She lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry. It’s such a thoughtful gift, but don’t you understand that I’m not used to accepting gifts like this?”
“I do understand. But you have to realize that I’m very used to giving these types of gifts. Not jewelry exactly. But expensive for the average person. For me, it’s not that pricey,” he reminded her. “It’s like you sending flowers to a friend, or buying a card.”
Ellie burst into laughter, the sound grabbing and squeezing Zane’s heart like a vise. She snorted before she answered, “That really is true, I suppose. But I think I’d be more comfortable with flowers.” She fingered the necklace carefully. “And I know it’s a good cause. But this is something you need to save for somebody special,” she prompted, reaching back to fumble with the clasp of the pendant.
He stood and grasped her wrists. “Don’t,” he told her gruffly. “I’m ready to go. Are you?”
She nodded. “Yes, but I really need to—”
“Let’s get our coats. You can either take the earrings or leave them there for whoever decides to pick them up. I’m not giving them to anyone else. I did give them to someone special. I gave them to you.”
He tugged on her wrist to get them to the coat check area.
“Wait!” she answered with panic. “I can’t just leave them here, and I need my bag.”
Zane released her wrist and let her pick up her small black clutch from one of the chairs, and then observed with satisfaction when she carefully closed the lid of the jewelry box and stowed the earrings safely in her purse.
“You’re not playing fair,” she snapped at him as she brushed by him.
“You haven’t played fair since you decided to wear almost nothing underneath that dress,” Zane shot back at her as he clasped their hands together.
“I hardly think that’s the same thing,” she said tartly, sounding like a sexy schoolteacher.
“Close enough,” he replied nonchalantly, continuing to lead her toward the door.
His dick had been hard since the moment he’d seen her in that slinky black dress. Ellie was so naturally beautiful that she didn’t need the makeup and hair, but the perfection of how she looked tonight had blown him away. When he’d seen the outline of her pebbled nipples through the black fabric, his cock had started to throb even more insistently.
Mine!
His reaction had been immediate and irrevocable. Ellie belonged with him. Though, he was pretty sure that he needed her more than she needed him.
After she’d revealed exactly what she was wearing underneath that dress, he’d wanted to see if she was teasing him, or if she was telling the truth.
As far as he was concerned, he was done playing fair. Seeing her climax once hadn’t been enough. He was addicted. He needed to see her come apart again, hear her scream his name. Oddly, he didn’t care if she was a virgin other than the fact that he’d be the first and only guy to claim her, a fact that made him want to fuck her even more. But he hadn’t wanted to take her that night because he needed to know that she truly wanted him to be her first. Now, he knew that not only would he be her first…he’d be her one and only.
Honestly, Ellie had always been the one for him. Subconsciously, maybe he’d always known it, but it was pretty damn clear the few times he’d seen her back in Rocky Springs. He didn’t act then, which was a fact that he now regretted, but he was going to now.
I almost lost her.
It was pretty damn sad to think that it took Ellie almost dying for him to pull his head out of his ass and find his balls. One thing he knew for sure: he was ready to fight for what he wanted.
No more playing nice. Zane was ready to play dirty, knowing it would be a hell of a lot more satisfying for both of them.
It didn’t take long for them to get back to Zane’s home. He’d made use of his limo and driver, and they’d been dropped off at the door after a smooth and fast ride home.
The champagne Ellie had consumed was starting to wear off, but she was still riding a little buzz as she asked Zane, “Are you hungry?” They’d stopped into the kitchen to get a drink. She handed him a Coke from the refrigerator, selecting a diet for herself.
When she set the can on the countertop to open it, Zane pinned her from behind, slapping one hand on each side of her. “Not for food. But I’m dying to find out if you’ve been lying to me all night.”
An exploring hand landed on her ass, pinching her butt cheeks and rubbing to see if there was any material underneath. Her breath hitched as he started raising the flowing material up her thighs and to her ass.
“Jesus Christ! You aren’t wearing anything else, are you?”
She gripped the counter in front of her and shook her head. “No. I told you I wasn’t.”
“Turn around,” he demanded after he unzipped the back of her dress.
Ellie wanted skin-to-skin contact so badly that she obeyed. “I can’t do this,” she protested weakly, trying to fight the desires of her body with the logic of her mind. Unfortunately, her body was winning the battle. She’d wanted Zane for so long and so damned much that her defenses were crumbling.
After lifting the dress over her head and letting it hit the floor, Zane took her by the shoulders. “You said you wanted somebody who sees you, somebody who cares about you. I assume you’ve been saving your virginity for him. That man is me, Ellie. I’m sure as hell not a virgin, but I think I’ve been waiting for you forever. If you want to back out, do it now, or I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop myself later.”