Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“Zach,” she said on a shaky exhale.
The sound of his name on her lips called to something primal inside him and he stepped forward, slid a hand behind her neck and pulled her to him, sealing his lips over hers. She moaned and softened against him, wrapping her arms around his neck and falling into the kiss.
Their tongues tangled, and since she’d eaten a mint on the drive home, the fresh cooling flavor hit him first. But the longer they stood making out like teenagers, the warmer her mouth became and he couldn’t deny that exploring the deep recesses felt like coming home. He could kiss her forever. Hooking an arm around her waist, he pulled her against him, his hard cock rubbing against her soft skirt.
The desire to pull up the flimsy material was strong. She was everything he wanted, desired and had missed. Letting himself admit his feelings had the potential to destroy the barriers he’d erected at a time when he needed to reinforce them. Before he crossed that final line.
She pushed his shoulders and broke the kiss, surprising him. “We shouldn’t,” she said through well-kissed lips.
He breathed in deep, doing his best to calm his breathing… and his erection. She was right but he didn’t like her being the one to end things. “Why not?”
She sighed. “I just think our timing is off.”
“Our timing is always off.” Why was he digging in to argue when she had a point?
“Zach, yesterday you could barely look at me. You might be more understanding today, but I don’t want you to have any regrets. Besides, we don’t know each other anymore.” Her voice shook and he recognized the wariness and fear in her tone.
He had only himself to blame and no choice but to accept the truth. He’d been the one to put up the walls between them. Could he get to know her again and still protect himself from the inevitable?
“Is that what you want? To get to know me again?” Though he wondered if she had someone waiting for her at home, he wasn’t ready to ask. Unable to stop himself, he brushed his knuckles down her cheek.
“Of course, I do.” She smoothed her trembling hands on her skirt. “I missed you. But I also know how things end. I have a job and life back home and I’m leaving when this mess with my father is over.”
She hadn’t said anything he didn’t already know. Hadn’t already warned himself about. But hearing her say it was a stab wound to his heart.
Chapter Eight
A few days passed since Hadley had pulled back from kissing Zach and though she had major regrets, she also knew she’d done the right thing. As much as she wanted him, diving into bed when just the day before he’d been giving her the cold shoulder was not the way to go. Besides, she knew how easily she could fall for him again and since she wasn’t here for good, she needed to be careful.
Since that night, Zach had spent many hours at the bar due to the inventory issues and he promised he’d work with his manager on giving her a shift once he sorted things out. Which meant right now she had no spending money.
Yet here she was, with Aurora and Jade, in an upscale department store. Despite wanting to be able to pay for herself, she accepted Zach’s credit card because she truly did need clothes. She would have preferred a less expensive place to shop but his sisters weren’t aware of Hadley’s financial issues and insisted on a girls-day mall outing.
She did her best to hit the sale racks and buy easily washable items. She found two pairs of black leggings, one pair of denim shorts, tank tops and two summer dresses. When Aurora insisted on checking out the shoe department, Hadley ended up with wedge sandals and a pair of flipflops.
Now they were all sitting at a round table at the Neiman Marcus restaurant. One look at the prices and she reached for the water, taking a sip out of the glass, otherwise she might groan out loud.
“I am so glad to be out with you both,” Jade said. “Serenity is taking Sage overnight so when I come home I can nap. And later on, Knox and I can be alone.” Her eyes glittered with love for her husband.
“And Melanie has Leah and Ellie,” Aurora said of her surrogate mom. She leaned back in her seat, her smile as wide as Jade’s. “We are owed that after Leah walked in on us a couple of weeks ago.” Her face flushed pink. “So mortifying. Nick mumbled something about Mommy not feeling well and Daddy taking care of her and promised we’d be right out. At least the covers were half up.”