the cliff out into the ocean."
"Can't we climb past it?" Zach asked. "There must be more beach on the other side."
Bryony's heart jumped at the disappointment in his voice. She wondered if he might also be sorry their time together was ending. "We can cross over another time," she told him. "There's a beautiful little beach, very isolated and private. You have to do some wading and climb over some rocks to get there. Not tonight, though -- the tide's high. See how it covers the base of the promontory?"
Zach nodded. "I see it now. I guess you'd have to swim."
"Or call in the Coast Guard. There's no way out except up a sheer cliff."
They turned around and began the walk back to the house. They didn't talk, but the silence was a friendly one. The waves beat a soothing rhythm as their feet. The lights of the houses along the shore were tiny beacons in the darkness. Bryony let the night air caress her cheeks and neck. It was getting cooler, and she shivered a little.
"You're cold," Zach said, already struggling out of his jacket. "Here, put this on."
"I'm all right," Bryony sai , but it was too late. He had already draped the coat over her shoulders. She had to admit that the wool collar, still warm from Zach's body, felt good against the bare skin of her neck. "Now you'll freeze."
"I know how to heat things up," he said, leering good naturedly at her as he adjusted the coat around her shoulders.
"Excuse me?"
"We'll have a race. First one back to the house wins a forfeit from the other. If you win, I'll do anything you ask."
"And if you win?"
"Don't worry," Zach said. "I'll think of something I want." He swept his eyes over her body, implying a hundred sensual pleasures without saying a word.
Bryony felt the pleasant heat of arousal uncurling in her stomach. Her shallow breaths caught in her throat as she fought back the urge to move closer to him. He'd derided her already tonight for throwing herself at him. She wouldn't give him another chance.
Instead, without a word, she turned and ran down the beach. From behind she heard his hoarse cry of mock outrage. Bryony felt like she could run forever. She barely touched the sand under her feet as she flew toward the house.
And then the ground was shaking with a giant's footsteps as Zach caught up to her and passed her by, as easily as if she was crawling. She saw the long muscles of his legs bunching and releasing under his jeans as he jogged past her.
When she drew up beside him a few moments later, he wasn't even breathing hard. The only evidence that he'd been running came from the thin sheen of perspiration over the tanned skin of his face.
He was grinning, his eyes glowing darkly. "You tried to cheat," he said, staring at her with a steely intensity. "But I won anyway. Now I want my prize."
CHAPTER FOUR
Bryony felt her insides liquefy under Zach's demanding, hungry gaze. She couldn't tell whether it was the exercise or something else that made her breath come so rapidly. "Good thing we didn't really have a bet," she said.
"What? But --" Zach sputtered.
"We didn't shake on it," she said. "No handshake, no bet. At least, those are the rules Vivien and I always played by."
"Of all the childish --" He broke off, laughing. "All right. You get away with it this time, but next time no excuses. I'll expect to collect."
"Next time, I'll make the rules. And I'll win, too," Bryony said, thrusting out her chin like a boastful child. She couldn't contain the laughter bubbling up in her throat. Within seconds they were nearly doubled over laughing, both gasping for breath.
Stealing a glance at Bryony's face, Zach had to fight the urge to gather her in his arms. Her pale skin glowed softly, flushed slightly pink with running. The moonlight brought out the gold in her red hair. Her firm round breasts rose and fell gently against her sweater as she caught her breath. Enveloped in his bulky coat, she looked delightfully small and feminine. He took a step toward her .
"Can't we climb past it?" Zach asked. "There must be more beach on the other side."
Bryony's heart jumped at the disappointment in his voice. She wondered if he might also be sorry their time together was ending. "We can cross over another time," she told him. "There's a beautiful little beach, very isolated and private. You have to do some wading and climb over some rocks to get there. Not tonight, though -- the tide's high. See how it covers the base of the promontory?"
Zach nodded. "I see it now. I guess you'd have to swim."
"Or call in the Coast Guard. There's no way out except up a sheer cliff."
They turned around and began the walk back to the house. They didn't talk, but the silence was a friendly one. The waves beat a soothing rhythm as their feet. The lights of the houses along the shore were tiny beacons in the darkness. Bryony let the night air caress her cheeks and neck. It was getting cooler, and she shivered a little.
"You're cold," Zach said, already struggling out of his jacket. "Here, put this on."
"I'm all right," Bryony sai , but it was too late. He had already draped the coat over her shoulders. She had to admit that the wool collar, still warm from Zach's body, felt good against the bare skin of her neck. "Now you'll freeze."
"I know how to heat things up," he said, leering good naturedly at her as he adjusted the coat around her shoulders.
"Excuse me?"
"We'll have a race. First one back to the house wins a forfeit from the other. If you win, I'll do anything you ask."
"And if you win?"
"Don't worry," Zach said. "I'll think of something I want." He swept his eyes over her body, implying a hundred sensual pleasures without saying a word.
Bryony felt the pleasant heat of arousal uncurling in her stomach. Her shallow breaths caught in her throat as she fought back the urge to move closer to him. He'd derided her already tonight for throwing herself at him. She wouldn't give him another chance.
Instead, without a word, she turned and ran down the beach. From behind she heard his hoarse cry of mock outrage. Bryony felt like she could run forever. She barely touched the sand under her feet as she flew toward the house.
And then the ground was shaking with a giant's footsteps as Zach caught up to her and passed her by, as easily as if she was crawling. She saw the long muscles of his legs bunching and releasing under his jeans as he jogged past her.
When she drew up beside him a few moments later, he wasn't even breathing hard. The only evidence that he'd been running came from the thin sheen of perspiration over the tanned skin of his face.
He was grinning, his eyes glowing darkly. "You tried to cheat," he said, staring at her with a steely intensity. "But I won anyway. Now I want my prize."
CHAPTER FOUR
Bryony felt her insides liquefy under Zach's demanding, hungry gaze. She couldn't tell whether it was the exercise or something else that made her breath come so rapidly. "Good thing we didn't really have a bet," she said.
"What? But --" Zach sputtered.
"We didn't shake on it," she said. "No handshake, no bet. At least, those are the rules Vivien and I always played by."
"Of all the childish --" He broke off, laughing. "All right. You get away with it this time, but next time no excuses. I'll expect to collect."
"Next time, I'll make the rules. And I'll win, too," Bryony said, thrusting out her chin like a boastful child. She couldn't contain the laughter bubbling up in her throat. Within seconds they were nearly doubled over laughing, both gasping for breath.
Stealing a glance at Bryony's face, Zach had to fight the urge to gather her in his arms. Her pale skin glowed softly, flushed slightly pink with running. The moonlight brought out the gold in her red hair. Her firm round breasts rose and fell gently against her sweater as she caught her breath. Enveloped in his bulky coat, she looked delightfully small and feminine. He took a step toward her .
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