Mastered By My Guardian (3 page)

They reached the end of the hall. His bedroom in front of them, hers to the right.

Carefully, he set her on her feet, his arm around her waist to steady her.

“Thanks,” she murmured, feeling more than a little vulnerable at the weakness she’d shown.

She turned to her door and reached for the knob.

“This isn’t how I’d hoped this weekend would start,” he said.

Her cheeks heated. “Having to carry me to bed tipsy?”

He chuckled. It was a sound she hadn’t heard in a long time and she realized she’d missed it.

“I mean I didn’t want it to start with you angry. I had hoped we could have a serious talk.”

She gazed up at him. “About what?”

* * *

Zane knew this was stupid. He should not be bringing this up when they were standing outside her bedroom door, her woozy from a combination of medicine and wine.

“About a change in our relationship. I became your guardian when you were sixteen, but now we’re both adults. You have your independence. There’s no reason we couldn’t let go of those roles and…”

“And what?” she asked when words failed him.

As she stared at him with her wide brown eyes, his gut clenched. She really had no idea what he was suggesting. Fuck!

“Never mind. We can discuss it tomorrow.”

She nodded, then turned and opened her door.

“Do you need any help…?”

Her gaze darted to his and she shook her head rapidly. “No, I’ll be fine, thanks.” Then she shut the door behind her.

* * *

Chelsea leaned back against the door, her heart pounding.

Oh, God oh God oh God. He couldn’t have meant what she thought he meant. What a crazy little part of her wanted him to mean.

She walked to her suitcase and retrieved her satin pajamas. She shed her clothes and pulled on the pants, then the top and buttoned it up. She pulled back the covers and knew as soon as her head hit the pillow, that she’d fall asleep right away.

She turned off the light and lay down, but found herself staring at the dark ceiling, the memory of Zane’s arm around her, his solid body supporting her…haunted her.

Her eyelids fell closed and she let herself relax as she gave herself over to fantasies of Zane lying close to her, his lips trailing along her neck. His hand cupping her breast. Gliding down her stomach.

She murmured softly as his fingers stroked between her legs, sending heat pulsing through her. His fingers pushing inside her.

Blackness surrounded her as she faded into sleep.

In the shadowy world of her dreams, she opened her eyes and knew she had to seek out what she wanted.

Zane.

She drew back the covers and walked across the dark room. A moment later, she stood in front of his bedroom door and opened it quietly, then slipped inside. Moonlight streamed in the window and she could see him stretched out across the large bed dominating the center of the room. He was asleep, his breathing even.

She walked to the bed and lifted the covers, then slid in beside him. She snuggled close to him, reveling in the comfort of his masculine presence.

* * *

Zane woke with a start, realizing there was a warm body beside him. He glanced at the sweet face resting on the pillow beside his and his eyes widened.

Chelsea had climbed into bed with him. Her arm was around his waist and her cheek rested against his biceps.

His heart pounded with the desire to feel her lips on his. To glide his arms around her and pull her against him, her soft, round breasts crushed against his chest, while he ravaged her mouth.

His groin tightened and he knew the moment he felt her body against his like that, he’d be rock hard and far too tempted to slide into her warm depths and claim her. Even the
thought
of her soft body surrounding him made his cock swell, filling him with a sweltering ache.

He sucked in a deep, slow breath. Why was she here?

She murmured in her sleep and shifted. Her arm brushed against his rock-hard cock and he sucked in a breath. His gaze dropped to her face, but her eyes were still closed and her breathing remained even.

She was asleep.

Sound asleep.

Then he realized…she’d been sleep walking. A smile spread across his face.

She’d been sleep walking and she’d come to him. Climbed into his bed.

Gently he tucked his hand under her neck then slid his arms under her, then drew her close. She murmured softly again and rolled closer still, her head now on his shoulder.

As painful as it was to lie there with her so close while his body ached to make love to her, he lay in the darkness happily, knowing that tomorrow, the world would be a very different place.

* * *

Chelsea opened her eyes to the close-up view of a strong masculine jaw, heavily shadowed with morning stubble. She seemed to be wrapped around the owner of that jaw, her arm snuggly around his waist and her leg curled around his thigh. His hard, muscular thigh.

God, how had she wound up in Zane’s bed?

Staving off the panic, she decided to slowly pull away without waking him, then she’d slink out before he knew—

The arm she was lying on tightened around her shoulders.

“Are you awake?” she whispered.

“As a matter of fact, I am.”

Damn. She’d hoped his arm tightening around her was just a reflex and she could still escape.

She tried to roll away but his arm was like a steel band holding her in place. Then he rolled toward her, causing all kinds of wild sensations to flicker through her.

Now they were facing each other on the pillow and her heart stuttered.

Oh, God, so many times she’d dreamed of this, but now faced with the reality… Knowing the tensions between them…

Then the memory of last night, when he’d mentioned something about their roles changing…

“I don’t understand,” she stammered. “I don’t know how I wound up… here.”

God, she was in his bed. And it was
his
bed, not hers, with the forest green sheets and the navy and green patterned duvet. It was a huge, king-sized bed. Big enough for his huge, king-sized body. A tall, masculine muscle-bound body.

“You climbed in here in the middle of the night.” The light dancing in his eyes made her wonder what else she’d done in the middle of the night.

“We didn’t…” Her throat closed up and she sucked in a breath. “I mean… nothing happened did it?”

He arched an eyebrow. “You mean you don’t remember?”

Blood rushed to her cheeks and her eyes grew wide.

“Oh, God. No. We didn’t.” Her heart pounded in her chest.

His clear blue eyes grew serious.

“Don’t worry. Nothing happened. But…”—he stroked a finger lightly across her cheek, sending her insides fluttering—“would it really be so bad if it had?”

Relief rushed through her, but his blue eyes held her mesmerized.

“I… uh… It’s just that…” Oh, God, she didn’t know where to go with this.

Then suddenly his mouth was on hers. His firm, full lips coaxing. He drew her closer and the feel of his body the length of hers, his tongue nudging at her lips, sent her pulse skyrocketing. She opened and he glided inside. She melted against his solid body as their tongues entwined, his mouth moving on hers in a passionate play of power where he was totally in control.

And she was loving it.

Then she felt his cock swelling against her belly and shock rocked her to her very soul. She flattened her hand on his chest and pressed against him.

He cupped her head, seducing her mouth a moment longer, then his face eased away. Their gazes locked, his questioning, then he sighed and loosened his arm around her. She scooted back, putting well needed inches between them. At least, for her sanity’s sake.

She drew in deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

“Last night,” he said, “I told you that I want to talk about a change in our relationship.”

“And this is what you meant?” She hadn’t intended her voice to have that shrill edge.

“We’re both adults now and clearly you’re as attracted to me as I am to you.”

“Because I climbed in your bed?” She shook her head. “No, that was just me sleep walking.”

She hadn’t done it in years, but he knew she’d had the problem. He’d been the one who’d taken her to the doctor about it.

“And I don’t believe you would sleep walk right into my bed unless that’s where you wanted to be.”

She rolled away and hopped from the bed then scurried from his room, fleeing him and the disturbing desires his kiss had aroused.

* * *

Chelsea showered and dressed, plagued by the disturbing feelings at waking up in Zane’s arms. And the way she’d reacted to his kiss.

It had been… her body quivered… intense and…oh, God she wanted to run right back into his arms now.

She brushed her long, dark  hair until is shone. This was crazy. Zane talking about a change in their relationship. As if they could just switch to being…She pulled the brush through her hair again, staring at herself in the mirror…He wanted to be lovers. Her breathing grew shallow. He couldn’t really…she couldn’t let that happen.

Could she?

She sucked in a deep breath and headed for the bedroom door. As she walked down the stairs, she smelled coffee. She walked into the kitchen and saw Zane standing at the counter, a steaming mug of coffee in his hand.

“Good morning.” He moved to the stove and cracked open an egg into a waiting frying pan. “Sit down. I’ll have your breakfast in a minute.”

She watched as he opened the oven and took out a pan of sausages he’d been keeping warm, then arranged them on a plate.

He was making her breakfast, which was sweet and made her feel cared for, but she couldn’t let that affect the decision she’d made.

“I want to leave,” she said firmly. “Today.”

He used a spatula to scoop up her eggs and place them on the plate. “And I want you to stay.”

“You can’t just keep me here.”

“I’m not stopping you from leaving.” He smiled. “I’m just not helping you do it.”

And given the fact she had no cash or working credit cards, and the house was a good distance from town, she’d have a hard time getting back to San Diego without his help.

“What if I call the police?”

“And what? Have me arrested for not driving you to the airport and lending you money for an airline ticket?”

Her fists clenched at her side, frustration shooting through her.

His expression softened. “Chelsea, is it really so bad staying here for the weekend and just spending some time with me?”

He set the plate of eggs and sausage in front of her. She stared at it, her stomach rumbling, but she didn’t pick up her fork.

He sighed. “Okay, well I have to go out and run an errand. I’ll be back in about an hour.”

She said nothing as he left the room, but then her hunger got the better of her and she started to eat. She heard him go out the door to the garage and then the sound of the automatic door opener first opening the garage door, then closing it after he’d pulled out.

When she finished her breakfast and coffee, she cleaned up the dishes, then sat down to read. It was quiet in the house and the air outside was still. If she hadn’t felt trapped, she might have enjoyed the solitude and the chance to relax. The business had kept her pretty busy, especially with the research team hard at work on a new product for their line of fast charging batteries.

That’s what had made her company succeed. Innovative battery technology that allowed a cell phone to be fully charged in less than thirty minutes. It had been an idea she’d pursued when she’d been doing her Master’s thesis. Her partner, Bill had been another grad student at the time and had seen the value of the idea and had suggested they partner. They’d attracted an angel investor to help them get started and after only a year, they’d gone public.

Now they had stockholders and a board and all the things that drove her crazy. But they’d also been able to build the business and pursue other ideas, like a battery that could charge from ambient energy, thus requiring no need to plug in. It would allow cell phone owners to keep their phone fully charged as long as they were within twenty feet of a wall socket.

Bill was really excited about it and had been hinting that once they finished this product that they should sell the company, making a huge payback on their investment. That’s not what she wanted to do, though. This company was everything to her. It was her baby. It allowed her to be innovative. It allowed her to shine.

Being president of Quiet Thunder made her feel like an intelligent, capable woman. Not like the inept, inexperienced person she felt around Zane.

At a rumbling in the distance, she glanced to the window. It had been gray all day, but now ominous dark clouds filled the sky. A flicker of light made her jump.

Lightning.