The Matchmaker

Chapter 35

I'm left reeling from my own shock that words fail to form, my mouth gapping wide open as Zander's fingertips graze my back. All sense and reason are gone, every faint gesture of his the only thing on my mind.

The dead fish stare is back and I'm blinking rapidly, with lips slightly quivering from the knot of nerves stealing into my belly and making their way upwards and hitting me right in the face in burning waves.

Get your mind out of the gutter Celia owns, Cat!

The sleep finally evades Zander who immediately ceases his casual grazing, realisation dawning on him, green orbs widening and mirroring my light brown ones.

Without uttering a word, he gently retracts his arms, the gliding motion causing my heart to pulse quickly, heartbeats reverberating in my ears.

Praying I'm the only one who can hear my own erratic beats, Zander tucks the robe that's come undone back into place and cautiously snatches one of the towels hazardously slewed on the bed.

Clearing his throat, Zander eyes me suspiciously as he wraps the towel around him before placing a hand over his chest mildly offended but clearly amused by this entire situation.

"Ms. Lewis, if you wanted to jump me, why didn't you say so? No need to undress me and ogle. Also, don't misunderstand, I didn't do...that," he said, pointing at the bathrobe now correctly wrapped around me, obviously referring to the state I was in when we woke up.

Stuttering to find the words, I heave out an exasperated sigh, "But-bu-but, that wasn't me! I mean..it was sort of..but I was trying to save you!" I stammered, breathless and wide eyed.

Chuckling, he crosses his arms defiantly and relishes in the discomfort I'm feeling. "From what? A life of celibacy?"

"Wooow, I do one good deed and this is what I get?" I blurted.

"A peek at my body seems like a good reward."

"I prefer hard cold cash, thank you very much!"

"Shouldn't I get compensated too?" Zander said placidly.

"For what? Do you have any idea how hard it was trying to make sure you didn't freeze or catch a cold last night?"

Grinning, he leans in closer to the bed where I've sat at the edge. "But the thing is...you got to see all of me meanwhile..." he trailed, eyes and a huge grin slanting sideways to rest on me.

"Do not even dream about finishing that thought or I will...I'll.."

"Or you'll what?"

"Stop being cocky about it!"

"Interesting choice of words..."

Aimlessly flinging a pillow at him, it sinks to the ground soundlessly and a frown begins to form on my lips which doesn't last long as I'm letting out a small yelp, scooped off the ground and plopped into Zander's lap.

"All right Cat, explain what happened last night."

"I could have accomplished that by us keeping a sense of spatial awareness," I mumbled meekly. The heartbeats accelerating once more.

"And why would I want to do that? At least give me this and one more thing if you've seen everything already."

"Give you wha-" the question is easily cut off, our lips colliding and my eyes close shut as my hands slink to the back of his neck.

Zander deepens the kiss and I hold on tighter, surfacing for air after a beat and then willfully drown again. And again.

The touch of fingers against my bare thigh is unmistakable but I don't stop him. My own hands land and rest against his exposed back and I lean in closer as the kiss becomes more frantic, the caressing traces against my thigh languid and satiating.