by Eden Ashley
Davey shook her head. “You know I can’t leave Hogan alone overnight.”
“I know,” he conceded and kissed her again. “But moving in with me would fix that little inconvenience.”
Bristling, she pulled away from him. “Hogan is not an inconvenience.”
“Don’t be cross, Davey.” Dark brown and thoughtful eyes studied her from behind a pair of black-rimmed glasses while his lips formed an adorable but exaggerated pout. When he pulled her close again, she let him. “You know I meant no harm. Hogan is an awesome kid, and I want both of you to—”
Davey brought her mouth to his, pouring as much heat into the kiss as she could muster. “Let’s talk about it later, Travis.”
“You said that last night…and two days ago.”
“Yes. Because I’m still thinking about it.”
“No. You’re stalling.”
Davey sighed. Travis was an intelligent man. He was also a stubborn one. “I haven’t said no.”
“And you haven’t said yes.”
Even though Davey felt like a complete asshole, she could offer nothing more than a shrug.
Travis switched tactics. “We’ve been seeing each other for nearly a year, Davey, and I love you. I love your brilliant mind. I love your pink-streaked hair. I love the sexy way you walk. I even love your go-fuck-yourself-attitude. Move in with me.”
Leaning closer, he sealed his request with another kiss, pushing his tongue between her lips to circle inside her mouth and lightly bite her lip before breaking away. Slightly breathless, Davey tried to hold her ground despite the growing ache his body created in hers.
No one looked at Travis Kane and thought geeky scientist. Though by no means a gym rat, he was an active guy and his lifestyle kept him in impressive shape. Surfing, running, and cycling had chiseled his physique into a sight that made most girls look twice.
“You know about my past, Travis. It’s hard for me to—”
This time it was he who kissed Davey in order to stop what she would say next. Gradually, his hands roamed down her waist and hips before settling on her ass. Giving it a firm squeeze, he rocked into her, grinding his groin against her.
Oh.
Travis’ brilliant mind wasn’t his only impressive organ, and Davey considered office sex to be an acceptable alternative to having the awkward, potentially relationship-ending conversation she would ultimately be unable to avoid. So, she didn’t resist when Travis led her to the small office tucked in the corner of the lab, locked the door behind them, and closed the privacy blinds of the only window. She watched him undress, admiring his body as much as she admired his intellect. When he pulled off his shirt and tossed it onto the desk, she licked her tongue across his abs, loving how he shivered at her touch. He unfastened his zipper, and she kneeled in front of him, taking a moment to palm the ample bulge that strained against the fabric of his trousers. Tugging his pants and boxers from his narrow hips, she freed him, encouraging a sigh from his lips as she took him into her mouth.
When Travis dropped his head back and groaned with gratitude, Davey watched, taking pride in his pleasure. It was a wonder that she could appeal to the carnal desires of someone normally so reserved, mature, and esteemed. There were a dozen women in this building alone who would have lunged at the chance to be so intimate with Dr. Travis Kane. And yet here was Davey. His girlfriend of almost a year. The person with whom he wanted to live. Davey Little had somehow become the exclusive object of Travis Kane’s affections—aside from his work, that is.
Encouraged as his breathing became more ragged, Davey suppressed her gag reflex and swallowed him completely. Travis hissed, groaning as his cock twitched against the back of her throat. Spitting him out, she repeated the maneuver, taking in every inch until her lips were nearly pressed against the base of his shaft. Grabbing the back of her head, Travis held her in place as he thrust his hips forward, groaned loudly, and shuddered. He surged forward again, this time pushing his cock deep enough to make her gag. As he finished, his release spilled hotly down her throat.
Letting go of her, Travis pulled out and Davey could breathe again. She welcomed fresh air into her lungs while Travis grinned down at her gratefully. “That was awesome,” he said.
Pulling Davey to her feet, kissed her forehead. “Tonight, it’s your turn.” Winking in promise, he gave her ass another light squeeze. “Go get cleaned up while I get less naked.”
Nodding, Davey managed a small smile and straightened her clothes as she headed to the tiny bathroom that was situated inside the office. There, she stood over the sink and rinsed out her mouth. Facing the mirror, she contemplated the girl who stared back and worried that someday Travis might see her too. What would happen if he ever glimpsed the guilty, stricken feeling that sometimes wrenched through her gut after being intimate with him? Right now, it was plainly written on her face. But most of all, Davey wondered if things would ever change. She was light-years away from being the drug-dealing, rebellious teenager she’d once been. She had become a responsible adult and had a great career working for a multi-billion-dollar company. Once Davey completed her research project, she would have her Ph.D. The state had entrusted her little brother to her care, and over the months, Davey had proven herself capable of taking care of another human being. Now she had permanent custody of Hogan, a boyfriend who was a brilliant scientist and who loved her very much. If she played her cards right, the guy might even marry her. By all definitions, Daveigh Little was a success.
But on the inside, Davey remained broken.
Though it’d been five years since the huge fight when he’d stormed out of their two-bedroom apartment and never returned, Davey’s scarred heart still very much belonged to the ghost of Ethan Remington.
2
At least for the time being, Travis dropped the matter of them moving in together. Davey knew better than to think he’d given up though. Sooner or later, she’d have to risk breaking his heart. It wasn’t that she didn’t care about Travis. Davey loved him as much as anyone could who was hung up on an ex-boyfriend. An ex-boyfriend who may have been her soulmate but had left with no goodbye and disappeared without a trace for five years and counting. In her heart, Davey knew Ethan was out there. She just had to find him, even if it was only to finally have closure. After one fight—no matter how bad—it seemed impossible that he would have left of his own volition.
But you told him it was over.
She felt a sharp pang of regret, remembering how Ethan had nodded and said, “If that’s what you want,” in a tone so devoid of emotion that he had never before seemed so inhuman as he did in that moment, which turned out to be their final moment, because Ethan never returned.
Rolling her neck to relieve a ball of tension there, Davey closed her eyes. He would have come back if he could. Shaking her head, she tried to focus on the monitor in front of her, but the words melded together in an indecipherable blur. Pushing away from the workstation, Davey got to her feet.
“I’m going to lunch,” she announced.
Engrossed in a microscopic examination of earthworm cells, Travis didn’t look up but grunted in reply. Davey had reached the door and was about to step into the hall when he called out to her. “Babe, would you mind bringing me a meatball sub from Arnie’s? The window to study these samples is closing, so I need to keep going.”
Davey smiled warmly. “Sure thing.”
After collecting her purse and stashing the lab coat inside her locker, Davey placed a call on her cell phone. Lana answered on the second ring. “Hey, Little.”
“Hey you. Free for lunch?”
“For you? Always.”
“Great. Meet me at Arnie’s at noon.”
“Arnie’s?” Lana repeated, sounding confused. “You hate that place.”
“I know, but Travis wants a sandwich, and I have too much work to do this afternoon to make a second stop.”
“Okay. We’ll go to Arnie’s then. See you soon.”
Ten minutes lat
er, Davey was hugging her best friend outside of a tiny café that served bland food and watered-down soft drinks. Lana had hardly changed since college…actually, she had barely changed since high school. One look at her and even strangers knew she’d been the pretty, popular cheerleader. Her long, dark curls were a bit shorter and she might have gained ten pounds, but other than that, Lana looked exactly the same.
Davey felt she could never repay Lana for her role in getting Hogan away from the vengeful drug lord responsible for murdering their parents; however, their friendship had only continued after high school because they ended up at the same college. After Lana’s old roommate flunked out, Davey had moved in. And when Lana struggled to pass in several classes, Davey patiently tutored her until she could make the proper grades.
During that time, the corporation responsible for creating Ethan—Global Cures—had wiped his memories and reassigned him, temporarily removing him from Davey’s life. Though Lana couldn’t understand exactly what Davey was going through—telling her too much would have only endangered her life—she had been there to help Davey through her darkest moods. And when Ethan disappeared for a second time, Lana was there again, talking Davey through the lows and making her believe she could keep going.
“So, how’s the hubby?” Davey asked once they’d settled at a table next to a window and ordered a couple of waters.
“If I could just get him to put his dirty underwear into the laundry basket, he’d be perfect.” Lana giggled, but her laughter quickly tapered into a sigh. “Matt’s doing okay. I wish we weren’t still waiting to hear good news about that promotion I told you about.”
Davey raised her eyebrows in surprise. “It’s been two weeks.”
“I know. Matt is going crazy and he’s taking me with him.” Covering her face, Lana shook her head. Then she gestured in the air as if waving away a bothersome fly. “Enough about that. Distract me with your love life. Did Dr. Kane finally pop the question?”
Davey groaned. “Thank God, no, but he did ask me to move in with him.”
“Ohmygosh,” Lana squealed. “What did you say?”
Davey gave her best friend a look of utter exasperation. “I haven’t told him anything. Lana, I can’t move in with him.”
“Don’t you love him?”
“I do, but not like that.”
Lana made a sympathetic noise. “You mean not like you loved Ethan.”
Davey’s shoulders sagged, and her gaze drifted outside to the busy streets. The scene was alive with people milling about, leading their everyday lives, but she saw none of it. “No. Not like I loved Ethan,” she admitted softly.
“Travis is a nice guy, Davey.”
“I know. He really is, but I took this job to find Ethan, not to fall in love with someone I can never really be with.”
Lana bit her lip. “Have you ever considered that maybe Ethan is actually the one who you can never be with?”
The notion stung so much that for a moment Davey couldn’t breathe. Taking a sip of water, she cleared her throat and searched for a change of subject. “Did you know that earthworms exude natural lubricants from their pores, and some species can shoot that fluid as far as twelve inches?”
“Yuck.” Lana frowned. “Davey, that’s disgusting. We’re about to have lunch.”
“Worms aren’t disgusting. They share thousands of genes with humans, and some of those genes harbor the ability to regenerate complex structures. Worms could very well hold the key to immortality, Lana.”
“Oh, I see what you did there. You changed the subject, but you didn’t really change the subject because this is about your research, and that is all somehow about finding Ethan.”
“Ouch,” Davey said flatly. “You know me so well.”
“Whatever. Fine.” Lana shook her head, bouncing her shiny curls. “We can talk about anything except your nasty earthworms. I’d rather slit my wrists and drink my own blood.”
Davey blinked. “That’s sort of dark coming from you.”
“You must be rubbing off on me,” Lana said and smiled sweetly.
Laughing, Davey picked up her menu. “Let’s order, shall we?”
∞∞∞
Carrying a large bag containing Travis’ meatball sub, Davey stepped off the curb, heading toward the back lot of Arnie’s where she’d parked her car over an hour ago. Lunch with Lana had been refreshing—exactly the sort of midday pick-me-up that Davey needed. She and Lana had chatted and laughed throughout the entire meal, hugging goodbye at the end to go their separate ways, but not before Lana extracted a promise from Davey to join her and Matt on a double date next week.
“It’ll be fun,” Lana had insisted, while flashing an infectious smile that almost convinced Davey it actually would be. Right, Davey scoffed mentally. More like anything but fun. Matt was a great guy, but he and Travis were like oil and water trapped in a vat of awkward.
Already mulling over potential excuses to get out of going, Davey was about ten feet from her car when every hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end. Not knowing whether to freeze or break into an all-out run, she slowed her pace and made a careful dissection of her surroundings.
“I see that you still have good instincts.”
Davey stopped walking. The strange voice had come from behind her, a direction that had been empty of people when she’d checked a moment ago. Whirling, she immediately spotted the voice’s owner but didn’t recognize him at all.
He was at least six-feet tall, average-looking, and possibly in his mid-thirties. What stood out most about him was the finely tailored suit he wore and his vibrant green eyes—especially how they watched Davey with an almost eerie intensity.
“Um…do I know you?” she asked while taking a careful step backward.
The stranger smiled sadly. “There was once a time when we knew each other very well, Davey Little.”
An odd buzzing rang in her ears as her mouth instantly became dry. “I’m sorry,” she stammered, still moving away from him. “I don’t—” Davey licked her lips and stopped. It can’t be. Why now?
The stranger came toward her even as she continued her cautious retreat. Halting all movement, he frowned. “You’re not afraid, are you?”
“Well, you just kind of appeared out of nowhere, and I don’t know you, so…” The sentence trailed off as Davey bumped into her car. She could go no further, at least not until she fished the damn car keys from the bottom of her purse. Without looking away from the stranger and still clinging to Travis’ lunch, she began a clumsy, one-handed search for the keys.
“It’s me, Davey.”
“No,” she insisted with a firm shake of her head. “I really don’t know you.”
The stranger’s voice softened. “Davey,” he said, and reached for her.
His hand wrapped around her forearm and Davey stopped breathing. This time she looked at the stranger—really looked at him. The eyes, the hair, the unsettled feeling she got when he touched her—it was all wrong. Cold knots formed in Davey’s stomach, fighting against what this stranger wanted her to believe.
“You look…different.”
For a moment, his cool stare blazed with heat, and then those green orbs became serene again. He touched his face absently. “It was necessary for my last assignment.”
“Your last assignment,” Davey began hesitantly, not sure if she wanted to know and not sure if she would even believe him. “Is it why you left?”
He nodded slowly. “It is.” Looking down at his hand, he released her arm with some reluctance. “I know you have a lot of questions, but there’s no time. We have to go, Davey.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You’re in danger.”
“What? How?” Her mind staggered to comprehend his words. After five years, for him to show up and drop such a bombshell—it was more than astonishing.
“I’ll explain on the way. Right now, I need you to get in your car and help me find your brother.”
In the past, Davey would have done anything he asked of her without hesitation. He had saved her life far too many times for her not to have faith in him. But now…she couldn’t put her finger on it, but something had changed. Something seemed wrong. Whatever it was, Davey was sure that Global Cures was behind it, making her uncertain whether going anywhere with him was the right thing to do.
“Davey,” he called softly, stretching out one hand. “I would never hurt you. Trust me.”
She swallowed forcefully, shoving her misgivings aside. “Okay.”
He opened the door to the passenger side, gesturing for her get in. After another beat of hesitation, Davey acquiesced and surrendered the keys.
“Thank you,” he said, and smiled, but the expression never quite reached his eyes. Davey held his gaze for as long as she dared, trying to understand what was so different. It’s his eyes, she decided. They possessed an odd hardness and a sort of distance—almost as if there wasn’t an actual person behind them. The cold knots returned to Davey’s stomach.
She cleared her throat. The car was moving, so technically they were on the way, which made it time for the explanation he’d promised. “So, what’s this about?”
He looked at her briefly, but then directed his attention back to the road. “Has your brother been having strange dreams lately? Something like night terrors?”
Stunned, Davey considered him with wide eyes. “How do you know that?”
“You’re aware—probably more so than anyone—of how special Hogan is.” He took a thoughtful beat, frowning slightly, and she knew he was deciding exactly how much to tell her. “Unknowingly, Hogan has tapped into a one-of-a-kind ability that he possesses and because of it, someone very dangerous has been drawn to him. Command has been keeping an eye on the situation, waiting to see if the threat would escalate. It has, and that’s why I came.”
Feeling sick, she gripped the dashboard. “How long have they—you—been watching us?”
He answered without inflection. “Ten months.”
Given the information he’d just revealed, she realized it was selfish to think of herself or the mess between them, but Davey couldn’t help it. “So, you’ve known how to find me for almost year and never once reached out. All those years ago, I thought you left because they made you.” She swallowed the hurt, trying and failing to keep her voice level. “But that isn’t true, is it?”
