Chapter 18

“There are no other women in my life, at least none that I would allow in my bed,” he amended smartly.

After all, he had as many women working for him as men. Well, maybe not quite as many, but close.

There weren’t a lot of female construction workers as a percentage overall, especially in countries outside the United States.

She stilled above him. “I’m your only…”

Her words trailed off as if she didn’t know how to term herself, and he could not help her. She wasn’t a girlfriend per se. She was a friend with whom he shared his body and bed. But it became obvious that she was definitely fishing.

He didn’t mind giving her the truth. “I haven’t had sex with another woman since the second time we made love.”

The first time had scared him shitless and he wasn’t afraid to admit it. To himself. But then he’d realized that he was just more physically attracted to Piper than he had been to other women. Add in their friendship and the sex was mindblowing. He’d decided to enjoy it as long as it lasted.

Because sex never did. Experience had taught him that. Just as it had taught him that while love might be transitory, and family couldn’t necessarily be counted on, a true friend stuck with you through the years. He’d learned that from Neo.

Long after the sexual elements to their relationship were over, Zephyr had every expectation that he and Piper would continue to be friends.

“I’ve never asked for promises of fidelity.” She’d gone back to massaging the pleasantly loosening muscles of his lower back.

“And I’ve never offered them.” Because thanks to her ex, she would not believe them. “But if you are asking, I am telling you I don’t have sex with other women right now.”

“Because of me?”

“Because I have a rule about not having multiple sex partners at the same time,” he explained.

“Serial monogamy?”

“Yes. I never make promises, you know that, but while I am having sex with one woman, I do not seek out release elsewhere.”

“So, you haven’t been with anyone else but me since we started sleeping together.”

“Not since the second time, when I knew we would continue to have sex.” He’d had a one-night stand after the first time he and Piper had gotten together, when he’d hoped to make their explosive sex a single shot. The hookup had only confirmed that mediocre sex was no substitute for what he had with her right now.

“The first time?”

“Wasn’t planned and I wasn’t sure we should repeat it.”

“But you decided we should?” she asked softly.

“As did you.”

“Yes.”

“Once I realized you and I were going to have a prolonged sexual association, I stopped looking for that from anyone else.” He looked down at her seriously.

“Even when we went weeks between getting together?”

“I don’t break my own rules, Piper.” He was no oversexed adolescent who could not go a few nights, or weeks, without. It wasn’t always easy, especially when they spoke on the phone and his body reacted with the predictability of Pavlov’s dog, but a real man knew how to keep his zipper in the up position.

Zephyr was nothing like his father.

Not one damn thing.

“Right.” She snorted a laugh.

Pleasure from the massage tried to melt Zephyr’s brain along with his muscular tension. “Yes, right,” he affirmed with emphasis.

But he doubted she believed him, which was why he’d never made promises of fidelity during their temporary sexual relationship. Arthur Bellingham deserved so much more than the small comeuppance Zephyr had engineered for him.

Chapter Four “WHAT about you?” he asked, deciding he wanted confirmation of what his instincts told him to be true.

“Do you seek sexual release elsewhere when we cannot connect?”

“No.” That was decisive enough.

“You made no promises, either,” he reminded her.

“No, I didn’t, but you’re something special. No other man could live up.”

“Nice to know.” Call him arrogant, but he had no trouble believing her.

Her hands moved down to his buttocks, digging with her knuckles into his rock-hard glutes.

“Damn.” He sighed. “That feels so good.”

“I’m enjoying it as much as you are.”

“I doubt that.” Though he liked hearing it.

“Touching you is always a pleasure.” The husky tenor was back in her voice.

Delicious. “Is this touching going to turn sexual?” he could not help hinting.

She scooted down his legs and her fingertips slid between them to caress the back of his balls.

“Maybe.”