Any Way You Want It (Brand Clan #2)(27)

Zandra whirled on him. “For what? I didn’t need your help.”

“Sure looked like it to me,” he retorted. “That fat kid woulda whipped your butt, little girl.”

“What’s it to you?”

“Nothing, except I didn’t wanna see you get blood on your pretty dress.”

Zandra instantly melted. Because even though she’d resented her mother for making her wear a dress to school, and even though she had a reputation as a tomboy to protect, she secretly enjoyed girly things. The frillier, the better.

“You think it’s pretty?”

“Sure.” Remy shrugged, as if it were of no consequence to him. “So are you.”

Watching the poignant childhood memory unfold across Zandra’s face, Remy drawled wryly, “Twenty-five years later, and you’re still an ingrate.”

Zandra stuck her tongue out at him, and he laughed.

Kissing her forehead, he tightened his arms around her and rested his chin on top of her head. “Just think. If I’d stayed after school with Roderick to help our teacher clean the classroom, I wouldn’t have been there to rescue you from those little punks.”

Zandra smiled. “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Remy chuckled softly. “Ingrate, like I said.”

“Whatever.” She rubbed her cheek against his chest and sighed, enveloped in the cocoon of serenity he’d spun around them. “Have you had dinner yet?”

“Nah.” His voice was as lazy as she felt. “You?”

She yawned and shook her head. “Cora left something warming on the stove,” she murmured, referring to her personal chef.

“Are you inviting me to stay for dinner?”

“Mmm.” Zandra closed her eyes, her words slowing. “Just to prove...I’m not an ingrate.”

She felt Remy’s lips curve against her temple. “In that case...I’ll stay.”

“Mmmkay.” She shifted in his arms, burrowing closer as he leaned his head back against the sofa and let his eyes drift shut.

Within minutes, they were both asleep.





Chapter Seven

It was the heat of Remy’s touch that awakened her.

Slowly opening her eyes, Zandra stared down at his large hand resting on her thigh, where the hem of her dress had risen sometime during their nap. The warmth of his skin had penetrated the fabric to set off a tingling ache between her legs.

Drawing a shaky breath, she carefully tugged down her dress and squeezed her thighs together. Then she stared at Remy’s face, marveling at how sleep softened his hard, masculine features and made him boyishly beautiful.

As if sensing her gaze, he suddenly stirred. She watched as his black lashes fluttered and swept upward to reveal hazy dark eyes. He stared at Zandra for a moment, then smiled a lazy smile.

“Hey, pretty girl.” His sleep-roughened voice made her shiver.

“Hey.” She smiled almost shyly. “Guess we both needed a power nap.”

“Mmm. Guess so.” He stretched his back, thick muscles taxing the seams of his fine broadcloth shirt.

Zandra swallowed hard and looked around the lamplit living room. “I wonder what time it is.”

Remy glanced down at the black TAG Heuer watch adorning his thick wrist. “Almost nine.”

“Goodness,” she murmured. “We should eat dinner before it gets any later.”

“Probably,” he agreed.

But neither moved.

As they stared at each other, Remy took Zandra’s chin between his thumb and forefinger and lowered his head. She felt his breath across her face, and then he kissed her. His lips were incredibly soft and warm, sliding slowly and sensually over hers. She shivered, keeping her eyes open so that she could see herself in his as they kissed.

As his hot tongue flicked out to tease the seam of her lips, her nipples tightened. She opened her mouth, and his tongue stole inside to stroke hers. She moaned with pleasure, need pulsing between her thighs.

She wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him closer. He groaned softly against her mouth, his thick shaft hardening beneath her bottom. Even through their clothes, the heat of his body was enough to scorch her.

Cradling her head between his hands, he deepened the kiss, his lips devouring hers with a searing intensity that left her breathless and intoxicated. The man could kiss like no other.

Closing her eyes, she managed to whisper, “Are you ready to eat?”

“Yeah.” He sucked her tongue. “But not food.”

Her breath escaped her in a shaky rush as he lifted her from his lap and set her down on her feet. Holding her gaze, he reached beneath her dress, making her shiver as his callused palms caressed her thighs and buttocks. Gripping her silk panties, he dragged them down her legs. When she stepped out of them, he stood and picked her up, carrying her to one of the upholstered chairs.

She stared up at him as he set her down and spread her legs, hooking them over the curved arms of the chair so that her sex was completely bared to him.

She trembled hard, feeling vulnerable and deliciously aroused. “Remy...”

He swore gutturally, his eyes nearly black as he stared at the pink, glistening tulip of her cunt. “You have such a pretty *, Zandra. So damn pretty.”

She blushed as he sank to a crouch between her legs and licked her, one swipe that sent shards of pleasure stabbing through her.