Free Out of the Blue by Jill Shalvis Page A

outdoorsy, oceany, male scent of him.
    Their knees touched, and Hannah thought she shouldn't feel weak just being in such close confines with him.
    But then he did something that made her far weaker. "I have to taste you," he whispered. "Have to." He dipped his head and dragged his hot, open mouth over her bare shoulder, lapping at some of the strawberry goo there.
    "Oh, my," she heard herself whisper as her body reacted by trembling. It was in the body language! Hallelujah! She'd gotten it right!
    He did it again, took another little nip, working his way across her collarbone to her other shoulder, before backtracking, lingering at the base of her throat, and Hannah could have sworn her eyes crossed with lust.
    If he kept it up, she would dissolve into a little puddle of longing at his feet. "Zach—"
    "Tell me this is stupid."
    "This is stupid. Don't you dare stop."
    A laugh escaped him, one that sounded more like a groan. His mouth took hers then, swallowing whatever she might have found the energy to say, but it was no longer important, nothing was except for their connection. It wasn't a demanding kiss, but slow and deep and leisurely, which was even more arousing.
    The tins clattered to the ground as he slid his hands around her.
    In response, she looped her arms around his neck, bringing their bodies flush to each other. She stuck to him immediately, the strawberry sauce acting like adhesive between her dress and his bare torso, and when he settled himself in the notch at the top of her thighs, she rocked to him, eliciting a deep-throated groan that vibrated from his chest to hers.
    He rocked back, harder now, and she nearly wept at the need coursing through her. She lost herself in his taste and feel, just absolutely, completely lost herself. Lean, hard muscles shifted beneath her hands as she streaked them over his taut back, his shoulders, anything she could reach.
    And from far, far away came the sound of heels on the path, then a very satisfied laugh.
    Tara.
    "I knew it," she chortled with glee, clapping her hands together. "I just knew it."

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    Chapter 8
    « ^ »
    T ara stood there, smiling, noting Zach's hands on her best friend with a raised brow, but she said nothing. Her grin pretty much said it all.
    She reached out and swiped at a particularly large chunk of pie still on Hannah's shoulder, then stuck that finger in her mouth and sucked. "Mmm, heavenly. Too bad it never made it to dinner."
    Zach removed his hands from Hannah with shocking difficulty, though his heart and mind were racing. What had happened to keeping his damn distance? Instead Hannah was plastered to him from chest to thigh.
    "Cat got your tongues, huh?" Tara asked sympathetically. "Don't worry, I understand. A kiss like that will make mush of anyone's brain." She winked at Hannah. "Next time come to me first. Apparently I've got the right stuff."
    And with that, she walked away, humming cheerfully.
    "What does that mean?" he asked Hannah.
    Hannah tipped her head back and stared at the sky as if waiting for divine intervention.
    "Don't tell me … you asked her for advice, too."
    "She offered."
    "Why didn't you just ask me?"
    She stopped studying the sky and looked at him. "I thought I could do it without asking. I should have known better." She let out a tight laugh. "I tried damn near everything to make sure you knew what I wanted. I even offered you a condom with your coffee!"
    A big drop of strawberry pie ran down her neck and dripped to her collarbone. It hovered there for a long second, quivering with motion, then hit the curve of her breast, just barely revealed by her sundress, before it disappeared behind the material.
    Zach felt the stirring of the strange heat she always seemed to generate and tried to ignore the tightening of his body.
    Impossible.
    "You probably think I'm crazy," she said. "The way I went after you last night."
    Her genuine misery cut right through him, and any distance he might have managed became impossible.