by Mayer, Dale
Steam should be rising around them, Alexis thought as her mind floated in a daze. He turned her fully against him, sealing her from breast to hip before sliding his tongue deep within the sweetness of her mouth.
She ceased to think at all.
His erection prodded insistently against her belly, unfurling a deep throbbing in hot, rolling waves. She moaned again. Dear God, his hands! They slid from shoulder to hip, then back again, pressing her closer, each wet slide bringing more shudders.
"We shouldn't be doing this," she protested faintly, when she finally could.
"Like hell, we've been heading here since you climbed out of that ditch."
"No," she protested weakly as his hand slid around her shoulder to her chest, sliding downward to rest on the rounded top curve of her breast. Her eyelids closed as continuous tremors turned her spine to jelly.
"No?" he questioned in disbelief.
"That's not what I meant. Hell, I don't know what I meant."
He resumed his assault on her senses, trailing tiny kisses across her cheeks and up over her eyelids. His touch was tender and comforting.
"Shh, you think too much." His tongue traced the delicate lines of her flushed lips. "Just feel. Anything this good can't be wrong. We need this," he added fiercely, using hot kisses to accent his words.
She leaned against him, unable to formulate a coherent sentence when her thoughts could only center on one thing – his hand was too high. Rising on tiptoe, she shifted so his fingers lovingly cupped her aching breast. She moaned in relief, tilting her head back in acquiescence as sensations overwhelmed her.
Kevin took advantage of the soft skin presented, sliding delicate kisses down her smooth throat. Her moans changed to soft gasps.
"What?" he whispered in her ear. Delicately, he traced the shell shape with his tongue, slowly, sensuously reawakening nerve cells that had lain dormant for years.
Snuggled tightly against his chest, Alexis was treated to a symphony of sounds as Kevin's heartbeat boomed through her, his own ragged breathing inexplicably reassuring her. She laughed in sheer joy, a tinkling lightness that echoed over the waves lapping at their bodies.
"Nothing, nothing at all."
He lifted his head to look at her. Then he grinned, revealing pure male satisfaction. "I'll have you know this is considered to be a whole lot more than nothing, my dear," he teased her.
A startled laugh burbled out. "That is not what I meant!" she protested with a giggle.
He smirked. "Good, my manhood is a delicate issue and this is cold water."
His grin was pure dynamite, and as such, blew any remaining resistance right out of the water.
While he watched, she stretched upward in a feline movement, sinuously rubbing her belly and soft curls against his eager, welcoming body. "There doesn't appear to be anything delicate about this at all."
His shoulders shook as chuckles rumbled through his large muscled frame. In pure delight, the two of them smiled, enjoying the moment.
Until their eyes caught and held in a promise of much, much more.
Instantly, laughter died and passion rose between them.
This time, when he took her mouth, there was nothing tentative about it…or in Alexis's eager response.
Lost in her passion, Alexis was only minimally aware of being propelled back up against a cold barrier. They stood flush together while water swirled and rippled around them. Kevin pulled back slightly.
"No," she whimpered, searching for him with her fingers.
"Shhh, it's all right. I'm just moving you up and out of the water."
True to his word, he lifted her up onto a large, flat, sun-warmed rock. Before she'd realized what had happened, she was stretched out under the hot sun. Gracefully, she arched upward, enjoying the sun's warm kiss on her chilled skin.
"Sex kitten," Kevin whispered as he splashed up beside her on their warm bed, receiving a smug feline smile for his efforts. "Damn, but you're gorgeous."
That startled her. Alexis knew she was okay to look at, but had never put any stock in her looks. That he was enchanted, inordinately pleased her.
"Thank you," she responded shyly.
His infectious grin caught her sideways, breaking her own smile free.
As her lips curved upwards, Kevin's eyes dropped to follow their slow tilting movement. His eyes deepened to a smoky gray and his face flushed, highlighting the planes and angles of his features.
Alexis's stomach tightened and twisted in anticipation. This man overwhelmed her senses as none had before. There was no room for anything else but him.
Time stilled. Receded…
Alexis reached up and tugged him down to her.
His lips branded her with his heat. Hot and cold contrasted and blended, covering her mouth in a molten heat that moved and caressed before pressing deep, forcing her lips open. Lava washed through her as his tongue stroked and explored the inner recesses.
No, there were no fireworks, or horns blowing in the background. But there was in incredible undertow in the sexual current that grabbed hold and dragged her under.
Hands stroked, cupped and caressed as they journeyed over the sun-warmed valleys of her tingling body. It was a delight to be touched with such caring. Alexis lost herself in the enchanting sensations. For years, she'd been the caregiver, the one dishing out the comfort and love – so much so, that she'd forgotten the joy of being on the receiving end. She reveled in it now. Arching and twisting, she moved under his ministrations, turning up the heat between them with her unbridled pleasure.
"You love this, don't you?" he murmured against her cheek as he nuzzled her. "You're more sex goddess than you realize." His hands continued to stroke and pet her, moving from one sensitive spot to the next.
"It feels wonderful," she admitted softly, an unaccountable shyness washing over her, as if she'd let him in on a great secret. But as tension twisted tighter and higher inside, coherent thought was no longer possible. She explored his body with the same abandon. Soon his gasps blended with hers as the two forgot about words and communicated with the more intimate language of lovers.
This was no short intense coupling, but a joyous taking of time to get to know and learn each other's secrets. A time of caresses given and accepted as the two lost themselves in the joy of soul-touching intimacy.
Time had no meaning and indeed, with the sun beaming down on their overheated bodies, it seemed to stand still. But eventually, they could hold off no longer and Kevin took control. Holding her soft, warm gaze with his own, he shifted until he was lying between her spread legs, propped on his elbows. He waited…silent.
It was if he waited for permission, but at this late stage that seemed unnecessary. Puzzlement and confusion had her drawing back from the passionate edge where she'd precariously balanced.
His large hands reached up to cup the sides of her head, holding her so he could gaze into her passion-soaked eyes.
"I want you with me," he whispered.
That brought a hiccup of a laugh, followed by a groan as her sensitized nipples nestled deeper into his thick curly chest hair. "I couldn't possibly be any more with you than I am now."
"Not true," he whispered.
Confused she looked him. What did he mean?
"Open your mind and let me in."
Understanding lit tiny flames in the dark depths of her eyes. "You mean you're actually asking this time?" she teased.
He pressed his hips teasingly against her pelvis, and the feel of him made her eyelids droop. She tilted her own hips helplessly upward.
"Open up and let me in."
That suggestion of a duality was her undoing. Needing the physical completion that his body could bring, and curious to know what new experiences the blending of their minds could add, she visualized a door in her mind and consciously opened it.
Sensations tossed her high into a sexual reality that overwhelmed at the same time as it drove her right back to passion's edge. She read his thoughts, k
new it was his sexual passion that she felt – all of it mixing and blending with hers to push both of them even higher. Colors and heat exploded around them.
Their bodies blended into one and so did their distinctive colors – both becoming something else again, something better, brighter and far more powerful.
Alexis, poised on the cliff's edge, cried out as her mind overloaded. Her body twisted frantically beneath his.
"Don't think, just feel." Kevin's comforting voice was a lifeline through the turbulence of her inner world.
Trusting in him, she clung to his energy as she let herself fall from the cliff. Dimly, she heard his cry as he dove after her.
For a long moment, there was nothing but his voice, his energy…and Dear God, his body. Possessed in all ways, she wouldn't and couldn't have asked for anything different.
"Now, you're mine," whispered his voice, plump full of masculine satisfaction. How could she argue? He was right. She was his.
The overwhelming possessiveness made her smile. Allowing that to go unchallenged had to be the result of complete satiation. She couldn't see any other circumstance in which she'd have allowed it. Right now, she was too happy to care.
Her eyes drifted slowly shut and she slept. Her spirit smiled when he slid over to lie protectively beside her on the hard rock surface in the sun.
***
"Time to wake up, sleepyhead," murmured the insistent voice.
Alexis murmured her displeasure and tried to roll away from the disturbance – but nothing doing. Something warm and smooth stopped her. The bright sunshine made opening her eyes difficult. But as a shadow moved over, she opened them to see Kevin smiling down at her.
"How long was I out?" Alexis wished she could think, but it was difficult when she felt so lethargic.
"Just under an hour. I wanted to let you sleep longer, but I don't want you getting sunburned. There are some very tender parts exposed right now."
That reminder had her sitting up in embarrassed surprise. She flushed as she realized what she must have looked like. Totally replete, she'd brazenly slept like a child of nature. Surreptitiously, she glanced over at Kevin, unnerved to find him watching her intently.
"None of that," he said firmly. He stood up and held out a hand. "Let's go for a quick swim, then head back into town. I think you've had enough sun for today."
And other things, his voice implied. But she really didn't want to think about that. Tonight when she was alone, she could revisit all the uncertainty whirling through her head.
She eyed his outstretched hand. This was a little too reminiscent of his earlier invitation. To have concerns now would definitely be a case of 'too little too late.'
Reaching up, she accepted his help and they walked silently into the cool water. He was right, she realized with surprise. The cool water had a bite as it reached for her sun-kissed skin. Seconds later it became a soothing tonic. She might need to put on some aloe vera cream at home.
As she floated, she realized that other parts of her were in dire need of some attention, too. Her back was scraped from lying on the rock, and her tender inner muscles were aching from the unusual activity. She'd be sore in the morning.
"Are you all right?" Kevin's concerned voice broke through her reverie.
She smiled self-consciously. "I'm just realizing what parts of me are going to be uncomfortable tomorrow."
A startled laugh erupted from him. "Not too sore, I hope. Next time, we'll need to find something other than hard ground to lie on." He dunked his head, breaking through to flip water droplets everywhere.
She felt inordinately pleased by his words. So there was going to be a next time, was there? That was good. Wasn't it?
Half an hour later, they were dried off and dressed. Kevin had managed to find an old towel tossed to dry over the bushes. Alexis didn't really want to think to about who might have used it before her, but neither could she put jeans on over wet skin.
She hated the drive back to town. They drove back in silence. Every mile felt like ten. Like the return to reality from their fantasy world, it left her feeling insecure. This was all new for her. She didn't know how to act. She didn't know what to say, so she said nothing. Alexis felt Kevin's eyes on her several times, but avoided looking at him.
They pulled up beside her truck, still parked outside the library. Kevin keyed off the engine and turned to face at her. "Take it easy for the rest of the day. You've been through a lot lately. Today was special for both of us." He reached over to stroke her hand gently. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
Alexis nodded mutely. Where the hell was her cool casual attitude when she needed it? Then where was her understanding of this relationship when she needed it either?
But in the heat of the afternoon, no reassurances had been handed out. No discussion of a future mentioned. And she didn't think she could do short term with him. Not successfully.
Not without getting badly hurt. And she was afraid she'd just opened herself for that anyway.
CHAPTER 14
Kevin watched Alexis flee. There was no other word for it. She was swiftly putting as much distance between them as she could. He wondered if she realized it. Instinct had taken over and she'd bolted. On the drive home, she'd started out sitting in the middle of the bench seat, but by the end of the trip, she'd almost wedged herself up against the door. He didn't think she was aware she'd done so. He'd restrained himself from going into her mind. Although the temptation to delve for the answers had been hard to resist.
With a heavy sigh, he watched her truck race out of the library lot and disappear into the traffic.
Damn it. His fist pounded the steering wheel in frustration. He shouldn't have let her sleep. He should have woken her up like he'd wanted to. Before she'd gotten sunburned. But he knew she'd be sore from their earlier lovemaking He woke her because he hadn't wanted to take the chance she'd get burned.
Damn him for that decision. When she'd woken up, everything had been different. She'd immediately started rebuilding her walls, and then he hadn't known how to get back to their earlier closeness.
He shouldn't have let her leave like that, either.
Decision made. He slammed the truck into reverse and backed up. Just then, his phone went off.
"What's up?" he growled.
"A six-year-old girl didn't make it home from school."
"Shit!"
Two hours later, he switched to much stronger words. A full-scale search had been organized, an AMBER Alert sent out and so far they'd found nothing.
Several times, he'd tried to contact Stefan, but he wasn't answering his phone. Telepathically, he wasn't home, either. That usually meant that Stefan had holed up with his paintbrush. When he finished a session like that, he usually contacted Kevin on his own.
Usually.
A sick feeling told Kevin this was a kidnapping – or worse, that before the night was out it could be a murder. He'd driven around town, opening his senses to search on all levels, but with no luck.
His cell phone rang.
"Stefan," he said as soon as he heard the tired voice on the other end of the phone. "I need help."
***
At dinnertime, Alexis puttered around in her apartment. She wasn't scheduled for a practice session with Stefan that evening and it was a good thing. She didn't know what was wrong. Her energy had fallen below low. She felt like she'd left it behind or had it siphoned off. She collapsed on the couch and closed her eyes.
As soon as she did, faces and noises swamped her in a mad chaotic vision. The sheer volume deluged her, drowning out any hope of making sense of the images. She couldn't sort the voices out either. Pissed and tired, her beleaguered mind finally had enough. She yelled to the empty apartment, "Stop!"
Dead silence overcame the room, now thick with tension.
Just what the hell was going on?
A frantic child's cry cut through the air. He broke his promise. You have to help her.
Alex spun to the
left. Daisy stood a few feet away, her form thin and wavering. Bright sparks surrounded her, making her look more nightmarish than ever. Several other small shadows collected at her side. Pale faces, almost recognizable, but not quite. One was the boy she thought she'd seen in an earlier vision.
"Daisy, help who?" Alexis cut to the point.
The little girl. He has her. Daisy zapped out of the room. Her companions disappeared with her, leaving a very scared and confused Alexis.
Instinctively, she picked up the phone and called Kevin. It was busy. After several failed attempts, she called the police station, but couldn't get through there, either. What was going on? She turned on the television to catch the evening news.
And heard that a child had gone missing.
Terror swept through her. The madman had a new victim.
Alexis huddled in the corner of the couch, her knees tucked to her chin and tried to bury her head. There was so much evil in the world. She didn't think she could stand it.
Like you've got a choice. Damn it, Alexis, get yourself under control. You're transmitting in Technicolor, and we're trying to work! Stefan's voice slashed through her pity party.
Alexis's tears vanished. She wasn't alone in this – even if it took an occasional boot from Stefan to remind her.
She leaned forward, realizing what they must be doing. She snatched up the phone and dialed Stefan. When he picked up she didn't even give him a chance to speak. The question rushed out of her mouth. "Stefan, can I help? Tell me what to do."
Just moments ago, she didn't think she could handle even living in this world; now she understood it was the inability – the helplessness – to do anything that had bothered her. But if she could help stop this asshole, well, that was a completely different story.
"Kevin?" Stefan asked. He'd put the phone on speaker, lending a tinny hollowness to his voice.
"She's not ready for this." Kevin's voice pissed her off, and instantly made them combatants again.
"Shut up, Kevin. You don't know what the hell I might be ready for."
"Neither do you."
"Really. Well, Daisy just told me that the same asshole that is holding her has this little girl, and that I need to help her."
