The snap of a garter hooked along the top of her stocking.
Julia inched his hand farther to the bare skin of her thigh. "I lean into you and whisper my little secret that I've carried with me all night long." Her mouth brushed his ear, her words breathy and full of promise. "I don't have on any underwear."
Inching back to stare into Zach's narrowed eyes, Julia I waited for his reaction to a declaration she still couldn't believe she'd made. She didn't have to wait long.
One broad hand palmed her back, the other lay still warm against her bare upper thigh as he flipped her onto her back.
The air wooshing from her lungs had nothing to do with the fluid change of position and everything to do with the mesmerizing man looming over her. Her night of fantasies promised to reach new heights that far outstripped the Harley ride or her dream seduction.
And speaking of outstripped... Julia reached for the silver chain holding his uniform jacket together.
Zach's hands closed over hers. "No, ma'am. It's my turn now."
His husky Texas drawl slid over her skin and along her every heightened nerve.
"Your turn to do what?" She invited him with a slow arch of the back, a gentle glide of her foot along his calf.
His hand snaked down to stop her progress, then tunneled inside her dress again and up the slit to stroke her leg. "You've had your way with me, and I intend to return the favor. I have some ideas of my own about how I want to play out this homecoming."
Bold, callused fingers snagged along her stockinged leg, higher, rasping along her bare hip. Julia shivered, waited, yearned. "Please, haven't we waited long enough?"
"Too long, and that's why we're not rushing."
His arrogant assumption of control might have irritated her if she hadn't been so very certain he would make the agonizing wait worth her while. "I'm all yours, then."
His eyes never once leaving her face, he continued, "All the way across the ocean, I thought of doing this."
Zach cradled the back of her neck and lifted slightly, baring her throat for his mouth.
"And all through dinner, I imagined doing this." His words warmed skin already on fire, his fingers finding the top of her zipper.
She bowed to accommodate him, her br**sts pressing against the solid wall of his chest.
He tugged the zipper down bit by excruciating bit until the sofa warmed her back.
Zach drew the black velvet from her shoulders, slipping it free from her arms, so methodical and slow. She spied the passion beneath all that control, glinting white-hot flecks in his darkened eyes. She felt his need pressing insistently against her just before he stood to unveil the rest of her body.
With a bra built into the dress, she truly didn't have any underwear between all that velvet and her skin, just a garter belt and stockings. And for tonight, she didn't intend to allow anything from the past to slide between them either.
Imprinting the vision of Julia in his memory, Zach let her dress slither from his fingers to the floor. If he lived to be a hundred and ten, he would never forget the image of her draped across his office couch wearing nothing but a black lace garter belt, spike heels and a come-and-get-me smile.
Control snapped. Forget fantasies. The reality sprawled in front of him in a long-legged display beat any fantasy, hands down. "You're right. No more waiting. We'll do slow later."
"And later again." Julia swung her legs off the sofa gliding up to stand in front of him.
Zach whipped off his jacket and shoved down the suspenders. Her frantic hands double-timed opening the studs along his starched white shirt.
"Birth control." Zach eased away. "Just let me get my wallet." He reached for his jacket, but she stopped him hands gripping his hips.
"No need. I went on the pill the day you left on TDY." Rambling breathlessly, she struggled to loosen the top button of his pants. "Doc said I could take the progesterone kind until Patrick finishes weaning, just not the estrogen ones, and oh, Zach, what are you doing to me that I can hardly string together rational thoughts or—''
He silenced her with his mouth, or maybe it was his hand sliding up a silken thigh, between her legs and finding her so warm, wet and ready for him. Definitely no need to wait now. They weren't limited to once. They could have slow, fast and whatever else they wanted tonight.
With trembling fingers, she eased his zipper down, her hands sliding inside to wrap around him. A shudder ripped through him. Enough. He'd gone too long without, too long without her to hold on to control another minute.
His arm dipped low, under her bottom as he lifted her up and against the locked door, ready to play out every inch of her fantasy. Julia's long legs locked around his waist in a magnificent sweep that almost sent him over the edge. Slowly, he slid inside her, up, deeper until she encased him in velvet heat that taunted, enticing him far more than the sexy velvet dress of hers had.
Then he couldn't think beyond moving inside her, kissing her, holding her and holding back for as long as he could. Praying she would find release soon because he wasn't going there without her and the need to finish roared through him like engines at full throttle.