Her fingers met his lips.
And his warm breath exuded through them like hot fire.
Her eyes snapped open.
She snatched her hand back.
The hard male body molded against hers was all too real.
And she was practically seducing the man as he slept!
A hot flush stained her cheeks.
Shamefully, she was relishing every aching second of it.
Her hand shook as she lay it flat against his chest.
Hot heat seared from his skin and straight through her.
She trembled again.
Guilty pleasure unfurled within her.
The intense feelings were inexplicable, even to her.
And they rocked her to the core.
His chest rose and fell evenly.
Gently, with her finger she traced a path down its center.
Her breath caught as he mumbled unintelligibly.
She stilled as his large hand closed around hers.
And in that intense moment, she stopped breathing.
This is all wrong.
Still, she clung desperately to the awakening madness of his touch.
She closed her eyes tightly.
This is all wrong, she told herself again.
But, why did it feel so right?
Reluctantly, she pulled away as she turned from him.
Suddenly, he hauled her back against him.
Her entire body shook.
Another wave of pleasure nearly swept her under its depths.
She held her breath, not daring to move as her hips pressed into his hardness.
Through the thin gown, she could feel every manly inch of him. Though she was an innocent, she wasn’t that innocent. Like any woman, she wasn’t ignorant to the fact of male anatomy. It clearly differed from a female’s. And from her stance, she could fairly declare that he was well-endowed. And without a doubt, he was probably a maven at lovemaking.
Her bare thigh rubbed against his again as she moved slightly.
He pulled her closer.
His hot breath fanned her soft tresses.
Again, sharp pleasure lanced her.
Her face flamed with embarrassment.
Never had she had an intense feeling in that place before!
A slow, dull ache throbbed between her tightly clenched thighs, especially since it was tingly and wet there too, she mulled, secretly entranced.
Releasing her pent-up breath, she relaxed against his hard form.
Just once in her life, she’d do the unthinkable, she reasoned selfishly.
No thoughts.
No rules.
Only feelings.
And she’d do it with no regrets.
Her wonderment grew as he moved suddenly, but only to pull her closer.
Heat seared her skin as his large hand curved along her hip, and then to her sinful delight, it journeyed further. Gently, he caressed her skin through the thin fabric. She shuddered as he explored furthered, finally flattening his palm against her abdomen. In that second, the moment intensified as his hand traveled upward.
Her breath hitched.
Now, his hand rested just below her breast.
Slowly, his thumb moved lazily across the thin fabric, lightly tracing a path along her ribcage.
“Xander,” she gasped softly as more pleasure pierced her.
And then, she knew.
Finally, she’d tapped into it.
That overwhelming, breath-taking feeling that made one lose all rationality.
And for the first time in her life, she wanted a man to touch her that way.
Make love to her.
Not just any man.
Just him.
And only him.
She bit her bottom lip thoughtfully.
But, he certainly wasn’t interested in her in that way.
Unfortunately, she was interested in him in that way.
That much was obvious!
She shivered uncontrollably as his hand lowered again.
Murmuring, he fisted the gown’s soft fabric with his fingers.
He inched it upward.
A tremor coursed through her as his hand grazed her bare thigh. Slowly, he trailed a lone finger along the warm, tender flesh. She sucked in a hard breath as her senses took flight, and willingly, she closed her mind to everything but it. Her back arched as she breathed heavily, silently pleading with him to take their forbidden, sensual journey further. And shamelessly, she wanted him to explore every aching inch of her.
Her hand trembled as it closed over his.
He threaded his fingers with hers.
You should put a stop to this at once, her rational side argued quickly.
Give into it, her body voiced its own wicked opposition.
“Nicole,” he whispered.
Her refusal died on her lips as a shiver chased through her.
“Xander,” she whispered breathlessly.
Tensing, he stilled behind her.
“What the fuck---”
Swearing under his breath, he left the bed.
Flustered, she turned away guiltily, but then came up in the bed.
The only sensible thing to do was confront it head on!
“Nicole. I’m sorry---”
Her spirits sank.
Did she really actually believe that they had a chance?
Or that he was affected by what’d just happened?
Anger surged through her.
Of course, she was an idiot to believe so!
“Would you stop it? Nothing happened,” she insisted quickly, her face flaming hot, and she struggled to hide her disappointment. “Relax, Xander. It was all innocent. Naturally, we gravitated to one another in our sleep. It was just something crazy that happened.”
But, it was everything, she whispered inwardly, struggling to keep her face impassive.
After kicking the covers to her feet, she left the bed. She tilted her chin stubbornly, but still, it was hard to face him. “There’s no point in making a big deal out of nothing. And I’m sure that you’re accustomed to having females in your bed, anyway. Only difference is that you were protecting me and nothing else. So, let’s just forget that it happened.”
But, she never would.
And it meant nothing to him, she reminded herself.
“You can trust that you were the perfect gentleman. And our relationship is strictly platonic, and I’m sure that neither of us will ever cross that line,” she went on stiffly, turning her back to him.
The silence stretched uncomfortably.
She blinked her stinging tears away.
He hadn’t disputed her claims.
But, what had she expected, she mulled angrily.
There was nothing between them---and there never would be.
“I would never take advantage---”
“How many times do I have to tell you that nothing happened?” she retorted sharply, finally facing him again as she regained her composure. “I told you. It was natural. We were both just exhausted. So just drop it.”
And it was time to face reality!
She was all alone in this.
“Are you going to shower first or not?” she asked harshly, pushing her mussed tresses from her face, and then pulled the fallen strap back onto her shoulder.
“Has anyone ever told you that you need to work on that bedside manner?” he suggested, evidently eager to avoid their earlier topic. Still, his tone held something more. He moved away, and she heard him rummaging through the closet. “Back to your usual charming self, it seems.”
“You better believe it,” she replied, straightening her posture.
Too bad she was a pile of mush inside!
Soon, the bathroom door closed behind him. Seconds later, she could hear the water rushing from the running shower.
Thank goodness, she sighed with relief before trailing towards the dresser.
Hopefully, she’d kept her feelings under wrap.
&n
bsp; Then, she stilled as her hands landed on the rounded brass knobs.
No longer could she to hide from the daunting truth.
She was helplessly in love.
***
The cold water jetted down his hard body as he stood under the spraying water.
What had happened?
As usual, he’d been caught up in a wicked fantasy where he and Nicole had been principal players. But, this time, it seemed that it’d been all too real. Just when fantasy and reality had blurred, he didn’t know, especially since he’d been too caught up in the throes of his own wicked pleasure.
Like so many nights when he’d dreamed of holding her close, he’d pulled her to him hungrily. As the sweet jasmine had wafted up his nostrils, he’d inhaled it greedily, not even contemplating for a mere second that he was actually holding her in his arms. And when her soft body had pressed against his, he’d thrown himself full-fledged into the fantasy and given into his desires. Even now, he burned from the remembrance of their forbidden embrace. And it’d taken every morsel of strength he’d had not to claim her then.
He frowned.
What would’ve transpired if he hadn’t been jolted back to reality?
And he’d be crazy not to acknowledge that she’d been as shaken by their encounter as he’d been, which meant that she’d likely wouldn’t have put an end to their sensual journey either.
Cursing under his breath, he turned the water on full blast. But, not even the water’s cold sting could erase the fire that breathed within him now.
I have to stay away from her, he admonished silently. For her sake and hers alone.
But boldly, she’d already claimed every part of him.
Heart, mind, body, and soul.
***
Several minutes later, they’d both dressed for the day. And by that time, they’d both regained their composure.
“What’s on the agenda?” he inquired quickly before sipping the black coffee.
“An impromptu visit with Dr. Peters,” she added briskly, nibbling on the French toast. She brushed the crumbs from her mouth with the napkin.
“Is this a regularly scheduled check-up?” he asked, studying her closely over the dining table. He didn’t miss her sharp intake of breath as she stiffened.
“Actually, it’s not. And I may be making this into a big deal. But, last night, I saw tiny, faint glimmers of light,” she explained hesitantly, but still was unable to disguise her budding hope. “Like I said, it’s probably nothing.”
As she raised the coffee mug to her lips, he watched her closely. As usual, the woman was achingly beautiful.
Her thick, black tresses shone brightly, falling to the black cashmere sweater in soft waves. A red, rosy hue covered her lips, and a light pink rogue dusted her cheeks. Black mascara clung to her thick, dark lashes, accentuating her expressive brown eyes. A black pencil-slim skirt finished her chic outfit, coupled with knee high black boots with one-inch heels.
“Or it may be everything,” he suggested quickly. “There’s certainly nothing wrong with being optimistic, Nicole.”
“That’s easy for you to say, isn’t it---considering that you can see,” she bit back sharply as anger gleamed in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Xander. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just that I’ve been down this road too many times before. And it’s always the same disappointing result.”
“Well, you can’t dismiss what’s happened,” he replied easily, slapping the mug down onto the table. “And after that, what’s next?”
“I need to check on Macy, if you don’t mind. And then rehearsal,” she broke in. “Xander, I know that you have things that you need to take care of, too. So, I don’t expect you to accompany me all day.”
“It’s not safe for you to be alone. There’s no telling when or where he’ll strike. So, you’re stuck with me. Get used to it,” he insisted, picking up the empty breakfast dishes and coffee mug. The black trousers hugged his lean hips closely as he strode to the kitchen sink. The dishware clattered as he placed them down. The Rolex watch twisted slightly on his wrist as he adjusted the white shirt cuff. “Later, we’ll stop by my office and see what more we can dig up on this Larry Gates.”
She frowned slightly as she stood. “Do you think that it’s a possibility that he’s worked at Cedars Hospital? Most of my surgeries and hospital stays have been there. Maybe that’s how he knows about me.”
“I think that it’s a strong possibility,” he agreed readily, sweeping her short, trench coat from the back of the chair.
The same thought had crossed his mind.
“I mean that would make perfect sense, don’t you think,” she continued, sliding her arm into her coat as he held it out. “That would explain how he knows where I live, what kind of career I have---”
“The man practically has inroads to most of the medical facilities in the city,” he muttered, adjusting her coat’s collar more snugly around her. “He could have easily managed to get past security and secure medical records or anything else that he wanted. At least we have something to go on now.”
“But---” she started hesitantly before stopping.
“What?” he asked, noting her quizzical expression.
“That still doesn’t explain how he’s getting into my apartment undetected. I mean, every time, he has managed to get inside without breaking entry. It just doesn’t make any sense. If I didn’t know better, I’d think that he was a ghost or something.”
For once, he was glad that she couldn’t read his expression.
She didn’t realize how close to the truth she really was.
“You know, don’t you?” she asked slowly. “I can tell that you’re not telling me everything, Xander. I deserve to know. I know that you’re trying to protect me, but how can I help protect myself if I don’t know everything.” Exasperation filled her tone. “Just tell me the truth.”
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
“I need to answer that,” he hedged carefully, brushing past, but stopped when she grabbed his arm.
“What are you trying to protect me from? What are you trying to hide?”
He tensed.
The hurt brewed in her dark brown eyes.
But, how could he explain the awful truth about the madman---or himself?
The doorbell rang more persistently.
“Now is not the time to talk about this,” he muttered, miffed by his own continuous diversions to the obvious truth. “When more details come out, we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
“It’s not over. Do you understand me?” she said in defiance, and her hand fell away. “I will find out---with or without your help.”
His strides carried him to the door quickly.
The door bell pealed several more times.
Frowning, he wrenched the door open. “Can I help you?”
Surprise registered through him as he stared at their visitors, and at once he noticed the family resemblance.
Her parents…
And this had to be mama bear, he surmised quickly, keeping his tongue in cheek as the woman slid a disapproving glance over him. She was already in full protective mode, and he respected that part about her. African-American, with a skin tone akin to honey, just like her daughter, the woman was stunningly beautiful. The gray tinged the woman’s black hair, and her stature exuded elegance and grace as she peered at him through the glasses perched at the end of her nose. A long black fur coat covered her elegant, black pant suit, and a black, designer bag hang loosely on her shoulder.
The woman didn’t try to hide her discontent. “John,” she snapped, turning towards her husband, and whipped her glasses off. She shoved them into her tote bag roughly before addressing him. “This has to end---right now.”
“Mary, we have to handle this sensibly,” the man began, gripping his wife’s hand tightly in his. Caucasian, fiftyish like his wife, her father was tall, lean, and dressed impeccably in a starch, black business suit. Under the hallway lights, his dark br
own hair glistened with a shiny brilliance. His features were handsome and aristocratic, and his dark blue eyes pierced a burning hole straight through him. “I understand that my daughter is here,” he retorted sharply, edging aside as he peered inside the apartment. “I want to see my daughter---now.”
Stiffening, he returned their hard stares. “I’m assuming that you’re here to---”
The woman voiced her hostility again. “Young man, you’re simply wasting our time and yours. We are here to get our---”
“Xander, what’s taking you so long?” Nicole said breathlessly, stopping behind him with surprise. “We can’t be late---”
“We are taking you home,” the woman informed her rudely. A deep scowl covered her face as she looked at him again. Then, she dismissed him with the wave of her hand. “Go pack your things, Nicole.”
With a concerned frown, he turned to face her.
To his surprise, her features had grown ashen again.
He grasped her arm as she swayed.
“What are you doing here?” she asked quickly, her face freezing into a tight mask. “Who sent you?”
“Why do you think we’re here?” her father demanded. “Have you taken leave of your senses, Nicole? What gave you this crazy idea of living with a man? It’s absurd. It’s a disgrace, actually. Are you trying to punish us further by tarnishing our good name?”
“Father, there’s no point in being rude. And against my better judgment, I’ll let you have your say and then you can leave,” she said frostily, turning away before retreating for the living area. “Xander, allow me to apologize for their rudeness. Unfortunately, it’s the least of their unforgivable sins.”
As she sank down onto the sofa, his concern grew.
He studied her close.
They’d really upset her, he thought, taking in her tightly controlled features.
As he turned to face her parents again, he barely stifled his anger. But, he stepped aside to open the door further. “Make it quick. She’s had a long difficult night. Just say what you have to say and go.”
Giving a harrumph, the woman swept past him while her husband followed.
Arching a brow, he closed the door and then treaded behind them. “Have a seat,” he uttered, inclining his head toward the loveseat.
“No thank you. We prefer to stand,” her mother informed him, glancing around the apartment with disapproval. “It’s even worst than I thought, John. She’s practically living in the slums.”
Dragon Reign: A Paranormal Love Tale Page 27