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  She’d been with men before. Well, maybe not men; they were more like boys. She’d had only two fumbling sexual experiences with two guys she’d met at her waitressing job, but both had left her unsatisfied, and neither turned her on even a fraction of the way Zachary did. Hell, she’d barely touched him, and every cell in her body lit up with electricity just from one look.

  Annabelle sucked in a shuddering breath and took in the wickedly erotic sight of Zachary, while letting her gaze drift over him from head to toe and back again. Her body hummed with desire and every single inch of her skin tingled with anticipation, but for the life of her, she couldn’t get herself to move any closer.

  “I did as you asked.” A sexy lopsided grin played at his lips. His hand curled around the base of his cock and started to stroke. “Now tell me what else you want, Annabelle.”

  “You,” she whispered.

  Annabelle took two steps toward the shower, standing just a few inches from the open door. Watching his hand slide up and down his swollen shaft was erotic and empowering. It turned her on to know she had that kind of effect on him. Water sprayed over her when it bounced off Zachary, and she could swear she heard it sizzle when it touched her heated skin. Her heart raced and threatened to pound right out of her chest while she continued to hold his predatory gaze.

  “I shouldn’t want you. It doesn’t make any sense.” Her voice quivered with anticipation and she inched closer still. “And yet…here I am, unable to think about anything except having your mouth on me.”

  On a growl, Zachary’s eyes widened and he whispered, “Verto.”

  A cloud of static surrounded them, and a split second later, Annabelle’s dress vanished and she was nude before him. She gasped at the surprisingly erotic sensation of the fabric disappearing from her body. The static made her skin tingle, and her sensitive nipples tightened with the rush of electric air. If Zachary didn’t touch her soon, she’d lose what little dignity she had left and start begging.

  As though reading her mind, one strong hand reached out, cradled her neck, and pulled her to him. Annabelle sighed with pleasure and relief when his lips covered hers, and she opened to him immediately. His tongue drove into her mouth, demanding and taking everything he wanted, and she met his challenge with equal fervor. Linking her arms around his neck, she stepped into the shower with him and moaned at the feel of her breasts pressing against his chest. Paying thorough attention to her mouth, Zachary closed the shower door with one hand and kept the other firmly wrapped around her waist. The hot water sprayed over them, and she shivered when the bare flesh of her back hit the cool marble of the shower wall.

  “You want my mouth on you, isn’t that right, Annabelle?” Zachary murmured between the kisses he trailed down her throat. She nodded her agreement but couldn’t bring herself to speak amid the flood of sensations that swamped her body and mind. One hand cradled her head, while the other drifted over her breast and tweaked her nipple before cupping the mound in his greedy hand. “Do you remember what I promised you?”

  Zachary lifted his head and captured her gaze with his as he trailed his fingers down her rib cage, along the dip of her waist and the curve of her hip. Her hands curled over his shoulders as she lifted one leg and wrapped it around his hip, opening herself to him. Annabelle let out a quivering breath when she felt his fingers brush over her belly. Tight with anticipation, she stifled a moan and her body jumped when his fingers slid between her folds and over her clit in a gentle pass, teasing her with what was to come. I said I would make you scream my name.

  I remember. Her reply touched his mind while she held him to her, urging him closer, wanting him to delve deeper. She made a small sound of pleasure and rolled her hips when he slid two fingers inside her, making her pussy clench. Yes. Oh my God.

  “That’s it. You’re so wet for me, baby.” Zachary slipped his fingers in and out of her, while his thumb rubbed her clit in small torturous circles. “Your pussy is so fuckin’ tight, but I have to taste you. I want to watch you come, Annabelle. I don’t want you to see or feel anything but pure pleasure.”

  Before she could respond, Zachary dropped to his knees, trailing kisses over her breasts and belly as he went. Annabelle leaned against the wall and threaded her fingers through his wet hair, watching him kneel before her. He wrapped one hand around her waist, and the other slid down her thigh before lifting her leg and draping it over his shoulder.

  “You’re so beautiful,” Zachary murmured. His eyes glowed up at her brightly, and Annabelle tightened her grip on his hair as he blew gently over the swollen, sensitive flesh. “Every fucking inch of you feels like it was made just for me.”

  “Do it,” Annabelle practically begged, and her body thrummed with unsatisfied lust while she squirmed against the slick tile wall. “Eat me. Oh my God, please put your mouth on me.”

  “That’s it.” He nipped the soft flesh of her inner thigh before laving the love bite with his tongue. “Tell me what you want. I fucking love hearing you say it.”

  Annabelle whimpered and her hips pumped toward him, eager to have him fulfill the wickedly sinful promises. It didn’t matter who they were or where they came from. All that mattered was what was happening in this moment. Zachary’s hand clutched her knee to his shoulder, and the other rasped up the slick flesh of her thigh before brushing his thumb along the edge of her pussy.

  Mate. The word scraped along her mind at the same instant his hot mouth covered her pussy. Annabelle screamed his name as his talented tongue flicked her clit in swift stokes and alternately slid between her folds. Her body sagged against the wall and she held his head to her while he continued his assault. Lust coiled deep inside her and the orgasm began to crest with excruciating pleasure. Everything came to a tight, torturous peak when Zachary dipped two fingers inside her hot channel and suckled the tiny bundle of nerves, taking her right over the edge. Annabelle’s back arched, and she cried out his name as a toe-curling climax ripped through her body from head to toe.

  Eyes closed, she struggled to catch her breath and barely registered that the water was still beating over the two of them in a hot, steady stream. Her leg slid from Zachary’s shoulder and a dreamy smile covered her face as she felt him languidly kiss his way back up her exhausted body.

  “I told you I’d make you scream,” he murmured. Zachary grinned and kissed the corner of her mouth. “I always keep my promises, and I’ll never lie to you.”

  The smile fell from her face and her body stilled as his words hit her with unintended force. He’d never lie to her, but she sure as hell lied to him, didn’t she? Annabelle’s eyes fluttered open and immediately clapped onto Zachary’s. His brow knitted with concern and his entire demeanor changed when he recognized the shift in her.

  “What’s wrong, Annabelle?” He cradled her face with both hands and brushed wet stands of hair off her forehead with his fingertips. His voice dropped to a concerned whisper, and he rested his forehead against hers, which only made it worse. “Are you alright? Did I hurt you?”

  Annabelle fought the tears that threatened to flow and shook her head adamantly. Once again he had shown nothing but tenderness, and his only concern seemed to be for her and her comfort. Zachary still had a raging hard-on, but that obvious need was immediately pushed aside when he noticed she was upset. Annabelle covered his hands with hers and let out a slow breath while gathering the courage to tell him the truth.

  Looking into his earnest hazel eyes, she knew she had to tell him who she was…but she just couldn’t do it. She knew she was being a coward. She wasn’t just afraid of what Zachary would think of her—she was afraid of hurting him too. What good would it do to tell him that she was Caedo? Did it really matter? She wouldn’t be staying with him or being his mate, because it would be too dangerous for both of them.

  No. Annabelle resigned herself to maintaining her silence, if only to protect him.

  “It�
�s okay.” Zachary pressed his lips to her forehead before reaching over and shutting off the water. He grabbed a fluffy green towel from the shelf just outside the shower and wrapped it around her quivering body with his trademark tenderness. Annabelle gave him a smile and opened her mouth to say something, but he held up his hand, preventing her from uttering a sound. “Listen. I get it. You don’t have to say anything. Things are moving really fast and I’m feeling kind of off my game too. I’ll leave you some clothes and a bathing suit on the bed, and after you get dressed, we’ll head into town and find out if anyone turned in your bag. Then we’ll find a phone so you can call whoever you need to call.”

  Then without another word, Zachary grabbed a towel before leaving and closing the bathroom door tightly behind him. When the door clicked shut, she let out the breath she’d been holding and slid down the wall to sit on the cold, wet tile of the shower floor. Hugging her arms around her knees, Annabelle shivered from a combination of emotional overload and damp, cooling flesh while she struggled to get herself focused.

  She’d wanted to stop him from leaving. To tell him everything and have him gather her back in his arms, but that would be selfish. Annabelle knew she had to let Zachary go, even though the mere idea of it broke her heart. She wasn’t a fool, and she hadn’t fallen in love with him overnight, but damn if she wasn’t on her way.

  Chapter 7

  Zachary had never been so fucking confused in his entire life. He’d thought that once he found his mate, life would get easier, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Being with Annabelle was a lesson in patience, self-control, and exquisite pleasure, all of which he’d experienced in full force that morning in the shower. Everything had been going along perfectly, and feasting on her gorgeous body was, quite simply, one of the hottest sexual encounters of his life—because it wasn’t merely physical. The pleasure was intensified by their intimate emotional connection, and watching her come apart the way she did was sexy as hell.

  Then it all changed on a dime.

  Something happened. He felt the shift in her energy signature, and even if he hadn’t, the look on her face would have been more than enough to bring their encounter to a screeching halt. Her expression was a combination of sadness and regret, and it slammed into him with gut-wrenching force. She’d come to him in the shower and made it crystal clear that she wanted to be with him, but then moments later, Annabelle had buyer’s remorse.

  She clearly regretted being intimate with him, and it made Zachary feel like absolute shit.

  While she got dressed, he spent his time scolding himself for being so selfish and stupid. The girl was running scared, and what did he do? He kept pushing the mating thing like an arrogant alpha Amoveo man. What the fuck was wrong with him? If Tatiana were here, she’d smack him upside the head and tell him he was being a dick.

  He stole a glance at Annabelle as they walked along the road toward town. She was wearing a blue sundress that he’d conjured up for her and looked every inch the beautiful young woman she was. Her long hair was wavy and wild as it fluttered in the breeze, reminding him again of a mermaid, but the angry red spots on her shoulders gave him pause.

  “You’re getting sunburned,” Zach said. He nodded toward her shoulders, and even though he wanted to run his hands over her smooth skin, he resisted. Sticking his hands in the pockets of his board shorts, Zach cleared his throat and turned his attention back to the buildings ahead. “We can grab some sunblock at the market, and some aloe would probably be a good idea too. That looks like it’s going to hurt.”

  Annabelle didn’t answer but simply nodded her agreement. She’d barely said a word since emerging from the bedroom, and Zachary didn’t know how to get her to open up. He considered reaching out to Dominic and Tatiana but decided against it because Dominic would never let him live it down.

  As they walked into the center of town, music drifted out of the local cantina next to the beach. He stole a glance at Annabelle. Her attention had also been captured by the lively tune and intermittent laughter from customers. “Sounds like a lot of fun in there. Actually, I thought there would be a lot more tourists here.”

  “Nope. It’s the off season, and the college kids aren’t on break right now. From what I gather, spring break is the busy season, but there are still a few intrepid travelers like the two of us around.”

  “I could use a little fun,” she said, turning her green-eyed gaze to his.

  “The food isn’t half bad, either,” Zach said. “I grabbed lunch in there right after I arrived, and it was great—real authentic Mexican cuisine.” They stopped at the corner and he pointed to the main building across the street. “The police station is in there, along with every other official office of this one-horse town. How about after we file your report and you make your phone call, we come over here for a bite to eat and some music. If my Spanish is on point, they have a band playing here tonight starting at six.” The Jet Ski vendor on the beach captured Zachary’s attention and an idea bloomed. “That’s only a few hours from now, and if sitting at the bar isn’t your thing, we can rent a WaveRunner and hit the ocean. Are you game?”

  “Well…” Annabelle shielded her eyes from the bright afternoon sun and looked from the cantina to Zachary. She dropped her hand and gave him a smile. “I suppose we do have to eat, don’t we?”

  “We do,” he responded quietly. Her green eyes smiled at him, but he sensed a wariness behind them, which only made him more determined to get her to trust him. He captured her hand in his and ran his thumb over the top of her fingers softly. Her eyes widened briefly and the unmistakable shimmer of desire fluttered between them. “Do you trust me?”

  “To pick out a restaurant?” she asked with a teasing lilt in her voice. “Sure.”

  “It’s a start.” Zachary winked and pulled her with him toward the police station. The smile that bloomed over her face lit up her green eyes and made them glitter like emeralds in the sun, and Zachary was certain he’d never seen anyone more beautiful. “Let’s go.”

  With Annabelle’s hand firmly clasped in his, Zachary led the way into the building. The inside was almost as hot as the outside; the only difference was the occasional rush of air from the giant metal fans perched in the corners. An officer at the front desk, who spoke remarkably good English, directed them to the second floor. As they climbed the wide staircase together, Zachary noticed Annabelle’s grip tighten, and her energy signature swirled with anxiety.

  When they reached the top of the stairs, Zachary pulled her aside and leaned on the balcony railing that overlooked the main lobby. Gathering both of her hands in his, he pulled her close and rasped his thumbs along the inner edges of her wrists. She sucked in a shuddering breath and gave him a forced smile.

  “You okay?” Zachary kept his voice low and glanced at a young mother and her toddler as they walked past. “I can tell how anxious you are.”

  “Am I that transparent?”

  “Not exactly.” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Your energy signature, which is kind of like a spiritual fingerprint that only Amoveo can see, is swirling around me right now like a storm cloud. I just want to make sure you’re okay before we head in there. That’s all.”

  “You’re amazing, do you know that?” Annabelle looked down at their joined hands and whispered, “I wish I could stay with you, Zachary. I really do. I haven’t felt this safe since before my mother died.”

  “If my friends were here, they’d tell you that you can’t fight fate, and believe me, they tried. Especially Dominic. Hell, he’s even more stubborn than I am.” He inched closer and tangled his fingers with hers. “I want you to stay, and you’re telling me you want to stay…so why not do what we both want?”

  “Sometimes what we want and what’s right are two different things.” She squeezed his hands tightly before lifting her face to his. “Believe me, I wish things could be different.”

&nbs
p; Zachary was about to press the issue, when a voice behind them interrupted their conversation.

  “Can I help you?” The man’s voice, laced with a thick accent, echoed around them in the cavernous hall. “Señorita?”

  This conversation isn’t over. Zachary touched his mind to hers and couldn’t help but smile when her eyes widened from the intimate connection.

  “Hello, officer.” Annabelle slipped her hands from Zachary’s and stepped around him with her hand extended. “I’m so relieved that you speak English.”

  “Sí.” The friendly man laughed and shook their hands enthusiastically. He was short with a thick, stocky build, barely two inches taller than Annabelle, and his salt-and-pepper hair was cropped in a military cut. Dark eyes were set in his round face, and he had a thick mustache that reminded Zachary of a caterpillar. “Yes. Of course. We have many Americans visit our beachside town, and I find that my English is better than their español.”

  “My girlfriend was mugged yesterday, and we’d like to file a report.” Zachary stayed by Annabelle’s side and didn’t miss the shift in her energy signature when he identified her as his girlfriend. He found himself feeling oddly protective of her, even in the presence of a cop, and the need to claim her as his was overwhelming. “All of her money and identification was in the bag the guy took, and even though the money is likely gone, we thought we might luck out and someone might turn in her passport.”

  “Of course. I’m Detective Vargas.” He gestured to the open door behind him. “Come with me.”

  They sat with Detective Vargas for over an hour while he took Annabelle’s statement and all of her information. The man was patient and highly detail-oriented, wanting to know every single bit of information Annabelle and Zachary could give him. In spite of the somewhat run-down office and antiquated computer, Zachary could tell that Vargas was an effective cop.