Out Of The Blue

But it was his stomach that really grabbed her. Solid as a rock and rippled, all the way down to...

With a low, inarticulate sound, he hauled the sheets closer to himself and frowned at her.

Blushing, she looked away quickly. Nope, she wouldn’t have trouble finding a spot to kiss. If she even got a chance, that is. Seems her bad luck streak hadn’t changed much since high school.

Zach blinked at the clock and let out a soft oath as he ran a hand over his face. “What’s going on here?”

“I’m...” Trying to seduce you, darn it! “Actually, this is my room.”

He was still confused. “Because you were sold out and you didn’t want to turn me away?”

No, because I wanted to jump your bones. “Um...not exactly.”

“The No Vacancy sign was blinking when I drove up, but I didn’t think—” He swore. “I’m sorry.” With a disgusted shake of his head, he rose from the bed.

Hannah, who just a moment ago had been ogling him, squeaked in shock and covered her eyes. He was very naked.

“Hannah?”

She kept her eyes firmly covered as he rustled about. “Yes?”

“It’s safe.”

Oh, some seducer she was. From between her fingers, she stole a peek. Indeed, he’d pulled on his jeans, though he hadn’t snapped them yet. He was standing there, looking rumpled, tired, edgy and deeply annoyed.

Not to mention so stunning she could hardly breathe.

It occurred to her that he was now staring at her, really staring at her, in a way that made her start tingling all over again.

In all the excitement, she’d completely forgotten her own state of undress. He sounded a little unraveled when he said, “You’d better get covered, too.”

Laughing nervously, she grabbed the sheet and wrapped herself in it, wondering if it was too late to get back on task, wondering how to get close enough to kiss him.

“I’ll gather my things,” he said. “I’ll sleep downstairs somewhere until morning.”

“No, that’s—”

“Yes.” His voice was suspiciously husky. His eyes were dark, his mouth grim, and he purposely avoided looking at her. “I’d better go now. Um...Hannah?” He sounded hard pressed for air as she got out of the bed. “The sheet, it’s not quite covering...”

She craned her neck and saw that he was right, she hadn’t managed to cover her backside. She was giving him quite a show of panties, which never seemed to stay in place. “Oh!” Grace under pressure. She had no choice. She jerked the sheet around her and took a step toward the bathroom where she would hopefully disappear into thin air.

But true to form, she tripped and fell flat on her face.

Zach rushed around the bed, and before she could so much as take a breath, she was scooped against that wonderfully hard, sleek chest she’d so admired.

“You okay?”

Aside from being a bumbling idiot...yeah, she was just dandy. “I’m fine.”

“Okay, then.” And he withdrew those arms, though his gaze lingered a bit where the sheet dipped down, revealing the top of her lacy chemise. “I’m sorry about intruding,” he said.

“It’s not your fault.” She stared at his jaw which was almost within reach of her mouth. If she could just lean in and connect...

But he turned his head away so that he was no longer looking at her. “I was really asleep,” he said. “Really out of it.”

She could see that was true, his exhaustion was palpable, and guilt filled her. “I know.” She felt a twinge of shame at her deception, and at not being totally honest with him. “This isn’t the way our guests are usually treated.”

He looked at her then, his gaze filled with all the heat and longing she’d hoped for.

She’d done it!

Then he let her go and stood. “I don’t exactly feel mistreated.” With a tight smile, he walked out of the bedroom.

* * *

“BE HOME, BE HOME,” Hannah prayed silently, huddling on the edge of her bathtub, gripping her cordless phone close to her ear.

Her other ear strained for any hint of movement beyond the bathroom door, which she’d shut herself behind for a moment of privacy.

She had no idea what Zach was doing out there, but she certainly didn’t want him to hear this.

“What?” came the very welcome, very irritated sound of her brother’s voice.

“Thank God you’re there,” she whispered into the phone.

“Of course I’m here, it’s three in the morning on this side of the country. “What’s the matter? You okay?”

“I’m fine. I need...information.”

“Now?”

She glanced at the closed door, behind which was Zach, sexiest man on earth, wearing nothing but jeans and attitude. “Right now.”

“Okay, make it good. I have to work at six. As in three hours.”

“It’s...about...” She let out a long breath. “This is difficult.”

Michael was a few years older than her. He’d gone to school with Zach. They’d been fast friends, and together had caused more than a few mothers to bite their nails to the quick. If anyone knew how to create a seduction, it would be Michael. “Listen, I need to know how to...” Just say it. “Seduce a man.”

Utter silence.

“Michael?”

“I couldn’t possibly have heard you correctly.”

“I think you probably did.”

He swore. “Okay, let’s pretend it’s perfectly normal for you to ask that of me, I’d like to know why you want to seduce someone. Now. After snubbing your nose at men for years.”