by Dena Christy
“Here you are Citizen Carstairs. We are happy to have you back and I hope you enjoy your stay with us.” He handed a thin plastic card over and Ryce took it. The young man who’d held the door sidled up on silent feet, and Ryce looked at him curiously for a moment. The young man picked up with bags, and before Ryce could say anything to him, Collette tugged on his arm.
“Come on, Reggie. I’m tired from traveling and want to get to the room.” She gave his arm a squeeze in warning so he didn’t make a fool of himself.
He turned with her and they walked toward the elevator. He had a feeling that she’d saved him from making a mistake, and for the hundredth time since they’d left Evie’s compound, he felt out of his depth. She was correct in her assessment that he needed her here with him. There was no way he could have pulled off his masquerade as Reggie without her.
“I don’t know what room we’re in,” he said in an undertone that the man carrying their bags couldn’t hear.
“I do.” She pushed the button for the elevator and moved her body in such a way that the hotel staff couldn’t see what she was doing. She pulled something out of her purse and pressed it into Ryce’s hand. He felt the soft crinkle of paper resting against his palm, but resisted the urge to look down. Based on her actions, he assumed that she didn’t want the staff to know that she’d given it to him. “It’s a chip, to give to the bellboy as a tip for carrying our bags.”
They walked into the elevator and Collette pressed the button that would take them to the top floor. The bell boy stood in front of them as the doors shut smoothly. The elevator hummed to life and carried them upwards.
With a ding the door opened and the bell boy stepped out and waited for them to leave the elevator and walk down the hall toward their suite. Collette subtly walked a tiny pace ahead as she led the way, and once they reached their destination, Collette held out her hand and Ryce gave her the key card. She pressed it to the small control panel beside the door and with a click the door unlocked. She opened it and walked inside, turning her head to look at him.
He remembered the bell boy’s presence and turned to the young man.
“I can take the bags from here.” The bellboy lowered the bags to the ground. He stood there, looking expectantly at Ryce, and Ryce remembered the chip that Collette had given him. He handed it to the young man, and he inclined his head.
“If you need anything else sir, please contact the reception desk.” The young man bowed before he turned on his heel and strode down the hall. Ryce picked up the bags and walked through the door that Collette held for him.
As he set the bags down inside the room, he looked around. Of all the things he’d been expecting, this was not it. He thought he’d prepared himself for the world Collette moved in, having seen first hand the money that had gone into her apartment. This suite of rooms was worlds away from that, and he couldn’t help but stare.
The floor was made of reddish wood and was polished to such a mirrored shine that he wouldn't be surprised if he could see his reflection in it. The room they were standing in was larger than the entirety of Ryce’s living quarters back home, and for a moment he was puzzled, why anyone would need this much space for an overnight stay? Several families could live comfortably in this room alone.
“Can you take the bags into the bedroom?” Collette went over to the sofa that appeared to be made of black leather. He’d forgotten in his study of the room that he was still holding onto the bags, and he looked for the door that would lead to the bedroom. On the other side of the living area, a door was ajar and in it he could see the corner of a bed. He walked in that direction, his shoes making no noise on the highly polished floor, and he resisted the temptation to look down to see if he’d left marks to show the path he’d walked.
The bedroom was only a little smaller than the room he’d just left, and as he set the bags down, he stared at the enormous bed that stood in the middle of the room. A white bedspread lay across the top, and he had a brief flash of what Collette’s naked flesh would look like with her golden hair spilling across a pillow. He squeezed his eyes shut tight, trying to block out the thought and what it did to his heart rate.
He turned his back on the bed and walked back out to the living room. Collette was still seated on the sofa and had kicked off her shoes and tucked her legs up beside her. She looked up at him and smiled. Her ease in a place like this, while all he felt was discomfort, only emphasized the difference between them. Her entire life had been exposed to a life like this, whereas he'd lived a much more modest one, and he could never offer her this sort of life, assuming that he survived his time on this planet and could make his way home.
He yanked at the tie strangling him, and he felt for a moment like the walls were closing in on him.
“Are you all right?” She looked at him with concern.
“I need to get out of this skin,” he growled. “I’m going to take a shower.”
He turned on his heel and walked out of the room as quickly as he could without running. He went back into the bedroom and toward a door at one side. Once he got into the bathroom and shut the door, he stripped off the suit he was wearing. As soon as it was off, he closed his eyes for a moment and allowed his body to morph back into his normal form.
He breathed out a sigh as he turned and dialed the knob that controlled the shower. He stepped inside under the spray, but it did little to remove the uneasy feeling inside him. He was out of his depth and he knew it. And not only would he have to navigate a world that was foreign to him, he had to do it with the distraction of Collette at his side.
The big bed called to him, urged him to lay her down and make her his. He needed to think of Cynric, and not of the beautiful woman only steps away. He needed to focus on the task considering how out of his depth ahead of them, especially considering how out of his depth he was. He turned the water to cold, hoping it would douse the need for her rising inside him.
Collette watched Ryce walk away in his guise as Reggie. He’d looked horribly uncomfortable in Reggie’s skin, but then she didn't think anyone would be comfortable as Reggie except possibly Reggie himself. It had been weird for her to travel with a man who looked identical to her former lover and yet wasn’t him. It was funny, seeing him as Reggie emphasized how little she was attracted to the old man.
She stood and stretched. The ride in the car had taken several hours and being inside the cramped vehicle had shortened her muscles. She walked into the bedroom and debated on whether she should change out of the outfit she’d worn for traveling. She could hear the water running in the shower, but didn’t know if she’d have enough time to change out of her clothes before he came back in.
She sat down on the edge of the bed and pressed a hand to her belly. There were nervous butterflies dancing under her skin. It wasn’t like she wasn’t familiar with the world that Reggie inhabited, and she was confident they would pull off their ruse. Ryce looked so much like Reggie that if she hadn’t known it was him under his disguise, she would have sworn that he was the ruthless businessman. She suspected that he would fool even those closest to Reggie, so that shouldn’t cause the nervousness.
She suspected that it was being alone with Ryce that was doing it. Other than the moment they’d shared in her bedroom when he’d kissed her, they hadn’t been alone since he’d saved her from Dr. Avery. Here they were assured that no one would interrupt them, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She only just shrugged off the shackles of one man, was she sure she wanted to tangle with another? Wasn’t she supposed to be figuring out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life?
The water in the shower shut off, and she looked expectantly at the bathroom door. If she was smart, she would get up and walk back into the lounge. That would be the best course of action, but when had she ever done the smart thing?
The door to the bathroom opened, and Ryce stepped out with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him in his tr
ue form. Seeing him like this only emphasized that he was the polar opposite of Reggie. Where gravity and soft living had left a mark on Reggie, none of that was evident in Ryce. He had the hard muscular body of a man of action, and she couldn't recall ever seeing such a perfect masculine specimen. His broad shoulders tapered down to a trim waist, and she could see the outline of the muscles in his abdomen underneath his taut tanned skin. Without thinking she stood, drawing attention to herself.
Her small movement drew Ryce’s gaze, and his eyes focused on hers with an intensity that sent a different kind of fluttering in her stomach in motion. Her feet moved without her conscious thought, drawing her closer to him. Her hand lifted up as the sight of his firmly muscled torso begged for her touch.
“Is there something you need?” His voice was so deep and rough that it sent a shiver up her spine.
Her hand hung in the air, only inches away from him, but she couldn’t seem to forced herself to move it forward. She felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, and that if she made the smallHis movement needed to touch him, it would send her life plunging into a different direction. She curled her hand into a fist and it fell back to her side.
“Do you feel better now that you are yourself again?” Her voice sounded breathless as she stared at the hard muscles of His chest. She couldn’t move away from him, and she didn’t know if she wanted to.
“Are you sure you know what you're doing?” he asked as she looked up at him. She could see the same struggle she was having in His eyes, and her libido argued that for once in her life she should take a chance. She’d never in her life been with a man who hadn’t been arranged for her by either her mother or by the necessity of earning a living. What would it be like to be intimate with a man because she wanted him?
“No, but I can’t make myself go.” She did what she wanted to do since he’d stepped out of the bathroom. She reached up and put her hand on his chest. His heart beat under her palm, steady and strong, as she touched his firm muscles. She closed her eyes for a second and savored the feel of him. His skin was smooth like silk, and warm to the touch.
“This is not a good idea.” His words were a husky rasp, but he made no move to step away. His lack of movement emboldened her.
What would it hurt for them to explore each other? They would have this one night and then go back to their lives when it was over. She found that she wanted this one time, when for once she chose for herself, to offer comfort to her as she faced the reality of starting a new life.
“I know, but I can’t seem to think of a better one can you?”
“No.” He grasped her hand gently in his and tugged her flush against his body. The hand holding the towel let go so he could snake his arm around her waist. The only thing holding the towel up was the weight of her body pressed against him. “I can’t think of anything else right now.”
“Neither can I.” away from it as
“I’ve wanted this from the moment I first saw you.” His words skated over her skin as he lowered his head. His mouth connected to hers, and she was surprised by his slow, soft movements. If the anticipation for this was as strong in him as it was in her, and she had no reason to doubt it wasn’t, he was intent on taking his time.
She slid her hand up his chest and around his neck, raising up on her tiptoes so she could press tighter against him. He explored her mouth with his tongue, and she welcomed him like he was a soldier returning from war. Never had she felt this heady desire, and she was content to let him set the pace. Tonight would happen only once, since both their lives were at their most complicated, and she wanted it to last as long as possible. It was a night to be savored, and she was glad that he didn’t seem intent on rushing it. She had a lifetime of memories to store in this one night, and she was going to make the most of her time with him.
She cupped the back of his head, lacing her fingers through his short wet hair. One of his hands drifted down from her waist to cup her buttocks and he pressed her hips firmly against the evidence of his desire. She gasped and her eyes widened as she felt just how different he was from any man she’d ever known.
He took advantage of her surprise to run his mouth and tongue along the skin of her throat, and she shivered against him. Her head tilted back and her eyes closed as she savored the feel of him tasting her skin. His hold loosened, and she drifted back onto her heels. He lifted his head and looked her in the eyes.
“Are you sure you want this?”
She could see the desire that he had for her evident in his dilated pupils, which swallowed most of his green irises. Despite what she saw as evident of how much he wanted her, he was willing to stop if this was not something she wanted. Warmth blossomed inside her, and if she’d had any doubts about being with him, they now faded away. This was what she wanted more than anything else.
“Yes, I want this. I want you.”
“Then I think you are overdressed, don't you?” He took a tiny step back. The towel, which had been barely hanging on, fell to the floor. Her eyes drifted down, and her breath caught when she took in the sight of his erection jutting out from his body toward her. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from it asnaked as him she reached up to undo the buttons on her blouse.
“Let me do it.” He reached up to still her hands. She looked up into his eyes, and licked her lips, an action he mirrored as his eyes flared. His eyes were different and had changed to an electric blue that she found compelling. He moved her hands away from where they hovered forgotten above the fastening of her blouse and undid each button one by one.
Her heart pounded in her chest as he pushed her top from her shoulders, and his palms glided over her sensitive skin. She could feel her nipples standing at attention beneath the fabric of her bra, and she ached to feel his hands on them. He dispensed with her bra with a practiced twist of his fingers and it too fell away.
He reached up and cupped her aching flesh, and she closed her eyes, a small moan escaping her. She didn’t think she’d ever felt something this good, and he seemed intent on learning the shape of her with his hands, as if he was a blind man and needed to memorize what she looked like through touch alone.
She wanted to be as naked as him, and and reached around to undo the zipper holding her skirt closed, and once it was undone, it drifted down her hips to puddle on the floor at her feet. His hands slid from her breasts down the smooth plane of her belly, and down her skin a shiver chased his light movements down her skin. Her underwear had grown damp with her desire for him, and he hooked his fingers in the thin elastic band on the sides and they joined the skirt around her feet.
She let out a startled as he clasped his hands around her waist and used only the strength in his arms to lift her so she was eye level with him. Her body pressed flush against him, and she put her arms around his neck to hold on. She leaned forward and brought her mouth to his and kissed him with all the desire that had been building inside her.
She felt like she was floating in the air as his mouth devoured hers, and it was only when her back came into contact with the cool fabric of the bedspread that she realized that he’d moved them to the bed. He pulled back and gazed at her as he stroked his fingers over her cheek, moving her hair aside where it had fallen across her skin.
“Love me.” The tension and anticipation of the night with him built inside her until she didn’t think she could stand it any longer.
“I intend to.” He dipped his head to place a soft kiss on her mouth.
His lips were as soft and fleeting as a butterfly touching down before it flitted away. His mouth grazed over the skin of her throat and her breast tightened the closer he got to the peak. His lips closed around her hardened nipple and he sucked it into his mouth. A groan escaped from her as she arched her back slightly to give him better access. He loved one breast and then the other as his hand drifted down her stomach.
Her legs fell open, and his fingers dipped into the moist flesh he found between them. Another groan escaped her as he us
ed his moistened fingertips to stroke her tingling clit. His name escaped her in a gasp as she moved her hips under his questing fingers. The tension built rapidly inside her, and she shivered has his mouth left her breast to traverse the path his hand had followed only moments before. He opened her legs a little wider and settled his face between her legs and tasted her. His tongue teased and flicked her clit until the tension that had been building inside her exploded in orgasm and she called his name as wave upon wave of pleasure flooded through her.
He continued to tease her with his mouth as her body shook with each pulse. She tried to move her hips away, as the pleasure he gave her became too much, and he lifted his head so she could catch her breath. He slipped a finger inside her as if to test her readiness, and any doubt of his own eagerness to have her, it was laid to rest by the flare in his eyes at the ready state he found her in.
He moved his body, and guided the head of his cock to her slick entrance, and slid inside her, his movements slow, as if he had all the time in the world to make her his. Her eyes widened as he stretched her, and he seemed to know that she needed time to adjust to his size, for he held himself still as he dipped his head to place a soft kiss on her mouth. He seemed content to kiss her over and over again while he held himself firmly seated inside her.
It was she who grew impatient, and she moved her hips back and forth to encourage him to move. He kept his mouth on her, his tongue exploring its recesses as he pulled back and moved back inside her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, her breath sobbing in and out of her chest as he continued to move with the same slow and steady rhythm that he seemed intent on following. Before long it was no longer enough for her, and she didn’t want him to hold himself back from her any longer. She reached up to grasp his face in her hands and he pulled back to look deeply in her eyes.
