Free Celestial Desire by Abbie Zanders Page A

ink on the inside of her left hip bone, his touch gentle. Unable to keep still, Celeste propped herself up on her elbows to watch and grinned at his surgeon-like precision.
    It had been an incredible day. Climbing on the back of Zane’s Harley, she’d snuggled up close and wrapped her arms around him, vacillating between thrilling anticipation and terror. At least until Zane stopped, looked into her eyes, and commanded her to breathe.
    “I swear that you will be safe with me,” he’d whispered. A sense of calm had overtaken her then; a serene peace created by the absolute conviction in his eyes. If Zane said she would be safe with him, she would be.
    They’d cruised up the coastline, Celeste nearly giddy with joy. The sensation of the rumbling bike beneath her, the strength and hardness of Zane in front of her. The warmth of the sun and the rush of air as they cut through it at breath-stealing speed. The scent of salt and sea and Harley and leather and Zane…
    After about an hour or so, he had veered off the highway, taking increasingly smaller roads until they came to a cozy restaurant nestled along a particularly lovely cove, where they shared a tasty lunch of fresh seafood. From there they travelled to a tattoo and piercing shop.
    Zane greeted the owner as if he knew him, then explained to Celeste that they had been in the service together. Celeste half-hid behind Zane at first, somewhat frightened by Chet Graver’s towering frame and shaved head. With intricate sleeves of ink and a multitude of piercings – some of which she just couldn’t stop staring at – he cut an imposing figure.
    She warmed up to him quickly, though. For as fierce and frightening as he was on the outside, she felt inexplicably safe in his presence. He explained the piercing and tattoo processes in detail. She had to sign a few papers, then set about choosing what she wanted. Zane watched, amused, as she took her time. It gave him and Chet a chance to catch up a little. Celeste only caught bits and pieces of their conversation, but it was enough to surmise that they had been on tour together in Afghanistan.
    Zane held her hand, his eyes glittering with both approval and desire as Chet inserted the dazzling crystal navel ring. It was over so fast she barely had time to think about it before he was reclining her seat and swabbing the inside of her hip bone with antiseptic.
    For this, she kept her eyes on Zane. It took longer than the piercing, but not nearly as long as she’d thought it would. Chet was very skilled, and the small heart and flower design she’d selected wasn’t overly complex.
    “Have I mentioned how fucking sexy this is?” Zane growled, tracing around her new adornments with the pad of his index finger, knowing full well he had. Several times, in fact.
    She gave a long-suffering sigh. “Yes. But words are cheap, I thought you were a man of action.”
    He moved so fast she barely saw him and the next moment, she was naked and he was looming over her.
    “Careful what you ask for, baby,” he crooned in warning, licking the sensitive spot beneath her jaw. Spending a good part of the day snug against his hard body, watching his eyes darken with lust as she was pierced and inked… she knew exactly what she wanted. No man had ever listened like Zane had. No one had ever gone to such lengths to please her. And no other man had ever made her feel as beautiful and sexy as she felt at that very moment.
    “I don’t want to be careful,” she hummed, threading her fingers through his dark, silky hair, every bit as aroused as he was. She tugged, not enough to hurt but enough to let him know she was needy, too. “I’m a badass biker chick now, with the ink and body studs to prove it.”
    He chuckled against her skin, blowing little puffs of hot, moist air. “Yes, you are. What’s a boy scout to do?”
 
    * * *
 
    Zane flipped them over so he was on his back and she straddled him. Her amber eyes were molten, with golden