“Stop sighing theatrically! M-my welfare is not your concern.”
He moved so fast she hadn’t seen it coming. In seconds, he’d lifted her off the seat and onto his lap.
“Zach!”
“Your welfare will always be my concern,” he growled. He then kissed her. It was hard and fast. One large hand settled on her back, holding her pressed to his muscled body, and the other held the back of her head.
She should fight, should push away, but she did neither. Her arms went around his neck, and she held on. Need pulsed through her as one kiss finished, and another started. Since the last time his mouth had touched hers, she’d thought endlessly of how it felt.
“I can’t stop thinking about this,” he rasped against her lips. “What you taste like, and how you feel in my arms.”
“You thought I was someone else,” Mary whispered.
“Not the first time I kissed you. I knew exactly who you were then.”
He kissed her again, pulling her into his body. Mary’s head felt light, and her body pooled with heat and desire. It was not a feeling she’d had before.
“Are you scared of this, Mary? Of me touching you?”
“No, I shouldn’t like it, but I do. But—”
He shut her up with another kiss. Big hands slid inside her cloak and roamed her back and sides, leaving heat wherever they ventured. She shuddered as his thumb touched the underside of her breast.
“We can’t, Zach.” She wrenched free.
“Why?”
“B-because we loathe each other.”
“Or not,” he muttered against her neck. The toggle at her throat gave, and her cloak fell off her shoulders. Zach then proceeded to kiss the skin beneath her jaw. Mary felt herself drowning. Raking her hands into his hair, she held on while he moved down her neck to the skin above her bodice.
“I-I can’t stop.” His breath was hot against her flesh, sending more pulses of pleasure through her.
“D-don’t.” She arched into him as his tongue teased the top of her breasts.
The carriage halted suddenly, rocking on its traces. Mary wrenched free, and they stared at each other. She saw when clarity returned for him as it did for her.
“Dear lord, what are we doing?” She scrambled off him.
“Mary, wait.”
She didn’t. Grabbing her cloak, she wrenched open the door and leapt down. Stumbling forward, she managed to stay upright and then ran around the house, taking the path to the rear. Stowing her cloak in the bushes, she quickly tucked her skirts into her drawers.
In a few strides, she was at the tree. Gripping the branch above, she started to climb.
“You will not do this again.”
Hands lifted her, and she reached, scrambling to grab the branch above.
“Go away,” Mary whispered.
“Not until you are safely inside,” he whispered back.
“I’ve been doing this for months.” She settled on a branch and looked down at him.
“You are not doing it again. It’s dangerous, Mary.” He was a large, dark, avenging angel glaring up at her.
“I’m not arguing with you. Go away. You can see my drawers.”
