He frowned. “The doctor said no heavy physical exertion for a few weeks.”
She gave him a stubborn look. “I hardly think that walking qualifies as heavy physical exertion. I’m fine. Really. Please.”
Reluctantly, he grabbed her bag in the backseat and unlocked the door, waiting for her to walk around the SUV. He hovered as she went up the few steps in the garage and into the house.
“Shit!”
Ellie heard the low, frustrated curse behind her. “What?”
“I forgot to have somebody come over and clean things up. The house is kind of a mess,” he answered sheepishly.
She stopped and turned around, tears springing to her eyes. “Do you think I care about that? You’re giving me a temporary home. I’m grateful.”
It was hard to believe he cared about the fact that he hadn’t cleaned up because she was going to be here.
“I care. You deserve better after the shithole you were forced to endure for months.” He dropped the bag on the floor of the entry hallway and advanced until her back was against the wall. “You’ve been through hell and back. I want you to have some of the things you didn’t have while you were held prisoner by that psychotic asshole.”
Ellie sighed when he was close enough to smell, and then close enough to touch. “What are you doing?” She looked up at him curiously as he put a hand on each side of the wall, temporarily surrounding her with his heat.
His expression was intense, his smoldering gray eyes hot enough to incinerate her on the spot. “Giving you something you’ve never had. I’m going for breathless. Kiss me, Ellie,” he demanded as a few dark locks of his hair fell to the very top of his eyes.
“W-why?” she stammered, wanting nothing else except to obey his command. She wanted his hard body pressed against her, his mouth on hers, making her feel alive again.
There was no fleeting second of panic as he imprisoned her. He wasn’t touching her. But dear God, she wanted him to touch her…desperately.
“Because I said so,” he replied arrogantly. “I want to give you something you’ve never had. A lot of things, actually.”
“Am I supposed to obey your every command?” she said, stalling because she couldn’t believe he was looking at her like he really wanted to kiss her. Just staring at the ferocious expression on his face nearly made her breathless.
“No. It would be easier if you did, but I know that’s never going to happen.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he lowered his head, his lips so close to hers that she could feel the heat of his breath on her face.
The sensations bombarding her made her shudder. Slowly, her hands crept up his chest. She pushed his wayward hair back from his eyes, and then wrapped her arms around his neck. “You don’t have to do this because it was some silly, unfulfilled wish of mine when I thought I was dying,” she whispered nervously.
“I’m not. I’m doing this for me, too,” he informed her brusquely before he cradled the back of her head and then lowered his mouth to hers.
His embrace was everything Ellie had ever dreamed of…and so much more. Mesmerized by the heat of his mouth, she opened to him and let him explore with his tongue, the demanding sweetness of his possession almost bringing her to her knees. If he hadn’t wrapped one of his arms around her waist, she might have actually swooned like an idiot.
She did forget everything else except the pulsating blood pumping through her veins and the feel of Zane’s demanding embrace.
She wanted the kiss to last forever, but he pulled back and gently nipped at her lips before fusing their mouths again with more tenderness than Ellie had ever known.
When he finally stepped back, Ellie’s entire body was trembling, and she was definitely breathless.
“Is your wish fulfilled?” Zane rasped, low and sensual.
“Y-yes,” she stammered as she struggled to breathe normally again, her brain and body still reeling.
“You forgot everything else? You got breathless?”
“Completely,” she admitted in a rush. “What about you? You said this wasn’t just for me.”
He nodded. “I’m satisfied…for now.”
Zane picked up her bag and took her hand, leading her through the enormous kitchen and into the living room.
Neither one of them seemed to want to speak, as though it might ruin the magical connection that had just happened in the hallway.
It was amazing for me, but maybe it was just a kiss for him.
Telling herself she was being silly to analyze a simple kiss, she said, “This house is enormous.” The ceiling was vaulted so high she had to crane her neck to see it.
Zane took off his jacket and then reached out to help her remove hers. “It’s big,” he conceded. “I’ll give you a tour.”
Ellie was rendered speechless as he led her through some of the downstairs bedrooms, each one the size of her old apartment and with their own baths. The master bedroom had a door leading to a hot springs area, something every Colter seemed to have in their homes. But when they finally entered an enormous marble tiled room with an indoor pool, she gasped. “This is unbelievable.” She couldn’t imagine being able to swim year-round.
“There’s a gym through that door.” He pointed at an entrance on the far side of the room.
By the time he’d finished the tour, even showing her the room upstairs where her belongings were being kept, Ellie was exhausted. She followed him back downstairs and to the kitchen wearily.
“Do you want me to take the room with my stuff?” she asked uncertainly.