Still watching him, she drew her keys out of her pocket, held them dangling. “Come home with me. You drive.”

The twinkle in his eyes turned to razor-sharp intensity. “I’m not going to ask if you’re sure.” He took the keys. “I’m just going to tell you to get in the car.”

Her knees felt a bit wobbly, but she walked to the door, slid in while he got behind the wheel.

When he yanked her across the seat, ravished her mouth, she forgot all about wobbly knees and did her best to crawl into his lap.

“Hold on, just hold on. Christ Jesus.” He stabbed the keys into the ignition. The engine whimpered to life, and he swung the protesting car into a tight U-turn. It shimmied in protest, making Nell giggle nervously.

“If this heap falls apart before we get there, we’ll have to run for it. Zack—” She flipped off the seat belt she’d automatically snapped on, and slithered over to bite his ear. “I feel like I’m going to explode.”

“Did I ever mention I’m particularly partial to women wearing little black vests?”

“No. Really?”

“I just found out tonight.” Reaching out, he snagged the vest by the center vee, tugged her back against him. Understandably distracted, he took the turn too sharp and bumped the wheels over the curb.

“One more minute,” he panted. “Just one more minute.”

With a squeal of brakes and a violent jerk, he stopped in front of Nell’s cottage. He managed, barely, to turn off the ignition before he reached for her. Dragging her across his lap, he found her mouth with his again. And let his hands do as they pleased.

Need spurted through her, hot and welcome. Riding on it, she tugged at his jacket, arched against his hands. And thrilled at the first scrape of callus over her flesh.

“Inside.” He felt as randy and impatient as a teenager, and as fumbling as he fought to open the car door. “We have to get inside.”

He whipped her out, his breathing already ragged as they continued to fight with each other’s clothes. They stumbled, and buttons popped off his shirt. As he half carried her toward the cottage, her delighted laughter rang in his head.

“Oh! I love your hands! I want them all over me.”

“I’ll take care of that. Goddamn it, what’s wrong with this door?” Even as he vented his frustration by rapping his hip hard against it, it flew open.

They ended up in a heap on the floor, half in, half out.

“Right here. Right here.” She chanted it while her fingers worked busily at his belt.

“Wait. Just a—let me close the—” He managed to roll, scoot, and kick the door shut.