Out Of The Blue (The Wrong Bed #12)(34)

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Chapter 12


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Hannah came awake because her feet were cold. Frozen, as a matter of fact. So was her bare, naked bottom.

It took another moment of muddled confusion to realize this was because she was face-down, sprawled sideways across her bed, with no covers.

She reached down, groping for them, and came in contact with more icy skin, not her own this time. Resorting to opening her eyes, she saw that she had her hand on Zach's equally bare, and equally icy, rear end.

But it was a very fine rear end, as were his long, powerful legs and fight, sleek back.

All gloriously naked.

He too was sprawled sideways over the bed, which as she remembered now, is where they'd collapsed, exhausted, after a most incredible night.

His eyes were still closed, and she noted with some amusement that he had a slight smile on his face.

Something deep within her reacted at just the sight of him, and it wasn't anything she'd ever experienced before.

Oh, boy.

She was most definitely falling for him. Seriously falling.

One of his eyes opened, and when he saw her, his smile widened as his arm snaked out and grabbed her close.

"We're cold," she said inanely, gasping as he rolled and brought her in contact with his very warm chest and lower body.

"Well, give me a minute, I can change that." His big hands stroked her chilled skin. "Remember how I warmed you last night?"

Yes, she remembered. And blushed furiously with the memory, thank you very much.

"Ah, you do." He gave her a wicked smile.

She'd never forget. He'd warmed her over every single inch of her body until she'd been begging him for more. Begging. She wasn't likely to forget how quickly he'd obliged her.

Or how she'd returned the favor, thrilling to the dark, needy sounds she'd dragged out of him.

"Hannah."

She realized his smile had faded and he was watching her with utmost seriousness. In direct contrast, he tenderly stroked her face. "Last night, in the shower … I didn't use a condom."

"Oh." Oh.

"I didn't protect you. I've never forgotten before, never, and—"

"It … it wasn't all your fault, I forgot too."

His face twisted, and he dropped his forehead to hers. "I'm sorry."

She knew the dangers of unprotected sex, and yet last night she'd never once thought about it. How could that have happened?

"I hate to leave without knowing," he said slowly. "If you're pregnant."

She hated the way her heart constricted at the thought of him going, much more than worrying about the possible consequences of last night. "I want you to promise to contact me if you are."

"Zach—"

"Promise," he urged, his eyes a fathomless blue. "If you don't, I'm going to stay until I find out for myself."

She stared at him for a long moment, seeing the genuine concern. He would stay, she knew that, he would think it his duty. And in that moment, she couldn't help but wonder, what would it be like to allow herself to be loved by such a man, with this all-consuming passion?

Would she want his baby?

Would she be wishing right now that they'd started a child last night?

"Hannah."

"All right," she murmured. "I promise."

"I mean it. I don't want you to face that alone."

"I promised, Zach. I meant it."

That seemed to relieve him, but all it did was up her confusion factor.

She'd resigned herself to him leaving, or at least had told herself she had, to accepting whatever it was they could share until that time. But if she wasn't careful, she'd be yearning for things like a white lacy wedding dress, a dreamy honeymoon and a house with a white picket fence.

Zach lifted his head to speak, to probably say something that would make her heart squeeze all the more, and she couldn't allow it. So she used the first distraction that came to mind, and tugged his head down to hers, kissed him, deepening it until he moaned and pulled her beneath him.

Talking was forgotten.

*

Tara and Alexi met in the kitchen early that morning. It wasn't a scheduled business meeting, but a secretive one, which explained why Hannah wasn't invited.

They needed to discuss her.

"She's falling for him," Tara said confidently.

"And he's falling for her, too," Alexi said, but she paced the kitchen. "Still, he's leaving soon and I don't see her just walking away from here to be with him. Not that I want her to go—"

"Of course not! But there can be compromises."

"Well, you would think so," Alexi said with a sigh. "But they're both so set in their lives."

"So what are we going to do?"

"Well damn, I don't know. Who would have thought matchmaking would be so darned difficult? We gave her a push with that silly toilet challenge thing, I would have thought she could take it from there." Irritably, Alexi started chewing on her nails. "I swear, you'd think I was the older sibling, the way I have to take charge of Zach's life."

"Excuse me?" Zach stepped into the kitchen, brow raised in query. "Take charge of my life? Since when?"