Awaken (Divine Hunter Series) (25 page)

“I just need to call Evo. He was expecting me back. You’d better tell Alethia
too,” he said as he got up from the sofa and headed out of the door.

She grabbed her cell from out of her coat pocket in the hall, noticed through the little window in the front door that Michael was on the porch, and headed for the bathroom. Shit. She had like. . . zero seconds to freshen up and make herself at least half decent if she was spending the night with Michael. It may be their one and
only, but she was going to make damn sure that she was at least half presentable.

She paused.
Oh, God!
She was spending the night with Michael, actually
with
him. Her stomach began to do back flips with a mixture of nerves and excitement. No time. She sent a short text to Alethia explaining what was happening and asking her to drop the car on the drive whenever she liked, hoping she sensed the hidden do-not-disturb message that was in there, and quickly brushed her teeth. Then she threw off her top, splashed her armpits with cold water, dried them, and sprayed some sweet scented deodorant under each one before putting her top back on.

Her cell went off. Quick check, reply from Alethia. She was back at her hotel and she’d see
her tomorrow. She ended it with,
enjoy yourselves :-).

Lacy smiled.

She practically ran from the bathroom across the hall to her room, pausing halfway to check that Michael was still outside. She heard his muted voice from the other side of the door and then continued into her room. She quickly undressed, pulled some plain gray sweatpants and a white string top out of her closet, some fresh, matching underwear−white panties and bra−from her drawer and threw everything on. Finally, she ran a brush through her hair and pinned the front, back out of her face.

Just as she was walking back down the hall, Michael came through the door. He stopped short and looked her up and down, noticing that she’d changed. “I like to wear my sweats in the evening,” she said all nonchalant as though all she’d done was change her clothes. “Did you talk to Evo?”

“Yeah, he’s cool being at my place. Says he has something to do anyway,” Michael replied, he looked a little awkward then removed his jacket.

“Just stick it up on the hook,
” Lacy said awkwardly. Why the hell did she feel like a school girl on a first date all of sudden? And by the looks of things Michael felt the same. This was ridiculous. They were both adults. And anyway, it wasn’t like they hadn’t spent time together before. Only that was when things were just casual, when they were work colleagues who’d become friends. This was. . . different. “I’ll just make that coffee now.”

Thankfully, after a short time, things had become a lot less awkward between them. Lacy had made them both omelettes and they’d watched and laughed at some cheesy horror comedy on the horror channel. It was nice, relaxed; comfortable. They’d sat beside each other on the sofa and half way through the movie Lacy had nestled
into Michael’s side and he’d lifted his arm and placed it around her. She was still in the same spot when the credits began to scroll up the screen only now Michael was lightly stroking her arm. Her head was on his chest. She breathed him in; the scent of him was intoxicating, like dark spice mixed with an ocean breeze. She knew she would want to hold on to it, remember it for as long as she could.

Michael must have sensed her anguish. His voice vibrated in her ear through his chest. “Don’t think about it,” he said as he s
troked his hand up her bare arm and over her shoulder.

Reluctantly, she sat up so she could see his face. “How can I not? There’s a chance that I’ll never see you again after tomorrow. I’m having a little trouble dealing with that.”

He turned his body to face her. “Lacy, I know it’s going to be dangerous, but I’m not planning on staying down there. It may seem to you like a suicide mission, but it isn’t. I promise I have every intention of returning. . . to you.”

She closed her eyes and whispered, “Please do.”

Michael placed his finger under her chin and lifted her head. “I will.”

He pulled her into his arms and she wrapped hers around his back. They simply hugged each other for a couple of minutes. Michael’s chin rested upon her head. She was at home within his arms, never wanting
to let him go. But she had to. It was going to kill her, but tomorrow she would say goodbye to him as though she would never see him again.

Michael pushed her back gently, his hands falling to her arms. “Hey, don’t think about it tonight
, okay? Let’s just be together.”

She bit her teeth together to force back tears. She nodded her head. Then Michael leaned in and softly placed his mouth on hers. As soon as their lips joined, Lacy’s heart began to pound and she instantly melted into his kiss. His tongue pushed into her mouth finding hers and twining together in a sensual dance.

When he broke off, he leaned his forehead against hers. She saw him close his eyes and he whispered, “I don’t want this to be the last time I kiss you, or hold you.”

“Then come back to me.”

He began to kiss her again, wrapping his arms around her and stroking one hand up her back and into the nape of her neck, his fingers weaving into her hair. She was lost in him, the feel of his warm, full lips, his tongue massaging hers. He was like a drug that caused all her nerve endings to tingle with desire.

Next minute she was being picked up
, Michael’s strong arms carrying her while he continued with his hypnotic kiss. She hadn’t realized how far he’d walked until she felt herself being placed on a bed, her bed. Michael followed her, his lips still fused with hers. She felt the weight of his body press down on her and she wrapped her arms around his back, feeling his muscles move under the material that she so wanted her hands to be under. She moved them down, found the hem of his sweater and slid her hands underneath and. . .
Oh God!
His skin was so soft she just had to feel it touching hers.

Michael’s mouth left hers and moved down to her chin. He kissed all the way around her neck. She closed her eyes uncontrollably at the sensation of his little soft kisses on her skin. He kissed up the other side to her ear where he gently sucked on her lobe. His name left her lips in a breathy whisper and his sharp exhale tickled her
ear, sending goose bumps all over her body.

All they had done was kiss and she was totally lost in him, drowning in the pleasure of him. She needed to be closer, skin to skin. She pulled his sweater up the rest of the way and Michael took the hint and pulled it off over his head. He paused to look at her−his heavy eyes pinning her with an erotic stare that was almost her undoing. There were no words between them; there didn’t need to be. They both knew that this was probably their only night together and they were going to make it last, at least if Lacy had her way.

She sat up slowly and began to remove her top, but was quickly stopped from doing so by Michael’s hands. “No,” he said, shaking his head as a tortured look of shame suddenly washed over his face.

Lacy froze. Where had this come from? A few seconds ago he was just as lost in her as she was in him so what just happened?

She placed her hands either side of his face and looked him straight in the eye. “What’s wrong?” She tried to sound coherent, slowing her panting breath.

“I can’t do this. It doesn’t feel right,” he said.

* * *

L
acy’s hands slowly left Michael’s face and as he sensed her sorrow his chest tightened. He felt confused. How could this be happening? A month ago, he was a loner, as he was meant to be, unsure of why he was here but accepting things as they were. Finding answers was all he had to exist for; all he’d cared about. Hell, he hadn’t felt anything but anger for such a long time−not even sure if it was possible to feel anything else, until now.

Now there
was something much stronger than anger growing inside of him, and he felt it right in the center of his chest. His heart felt twice the size and, he didn’t know how, but Lacy had managed to somehow climb inside of it.

“I just don’t want you hurting if I don’t make it back. If we do this it’s just going to be so much harder. . . for the both of us. I’m already close to losing my mind over you, Lacy.” He was already worried about his sanity if he ended up trapped down in the pit like he feared. But spending the rest of his existence in that place craving her touch any more than he already did would be his downfall.

A stray tear escaped and ran down Lacy’s cheek. As he wiped it with his thumb, she closed her eyes and held his hand to her face. She whispered, “I want you, Michael. So much it. . . ”

What lit
tle control he had snapped in that instant. He cut her words off as he placed his mouth over hers, kissing her deeper this time, savoring every touch of her lips on his. He licked his tongue softly over her bottom lip and when she opened for him, he slid it inside meeting hers for a moment before retreating. She moaned into his mouth, causing desire to enrapture his whole body. He threaded one hand through her hair while the other one stroked slowly down her neck. He revelled in the sensation of her silky smooth skin under his fingertips, and of her warm, soft lips against his.

He knew it
was wrong, but there was no going back now. What little strength he had to stay away from her was gone.

“
Shit,
” he said suddenly, breaking their contact for a moment and sitting up on his knees at the side of her. “I don’t even know if I can. . . if everything’s working okay, physically I mean.” He saw the confusion on Lacy’s face. “I haven’t
desired
anyone since I’ve been in this body. I haven’t been interested in having sex at all. I don’t even know if I can. . . ”

“Then we’ll have to try it and see won’t we,” she said behind hooded eyes as she joined him on her knees and placed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth before pulling back to look at him again. Her enticing smile was enough for him to toss his concern aside.

His mouth was on hers again in an instant.
Shit!
If he was going to do it, then he was going to make damn sure that neither of them ever forgot this night.

* * *

L
acy’s heart raced as she got lost in the sensation of their tongues twisting around each other. The feel of his strong arms wrapped around her as they both remained on their knees on top of the bed was glorious. Her arms went up around his neck and she ran her fingers through the soft hair at his nape. She felt his hand slide down to the arch of her back and he pulled her in closer. Her breath caught as she felt his erection press against her hip. He paused, then she felt him smile against her mouth before he continued to kiss her in such a heavenly way.

Thank God
,
she thought. His body was working just fine.

He lifted her top and she held up her arms for him to remove it, and he did it in such a way that his hands stroked over her flesh before he threw it to the floor.

She ran her hands over his shoulders and down his arms, feeling every inch of him, pausing to squeeze his thick biceps before she moved them to his stomach. His tight muscles were like ripples of hard iron under soft silk as she slid her hands up his torso. He watched her as her eyes drank every inch of him in. As her fingers stroked over his nipples, hardening them, he inhaled sharply, then placed his hands either side of her face and kissed her over and over again.

God, s
he loved the feel of his mouth on hers. She’d wanted this for so long, had been too afraid to admit to herself how deeply she was falling for him until now. He was everything she’d imagined him to be and more. He made things happen inside her body that she’d never dreamed she could feel; a desire she never thought possible. She ached for him.

His hand brushed up her side and she moaned into his mouth as he cup
ped her breast and began to knead her nipple between his thumb and finger through the lace of her bra. He unclipped the front clasp, freeing both of her breasts, then slid the straps down her arms. After dropping it onto the floor, he stroked both hands up her arms, his eyes raking over her goose flesh, watching as she felt her nipples hardening instantly.

He leaned into her.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered into her ear before lightly kissing the flesh under it. She closed her eyes and melted under his warm breath as he trailed his kisses down her neck, across the front and up the other side. Suddenly, she forgot how to breathe. The feel of his lips on her skin sent flames of desire rushing around her body.

He pr
essed his groin into her, his moan sending her crazy. He began to trail kisses down her neck, then her collar bone, pausing again to look at her he said, “Jesus. Lacy. You’re perfect.” His voice was husky making him sound even sexier than he already did. He made her feel perfect, beautiful, and she loved how he looked at her.

She inhaled deeply, arching her back as his mouth latched onto her breast and his tongue began to swirl around her
nipple, sending intense waves of heat, like nothing she’d ever felt before, rushing through her body.

“
Michael,” she whispered as she played her fingers through his hair. His hand reached for her other breast, massaging it as his tongue continued to lap at the other, then he sucked, and kissed and licked her until she was sure he would tip her over the edge. Dear God, she was close to it already and he’d only gotten as far as her breasts.