He buried his hands in her hair, and she loved the feel of that too, as she licked him all over. Then she licked her palms to wet them too. As her tongue touched her palms, she met Zach's eyes, blazing so hot that she felt the heat. With wet, slick hands, she stroked him up, over the head, back down, and he thrust urgently into her grasp.

"I love that,” he gasped, his muscles tight, hips lifting.

She licked one hand again, then the other, continuing to stroke him. He lifted his hips faster, increasing the pace, eyes closed and jaw tight. She watched him, enthralled by his enthusiastic response, delighting in her ability to please him.

"Ah ... Ashlyn,” he gritted out. “I'm going to come..."

"I want you to come,” she whispered, still watching him, stroking him, harder, faster until he erupted in her hands, white hot semen trickling over her fingers. He put a hand down to gently still her touch, panting, trembling, eyes closed and head back.

"Jesus,” he gasped.

She gently released him and curled back into him, now waiting for him to regain control, her hand on his heaving chest.

He held her tightly, the muscles in his arms rigid.

"Was that what you had planned?” She smiled against his shoulder.

"Uh ... no, not exactly. But hey, it's all good."

They cuddled together for a while on the couch, the house silent but for some soft snores. Ashlyn lifted her head and, with amusement, spotted Rocky sprawled out on the carpet across the room, paws outstretched, oblivious to their fun.

"Yeah, this is great, being alone.” Zach sighed. He stroked her hair, and then held her shoulders while he sat up. He tucked himself back into his boxers and pants, still semi-hard. “But let's go to bed."

"I don't want to go to bed,” Ashlyn murmured with a girly little pout that even surprised her. Zach's eyes glinted.

"Too bad, sweetheart.” He swung her up into his arms, and she squealed. God, another girly reaction. What was happening to her?

"Put me down!” she gasped. “You'll hurt yourself."

"Not likely, honey.” He strode down the hall to the bedroom. He kicked open the door, crossed the room, and tossed her on the bed, where she landed with a bounce.

Wide-eyed, dry-mouthed, she watched him lean down to turn on the lamp, and then open the drawer and pull out some condoms.

He dropped his pants and underwear quickly, kneeling beside her. He was hard again already.

To her shock, he flipped her over onto her stomach. She struggled, but he pushed her down with one hand on her back, holding her there. When she struggled more, he moved over her and pressed her into the mattress, the weight of his hard, warm body covering her.

Zach,” she protested, reluctantly thrilled by his domination.

"I know you like this,” he whispered in her ear, his penis pushing against her butt. She moaned helplessly. He knew her so well. The only other time they'd done this was at Klub Kink, and the memory caused a flood of warmth and wetness between her legs and a pleasant burn low in her womb.

He was right. Much as she liked to take charge of pleasuring him, there was something so wickedly exciting about having him on top of her like this, her body pinned beneath his. For the first time in her life, it made her enjoy feeling small and feminine. He held her there, pulling her hair aside to kiss her neck.

How could she possibly enjoy being dominated by a man, something she had always fought against? As she squirmed beneath him, loving his weight, his heat, his mouth on her, she realized the only reason she loved it was because it was Zach, and she knew with a complete and certain knowledge that he would never hurt her.

And she also knew she had equal power over him, the power to render him equally weak and trembling.

His hands went to her legs, and his knees thrust her thighs roughly apart, so far apart it almost hurt, but she loved it. Then, after a short pause, she felt his thick hard penis pushing into her from behind. She cried out with pleasure as he sheathed himself fully, filling her up completely, touching her womb with an intense contact that shot sparks through her body. Desperate to be filled, completed by him, she lifted her butt against him as he stroked in and out, meeting his thrusts. He drove into her and bent over her back again to press his mouth to her shoulder.

"You like this, don't you?” he growled, plunging deeply again and again against her soft buttocks.

"Yes!” she cried out, her voice muffled in the pillow. “God, yes! I love it."

Then he suddenly pulled out, and she whimpered as his hands turned her body again. She was weak, vibrating with need. He moved over her, between her thighs, kneeing them apart and pausing without entering her.

"Look at me, Ashlyn."

She forced her eyes open and met his gaze. The intensity was shockingly intimate, heating her, ratcheting up her trembling excitement. “I want to watch you come with me inside you."

He pushed into her, hard but not rough. Again she moaned at the feeling of fulfillment. She met his thrust, her eyes locked on his, and he leaned down, supporting his weight on his arms above her. Still watching her face, he kissed one breast, then the other, moving slowly, deeply inside her.

It was unbearable. It was frightening. It was beautiful. She reached up to cup his face, everything twisting and drawing up inside her, tighter, higher. “Zach,” she whispered, aching.

With a hard drive, he tensed above her. His eyes glazed but never left her face as he pressed through his climax, her own pleasure peaking in a dazzling starburst.

"Oh, Ashlyn,” he groaned. “God, Ashlyn.” Collapsing onto her, he pulled her face towards him and kissed her mouth.

The room was silent but for their panting breaths as their eyes met and held again. The soft light of the lamp cast the bed in a golden glow, the rest of the room fading to shadows.

Ashlyn's heart constricted and her eyes stung as she acknowledged the depth of her feelings for Zach. She could no longer kid herself that they were just “having fun.” This was the most powerful, intimate connection she'd ever felt with anyone, and she had a sinking feeling she would never feel this again with anyone else.

Chapter Twenty-One

Zach stroked Ashlyn's cheek tenderly, her skin velvety and warm.

"You're so beautiful,” he whispered in awe. “So generous, so honest.” He swallowed, and the words he'd been holding back spilled out. “I love you, Ashlyn."

She stared at him, those incredible greeny-gold sparkling eyes wide with ... what? Dismay? Shock?

He closed his eyes momentarily, overcome by how vulnerable he had just made himself. But since when had it ever mattered to him how foolish he looked?

It mattered now.

It mattered more than anything. More than his family. More than his business. More than his next breath.

"Oh, Zach,” she whispered.

He opened his eyes.

"You can't tell me you don't feel it too,” he said urgently, his fingertips still stroking her smooth cheek, her lush mouth. “Not after that."

She was still silent, clearly struggling.

"Tell me, Ashlyn."

Her eyes filled with tears.

"Oh shit. Ashlyn, don't cry. I didn't mean to make you cry.” He brushed the tears away. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have rushed it. I just..."

Shut the fuck up, idiot, he told himself.

"I can't believe I'm crying. What a girl I am lately."

"I'm glad you're a girl,” he said fervently. She smiled.

"I do love you, Zach."

He met her eyes and saw love and tenderness, but something squeezed tight in his chest, because he also saw the faint shadow of fear there. His gut knotted.

"What?” he asked slowly.

She shook her head. “I do love you,” she said. “I'm just so afraid..."

"What are you afraid of?"

She closed her eyes, her lips pressed together. “I don't even know if I can explain,” she said. “I know this can't last, and I'm afraid we're both going to get hurt."

"What do you mean it can't last? Why would you say that when we're just getting started?"

He was a little ticked off.

"Nothing lasts, Zach,” she whispered. “I see it all the time."

"You think I'll cheat on you."

"It happens."

That hurt like a bitch. But he sensed there was more she wasn't telling him. Anger and disappointment rose within him.

"I gotta tell you, Ash,” he said slowly. “If you can't trust me, you don't really love me."

"Oh, please,” she said. “Don't give me that. That is so trite. People fall in love all the time with people they know they can't trust. And anybody who totally trusts someone else is just stupid or naïve."

"You don't really believe that,” he said, drawing back. She didn't meet his eyes.

"Don't, Zach,” she said. “You shouldn't trust me either."

"What!” He was astounded. “What the hell does that mean?"

She lifted a bare shoulder, still studying the duvet cover. “It means what it means.” Her mouth tightened stubbornly.

"This is fucking bizarre,” he growled, and then flopped onto his back beside her. He covered his eyes with one arm as he pondered this.

Trust. Love. He truly believed that if you loved someone you trusted her implicitly. With your life.

Maybe he was a naïve sap. He'd had his trust betrayed a few times. But he couldn't live his life always expecting to be kicked in the teeth. And he didn't believe that's how Ashlyn wanted to live her life.