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The shower shut off
"Shower’s free!" caave her another couple of minutes to close herself in the bedroom, not sure he’d be able to resist if he saw her swathed in the te impermanence of an easily removable towel When he entered the small, tiled enclosure at last, it was to find it steamy with the lavish scent of solad to see, was nothing too girly A ra down his body
ANNIE sat in Zach’s car in her parents’ drive and twisted her fingers in her lap
"I’ve never brought a man home," she blurted out "It didn’t seem worth the fuss"
"I’m flattered"
She frowned at him "Don’t tease me now" But she felt her nerves loosen a fraction "Co the door, she stepped out
They met at the front of the vehicle
"At least it’s a nice night," she said
Zach put an arrace of the leopard he was "I like your dress," he ertips over her hip
"Oh" Her nerves frayed again, for a different reason She’d chosen the black crossover dress because it would give herto coht actually qualify as sexy
"You don’t think I’htafter I unwrap you" He made her sound like a present
She felt her eyes widen, her pulse juet to unwrap you?" Adiamond
"Yes" She wanted to dance with the wildness in him, wanted to feel what it was to be treated like a beautiful, sensual woman But more, she wanted to lie with this man who’d already made a place for himself in her heart
She knew she was about to break one of herthis relationship, in putting her heart on the line, but she also knew that if she didn’t love Zach, she’d regret it for the rest of her life Perhaps, she thought for the first time, perhaps her mother’s choices hadn’t been as simple as the child in Annie had always believed Perhaps with that oneyourself against the inevitable end of the dreaet to unwrap me"
"Then I’ll be on my best behavior" He pressed a kiss to her teel"
She was already used to the nickna her that foreveras if it was right Walking up to the door, she held that sense of rightness to her like a taliso" She pressed the doorbell
Her mother opened it a couple of seconds later Dressed in a severe black dress accented with a discreet string of pearls, her dark hair twisted into a sleek knot, Kimberly Kildaire looked what she was - a successful, sophisticated professional No one could’ve guessed at the deep vulnerability that Annie knew lay beneath the polished surface
"Angelica" Her mother leaned forward to allow Annie to peck her on the cheek
After drawing back, she said, "Mom, this is Zach Quinn"
Her e, but Annie knew that Ki about the man by her side, from his black suit, to his sleek silver belt buckle, to his crisp white shirt Open at the collar, it looked both forue when she’d walked out of the bedroo for her by the door Zach as enough to blow herta out her hand - Professor Kildaire s, but no one would ever criticize herhis hand, Kih the hallway and into the sunken living roo below than Annie had expected "I thought this was supposed to be a s to warm the cool disapproval in her eyes
"I invited soht yourfriend would feel more comfortable if it wasn’t just family" It was a very subtle insult
Professor Markson orthy of a family dinner Zach wasn’t Teainst Zach - he was tough enough to take care of himself - but because Annie couldn’t believe her e her and Zach’s relationship with such calculated rudeness
But before she could say soht not have been able to take back, Zach squeezed her hip lightly, and said, "I’m honored you went to so much trouble to put me at ease" His voice was smooth whiskey and effortless warhted by the welcome" Annie saw her mother’s expression falter for a second, but Ki if not quick on her feet "Of course Come, I’ll introduce you" She led them into the knot of curious people below
Caroline was the first to coh she told herself not to, Annie found herself tensing up as she waited to see Zach’s reaction to her cousin Caro was one of her favorite people in the world She was also quite i Annie had never before been jealous of the way her cousin drew men to her like h But Zach did
She saw him smile at Caroline’s exuberant welcomebut it was the saratulations on your baby," he said, his voice gentle
Caroline bea yet I can’t wait to get big and Madonna-like! Oh, and I want the glow everyone talks about - I so want the glow!"
Zach’s lips quirked "I don’t think you need to worry You already glow" Caroline laughed