care. But her next thought caused even more discomfort. After tomorrow she’d probably never see Zak again.
Chapter Five
Zak moved with controlled precision as she inched her way toward the woman sleeping beside her. She was stealth personified. She molded her legs into the crook of her lover’s knees and scooted in. The tiny hairs on her body extended as if to bridge the distance between them. Her objective was to get as close as possible without waking her, so close that the desire to touch was unbearable.
She lowered her head and sniffed the caramel skin that flowed like topping over the exquisite body. The scent of sweaty sex clung to her, reminiscent of last night’s activities. The pressure between her legs increased as she remembered their sex play. Dipping her head lower, she inhaled the funky morning breath that immediately made her crave a kiss.
Only in the pre-dawn hours did Zak allow these precious moments of imagined intimacy. As the woman next to her slept, she fantasized that theirs was a true relationship. But she didn’t deserve this woman or the dream. She’d used her body as a weapon of seduction for so long that the programmed responses became indistinguishable from real emotion. Everything about her presence here was a lie.
“Are you going to kiss me or just stare at me all morning?” As she turned to face Zak the strands of long black hair feathered across the pillow and turned a deep shade of auburn. The round face, slightly flat nose, and dark brown eyes changed to a heart-shaped face, upturned nose with light freckles, and chocolate brown eyes with green flecks. Gwen’s face slowly transformed into Sara’s, smiling up at her, waiting to be kissed.
Zak backed away and abruptly fell onto the hard tile floor of her hotel room. She’d drifted into a restless sleep on the sofa only an hour ago. After bolting from Sara, she reprimanded herself for having dinner with her. She had issued the invitation because of guilt, and a moment of sentimentality nearly caused her to divulge personal information.
Something in Sara’s voice when she talked about her parents tugged at Zak’s heart. Such love and devotion was rare these days, especially in families. It reminded her of the way her own family used to be. And Sara’s lack of control over her life struck a chord in Zak. They seemed to share a bond, a mutual search for the missing piece of themselves.
Without considering the repercussions, she had gazed into Sara’s eyes and was torn between the need for a real connection and the fear of making one. She only hoped Sara couldn’t see how much she wanted to confide in her. When Sara touched her hands, the contact registered not only in Zak’s body but in a place untouched for years.
In her previous life she wouldn’t have hesitated to explore her conflicted feelings about this alluring but annoying woman. But in her previous life she wouldn’t have hurt a woman like Gwen either, not even if it was her job. While she knew that Gwen wasn’t in love with her, they shared a link, a trust that had been broken. The more she put her life on hold for work, the more she felt like a Company instrument instead of an individual. Could her feelings atrophy from disuse?
Maybe her lack of sleep was contributing to this unproductive foray into the emotional. She needed to remember for just a few more hours that she didn’t know this woman well enough to feel anything for her except irritation. One more day and she’d be free. Then she could sort through these residual emotions, rest, and get on with a less distracting assignment. She untangled herself from the blanket she’d thrown over herself and headed to the bathroom.
After a hot shower, Zak was at the airport by four and had everything ready when Sara arrived at six. Her client wore appropriate bush-country attire and negated the necessity for the sermon on brightly colored or stark white clothing that attracted animals and insects. The
Chapter Five
Zak moved with controlled precision as she inched her way toward the woman sleeping beside her. She was stealth personified. She molded her legs into the crook of her lover’s knees and scooted in. The tiny hairs on her body extended as if to bridge the distance between them. Her objective was to get as close as possible without waking her, so close that the desire to touch was unbearable.
She lowered her head and sniffed the caramel skin that flowed like topping over the exquisite body. The scent of sweaty sex clung to her, reminiscent of last night’s activities. The pressure between her legs increased as she remembered their sex play. Dipping her head lower, she inhaled the funky morning breath that immediately made her crave a kiss.
Only in the pre-dawn hours did Zak allow these precious moments of imagined intimacy. As the woman next to her slept, she fantasized that theirs was a true relationship. But she didn’t deserve this woman or the dream. She’d used her body as a weapon of seduction for so long that the programmed responses became indistinguishable from real emotion. Everything about her presence here was a lie.
“Are you going to kiss me or just stare at me all morning?” As she turned to face Zak the strands of long black hair feathered across the pillow and turned a deep shade of auburn. The round face, slightly flat nose, and dark brown eyes changed to a heart-shaped face, upturned nose with light freckles, and chocolate brown eyes with green flecks. Gwen’s face slowly transformed into Sara’s, smiling up at her, waiting to be kissed.
Zak backed away and abruptly fell onto the hard tile floor of her hotel room. She’d drifted into a restless sleep on the sofa only an hour ago. After bolting from Sara, she reprimanded herself for having dinner with her. She had issued the invitation because of guilt, and a moment of sentimentality nearly caused her to divulge personal information.
Something in Sara’s voice when she talked about her parents tugged at Zak’s heart. Such love and devotion was rare these days, especially in families. It reminded her of the way her own family used to be. And Sara’s lack of control over her life struck a chord in Zak. They seemed to share a bond, a mutual search for the missing piece of themselves.
Without considering the repercussions, she had gazed into Sara’s eyes and was torn between the need for a real connection and the fear of making one. She only hoped Sara couldn’t see how much she wanted to confide in her. When Sara touched her hands, the contact registered not only in Zak’s body but in a place untouched for years.
In her previous life she wouldn’t have hesitated to explore her conflicted feelings about this alluring but annoying woman. But in her previous life she wouldn’t have hurt a woman like Gwen either, not even if it was her job. While she knew that Gwen wasn’t in love with her, they shared a link, a trust that had been broken. The more she put her life on hold for work, the more she felt like a Company instrument instead of an individual. Could her feelings atrophy from disuse?
Maybe her lack of sleep was contributing to this unproductive foray into the emotional. She needed to remember for just a few more hours that she didn’t know this woman well enough to feel anything for her except irritation. One more day and she’d be free. Then she could sort through these residual emotions, rest, and get on with a less distracting assignment. She untangled herself from the blanket she’d thrown over herself and headed to the bathroom.
After a hot shower, Zak was at the airport by four and had everything ready when Sara arrived at six. Her client wore appropriate bush-country attire and negated the necessity for the sermon on brightly colored or stark white clothing that attracted animals and insects. The
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