“My turn,” she said softly, reaching out to unzip his jeans. “I’m going to need your help with this,” she said, seeing how the size of his erection would make things a little tricky.

  “No problem,” he said, taking over and tugging both jeans and boxer shorts down a pair of muscular thighs.

  Her mouth literally dropped open upon seeing the size of him. She’d known from the feel of him that he was big, but he wasn’t just big—he was colossal. And that thatch of dark curls surrounding it tempted her to slide her fingers through them.

  “Anything wrong, Celine?”

  Was he toying with her? He had to know he was a lot bigger than most men. She was wondering how in the world gigantic him would get into tight little her. There was no way she wouldn’t be tight after not sharing any man’s bed in almost four years. “Nothing is wrong as long as you promise to go easy on me.”

  He lifted a brow. “Go easy on you?”

  OMG! Did he need her to spell it out for him? She would if doing so would spare her unnecessary physical pain later. “I haven’t done this in almost four years.”

  She saw disbelief in his eyes. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No, I’m not kidding, Zion.”

  “What about...?”

  “All that stuff you’ve read and heard?” she offered. “Especially how I jet-set all over the world with my numerous lovers?”

  “Pretty much,” he muttered in reply.

  She shook her head. Most of the time when the tabloids were accusing her of those things, she was hiding out in her office at Second Chances or behind the scenes at one of her soup kitchens. “I once warned you not to believe everything you read about me,” she said, placing her hands on her hips, ignoring the fact that she was naked and he was getting an eyeful of her, like she was getting of him. “I’ve told you the score, so what do you intend to do about it, Zion?”

  He moved closer and swept her into his arms and then whispered, “I’ll go easy.”

  * * *

  Or die trying, Zion thought, placing her back on the bed and then lying beside her. Totally naked, they faced each other without saying anything. At that moment nothing needed to be said. The sexual chemistry surrounding them said it all. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted a woman and he needed to be cautious moving forward. She was the one woman he’d broken rules for when he’d mixed business and pleasure while in LA. But now she was on his turf and he wouldn’t break any more.

  He leaned forward and captured her lips in a demanding and greedy kiss. Intentionally so. With his mouth clamped to hers he took total possession. He knew the desire was mutual when she moaned deep into his mouth. Then he began touching her practically everywhere, loving the feel of her velvety skin.

  Zion suddenly broke off the kiss to stare down at her and she tipped her head to stare back. At that moment, something—he wasn’t sure exactly what—happened. The connection was like a click in his brain and he felt invisible threads tighten between them. He resented the feeling and in protest he cradled her face in his hands, claiming her mouth again, boldly sweeping his tongue between her parted lips.

  He reluctantly released her mouth and eased from the bed to grab his jeans off the floor. After opening his wallet, he pulled out a condom packet. He was very much aware that Celine was watching attentively as he eased it on. A part of him recalled what she’d said earlier about his size. She wasn’t the first woman who’d made reference to it. However, it was the first time such a comment actually mattered.

  “Had you asked, I would have told you that I’m on the pill.”

  He glanced over to where she lay, propped on the bed in one hell of a sexy pose. Just looking at her naked body made the blood in his veins burn hot and molten. “It would not have mattered,” he said, coming back to the bed. “I wear a condom regardless.”

  “Another one of your rules?”

  “Yes, another one of my rules. Like I told you, I am fiercely bound to them.”

  “Umm, one day you’re liable to come unbound,” she said.

  “That will never happen.”

  Tired of talking, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, loving the warm and silky feel of her mouth. For the past month she had been the one constant in his mind, the one person he’d thought about when he went to bed, the one and only to ever invade his dreams. And now she was here.

  Zion could feel the air surrounding them suddenly take on a life of its own, becoming sexually heated with a nuance of desire so intense it seemed to overpower him, made him intensify the kiss even more. He was driven to touch her between her legs and stroke the swollen folds of her moist femininity.

  This time she was the one who pulled back from the kiss, the one who cradled his face in her hands to whisper, “I want you inside me, Zion.”

  At that moment every single nerve in his body vibrated in both anticipation and need. “I want to be inside you, too.”

  He meant it with every ounce of his being. “I’m going to let you control things,” he said, lifting her into his arms and placing her on top to straddle him. “This way you take inside you only as much of me as you want.”

  “I want it all.”

  He wanted her to have it all. “You can and will. Take your time. No rush.” He just hoped he could keep control and handle the torture.

  Zion stared up at her as his hard, solid erection poked against the folds of her warm womanly core. Just the thought that his engorged manhood was there at the entrance of her mound made sexual excitement curl in his stomach.

  She grabbed hold of his shoulders as she stared down at him. “I hope you’re ready for me, Zion.”

  He was more than ready. When she began lowering herself onto him, he gritted his teeth as bone-melting fire began spreading through his bloodstream. And at that moment all he could do was whisper her name with a need he couldn’t hold back.

  * * *

  This was a first for Celine. Never had any man allowed her to do this, use this position to take control. But now Zion was giving her this chance to regulate their lovemaking. When the head of his erection began entering her, she could feel her body stretching to accommodate him. Their gazes locked in the process and she knew from the way he was gritting his teeth that he was fighting the urge to thrust up hard inside her.

  As she’d known it would be, her body was tight. She kept lowering herself onto him and his hardness seemed to fill every inch of her, until she couldn’t press down any farther.

  “Hold still for a moment,” he whispered. “You’ve accomplished a lot already.”

  Had she? He wasn’t even halfway inside her. “Open your legs a little wider,” he instructed in a soft yet husky tone.

  Celine did so and then gave a satisfied sigh when she felt herself sinking even farther, taking more of him inside.

  When she knew he was embedded as deep as he could possibly go, she lowered her head and met his lips. The kiss they shared was hot and carnal. Feeling totally exhilarated, she began moving, slowly. Then she picked up speed, moving to her own rhythm, and began riding him. The lower part of her pelvis moved up and down and she loved the feel of him fitting so snugly inside her.

  She broke off the kiss and whispered against his moist lips, “I want you to take over now, Zion. And please take me hard.”

  * * *

  She didn’t have to make the request twice. Without missing a beat, Zion quickly switched their positions so that he was on top. The moment she was pinned in place beneath him, he began thrusting in and out of her, withdrawing and then reentering her again. Over and over. Her fingers dug deep into his shoulder blades, but he felt no pain. What he felt was pleasure so intense, so toe-curling, so fantastic, that he was driven to lean down and cover her mouth with his own again. He kissed her while his body took hers the way she’d asked him to, appeasing the sexual hunger neither of them could contain any longer.

  Celine’s inner muscles were gripping him, holding him, milking him for the semen the condom prevented him from sharing with any woman. But damn, he enjoyed the feel of her trying. When her body arched upward to receive his thrusts, he couldn’t ever remember experiencing this feeling with any other lover. He was burning, on fire, and the flames threatened to consume him.

  With one last thrust he was pushed over the edge, the same time she was. Simultaneously, screams tore from their mouths.

  “Zion!”

  “Celine!”

  Sensations ripped through him, spiraling him into one hell of an orgasmic explosion. Throwing his head back, Zion screamed out his pleasure in a way he’d never done before.

  The need to kiss her again consumed him, urging him to connect with her mouth just as another orgasm slammed into him. He captured her lips, sucking them into his mouth with a need that pulsated in his very soul.

  Moments later, when his body ceased its vibrations and his breathing returned to normal, he eased off Celine and pulled her against him. Instinctively, her body curled into him and he wrapped himself around her. Loving the feel of her in his arms.

  Chapter 16

  Hours later, unable to sleep, Zion eased from his bed and pulled on his jeans. He glanced at the wall clock and saw it was almost three in the morning. After he and Celine had made love twice, they had gone downstairs to eat the potpie she’d cooked for dinner. The meal had been delicious and he’d surprised himself with a second helping. After dinner they had cleaned up the kitchen before returning to bed for another round of lovemaking, and had drifted off to sleep afterward.

  He’d awakened before midnight to find her wrapped in his arms and their limbs entwined. Leaving her alone in that bed had been hard, but after unraveling their bodies, he had eased from the bed, re-dressed and headed for the door, with the intent of not looking back.

  But he had.

  Doing so had been his downfall. She’d been sleeping peacefully, with her face to him, and even while sleeping, she was beautiful. He loved her lips even more now that he’d spent an entire night tasting them. They were full, inviting, and he’d enjoyed devouring them time and time again. His gaze had drifted to the rest of her and he could make out her shapely body beneath the bedcovers. A body he’d enjoyed making love to. Too damn much. It had taken every ounce of his control not to return to that bed, but to walk out the door and go to his own room.

  And he hadn’t been able to sleep.

  After making love to Celine he should feel totally and completely satisfied. Instead he felt restless and agitated, with a desire to rejoin her in that bed and break one more of his rules. Damn. Hadn’t he broken a couple already because of her? There had been the business-versus-pleasure rule in Los Angeles, when he’d crossed the line and kissed her. And her being here, in this particular house, was breaking another rule. He tried convincing himself that with the kidnappers on her tail, her being here couldn’t be helped. But that had nothing to do with the fact he’d gone to bed with her. That was not only a rule breaker but a game changer.

  And now, hours later, he was having withdrawal. He wanted her again. However, that wouldn’t be happening. He was determined not to break any more Zion’s Rules, which was why she was in the guest room and he was here in his own bedroom. Regardless of the fact he was feeling restless and agitated. Namely because other than those sexual desires eating at him, he had a strong feeling there was more to Celine than her beauty, curvaceous body and gorgeous legs.

  He had figured that out over dinner, when the conversation somehow shifted to the state of the economy, world and domestic affairs and politics. It was obvious she was well versed on a number of topics and had strong opinions about particular ones. And they’d been opinions she hadn’t minded expressing. He liked that about her—her ability to speak her mind and have no qualms about doing so. At first, in LA, her outspokenness had bothered him, but now he saw it was just a part of who she was.

  He moved to his bed again and, lifting the covers, eased back inside. Why did it suddenly feel cold and empty when it never had before? He knew his desire for one particular woman was messing with his mind, but he refused to go there. What he needed to do was get his rest, in order to deal with what he anticipated would be Celine’s attitude tomorrow. He figured that, like most women, she would not like that he’d left her bed without staying the entire night. Women expected to be held and cuddled after sex, but that wasn’t part of his makeup, so he’d made it one of his rules. He would tell her that, and if she didn’t like it, then it would be her problem, not his.

  * * *

  Celine opened her eyes, not sure what had awakened her. Maybe it was the sound of something stirring outside the window. Hopefully only a wild animal, she told herself, recalling what Zion had told her about being safe here. Besides, no one knew where she was and who she was with.

  She flipped over on her back and stared up at the ceiling, not surprised she was in this bed alone. She had expected such a move from Zion. It was obvious the man had commitment phobias, and that was his issue, not hers. Yet she couldn’t help wondering why.

  Celine shifted again to glance over at the clock on the nightstand. It was hard to believe it was almost four in the morning. She drew in a deep breath and inhaled Zion’s masculine scent lingering in the bedcovers.

  She closed her eyes and remembered all she and Zion had done in this bed. Every single detail. Yet, even after all that, there was a degree of restlessness consuming her. Either that or after a few rounds of sex, she’d gotten addicted to Zion Blackstone. She’d never gotten addicted to anything in her life, so such a thing had to be impossible. Besides, Zion was a complicated man and she preferred not dealing with any more complications right now. She had enough to contend with.

  Tomorrow would be a new day and she would make the best of it. The last thing she intended to do was make Zion think she was one of those needy women like that Bettina, who’d called a third time last night. They had been eating dinner, and when Celine asked Zion if he intended to take the call, he’d given her a firm no. For a quick minute she had felt a little bit of sympathy for the pesky Bettina, then just as quickly recalled the woman’s attitude toward her. The bitchiness and jealousy hadn’t been warranted. Who got possessive over a man who evidently didn’t want you? Or a man who had no intention of taking an involvement with you seriously? Celine was not that kind of woman and figured Zion would quickly figure that out.

  Satisfied with those thoughts, Celine closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

  * * *

  “Good morning, Zion. You’re up early.”

  Zion turned from the stove and braced himself for Celine’s fury at being left alone in bed. “Since you cooked dinner last night, I figured I would tackle breakfast.”

  “Oh, aren’t you sweet.”

  Sweet? He’d been called a lot of things by a woman the morning after, but sweet wasn’t one of them.

  “So, what do you have planned today?” she asked.

  “I’m working on a few pieces at the cottage, but I will take a break around lunch. If the weather holds I thought I’d show you the way down to the lake. You might like it there.”

  “That would be nice. Thanks.”

  “And if you’re ready to eat now I’ll put everything on the table,” he said.

  “Yes, I’m ready. I have a ferocious appetite this morning.”

  “Do you?” he asked.

  “Yes. Do you need help with anything?”

  He shook his head. “No, I got this,” he said, placing various platters in the center of the table. He’d cooked eggs, bacon and waffles.

  “Mmm, everything looks good. Who taught you how to cook?” she asked.

  He glanced at her as he took the chair across the table. “When I first moved to Rome I was living on a limited budget. I made my jewelry by day and moonlighted as a waiter in this restaurant. One day the cook got mad and walked out, and since the owner thought I was the one with the most promise, he threw me in the kitchen and taught me what I needed to know as a breakfast cook. I worked there for two years, and by the time I left I was helping out with evening meals.”

  She nodded. “How did you become the former First Lady’s jeweler?”

  “By luck. Just so happens one of my regular breakfast customers was a good friend of the president. They attended Harvard together. He told him about me and Mr. President requested samples of my work. He liked what he saw and I was commissioned to design something for her birthday.”

  Celine smiled at him. “The world saw it and then every woman wanted jewelry by Zion. You became all the rave.”

  “It pays the bills,” he said, trying hard not to stare at how she was licking syrup off her fork.

  “Evidently. I love both your condo and this place.”

  He didn’t say anything for a minute and then asked, “What do you intend to do today? Unfortunately, there aren’t any shopping malls close by.”

  She shrugged. “No problem. I’ve got my laptop with me. You have Wi-Fi here, right?”

  Laptop? Why would she need a laptop? “Yes, I have Wi-Fi.”

  “Good. If you don’t mind giving me the password I’ll be all set.”

  For what? he wondered. And why hadn’t she mentioned anything about their time in bed together? Wrapped in each other’s arms. Connected to each other’s body. Was she not upset that they hadn’t spent the entire night together? That he had left her alone?

  “How did you sleep last night?” he asked, refusing to let it go. Refusing to let her forget when he couldn’t.

  She smiled again as she piled more eggs onto her plate. “I slept like a baby. That bed was the bomb. I’m glad that’s the bedroom you gave me to use.”

  He tried not to glare at her, but stared down at his plate as he began eating. Why was her nonchalant attitude pissing him off? He should be glad it hadn’t bothered her that he’d left her bed after making love to her several times.