by Arlene Webb
Beneath the surface, he nuzzled his face between her breasts, from neck to stomach and Jaylynn’s attraction flamed into unbearable lust. He knew what his touch did to her, yet he remained clueless. Her lead, a movement of fingers—did she dare? How long before he gave her no choice? How could she assign choice to a newborn that rendered her constantly scatterbrained? Damon shifted his face and ran— ohdearGodsofast!
Water exploded from their path and churned in their wake. Adrenalin jolted through her as Jaylynn gasped, smacks of air overwhelming her. She soared, skimming the surface of the pool, living electricity the wind beneath her body. The current pulsating from Damon battled the cool water, and combined with the rush of movement to create an experience that surpassed exhilarating. They traveled at a pace where time seemed to freeze, and Jaylynn prayed it’d never start ticking again. Then, defying her understanding of pleasure, things became even more thrilling.
Damon moved beyond the speed of sound and danced his fingers along her back, voltage shot up and down her spine through her wet clothes. When she thought it’d be impossible to go faster, he grasped her hip and propelled her past Mach 1 into supersonic explosion.
Before she slowed, he seized her again and flung their bodies forward to throw her ahead of him, over and over. The released power of his thrust, combined with that electric grip, inflamed every nerve on her skin, and she ignited into a sizzling rocket.
When he slapped his magic hand flat on her stomach, an orgasmic jolt tore through her. Then Damon lifted her and current disappeared. She no longer blasted through water, but shot above the surface. Like a shard of flint, he’d skipped her up and out of the pool.
Jaylynn barely registered the shift from stars spinning in her head to fear of kissing concrete, and rough hands grasped her. Water droplets scattered, and she blinked open her eyes, tumbled into brilliant splashes of tangerine, and the race were on again.
This time Caream’s elfin face pressed against her stomach, and her slender arm crushed Jaylynn to push her nose above the surface. A few joyous minutes later, they slowed.
Intoxicating breath kissed Jaylynn’s ear while the magnetic woman whispered, “Drink air.”
Jaylynn went down, held in bruising, happy hands. Caream wrapped herself around Jaylynn and twisted and twirled while they rotated at incredible speed through the pool. No beach ball, sailor, whatever toyed with by dolphins could have experienced something like this. The unbearable sexual intensity Damon stimulated was gone. Caream clung, a powerful, spinning sensation, until she unwrapped her legs and threw Jaylynn.
The edge of the pool—closer, closer—flash of a black-shirted chest—yippee—wrapped in electricity again.
Damon flipped Jaylynn over him on her back as he floated. He sprawled like all matter—liquid, solid, gas or plasma—existed to support him, subservient to him. He tucked her head beneath his chin and slowly decreased their speed. Her exhilarated breathing quieted, and that electric rippling began again as he caressed her.
“Teach what else makes you happy. I like when you laugh with much air.” Damon clamped one leg over hers, forcing any remnants of water or air between their bodies to splatter aside.
She tried to relax against him, but she felt so charged, and his chest muscles tightening for an abrupt bellow didn’t help.
“Shut up, Caaaream. Until I learn what this teacher wants of me, she’s mine. Go away. Oh yeah,” his growl turned to a plea, “Could you take Ya-man’s boots off first?”
Ya-man? Out of the corner of her eye, Jaylynn watched a boot sail by. Damon untwined his leg and the other boot joined the first by the side of the pool. A grunt of relief, and he continued his exploration. Her breath gone, her giggles gasped out, and she twisted.
Damon lightened his grasp so she could angle to see his face. Beautiful and lazy, he smiled up at her as they power-floated around the pool. His vermillion eyes glowed with predatory awareness. He knew where and how to touch, and he was so close to learning why.
“Stop looking at me like that! God, that was fun. And would you stop tickling me?” Jaylynn collapsed her head on Damon’s chest. She purred while his caress became less electric and more tactile bliss. Clearly he could raise or lower the voltage, but could he control the stiffening pressed into her back? Did he understand what his body was doing? In her ex’s pool, hiding from the police, and that’s all she could think of. It certainly didn’t feel like an “easy to pretend it’s not there” swelling beneath her. Ooohh, and then add on even more. He’d be huge.
“Jaylynn, I understand that men-clothes, the jeans, stay on, but—” Every muscle beneath her tensed. “Stupid girl, this is the last time I say go away.”
Caream raised her head out of the water. She hung on Damon’s leg and addressed Jaylynn. “He’s angry, like usual, but I don’t care. His shoulder and back hurts. He won’t take off his shirt so I can see.”
Dear Jesus, how could Jaylynn forget bullet and stab wounds, massive internal bleeding? She parted her lips. A heavy hand slapped over her mouth.
“How do you know what hurts on me?” Damon kicked free of Caream. “Don’t ruin this. She’s almost ready to tell me.” He sighed, relaxing his pace as they skimmed the surface. “I’ll find a closet for you. Even better, remember that white box when we came in?”
“It’s called a refrigerator, you dummy. I dare you to try.” Caream captured his leg again. “You can barely hold someone as easy as Jaylynn against that shoulder. Soon your back will be like that, too.”
Jaylynn tugged at the iron arm keeping her quiet, and with a flick of a red hand she went flying. She surfaced, sputtering like a pesky bug, five feet away.
“Sorry.” Damon materialized beside her, and she scowled at his opening arms.
“After I check under that bandage,” Caream grabbed him, “then you can play.”
Jaylynn tread water while Damon yanked free, his arm raised. His blow halted, turned with that exquisite control into a caress of Caream’s worried face.
“You hear her?” he growled at Caream. “Thinks I’m mean. I should give you both reason to fear.” Damon dragged Caream across the pool and thrust his arms up. She rocketed upward, curled into an acrobatic spin, and fell to break the water in a beautiful dive.
“Caaaream!” Damon suddenly blasted thirty feet up, ten feet further than he threw Caream. He didn’t twist when gravity seized him, but drew his knees to his chest. Waves, a few feet high, splashed and he disappeared. They surfaced seconds later, Caream pulling on his shirt. Damon wrapped his hands around Caream’s neck, and a wrestling blaze of color went under.
Glad she couldn’t hear, Jaylynn paddled to the edge. She pulled herself out to sit and then attempted to shed her skin. Four fiery eyes surfaced right next to her.
“What’s wrong with both of you?” These two, the tornado twins, would give her a heart attack for sure.
“A vehicle is slowing for the driveway.” Caream’s clutch bruised Jaylynn’s thigh.
“We need to hide! Let me get out. You two, stay under the water.”
Damon slapped Caream’s hand off Jaylynn’s leg. “I’ll put them in the closet.”
“No!” Jaylynn fought the rush of tears as fear compressed her chest. “If it’s the police, they’ll shoot you. You must listen. How many bullets you think you can take?”
“More than a hundred in the back will be a problem. My shoulders—at least fifty. I don’t want to estimate the rest of this body now.” Damon sighed, his scowl dark. “Caream, move the clothes, boots, glasses. We all go under or I do what I want.” Voltage fastened on her leg. “I’m listening. That’s all I ever do. Billions of sounds hurt me, but nothing like your crying. Stop, before I rip my ears out.”
In a few seconds everything was under a shrub, and Caream was back in the pool along with Jaylynn. She trembled in Damon’s grasp. “I-I can’t breathe underwater. They may come back here. I’ll hide in the bushes.”
“Stop. Being. Afraid.” Damon’s eyes burned into her. �
��It’s stupid to hide in bushes. Unless they’re blind, they’ll find you. Try to understand. If police look at you like that creep in Show Low, I’ll listen to me, not you.” His sweet breath caressed her ear. “Only two. They’ve left the front, sneaking around the house. For you, I won’t kill. Decide. Drink air when I tell you, or let me do what seems right. Please pick me having fun.”
Why argue? It wasn’t like insane colors or the police would listen. There’d just be a couple more to add to the unconscious body count when they reached to cuff her. Yet, she had to try. “You can’t confront them. How—”
Damon’s grip tightened, his threat clear as his lips brushed her ear. “Drink air; then shut your mouth.”
She gulped and closed her eyes as they went down. Long legs wrapped around hers, and Damon soothed her head under his chin while Caream eased in to cling to her back. Pressed between the pair, they floated in place under ten feet of dark water.
Not a good swimmer, Jaylynn preferred to admire water from afar. If she ever had a past life, her phobia suggested she died a miserable death under a bridge somewhere. As air bubbled from her lips, she became distracted from the pressure to suck in fluid. Large hands clamped her face and angled her head. A slender naked body squeezed between her and Damon, and small hands formed a funnel between Caream’s lips and hers.
Air flamed into Jaylynn’s mouth, and her face lit on fire. Damon shifted his hands to her arms, and water rushed in to pacify the blistering sensation devouring her cheeks. He held her until her empty lungs wanted to scream again, and then he cupped her face.
Anticipation shot through her. Every care about police, drowning, thought in general went poof except for one electrifying insight. She no longer had to decide. Her fear over initiating more than a timid peck on his closed mouth had ended.
Aggressive and confident lips took hers. A wondrous taste, clean and euphoric flooded her—more, I want more—heat raced down her throat, scorching into her chest. The sharp tingle on her cheeks crossed from irritating into screaming agony. She convulsed and lost all the delicious air he’d given her in a gasping burst, while her heartbeat blasted toward detonation.
Damon’s lips fled, cool water calmed her face, and her head pressed into his chest. A powerful hand stroked downward on her back. Current fought against pounding blood, the constricting angina pain in her chest decreased, and Jaylynn collapsed into him.
Her heart settled. The electric burn on her face dulled to a sharp tingle, and it seemed an eternity had passed since the wondrous taste of red filled her mouth. The heavy, darkness of water oppressed her past the point of reason, and her lips parted. Damon shot his hand over her mouth and nose. Despite the futility, she struggled. Police or no, she wanted to surface.
She had no choice.
To her immense relief, finally, their intertwined bodies rose. Her lungs screamed. Damon freed her mouth, and thrust her head from the water. She coughed, spat, gulped the night, and opened her eyes. Damon’s eyes were the familiar shade of angry. His misery shone bright, and her frustration over almost being drowned evaporated. “Gone?” She gasped and inhaled another sharp gulp of yummy life.
“Yes. Went to get coffee and doughnuts. Plan to return for this stakeout. Why are they coming back?”
“I should have known they’d figure out I used to live here.” Unable to bear the brightness of his frustration, Jaylynn lowered her face into his neck. “They’ll have many weapons, and plan to watch this house hoping to catch us. We have to leave. I’m sorry.”
She lifted her gaze. His face blank, Damon swam and lifted her out to sit on the edge.
Caream surfaced by his side. “We want to stay. Why can’t we get rid of them? I can do it, and I won’t kill them.”
“You don’t understand. Many more will come if those two don’t radio in. They’ll keep coming until they capture or kill us. We have to get somewhere they can’t find us and get those bullets out of you, Damon.”
Damon grabbed Caream. “You ruined what time we had.” He smashed her under the water.
“Stop that,” Jaylynn snapped. “She didn’t cause this mess. You wanted to know what makes me happy. It’d make me ecstatic if you’d cooperate before it’s too late. We can find another pool.”
His eyebrows slotted into furious angles. “Yes, you’re right about that. Sorry, Caream, it’s not your fault the one who made these problems is too fragile to shake reason into.”
Me? My fault? “Damon? I don’t understand.”
He snorted. “Me either. I hardly ever understand you. If you’d yell what’s important, I could.” His growl pulsated soft, deadly. “While I drive, you’ll explain where weapons are stored. Many weapons? Many will come? Teach me like you understand how to count. Explain like I’m not stupid. It makes me want to smash many down your throat. If you’re out of the way, I can knock out sixty to seventy men or women per minute. Less than sixty, if I take the bullets aimed at you, and the numbers improve, over two hundred—if I kill.”
Jesus Christ. From hard-on, drown, and then strangle the simplistic teacher in less than ten minutes.
Damon yanked Caream up by her hair. “I said sorry. Get dressed.” He flung her out of the pool, avoided Jaylynn’s dumbfounded gaze, and disappeared.
She took a deep breath and pushed to her feet.
“Let him run.” Caream dressed in a blink. “Maybe he’ll stop being mean to you then. Big dummy is sad you want to leave.” Caream gestured Jaylynn into the house, boots and sunglasses in her hands. “Think we can find another pool with lights? It’d be easy to make them pretty. Best hurry. Damon’s right. Men act like that Creep-man; I’ll want to pop their heads off, too.”
Jaylynn forced herself into high gear. She bolted to grab essentials. So much for the computer. She clicked it off and grabbed her cell phone. While the garage door opened, she shoved three black towels and bottled water at Caream. “Let’s take the car. You can follow me on that bike. We’ll ditch it outside of the city, so the police don’t involve my ex.”
She rushed to scribble Wesley a note, saying she’d taken his car and to call her. The key dangled from the hook as always. She turned and lost all momentum. Gorgeously male, Damon strode toward her. Wet shirt and jeans hugged fluid muscle. Her face still felt charred, and she could feel the blush of heat grow across her cheeks.
She must have imagined the bolt of lightning inside her. Caream had barely touched her lips, but he’d actually kissed her. Those wild hands had touched her almost everywhere before he drowned her, and turned into a raging maniac about numbers. His lips snaked into a grin. Darkened red eyes caressed her. Without a word, Damon trailed his finger down her arm, clasped her elbow, and propelled her through the doorway.
Her scowl bright, Caream wheeled the bike out while Damon curled into the driver seat. His blistery glare focused on the key in Jaylynn’s hand.
She threw her arms around his neck and resisted the urge to collapse over him. She felt feverish. Not with desire, but like she couldn’t hold her own weight. “Please, I’m begging you. I don’t want to argue. Just get in back.”
His breath caught, a frustrated sigh blew from his lips.
“They’re almost to this street,” Caream called.
Damon pulled free and flung himself over the seat. He tossed the towels in a neat corner on the floor, and threw himself down. Wet clothes clung. Lounged against the leather seat—red and black—a wild form of beauty, ready to explode into bloodcurdling—
“We have thirty seconds before those two police are here. Don’t hurry.” Demonic eyes caressed Jaylynn. Damon sounded amused. “I hope to talk numbers.” That feral smile lit his face. “Many will come. Fun. Many arms will break. More fun. I’ll learn many details you think I’m—shut up yourself, Caaaream.”
Fear jumpstarted Jaylynn’s heart. Her hands shook the keys into the ignition. She slammed her palm on the remote clipped to the driver visor, and the garage door closed behind them. For the love of—damn mailbox. She almost
clipped it. Debatable who’d bellow the loudest, her ex or the male snorting behind her. An urge to speed forward, ram it proper, brought a curve to her lips.
Jaylynn checked for flashing lights in the rearview mirror and jumped. She’d forgotten Caream on the motorcycle, could have backed right into her. How the hell was Caream not hitting the bumper of the BMW? Jaylynn sighed and took the hint to get a move on for the nearest side street. She curved down the lane and accelerated onto the main road.
The rush of escape, stealing Wesley’s car, kicking Damon out of the driver seat, wore off. Cold panic settled. The slightest thing would set Damon off, and she couldn’t keep dancing around explaining a deadly sin to him. Her desire interfered with her ability to think, but no matter how hard she fought to deny it, lust dropped low on her list of worries as nausea churned.
Wet, cold, almost paralyzed with doubt, she chewed her lip. Should she head down I-40 through Tijeras canyon, or maybe the less traveled Route 66, but then what?
The sprawling desert city fell away behind them, and Jaylynn continued east. The cops would follow from the west.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
A miracle. Damon hadn’t grumbled since Jaylynn tore out of Wesley’s driveway twenty minutes ago. They neared the town of Edgewood, and she hit the brakes. Might as well get Caream and ditch the bike. Jaylynn swallowed back another lump of nausea and parked on the shoulder.
Sweet breath kissed Jaylynn’s cheek. “What’s wrong?” Damon rested his forearms on the seat. “Ex-husband food bothers you?” His warm, wonderful hand guided her to face him.
“My stomach’s a little off, but I’m okay.” Inches from his lips, Jaylynn struggled between wanting to do something to take away his anxiety, and a horrible, escalating need to vomit. The heave-ho won.
“Don’t worry…just be a sec.” Jaylynn stumbled out her door. She ignored Caream tossing the bag, purse, and atlas in the car and barely made it to the grass.
