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Bethany jumped up.“I’m not hungry, Zach.Can we leave, please?”
She didn’t wait for his answer.Heels sinking into the plush, carpeted floors, she exited the restaurant and struck off toward the well-lit square.
Zach caught up with her barely a minute later.He didn’t speak or try to slow her rapid strides.
She walked into the busy square and came to an abrupt halt.“Sugar.I want sugar.”
She looked left and right and headed for the stall that offered what she needed.She eyed the assorted confections and picked one dripping in honey.
Zach’s jaw tightened as she reached for her clutch, and he handed over a note before she could.His instruction to the vendor to keep the change brought a deluge of thanks that followed them down the street until they were out of the square.
Bethany munched on the sticky honey sweet, aware of Zach’s furtive glances at her as they strolled through another quieter souk.
“Talk to me, Bethany.I don’t want this distance between us.”
“Oh, so you can feel the distance?”
He snorted.“Are you serious?It’s a fucking mile wide.”
She threw the last bite in a nearby bin and glared at him.“Well, watching that belly dancer eye-fuck you all night has a way of cooling my ardor.”
His eyes widened, and a grin spread slowly across his face.“That’s the problem?You’re jealous?”
“No need to sound so disgustingly pleased about it.”She whirled away, but he caught her hand and roughly kissed her knuckle.
“Oh, but I am.I’m very, very pleased.”His voice was just as rough.Grabbing her ass, he squeezed hard.“I don’t even remember what she looks like, Peaches.”
“That doesn’t make it any better.”
“I know what will.”He set off down a quiet alley, dragging her behind him.
“Where are we going?Zach, slow down.”
“No.”
18
The alley grew darker, the wall on both sides soaring four floors high.Normally, she’d have been wary of being in such a dark place, but being with Zach, even when he made her blindingly mad, made her feel safe.
Although safe was the last thing on her mind now as strong, impatient hands lifted her off her feet and slammed her against the wall.
“Zach!”
“Do you know if we’re discovered, we’ll be thrown in jail for years?Even if you were my wife, we’d still be arrested.”
She jerked and tried to push him off.“Zach… no.”The thought of Zach being married to anyone, to her, made her senses reel.Things she’d avoided thinking about suddenly tumbled through her head, making her hope, making her dream of a future she had no business dreaming of.She’d known him only a matter of days, for God’s sake.
“But the danger makes the anticipation sharper, doesn’t it?”
She focused as need slammed into her.His fingers edged up her dress, blazing a trail of fire along her inner thigh.
“We can’t…”
“No, we can’t.It’s forbidden.”But he didn’t stop.His fingers grazed her panties, found her damp and needy.He swore.“What did I say to you about panties, Peaches?”
“That… I shouldn’t wear any?”
“So what’s this?”