Deny Tomorrow Read online

  Zach crossed his arms and leaned back against a dresser. “Yeah, well, I didn’t,” he answered, unaffected by her tone. “What would I read into last night anyway?”

  “Well, well...nothing really,” she stammered, surprised at his lack of reaction to her obvious rebuff. “It’s just that when I drink, sometimes, uh, I get a little amorous and do things I regret the next morning.”

  “Really?” Taking a step toward her, Zach asked, “So, when you woke up this morning, did you find you regretted last night?”

  Mustering her last bit of bravado, she lied, “Yes. I’m afraid last night was all a mistake.”

  Feeling his ominous presence, she took a step back, tripped, and plopped down on the bed. She scooted up to the head of the bed and clutched a pillow as kind of a security blanket.

  Zach sat down on the bed next to her, his ebony eyes pinning her in place. Her heart was thundering in her chest, and she felt her courage slipping away. She was learning that standing your ground against Zach was a formidable task. She wasn’t sure she was up to it, but maybe, if she could just hold out a bit longer, he might leave.

  But instead of leaving, he leaned forward, snatched the pillow out of her hands, and pitched it across the room. Her mouth gaped open in shock, and he drew close as if to kiss her, but stopped just short of her lips. Teasing her with the promise of a kiss not given, he paused, testing her resolve to resist.

  Her pulse raced and her breathing quickened. Their eyes met, and they held each other’s gaze, neither person saying anything. Finally, Zach covered her mouth in a passionate kiss which at first she eagerly accepted.

  Then, suddenly changing her mind, she made a half-hearted effort to push him away. Ignoring her, he continued to kiss her ardently, his tongue probing deeply while his hands roamed up and down her body. As quickly as he started however, he stopped.

  Standing up, he pulled his shirt off over his head, revealing a revolver tucked in the waistband of his jeans. He laid the gun on the nightstand and with no hesitation, reached down and ripped open her pajama top, sending buttons flying everywhere.

  Arianna gasped as he pressed her against the headboard, her breasts fully exposed and right there, his to do with as he pleased. She squirmed and tried to turn away, but found herself pinned there. He lifted one breast to his lips, circled the tip with his tongue before finally clamping his mouth around a hardened nipple and sucking greedily.

  She clutched and grabbed his back and shoulders, writhing in ecstasy, as he continued to suckle first one and then the other nipple. He slipped his hand down into her pajamas, into the wet recesses between her legs, cupping her and doing delicious things with his fingers, bringing on unsolicited moans as the heel of his hand moved steadily back and forth across her swollen center of desire. Her whole body was now teeming with pleasure.

  Then, without warning, once again he stopped, taking his hand away, causing her instantaneous disappointment, as if her favorite toy had been suddenly snatched from her. She put her own hands down there as if she might continue to pleasure herself, a move Zach noted with a twinkle in his eye.

  Without hesitation he removed her hands and pushed them to the side, causing an instant protest. She knew that he knew that she was fully stimulated and just his for the taking. This heady feeling was both exciting and maddening to Arianna at the same time.

  Slipping out of his jeans, he stood before her, fully erect. He reached down and slipped her panties completely off, and grabbing her legs in the same motion, pulled her down flat on the bed. Arianna shuddered with desire in anticipation of his next move.

  Taking a package out of his pocket, he ripped it open with his teeth, and removing the condom, smoothed it down over his hard erection. Snapping the light off, he lowered himself onto her steamy body. Burying her with a deep sensuous kiss, he slowly began to penetrate with her making no effort to resist. Completely filling her, he began slowly thrusting in and out.

  Arianna was now beside herself with desire. “No,” she moaned, a weak protest to her final surrender to him. “Noo... please. No, I ... we...”

  “You know, Arianna,” he whispered, “I hear what you say now, and what you said earlier, but I think your body betrays you. Is this what you claim you regretted last night?”

  “Yes,” she said, defiantly at first. Then, realizing it could mean he would stop and all this would end, she quickly capitulated. “I mean, no.”

  Actually, she didn’t know anything anymore. This wasn’t working out at all like she’d thought. She wanted to walk away from this... shut him out of her life. At the moment however, she felt powerless to resist his advances. She wanted him, and she wanted him badly.

  He pushed her legs further apart, driving himself deeper into her, taking her higher and higher with each thrust, just to the peak of climax and holding her there.

  “So are you regretting this now?” he persisted, testing her resolve to resist and wanting to make his point undeniably clear… wanting to force her to admit she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

  If she was to be believed, she knew she should say yes. She should protest…tell him to stop. But if this was how she really felt, why was she having so much trouble saying it? Where was her courage, her resolve to end this, her determination to shut him out? Oh, it irritated her that she had all but completely succumbed to his will.

  In a voice fraught with frustration and in a last ditch effort to rebuff him, she said weakly, “Yes, this is a mistake.”

  “Oh, I should stop then?” he asked.

  Damn him. Damn him to hell! He was not cutting her any slack. He would exact the admission he had come for, and she felt powerless to prevent it.

  “Should I?” he persisted, shifting his weight as if he might withdraw from her.

  “No,” she said reluctantly, in a voice almost inaudible.

  “No? Then tell me, Arianna. Tell me you want me.”

  She rolled her head back and forth, her last ineffective act of resistance. The fact of the matter was that she wanted him and would do whatever he asked at that moment.

  Exasperated and frustrated, but now mad with desire, she said softly, “Yes, yes... I want you.”

  It was all she had to say. In quick succession, he continued to ride her until one huge climax wracked her body.

  “Oh, Zach!” she screamed and clutched on to him for dear life, nearly scratching him in her exuberance and ecstasy. As each spasm contracted around his hard erection, what little control he had left, was shot, and he, too, exploded, collapsing on top of her. With one final shudder, she lay entirely spent in his arms. She didn’t think she could even lift a single finger, but what a heavenly surrender it had been.

  As they lay nestled together, Zach made no effort to pull outside of her, wanting to prolong this moment as long as possible. Wanting a lifetime of moments like this.

  Having cracked through the first level of her tough veneer, there was still more to be resolved before their relationship could move forward. Wanting to fully flush out her feelings, Zach dared to ask, “Is this another one of those situations I shouldn’t read too much into?”

  He could feel her stiffen under him. He’d touched a nerve as he’d intended. “Arianna?” he said, waiting for a response.

  “No... I mean yes,” she answered, cursing her own ambivalence. Yes, she wanted him. Yes, she longed to be held in his embrace, but it still didn’t mean they were a fit. It still didn’t mean it could work between them.

  “Well, I don’t know what I’m not supposed to read into this,” Zach said, “but I know what I do read into this. I hear you say one thing, but your body tells me something different. I know you like me so I’m just a bit confused as to why you’re trying to shove me away. What are you afraid of anyway?”

  She looked away, not wanting to answer. She didn’t like these up close and personal questions.

  Not surprisingly, he turned her face back toward him.

  “Boy, you are stubborn. In a way, that’s o
ne of the things that draws me to you... you’re stubborn, independent nature. However, right now, it’s starting to piss me off, and you’re going to find, my perseverance and persistence are every bit a match for your stubbornness. Just so you know, I’m not moving until you tell me why you’re trying to shut me out.”

  Arianna had a pained expression on her face like she wanted to say something but couldn’t get it out.

  “You know. I don’t care what relationships you’ve had before,” Zach continued. “They weren’t with me. The problem is, you’ve probably had too many relationships with boys. From what I’ve observed about you, nothing but a strong, confident man such as myself could ever hope to satisfy you. Anyone less than that, wouldn’t stand a chance in keeping up with you.”

  Yes, that was precisely true, but she hadn’t realized that until she met him. This was the key ingredient that had been missing in all her previous relationships. But this wasn’t the only thing that stood between them.

  “Okay,” she said in exasperation. “I can’t believe you don’t get it. It wouldn’t work for us to be a couple, so why won’t you just let me go? When this is all over, I’ll just go back to where I came from and that will be the end of things.”

  “And why won’t this work?” Zach asked, his voice tinged with irritation.

  Her temper flaring, Arianna slammed her fist into the bed and tried to pitch him off so she could get up and leave. This was all getting too close for comfort.

  Undaunted, he refused to budge. “Why?” he demanded.

  “Oh, because...because you’re wealthy, and I have nothing. I saw all the high society people at your party, the high rollers you socialize with. All the Lydia’s dripping in jewels. That’s why it won’t work. No one would accept me in the circles you travel in. After awhile, even you’d regret being with me. Now, are you happy? Is this the admission you were looking for?” And once again she tried to wrestle her way out from under him.

  As he held her fast, he chuckled.

  “I fail to see what’s so damn funny,” she fumed.

  “Nothing,” he said. “I’m sorry. It’s just the whole idea of this money thing that I find amusing. As I said before, I’m not the man you think I am, and I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty, the difference in our economic situations makes absolutely no difference to me.”

  Rising up on one elbow, he looked her squarely in the eye. “Arianna, listen to me carefully because I’m not prone to making flowery love declarations, so I’m only going to say this one time. I think I fell in love with you the moment I first saw you. You’re a beautiful, smart, independent woman, and all the Lydia’s of the world, for all their many riches, can’t hold a candle to you. You have everything I’m looking for, and your economic status is of absolutely no interest to me.”

  He bent down and kissed her gently, then whispered softly in her ear, “You’re perfect for me, Arianna. I’ve never wanted anyone more.”

  It was quite a love declaration coming from a man of few words like Zach, and she was momentarily overwhelmed with what he said. Something clicked inside of her. Somehow, all the things she’d feared about a relationship with him were gone. She now looked at him with no reservations and liked what she saw. Liked it a lot and for the first time, believed happiness with him was entirely possible.

  “You’re sure?” she asked.

  He looked at her with a faint smile on his face, and at first, it didn’t seem like he was going to answer her. She suddenly realized he didn’t like being questioned and re-questioned about the things he said.

  Nonetheless, he replied, “I’m very sure, Arianna.”

  They both breathed a collective sigh of relief. All the tension that had been between them since the first day they’d met, vanished.

  He gently rubbed her cheek. “You know, once you get an idea in your head, you are as stubborn as a mule.”

  She smiled and retorted, “Maybe, but I’ve also noticed that once you make up your mind you want something, you go right after it with all your might. So, I’m wondering...do you always get what you want so easily?”

  “So easily?” he laughed. “This is what you call easy? Somehow, I don’t think things ever come easily with you. But to answer your question, yes. Yes, I do.” He kissed her once more and disentangled himself to visit the bathroom.

  As she lay there awaiting his return, Arianna sighed with contentment. She really was in love with him and felt wonderful and more at peace with herself than she’d felt in years.

  Turning in bed, she noticed the gun laying on the nightstand. Seeing it now, made her realize there was a lot she didn’t know about this man, but she intended to change all that. She was eager to know everything about him… all about his family, his friends, his travels.... how he made his living. Everything.

  Zach awoke at five in the morning with his arms and legs still wrapped around Arianna. Pulling her close, he couldn’t resist running his hands up and down her naked body one more time. She moaned softly and slid back into him. God! He wanted to make love to her, but what poor planning. He had no more condoms with him. He made a mental note to talk to Doc to get her set up with some birth control. He didn’t like the condoms, but he also knew he wasn’t ready to be a father either. Forcing himself out of bed, he dressed quietly, kissed her lightly on the cheek, and proceeded up to the main level of the house.

  Pilar was beginning to set things out in preparation for breakfast as he came into the kitchen. “Morning,” she said, nodding approvingly. Hesitating slightly, she added, “It’s about time you came to your senses.” It was a risky statement. Chastising Zach even good-naturedly wasn’t generally the best idea.

  “I’m so glad you approve,” he said as a slight smile played across his lips. He poured himself a glass of juice. “She’s stubborn and headstrong, you know? It could be a bumpy ride.”

  “Yes, sir, but every bit worth it, I’d say, and also, nothing you can’t handle.”

  “Hmm,” he mused. “Well, we’ll see.” He gave Pilar a hug as he left the kitchen. “She’s definitely worth it.”

  He met up with Tony and Juan for their daily workout… a one-mile ocean swim, a three-mile run, followed by some weight lifting. Afterwards, they’d grab a quick shower and be ready for breakfast by the time the girls got up.

  Arianna woke at seven… disappointed to find Zach gone, but otherwise feeling wonderful. Exciting images of last night’s romantic coupling greeted her, and she felt warm and tingly all over. Humming to herself, she showered, dressed, and made her way upstairs where she found Stella and Pilar in the midst of preparing breakfast. However, they didn’t interest her. She looked past these two, on out onto the patio where she saw Zach leaning against the veranda wall, talking on his cell phone. Tall and tanned, his hair was still wet and slicked back, and the black t-shirt he wore was snug and accented his broad shoulders and strong biceps. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of making love again with this divinely handsome man.

  As she’d done most days, she began to help with breakfast. This morning however, Stella rushed up and tried to usher her out of the kitchen.

  “Oh, here. I’ll take that,” Stella said. “You go on and get yourself some breakfast.”

  “Okay, but just let me finish this first,” Arianna said.

  But Stella would not hear of it. “No, shoo. Go on, now.”

  A puzzled look crossed her face. She moved over to the nook where two of the gardeners had stopped by for coffee.

  “Boy! What’s gotten into her?” she said to the guys as she started to sit down.

  Both men stood up and waited for her to take a seat.

  “Well, hey, aren’t you two quite the gentlemen this morning.” As they all took a seat together, she continued, “I’ll be out in about an hour to give you a hand. What are we working on today?”

  There was dead silence as the two men looked at each other. “No. That’s okay, Arianna,” one of them finally said. “Why don’t you take th
e day off?”

  Arianna frowned. “Okay. Would someone like to tell me what’s going on? You’re all treating me like I have the plague or something?”

  No one spoke and silence descended on the kitchen.

  “Pilar? Is there something wrong?” she asked.

  “Of course not, Arianna. Why don’t you go on out and have your breakfast?”

  Not satisfied with Pilar’s answer, she probed further. “Stella? What is it? Why’s everyone acting so funny this morning?”

  “Well, let’s put it this way. If rumor has it right, it seems you might have a new role in the house now. One that don’t seem to go along with being kitchen help or a day laborer.” Flashing her a big smile, she asked, “We can’t have the new lady of the house working as the hired help, now can we?”

  “What?” Arianna said, taken by surprise. Lady of the house? It was such a foreign idea; she couldn’t wrap her head around it. But in a way, it made sense. The staff seemed to know everything that happened around here, so they must have known Zach had spent the night with her, meaning she was now officially his girlfriend, changing her status in the house.

  “Ah, I see. And uh, is this what Zach said?” Arianna asked.

  “Oh, no, but well, we can put two and two together,” Stella said and winked at her.

  In a way it was flattering, this preferential treatment, but Arianna felt she had to set the record straight right away. She did not want people to treat her like someone she wasn’t. She liked things just the way they had been.

  “I’ll be right back, you guys. Don’t go anywhere.” With that she got up and went out to the veranda.

  She hesitated momentarily in the doorway, feeling a bit odd. So much had happened in the last two days that, well, she just plain felt odd. Him. Her. Strangers to lovers in what seemed like a blink of an eye.

  Zach, seeing her in the doorway, signaled her over to where he was standing. Pulling her close to him, he nuzzled her neck, and whispered in her ear, “You haven’t made any mistakes lately that you regretted this morning, have you?”