Love in Electric Blue (Westlake Enterprises)

by Marie Harte

  She blushed again but smiled as he left. The awkwardness she might have expected after their date hadn’t been there. Her friend at work—and outside of work, apparently—Cole remained her protector.

  If only she could have felt a deeper connection with him. Who knew where their night might have ended? Not with sex, though she looked forward to that day. But intimacy with Cole wouldn’t have been outside the realm of possibility. She liked him. She knew him, and the fact that he had psychic ability made her feel at home.

  She moved into her bedroom and slipped on a slinky nightie she’d purchased ages ago, her one concession to dressing sexy. The rose-colored satin gown ended at midthigh and had spaghetti straps. Wearing it made her feel like a real woman, and the matching robe that went with it would keep her warm while still letting her feel feminine.

  She’d just filled a kettle of water for tea when someone knocked at the door. Setting the kettle down, she hurried to the peephole, wondering if Cole had returned. And if he had, should she let him see her like this?

  She peered out to see J.D. staring over his shoulder. Her heart raced and she had to consciously catch her breath. What was he doing here? It had to be close to eleven at least. She unlocked and opened the door a crack. Before she could say anything, he burst through.

  “Where is he?” he asked grimly. He looked around her living room before stalking down the hall toward the bedrooms. Remy followed in his wake, more than a little annoyed.

  “What are you doing here?” She tried to tamp down the thrill at the thought that he might be jealous. She shouldn’t want that, yet she liked him not wanting her with anyone else. Because she felt the same way about him, even though she had no right to such possession. God, I’m such an idiot.

  She waited in the hall while he stormed through both rooms, oblivious to the fact that he had no right to do so.

  “Cole’s not here,” he said in confusion. He turned back to see Remy, and his eyes widened. “Good Christ. What are you wearing?”

  It dawned on her that the sexy outfit might give the wrong impression. And then he was there, in her space, backing her against the wall.

  “Did you wear this for him?” he asked, his voice husky—with rage or arousal, she couldn’t say.

  “No.” She licked her lips, aware he followed the movement like a hawk. “Cole left before I put on my pajamas. We had dinner and a movie. I like him. He’s a friend.” She tried to move, but he caged her between his body and the hands he braced against the wall on either side of her head. “Move.”

  “Make me.”

  “J.D.…”

  “That’s not what you used to call me,” he murmured.

  “Joshua,” she breathed, feeling him with more than her body. Her heart and her energy, always confused and needy when around him, pulsed with desire. It didn’t help when his energy sought hers, like to like, and aroused her to no end.

  He glanced down, shuttering his gaze. “I see your nipples, hard little buds. You scared, baby?”

  “Of you?” she tried to scoff, but he ran a finger over her breast and she sucked in a breath.

  “Of me.” He smiled before lowering his mouth to hers. He gave her every chance to pull way, but she waited, needy, hungry.

  The kiss melted her into a puddle of “hell yes” in seconds. He groaned into her mouth and pinched her nipple. She gasped and ground against him, arching up when he cupped her breast and moved to the other one, giving it more attention.

  “Fuck,” he rasped. “You feel so good.”

  “You too,” she whispered, not sure when she’d put her hands on his shoulders, holding him close. The distrust, the anger, the pain—all of it paled next to this growing need. What she could never feel for Cole or any other man.

  He stared into her eyes and she saw the same desire, the same baffled lust she felt. His lips parted, but his gaze never wavered. “You are the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. I want to stay away. I need to, but I can’t.”

  “So don’t.” No more talking. No past or future. Only the present mattered. Him and her. Finally together. Remy’s body demanded she take charge. She’d dreamed about this with him.

  J.D. kissed her again. And that’s when she lost her train of thought, because though she might comprehend the mechanics, the nuances of his taste and touch scrambled the rational woman she tried so hard to be.

  He deepened the kiss and pushed her robe to the floor. Just like their time before, except now she knew they wouldn’t stop. Not until she had him where she wanted him.

  J.D. had no idea how he’d lost control, but he threw caution out the window. This firecracker, this sexual creature squirming and panting in his arms, had come straight from his darkest fantasies. He’d dreamed of one day having Remy under him, but his fantasies had usually had him coming and leaving her far behind, frustrated and angry.

  The reality made leaving her an impossibility. No matter what had happened in the past, this woman was not the same one who’d once hurt him. Sharing energy with her gave him a peek into her soul. This close, he’d know an evil taint, a slight variation in her electromagnetic field that warned of malignance. Remy felt like heaven—lust and love so wrapped up he didn’t know if he’d tapped into her emotions or she’d tapped into his.

  For so long he’d wanted this version of her to be true, and he would do nothing to mar the experience of sliding inside her, of coming deep in the woman who should always have belonged to him.

  The remembrance that she’d been out tonight with Cole struck hard, and he ran his hands up her silken thighs and between them. “That’s right. You’re wet. For me, isn’t that right?”

  No panties? He nearly lost his mind as he slid a finger against her clit. Fuck, she felt good. He was so hard, he feared he’d come before getting inside her.

  Her slippery flesh made rubbing her easy, and her soft cry as she came and clenched him tight was like music to his ears.

  “Oh God. Yes, please.” She moaned while he continued to play with her, easing his finger inside her while he slid his energy into her as well. The dual penetration ripped his control—what was left of it—to shreds.

  Reading him, she fumbled at his jeans and had him out of his pants and underwear in seconds. Then her hot little hands stroked him, smearing his own precome over his cockhead and pumping with one hand, while lifting the finger of her other and taking his essence into her mouth. She sucked her finger and watched him.

  Fuck it all, if he didn’t get inside her—like now—he’d come in her hand.

  “Joshua?” she whispered.

  He lifted her up and positioned her over him, resting the tip of himself at her scorching entrance. “I need inside you, Remy. You’re so damn fine.”

  She flushed but didn’t look away. “I’ve never done this before” came out in a rush.

  He froze as if she’d dumped a bucket of ice water over him. Unfortunately, his cock reacted in the opposite way, not frozen, but more than desperate to claim her. “You’re a virgin?”

  “Well, yes. Technically.”

  “A virgin.” He couldn’t help it. He pulled her over him, so that his cockhead rested just inside her. The tight grip lent credence to her confession. “Motherfucker.”

  “Joshua.” She frowned, her cheeks rosy with passion. “J.D., language.”

  She’d always ridden him about his foul mouth, and he found to his surprise that the kind memory didn’t hurt. If anything, it made it imperative that he claim her—this Remy—the one who, despite all odds, still had a vise grip on his heart.

  “Hold on to me,” he said as he withdrew from her heat.

  She wrapped her legs around his waist, putting her pussy directly over his length. Not penetrating, just rubbing, while he moved swiftly down the hall to her bed.

  If he didn’t have her soon, he’d die. Go up in flames. Suffer the worst case of blue balls in history. He laid her down on her bed, whisked her silken nightgown off her, and stared at feminine perfection. Remy had the
slight curves and tiny waist of a lithe woman he had to tame. She didn’t seem embarrassed or shy as she stared up at him. Instead, trust blazed in her blue eyes as neon bright as his own.

  He saw in electric blue as they wrapped up in each other. Their energy in tune, it was only a slight push to put the rest of them physically in line. Yet he couldn’t move. He refused to take. “You okay with this?” It killed him to think of pulling back now. But for Remy’s first time—not just with him, but ever—he’d make this right.

  “With you, yes,” she said and drew him down for a kiss, a tender treading of lips and tongue. He felt her opening herself, all of her, to him, and he treasured the gift he wasn’t sure she knew she gave.

  J.D. wasn’t made of stone. A heartbeat from coming, he kissed her with all the hunger inside him, enamored with her breathy moans, and took a hand away to fumble at his back pocket, needing a condom.

  But she shifted and seated him deeper inside her.

  “Oh yeah,” he groaned and pushed, forgetting everything but the carnal need to consume her.

  Both heaven and hell, her body gloved him, a caress of silken flesh urging him to thrust hard and seat himself deep. He pulled back on the kiss so he could watch her while he moved impossibly slow, not wanting to hurt her. He told himself he’d pull out before he came, because, God knew, he couldn’t stop now.

  When she bit her lip, he ceased moving, letting her get used to him.

  “No. More.” She slid her hands to his waist and then cupped his ass, pulling him into her. “I want all of you.”

  “Remy,” he groaned and pressed the rest of the way inside. “You feel so damn good.” Finally, nothing separated them. In this moment, there were no lies, no deceit, no pain. Only pleasure.

  “You too,” she said on a breath, then squirmed under him when he stopped.

  His balls rested against her ass, and he could only hope she felt even half his desire, because he’d never experienced anything so perfect. As if he’d merged with her in all ways, he felt at peace for the first time in his life. Caught in the eye of the storm.

  Until she wiggled again, and the need to move overtook his momentary calm. He pulled out and thrust back in, at first slowly, then faster as her soft pants and moans encouraged the taking. He stared down at her as they made love, seeing her eyes closed in surrender.

  She cried out and tensed, gripping him while she came.

  He couldn’t stop himself. He surged one last time and gasped her name as release overwhelmed him. He came hard, jetting into her with more than his seed, but with his energy as well.

  The bliss was incredible, and it took him a moment before he became aware of his surroundings once more. Remy stroked his back and smiled up at him. She lay naked on her bed while he remained inside her, his jeans around his hips, his shirt still on.

  I made love to Remy for the first time, and I’m half-dressed. Odd, but not as worrying as the notion that he’d “made love”, not “fucked”. He hadn’t intended to do anything but push this woman out of his system, and soon out of his life. But seeing her so happy, bathed in the shared blue glow of the energy all around them…

  He cleared his throat, unable to face the ugliness inside him. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine. Better than fine.” As she stared up at him, her smile slowly faded. Their shared energy retreated, and the bright blue previously around the regular world faded into the muted color of every day.

  He regretfully withdrew from her and silently cursed himself for following his dick into trouble. He’d come inside her. No protection. Obviously a virgin, she likely didn’t carry disease. But a baby…

  He said hoarsely, “Oh, wow. I didn’t use anything.”

  She blinked at him, and a rosy flush darkened her cheeks. “I, um. Don’t worry. I’m on the pill.”

  He told himself it wasn’t disappointment he felt, but relief she wouldn’t be pregnant. “I have to clean up. I’ll be right back. Don’t move.” He darted into her bathroom and tried to make sense of his crazy feelings while he cleaned up.

  “J.D.?”

  He grabbed a washcloth, wet it and returned to her.

  She’d covered herself in her blanket, and he disliked seeing her so guarded again.

  “Lose the blanket.” He stood there, looking down at her.

  “I’m cold—”

  “Please.”

  She paused a moment, then blushed and pushed the blanket aside.

  He couldn’t help looking at her. All grown up and so damn beautiful. He placed the cloth between her legs and held it there while he studied her. A few scars marred her shoulder and thigh.

  “How did you get those?” he asked.

  She wouldn’t look at him. Embarrassed? “Can you, um, take the cloth away?”

  “Not yet.” He finished wiping himself from her, stupidly wanting to go back and leave another mess inside. Get a grip, man. Once he’d finished cleaning her to his satisfaction, he returned to the bathroom and tossed the rag in the sink.

  When he returned, she’d found another robe to wear, this one soft and fuzzy, and it covered her from head to toe. She stood by the bed, still so much smaller and slighter than him. The overwhelming need to protect her ran strong.

  “The scars?” He leaned in the bathroom doorway and crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Holdovers from a few times my uncle’s men got too close.”

  He wanted to know why she’d done it. He had to know why she’d almost killed him. “You hate him, don’t you?”

  “Yes. He’s all I have left in the world, and I wish he was dead.” Her eyes grew glassy.

  A long time ago, he’d thought he wanted to see her in tears, miserable and in distress. But dumb ass that he was, her tears hurt him. “Join the crowd. I wish him dead more.”

  He crossed to her and hugged her, gratified when she hugged him back, just as tightly. “We have to talk about what happened.”

  She pulled back. “I know.”

  But they stood there staring at one another. J.D. didn’t want to ruin this fragile peace. Nor did he want to dwell on what he’d just done. No condom. Christ, he hadn’t not worn a rubber, ever. But he wanted to do it again, skin to skin, coming deep inside her.

  His dick twitched, and he worked to hide the reaction. “We can talk later, I guess. We’ll have plenty of time to chat in Mexico.” He raised a brow in question.

  She narrowed her eyes. “Yes, I’m still going. Sure, we can share old times once we cross the border.”

  He planned to say something snappy back, but she masked her worry a split second too late, and he saw it. “I won’t let him get to you.”

  “And I won’t let him have you.”

  “It’s for your own good, Joshua” rang in his ears once more, memories of that night always between them.

  “I never have, and I never will,” she said quietly.

  For just a moment, he thought he understood what she’d done. But if she’d really loved him, would she have killed him rather than take a chance to work together to be free? He just didn’t know.

  They didn’t speak, watching each other, trying to see more than the other would allow. Then J.D. nodded, turned, and left her before he took her to bed again. “Lock up after me.”

  He exited the apartment, found his car, and sat there in the cold December night trying to organize his scattered thoughts. Not sure how to feel or what to think, he finally started the car and went home, sure his future had never been more unclear.

  Chapter Seven

  Benjamin Carter put the headset over the sobbing young man strapped to the lab table. Jerry Allen could manipulate electricity. Oh, the boy fussed and protested that he couldn’t, but witnesses had confessed to strange occurrences whenever Jerry passed. Light bulbs flickered, monitors blew, radio stations fizzled into static, and Jerry often had the disconcerting habit of shocking people when they touched. The boy’s father had been only too happy to share the boy with Carter’s scientific team after a
healthy donation hit his bank account.

  Carter grimaced at the sight of the weeping teenager. How sad that his once fruitful career had degenerated into this. Where he’d once had state-of-the-art equipment, people with genius IQs begging to work with him and subjects lining up at the door to help further his tests, now he had to make do with a couple of mildly intelligent graduate students, a few holdover scientists from the old days and a psychotic head of security who liked to play Rambo. It was all so embarrassing.

  He leaned over Jerry and tightened the straps around the boy’s wrists, hard enough to leave marks.

  “Uh, Dr. Carter?” one of the graduate students acting as his assistant spoke up. Out of turn, as usual. “Don’t you think the strap is maybe a little too tight?”

  “I’m sorry, David. Would you rather take charge?” Carter’s condescension was palpable. “Perhaps your expertise might prove useful where mine has failed. I’m sure General Thurmen would love to know that you’re on top of our new weapons capabilities for the army. After all, I’m just here for show, aren’t I?”

  David’s head snapped up and he locked gazes with Benjamin, then quickly murmured an apology and stepped away. Probably remembering that the last student to suffer a similar setdown had been let go. Killed actually, but David couldn’t know that. If Benjamin hadn’t been so short on people, he’d have given Lennox the order to terminate David as well.

  “Thank you for that much,” Benjamin sneered and turned back to his computer, aware David had scurried away. Finally. He punched in a series of codes and watched as the device accumulated the potential energy in the subject. “Now, Jerry, we’re going through another series of tests, but these are quite different from yesterday’s.”

  The boy ceased struggling, no doubt relieved to hear it. Yesterday, Benjamin had utilized a drug designed to enhance the boy’s sensitivity to electrical current by decreasing his natural resistance. Unfortunately, Mike—the latest graduate biochemist Benjamin had hired and the only one worth keeping—had injected the wrong dosage, which caused Jerry no small amount of discomfort as the nodes which had been attached to his body burned into his flesh, where they remained.