Billionaire Bad Boy (17 page)

When he pulled away she took a moment to catch her
breath.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"For what?" she managed to ask.

"For wanting you."

Oh boy.

CHAPTER 14

Suddenly Annie's resolve to keep Zack at arm's length
seemed juvenile. They were adults after all—two adults irresistibly
attracted to one another in a purely physical way.
Forget about long-term,
Annie, just live for now.

For wanting you.

Those three little words sent goosebumps skipping
across her skin in anticipation of what he'd do to her when they got home.

But the Ferrari wasn't heading home. At least, not her
home.

Security fences hiding mansions belonging to the
filthy rich slipped past her window at high speed as they roared through the
streets of Beverly Hills. Finally, they pulled into a long drive hidden by
trees and hedges. Electric gates closed with a clang behind the car.

Annie craned her head to catch a glimpse of his house.
She'd been dying to see it ever since she'd read about it in
House and
Garden
. Okay, if she were honest, she was more excited about being alone
with Zack in his house than seeing the building and gardens. Who gave a flying
fig about bricks and mortar when they got invited back to the house of a man of
Zack DiMarco's caliber?

The house came into view around a bend in the drive. Surrounded
by a lush garden, courtyard and pool, the sprawling Spanish style mansion made
a statement. Rich. But Annie only saw fleeting glimpses of these as Zack half
dragged her inside. She didn't even get to see the décor as he gently pushed
her up against the wall of the foyer.

"I...can't...wait," he whispered into her
ear before licking it.

That was okay with her. There was plenty of good wall
and floor space right where they were. Who needed bedrooms? Especially when
they could be on the other side of the massive house.

He unsnapped the fly on her jeans and ripped them down
her legs. She stepped out of them as she undid his, then scratched at his
T-shirt in her hurry to get her hands on that magnificent chest. He seemed just
as eager to see hers as he pulled her T-shirt over her head. When he removed
her bra and took her nipple into his mouth, she suddenly forgot what she was
doing and let out a low, guttural groan that she didn't even recognize as
coming from her throat.

The sound brought an answering response from Zack as
he lifted her and entered her, powerful and hard. She wrapped her legs around
his waist and greeted each of his thrusts with her own driving need to possess
him. He held her easily with one hand as his other navigated down. His deft
fingers played with her nub, sending shock waves crashing through her. Heads
thrown back, sticky heat fusing them together, they reached the peak together
then crashed to the floor.

Annie lay on top of Zack, breathing heavily. So much
for not having sex with Zack anymore. That morning, she hadn't even wanted to
see him again. Oh well, it was a girl's prerogative to be fickle. The need to
get hot and naked with him had won out this time. So what's wrong with a little
casual sex anyway? Hell, before last night she hadn't had any sort of sex in
too long. She needed this. She deserved to be bad once in a while. It was her
right as a citizen of a democratic society to have casual sex with a gorgeous
man whenever she felt like it. To hell with commitment and relationships and
love. She'd deal with those things when the time was more convenient. Right
now, she just wanted to feel Zack inside her. She wanted him to sate the desire
that burned her skin and turned her insides to a gooey mess.

He patted her bottom then stood, lifting her with him.

"Let's see if we can make it to the
bedroom," he said, chocolate eyes caressing her body. He bent and licked a
nipple.

"How far is it?" she murmured into his neck.

"Far."

"We might not make it."

"All we can do is try. We owe it to these tired
old bodies to find a comfortable mattress."

"Who're you calling old?"

"Easy for you to say, you landed on top of me
when we fell."

They made it as far as the kitchen bench.

Annie made a mental note to clean the bench in the
morning before breakfast.

Afterward, Zack kissed her on the end of her nose as
she perched on the edge of the bench. "So what do you want to do until
we're ready for round three?"

She trailed her fingernails across his powerful
shoulders and down his spine. "How long will that take?"

He grinned. "I should be asking you that
question."

He was kidding. Wasn't he? "How about a tour of
the house first?"

He hesitated, just slightly, then agreed. The tour
took nearly half an hour. It was definitely a bachelor's house, with no pink,
peach or peppermint colors, and not a floral in sight. It was understated style
with lots of glass, wood and terracotta. She was surprised but delighted to see
so many photos, mostly in black and white, decorating the walls.

She stopped at a cluster of pictures on the mantelpiece.
"Why's this one turned down?" She picked it up. It was one of the few
color ones. Two adults and six children in Eighties clothes sat behind an
enormous birthday cake with five candles on it. "Your parents?"

He nodded. "They divorced shortly after
that."

"Zack, I—"

"It was a long time ago," he said, kissing
the top of her head and placing an arm around her shoulders. He steered her
away from the photos and she wondered what it was about the picture that had
made him turn it over. If her parents were divorced, would she want a photo of
a happier time together? Probably. So why didn't Zack?

Her gaze shifted higher. "And what's happened
here?" she asked pointing to an old photo. A family of eight, children
standing behind the parents, stared unsmiling at the camera. The woman's face
was blackened out. "Didn't you like her?"

He chuckled. "That's my great grand mother. She
thought she was ugly so she inked out her face in every photograph. A shame
really because I have no idea what she looked like."

"Maybe I should try that next time I have a
horrible picture taken."

"So," he said when they came to the end of
the tour. "You like it?"

She nodded and smiled. It was exactly how it looked in
House and Garden
.

"Well, I don't."

"Oh? But it's perfect."

He shrugged. "I prefer my ranch in Montana."
Interesting. It was the first time he'd mentioned the ranch although she knew
of its existence through Bob. She smiled to herself. She had trouble
reconciling the high-flying Zack DiMarco from the gossip pages with the
rancher. It just seemed so implausible. She couldn't imagine too many of his LA
babes wanting to rough it on a ranch for a weekend. She stifled a giggle and
said, "Why?"

"It's more...homely. This is all Hollywood glitz.
You may not believe this, but it appeared in
House and Garden
about a
piece on bachelor's homes."

"Really?"

"They liked it too, but I always felt it had
no...soul."

"Hmmm. Well Montana's too far away." She
curled her arms around his neck and rubbed her nipples across his chest. "And
right now my apartment's too far away too. So I guess we'll have to settle for
this horrible place."

He bent his head to kiss her. "Mmmmm."

"Where was that bedroom again?"

***

Zack snuggled into the warm body next to him. Annie
felt good. Great. So sensual, so amazing in bed. He blinked up at the ceiling,
his brain slowly waking up.

Damn. He'd done it again. In his defence, Annie had
made him sleep with her. By giving him that look, the one that smoldered and
enticed, he was a goner.

But it was just sex. He had to keep reminding himself
of that. Looking at the photo again of his family had driven everything home
again. His father's constant tiredness, his mother trying to make ends meet,
her continual harping and the loss of his father's talent, and his will to
live. There'd been nothing in their lives that had brought happiness. Certainly
not the six children, the arrival of each bringing the end of their father's
music career, and marriage, a little closer.

Zack wouldn't live like that. Couldn't. He may not be
wealthy for long if he fulfilled his dream and what woman would give up
everything for him? Especially an LA woman born and bred who was used to a
certain lifestyle and comforts. Annie may not have money but the city was in
her blood.

No, he had to do it right this time. Had to end it
before it got too far. It would be difficult, hell, but looking down at the
sleeping beauty beside him, he knew he had to do it before he ruined her life.

***

"Mmmm, Zack." Annie rolled into him and
that's when she realized he was sitting up.

"You awake?" he asked.

Something was wrong. She could hear it in his voice. She
blinked in the dim light. "I am now. What's the matter?"

She heard him sigh and her stomach fluttered as the
sense of foreboding increased.

"Look, Annie, we need to talk."

She sat up. "What about?"

He sighed again and plucked at the sheet. "I
really like you. And I don't want to hurt you."

She swallowed the lump in her throat. She should've
expected this. He'd already made it clear he wasn't looking for a relationship,
and in the heat of the moment, she thought that was fine with her. But now, as
he prepared to give her the bad news, she wasn't so sure anymore. She didn't
think she could handle reading about his latest attractive conquest in the gossip
pages.

She struggled to hold back hot tears. "You don't
want me to get the wrong idea, but this is just sex. Isn't that right?"

"Annie." He touched her shoulder but she
shrugged his hand away. Deep down, she'd hoped he might eventually come round
to the idea of having something other than occasional sex. Something more. She
was such an idiot.

"Baby, I don't know what to say..."

"Then don't." She got out of bed then
remembered her clothes were way back in the entrance hall. "I get the
picture. No need to spell it out."

"But I like you. If things were different, if I
wanted to settle down, then you'd definitely be at the top of my list."

She scoffed, unable to believe what she was hearing. "I'm
flattered." She stormed out of the room.

He followed. "Annie, wait."

"Call me a cab."

"No, don't go."

She rounded on him. "I'm leaving. I'm not staying
here one second longer. You've made yourself clear, Zack, and I'm glad you did.
You know, I thought I could do this, but I can't. I just can't."

"I understand. That's one of the things I like
about you. Stay." He reached for her but she shrugged him off. "We'll
talk about it."

She shook her head. "The least you can do is let
me leave with my dignity." She picked up the phone in the kitchen and
called a cab then found her clothes.

Zack watched her from the hall, arms crossed, eyes
darkly brooding. And as beautifully naked as a Greek God. She tore her gaze
away.

"I'm sorry." He stared down at his bare
feet. "Can we still be friends?"

The vulnerability in his voice numbed her. She wanted
to touch him, stroke his ruffled hair into place and kiss his forehead, but she
couldn't. It was too intimate a gesture now.

"I'll wait outside. Good night, Zack."

He stood in the doorway as she walked quickly down the
drive.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow night at eight,"
he called after her. She would've asked why but she didn't want to turn around
so he could see her tears. He must have read her mind though because he added, "For
Louisa's party."

If she decided to go.

Of course she had to go. Bob needed her to get Dug-E
and being seen with the right people on Zack DiMarco's arm was like having a
ticket to the moon—very rare and very expensive.

***

Zack closed the door when the lights of the cab faded
away. He slumped against it and ran his hand through his hair. What a fool. If
he'd just kept his mouth shut, none of this would have happened. They'd still
be friends, she'd still be teasing him. He swore and thumped the door with his
fist.

Although he felt awful—worse than he thought he
would—he'd done the right thing. Annie was the last person he wanted to
string along. She was too sweet, too vulnerable. She didn't deserve to be led
to believe he wanted a relationship with her. Best she knew the truth before it
went too far.

Perhaps he should've said something
before
tonight, but he'd wanted her so bad, he doubted nothing would have stopped them
from ending up where they did. He sighed as he put the kettle on in the
kitchen. He wasn't going to get any sleep tonight so he might as well enjoy a strong
coffee.