Page 72 of Reflex

Just take it a step at a time.

Alle sat in profile to him.Even with her expression fixed and vexatious, it still turned his heart over to look at her.There was a larger collection of freckles on her nose this evening than there had been that morning, before they’d wandered about in the sun.He saw her laughing as she had earlier, squealing as the spray from one of the fountains hit her.He’d wanted so badly to lick those beads off her skin.

And lick her in a dozen or so other places too.

It was time he slayed some demons.He bent towards her.“Shall we leave?”he whispered in her ear.

Even in the dark, her eyes were like jewels.“It’s not over yet.”

Nor did the actors seem in any hurry to wrap things up.He traced a finger along the thin strap of her sundress, then diverted the touch to the side of her neck.“I’ve had enough.Haven’t you?I’ve no clue what’s going on.”

“Me neither,” she sniped, tongue like a barb.He deserved that.

“Come back to the hotel and come to bed with me.”

Okay, that got her attention.Her head turned.Starlight shone in her eyes as she read his expression.

“I want to make love to you.”

“What does that mean, Spook?”

“It means I want to make this right.”He made to clasp her hand, but she moved it away from him, raising it to loop a stray strand of fiery hair behind her ear.

“By fucking me?”

He shook his head.It was still too soon for that.“There’s more than one way to be intimate.”

“So you’re going to light a candle?”

Yes.He gritted his teeth.In order to tip the damn wax all over her.Maybe.His jaw clenched tighter, as an image of him doing exactly that flared like a beacon in his brain, and lit up a score of pleasure points.“The only way you’ll find out is by leaving with me.What do you say, Alle?Are you staying here to finish transforming into a crystalline statue, or are you coming to bed with me?”

She sighed, but put her hand in his.“This better be good, Mr.Mortensen.”

“Oh,” he promised, anticipation lighting him up through to his toes.“It will be.”