Jessica Lemmon - Lone Star Lovers

“Things wind down. Cigars are smoked. Bourbon poured. Stef and I have rooms here so we usually stay the night.”

“Well, make sure you tell me when it’s the proper time to leave. I don’t want to overstay my welcome on my maiden voyage to the mayor’s birthday party.”

“How about you don’t leave?”

She’d been looking around the room, but now snapped her attention back to him. “What?”

“You heard me. Don’t leave. Stay in my room. With me.” He pulled her closer, resting his cheek on hers as he spoke into the delicate shell of her ear. “Spend the night in my bed, Penelope. You won’t regret it.”

Her hand tightened in his. “I—I can’t. It’s...inappropriate.”

He pulled his face away from hers to find she looked as flustered as she sounded. Her eyes bounced from his face to his chest. Her steps faltered.

Zach dropped the pretense of dancing, and cradled her gorgeous face in both hands. “It’s not only appropriate. It’s expected. To this room of people, you’re my future wife. I would never let my fiancée drive home alone this late.”

A small smile found her face. “My God. You really are a caveman.”

“Aw, honey,” he said with a wink as he laced his fingers with hers. “But I’m your caveman.”

Her silken laughter as he led them to the bar was a good sign she’d join him upstairs when the night wound to a close. Zach wasn’t ready to draw the curtain on their evening yet, but he was anticipating getting her alone again. He’d give her the best night of her life.

Well, assuming the last night they’d spent together could be topped.

It was a challenge he embraced.

Four

“We’re turning in. Happy birthday.” Zach offered his brother a hand and Chase shook it, which Penelope found charming though formal. She wondered if those two had ever wrestled or punched each other in the face when growing up, and then figured they probably had. It wasn’t hard to imagine rough and tumble boys beneath their polished exteriors.

“Penelope, make yourself at home,” Chase told her. “My staff will get you whatever you need.”

“I’ll get her what she needs,” Zach said, taking her hand in his. “She’s my fiancée.”

At his offered wink, Pen let herself smile. Zach was a lot of things—more than she knew before she learned he was Chase Ferguson’s brother—but among his top qualities, Zach was fun. Now that Pen had taken him on, she was breaking her cardinal rule of not sleeping with a client. She’d break it this time—if only for him. He made rule-breaking downright delicious. He focused her attention on the present. Which was the exact reason she’d invited him home that night at the club.

An inkling of warning that her ex had cost her everything vibrated at the back of her skull, but the champagne bubbles swimming in her tummy drowned it out.

Her situation with Zach was totally different. The fake fiancée act was a ruse, true, but she couldn’t see a reason not to take advantage of another night with him. He’d been working that angle since he touched her under the table tonight.

Hand in hand they passed by Stefanie, who pushed her lip into an exaggerated pout. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were engaged to this idiot.” Stef shot a thumb toward Zach.

“Your secret-keeping skills are dubious,” he grumbled.

They’d opted not to share the truth with Stefanie—Chase’s idea. He thought it was better if she was in the dark like everyone else.

“You have a lot of secrets lately.” Stef eyed Zach, her mouth pulling at the corners.

“So do you,” he said. “I had no idea you were working with my beautiful fiancée on a cover-up.”

“It wasn’t a cover-up,” Pen interjected before these two sniped away her good mood. “We simply rerouted the public’s attention.”

“Thank you for that.” Stefanie gripped Pen’s arm and squeezed. “In all seriousness, I’m happy for you two.”

“Thanks, sis,” Zach said as a wave of guilt crashed over Penelope. She didn’t mind contorting public opinion but lying to Zach’s sister felt...wrong.

“I’m not staying here tonight,” Stef told them. “I have a date with another of my brother’s mortal enemies.”

Zach’s shoulders went rigid, a wave of heat emanating from his form.

“Just kidding!” Stef’s grin was wide. She bid them good-night and Pen stroked her hand up Zach’s tuxedo jacket to soothe him.

“Down, boy.”

His eyes snapped over to her, the heat there transforming from anger to lust—which was even more sinister.

“Boy?” Zach startled Pen by bending at the knees to lift her into his arms. The few guests left milling about reacted with gasps or soft laughs. Pen, eyes wide, held on to him, her fingers entwining in the thick blond hair at the back of his neck.

“Sounds like you need a reminder from the man who shared your bed a few weeks back.”

His confident smile, strong arms and twinkling green eyes consumed her. She bit down on her lip and remembered all too well the details of that night. Nevertheless, she said, “I could, now that you mention it.”

A smile spread his full lips.

Fake fiancée or not, for her, the attraction part of their relationship was very real. Penelope was going to take advantage of every exciting, promising part of it.

* * *

She barely had a moment to take in her surroundings when Zach’s muscular chest was flush with her back. He swept her hair off her neck and put his lips over her pounding pulse.

“I don’t have an overnight bag,” she breathed, tilting her head to give him better access.

His tongue covered her earlobe before he tugged with his teeth. Goose bumps rose on her skin and she reached up to palm the back of his head.

His mouth was as intoxicating as any liquor, but a thousand times more potent.

“I’ll at least need—” a gasp stole her words as his hand coasted from her waist to the sides of her breasts, teasing her “—a toothbrush,” she finished.

He replied to her complaint by sliding warm fingers over her bare back, then snicking the zipper of her dress down over her backside.

“Gorgeous. Damn, Pen. I love your ass.”

“Likewise.” She managed a breathy laugh and turned in his arms. The way he looked at her made her feel gorgeous. Like she was the only one he wanted in this world.

His fingers pushed into her hair and he cupped the back of her neck, pegging her with a serious green stare. “Tell me the truth.”

“About?” She raised her eyebrows in curiosity.

“Have you thought of me in the past few weeks?”

“Yes.”

Zach’s palm warmed her neck and shifted upward until he cradled the back of her skull. He dipped his head but didn’t kiss her, continuing his interrogation.

“Tell me what you thought about, Penelope Brand.” His dimple dented one cheek when he offered a lopsided smile. “In graphic detail.”

It was a smile she couldn’t help returning. Her hands fisting the material of his shirt, she yanked it from his pants and stroked her hands along his hot, golden skin.

“You first,” she whispered a hairsbreadth away from his lips.

She’d meant to be cute, but Zach’s smile vanished. His other hand went to her back and, pressing her until her breasts flattened against his chest, he answered her.

“Every morning since I walked out of your apartment, I wake up hard and ready. The woman in my head missing her clothes has blond hair, pale blue eyes and your name.”

His pupils dilated, the black darkening his surrounding green irises. “Your turn.”

She remembered lots of things. The way he moved over her, the way he filled her, consumed her, during their lovemaking. But mostly the way he laughed and made her life fun for that slice of time.