Teri nodded. “It does. It really does. There’s a difference, believe me.”
“I admire you,” Zach continued, watching the blush rise on Teri’s cheeks again. That little flush of pink on her skin, suggesting that her skin would be warm against his...“I think you’re amazing, how well you’ve recovered and how you’re looking in the face of all of these problems and are still able to laugh like you do. I think you—”
Teri grabbed the front of his shirt and hauled him in to kiss him. Zach was instantly caught up in the heat of her, the softness of her lips against his, the feeling of that warm flush under his fingers as he cupped her cheek...
He pulled back to catch his breath. “Now,” he said seriously, “is this just because you feel sorry for me? Because I don’t want—”
Teri smacked his shoulder and kissed him again. “Ow,” Zach said, muffled.
She pulled back just far enough to say, “Shhhh,” and resumed the kiss.
She felt amazing. She tasted amazing. Zach had never met a woman like her, and now he never wanted to let her go.
***
Teri wasn't the sort of person who did this.
She had never in her life gone home with a man on the first date—not even just to hang out at his house, let alone to do...what they were about to do.
She hadn't ever looked down on women who did, though. She just hadn't understood. Why would you want to have sex with someone you just met? How could you stand getting so intimate with a man you didn't even know?
This was different.
She felt like she did know Zach. She looked into his silver-gray eyes and she knew him. And he knew her.
And she'd spent the evening feeling like if she couldn't touch him, she was going to go absolutely crazy.
Now they were kissing, serious, fierce kisses that sent fire through her body and made her hate the table that was between them. Zach's mouth was hot and damp against hers, his breath coming fast, his hands desperate against her cheek, her shoulder.
She needed this. She'd never needed anything more in her life.
Teri dragged herself away from the kiss with a gasp. "Upstairs?" she panted.
"God, yes," Zach said raggedly. Then he paused. "Are you sure? I want to do this, but I don't want to pressure you into anything."
The consideration made her heart clench. She knew Zach was as fervent, as crazed to touch as she was. And yet, he was reining himself in, checking in with her to be sure that she was on board.
"Yes," she said firmly. "I want this."
He took her at her word, and stood up. She could see his erection tenting his jeans, proof positive that he wanted this as badly as she did.
She followed him up the stairs. The view from the back, she noticed, was almost as good as the view from the front. The only thing that kept her from reaching out and stealing a grope was the very real possibility that they'd end up doing it right there on the stairs instead of waiting for the bedroom.
Zach hung a left at the top of the stairs and gestured her into a bedroom. Teri didn't take any time to look around, just zeroed in on the big bed in the center of the room.
Just as she reached it, Zach came up behind her and caught her around the waist, kissing the back of her neck. Teri shivered at the feeling of his stubble aga
inst the soft skin there, her nipples hardening. His hands tightened on her hips, sending a rush of heat through her belly.
"Come on," she said, pulling against his grip. "I want you now."
"Take this off," he murmured into her neck, his hands toying with the hem of her dress.
She pulled forward again, and this time he let her go. "Unzip me, then."
"My pleasure." His voice had deepened with arousal. The rumble of it sent shivers down her spine, and they only strengthened as his fingers caught the zipper at the back of the dress and slowly, slowly drew it down.
Teri tugged at the dress, and it fell easily down to pool at her feet. Zach turned her with a light touch to her shoulder, and then she was facing him just in her bra, underwear, and shoes.