“Jess.”
Zane. He’d come for her. How did he get here? As she struggled to catch her breath, he half dragged, half swam her to the shallows by floating on his back and keeping her head above water. Once he got his footing, he stopped and stood upright in the water, then scooped her into his arms, carrying her to the beach.
He laid her down carefully away from high tide. The sand granules scratched at her back, but she was never happier to be on dry land. And Zane was safe. That mattered just as much.
He fell to his knees beside her. Huffing breaths, he shook his head. “You gave me a scare.”
He bent to her, pushing aside the locks of hair hiding her face, and his magnificent eyes were soft and concerned. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “I’m okay. Got the wind knocked out of me.”
“You almost drowned, sweetheart. What on earth were you doing?”
She filled her lungs with oxygen, this time without gulping water along with it. “Saving you,” she said quietly. “I thought I saw you out there, going under.”
Zane’s eyes were warm on her face, the heat enough to keep the cool drops on her body from freezing. His hands were working wonders, too, caressing her cheeks and stroking her chin, heating her up in ways no other man ever had. He rasped softly, “You mean you thought I was drowning, and you risked your life to save me?”
She nodded.
“That wasn’t me, sweetheart.”
“It wasn’t? I saw someone go under. I thought for sure you were out there.”
“I was. I lasted only ten minutes before I came in. What you saw was probably a school of sea lions. They frequent the shallower waters here at night. I’ve seen one of them pop a head up and then go under and, yeah...I guess in the dark, it might look like a swimmer out there.”
“Then how...how did you find me?”
“After my swim, I took a long walk. Thankfully, I returned just in time to hear you calling my name. Took me only a second to figure out where you were.”
He began to rub her arms and legs. She was cold, but that didn’t stop her from reacting to his touch. As warmth spread through her body, her gentle cooing seemed to draw Zane’s attention to her lips. “That feels good,” she said.
“Tell me about it.” The corner of his mouth crooked up.
His palms heated her through and through, her skin highly sensitized to his touch. She was overwhelmed with relief that he hadn’t drowned and grateful that he’d saved her, but there was more...so much more that she was feeling right now. “Thank you, Zane.”
She touched his shoulder and felt his cool skin under her fingertips. His eyes gleamed with a fiery invitation to do more. Bravely, she wound her arms around his neck. It didn’t take an ounce of effort to pull him close. His mouth hovered near hers.
It was crazy. They were on the beach under the moonlight and dripping wet after the rescue, and nothing seemed amiss in her world. She wouldn’t trade places with another living soul right now.
“I’d give you what-for,” he said, “but that will have to wait.”
“It will?”
“Yep. Cause I think you’re about to kiss me.”
“Smart man.”
She ran her fingers through his thick wet hair and lowered his head down to her lips. Oh...he tasted warm and inviting and salty. His kiss made her tremble in a good way, and she opened her mouth for him.
He plunged inside and swept her up in one burning kiss after another. What was left of her body when he finished kissing her was a pulsing bundle of need. “Zane,” she whispered over his lips.
“I need to get you inside the house...”
He didn’t have to finish. She knew. They’d get arrested if they acted on their impulses right here on the beach.
“Can you walk?” he asked.
“Yes, with your help.”
“Okay, sweetheart. Seems one of us is always leaning on the other.”
She smiled. How true.
He bounded up and then entwined their hands. Gently he helped her to her feet. The world didn’t go dizzy on her—well, except for the hot looks Zane was giving her. “I actually feel pretty good.”
“Glad to hear it.” He kissed her earlobe. “Ready?”
“Ready.”
Side by side, bracing each other, they walked through the sand and up the steps that led into the house.
* * *
As soon as they entered the house, Zane did an about-face and walked her backward until she was pressed against the living room wall. He trapped her there, his body pulsing near hers, his gaze generating enough heat to burn the building down.
“Are you about to give me what-for?”
A low rumble of laughter rose from his throat. Her senses heightened. He was one sexy man. “You know it, Jess.” He glanced down at her dripping wet T-shirt plastered to her body and sighed as if he was in pain. “Do you know how incredibly perfect you are?”
His hands wrapped around her waist, and thrilling warmth penetrated through her shirt to heat her skin. “I’m not.”
His mouth grazed her throat. “You are. You can’t let what those two did to you change who you are. That guy was about the stupidest man on earth.”
She stilled. “What do you mean, ‘those two’?”
Zane’s lips were doing amazing things to her throat. And his body pressing against hers made it hard to think. Her breasts were ready for his touch. Her nipples pebbled hard and beckoned him through the flimsy T-shirt and bikini.
She had to ignore her body. She needed to know what he meant. “Zane?”
He stopped kissing her and inched away enough to gaze into her eyes. “Oh, uh. Your mama called while you were out. She was worried about you, and well...she told me about Steven running off with a friend of yours.”
She’d told him about Judy?
All the wind left her lungs, and a different kind of burn seared through her stomach. She wished Mama hadn’t revealed to Zane her latest humiliation. She felt so exposed, so vulnerable. Did she have an ounce of pride left?
“You have every right to feel hurt, Jess. But don’t let what he did change the person that you are.”
“You think that’s what I’m doing?”
“Isn’t it? You changed your hair, wear your contacts all the time. You dress differently now. Don’t get me wrong. You look beautiful, sweetheart. But you were beautiful before.”
She shrugged. She found it hard to believe. It was a platitude, a cliché, a way to make her feel better about herself.
“I need the change.” Tears misted in her eyes. She really did. She needed to look at herself in the mirror and see a strong, independent woman who had style and confidence. She needed to see that transformation, more than anything else.
“I get that.” Zane took her into his arms and hugged her, as a friend now. She felt safe again, protected. And just being with him made her problems seem trivial. “But promise me one thing?”
“What?”
“Don’t try to find what you need with another man. Makes me crazy.”
Makes me crazy. Oh, wow. There was no mistaking what he meant. Not from the genuine pain she found in his eyes, or the intensity in