A final twist of the ring and it was off. Tucking it deep in the front pocket of her pants she marched over to the dresser and opened the top drawer. Lifting out a wisp of silk she held it in front of her and looked into the dresser’s oval mirror. “Okay Jamison, if there’s any truth to that Amazon heritage stuff, its time to live up to it. You have a man to ambush.”
Chapter 15
Anteros reached the top of the path and thought better of staying in the unheated garage overnight, heading for the house instead. He slowly opened the back door hoping he was being quiet enough not to disturb anyone.
“Psst, Teran.”
“Ahhhh!” He nearly jumped out of his skin and barely managed to tuck his bow under his coat before Callie flicked on the hall light. “Zeus’s beard woman, you trying to give me a heart attack?”
She didn’t say anything, and as soon as he saw her clearly, he couldn’t if he’d wanted to. The short silk robe she had on left no doubt she was wearing very little else. She took one step toward him and he took one back.
“Callie? What are you doing?”
A small smile graced her lips and his heart sped up. She advanced again and he forgot to think, staring at the sinuous curves of first one bare leg then the other. Still silent, she reached out and took his ice cold hand in her warm one and gently tugged him toward her. All but that one now very stiff muscle forgotten, Anteros mutely followed.
In the back of his mind some annoying little prick kept yelling about choices and honor and consequences, but the sway of her hips beneath the shimmering silk of her robe on the way up the stairs made it easy for Anteros to shove his annoying protests aside.
Somewhere between the back door and upper hallway he’d given up the fight. The part of him that housed the mouthy little prick knew he’d hate himself later for what he was about to do, but was too far gone to stop.
Psyche’s arguments had eaten away his already crumbling resolve. He was damned one way or another, and if choosing only one lifetime of suffering over eternity was the cowardly thing to do, so be it. He was tired of carrying everyone else’s heartache, just once he wanted his heart to fly free and he wanted it to fly with Callie.
Morpheus’s magic would ensure she’d have no regrets, believing it was all a dream and he would free her from Eros’s shot with one of his own and then he’d be gone. But not until he’d made this one night as perfect for her as he could, and he had something to hold on to once he was locked away.
The door to her room clicked shut behind them and Callie twined her arms around his neck bringing her body in perfect alignment with his. Fires ignited in places he didn’t know he had.
“Callie—”
“Shhh, no talking.”
A feather light touch of her lips was all it took and his arms wrapped around her pulling her tighter to him. Burying his face in the tender spot where her shoulder and neck join he inhaled deeply and his head started to spin. God she smelled good.
“Callie, wait.”
“No. No waiting.”
It took every ounce of will power he had left to gently grab her elbows and lean back out of reach. A tiny whimper escaped her lips and Anteros’s heartbeat sped up another notch.
“Callie, not wait as in stop; wait as in I need to get my coat off.”
Callie’s face heated. Never having been the aggressor, and with limited experience to draw on, it was taking a lot of courage to stay on course. And with him out of reach, she wasn’t sure what to do with her hands.
Teran tossed his coat in a chair and stopping in front of the dresser reached over to pull the chain on the little Tiffany style lamp sitting there. He turned toward her holding her hostage with a dangerous gleam in his eyes and as each button on his shirt gave way, a delicious flutter in her belly answered.
A quick yank made short work of the last of them and a shrug shifted the material off his broad shoulders. Callie started to chew on her lower lip as his arms twisted behind to finish the job stretching the impressive display of his chest before her hungry eyes.
Arms still trapped behind his back by his sleeves, he was on her, dipping his head down to capture her lips with his own bringing all that male real estate flush against her. Callie responded, instantly allowing his questing tongue access and wrapping her arms around his neck. Arching her back pressed her taut nipples against him and her soft moan melded with their kiss.
An answering groan rumbled in his throat, and having finally escaped one sleeve, his long fingers tangled in her hair coaxing her to tilt her head where he wanted. In the mean time, the hand she lost track of, having found freedom as well, worked its way up to the side of her neck, its thumb tracing tiny circles from her chin down the vulnerable column of her throat.
The world spun and the sound of Teran’s ragged breath sent the blood rushing through her veins. Pin points of stars danced on the underside of her eyelids and her hands gained a mind of their own. One of them explored the fascinating contrast of hard muscle and soft skin across his shoulder blades. The other found the growing bulge behind the zipper of his jeans.
The heel of her hand brushed the warm velvet tip escaping past the top of his waist band and suddenly Teran’s hands were under her arms lifting her off her feet. Never once releasing her lips he maneuvered them until the calves of her legs hit the edge of the bed. He guided her with one hand behind her back and laid her gently down on the mattress.
Shifting away and standing so his legs were between hers he cupped her thighs and slowly slid his hands up but not nearly high enough for her.
“Move up.”
He reached up to undo the button and zipper of his jeans never taking his eyes from her. She tried to remember how to breathe and scooted further up the bed. Teran stepped out of his pants, but didn’t come any closer. His dark gaze slid over her, first taking in the cloud of hair spread out around her head, then her face, where he paused on her swollen lips before traveling on. He focused on the points of her breasts clearly straining against the thin material of her robe and his nostrils flared.
“Show me.”
Anteros’s tongue seemed twice its normal size and his voice came out hushed and full of gravel. He’d seen her eyes grow wide getting her first look at all of him and wanted to beat his chest like some horn-dog satyr. Her lips parted the tiniest bit and he ached with thoughts of what he’d love her to do with them.
He took a step toward her and a tiny wrinkle creased her brow giving him pause. She glanced at the lamp on the dresser and her hand absently tugged at the hem of her robe. Considering how stunning she was lying there, radiant enough to make a siren jealous, her sudden shyness melted his heart – and he was having none of it. He needed her with him all the way.
Speaking to the part of her trying to hide, he lowered his voice, moved slowly but steadily forward and glanced at the tie holding her robe closed.
“Trust me.”
Her eyes stayed wide and her hand moved toward her belt but hesitated. Not sure if he wanted to scream or revel in anticipation, a bead of sweat broke out on his temple.
“Please.”
Her tongue peeked out to moisten her lips and his sack tightened another notch. Slowly slipping the tie free, Callie parted the two halves bearing all but what a tiny pair of black panties covered.
Anteros almost lost it right there. He knew she’d be beautiful but the pale coral tipped globes quivering before him, the velvet curves and valleys leading to the delicate barely there scrap of lace and shadowed treasure beneath, sent the ‘all hormones on dick’ signal and his penis visibly bobbed at what it wanted.
Callie’s attack of self conscious nerves vanished. Teran was put together as perfectly as one of those marble statues from a museum. To her eye all the hard planes and defined muscles swelled and dipped in all the right places and could stand up to any of them, only this work of art definitely needed something bigger than a fig leaf.
Thick and long, proudly curving up and away from his body Teran’s s
haft and the firm sack hanging below were every bit as beautiful to her as the rest of him.
He crawled up on all four beside her, bringing to mind some sleek jungle predator. He held his hand out to her and helped her sit up.
His fingers slipped under her hair and tickled a path to the collar of her robe. Lightly caressing as he went Teran took it for a ride down the length of her arms and off the end of her fingers. Nipping her ear and nibbling his way along her jaw line he guided her down until her head came to rest on the pillow. Impatient, Callie took control cupping his chin and kissing him deeply.
A growl rolled from his tongue to hers and her legs squeezed together trying to satisfy the ache swelling between them. He rolled her so she faced away, slid in behind her and whispered in her ear. “I want you to see what I see.”
Callie looked up. There was enough light from the little lamp to make their reflection visible in the window. She watched her hand disappear under his and drift down the front of her body under his command. Nestling into her neck he nipped and kissed till she shifted and he could reach the hollow at the base of her collar bone. “I’ve wanted so badly to do this with you.”
Releasing her hand right below her belly button, Teran continued on and slipped his hand over her mound encasing it in the heat of his palm. The heat coming off the folds below doubled as his fingers touched the damp cloth. “Do you see how beautiful you are Callie?”
He began to rub, varying the pattern and pressure. Callie watched her lips part and her breasts lift and fall in time to her labored breathing. Teran shifted restlessly and pressed against her from behind. Nudging her legs wider, he inserted his knee so he could support her and still open her legs further.
Cool air hit the wet panel of her panties and the flesh below trembled, frantic for relief as his fingers caressed everywhere between her thighs except where they needed to be.
“No cheating, keep your eyes open.” Callie hadn’t even realized she’d closed them and popping them open, pure feminine awareness uncoiled in her mind. If she’d been a cat she’d have started purring. He was watching too.
Teran finally focused his attention where she wanted it. When she couldn’t take it anymore, he moved her panties aside, sliding two thick fingers home, pumping with increasing speed while his thumb dipped under to work the engorged nub, now screaming for release.
“Teran...please.” Callie’s head rolled back and thrashed from side to side until he pulled his hand away leaving her hanging over a cliff. “Wha—”
A deep chuckle vibrated against her back and a smile broke over his face. “Hang on there greedy girl. We’re not done.”
Her panties vanished and he had her back where he wanted her before she remembered blinking. Drowning in a sensual haze she watched Teran’s large brown hand lift her leg higher this time and saw the large head of his penis come into view as he nestled closer. Before he had a chance to do the job himself, she reached down and settled him in position.
Teran’s hand slid down her forearm and covered hers before she could pull it away. He moved her fingers and stroked them both as he slowly entered a tiny bit at a time, giving her body a chance to adjust. She could feel his heart rate increase with his thrusts, gradually speeding up as each one penetrated deeper until he was fully seated within her.
The feeling of being surrounded and filled by him vanquished the remaining emptiness and Callie’s heart soared. At this moment in her life everything was right.
Callie never felt more beautiful nor had she ever seen anything as erotic as the picture they’re bodies made straining in tandem. At least she hadn’t until she witnessed Teran shift from seduction to primal instinct as he lost control. His increasingly frantic plunges and exhaled bursts of heat striking the back of her neck made her head dizzy. It was beyond exciting knowing she drove him there.
Suddenly his hand shifted to hold her exactly where he needed her without breaking the momentum his clever fingers had built. One final thrust, a suspended second of shared bliss, and Teran erupted taking her over the edge with him.
Callie’s climax tore through her in a starburst of hot and cold sparks overloading her nerve endings in delicious waves as Teran’s magical fingers and pulsing body wrung every last ounce of pleasure from her before slowly easing her back down.
When they could both breathe again, Teran leaned over and kissed her. “Thank you.” Pulling back he stared at her long enough Callie began to feel uncomfortable.
“What?”
A sad smile lifted his lips and his eyes traced the landscape of her face in detail. “I want to hold onto this moment, lock it in my mind, so I remember you always just like this.” Callie opened her mouth to say something but he kissed her words away.
“Sleep now, love.” Tucking her into his side so her head rested on his shoulder, Teran arranged the blankets around her and brushed her hair away from her face. “Sweet dreams.”
Callie smiled and closed her eyes.
Chapter 16
The sound of a vacuum cleaner woke Callie. With a satisfied smile she stretched like a cat and curled her toes. Rolling on her side she reached out and touched...a cold sheet?
Her eyes snapped open and she cautiously looked around the room. The chair where Teran’s coat had been was empty and the light on the dresser was off. Sitting up she reached for the sheet and discovered there was no need. She was wearing her favorite flannel pajamas.
“What the heck?”
Lifting the covers away she stood and looked more closely at the room, alarm bells gearing up in her head. Nothing was out of place. There was no sign anyone but her had been in the room.
The bells ramped up, becoming a siren. Callie snatched the matching flannel robe from the foot of the bed and froze half way through swinging around to put it on. Flannel robe? She shoved her arms in the sleeves and darted across the room to the dresser. Yanking open the top drawer she gasped.
The silky robe she’d worn a few hours ago was lying there folded neatly - right next to a pair of pretty black panties.
Her stomach dropped and she spun around pulling her door open with a bang and stared down the hall. The vacuum noise was coming from the last room on the right.
Teran’s room.
Callie charged down the hall and burst in. “Have you seen Teran this morning?”
Mrs. Turnbull lifted her head and smiled. “Good morning sleepy head. Breakfast was served a while ago but I left a plate in the fridge for you.” She started to turn back to her chores.
“Thank you. But I was wondering if you’d seen Mr. Anders today.”
“Why no dear, he checked out last night. Oh, but he did leave this for you.” Reaching over to the bedside table she held out the journal.
Callie looked around trying desperately to find something to refute what she’d just heard. But there was no other evidence he’d ever occupied the room.
Concern clouded Mrs. Turnbull’s face and Callie knew borderline panic must be written all over hers. She did her best to keep breathing and mold her features into a less alarming array and backed out of the room. “Oh, yes, that’s right. Guess I’m still half asleep.” Her mask wouldn’t last so Callie escaped back to her own room and closed the door behind her.
On autopilot she managed to get to the bathroom where she looked long and hard into the mirror. A chill ran up her spine. She would’ve sworn she done this very thing last night. Had she dreamt it all?
The strange light down by the water, the take charge confidence to hunt down and attack Teran, the mind blowing sex and warm cocoon of his arms afterward. It had all been so perfect.
Of course it had been a dream.
Realizing it was the only possible explanation calmed the fears in her mind, but stabbed a blade of pain and loss through her heart. Callie’s hand flew to her mouth and she swallowed hard. Sinking down onto the edge of the tub, she tried to breathe as her chest seemed to implode.
Teran was gone.
Chapter 17
“Callist...Callie, come on. It’ll do you good.” Christian rested his hand on her shoulder and the view out the newly cleaned front window of the cabin blurred for a second. She had to stop wishing it was Teran here right now instead of Chris.
“Besides with you talking the social worker into letting Jessica work out her community service here, that’s one stipulation down. With this cabin all fixed, and the others well on their way, the second is covered. Callie blinked to clear her misty vision. A deep steadying breath filled her senses with a mixture of clean lemon and a hint of smoke from last night’s fire. All the charm of Grandee’s cabin had been restored but somehow she couldn’t forget what it had looked like the day she and Teran had come here.
With a mental shake Callie turned her thoughts away from that little mine field laced memory and tried hard to concentrate on what Christian was saying.
“You told me you could take care of the last stipulation of the will over the weekend easy-peezy, and the paperwork can all be finalized Monday. So, see, everything’s in order. And like Mrs. Turnbull said it’s the perfect opportunity to reintroduce, both you and Camp Penthesilea, to the community - besides you need the break.”
The last two days had been grueling but Callie welcomed any and all distractions to the gaping hole in her chest, a hole that grew every time she thought about the journal and the final condition. It had all been so easy until the night she tripped over Teran. Why couldn’t she have just listened to Grandee?
Christian on the other hand had been a prince, never once mentioning Teran’s desertion and worked like a madman to see at least the main cabin habitable before he had to fly back to Seattle. She had no idea what she’d have done without him.
“Chris, thanks for be concerned and I really appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I really think the last thing I need right now is to go to a Valentine’s dance.”
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