He came to stand directly in front of her. “Too late. I’m already involved. And I think you should wait a couple of days before you leave, to make sure the authorities arrest everyone who’s been implicated.”

  She saw nothing wrong with his suggestion. In fact, she thought it was a smart move. “All right. And when I return to the States things will be different.”

  “In what way?”

  She began pacing, knowing he was watching her closely. But she needed to move around. Standing near him for too long a time filled her with too many memories. The heat and texture of his skin. His taste. How much she enjoyed making love to him. She would even admit that she had missed him being in her bed last night. The short time he would have been there.

  “In what way, Celine?” he asked again.

  She stopped pacing and looked at him. “First of all, I plan to tell my father how I feel about what he and Nikon did. Although Nikon might have suggested it, Dad went along with it. For him to think he could manipulate me to accept a pretended kidnapping was not okay. He didn’t consider my feelings. It was all about what he and Nikon wanted.”

  “I’m sure he’s regretting that decision.”

  “Yes, and in a way, I hold myself responsible for allowing him to think he could control me all these years. Although I fought back, I never fought back hard enough, for fear I would lose him. But that will change. I had already made up my mind to tell him about Second Chances. I refuse to sneak around to do something that makes me happy, not any longer.”

  She began pacing again and then she stopped. “And I plan to move permanently into my own place.”

  “Do you?”

  “Yes. And maybe one day, if you ever get the notion to visit me, I’ll happily return your hospitality.”

  * * *

  Zion didn’t know what to say to that, although he knew he wouldn’t be visiting her. When she left here and he’d had the jewelry for her birthday delivered to her father, that would be the end of his association with the Michaelses. Although deep down the thought bothered him, that was the way it would be. The way it had to be. Celine Michaels was becoming an ache and the only way to get rid of it was with time and distance.

  He needed to make sure she understood there was no future of any kind for them. No visits. No phone calls. No nothing. When she left, all contact between them would end. “Visiting you is not an option, Celine. Not when there is this thing between us. I see you and I want you. I see your lips and I want to kiss you. I see your naked skin and I want to taste you. God knows I tried avoiding you and couldn’t. I don’t understand it, but for now I’m willing to accept it.”

  He paused a moment and then added, “But I need you to accept something, too. There can’t and never will be anything between us. All we can ever have is this thing that neither of us can control. A part of me wished there could be more, but there can’t. I won’t let it. I’m a loner and intend to be a loner for the rest of my days, and I’m okay with that. All we will ever have is the now. I’m willing to accede to that. Are you?”

  She didn’t say anything. All they did was stare at each other as if the impact of his words was clearly understood. He wasn’t sure who moved first. One of them did. Maybe both at the same time. All he knew was that suddenly she was in his arms, and once he lowered his head toward hers, he was crushing her mouth with his and exerting a provocative degree of pressure to take the kiss deeper.

  She moaned and the sound barely harnessed his control. There was just something about kissing this woman, holding her in his arms, breathing her scent, that elicited a degree of passion he’d never felt before.

  He loved seducing her mouth while his hands tangled in her hair and his fingers caressed the nape of her neck. He growled low in his throat and took the kiss to an ever deeper level. Moments later, when the need to breathe became mandatory, he reluctantly dragged his mouth away.

  But the fire she’d started now spread through his blood and burned in his loins. He felt a possessive streak rush through him. Drawing in a ragged breath, he tried getting control of his mind and senses, but couldn’t. It hit him then that Celine Michaels was different from any woman he’d ever met. She was getting to him in ways other women never had. He had broken his rules for her.

  And he wanted to break another one.

  Zion convinced himself the reason he intended to break this particular rule was because pretty soon she would be leaving and he would need the memories. At night, while sleeping alone, he wanted to recall a time he had made love to her in his bed. Why that was important to him, he wasn’t sure, and he didn’t want to analyze it. It just was. He would accept that she would be leaving a lasting impression on him and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

  Ignoring her gasp of surprise, he swept her into his arms and left the room.

  “Where are you taking me, Zion?”

  He paused a moment to look down at her before leaning in to sprinkle kisses around her mouth. When he began walking again, he lifted his head, met her gaze and said, “My bed.”

  * * *

  A part of Celine didn’t want Zion to break another rule for her. One day he would analyze his actions and resent her for them, and she didn’t want that. She never meant to disrupt his life or drive him to do things he would later regret.

  Just as she never meant to fall in love with him.

  But she had.

  She realized that now and figured it was something she’d always known, but was, until that moment, unwilling to accept. After all, Zion had made it crystal clear that he didn’t want any woman’s love. He’d been hurt in a way from which he would never recover.

  She glanced around when he placed her in the middle of his bed. This was the first time she’d seen his bedroom. He always kept the door closed, so she’d never gotten even a peek inside. Now she saw how huge the room was and how beautiful. The furnishings suited him. Massive and masculine. The bed was mega-large and when he’d placed her in it she felt the firm mattress.

  Celine was about to tell him not to break another rule for her when he reached out and removed her robe and then quickly dispensed with her gown, before sliding off his jeans. Just looking at his body took her breath away, and caused a fluttering in her stomach and a wetness between her thighs. Even her nipples were growing firm before his eyes.

  “I love how you respond to me,” he said in a deep, husky voice, joining her on the huge bed.

  As if she could control herself not to respond. And when he leaned close to nuzzle the side of her neck, she let out a deep sigh. She was putty in his hands. And when his arms wrapped around her, she eased into them even more. “And I like the way you respond to me.” She couldn’t miss the opportunity to counter what he’d said.

  He lowered his mouth and she thought he intended to kiss her again. Instead he trailed his lips and his tongue down the side of her face. The unexpected move caused sensual tingles to spread all over her body.

  He didn’t stop. It was as if his tongue was enjoying the taste of her skin, savoring it as it moved slowly down her neck. When he reached her throat, he planted an openmouthed kiss there at the center, before sucking at the skin, as if branding her. The thought made heat surge through her.

  His mouth was on the move again and she found herself seduced by the hot glide of his tongue over her chest. The moment he took a nipple into his mouth, she moaned as threads of desire wrapped around her. She tugged on his locks, and it seemed the more she tugged, the harder he sucked. The pressure caused an ache at the juncture of her legs.

  Then he moved upward until his tantalizing breath was against her mouth. When he swiped his tongue across her lips she moaned again. Why was he torturing her? As if he read her mind, he said, “I want you in ways I’ve never wanted a woman, Celine. I want to do things to you that I don’t normally do.”

  Things he didn’t normally do? Before she could find her voice to ask what some of those things were, he sealed his lips over hers, ravishing her in a kiss that rocked her to the core. She was determined to return the kiss with similar greed. Their tongues tangled, dueled, scraped together and mated relentlessly.

  She felt him easing her down in the warm bedcovers, and then suddenly, he broke off the kiss, lifted her legs over his shoulders and buried his head between her thighs.

  Celine screamed the moment his silky, hot tongue slid inside her and proceeded to give her the same type of intense kiss he’d always given her mouth. His tongue was so hungry for her it took her breath away. This kiss was mindless. It was drugging. It was searing. She tipped her head back against the pillow and of their own accord her hips rose to plant themselves more solidly against his mouth.

  Jerome had never made love to her this way, and her first experience with Zion was nearly driving her insane, making her moan deep in her throat. She heard herself call his name, but instead of stopping to answer her, he continued to stroke her with his tongue into sweet oblivion. It was as if at the moment he had a one-track mind, deliciously focused and concentrated on giving her one hell of a demanding kiss, right there. Whether he knew it or not, he was claiming her in a way she’d never been claimed, filling her with a passion she’d never possessed.

  His tongue dived deeper inside her, and an orgasm struck her hard. She let out a scream that she was certain shook the rafters and raised the roof. It was only after the last spasm had ended that he pulled his mouth away and moved her legs off his shoulders.

  Then he was straddling her. Her body arched and her thighs opened wide while he eased inside her, holding her gaze captive. Her body became taut with renewed pleasure when he began moving. Over and over he pounded hard into her, and at times she gasped out loud at the magnitude of the sensations threatening to overwhelm her. She could feel a climax on the horizon, building fast.

  And then it happened again. To both of them at once. Pleasure swept her body and he threw his head back and hollered her name. The sound triggered even more sensations that bombarded her. She heard a ragged growl near her ear just seconds before Zion hungrily slammed his mouth over hers.

  Moments later, he eased off her and nestled her in his arms, saying, “Now we sleep.”

  She lifted her eyes to his. “In here?”

  He leaned over and placed a kiss on her lips. “Yes, in here. All night.”

  “All night?” she whispered, clearly not believing it.

  Placing a leg over hers as if holding her captive, he whispered back, “All night.”

  Chapter 21

  Zion stood looking out his living room window, but turned around when he heard Celine. She was wearing a pair of boots and a sweater dress. Her coat was thrown over her arm and her other hand clutched her luggage. Their time together had come to an end and she was leaving. He’d never had a problem telling a woman goodbye, so what was the issue with this one?

  And he knew there was an issue. A major one. She’d been here only a week, but it was a week that would be etched in his memory forever. And during those seven days he had broken rules he’d sworn he would never break. Rules that had been the essence of his being. How was he going to recover from that?

  How was he going to go back to the way things were before she’d invaded his life? Invaded his space? And now she was leaving. He would miss her. The last two nights had been extra-special. Having her in his bed all through the night and waking up with her in his arms had placed him on a plane he’d never reached before and doubted he ever would again.

  He moved over to where she stood. “I wish you’d reconsider and let me take you to town.”

  She shook her head. “No, I’ve called a car and this way is best. But I want to ask you to do me a favor.”

  He smiled down at her. “What’s the favor?”

  She hesitated a moment before saying, “I don’t know about the woman who broke your heart, Zion, but the pain is keeping you from ever loving another. At some point I hope you discover that what you have bottled up inside of you is wasted energy. And it’s negative. Replace it with positive energy and then make it useful. That’s the only way your heart will heal.”

  When a car horn sounded, she smiled up at him. “Seems like my ride has arrived. Take care of yourself, Zion.”

  He nodded. “And you take care of you.” Leaning down, he captured her mouth in a kiss he would store in his memory forever.

  * * *

  “What do you mean, you’re moving out?”

  Celine glanced over at her father. Her plane had landed a few hours ago and her dad had been at the airport to pick her up. Now they were in his study and it was obvious he was not happy with how their conversation was going.

  So far the media hadn’t gotten wind of Levy and Nikon’s plan of a fake kidnapping to boost the ratings of their star meters at her expense. She was grateful for that. Enough news would be made when she gave a public statement in a few days about her involvement with Second Chances. Leveling with her father was the first step.

  “I’ll be twenty-five in a few months. It’s time I move out.”

  “If you’re leaving because you’re upset with me, then...”

  “Yes, I am upset with you, but that’s not why I’m moving out. Like I said, I’m almost twenty-five and it’s time to get my own place,” she told him. There was no need to add that she’d begun looking for a place on the internet while in Rome. She’d seen one that was in a good location and just what she thought she needed. After seeing it tomorrow, she would put down a deposit if she liked it, and move in.

  “I’m asking you to reconsider moving out, especially now. The timing isn’t right. There is a possibility that kidnapping Nikon and I orchestrated will hit the news, especially if those men who were charged decide to talk. The three of us—me, you and Nikon—need to present ourselves as a united front until things die down. That also means you’ll need to present yourself as Nikon’s fiancée.”

  “Absolutely not! I will not do such a thing, Dad. And if I’m ever asked, I’ll tell the truth—that at no time was there ever an engagement between me and Nikon. Nothing you say or do will make me change my mind about moving out or making it clear I am not engaged to Nikon.”

  “Then that’s unfortunate.”

  Celine watched as her father poured a drink of scotch from the decanter on his desk. She knew this move. Had seen it a thousand times. The drink was his reinforcement when he was intent on making her come around to his way of thinking. Such manipulations might have worked in the past, but they wouldn’t this time.

  “I’ve apologized to you about what happened in Rome, Celine. And when you see Nikon, he will be apologizing, as well. Although your relationship with him was for PR, I truly believe he cares for you. I wish you could have seen how upset he was when we realized what those men were up to.”

  “Spare me, Dad. The only person Nikon is concerned about is himself. As of today I am ending this farce about us even being a couple. I prefer not seeing him again.”

  She knew her father hadn’t liked what she’d said. Too bad. She had meant every word of it. “Now if you will excuse me, I need to—”

  “Ending your relationship with Nikon is your business. However, if you move out I will cut off your allowance,” her father stated angrily. “Then how will you take care of yourself? You’ve squandered your trust funds and don’t have a penny to your name. Did you not think I had ways of checking?”

  Celine was certain he had, which was why she’d established a dummy bank account for his benefit. “Contrary to what you might think, Dad, I am not penniless. I guess now is a good time to give you this,” she said, opening her satchel and pulling out a folder. The same one she’d shared with Zion. She handed it to him.

  “What’s this?” he asked, taking it and looking inside. Levy Michaels browsed through the brochures and then closed the folder and looked at her. “I’ve told you that I’m not donating to any of these places.”

  “Doesn’t matter if you don’t, since the trust funds I got and the allowance you gave me in college were used to start that foundation. Second Chances is a five-year-old nonprofit company and it’s mine. Goodbye, Dad.”

  Celine then turned and walked out of the study.

  Chapter 22

  Zion glanced over at the clock. It was past midnight and here he was, prowling around his bedroom, unable to sleep. He should never have let Celine spend the night in his bed. Even after a week her scent was still everywhere. In his bedcovers. In his room. He’d thought the memories would be comforting, but he’d discovered they were torturing him.

  The courier had come yesterday to pick up the package that would be hand-delivered to Levy Michaels’s representative, who’d arrived at the airport that morning. Zion had spoken to Levy two days ago and the arrangements had been made. He had been tempted to ask about Celine, but hadn’t. Nor had he turned on his television to see what was going on with her. And he hadn’t gone anyplace tabloids were sold.

  But he couldn’t help wondering if she had stood her ground with her father or if she had gone back to being under his thumb. Was Nikon still claiming the two of them were engaged? And why on earth did Zion give a damn?

  And why hadn’t he been able to sleep for a week for thinking of her? Reliving their nights together. Their days. Even those looks they’d given each other when neither thought the other had noticed. The innocent touches, as well as the not-so-innocent ones.

  And why had putting her in that private car that had come to pick her up a week ago been the hardest thing he’d ever done? They had kissed goodbye and it had taken the driver several honks of his horn to make them step out of each other’s arms.

  One thing he felt pretty good about was knowing that the same blood-burning desire that had consumed him while she’d been here had consumed her, as well. She hadn’t denied it, nor had she tried fighting it. And at no time had she tried putting distance between them like he’d done. She had accepted it and had been willing to give him time to accept it, too. And she hadn’t pushed him into anything. Even a night spent in his bed. It had been something he’d wanted to happen. Something he had needed to happen.