barely fathom. She was like a beautiful butterfly, impossible to capture but mesmerizing.
They had arrived two hours before the concert was to start. The heaviest equipment had already been unloaded, but it was up to Zach and others to connect the electrical equipment and conduct basic sound checks. Instead of staying in the comfortable chair he’d pointed her to, Savannah had chosen to follow him around and ask questions, seemingly intrigued with everything. He patiently answered each question, both amused and charmed that she was so interested.
When the band started playing, she had seemed so excited about the concert, he had half expected her to be front and center in the audience, dancing and whooping it up with the other teenagers. But he was beginning to see that Savannah Wilde wasn’t like anyone else he’d ever known. She went to the chair he’d shown her to before and sat enrapt, as if it was the first time she had ever experienced anything like this. Half an hour into the performance, that had changed. That was when he began to notice her wincing with each clang of the drums or a particularly loud bellow from the lead singer. When he’d offered her the plugs, he wondered if pride would keep her from accepting the gift—she was trying so hard to show him she was having a good time. Thankfully her need for silence won.
He had left her in the chair to go to the other side of the stage to handle a sound problem. When he came back, the last thing he had expected was to find her leaning back in the chair with her arms crossed and her eyes closed. At first, he thought she was just resting, but he’d gently touched her shoulder and she hadn’t moved.
The band would be insulted by her lack of attention, but Zach realized it made him like her all the more. As if he needed another reason.
As the band wound down with their final number of the night, Zach approached the sleeping beauty. The teardown wouldn’t take all that long … maybe half an hour; however, he’d be out of sight of Savannah. No way would he leave her asleep and vulnerable. This concert was tame compared to some Zach had worked, but there were always one or two yahoos who drank too much and became convinced they were God’s gift to women.
Touching her lightly on the shoulder, he ignored the tenderness he felt at how innocent and beautiful she looked. He shook her gently and watched her eyelashes flutter as she woke. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked up at him sleepily and slightly confused. Then, as she became aware, a sweet smile of welcome appeared. Zach’s heart flipped over. Without conscious thought, he dropped to his knees before her. Lowering his head, he took her mouth … hotly, tenderly, his tongue swept against her lips. When she opened for him, Zach groaned against her mouth, losing himself in a taste he’d never known and feelings he had never imagined.
As he sank into the kiss, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer. Any sanity he’d managed to maintain instantly vanished. His hands at her waist found their way under her blouse, and his fingers caressed skin soft as a rose petal. Zach forgot where he was, who he was … and most important, who the beautiful girl in his arms was.
When he felt her pull away slightly, it was all he could do not to still her movements and continue devouring the sweetest mouth he’d ever kissed. Instead he loosened his hold, almost wincing as his fingers trailed down her soft skin and withdrew from under her blouse.
Moist and swollen, her lips looked luscious and exactly as they’d tasted. Forcing himself not to go back for another delicious nibble, Zach raised his gaze to meet her eyes. Desire still pounded but healthy doses of guilt and recrimination were seeping into his consciousness, reminding him where they were and who they were. Expecting to see anger or, at the very least, shame in her eyes, he was stunned to see them gleaming like brilliant stars.
Groaning, Zach pulled away completely and stood. “I’ve got to get to work. You’ll be safe here. Okay?”
She nodded, the soft glow of want and approval on her face more than he could fathom. Did she not know who the hell he was?
Zach turned abruptly away, not sure who he was angrier with, himself or