Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Zita was exhausted. As she’d expected, the day was crazy.
The rain made everyone cranky and impatient.
People slipped and fell constantly, needing scrapes cleaned and bandaged.
The bugs were relentless. One of the camera operators had a fairly serious injury when she fell and a jagged stick impaled through the webbing of her hand.
That incident took up a good bit of her time, as she went back to Fallport with the woman to get the stick removed at the clinic, and to make sure it was thoroughly cleaned.
Thankfully, once she was cleaned up, the wound was relatively minor, all things considered, and she’d be able to return to her job the next day.
By the time she got back to the set, she had three people lined up she needed to deal with, though nothing life-threatening.
The only good to come from the rain was that it was perfect for the scenes Logan shot that day.
Showcasing the miserable conditions he had to suffer through as he continued to make his way toward the border and safety.
The rain and clouds made the atmosphere on the set almost spooky, which was perfect for the shots of the extras hunting the American who they knew was out there somewhere.
By the time Grubbner called it quits for the day, everyone was more than happy to get out of the wet woods and back to Fallport and the motel.
Sage seemed unfazed though, which might’ve irritated Zita if she didn’t think about how close the conditions were to what he probably experienced on a regular basis. Of course, he probably wasn’t standing in the cold rain, but flying through it instead. Which she thought might actually be worse.
Every time she’d turned around throughout the day, Sage was there. With a towel, holding an umbrella over her as she tended to someone. He’d even driven her and the camera operator into town without complaint.
When she’d tried to protest, saying she was sure he had things to do, he’d simply shaken his head, insisting that tomorrow was his busy day, the one with the choppers. So she’d given in and taken the help and comfort he offered.
It was wonderful to have someone at her back. She was used to it when she worked on an ambulance, but not in the same way. Sage was there not because it was his job, but because he wanted to be. Because he cared about her. She loved that feeling.
Zita also loved waking up in his arms…though she’d missed falling asleep in them twice now, because she was already dead to the world by the time he’d come back to her room.
But after two nights, she wanted more than just sharing a bed. It was getting difficult not to move her hands to more intimate places when she was with him. To not tell him how much she wanted him. To hide the intensity of her attraction.
She had the feeling he was enjoying their courtship. That he was old fashioned when it came to dating. And she was okay with that, it was a refreshing change from the men she’d met who took her on one date and expected that was all that was required to get her into bed.
But it was frustrating that he didn’t even seem interested in getting her into bed…not so much as a single inappropriate touch.
And now here she was, headed back to the motel, her clothes damp, her hair frizzy. Feeling tired, hungry, frustrated and, yes, grumpy, because the man she wanted was acting more like a friend than the lover she desperately wanted.
So when he glanced at her and asked what she wanted for dinner, she sighed. “I’m not hungry. Just bring me to the motel.”
“You have to eat, Zita,” he said calmly. “I’ll drop you off so you can shower and get warm, and I’ll go out and grab us something.”
Now she could add angry with herself, for not having the guts to tell him she didn’t want food. She wanted him to stop tiptoeing around their attraction. To either make a move, or maybe tell her that he’d changed his mind and decided they should just be friends.
But she could hardly hold his reticence against him when she didn’t have the courage to speak up either. She was an adult who should be able to go after what she wanted.
And he was being a gentleman, not a horndog. Which she would appreciate if she wasn’t so frustrated.
To her horror, tears formed in her eyes, and anything she might’ve said got stuck in her throat.
She turned her head to look out the side window as she tried desperately to gain control of her emotions.
All she wanted was to be alone to get her head on straight.
To find the courage to tell Sage what she wanted.
Sage didn’t say anything, simply drove them to the motel.
After parking in front of room twelve, he got out of the Jeep and hurried to her side.
Zita had just opened the door when he reached her.
He took her head in his hands and tilted her face up.
He frowned a little at seeing the tear tracks on her cheeks.
“You’re exhausted,” he said softly.
“Yes, but that’s not what’s bothering me,” she whispered back.
“Talk to me, Zita. Let me fix it.”
He wanted to fix what was wrong? Of course he did.
Taking a deep breath, she met his gaze and said, “I’m tired of being with you, but not being with you.
I feel as if I’m splintering into a million pieces but unable to do anything about it.
I want you, Sage. Need you. I don’t want to spend another night lying next to you and just sleeping.
I want it all—every part of you. But I’ve been afraid to make my needs known because I don’t want to lose you if you’re not there yet. ”
She held her breath, staring at him, with no idea how he felt about everything she’d just confessed.
Emotion flared in his eyes, something she couldn’t read.
Then he moved. Lowering his head and taking her lips in a rough, desperate kiss.
She immediately opened for him, grabbing his shoulders.
He wasn’t gentle. He didn’t nip and nibble; his tongue swept into her mouth and took control.
Zita felt dizzy with relief and met his hunger with her own. The pent-up lust she’d felt from being with him, but not with him.
Sage lifted her from the Jeep and set her on her feet, and she barely heard him slam the door shut. He didn’t lift his head from hers, simply tilted it so he could take the kiss deeper.
She was lost in him. In sensation. When he finally did lift his head and growl, “Key,” it took her a moment to understand what he wanted and why.
She fumbled in her purse for the metal key Edna had given her and breathed a sigh of relief when her fingers closed around it.
She handed it to Sage, and he took it without a word.
He had the door open in seconds, and then they were inside. He kicked it shut with his foot, locked the dead bolt, then reached for her once more.
There was no hesitation this time, on either of their parts. The kiss was carnal, hotter than anything Zita had ever experienced before. She didn’t hold back, tried to let Sage know without words how much he’d come to mean to her. How much she wanted this. Him.
She kicked her shoes off, while he worked on the button of her cargo pants. Her hands were busy trying to shove his shirt up and over his head while not breaking their kiss.
Eventually, he pulled back, breathing hard, eyes kind of wild, and said, “Clothes. Off.”
She complied, gladly.
There was a mad rush on both their parts to remove the clothes that suddenly felt too constricting. The second they were both naked, Sage reached for her once more. Surprisingly, Zita didn’t feel self-conscious in the least. She was more than ready for this. For Sage.
Their bodies came together with an audible slap, and it felt as if Sage’s hands were everywhere at once. She wasn’t a passive participant either. Her own hands were attempting to learn Sage’s body even as they once again devoured each other’s mouths.
She ran her hands over his rock-hard ass, marveling at the tautness of the round globes.
Running her hands up his sides, she could feel the muscles in his torso flexing as he moved.
Her nipples were hard against his chest, the hair there stimulating her even more.
Every time she shifted, her breasts rubbed against his body, ramping up her need.
He was doing his own exploring. One hand was locked around the back of her neck, holding her against him as he kissed her, the other was roaming her body almost desperately.
His fingers gripped a butt cheek, then grasped her thigh to pull it around his leg.
His hand went to her chest next, to palm one of her breasts.
His fingers played with the taut nipple, then squeezed the sensitive globe before he moved down between her legs.
Zita jerked against him at the first touch of his fingers on her soaking-wet folds. She broke from their kiss and gasped, sucking in oxygen in gulps as if she’d just run a freaking marathon.
“Sage,” she moaned, hiking her leg higher, trying to give him more room to touch her. But the position was a bit awkward, and her other leg was starting to shake with the strength it took to hold herself up.
Thankfully, Sage realized there was a perfectly good bed right behind them. He put both hands on her waist and turned, spinning her around and practically throwing her onto the mattress.
Zita couldn’t help but giggle. She loved being manhandled by this man, because she had no doubt whatsoever that he wouldn’t use his strength against her.
She didn’t have time to think before he was on top of her, his lips once more covering hers.
His hand went straight back to her pussy, teasing the wet folds before zeroing in on her clit.