* * *
“But I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”
The amused, calculating look in Zach’s eyes told her he didn’t care. Not in the least. “Well, I have one, but I promise not to use it.”
Oh, she was in trouble. But she tried to protest anyway. “It’s cold out there.” The idea of the hot tub in the snow sounded romantic, but she’d have to actually go outside naked to accomplish it.
“So...”
As Zach tracked her around the bedroom, Sadie tried to think of another motive for staying inside. Normally, dawn was something she only saw for photo shoots. But this seemed to be her punishment for trying to ease out of bed and find a robe to cover her naked body. Now she attempted to both avoid Zach and keep the robe, which proved useless as he pounced.
Her squeal echoed in the room when he swept her into his arms and stalked for the French doors. The first blast of cold air on her bare bottom made her gasp.
Yep, exactly what she had wanted to avoid.
The Neanderthal carrying her didn’t appear fazed. “Zach,” she said. “I’m naked.”
“And all the more beautiful for it.”
Thankfully Zach had prepared the tub while she’d been in the bathroom. The cover was already off and steam rose in smoky tendrils from the water. After a few steps, he tilted her until her toes met the blessed warmth. Inch by inch he eased her in until the water covered her like a blanket. Then he slid his sleekly muscled limbs in behind her.
The water bubbled against her skin, reawakening the sensual needs that simmered below the surface whenever Zach was anywhere close. Zach’s strong hands kneaded her shoulders, further weakening her resistance.
“See,” he murmured. “This is worth the walk, right? Or rather, the ride?”
“Totally,” she mumbled back. “And I’ll believe that until the minute I have to get out and walk back into the house.”
Zach laughed, the sound echoing around them. “Then I better make the interim worthwhile, huh?”
You always do.
But she didn’t let herself say the words out loud. She let her body speak them instead.
It wasn’t long before Zach’s hands moved from working their heavenly magic on her shoulders back up into the wildly tangled locks of her hair. He alternated hands, squeezing and pulling one at a time, just enough to release the tension from her scalp.
Sadie thought she might melt into eternal bliss.
Every touch, every word spoken became a treasure to hide in her heart. The only gift she might ever be able to give herself, because once she had to leave him, nothing else would ever compare to these memories.
Suddenly his hand in her hair was guiding her. A nearby seat hidden in the bubbles became a shelf for her to brace against. The vista before her swirled with dancing snow swept up from the forest floor, and the saturated pinks and blues of sunrise reflected off sparkling icicles.
She felt Zach’s warm skin against her back, forming a shield between her and the cool air. Not that she noticed. Her mind was too focused on the moment when he made them one, bringing their bodies together in a connection as glorious as the beauty around them.
He moved inside her, all around her. The water splashed and bubbled in an accompaniment to their harsh breath. His fingers continued their ballet of tightening and letting go, building her anticipation.
“You’re so beautiful, Sadie,” he murmured with his mouth against her shoulder, only adding to the myriad sensations.
How could she ever let go of such perfection?
In response to the thought, her body clamped down, desperate to hold him within her for as long as she could. She arched her back, trying to take him deeper. To make him as much a part of her as she could.
He moved in and out, every drag and pull intensifying her response. The low rumble of his voice added to the tingles, coaxing her into submission, commanding her response. Finally, just as the sun peeked over the horizon, her orgasm rolled through her, forcing Zach to catch his breath. He held still, buried in her inch by glorious inch.
Her mind exploded along with her body, screaming the knowledge of her love for this man. So loud, she had to bite down on her tongue to hold the words inside. Instead tears fell, mingling with the steam surrounding them.