Telepathic Cravings

by Melissa Schroeder

  He shifted in his chair as his cock grew rock-hard again. It had been like this since he met her, and it was getting worse every day. Each time he came into contact with her, something tugged at his senses, pulled on his heart. He rubbed his chest. That bothered him more than the sexual attraction.

  He sighed. He spent his days in this semi-aroused state. There hadn’t been a time in her company when his dick didn’t stand at attention.

  * * * *

  “You don’t have any idea who it might have been?” David’s brow wrinkled in concern.

  Shana waited for a couple to walk by their table at the outdoor café where they sat. She shivered as the cool December wind picked up. “No. None. Most of those men are as old as Dad. Well, except for Mr. Carlyle and Mr. Marrow.”

  “Just because they’re old…”

  She smirked. “I know. I’m worried about the slip. I haven’t had a transfer like that in over ten years.”

  David grunted and took a sip from his water tube. The sound of hovervehicles whizzing by during the DC lunchtime rush filled the silence as both of them thought of the implications.

  “Well, just be on guard. I don’t think anyone could find out, but make sure you’re careful. Mom and Dad heard they rounded up a bunch of telepaths in Seattle a couple months ago. No one has heard from them since.”

  She shuddered at the thought. Periodically, rumors of arrests and internment in camps surfaced. All family members were taken into custody, as most scientists agreed that any paranormal abilities were probably genetic.

  “You don’t think it was your boss, do you?”

  She choked on her Saturn-guavaberry juice and laughed. The idea that sexy, virile, thoroughly alpha Marcus Carlyle would think those things about her was embarrassing and laughable. Mainly because she had fantasized more than once about licking her way down his hard body and taking his cock into…

  She cleared her throat as her brother studied her. Thank God David’s empathic skills were as rusty as her telepathic skills. “No. I’m positive of that. The man despises me. He didn’t want to hire me in the first place, but he had to. I was the most qualified. He said I was a lightweight.”

  David chuckled. “Then he didn’t know you very well.”

  She laughed. True, many people took in her small stature and thought less of her. Short for her family, she was used to fighting for attention among a group of people who were tall and lithe. Except for their topaz eyes and slashing cheekbones, most people would never guess she and David were brother and sister. He was well over six feet, broad-shouldered, and lean…without an ounce of fat on him. Which was the reason he made such a good law enforcement officer, or LEO. Shana, well, she was what her father called ‘petite and pleasantly plump.’

  “Could it be the other guy?”

  “Mr. Marrow.” She nodded. “That would be my guess. The man’s been married three times. In fact, his ex had the job before I did.”

  “Has he shown any interest in you?” His casual tone didn’t fool her one bit.

  “David, you are not going to jump in there and cause problems.” He opened his mouth to protest, but she rolled on. “No, I mean it. Just one blip. That’s all. I can handle it. John Marrow hasn’t shown any more interest in me than he shows in any other woman.”

  She didn’t mention the fact he had asked her out three times. Of course, he propositioned every woman under the age of forty in the office.

  “Do you want me to contact Mom and Dad about this?”

  She thought of her parents, on Venus in the new casino resort, enjoying their second honeymoon. They could return within five hours, but bothering them with something this small would ruin their vacation.

  “No. I don’t want to worry them unless there’s a major problem.”

  He walked her back to her office, his arm draped casually over her shoulder. She knew the only reason he did so was because of her earlier problem.

  “How about a movie tonight?” he asked.

  “No. I have some work to do tonight. I want to look over some new reports.”

  She walked past him and groaned when he followed. Both of them had their retinas scanned. David was granted access, since he was an LEO in counterterrorism. Irritation lanced through her, and she ground her teeth. She wasn’t in the mood for this. He was in full big-brother mode. When they arrived at Carlyle’s door, she turned on him.

  “I think I can take it from here, David.”

  He smiled. “I’m just a little worried about you.”

  “I know. How about a movie tomorrow night, my place, and pizza on me?”

  He nodded. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. Before she’d finished, the door whooshed open behind her and every nerve ending in her body went on full alert. A shiver worked its way down her spine and her nipples hardened. She knew who was standing there without looking.

  “Not that I can’t appreciate that you have a personal life, Ms. Adams, but I really think you should keep it out of the office.” Carlyle’s voice was filled with sarcastic contempt.

  Chapter 3

  A red haze of anger rose in front of Marcus as he eyed Shana and her companion. In the time she’d worked for him, he’d never known her to date, let alone bring someone to work. Her background check had shown nothing but a few casual affairs. Apparently her social life is on an upswing.

  Rage. That was the only description for what he was feeling. Pure, violent, possessive rage. He wanted to grab the bastard by the throat and strangle him. Because from somewhere deep in the back of his mind, an image of the two of them in bed together rose to mock him. The thought that this moron had sunk into her, tasted her, sent his temper into hyperspeed.

  The man standing beside her was a big brute. His stance was aggressive and protective. His eyes narrowed as he studied Marcus. They were about the same height. Young. He wore one of the tight-fitting black uniforms of the DC police.

  She’s dating an LEO?

  Flustered, Shana fidgeted with her hair. “Mr. Carlyle, I would like you to meet David Adams, my brother. David, my supervisor, Mr. Carlyle.”

  The brother, of course. He vaguely remembered something about her brother being an LEO when they did her background check. The light brown hair, cut military short, threw Marcus for a second. The sculpted cheekbones and topaz eyes were the same. Relief poured through him, almost making him lightheaded.

  “Nice to meet you, David. I see you work for the DC Police.”

  His genial tone had her brother’s eyes darkening in suspicion. He almost laughed because, at that moment, he could definitely see the resemblance between brother and sister.

  “Yes, I work for the Capital Police. I’ve been with them for over three years.” His tone was as unfriendly as his eyes. He turned to his sister, completely ignoring Marcus. “I’m working regular shift tonight, but I’ll be by around seven tomorrow.” He kissed her forehead, threw Marcus a menacing look, and then strode down the hall.

  Marcus chuckled. “I see friendliness runs in your family.”

  “You have to excuse David. Ever since he quit practicing law to become an LEO, he’s suspicious of everyone.”

  “After you.” He stood back so she could pass through the doorway.

  She hesitated, then stepped forward. As she passed, her wildflower fragrance and her own musky scent surrounded him. Instantly, he hardened at the thought of sinking into her wet, hot pussy.

  Jesus, why did he do this to himself? The material of her suit clung to her full, rounded ass cheeks, and he found himself hypnotized by the sway of her hips. He wanted to skim his hand across them, squeeze them, run his finger down the cleft separating them, and watch her shiver with arousal.

  She sat in one of the padded steel seats in front of his desk. He hurried to sit so she wouldn’t see his hard-on. When he saw the look in her eyes, he knew David wasn’t the only Adams pissed at him. Whenever she gave him that narrowed, suspicious look, every ounce of blood drained from his head down to his dick.r />
  At that moment, all he wanted was her, on his desk, with his head between her legs. Tasting her lips.

  From the look on her face, though, he thought she might object.

  * * * *

  “Was there a problem with my presentation this morning?” Her voice sounded like a breathy whisper even to her own ears.

  The images bombarding her were breaking her concentration. There was nothing specific, but flashes of her ass figured prominently.

  Images. She hadn’t had image transfers for close to fifteen years. And now, to have the images he was thinking, laying her on his desk…

  He studied her silently, displaying no outward sign of his thoughts. She shifted in her chair to ease the ache between her legs. Instead, the soft fabric of her suit rubbed against her pussy, heightening her arousal. She shifted again and groaned inwardly. The fabric was damp with her need.

  Her mind drifted back to her assumption that John Marrow had been the one thinking about her this morning. She couldn’t believe it had been her supervisor. Marcus Carlyle thinks I will taste like sin? Blood rushed to her face.

  “No, Ms. Adams. I didn’t have a problem with your presentation.” His voice, huskier than usual, sent warmth pooling to her groin. “In fact, it was well done. I have a more serious matter to discuss.”

  He keyed the code to his security drawer. It popped open; he pulled out a microfile, and shut the drawer. She drew in a deep breath, trying to calm her heart. Her skin tingled and her nipples tightened against the fabric of her suit. She cursed herself for not wearing her breast cups this morning.

  He straightened and handed her the electronic file. Before she could open it, he stopped her with a warning.

  “I have never doubted your loyalty before this moment, but I must have an understanding that everything you read in that is to be confidential. No one in the department can know what you are seeing.”

  She nodded and punched in her security code, then selected the report. She clicked on the file. Instantly, it projected above the device. As she read about the breaches of security, her stomach knotted. His comments now made sense.

  “No one else knows about this?”

  “The department heads know to some extent. I’ve tried to keep it quiet.” One corner of his mouth kicked up. “You know I like to filter everything to make sure it doesn’t get out.”

  Yes, and it had been the subject of many of their disagreements in the past. “You trust me with it?”

  “No report, no little piece of information you’ve uncovered, has ever been leaked. No matter how small or how big, it never makes it around the office or to the media before I hear about it. So, I trust you. Plus, I also know you wouldn’t spy. It isn’t in your makeup. You feel as strongly as I do about keeping the Federation safe.”

  Warmth filled her at his confidence in her. She read over the report. The breach didn’t follow the usual patterns of the hackers or cyberterrorists who tended to send viruses and worms to cause disruptions. This was a full-scale attack on some of the department’s most coveted information—the names and locations of their undercover agents, their aliases, and what species they had assumed as their disguises. She glanced up to find him studying the DC skyline as the busy, late-afternoon traffic whizzed by his twentieth-floor window. The sunlight caressed his face, highlighting his chiseled cheekbones and the few gray strands of hair woven within the black.

  From the moment she met him, there was something about him that drew her. His suits were tailored to fit the lean, muscled body he’d gained from serving in the Federation Air Corps. It wasn’t just his looks or his gorgeous body that attracted her. There was an underlying sense of self-control to Marcus Carlyle. No matter how many times they’d argued in the last year and a half, he never lost his temper. She’d never heard him raise his voice, no matter how heated the argument.

  He must have sensed her studying him. He turned to face her, his green eyes dark and serious. She shivered as a wave of hunger swept through her. How could a man who irritated the hell out of her, make her want to jump his bones with just a look?

  She cleared her throat. “How much do the department heads know?”

  “They know there has been a small breach. No one, except the spy, knows how much knowledge has been gathered.”

  Her mind jumped from person to person and then skidded to a halt as a good-looking, blue-eyed blond came to mind. “You suspect Mr. Marrow?”

  “No, I don’t. He definitely has access, but John isn’t a good liar. There’s a reason he’s been divorced three times. He can be, shall I say, indiscreet when involved with a woman.”

  A smiled tipped his lips, and the now familiar zing warmed her blood. She must have given her thoughts away, because his smile faded and his eyes heated.

  He cleared his throat. “What I need from you is some overtime, working on some of the transmissions, analyzing data. If we can figure out who wants the information and has the credits to pay for it, we’ll be able to catch the spy.”

  She nodded but said nothing. The air in the room turned warmer, the spicy scent of him filled the air.

  “I want to apologize for what happened earlier,” he said, his voice a shade warmer.

  Flashes of his thoughts sparked through her mind, through her body. The image of his hands—dark, tanned hands against her ivory skin, while he spread her legs and bent his head to lick her clit—sent a wave of wet heat to just that spot. Oh, Lord.

  “It’s okay. David tends to be a little overprotective.”

  “He’s older?”

  He expected her to hold a conversation while he was thinking about doing those things to her? Jesus, she could barely breathe.

  “No, I am, but there’s less than a year between us.”

  Her voice was deeper than her usual tone. His eyes darkened and the images flickered. So many different ideas, she couldn’t grasp onto one. Hot, wet skin. His voice and hers. Every nerve ending in her body shimmered and tightened. Her blood heated and pulsed between her legs. Her head spun from the barrage of images flashing through her mind.

  Something in the way she looked at him must have alerted him to her arousal. A look of pure, unadulterated lust darkened his eyes, and without a word, he rose from his chair and walked around his desk. He stood in front of her, and her gaze was drawn to his raging erection. He took her hand, and pulled her out of the seat. They stood inches apart, his body heat warming her breasts. He placed a hand on the small of her back and eased her closer. His cock pressed into her waist, and she dampened in response.

  “Do you know the main reason why I didn’t want to hire you?” he whispered against her ear. She shivered. “I spent the whole interview fantasizing about you, thinking about what you would taste like here.” He touched her mouth with his callused index finger. “And here.” His finger glided over her erect nipple, past her belly button, and finally he pressed his palm against her clit. “And especially here.”

  Her muscles tightened in anticipation, but he kept his touch feather light. Slowly, his finger brushed over her clit and then pressed slightly against it. She moaned in frustration. He chuckled. She shuddered as the deep, rich sound sank into her bones, warming her from the inside out.

  “Marcus, this isn’t a good idea.” But even she heard the surrender in her voice. He pressed harder against her clit, and she moved to increase the pressure.

  “I’ve never known you to be quite so impatient, Ms. Adams.”

  Dark and seductive, his voice was a heated whisper across her skin. He moved his hand from between her legs and cupped her face. The scent of her arousal rose from his fingers. Gaining courage, she willed herself to meet his eyes. They burned with fiery passion so intense, it jolted her senses and seized control of her thoughts.

  Sizzling images and sounds bombarded her mind. The lushness of the visions—their tangled bodies; hot, slippery, messy sex; silk sheets—washed over her. He bent his head, keeping his eyes open as he pressed his lips against hers. Never in h
er life had her gift overpowered her like this. While he nipped at her lower lip, his gaze dared her to break contact, to refuse this intimacy. His hands slid down, brushed the sides of her breasts with the lightest touch, then moved to cup her rear end. Her sex throbbed with need so great she whimpered when he pressed her closer, allowing her to feel his long, thick cock.

  While he continued the sensuous assault on her body, the images of his fantasies, of his wants and desires, flooded her mind, constantly keeping her off balance. His thoughts continued to overpower her own. Each one more intense than the last, increasing with his arousal.

  His tongue darted out, licking at her lips. Without a thought, she opened her mouth to him. The pictures in her mind darkened, growing more vivid as his tongue swept past her lips and into her mouth. Her eyes slid closed in surrender as he took complete possession of her mouth and her mind.

  Chapter 4

  Marcus pulled Shana tighter, pressing her against his erection. The taste of her exploded in his mouth. Wet, hot, spicy sweet. He massaged her round, full ass. His balls tightened as the image formed in his mind of bending her over his desk, spanking her ass as he fucked her from behind.

  She moaned, a sound filled with the same intense need twisting his stomach into knots. He pulled back from the kiss. Her lips were reddened and wet from his kisses—just how they would look after sucking him dry. His knees almost buckled at the thought, and her eyes dilated as if she’d had the same idea.

  As he lifted her, she twined her legs around his waist, grinding her hot cunt against him. Gently, he set her on his desk. His blood heated as her hands slid from his shoulders, past his chest, and his stomach. She tried to reach for his dick but he jerked back, knowing if she touched him, he’d come in his pants. She leaned back, and the holograms of his family crashed to the floor.

  God, the scent of her was driving him insane. The need to control, to conquer, raged through him. Fighting the urge to let loose, he pressed her back further.