Chapter 9

Their lips barely brushed each other. But their breathing was heavy. Gently, their lips met. Zach's strong hands cradled Kendall's face, while her hands pressed against his chest. The kiss deepened, their desire and passion, more evident. When the kiss ended, they were both breathless, but never lost eye contact.

Kendall thought 'If one kiss has left me breathless and shaken, what will making love feel like.' Kendall stood up and held out both of her hands, Zach's hands joined hers. Kendall walked backwards toward her open apartment door. Zach closed the gap between them and pulled Kendall into another passionate kiss. Kendall's knees gave way, but she was held up by his powerful embrace.

He had barely drank the vodka and ice he had poured earlier, but felt drunk. Drunk from the passion between them. He desperately wanted to know what she was wearing underneath the thin azure fabric. By this point they were inside of Kendall's condo, stumbling their way towards the bedroom. Zach came to a dead stand still surprising Kendall. After a moment, Kendall asked with much apprehension "Zach?"

Zach wanted to take the moment to gaze at Kendall's beauty, her gorgeous eyes, her dark curls in a bit of array because of his hands. The robe, UGH, that robe had been haunting him. Zach reached for Kendall's face, cupping her face ever so gently, slowly placing feather like kisses from her mouth, down her neck. His hands reached for the silk band that kept the robe secured, fluidly he pulled the band away from her slight waist. Pushed the robe off of her shoulders continuing to plant soft kisses along her shoulders.

Kendall's hands were caressing Zach's back, moving her hands underneath the cotton shirt. She felt his strong, muscular back. Zach's multiple kisses caused Kendall to float. In a single motion, she pulled his shirt over his head, causing Zach to abruptly stop kissing her shoulder and take a step back. But what a sight he beheld. The moonlight shined through the window, illuminating the room and Kendall's fully nude body. Quickly, without further hesitation, Zach scooped Kendall into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.

The apartment was hot and the air was stagnant. But none of that mattered to Zach or Kendall. Afterwards, the sleep that had been eluding Zach now came easily.

Kendall woke up happier and more content than she had been in months. The sun was now up, but she didn't bother to look at the clock. She quietly giggled as she remember something Zach said to her a year ago. With a Cheshire cat smile on her face she thought, 'He has made me feel like a woman. More like a woman than any man I have ever been with.' She turned her head to gaze at Zach's sleeping form. 'And he is all man. There is nothing feminine about him.' Kendall couldn't resist, she began softly kissing his broad shoulders, moved to his wide chest. Her hands moved to his waist and abs. Noting that his shoulders to waist ratio did not form a 'V', like Ryan or Ethan. Zach began stirring, sound of pleasure rumbled from deep in his chest.

"Promise to wake me up like this every morning." Zach's voice croaked.

Kendall stretched her unclothed body against the length of his body. Nuzzling her face in between his shoulder and neck "Good morning", covering his neck with kisses. His arms encircled her as he turned his face to capture her lips with his. Immediately her lips parted as his tongue darted against her lips.

Kendall pulled out of the kiss. She smiled her most mischievous sexy smile "How about a shower? We had quite the work-out last night."

Kendall's smile came so naturally. Zach knew he never wanted her to share that intimate look with any other man but him. He blocked out of his mind the sudden realization that she may have shared that look with his brother and his son. "Lead the way." Both of them had pasts, but together they had a future.

Zach joined Kendall under the pulsing spray of water. Neither of the lovers noticed that the air conditioning was operating and the clock on the night stand read 10:15. Zach and Kendall were enjoying each other. Zach took pleasure in washing Kendall's hair, realizing that the bottle of Fusion shampoo contained the luscious scent of Kendall's curls. All lathered with soap, they sensuously teased one another. Laughing and giggling, they rinsed away most of the soap. Zach held Kendall as close as possible, looking deeply into her large blue eyes. 'Kendall, I… want… this."

Kendall cocked her head slightly to one side. Noticing how sincere Zach's face looked. This was no time to crack a joke. "Honesty must always come first." Kendall spoke directly from the heart, her heart that had been burned by love so many times. "We won't stand a chance if we aren't truthful with one another."

Zach reached down through the shower of water, taking Kendall's hands in his, pressed her hands against his chest. "My darling Kendall, I want to be…the man that holds you through the night. I offer you all that I have, just ask and its yours. I will give you honesty. Let me be the man that makes you believe in love again."

The water poured from the shower head, as tears fell from Kendall's eyes. Without a word, Kendall's kiss gave Zach all the confirmation he needed. The two bodies became one, oblivious to the world around them. They paid attention only to each other, not the cold water, not the interloper entering the bedroom.