She sighed, feeling overwhelmed, rolling her head to one side to watch him as he unbuckled his belt, sliding it free with a snap.
“That was...” She lacked the words.
He smiled. “We're not finished yet.”
Laila turned towards him and lifted a hand to his chest. She trailed her fingers down rock hard abs to tug at his shirt, both of them sighing in pleasure as her hand slipped underneath to explore the sultry heat of his smooth skin.
“You're so hot!” she exclaimed.
“We run hotter than humans. You feel cool to me,” he replied, stilling her hand with his, removing it from his shirt.
Holding her gaze, eyes turning serious, he sat up and turned to face her, tugging his tee shirt free of the waistband of his pants. He reached behind his neck and, in one fluid movement, bared himself from the waist up.
Her mouth fell open as her eyes danced over his torso. His body was exquisite, all rippling abdominals and the biggest pectorals she'd seen in her life. He turned to place his shirt beside him and the light in the room caught what his shirt had hidden.
Laila gasped, eyes widening. His entire left arm, shoulder, and upper back were heavily scarred. Pale lines danced across his golden skin, merging into a mass of thickened flesh.
She had seen him shirtless before, when he had been wrestling with T’arq, but then he was slicked with sweat and moving fast. She had not realized the extent of his scarring.
Zac stiffened, back turned to her. “If you want me to leave, I'll understand.”
The defensive hurt in his voice was her undoing and, without thinking, Laila sat up, laying her hands gently on his back.
“And not finish what we started? You have to be kidding!”
Her hands wandered down his back and over his shoulders, gently tracing his scars with her fingers. He stiffened slightly, and she broke away.
“Does it hurt?”
He paused, brows furrowing as his gaze held hers. “Not really. Not anymore.”
“I know that scarred flesh can lose some of its sensation. Can you feel it when I do this?” She ran her fingers lightly over his shoulder and upper arm, Zac turning his head to watch them skitter across his skin.
“Yes... I can feel that.”
“What about when I do this?” She sat up slowly, tucking her legs underneath her to kneel on the bed next to him. She leaned forward to press gentle kisses over his skin.
“Yes.” His voice was soft, almost reverent, as he watched her pay attention to his damaged body. He settled back and lay still, half propped up on one elbow, breathing shallowly as if afraid he might startle her.
“What about—”
He gripped her firmly about the waist and lifted her to straddle his thighs. He moved so quickly she let out a small yelp of surprise, bracing her hands on his shoulders.
“Enough, woman. Your teasing will get you into trouble.” His low voice was a growl, but the small smile on his lips let lie to his words.
“Oh yeah? Just how much trouble?” She sat back on his thighs and crossed her arms. An eyebrow quirked in challenge.
He didn’t reply, instead he shifted her to sit on the bed next to him and stood. His eyes sparkled, and he winked at her before sliding one hand slowly over his chest, his green eyes darkening as her mouth dropped open and she bit her bottom lip in anticipation. He slid his hand slowly down his stomach and across the vee of muscle that disappeared into his pants. His tongue darted out to lick his lower lip as he paused just shy of the large bulge she was desperate to see revealed.
She grumbled, and he laughed, throwing his head back, the sound warming her.
“Oh, don't be a tease!” She protested, and he laughed again.
He undid the top button of his pants, which dropped low on his hips, but not low enough to satisfy her hunger. He slid his hand down to cup himself through his pants and she moaned.
If anyone else had done that, Laila would have laughed, but with Zac it was the sexiest thing she'd ever seen. She reached for him, but he gently swatted her hands away and she resigned herself to watching him strip for her.
Oh, a fate worse than death!
