“I never expected anything like this.” And she hadn’t. Never in a million years.
He turned just then, his smile filled with genuine pleasure. His eyes held a depth of something Savannah couldn’t exactly name when they fell upon her. Whatever it was, the mysterious emotion called to her. He wanted her, too. The past wasn’t important. Tonight she’d simply focus on the here and now.
“Savannah.”
She loved the way he said her name. The husky sound drew her like a siren’s song.
“You’re not watching the fireworks anymore.”
Her throat grew slightly dry. “Perhaps I want to make my own.”
At that, his eyes glittered with an almost hypnotic lure. He tipped her chin toward him and the warmth of his hand traveled up to cup her cheek. “I bet you can. We can.” Yet he didn’t move to take her in his arms. He remained on his side of the blanket as the festive sounds crackled above them. “If you’re sure …”
“I am sure. I’m ready.” Reaching up, she set her hand upon his and laced their fingers. It felt so good, she realized. His grip was strong and confident. He’d waited for her to make this move, wanted her to reach for him.
Finally giving herself over to what she craved, she whispered, “I’m ready for you. I want you.”
He inched closer. His mouth dipped to capture hers with sweet insistence. “I want you, too. I’ve been ready for a while now.” Pressing her back on the blanket, his lips traveled a possessive path down her neck to the soft hollow of her collarbone. “I need to be with you, Savannah.”
Working up her nerve, she stiffened a little. “I have to tell you that it’s been a while … for me. For this.” She swallowed, and dropped her voice to a murmur. “I don’t have a lot of experience.” Feeling small and incredibly vulnerable, Savannah waited for his reaction as he leaned up to face her. Her unspoken statement coursed between them: What if I am a disappointment?
With the fireworks still erupting over his shoulders, Zach merely smiled and kissed her again. Gently. On the cheek. “Honey, I only care about your experience with me.”
At that, Savannah felt a tug somewhere in the vicinity of her chest that she dared not dwell on. Without thought, she placed a hand on the back of his neck and pulled him down. Kissing him hard, she savored every taste, every moment. Soon his breathing quickened and his mouth grew hot and demanding. He let her lead, but kept the pace strong. Whispering against her seeking lips, he told her, “You don’t know what you do to me.”
“I think I do,” she replied. “Because I feel it, too.”
Longing burned low within Savannah, and while the action was familiar, the feelings were not. She returned his passion with a zeal that surprised her. Her initial misgivings soon faded into echoes, dwarfed by the continued sparkle and boom above them and the physical pull of desire. There was no better time, no better place.
No better man.
She tugged at his shirt, pulling it from the waistband of his jeans. Slipping her hands beneath the soft fabric, she reveled in his growl of delight as she treated herself to an exploration. Her senses reeled, elevated by Zach’s familiar scent and his touch. They’d kissed before, even made out … but this was different. This was a prelude to something more.
She didn’t hold back this time, didn’t stiffen, didn’t discourage him. This time she instigated, and it felt wonderful. As her eyes met his gaze, the lust pooled in the pit of her stomach and rippled down into a need she couldn’t define.
Never had she been this brazen before, so wantonly bold! It both shocked and exhilarated her, and soon any insecurity vanished like the smoking remains of a fading firework.
“You are perfect,” he whispered, nipping at the whorl of her ear, then her neck. His mouth soon found hers again as his hands pulled at the straps of her sundress until her lacy bra was exposed. Drawing in a swift, appreciative breath, he traced the seam with the tip of his fingers and released the clasp to bare her fully.
“Zach,” she said, letting her eyes close briefly, wanting to capture the moment in her mind forever. Yet she couldn’t stop watching him. The look on his face … it was intense. And personal in a way she’d never experienced with—