Chapter 170: Beautiful You

~ SASHA ~

It seemed to take forever for Sasha and Zev to make it back to her house where they'd left their bags. They were both almost jogging by the time they reached the tree and he stopped only to lift her to the top of the ladder, hissing as the stretch pulled at his wounds. She cursed at him for hurting himself further, but he just grinned and said it was worth it to get her out of there faster. But even in the dim light she could tell he'd paled.

"Zev—"

"Sash, I'm fine. Let's get changed and get out of here." Then he flashed her a grin and she groaned, pulling him down into a quick kiss, before turning to dart into the house.

Which was when she realized she was going to have to get out of that beautiful dress, and into normal, warm clothes for their trip.

And Zev was there with her.

She'd pulled to a stop in front of the bed where she'd left her clothes out and just stood there for a second, heart pumping, veins pulsing a little with fear, a little with disappointment. Kyelle had given her a beautiful set of furs to wear for the trip, but the truth was, there was no way to make the bulky, boxy furs look like anything but functional clothing. And this dress… this dress had made her feel pretty for the first time in… well, years.

As Zev closed the door into the house, Sasha removed the fur wrap, then stood there, stroking the front of the dress, grieving the dirt and blood that marred it now, but still finding it beautiful.

She sighed and reached up to untie the halter at the back of her neck.

"No, wait," Zev said quietly behind her. "Let me."

She was about to tell him not to worry, when his tall, warm presence arrived at her back, and suddenly everything in Sasha turned into electric jelly.

When his fingers brushed the nape of her neck, her muscles went slack, yet her skin crackled and the pin hairs stood to salute him, goosebumps chasing themselves down the backs of both of her arms.

With his warmth at her back—his solid steel strength that emanated heat and made her stomach simmer with desire—she shivered. Then she felt the bow of the laces loosen and his breath fluttered on her neck. Her skin prickled.

The two sides of the halter fell and the top of the dress sagged. Reflexively, she caught it, but her chest was rising and falling quickly and neither of them moved.

Without thought, she leaned back into Zev, wallowing again in that perfect fit, as if he'd been made to hold her.

His fingers touched her shoulders, so lightly, then drew down, across her shoulders, down her upper arms, raising goosebumps in their wake before he trailed them back up.

"Sash…" His voice was husky and gruff, and lower than usual. She heard him swallow. "I want to do this right," he rasped. "I don't want to rush, and I don't want to risk being interrupted, and—"

"Neither do I," she whispered, but tipped her head back against his chest. "I just…"

"I know. Me too."

They stood that way for a long moment, both of their breaths audible in the chill evening air of the house.

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"How long will it take… the hike?" she asked reluctantly.

"A couple hours at least."

Sasha swore.

"But when we get there, we'll be completely alone and… it's beautiful, Sash. I've been waiting to take you there since I was eighteen."

She groaned and screwed her eyes closed. It'll be worth it, she reminded herself. Worth it to wait…

She dropped her head forward again and sighed. "Okay. Two hours. I can wait two hours."

"Maybe three."

"Maybe three," she growled reluctantly. "But that just means that I need to get changed and you need to put more clothes on and… and we need to get moving. The sooner we move, the sooner we get there and we don't have to wait anymore."

Zev made a small whine in his throat, but his fingers dragged down her arms again. "Okay. You're right. But let me help you." Then he dropped down to kneel—slowly, so his chest brushed her back all the way down—and his wonderful fingers moved to the low back of the dress and the buttons there.

"I—what?"

But after a small nudge, she felt the material of the dress loosen at her back.

Swallowing hard, Sasha didn't move as Zev, his breathing getting deeper, heavier, unbuttoned the handful of buttons that lined the sway of her back, all the way to the top of her buttocks.

Then his hands flattened on her back and slid around her sides, pulling the dress with them as he palmed her breasts, feeling the weight of them.

Sasha gasped and let the dress fall, intending to take his hands in hers and hold him there. But as the dress slumped to puddle around her feet, Zev groaned and rested his forehead in the hollow of her back.

They stood that way for a moment, every nerve in Sasha's body tuned like a radar, looking for his touch, his warmth. So when his lips opened against her spine, she whimpered and her hands tightened on his arms.

She heard him swallow again, and his thumbs traced the sides of her breasts, her nipples pressing tightening in anticipation of his touch.

But when he stood, he didn't take her in his arms, turn her around as she expected.

One side of her went cold as Zev leaned over her to reach for the fur jacket on the bed and lift it, shaking it out. She felt his body jerk as he moved to open it, but she forgot about everything else when his nose traced the line from her shoulder, up the side of her neck and he inhaled her. Yet, just as she was about to sink into him again, the fur settled against her back, and over her shoulders.

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