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.
His mouth caressed along her shoulder, his free hand cradling the gentle curve of her br**sts just before his mouth found one perfect peak. A moan vibrated through her chest, against his mouth, building to a gasping cry of release until her head fell back on the door.
Finally, he allowed himself to plunge one last time, deeper and harder, his hoarse shout of completion muffled into the soft curve of her neck as he flew full-out into the clouds and Julia.
Sprawled over Zach on the sofa two hours later, Julia listened to the steady thud of his heart against her ear. No doubt hers raced at double the speed.
She wished she could attribute the pattering pace to his hands massaging along her back.
Or the scent of musky sweat and sex linking their bodies. Or the memory of their mind-tingling encounter against the door.
But she knew better.
Her heart hammered out of fear. So many emotions pulsed through her, confusing yearnings to cuddle with Zach through the night, to wait until he fell asleep and shed a few more tears over his battered, beautiful face.
She hadn't expected to feel so much. Wasn't sex just a physiological need? She hadn't been with anyone other than Lance for comparison. Their sex life may have been physically satisfying, but it was nothing like this.
Being with Zach had gone beyond fulfilling some basic urge, transporting her into a wild, unknown territory. Like flying over those bridges with him on his motorcycle, there was nothing below or above them, just the two of them holding onto each other as they hurtled into the night.
No safety net.
While she had reconciled her past with Lance, that didn't mean she planned to risk entrusting all her tomorrows to another man. She and Lance might have patched their marriage, but the price had been so very high to her heart.
She was scared. Already, Zach stirred more within her than Lance ever had.
Damn it, Zach was supposed to have been her friend and friend-sex should be warm and fun, not this tumultuous turning her mind and body inside out with feelings. She didn't want the desperate need to do it all over again while wondering if there would ever be enough. She could lose herself in this feeling, and she'd vowed to never lose herself in a man ever again.
She needed space and time to regroup. She couldn't think with his hands on her skin and his heart beneath her ear. What would happen to her emotions if they shared a bed, so much more intimate than what they'd done together against that door?
On the floor.
On the couch.
Oh damn, she was a mess. Julia listened to the steady thrum of his heart and couldn't make herself roll off him. She would just be honest with Zach. They'd always had that between them.