Tarot Card Anthology: Synchronicity Volume 3

by Tina Bendoni, Michelle Hasker

  Her home was a small apartment halfway across town in a less expensive neighborhood. Not here. With him. With her heart.

  "Paul, stop talking crazy and let me go."

  Instead of listening to her, he rolled her onto her back and trapped her with his arm on one side, and his body on the other.

  "No. I'm not crazy, and it's about time we talked."

  Eli felt the tears building up again. She looked away quickly, closing her eyes. She didn't want him to see her like this. What the hell was wrong with her tonight? She had been weepier and more emotional than she could recall in forever. And she had done something she would always live to regret.

  Her body pulsed at Paul's nearness. If she had to be honest with herself, she hadn't regretted what had happened, but she would regret the aftermath. That's what she got for living for the moment.

  Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes to meet his. “Paul, there's nothing to talk about. We had sex. We were both horny, it was hot, we were barely dressed, it happened. We're both adults, free of any other commitment. No big deal."

  "It is a big deal, Eliana.” His eyes raked across her face as though looking for something, but for the life of her, Eli didn't know what that could be.

  "Paul, please, just drop it."

  "No. Now shut up and listen to me for a change."

  Eli's eyes widened. He'd never used that tone of voice on her before. Oh, she knew he had a temper, and had seen evidence of it in the past. But never had it been turned on her. Exasperation, frustration, but never anger.

  Shocked, she lay there, saying nothing.

  "You've had things going your way for long enough. Now it's my turn."

  "Excuse me?” What the hell is he talking about?

  "It's time you stopped gallivanting around and settled down. You've gotten your master's like you wanted. You've gotten your dream job. And you've gotten your wild oats out of your system. Now it's time to get serious."

  "What the fuck are you talking about, Paul?"

  "You. Us. This."

  Eliana was lost. She had never been so confused in her life.

  "Oh, shit, I'm doing this all wrong, aren't I?” Paul closed his eyes as he shook his head. Eli took that moment to slide out of his arms and reach for her clothes, pulling them on jerkily.

  By the time she was done, Paul had pulled on his jeans and stood there with his hands on his hips glaring at her. He ran a hand over his eyes and took a deep breath.

  "Please, Eli. Don't go. Sit down so we can talk about this."

  Eli had never been able to refuse Paul anything, and tonight was no exception. She sat down, on the far end of the couch, though, and watched him pace the floor. What the hell had gotten into him?

  "Eli, we've known each other for ten years, right?"

  "Right.” Paul was the older brother of one of her college buddies. The two girls had been roommates for a short while after graduation, and Eli had seen a lot of Paul over that time. The two girls had matched each other well as roommates, despite never getting really close. Eli had gotten closer to Paul than she ever was to his sister.

  "And in the last five years we've gotten real close."

  "Right.” Eli didn't know what Paul was getting at. He was repeating history they both knew.

  "Did you ever wonder why I stayed in contact with you after Attie moved out?"

  "I thought it was because we were friends.” She knew the hurt in her voice was obvious when he swore and came to her. He kneeled at her feet and took her hands in his.

  "Yes, we were—are—friends. Good friends."

  "Paul, I don't understand what you're getting at. I'm sorry, but you're confusing and scaring me."

  "Eli, in the last five years you've had a lot of things going on in your life. You've dealt with losing your father, working full-time during grad school, grad school itself, finding a new job. You've had a lot on your plate.

  "In addition to that, you've been working on accepting yourself for who you are. Learning to be happy with yourself, despite what you grew up hearing."

  Eliana had never had much support growing up. All her life she had heard that she was fat and lazy, and had eventually believed it. It was only since college that she had realized other people's opinions didn't make her who she was. She made her who she was.

  A lot of that confidence had come from her friendship with Paul. It was one of the reasons she loved him so strongly.

  "In all that time I have tried to be there for you, to be what you need. But I can't do it any more."

  Was he telling her their friendship was over? Had this been a goodbye fuck?

  "I can't be there for you like that any more, Eli, because I want more. I need more.

  "I've seen you date other guys on and off, and I've stood by saying nothing. Wanting you to be happy."

  Eli's brow furrowed. Her mind raced trying to make sense of what he was saying, finally giving up and focusing on what sounded like an accusation. “Of course I dated guys. You've dated others, too."

  "I know, but none of them lasted very long. None of them were what I wanted. None of them were you.

  "Eliana Thomas, I have loved you for over five years. I have waited for you until your goals were met, until your personal hurdles were jumped, and until you were ready for me. But I'm tired of it. I need to know now.

  "Will you marry me? Will you be mine forever, stay with me alone, forsaking all others as I will for you?"

  Marry him? What the hell is he talking about? Where had this come from? He'd never given her a hint of anything like this since they'd met.

  Is he serious? He'd never lied to her in all their time as friends, there wasn't any reason to start now. He loved her? How could she not have known?

  Eli thought back to what the fortune teller had told her earlier in the day. She had said she would be surprised by someone very close to her. Eli had thought she meant something like her sister getting pregnant. Not this.

  And her promise that Eli would not be meeting a tall, dark and handsome stranger. It had seemed strange at the time, the way she had emphasized it, but now it made perfect sense. Paul had been her tall, dark and handsome man all along. She just needed to open her eyes to see him. But even more than that, Eli was reminded of Paul's name. His sister, Attie was named after Athena. And Paul was named after Apollo. The Sun God.

  "Please, baby, tell me you will. Put me out of my misery."

  Eliana gazed at the man she had loved for so long she couldn't remember what it felt like to not love him. The man who with his friendship and support—and love—had convinced her she was capable and able to do anything and everything she set her mind to.

  The fact he loved her as much as she did him would take some time to get used to, but that was okay, they had all the time in the world.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  JUSTICE

  by

  Michelle Hasker

  Athena Marley sighed as she sank back in the hot tub. Why had she agreed to fill in as a beat cop while they were short-staffed? She'd worked hard to earn her position as detective and here she was, suffering because once again she couldn't say no.

  It wouldn't be so bad if she had someone waiting for her at home. Other than her dog, there was no one. Abigail said it was part of who she was. That she'd come here during this lifetime with the theme of Justice. She'd also cautioned that Athena was overly critical of herself and others around her, and needed to learn to control her words and her actions if she wanted to find her perfect match. The part about something in the past being rectified confused her though.

  With a snort, Athena sank lower in the tub and closed her eyes. Abigail was a good friend, but even fortune tellers with a track record like hers couldn't always be right. There was no Mr. Right for her. She'd learned that lesson the hard way.

  The sound of footsteps on the wooden deck drew closer.

  "How's the water?” Mike asked as he stepped into the hot tub with her.

  "Heav
enly.” Athena sighed and tilted her head back on a pillow as she stretched out in the bubbling water.

  "Did you have to add that perfume to the water? I'm going to smell like a girl for the rest of the night."

  "What's the matter, Mike? Got a hot date tonight?"

  "Not unless you agree to go out to dinner with me.” He sounded hopeful, and once again she felt the pang of longing. If only she were different.

  Athena clenched her fists at her sides and forced her thoughts away from how his masculine scent overrode any perfume he thought she added to the water.

  His body was hard and muscular. He'd given her wet dreams for months, and his voice was so husky and sensual it often sent shivers up her spine. It took all her self-control to keep her lust hidden and under lock and key. Dating co-workers went against her personal beliefs. If she were honest with herself, she'd admit dating wasn't even on her list of things to do any more. Besides, Mike was too good to be true. He probably snored, or drooled in his sleep, or something that would drive her to kill him after a night spent together. Keeping her eyes closed and her mind on mundane tasks, like breathing, should keep her from embarrassing herself by throwing herself at the poor man.

  What would it be like to feel his hands on her just once? To have his mouth all over her body pleasuring her in the same way he did every night in her dreams? But then that was all a fantasy. Steven had assured her of that back in college. She might feel pleasure, but that was because it was a dream. Real life was never as good as dreams. She was as frigid and unwomanly as they came.

  "Do you believe in astral travel?"

  Astral travel? She sank up to her chin in the water as she pictured him caressing her breast with one hand while he stroked her mons with the other. As her nipples hardened, she fought back a moan. Damn, she was getting good at imagining him touching her. She should be, he was the focus of her dreams.

  "Attie?"

  "What?” she asked, her eyes snapping open as the vision faded. She turned to him and caught him staring at her, his face mere inches from hers. When had he moved close, and why hadn't she noticed? She gasped and tried to move back, but had nowhere to go.

  "Do you believe in astral travel?"

  "What's that?” she asked, her breath hitching in her throat as he leaned closer.

  "It's when you travel outside of your body. Some people believe you can actually go places. They believe you can talk to people and even make love to them while you're outside of your body."

  She gasped as he lowered his voice. Desire tightened her stomach at the light in his eyes. Co-workers. Can't be romantic. Knock it off. She gave herself a mental lecture but her body refused to listen. Her nipples pebbled as she stared into his sea-green eyes. Biting back a moan, Attie scrunched back against the wall as far as she could, which wasn't very far.

  "Have you ever had a dream that felt so real you woke up drenched in sweat and covered in cum?"

  Yeah, like every night. This time she couldn't fight the moan and closed her eyes. “No. I have no clue what you're talking about."

  "Somehow I think you do,” he whispered as he brushed his lips against her ear. “Tell me about your dream last night, Attie."

  A shiver shook through her and she gasped.

  "I knew it.” He sounded triumphant.

  What is going on with him tonight?

  Her eyes flew open and she stared at the rippling water. If he kept breathing in her ear like that she'd embarrass herself, and him. “Knew what? That you have a vivid imagination? So who's the chick you've been astral traveling to visit? Is it the one who transferred here from New York? Or maybe the one who just came here from the Academy?"

  "You. You came to me,” he said then sucked the bottom of her earlobe between his lips and moaned.

  Another shudder ran through her as she echoed his moan and turned toward him. “You're crazy,” she whispered.

  "No I'm not."

  "I don't astral travel, and I don't dream about you."

  "Liar,” he whispered as he leaned closer.

  Athena closed her eyes as his lips pressed against hers, and she kissed him with all the passion she'd spent the last fifteen minutes daydreaming about. Their mouths met in a fierce, hungry kiss. His taste and touch was familiar, in fact it was the same as in her dream. He cupped her chin and tilted her face up as he deepened the kiss.

  Ignoring the voice of reason as it cautioned her to stop before it was too late, she fisted one hand in his thick blonde hair and grabbed his shoulder with the other. A whimper caught in her throat at the feel of his firm, smooth flesh under her palm.

  "Damn, baby. I need more. I can't ... don't push me away again."

  Her hands trembled as she wrapped them around his neck and moved so she straddled him. Leaning forward, she brushed the tips of her breasts against him. Only the tattoo of a tiger marred the otherwise perfect chest, and she leaned down to kiss it. Once she tasted him, she couldn't stop, and pressed kisses down to the water's edge and back up to his neck where she found a sensitive spot and worked on giving him a hickey.

  Mike ran his hands over her back and down to her ass where he squeezed her and pressed her lower body tighter to his.

  "Mmm,” Athena moaned as she moved her hips, rubbing her fabric-covered mons against his rock-hard shaft. Even though cloth prevented her from feeling him against her, she was close to coming from his kiss, conversation, and the friction from rubbing against him. Her dreams replayed in her mind and she realized what he meant with his questions. He'd been dreaming of her. And apparently she wasn't the only one to awaken drenched in sweat and cum, to quote him.

  Oh, sweet heaven. She wanted him and wanted to know it was real, not a figment of her imagination.

  "Sweet, sweet Attie,” he whispered as he peppered kisses along her neck and shoulder.

  Attie closed her eyes and arched, pressing her breasts against his chest as she leaned back, reveling in the feel of his mouth on her. Obeying her unspoken request, Mike lowered his attention and kissed his way down her front and sucked on her fabric-covered nipple.

  "Mike!” she gasped, fists tightening in his hair as she frantically rubbed against him.

  "God, baby. What you do to me."

  She froze as his endearment threw her back in time and made her remember Steven. He'd always called her baby, but then he'd also called her frigid, cold, unlovable, a failure in bed, and worse.

  "Oh, God.” Athena gasped and jerked away from Mike. As hot tears filled her eyes, she tried to climb out of the hot tub, but her vision blurred as he grabbed her and pulled her back on his lap.

  "Shh, Attie, it's okay, baby."

  "Don't call me baby,” she snapped and tried to pull away again.

  "Okay, sweetheart. But you can't play hot one minute and cold the next when you're rubbing against a man like that."

  "I'm sorry.” Fresh tears broke free and she hid her face against his shoulder.

  "Attie, sweetheart. Did I come on too strong? But you were so responsive. Did I misunderstand?"

  "Yes,” she choked out as she tried to block the images of her humiliation from her mind.

  "Talk to me, Attie. Why so hot and loving one minute and cold the next? Tell me what I did wrong. What did I do to make you cry?"

  "Let me go, Mike. Please. You made a mistake. You don't want me. How about Charlotte? Or what's her face, the new girl?"

  Mike lifted her chin and met her gaze. “I want you, Attie. Did I misread your signals? Are you going to tell me I'm wrong about my dreams?"

  "How would I know about your dreams? But astral traveling is impossible. It's like magic and spells. Not real, but something people believe in anyway. Like the Loch Ness Monster and Big Foot."

  Mike laughed and squeezed her close. “I do believe in Nessie, but I also believe my dreams are more than that."

  "Mike, let me go. You don't want to do this. We're co-workers. A relationship would go nowhere between us."

  "I don't want to let you go, Attie. I
want to explore this thing between us."

  "There's nothing between us,” she argued even as his erection pressed into her side. She wasn't fooling him, or herself.

  "I beg to differ,” he whispered as he trailed kisses up her neck to her ear. “I can feel you trembling. You desire me. Why are you fighting it?"

  Athena shivered and bit her lip trying to keep a moan from escaping. He had one hand on her thigh and brushed his thumb back and forth, flaming the desire she was desperately trying to suppress.

  "Please,” she gasped. “Don't do this. You don't know what you're asking."

  "I want you and you want me. Stop fighting me, Attie. Please. I can't take many more nocturnal visits from you without also having you in my waking hours."

  "I don't astral travel. I have no idea what you're talking about."

  Mike sighed and shifted her so she straddled him again. His hard shaft pressed into her abdomen as he pulled her so close she could smell, feel, hear and taste only him. The smooth slippery muscles on his chest as she tried to push away, the scent that was him and only him that filled her as she licked her lips and tasted those same muscles. A low groan filled her ears as his hands tightened on her hips, and he closed his eyes and tilted his head back. Athena stared at his throat as he swallowed, then looked up at his face again. His mouth was parted and his eyes still closed as he pinned her in place.

  She wanted him so much it hurt. And it would hurt once he found out he wouldn't get any pleasure from her. His dreams, like hers, would remain just that. But how to tell him when he looked, felt, and smelled, so good. Damn. She'd given him a hickey. She'd like to give him another, much lower.

  Never before had she wanted a man this much. Not even in her dreams. While looks weren't everything, and she'd been attracted to Mike for a while, his body made her mouth water and her pussy ache. What if this time it was different? But what if it wasn't? Indecision held her in place, until Mike slid his hands onto her ass and pressed her into his erection.

  Just like the dreams. Athena tightly closed her eyes and kept them that way. Her hands slid over his chest and shoulders.