base to tip. “Answer?” she squeaked. What was he talking about? Her mind felt hazy, her attention focused on the prominent veins in his arm and hand, his palm sliding up and down his shaft squeezing a clear drop of liquid from the small slit in his crown.

He stepped closer. His erection lengthened, reddened as he continued to tempt her. “Tell me you’re mine.”

There was no hesitation. She scrambled to her knees, licked her lips again. “I’m yours,” Zoë breathed. Yours. Yours. Yours

“Forever?” he asked.

Insecurity was a black cloud crashing down around her. “Forever?” she whispered as a shiver raked her spine. Did she have “forever” inside her?

Drew brows tugged together. He frowned. “You said that almost as if the word left a bad taste in your mouth.”

“What? Uh… No. It’s just—” She eased back on her haunches. How could she explain that she’d quit thinking of a future? She lived her life one day at a time with no worries about tomorrow. He was asking, or at least she believed he was asking, for the ‘til death do us part, the little picket fence. Those girlish dreams had vanished along with him three years ago. Zoë’s heart sputtered. What if he wanted children?

“You’re trembling.” He released himself, drew closer to embrace her. “You’re cold as ice.” He began to rub his warm palms briskly up and down her arms.

“I’m—” Speechless? Dumbfounded? Or maybe scared shitless was a more appropriate response from her.

“Baby, I want you in my life forever.” He speared his hand through her hair, cupping the nape of her neck. “Can you promise me that, Zoë?”

Could she? Her skin felt like it shrunk two sizes too small as panic set in. A home, a man who loved her, children, everything she had ever wanted stood before her, offering, waiting for an answer. Did she have the courage to grasp it with both hands, or would she fail?

Zoë mentally pushed away her insecurities. She was a woman of action, not words. Yeah. That’s who she was. “Make love to me, Drew,” Zoë blurted. She didn’t want to think about the future. Most of all she didn’t want to think about disappointing him—of not being the woman he thought she was.

Zoe wasn’t fooling Drew. Her taut expression, her widened eyes, the deer-in-headlight expression revealed she was scared. Hell, he was frightened. But for once he was going for what he knew was right. Him. Zoë. Together. Clearly she needed more time, and time was all he had.

“What’s your pleasure?” he mouthed against her lips.

“I want to taste you.” She kissed him softly. Her eyelids rose. She peered up at him through feathered lashes. “I want your cock in my mouth.”

Blood rushed his groin, slamming into his balls to draw them up tight against his body. “Fuck, baby,” he groaned. Just the thought made his erection lengthen, harden to a painful ache that pulsed. “Do it. Oh yeah. Do it.”

She slid out of his arms and onto her belly so that her head was level with his hips. He couldn’t keep his gaze off her mouth as her tongue made a slow, sensual path along her full lips. When her warm, wet tongue flicked out to smooth across the crown of his dick, his entire body was jolted with a volt of electricity. He felt the sensation from head to toe as she licked down the underside.

Zoë didn’t release him from her sight as she paid special attention to his sensitive head and frenulum. The muscles around his shaft contracted as she drew him into her mouth. The bobbing of her head was friggin’ hot. But it was her soft cries, the moans she made that nearly undid him. He grasped her head, increasing the pace. She didn’t gag or fight him as he fucked her mouth, thrusting deep and pulling back so she could take a breath. She began to suck harder, swallowing so that she squeezed the head of his cock, working her tongue around, above and below the ridge.

“Feels good.” He barely got the words out when fire threatened to lace down his erection. He threw back his head, making a hissing sound before the air in his lungs froze. The pressure was so intense. He struggled to hold back his oncoming climax. “Whoa. Baby, stop.”

She whimpered but promptly released him. Her eyes were bright with desire, hunger, watching while she waited patiently as he gathered his control.

“Felt too good.” He forced a smile between clenched teeth. She was so beautiful sprawled out on the bed. Like a sensuous cat, she moved, stretching and pushing to her knees and hands to crawl toward him. She traced her fingernails up his thighs. Cupped his balls in her hand and gently rolled them between her fingers.

“More,” she purred, licking her reddened and swollen lips.

His uneasy chuckle met her demand. “Not if you want me to last longer than ten seconds.” He stilled her hands.

She puckered her lips, something she used to do when she was young and wanted her way. For a moment the girl he remembered surfaced. “I’m wet and horny,” she admitted without shame as the woman she had become stared him in the face. Zoë had become much more than the girl he left behind and she thrilled him to the core.

“How wet?” he asked.

She pushed a hand between her legs and he nearly lost it. Heat raced through his body as she touched herself. Her mouth parted, her eyes darkened. She took a quick, sharp breath as she rubbed her clit, and then extracted her hand. The little vixen leaned into him, her hard nipples pressing against his chest as she traced her finger along his lips. He inhaled her female musk, catching her hand to suck her finger deep into his mouth. She tasted of heaven.

“More?” she asked, a smile tipping the corners of her mouth.

Drew pushed her back, receiving a cry of surprise as she landed on her back. Placing his hands beneath her thighs, he jerked so that her legs dangled off the side of the bed. Her laughter was music to his ears as he rose to his knees, spreading her thighs wide.

“I guess the answer is yes,” she tittered.

“Oh yeah.” He draped her legs over his shoulders and then moved in. The soft moan she cried as he licked from one end of her slit to the other made him grin. He loved this woman—all of her.

Lightly he massaged her pelvic area, running his fingers through her short strawberry-blonde hairs as his tongue pushed beyond her swollen folds. She was slick and moist, sweet ecstasy to his tastebuds. Her thighs parted further, her hips meeting each thrust. With a flick of his tongue across her sensitive clit, her hips shot off the bed. Her fingers threaded through his hair, easing him back into the cradle of her hips. Her clit swelled beneath his touch. He sucked it deeper into his mouth as he inserted a finger into her hot, moist pussy.

When he felt her tense beneath him, he moved away from her sensitive organ, allowing her to come down from the peak of sensation. He varied his speed and position, following her response so that he carried her to the brink without tossing her over the edge. The day was too young to be over so quickly.

“Drew,” she moaned. “I need to come.” The way she writhed beneath him fucking thrilled him.

“Not yet, baby.” He released a stream of warm air across her folds. “Scarf?”

“Scarf?” she repeated.

“Do you have one?” he asked, never stopping the motion of his finger moving in and out of her.

“Er…I think. In the top drawer. Why?”

“You’ll see.” The nightstand was within arm’s reach. Drew didn’t even have to remove her legs from his shoulders. He reached over and opened the drawer to find not only a couple silk scarves, but a vibrator and lubricant.

Oh yeah. Now they were talking.

The vibrator could wait for another day, but the lube gave him a number of sinful things he could do to her. His heart started to pound. His breathing elevated. This was going to be good.

White-hot excitement raced through his veins as he gathered the items, making sure to get the wet-wipes that sat on the top of the dresser. She never took her eyes off him as he placed the items on the bed. When he raised her buttocks, pushing a pillow beneath her for support, the softness in her face was replaced with apprehension. He bent her legs until they threatened to touch her chest as he leaned forward and used the scarf to cover her eyes.

“What are you up to?” Her voice cracked, but she didn’t stop him.

“It’s all about feeling. The loss of sight heightens the sensation. I want you to focus on my hands.” He dragged the silky scarf over the tips of her breasts, watching the nubs bead. “My voice…” He lowered his tone so that she had to strain to hear him. “And my cock as I fuck your ass.”

“OhmyGod,” she breathed. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. “I— Uh— Never—” Zoe sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and began to nibble on it.

Drew exerted pressure on her puckered entrance and she jumped, releasing a tight squeal. Damn. Had he been wrong? When he had entered her with his finger, he got the impression that it had turned her on. “Zoe, would you like me to fuck you here?”

“I—” Her hands were fisted by her sides. She inhaled, releasing a heavy breath. “Yes. Oh God, yes.”

A wave of relief washed through him. He smoothed his palms up and down her arms, watching goose bumps scamper across her skin. “I can’t tell you how much that pleases me.” Zoë continued to surprise him. She was ready to try anything. That scared and aroused him.

Sonofabitch. He was shaking almost as much as she was. Thoughts of taking her in the most dominant of positions made his erection rock-hard. His heart felt like it would crash through the wall of his chest.

Drew gathered her hands together and fastened the remaining scarf around her wrists. “Raise your arms over your head.” Without a word, she did as he requested. Zoë could easily break her bonds, but it was the picture she portrayed, blindfolded and bound, and the fact she didn’t attempt to get loose that made his mind spin and his pulse race. For a moment, he feasted on the erotic picture before him. She was so beautiful and vibrant and she was all his.

“Drew?” She licked her lips, the same mouth that had nearly driven him insane earlier.

“Anticipation only makes it sweeter.”

“For whom?” she countered with an edge of sassiness.

A silly grin overtook him. She would make life an adventure. He didn’t need to run off to faraway places. All the life he would ever need lay before him.

Lightly he began to touch her, dragging his fingertips over the silk covering her eyes, down her cheek, across her parted lips. As he stroked a path toward her breasts, she arched, offering herself. She was so responsive.

He took a moment to coat his cock in the cool gel that oozed out of the bottle now in his hand. It was slick and arousing as his hand moved up and down his shaft. He squeezed a small amount on Zoë’s tight entrance.

“Oh!” she cried out. Her mouth made the cutest “o”.

Drew quickly wiped his hands, before he began to make large circles around the base of her breasts with one hand. He used his free hand to guide his firm erection. Gently he rocked against her ass.

“I need to touch you.” She began to lower her arms, but he caught them midair, forcing them back above her head.

“No. I do all the touching. Just relax.” He thrust his hips several times and slid an inch inside her, passing the first ring of muscle.

She buried the back of her head into the mattress and groaned, low and deep, before gasping for a breath. “Relax? Easy for you to say.”

He rocked slowly, working the lubricant in and around her entrance. “Tight,” he growled. “Damn, baby, you’re tight.”

She clenched and flexed her fingers. Her breathing was small pants. “Fuck me, Drew. Now.” She raised her hips trying to force penetration, but he knew she wasn’t ready to take all of him. Her mind was willing—her body still resisting.

He tweaked her nipples, attempting to distract her.

“Now,” she growled. The low rumble nearly made him lose control. He clasped her thighs tightly, thumbs soothing over her skin. He wouldn’t rush this moment, ruin this experience for her. Another drive forward and he eased a little further in. “Drew.” His name came out a warning. If he wasn’t so turned on he would had laughed. His woman was not patient, but she was tight, squeezing his cock and making his balls throb with need.

When he could take no more, Drew said, “Breathe in, push out and I’ll be all the way in.” She took a deep breath and bore down, opening the passage so he slid to the hilt.

“Fuck,” she screamed echoing his sentiments exactly. Her legs trembled from the intensity of his invasion. The shallow breaths she swallowed told him she felt the burn. He held deathly still. Tight. So friggin’ tight. He had never felt anything as earth-shattering as this moment. His dreams had never been this good.

A moan shuddered through her body as he began to carefully rock back and forth. Pleasure-pain knotted his groin. He didn’t know how long he could hold on. Moisture glistened from her slit. He pierced her with a finger and she whimpered softly. In unison, he fucked both orifices. Her inner muscles convulsed around him. She was close. The flame inside him roared into a raging fire, building to a crescendo. He pressed his thumb against her swollen clit. “Come for me.”

The coarse sound that ripped past her lips was nothing like the explosion that tore down his shaft and shook him to the core. Drew couldn’t breathe or think—only revel in the depth of what he felt for the woman beneath him. He loved her. As he held onto her tightly, they both trembled, caught in the moment as their bodies, minds and souls reached for the sky. She whimpered as the last of her contractions eased and they both tumbled from the peak of ecstasy.

The muscles at the base of his cock relaxed. He felt the blood drain away as he slipped out of her warmth. Carefully, he lowered her legs, before he reached for the wet-wipes and started to cleanse her. She lay boneless on the bed. Her eyes still covered, her arms raised above her head. After he cleaned himself, he removed her blindfold and released her.

Zoë’s eyelids rose half-way. “Mmmm… When can we do that again?” she murmured.

“Soon,” he promised, crawling into bed beside her. They had a lifetime to explore each other.

Chapter Seventeen

The morning sky was clear, no traces of the storm that moved in quickly and vanished just as fast. It was Sunday, their last day at Glamis. She had plans to leave by noon to be well rested for her exhibition ride Monday night in Phoenix.

“Owww…” She snapped her scowl in Drew’s direction as she started to throw a leg over her bike and stopped. He conveniently forgot to tell her that anal sex had a way of sticking around long after the event. She was sore, her ass as well as her legs. The man had turned her every which way but loose. While she moved gingerly, he was prancing around camp like a teenager. She wasn’t really complaining. No. Not complaining at all.

As a breeze whispered across her face, she recalled the night. It had been incredibly erotic to surrender to him. The blindfold and bondage had intensified the sexual tension inside her. Drew knew exactly what to do to her to drive her absolutely wild with need, a gentle touch, a sexy word, and boy, could he make love. The proof was in every ache and pain now covering her body.

Zoë was jerked from her wonderings when Trent said, “So, you’ve made your mind up?” Startled, she released her bike, grasping it at the last minute before it fell. “Trent? Hi. What?” She grabbed the kickstand off the back fender and placed the triangular piece of metal in the small hole near the foot pedal and released the bike.

Like her, he was dressed for riding. “I haven’t been able to get close to you since last night.” He glanced over at Josh and Drew as they were folding up the grill and packing it away. “You sure he’s what you want?”

She could feel her smile radiate from the inside out. “I’m sorry, Trent, but yes.” How could she tell him that Drew was all she had ever wanted?

Trent shook his head, even as he muttered. “You look happy.”

Zoë hated hurting Trent. They had been good together—friends, but she had never loved him. Right or wrong, he had been a replacement for Drew.

Trent pushed a heavy breath from his lungs. “If you ever need me or—” He paused. His lips thinned. His smile appeared tight, forced. “You know how to get in touch with me.” He wrapped his arms around her.

From over Trent’s shoulder Zoë saw Drew frown. He started toward them when Josh restrained him with a hand on his shoulder. They exchanged words. Drew was not happy, but evidently her brother had convinced him not to intervene. Zoë would have to remember to thank Josh.

Trent gave her a chaste kiss on the lips and released her, but not before he whispered, “I love you.” He didn’t wait for her response. He spun around and headed for his rail. In seconds, the engine roared and he sped away—alone.

Something squeezed Zoë’s chest. She felt moisture fill her eyes. How long had Trent felt this way about her? She had been so engulfed in her own life—career—that she truly hadn’t thought about how her actions might affect others. Damn her for being so self-centered.

Drew gave her a nod and she faked a smile. For someone who had just received everything she had ever wanted, Zoë was confused. Trent’s vow. Not to mention she had no idea what Drew expected from her.

They hadn’t really discussed her career but she knew it was in the back of Drew’s mind. She had once told her boss that her edge came from not being afraid to die. Well, she had someone to live for now and it scared the shit out of her. One wrong landing or miscalculation and—

Dammit. She couldn’t think like that. Fear made a poor companion on a ride and Phoenix was only a night away. She had scheduled several jumps, each increasing in difficulty. The crowd would expect it—crave it.

For the first time in her career, Zoë wasn’t looking forward to her ride. In fact, she was dreading it.

“You okay?” Drew asked as he approached. He looked in the direction that Trent had disappeared. “What did he say to upset you?” Drew’s backbone went ramrod straight.

“Nothing,” she lied. Trent had opened her eyes. Things would be changing and Zoë didn’t know if she was strong enough to endure.

Drew was perceptive as he searched her face. “Not buying it, babe. Spill it.”

She hesitated, before coming right to the point. “How do you see this thing between us playing out?”

He stiffened even more. “Playing out? I’m don’t exactly know what you mean, Zoë.”

“Your job? Mine? Do you plan for us to live together? Where?” Exasperation left her lungs in a rush. “What do you expect of me? To quit my job—be your wife—have children?” She felt flustered, it gnawed at her gut. She needed answers. Before today all she had to worry about was herself.

He reached for her, holding her at arm’s length. “Breathe.”

Crap. She hadn’t realized that she’d worked herself into a tizzy. She inhaled a much-needed breath. “We live such different lives.” Tears beat behind her eyelids. “My job keeps me on the road. I’m never in one place for very long.”

“Do you love me?” he asked as if it was the simplest of questions to answer.

“What?”

“Do. You. Love. Me?” he repeated firmly.

“Yes.”

He drew her next to the warmth of his body. “Everything else will work itself out. I’ll compromise—you’ll compromise. We’ll make this work.”

“But how?” she asked, resting her cheek against his chest.

“I have some time off before I start my job. Plus I have a little money saved. We’ll travel wherever you want to go. Take one day at a time.”

She glanced up at him. “We’ve never talked about children.” A tear slipped from her eyes. “I’d suck as a mother.”

“Oh honey.” He gave her a sympathetic chuckle and squeeze. “No you wouldn’t.” He wiped her tear away. “I know that when the time comes you will be a perfect mother. You’re strong and passionate and you love life.”

Zoë gazed up at him in disbelief. Was that really how he felt about her?

“Now, if you’re going to get in one more ride before we leave you better get going. I’ll pack things up and be ready when you return.” He released her and wedged the kickstand from her bike, kicking it aside as he waited for her to take hold.

Was Drew for real? He seemed to know the right things to say to soothe her. He was the balm to the chaos churning inside her.

Zoë kissed him on the cheek. “I love you.” She took the bike out of his grasp, swung a leg over and kick-started the engine, making a high-pitched winding sound. He stepped aside. She popped the clutch and gassed it.

The hum of the bike, the vibration beneath her, had a calming effect. She didn’t seek the tallest mountain, the fastest competitor, or the highest jump. Today she rode for pleasure. Strangely, the adrenaline rush she always sought didn’t surface.

There had always been an appreciation for the Dunes, but today she found something surreal about them. Nature had sculptured each hill. The wind caressed, shifting and changing them over time. Almost as life experiences did people—did her.

Bringing the bike to a stop atop a knoll, she looked over the horizon feeling oddly small compared to the vast expansion. She had only one question in her mind.

Who was Zoë Davis?

* * * * *

As Drew secured Zoë’s quad, he couldn’t help worrying about her. She seemed oddly withdrawn and insecure. He sensed she needed some time alone. As much as he didn’t want to let her out of his sight, trust went both ways. Preoccupied with his thoughts, he released the latch too quickly, pinching the skin between his thumb and forefinger between the metal. “Sonofabitch.” He rapidly shook his hand. “Fuck, that hurts.” Waiting for the pain to subside, his thoughts went back to Zoë. He had to believe that she knew what was best for her. Second-guessing her would only build a wall between them. Disheartened, he looked out the back of the trailer over the terrain and wondered where she was. Sand ground beneath his tennis shoes as he walked down the ramp. They had worked too hard to get where they were today to allow uncertainty to come between them, but still he worried.

“Have you talked her into hanging up her helmet?” Trent asked. There was no sarcasm in his tone, only concern. His eyes were rimmed red. That could have been the blowing sand but Drew was sure it wasn’t. Bottom line, it was obvious this man cared for her.

“Nah. You know Zoë.” Drew tried to keep it light. It was true that he would give anything for her to quit her job but he had seen the light glow in her as she rode. Zoë was talented and she loved what she did. “Ask and she’ll do just the opposite.”

“You love her?” It appeared that Trent wasn’t into small talk—he went straight to what was bothering him.

“Yes.” Drew steeled himself for an argument that didn’t come.

Trent nodded his head and extended Drew his hand. “Take care of her.” They shook hands and parted without another word.

A little awkward, but Drew was glad it ended peacefully.

Now the only thing left was loading Zoe’s bike when she returned, and rolling up the trailer’s awning. As he flipped the release latch to the awning, he saw Kari watching him. He prayed the woman kept her distance. In Zoe’s odd mood he didn’t know exactly how she might react. The awning made a zipping sound as it retracted and tucked away. He secured it. An engine winding down caught his attention and made him glance over his shoulder. Zoë drifted into the campsite, not bursting, which was her usual style. She quietly disembarked, pulled her helmet off and started to push her bike up the ramp. He quickly moved to her side and helped guide the bike. Together they secured it.

After she changed her clothes, putting on a pair of jeans, a thin T-shirt and sandals, she stepped out of the trailer. “I’m ready,” she announced. For some reason he got the feeling she meant more than she was ready to leave the Dunes. The question was what exactly did she mean?

A lot of the campers had already headed home. After saying their goodbyes and promising to meet up with Josh at Zoë’s exhibition, they were finally on the road. Fifteen minutes of silence passed, before he asked, “Want to talk about it?”

She shook her head and instead curled her feet beneath her and leaned against the door. Either she fell asleep or pretended to be, but she said absolutely nothing.

The green fields of Blythe were within sight. He placed a hand on her thigh and gently shook. “Hungry?”

Zoë yawned, stretching her arms out wide. “No. I think we’ll pull in town just about supper time. I’d like to stop by Mom and Dad’s and say hello. I haven’t seen them in a while. You know Mom, she won’t let us leave until we’ve eaten something.” She gazed out the window.

“How about a shower tonight where we can both fit in the stall at once?” He smiled, trying to coax one out of her.

“Huh?” She turned back around to face him.

“The news station is putting me up in an apartment until I decide where I want to buy a house.” He switched on the truck’s blinker and crossed over the lane. “It’s not much, but the sheets are clean and I can promise a long, hot shower and maybe a little lovin’. You game?”

“Tired of my home already?” For a moment, he wondered if there was something more behind her question.

“Nah… Doesn’t a bed without sand sounded appealing? And if you wash my back I’ll wash yours.”

She gave a half-hearted laugh. “Why not? I’ve almost forgotten what an actual bath feels like. The trailer’s water tank holds quite a bit of water but I’ve learned to use it sparingly. Where’s this apartment of yours?”

“About five miles from your family’s home.” He took his eyes off the road to see her smile deepen.

“Did you plan to stake out the house and wait for me to show up?”

“If I had to,” he responded without hesitation. He reached over and grasped her hand and squeezed. If it weren’t for the large console between them he would have had her sitting next to him.

* * * * *

It was six o’clock when they pulled up along the sidewalk in front of Zoë’s parent’s house. She sat paralyzed in her seat. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen them,” she admitted weakly. “I haven’t been a very good daughter.”

“Baby, they’ll be so glad to see you that time won’t matter.” She knew he was trying to reassure her, but it was useless. She’d hardly called and more than once she had zoomed through town, never stopping by to even inquire about their health. “Come on, let’s go inside and see what your Mom has cooking. I’m starving.”

Zoë moved slower than a turtle, dragging her feet, stopping to look around at the yard and neighborhood. “It looks smaller than it used to.”

He laughed, throwing his arm around her shoulder. “Age makes everything look smaller.” He glanced down at his crotch. “Well, hopefully not everything.”

Her hand froze midway to the door bell. “I don’t even know what to say to them.”

Drew pressed the button, before intertwining his fingers with hers. “Things have a way of working themselves out. Just remember to breathe.”

The door opened and Carol Davis let out a sob somewhere between happiness and relief. She tore open the screen door and embraced Zoe, tears racing down the portly woman’s cheeks. “My baby,” she wept.

Zoe couldn’t breathe. She was swamped with emotions. She hated to see her mother cry. Knew those tears were her fault.

Her mother cupped Zoe’s face. “You’re okay. You’re home. Oh bless the Lord. Charlie,” she yelled. “Our baby is home.” She took one look at Drew and her tears dried along with her excitement.

“Mrs. Davis,” Drew gave a nod.

Wow. Now this wasn’t something Zoe was expecting. If the disgruntled expression on her mother’s face meant anything, she was close to skinning Drew alive. The look her father gave him was even more loathsome as he walked outside. Then he turned to Zoe, his eyes misted, and he jerked her into his arms.

“Daddy,” Zoe cried. The wall of emotion she held back crumbled. She trembled. “I’m so sorry.”

“What for, angel?” He brushed her tears, but they kept falling one after the other.

“I—”

“No apologies. No regrets,” he whispered in her ear. “Just tell me you love me.” He hugged her closer like he would never let her go.

“I do.” Her voice quivered, short, gasping breaths. “I love you both so much.” For what seemed like forever, her father held her while she cried. She had wasted so much of her life running, running from the very people who loved her. When her father released her, she grasped Drew’s hand.

Both her father and mother took note of her action. They shared a look that Zoë couldn’t read, and then her father extended Drew his hand. “Drew.”

“Mr. Davis,” Drew returned.

“Oh my, what must the neighbors think? Come inside, you two. Have you eaten?” Her mother ushered them through the door.

The scent of fried chicken filled the air. Nothing had changed. It was Sunday and Sunday was fried chicken day. Zoë knew there would be fresh green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, and maybe even a cherry or apple cobbler for desert.

Life changed, but some things never did—like a parent’s unconditional love or the fact that Josh was mooching another meal. He showed up just as the table was set.

Zoë couldn’t remember anything tasting as good as her mother’s cooking. Josh reminded them of the time that he and Drew glued the principal’s front door shut and laughter filled the dining room. It sounded like old times. Her mother reached over and covered Zoë’s hand with hers. She glanced at Drew, a question raising her brows.

Zoë didn’t need words to understand that her mother wanted to know if all was well. Zoë nodded. “I love him, Mom.” Her words were said quietly, meant only for her mother, but the room got deathly quiet. She could have heard a pin drop from a mile away. All eyes were narrowed on Drew.

The moment could have been awkward. It sure as hell was for her.

Drew appeared unaffected. He turned to her father. “Sir, I’d like your permission to marry your daughter.”

Zoe’s heart stuttered. OhmyGod. The air in the room disappeared, felt like it had been sucked away by a vacuum. For a moment she couldn’t breathe and things got hazy. Dammit. Tears. She was looking through misty eyes.

Carol slapped her palm across her mouth to muffle her cry. Josh sat there beaming like the toad he was, while her father cleared his throat. He solemnly faced Zoë. “Angel, is this what you want?”

She gazed at Drew, seeing love reflecting in his eyes. “Yes, Daddy.”

Her father was a big man, standing six-two, but in her eyes he seemed to grow several more feet when he turned to Drew. “Boy, if you don’t treat my baby right, I’ll hunt you down and beat the living tar out of you.”

“You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Davis. I plan to make your daughter very happy.” When the conversation returned to something close to normal, he leaned into Zoë. “Starting tonight. Are you ready to go home?”

Chapter Eighteen

The crowd loved Zoë.

The roar and energy in the stadium rose with the complexity of each of her jumps. The fact that she was a woman just added to the excitement. The scent of gas and oil as one bike after another zoomed by made Drew queasy, or maybe it was his anxiety as he stood beside Josh in the pit watching his bride-to-be.

Like an angel, Zoë soared off the ramp, flipping the bike up and over to complete a full somersault. Drew’s knees went weak. His heart lurched into his throat, making it difficult to swallow. His skin shrank two sizes too small. Another stunt like that and the paramedics standing by would have to revive him.

The throng jumped to their feet. Their cheers were like thunder, echoing in the arena.

The tightness in Josh’s face softened as Zoë landed safely. His relieved exhale matched Drew’s. Josh shook his head, a weary smile lifting the corners of his mouth. “She’s either amazing or fuckin’ nuts.”

Guess the jury was still deliberating the answer to that question, but Drew thought she was amazing.

Several other riders took their jumps as Zoë made her way around the moist dirt track. She raised her hand, motioning one of the factory riders she performed with to join her. Together they hit the ramp, and with a choreographed move they did a simultaneous somersault. After Drew’s heart started to beat again, he took a moment to recall the beauty of machines and riders defying gravity. No one could do what Zoë did with such precision, agility and control and not possess the necessary skills required. Even the knowledge of her aptitude didn’t reassure him as she hit the ramp for another jump.

This time, instead of going around the track, Zoë skidded into the pit, spraying dirt from her tires. She ripped off her goggles and helmet. Her eyes were glassy with the apparent adrenaline rush she was experiencing. The grin on her face beamed with pride. There was no doubt in Drew’s mind that she loved to ride and perform.

“Water,” she said breathlessly. Josh handled her a cold bottle and she squeezed a stream of water into her mouth. After she wiped her sleeve across her face, she glanced at Drew. “Having fun?”

“Fun?” He pressed his lips to hers, tasting woman beneath the light film of dirt that covered her face. “I’m wondering how to clip your wings after that last stunt.”

“Gotta fly,” she said. “Life’s too short.” Suddenly, her grin faltered. “I know what I’m doing. You believe me, right?” He could hear the plea in her voice—her need for him to have faith in her.

Before he could answer, two large semi-trucks with box trailers attached crashed through a makeshift wall, splintering wood and tossing it about as they barreled into the arena. With the low, rumbling release of their jake brakes, the crowd sprang to their feet, their voices ringing loud throughout the stadium as the trucks aligned end to end. Like the audience, Drew’s pulse began to race.

Four men from Zoe’s pit-crew ran past him, splitting into pairs as they headed in separate directions toward two large ramps. As they rolled one behind the last semi and the other in front the first semi, Drew and Josh both pinned their wide-eyed gazes on Zoë.

“Zoe?” The overture in Josh’s voice expressed Drew’s feeling exactly. She wasn’t going to jump two semi-trucks?

She turned to Drew, her eyes misty. “I need you to believe in me.” He heard desperation in her tight voice.

All color drained from Josh’s face. “Don’t do this.” He looked helplessly toward Drew. “Don’t let her do this.”

Anxiety crawled across Drew’s skin as both siblings trapped him between their gazes. He knew Josh expected him to stop Zoë. She just wanted him to believe in her. Was she asking too much of him? He pushed his fingers through his hair. If he tried to stop her, he’d lose her. If he didn’t stop her—

Drew didn’t want to think about the outcome. He glanced at the trucks blowing black smoke from their chrome stacks and the crowd who came alive as the announcer introduced Zoë. It didn’t help calm him as the paramedics started their vehicle’s engine.

His hands began to shake as he sucked in an uneasy breath. “Can you do this?”

She didn’t hesitate, replying “Yes.” He looked deep into her eyes and saw fearlessness and the same self-confidence she spoke with. At that moment he knew, Zoe could do anything she put her mind to. The woman was remarkable.

Drew let a smile slip across his tight lips. “Break a leg, baby.”

“Ahhh, shit.” The breath Josh held released in a single gush, his shoulders drooping. “Did you have to put it like that?”

“Come here.” Zoë wadded her gloved fingers in Drew’s shirt, dragging him to her. She planted a firm kiss on his lips. Her eyes sparkled like diamonds as she rubbed her nose against his. “I love you.” She released him, before twisting her wrist to rev the bike’s engine. Popping the clutch, her front tire came off the ground and she made a grand entrance that had the audience once again on their feet.

“Think she can do this?” Josh asked.

Drew’s heartbeat began to thrum in double-time. Yet as Zoë sped around the arena, teasing the crowd, optimism embraced him. “I have no doubt.”

Josh shook his head. “Why?”

Drew turned to him, a warmth filling his chest. “Because she loves me.” He spied her lining up to take the jump. “Now that we’ve found our way back to each other, she wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize our life together.” As the words left his mouth, he knew it was the truth.

Josh’s fingers curled into tight fists beside his thighs. “Man, I hope you’re right.”

It was spellbinding as thousands of people grew quiet. The only sound was Zoe’s bike as it hit the ramp. In mere seconds she was airborne.

Josh’s sharp intake of breath echoed Drew’s own. Instead of soaring across the trailers as they expected, her lithe body parted from the dirt bike, hands gripped tightly on the handlebars, her legs extended above her head as she performed the death-defying Kiss of Death. Within seconds she landed the bike atop the first trailer, racing down the roof.

“StopStopStop,” Josh ground through clench teeth.

There wasn’t time to say a prayer, it happened so quickly. A flutter of apprehension tightened in Drew’s stomach. The bike came to a screeching halt. He stared at her bike’s front tire hanging slightly over the edge of the trailer. Another inch—

Drew gulped down a much needed breath.

“I’m going to kill her,” Josh growled even as relief crept across his face. “She played us. Knew damn well we thought she was jumping both trucks and trailers.”

That was Drew’s woman. Unpredictable—and he loved her.

Slowly she eased her bike backward down the roof of the trailer, and then she gassed it. Easily, she cleared the distance between the two semis, soaring over the last one to land on the top of the ramp and race down it.

When she rolled into the pit area, Drew was waiting for her with open arms.

* * * * *

Zoë was riding high on the adrenaline of the night. She had signed autographs earlier, but several more people approached her. While she spoke to a couple of hopeful young girls dreaming of riding, she marveled how different this event was to previous ones. Before she couldn’t wait to get out of the stadium and start partying, but tonight she had Drew beside her. All she wanted to do was share a glimpse of her life with him.

When she glanced over her shoulder at him, pride glimmered in his eyes. But what was more important was that he had faith in her. She could have eased his anxiety by telling him she’d done the act with the semis multiple times and that she wasn’t stupid enough to try to jump both trucks, but she needed him to believe in her…and he had.

“Baby, it’s getting late,” Drew whispered in her ear.

He was right. They had plans to meet at her parent’s house after the exhibition. It was already pushing ten and she still needed to take a shower and change her clothes. While Zoë signed two more autographs and made her apologies, Drew retrieved her bike. She picked up her gloves and stuffed them in her helmet and moved quickly to his side. Several more people stopped her, congratulated her on a great show. Fifteen minutes later they were finally headed out of the stadium and into a starlit night. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky as they crossed the parking lot toward her rig.

“It’ll save time if I shower here instead at your place,” she said, lowering the ramp to her toy hauler. Drew rolled the bike up the ramp and she followed, switching the light on.

“Go. I’ll lock everything down. Unless you need some help?” The roguish grin he flashed her sent her spirits sailing. She loved this man.

“Mmmm…sounds inviting.” Without delay she began to unsnap her boots. Next to go was her jersey. As she dropped her pants, she heard Drew raising the ramp. The shower door groaned as she opened it and then turned on the water. She didn’t wait for the water to warm. She walked beneath the spray and let the cool water cover her. In short order she had her hair washed and was rinsing off. Grabbing a towel off the rack, she dried off, wrapping it around her, before she pushed open the bathroom door and entered into darkness.

“What the heck? Drew?” Zoe wondered if the generator had quit, but she heard it switch on. A small scratching noise startled her. She jerked her attention to where it came from. The scent of sulfur rose, followed by a bright flame.

Drew struck a match to light a candle sitting on her counter. When he moved to the one positioned on the table, she noted he wore not a stitch of clothing. A smile touched her lips. She inhaled the warm fragrance of cinnamon as it filled the trailer. Through the dimly lit room she saw rose petals sprinkled on the counter, the floor, all over everything.

Candles and rose petals. How romantic. She had stopped being a girly-girl some time ago, but she had to admit this thrilled her to the core.

Shadows played across his firm body as he moved forward, each step slow and sensual. There was something mysterious and predatory in the way he looked at her— as if he meant to devour her. When he cupped the nape of her neck, drew her close to his lips, her nipples tightened beneath the towel.

“I want you naked,” he whispered, tugging the towel free and letting it fall to the floor. The coolness of the night chilled her still-moist body. Drops of water falling from her wet hair only added to the effect. Yet his warm touch was heating her up quite nicely.

“I’m naked.” Her lips moved across his. “Now what?” With a hand in the small of her back, he pulled her firmly against his body. His hard erection pressed to her belly. “Happy to see me?” He stole her laughter away with a fervent kiss—one that made her hungry for more. When they parted she was breathless. Her body thrummed to the tune of desire.

“I need to be inside you.” His words were the catalyst to the flood of moisture between her thighs. Like always, he made her wet and horny.

Without waiting she headed to the bedroom, stopping abruptly when she saw a little white box surrounded by a dozen of long-stemmed roses lying on the comforter. Her heart stuttered as she stood there staring. He moved past her, lit another candle on the nightstand, and then he climbed upon the bed.

Damn the man was sexy.

With a snap, he opened the box and a beautiful diamond ring twinkled in the candlelight. She couldn’t speak. Was this really happening? Did she dare believe that all her dreams were coming true?

“Come here.” His chest rose and fell with each deep breath he took. Was he as nervous as she? Her hands felt clammy. She felt weepy. When she approached, he took the ring from the case and grasped her hand. He kissed her hand before sliding the symbol of love onto her finger. With a little jerk, he pulled her on the bed next to him. “I love you, Zoë.”

She cupped his face, holding back tears of joy. “I love you too.” Emotion gathered in her throat, making it hard to speak, but she still managed to say, “I’ve always loved you.”

He rolled her upon her back and covered her body with his. It felt so good—so right. With a gentle nudge of his knee, he parted her legs. Resting his hips against her sex, he asked, “When?”

“When what?” Zoe smoothed her palms across his firm ass, feeling muscle ripple beneath her touch as she caressed up his back. She spread her legs wider, urging him to enter her—make her complete.

“When will you marry me?” He raised his hips, angled them so that when he finally thrust he parted her folds and pushed in.

Liquid heat rushed through her veins. “Name it,” she said on a gasp. Anytime—any place. Her fingers dug into his biceps as she held on tight.

Drew withdrew, sliding back in an inch at a time with each word he spoke, “Tomorrow.” Anticipation made the moment so much better. She knew how it felt to embrace his cock. He slid further in.

Damn, that felt good.

“You.” His voice was beyond sexy. “Me,” he breathed the word. “Vegas.”

She raised her hips, driving him all the way in. Oh yeah… They fit perfectly together. “Mmmm…” she hummed, loving the way he rocked and rolled his hips to send her into meltdown. “I could live with that.” On a second thought, she added, “What about Mom, Dad, Josh?”

“They’ll be there. I’ve made all the arrangements.” He latched onto one of her nipples, drawing it deep into his hot, wet mouth. He sucked, licked, scraping his teeth along the sensitive flesh.

Zoë arched, begging him to take more. “Pretty sure of yourself,” she breathed, meeting the rhythm of his hips as he moved in and out.

His mouth made a pop as he released her nipple. “As sure as I am that you’ll be screaming my name in— Oh, let’s say about two minutes.”

Zoë was about to challenge him when he pulled out of her pussy, kissing a path down her body. Her laughter died when he sucked her clit into his mouth and started rubbing his tongue back and forth before he nibbled.

“No fair.” Her protest melted as he started to pinch her nipples. He knew exactly where to stroke to make her hips come off the bed and her lips part on a cry. “Yes,” she hissed. Her body tensed, inner muscles flexing. Threading her fingers through his hair, she held him close. Her mind shut down, focusing on the growing pressure between her thighs.

Drew plucked a certain cord inside her and a heat wave exploded, swallowing her up. “Drew!” Her climax struck, hard and fast. Every muscle in her body seized. Powerful spasms tightened and released. Lost in the maelstrom of sensations, she was barely aware when he moved atop her. As contractions squeezed, one after another, she was filled with the most incredible fullness.

“Damn, woman, you’re tight.” Drew slammed his hips between her thighs. Over and over he thrust, driving deep and setting off another series of ripples through her pussy. Wrapping her arms around him, she held on—loving the friction between them and the musky scent that surrounded them.

His labored breathing whispered across her face. He stared at her with such intensity, and then he froze. She felt the tremor that assailed him. A throaty growl ripped from his throat. His cock jerked several times, spilling his seed as his eyelids slid closed. The fervor in his expression melted into a look of unadulterated pleasure.

Drew released a sated breath. “Mmmm…” He collapsed. His dead weight pushed her deeper into the mattress. The sound of a horn beeping made him quickly roll off her and move off the bed. “Damn, we’re late.” He blew out the candle and blindly searched for the light switch. Zoe heard a thump, knew he’d banged his knee on the edge of the bed when he said, “Fuck.”

She pushed into a sitting position as he made his way out of the bedroom. “What’s the hurry? We’ll just call Mom and Dad and let them know we’ll be late.”

He tugged on his pants, moving to retrieve his shirt draped over her bike. “Get dressed.” He disappeared beneath the material and reappeared, moving across the room to sit down on the couch to put his socks and shoes on.

The horn sounded again, drawing his attention.

“Hurry.” He stood, tucking his blue polo shirt into his pants.

“What’s going on?” she asked, concern making the small hairs on her arms rise as she pushed from the bed. Drew was acting strangely. Instead of answering her, he opened the trailer door and was gone, slamming it closed behind him.

Chills raced up her back. Something wasn’t right. She yanked open a drawer and found a T-shirt, dragging it over her head. She shimmied into a pair of jeans from the next drawer. Underwear was the farthest thing from her mind at that moment. With hurried steps she made her way to the front door and swung it open.

Her breath caught.

Drew stood before a black stretch limousine with an armful of long-stemmed red roses. There had to be at least four dozen. In the center was one white rose. His smile looked a little strained.

Barefooted, she took the steps from the trailer to stand on the rough asphalt. “Drew?”

“Marry me?” He swallowed hard, sucking in a breath, revealing his nervousness.

Without pause, she nodded. “Okay.”

“I mean now.”

He had to be kidding. “Now?” she murmured.

“Let’s go to Vegas tonight. I’ve made all the arrangements,” he explained, removing her excuse that nothing had been planned.

Zoë’s pulse leaped. His smile deepened when he saw hers. He really wanted to marry her tonight.

“Someone will be by to drive your rig to your mom and dad’s,” he added.

The excitement surging through her veins froze. “Drew?” Would he realize how much it meant to have her family in attendance as they made their commitments to each other? She had left them out of her life for way too long. “I—”

The back door to the limousine opened and Josh stuck his head out. “Hurry, or we’ll miss the plane.” He winked at Zoë with a mischievous grin plastered on his face.

Her gaze darted from Josh to Drew. “Mom? Dad?”

Drew pushed the roses into Josh’s awaiting hands. “Inside.”

Zoë felt tears well. Emotion gathered in her throat. As if she had wings, she flew into Drew’s open arms. Warm laughter caressed her ear as he swung her around once before setting her on her feet to usher her inside the car.

“I’ll get your shoes and lock up,” he said.

“What about clothes?” she asked.

“Trust me. You won’t need any.” His sexy expression made her giddy. She was getting married—to the man of her dreams.

As Zoë climbed inside the car, the scent of leather rose from the seats. Happiness was in her family’s expressions as they each greeted her with a hug. Josh had already popped the top on a bottle of champagne. Her father handed her a flute of the golden bubbly. Her mother laid the roses on the seat beside Zoë.

It was unbelievable. When Drew slid in beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, Zoë knew it was real.

“Here, bro.” Josh handed Drew a glass of champagne, raising his high. As everyone’s glasses touched, made a tinkling sound, Josh said, “Here’s to two individuals that time could not separate. Find happiness in each other’s arms.”

There was a moment of agreement, and then silence as Zoë took a sip.

“Now, young man, when will you be settling down?” Their mother pinned her steely gaze on Josh.

Like always, Josh did his best to change the subject. “So when will there be a little Thompson running around?” The man was incorrigible. Grandchildren was a surefire way to kindle their mother’s passion. But she wasn’t falling for it.

“Perhaps you can answer that same question, Joshua Davis.” Her mother’s words faded.

Some day the right woman would cross Josh’s path. Zoë hoped she was there to see it happen.

As she sat listening to the people she loved, Zoë realized how much she needed them—needed Drew. If she had learned anything these past three years, she had learned that life was incomplete without someone to share it with.

“Happy?” Drew took her glass, setting it down before he wrapped her in a tender embrace. She tipped her chin up to receive his chaste kiss.

No words could express the depth of Zoë’s emotions. She nodded as a million sensations struck her all at once, moving beneath her skin. For the first time in three years she finally felt alive—knew she was where she was always meant to be—in Drew’s arms. Tomorrow she would be Mrs. Drew Thompson.

“I love you.” His eyes glistened with the truth.

“I love you too.” She sighed, cuddling closer. The moment was perfect—one worth dying for—but more importantly, worth living for.

About the Author

A taste of the erotic, a measure of daring and a hint of laughter describes Mackenzie McKade’s novels. She sizzles the pages with scorching sex, fantasy and deep emotion that will touch you and keep you immersed until the end. Whether her stories are contemporaries, futuristics or fantasies, this Arizona native thrives on giving you the ultimate erotic adventure.

When not traveling through her vivid imagination, she’s spending time with three beautiful daughters, a devilishly handsome grandson, and the man of her dreams. She loves to write, enjoys reading, and can’t wait ‘til summer. Boating and jet skiing are top on her list of activities. Add to that laughter and if mischief is in order—Mackenzie’s your gal!

Mackenzie welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Tell Us What You Think

We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email us at Comments@EllorasCave.com.

Also by Mackenzie McKade

A Tall, Dark Cowboy

A Very Faery Christmas

The Charade

Dead Awakening

Destiny’s Touch

Echoes From Heaven

Forbidden Fruit

The Game

Return to Wonderland 1: Lord Kir of Oz with Cheyenne McCray Return to Wonderland 2: Kalina’s Discover with Cheyenne McCray

Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

www.ellorascave.com

Table of Contents

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

www.ellorascave.com