For Nick by Taylor Dean Page B

way his heart knocked against his ribs, beating rapidly. That she could evoke that kind of emotion in him amazed her. This was a turning point in their relationship and she knew it. If something happened between them now, it had nothing whatsoever to do with contracts, obligations, or being legal.
    And it changed everything.
    His hand cupped her cheek and everything swiftly changed between them. Zach pressed his lips to hers, their eyes open, unable to look away, representing the fact that they both knew exactly what they were doing. At first, the kiss was soft, tentative. Then, it deepened as they melted into each other, breathing each other in, the light Lake Tahoe wind wafting gently around them.
    All at once, he picked her up and carried her into the cabin below. Bright sunlight filled the cabin, filtering in through the circular windows. He set her down in front of him and with hearts pounding and eyes wide open, they slowly removed each other’s clothing and made love in the bright sunlight. Throughout the encounter, they never broke eye contact.
    Andie had never felt so close to another human being in her life. Making love with eyes open in the bright sunlight was something she’d never done, never known. Zach was surprisingly passionate. There was an intensity to him that couldn’t be ignored as all of his strength, power, and concentration were directed at her. This was a side of him she never would’ve predicted.
    It was much later as they lay on their sides facing each other, hands tightly clasped, that Andie knew they needed to talk. “Zach,” she whispered. “What are we doing?”
    His eyebrows furrowed and the calm, peaceful look in his eyes faded to worry. “I don’t know, Andie. We didn’t expect this to happen.” He let out his breath.”Do…do you want it to stop?”
    “Do you?” Andie threw the question right back at him.
    He hesitated for several moments, searching her face. “No, my adorable wife. I don’t want this to stop. But I want to reiterate that this is not in any way expected of you. Please don’t ever think such a thing.”
    “I know that, Zach.”
    “Do you want this to stop?” he asked again.
    “No,” she whispered almost inaudibly.
    He kissed her tenderly. “I don’t know where this is going, but I want to find out.”
    “Me too.”
    “I don’t have any answers or promises for you. We’re entering uncharted territory. Our ridiculous contract doesn’t cover this, nor did we predict this. Robert’s going to freak out.”
    “This is between you and I. Robert doesn’t need to know, does he?”
    “You’re right. It’s none of his darn business,” he mumbled as he kissed her uninhibitedly.
    Later, they went out onto the deck and ate the lunch Janine had packed for them. They gathered blankets and made a bed of sorts to lie on and watch the fireworks. That night, they lay side by side on their backs, hands clasped, watching the night sky light up with brilliant shooting colors. Zach took her in his arms and made love to her beneath a firmament of fire, leaving her breathless. It was a moment unlike anything she’d ever experienced before.
    Andie knew she was no longer doing this just for Nick, she was doing this for herself.

    Andie and Zach awoke at the same time the next morning, buried under a mountain of blankets in the cabin of his boat. It was early and a chill was still in the air. They cuddled up, keeping warm together.
    “We’d better get back before Janine calls the Coast Guard, the National Guard, the police, and a SWAT team to look for us. She’ll be worried when she discovers we’re not home.”
    “Okay,” Andie told him, but neither one of them moved an inch. Zach pretended several times to try to move, but acted as if an unseen force was holding him down. Andie liked this quirky side of Zach. He could be downright silly sometimes. Who’d of thought? When she’d first met him, she definitely hadn’t. But now he was making her giggle