arms, but she somehow managed.
“I feel like such a dork.”
“Perhaps, but your lack of balance gave me the opportunity to come to your rescue.”
Amy realized he was still holding her hand only when he brought it to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on its back. She hoped he didn’t notice her blush.
“And what is your name, my damsel in distress?”
His smile was so warm and welcoming, so… so overwhelming.
“Amy,” she whispered.
“Amy,” he paused, as if savoring the word. “Hello, Amy. You can call me Z.”
He finally released her hand, and it hovered there, not wanting to return to her side.
“What does ‘Z’ stand for?” Amy asked.
As he opened his mouth to answer, she had to force herself away from those eyes. They stirred something in her and made her feel apprehensive, almost but not quite violated.
“My name is too difficult to pronounce. It’s not an English name.”
He had an accent, though not one she’d ever heard. Some words were too perfect, too exquisitely articulated. She let her gaze drop. In a flash, she could see how flawlessly scuplted this man’s body was. His broad chest, his flat abs, his small waist… Amy felt a twinge of excitement in the pit of her stomach, until she remembered that moments ago, she was on all fours in the gravel.
“Don’t be embarrassed about falling. I was planning on getting you on your hands and knees tonight anyway.”
The twinge of excitement immediately dropped between her legs, and the wetness she’d felt earlier returned. The combination of Z’s smirk, his bluntness and Amy’s own excitement blindsided her. Confused, she took a step back — right into the pothole.
This time, however, Z grabbed her upper arms and quickly pulled her towards him. She put her hand against his chest to stop him, and gasped. It was like touching a boulder. Amy knew she should be scared of this total stranger, yet she wasn’t. In fact, she trusted him. And her arousal was growing.
Z said, calmly and confidently, “Amy, we have two ways to proceed: You can walk back in the bar and have a drink with me, during which you’ll decide you absolutely want to take me to your bed tonight…”
He paused. Amy tried unsuccessfully to break free from his firm grip. She stammered, “Or… or what?”
Z never broke his gaze. “Or we can skip the drink.” And that was the moment Amy knew she was not only helpless against him, but thrilled to be so.
Chapter 2
Amy’s hand trembled as she tried to unlock the front door. What was it, nerves? Anxiety? Anticipation? All of the above? Her hand shook so badly she couldn’t even get the key in the doorknob.
“Allow me.”
Z smiled and took the key from her hand, using it to effortlessly open the door. Or did he even use the key? Amy could have sworn he just turned the knob and pushed. Had she left it unlocked?
“How did…?”
Her question trailed off when she saw how messy her apartment was. Sure, she’d entertained the possibility of bringing someone home from the bar, but she’d toyed with that idea many times before and rarely followed through. Only twice, in fact, and those were guys she’d already known.
The small kitchen had dirty dishes on the counter. There were stacks of mail on the coffee table. Everything could use a good vacuuming and dusting. Before she could give it much thought, she heard a familiar sound.
“Darwin!” Amy cooed, happy to see her brown tabby cat as he came trotting into the room, meowing approval at her return. Just a few steps into the living room though, Darwin stopped cold. His back arched and he hissed ferociously in their direction, then quickly bolted back into the bedroom. Confused, Amy looked at Z, who looked a little befuddled himself.
“That’s odd,” she said, “I don’t know what on earth got into him.”
Amy forgot all about the cat a second later when Z pulled her body against his own, wrapping his arms around her waist and looking at her with obvious
“I feel like such a dork.”
“Perhaps, but your lack of balance gave me the opportunity to come to your rescue.”
Amy realized he was still holding her hand only when he brought it to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on its back. She hoped he didn’t notice her blush.
“And what is your name, my damsel in distress?”
His smile was so warm and welcoming, so… so overwhelming.
“Amy,” she whispered.
“Amy,” he paused, as if savoring the word. “Hello, Amy. You can call me Z.”
He finally released her hand, and it hovered there, not wanting to return to her side.
“What does ‘Z’ stand for?” Amy asked.
As he opened his mouth to answer, she had to force herself away from those eyes. They stirred something in her and made her feel apprehensive, almost but not quite violated.
“My name is too difficult to pronounce. It’s not an English name.”
He had an accent, though not one she’d ever heard. Some words were too perfect, too exquisitely articulated. She let her gaze drop. In a flash, she could see how flawlessly scuplted this man’s body was. His broad chest, his flat abs, his small waist… Amy felt a twinge of excitement in the pit of her stomach, until she remembered that moments ago, she was on all fours in the gravel.
“Don’t be embarrassed about falling. I was planning on getting you on your hands and knees tonight anyway.”
The twinge of excitement immediately dropped between her legs, and the wetness she’d felt earlier returned. The combination of Z’s smirk, his bluntness and Amy’s own excitement blindsided her. Confused, she took a step back — right into the pothole.
This time, however, Z grabbed her upper arms and quickly pulled her towards him. She put her hand against his chest to stop him, and gasped. It was like touching a boulder. Amy knew she should be scared of this total stranger, yet she wasn’t. In fact, she trusted him. And her arousal was growing.
Z said, calmly and confidently, “Amy, we have two ways to proceed: You can walk back in the bar and have a drink with me, during which you’ll decide you absolutely want to take me to your bed tonight…”
He paused. Amy tried unsuccessfully to break free from his firm grip. She stammered, “Or… or what?”
Z never broke his gaze. “Or we can skip the drink.” And that was the moment Amy knew she was not only helpless against him, but thrilled to be so.
Chapter 2
Amy’s hand trembled as she tried to unlock the front door. What was it, nerves? Anxiety? Anticipation? All of the above? Her hand shook so badly she couldn’t even get the key in the doorknob.
“Allow me.”
Z smiled and took the key from her hand, using it to effortlessly open the door. Or did he even use the key? Amy could have sworn he just turned the knob and pushed. Had she left it unlocked?
“How did…?”
Her question trailed off when she saw how messy her apartment was. Sure, she’d entertained the possibility of bringing someone home from the bar, but she’d toyed with that idea many times before and rarely followed through. Only twice, in fact, and those were guys she’d already known.
The small kitchen had dirty dishes on the counter. There were stacks of mail on the coffee table. Everything could use a good vacuuming and dusting. Before she could give it much thought, she heard a familiar sound.
“Darwin!” Amy cooed, happy to see her brown tabby cat as he came trotting into the room, meowing approval at her return. Just a few steps into the living room though, Darwin stopped cold. His back arched and he hissed ferociously in their direction, then quickly bolted back into the bedroom. Confused, Amy looked at Z, who looked a little befuddled himself.
“That’s odd,” she said, “I don’t know what on earth got into him.”
Amy forgot all about the cat a second later when Z pulled her body against his own, wrapping his arms around her waist and looking at her with obvious
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