Something Unexpected

“What’s she got that I don’t have?” Zacari looked down at her chest. Thirty-six C bra size, a sexy if not flat belly, and a round booty men liked to grab onto even when she hadn’t given them permission. She completed a two year college degree and was struggling through to bachelors. One couldn’t call her glorified secretarial position success, but damn it, she supported the top executives at Connor and O’Connor, her engineering firm. That had to count to count for something, didn’t it?

No, with all she had going for her, Zacari’s best friend had still stolen her man and slept with him in Zacari’s bed. Okay, so common sense told her the two of them were the bastards since they’d done the cheating. Knowing that didn’t make Zacari feel any better about herself.

She lifted the glass of sex-on-the-beach to her lips and took a long drink. Usually she’d instruct the bartender to go easy on the alcohol and give her more orange juice, but tonight she’d begged for the booze—anything to drown her sorrows.

Zacari drained the glass and ordered anther drink. She tried to recall a drink strong enough to put her in an alcohol-induced coma, but Pam had always been the drink expert. Every time they went out, Pam would advise Zacari on what to order, and Zacari would follow along. She’d have to stick with frou frou ones now.

By the end of the fourth glass, the bartender seemed to be evaluating whether he should give her more. The room dipped and swayed each time Zacari turned her head. She sat up straight and held the side of the bar in a death grip in an effort to look sober.

“Um…” she said too loud.

The bartender glanced her way and shook his head. “I think you’ve had enough, miss. How are you getting home?”

She frowned. “I’ve only had four. My friend can drink that much with no affects whatsoever, and she can draw every man in the vicinity too.” Aware she sounded resentful, Zacari clicked her teeth together. Somewhere in her past, she remembered hearing that silence made the idiot seem wise. Now that she was good and sloshed, mentally quoting proverbs like that would help. Not!

A male arm reached around her and set cash on the bar. “I’ll take care of her tab and see her home.”

Zacari gave a slow heavy-lidded blink and peered at the man. Sexy as hell, his eyes were aqua green in sharp contrast to his raven dark hair. He parted full lips in a gentle smile. For the life of Zacari she couldn’t place where she’d seen him before. Surely, a guy this hot should have burned an imprint into her memory.

The bartender’s brows creased. “I will call her a cab.” He probably figured the man was going to rape her in some back alley and leave her dead. She should be more alarmed at the prospect, but her mind remained fuzzy. Yeah, she couldn’t hold her liquor for crap.

“Zacari, let’s go.” The man took her arm. Had she mentioned her name?

He led her out of the bar and over to the curb. A limo pulled up as if expecting them, and the driver hopped out to open the door. Zacari resisted the hand at her lower back directing her to get in. Although it wasn’t likely a man would kidnap a woman with such an obvious vehicle, she wasn’t taking any chances. People were crazy. Besides, the chilly evening air cleared her head somewhat, and she was able to put more than two thoughts together.

She pulled away from his touch. “What’s going on here? Why is someone like you being so nice to me?”

He stared into her eyes, amusement clear in his expression. “You don’t know do you?”

“Know what?” Zacari wasn’t admitting anything. If he thought he could force himself on her without a fight, he had another thought coming. He would walk away with that pretty boy face scratched to ribbons. Suffusing that threat into her stance and expression didn’t wipe the grin from his full lips—lips she wanted to suck on. Zacari shook her head. Alcohol must still be clouding her judgment.

“I know that we’ve only met twice before, but I liked to think that I made an impression on you.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. Broad shoulders fit well in his suit jacket. He paused a beat for her response, but when she didn’t say a word, he continued. “I am Jack O’Connor’s son. You really know how to shrink a man’s ego.”

Zacari’s mouth fell open. Of course. That’s where she’d seen the eyes, but with wrinkles all around them and saggy lids. She’d always thought when the president of her company was young, he must have been handsome. His hair all white may have been as dark as this man’s at one time.

“Keary O’Connor,” she said after some time.

“Ah, redeemed. Yes, that’s me. Now, can I see you home?” He stepped aside to let her climb into the limo, and Zacari complied this time.

Inside, she sat well away from him with her arms crossed over her chest. While she knew her boss couldn’t fault her for the formfitting dress or being out late, needing his son to take her home looked bad.

Keary sat in silence at her side until Zacari realized he waited for her address. She blushed. “Sorry, it’s been a long day.” She gave him the information and advised him on the direction to take.

His eyebrows went up. “So far from home.”

She looked away. “I didn’t want to run into anyone I knew.” Meaning her ex-boyfriend and her ex-best friend, of course. Who knew she’d still have bad luck and land where she didn’t want to be.

Zacari eyed Keary. Damn, he was fine. His casual slacks hugged muscular thighs, and the jacket and dress shirt didn’t begin to hide his hard body. She bet his girlfriend wouldn’t think twice about another man if she had Keary to come home to every day.

The lust must have been reflected in her eyes, because Keary studied her with interest. She didn’t know what made her do it, but she reached out a hand and rested it on his arm. With no conscious thought, she ran her fingers up his sleeve to take a few strands of his silky hair in between her fingers. Zacari had never slept with a white man before, but she’d fantasized about it often enough. Something about their colorful eyes made her want to stare into them while running her fingers through their hair.

Maybe it was the alcohol in her system or because she was on the rebound, all her inhibitions melted away. She pulled her feet out of her heels and slid closer to Keary. When her hip brushed his, she moved one leg over his, feeling the muscles tense and bunch under her thigh.

Meeting his heated gaze, she reached between his legs and began stroking his cock. Keary covered her hand, but his shaft still jerked and hardened. “You shouldn’t do that,” he told her.

She smirked. “Why? You don’t like it?”

He shook his head. “You know good and well that I like it. A lot. But I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

“Who is taking advantage of whom?” She pushed his hand away and traced his length through his slacks. The girth alone must be a figment of her imagination. She couldn’t wait to have a closer look, but she needed him to agree. “You’re not into black women?”

“That’s not it at all.” He lifted her hand from his crotch and kissed it. “You know how beautiful you are. There can’t be a man within yards of you who will not appreciate your incredible curves, those luscious breasts, or long to taste your smooth chocolate skin.”

Zacari warmed all over at his compliments, but she wasn’t taking no for an answer. She was a big girl and knew what she was getting herself into. Okay, so her heart hurt like hell, but she didn’t think she’d regret anything that happened tonight.

“Let me be upfront with you, Keary. I was back there drinking myself silly because I walked into my apartment and found my boyfriend getting it on with my best friend. Neither of those bastards were sorry, and I don’t know how long it had been going on. I just wanted to forget it all for one night.”

His beautiful eyes filled with sympathy, and he murmured those same sentiments. She was determined to change that expression. At her nape, she untied and let fall the spaghetti straps which did little to hold back her breasts. Keary followed her movements with his eyes.

“I’m on the rebound. I admit that, but I’m not the kind of woman that has these experiences every day.”

“Oh? What kind of experience is that?”

She climbed onto his lap and hiked her short dress even higher. Arching her back, she pressed her breasts against his chest and was rewarded with his twitching cock under her. “This kind—having sex in a limo with a hot man.”

Still Keary hesitated. He appeared to be everything a woman could want in a man. Too bad this was not the time to develop a deeper relationship.

“Since we’re being honest, let me say that I’ve never been with a black woman, although like most men, I’ve fantasized about it. I would not want to take advantage of you in this vulnerable state just to fulfill it.” He shuddered when she rotated her hips on his lap. “That’s not to say that you’re not driving me insane doing that, Zacari. A man can only take so much.”

“Then don’t take it.” She leaned in and brushed his lips with hers. “Or do.