Tempting Dusty (Temptation Saga Book 1) by Helen Hardt

workout today, and we’re competing tomorrow.”
    “You know as well as I do that a day off before a competition is good for an animal.”
    “Not everyone subscribes to that viewpoint.”
    “But I’m willing to bet you do. With your love of animals.”
    She sighed. He was right, of course. “I should get back though. I’ll need a good night’s sleep…”
    “Dusty, it’s six o’clock, and we spent half the afternoon sleeping.”
    “I need to call Sam.”
    “So call him.”
    “I don’t have a cell phone.” She grimaced at the look of surprise on Zach’s face.
    He pointed to the phone on the nightstand. “So?”
    “Fine.” She quickly dialed the hotel and left Sam a message.
    When she was finished, Zach took the phone from her.
    “This is suite twenty-five hundred. I’ll have the Chateaubriand for two, please, with green beans and garlic mashed potatoes. Oysters on the half-shell for an appetizer.” A pause. “Yeah, that’d be great. And a chocolate soufflé for dessert.” He started to put the phone down, and then spoke again. “You still there? A bottle of your best Bordeaux. Thanks.”
    Dusty’s mouth dropped open. He had just ordered about three hundred dollars’ worth of food. That was her and Sam’s grocery budget for a month. At least, it had been while they were saving for this trip to Denver. The steak dinner the previous evening must have set him back about a hundred and fifty, but this was plain crazy.
    “Uh, Zach?”
    “Hmm?”
    “You don’t need to spend that much money on dinner for me.”
    “For you?” He grinned and touched her chin, forcing her to look at him. “I thought I might eat some, too.”
    “Of course, but—”
    “You said you’re hungry, and you need to eat a good solid meal so you’re at your best for competition tomorrow.”
    “And the wine?”
    “Goes great with the meat.” He gave her a lazy half-smile.
    “What I don’t need is a hangover.”
    “You won’t have one. I’ll take good care of you tonight. I promise.”
    Dusty sighed and smiled. Why not share a meal with him? She had shared her body, and she had no regrets. She wanted to let him take care of her. She wasn’t ready for it all to end.
    “You want another bath?” he asked. “It’ll help the soreness.”
    It did sound heavenly. “Yeah, but I need to wash my hair. So I’d better take a shower.”
    “Nah, a bath.” He grinned at her. “And I’ll wash your hair.”
    Now why in the world did the thought of Zach washing her hair completely turn her on?
    “Only if I get to wash yours.” The idea of threading her fingers through his black silk thrilled her.
    “I won’t turn that down, darlin’.” He started for the bathroom. “I’ll run the bath and call you when it’s ready.”
    “Mmm,” Dusty purred, and then lay back on the bed. She missed him already, and he was only in the bathroom. She ran her hands over her breasts, cupping them, squeezing them, making her nipples harden. She moved one hand down to her triangle of curls, imagining Zach’s silky head between her legs, his hot mouth pleasuring her.
    “Now that’s a lovely sight.”
    Zach stood in the doorway between the bathroom and the bedroom, his eyes smoldering.
    Dusty warmed and redness crept to her breasts. She stilled her hands.
    Zach grinned. “Your bath is ready, darlin’. Though I think I’d rather join you.”
    Though embarrassed, she couldn’t help but chuckle. How she wished she could forget everything about her life and stay here in this room forever, making sweet love to this phenomenal man.
    “Come on,” he said. “I promised you a scalp massage.”
    “A scalp massage? I just need my hair washed.”
    “There’s more to hair washing than shampoo and conditioner.” He winked. “It’s an erotic art.”
    She smiled. He was so damned adorable. “An erotic art, huh? This an invention of yours?”
    “Yeah. As of five minutes ago. Come on.”
    Erotic art, indeed. Zach’s strong and talented