The Wildflower (Completed) (Southern Nights)

Chapter 3

“The Heart of a Wildflower”

Copyright 2012 All Rights Reserved

Chapter 3

Her lips were just as soft and just as sugary sweet as he remembered them. They were like rose petals, so silky smooth in texture. He had dreamt about these particular lips, imagining what they would feel like once he was able to kiss them again. Now that he was actually kissing them, the reality was so much better than the dreams.

She had been shocked by his bold move and that was exactly what he had been counting on. She had been so angry with him, her cheeks flushed and looking adorably cute with that stubborn set of her chin that he wanted nothing more that to kiss her into submission.

When he first laid his eyes on her back at Bobby’s garage his world tipped sideways before turning completely upside down. She stole his breath and now he wanted to steal hers. At eighteen years of age, she had been a natural beauty but standing here today- she was absolutely stunning.

She had rounded out nicely in all the right places and there was a feminine maturity about her that hadn’t been there before. He wanted this woman more than he ever wanted anything in his life and six years of separation did nothing to disquiet that wanting. If anything, the time apart has only fanned the flames between them.

And now that she was in his arms he would be damned if he would let her get away from him.

Needing more, Zeb hungrily sipped at her mouth. At first she stood stiff as a board, her lips pressed  tightly together. Lifting his hand, Zeb brought his thumb to her chin and pulled it down. After applying the barest minimum of pressure, she reluctantly opened up to him. He slipped his tongue in her mouth, tentatively caressing her, urging her to join him in this primitive dance.  And man, she didn’t disappoint him. After her brief hesitation, she brought her arms and circled them around his neck. He pulled her body flush to his and the scent of gardenia’s infiltrated his nose. He reveled in the flowery scent, remembering how fragrant she had smelled that one night she shared his bed so long ago.

He took another minute to savor her unique taste and ran his hand down the length of her spine before reluctantly pulling away. He slowly lifted his head, taking pure male satisfaction with the dreamy look plastered on her face.

Her eyes were closed and her lips slightly parted, he wanted nothing more than to dip his head and kiss her again.

But he didn’t. He held himself back and waited for her to open up her eyes and look at him.

When she finally did open her eyes he released his hold on her waist and took a step back. He touched his own lips with his thumb and noticed that they were still moist from her kiss. He sucked in his bottom lip and could still taste her on him. He softly chuckled. “That my dear Lizzie is more like the welcome home that I had been expecting.”

Elizabeth’s eyes snapped open. What had she done? She glared at him and his smug expression, her mouth still tingling from his ministrations. She let him kiss her.

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! She had been so damn stupid to not only let him kiss her but she actually kissed him back.

“How;” she started and stopped herself, turning away from him. She didn’t even know what to say to this man whom she had so easily given her heart to only for him to turn around, rip it out of her chest and tear it to pieces.

“What Lizzie? How could I kiss you?” He smiled down at her and lightly touched her cheek. “I think the real question is how could I not. You’re just too damn irresistible for your own damn good, you know that?”

She narrowed her eyes on him. She wanted to throttle him, do something to cause him some serious bodily harm. Even her hand itched with the desire to smack that smug expression right off of his face.  But she did none of this. She refused to stoop down to his level. If he thought he could waltz into her home and kiss the daylights out of her, then Mr. Zeb Crooker had another think coming. This was her house, her sanctuary and it was past time for him to leave.

Struggling to regain her composure, Elizabeth walked past him and held open her front door. “What I know Mr. Crooker is that you are no good for me. So please, I’m only going to ask you once more to leave. If you don’t, I will call the Sheriff.”

Zeb stared at her but Elizabeth maintained her stoic face. She meant what she said.   If Zeb didn’t willingly leave, she would have him escorted if need be. The only thing that mattered was herself. She made the mistake and trusted this man once before; she wouldn’t make that mistake twice.

“You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

“As a heart attack,” she promptly quipped back.

Zeb shook his head. “I don’t know what’s happened to you since I’ve been gone but I promise you this.  I will find out. I don’t know about you darlin’ but I haven’t forgotten one second of that last night that we shared together. You burned for me just as hot as I burned for you.” He grabbed her chin and pulled her face up to him when she tried to look away. “All those cold and lonely nights that I spent out in the desert, all I could think about was how soft and delicate your skin felt against my naked body, your heat that enveloped me when we were joined together, how perfectly right it felt to have you in my arms. We were meant to be together Lizzie and that kiss we just shared was about as good as proof if I’ve ever seen it.”

Zeb dropped his hand and went to step by her. He opened the screen door and stepped out on the porch before turning back around to face her. “I’ll leave you alone for now so you can get used to the idea of me being back home, but know this Elizabeth Lowry- I’ll be back and I will have you in my arms and in my bed again. And once I have you there, you’re going to love every minute of it.”

Elizabeth’s jaw dropped as she watched him walk down her porch with a confident gait that she really shouldn’t be thinking of as sexy, but she did. How was she supposed to respond to that?

He was almost to his car when Elizabeth shoved open her screen door and stepped out on the porch. “Don’t hold your breath Mr. Crooker.” She pointed to herself. “This is one lady that you’ll never have the pleasure of being with again. I’ve been there, done that and I’ve have to tell ya… I wasn’t all that impressed.”

Liar.

“Really.” Zeb turned and propped his arms up on the top of his car. He looked more amused than anything. “I guess we’ll need to do something about that, won’t we?”

“In your dreams,” she shot back.

His grin widened at the hint of the challenge. “I promised you Elizabeth and I’m a man of my word. I always keep my promises.” He ducked his head. “I’ll be seeing you Ms. Lowry, real soon. You can bank on it.”

Zeb tipped his hat to her and moved to get in his car. Elizabeth was left speechless, again. Somehow, the annoying man has managed to sweep himself into her life with all the force of a gale wind, threatening to blow her over.

“No!” she spoke aloud, watching the dust cloud that Zeb’s car left behind him as he drove away. She would not let him get to her, not this time. She spent six years healing and building up a solid wall around her against men just like Zeb Crooker. She had hardened her heart and steeled her soul.

Spinning around, Elizabeth marched back into the house, intent on forgetting the man and his kiss.  She was going to take her shower.

Zeb Crooker was nothing but a lie, a cheat and dirty rotten filthy scoundrel. She had to remember that. Getting involved with him again would only lead her to another heartbreak hotel.

She pushed the door closed and locked it behind her. She could do this, she told herself determinedly, and at the same time a little voice in the back of her head reminded her of how easily she had melted in his arms just minutes before. All it took was one touch and she was putty in his hands.

No! She wouldn’t let that happen again. She just wouldn’t let Zed touch her at all.  She would have to make sure that his grubby hands stayed to himself, come hell or high water.  This time, she had to stick to her guns. There were no ifs, ands or buts about it, because if she didn’t--she really wasn't all too sure that she could survive the hurt a second time around.