Page 9 of Vistaria Has Fallen
He sat in Josh’s leather office chair, one hand on his knee, the other elbow propped against the arm of the chair, his long forefinger resting against his temple.
Calli drew in a sharp, startled breath, her already taxed heart leaping. Fright tore through her. Ice in her veins. At the same time, her aroused,prepared body moved to high alert.
He watched her, the same measuring stare from her dream.
Calli sat up, bringing the damp sheet with her. “What are youdoinghere?” she whispered.
“You are a restless sleeper, Miss Munro,” he said, just as quietly.
“Are youcrazy? You must leave. Right now.”
“I’m not crazy.” He got to his feet. “If I were, I would not have understood what you did not sayto me in the holding cell, this evening.” He walked toward the bed.
Calli shrank back against the headboard, pulling the sheet with her.
He did not touch the mattress. Instead, he lowered himself until he could meet her gaze. The blue of his eyes seemed to glow in the light coming from the wide windows. Full moon, she remembered.Fiesta de la Luna.
“I know you.” His low voice rumbled in hermind, her heart.
Yes, yes, you do. You see my soul. You see I want you. My heart locks when you’re near. I can think of nothing but how much I want you to touch me.
“You have to go,” she said aloud.
“Do you want me to go?”
She couldn’t lie when the truth pushed at her insistently. She said nothing. Instead she scrambled from the bed and headed for the door, intending to shepherd him from theapartment. She was three steps from the bed when she heard a noise behind her and whirled.
He straightened up, staring at her. “My God, look at you,” he breathed. “You are...magnificent.”
She glanced at herself, at the fragile chiffon of the baby-doll pajamas and the tiny matching panties with their satin bows. Her cheeks grew warm in reaction.
“Your legs. Such endless legs.” He moved towardher. “Athlete’s muscles. Callida, you are more beautiful than I suspected. Your hair is glowing in the moonlight.” He halted just in front of her, so close his body heat fanned her skin. He brushed a thick lock of her hair back over her shoulder. His hand whispered across her skin, a fleeting touch that sent a shudder through her.
She couldn’t move. She could not resist the primal urges strummingthrough her and send him away—not when she wanted him to wreak havoc upon her, to turn her inside-out with delight.Take me. Now!she wanted to beg, only she didn’t speak the words for he controlled the moment.
Her body throbbed, heavy with expectation. She wanted him to drag her to the floor, to take her with rough, frantic movements, his body a heavy weight on top of her. She wanted to be heldand stroked.
“What do you want?” he whispered, his lips against her.
She opened her mouth. Nothing emerged. She could say nothing, nor make a sound. The words were ready to tumble out. She fought to speak them and failed.
His hands dropped from her. He stepped around her and walked away. She lifted her hand toward him, pleading, yet the words still would not emerge, not until he left. Thenthe cry of frustration and despair tore through her throat.
* * * * *
Calli sat up in her borrowed bed. Her heart and head pounded with the pressure of dream-induced horror and a sexual excitement more intense than any she had ever experienced. She pulsed with coursing arousal. Her chest heaved beneath the pink chiffon.
She took deep, measured breaths, bringing her pulse down, working for calm.It took long minutes, for her mind was a jumble of dream images, still fresh, still able to arouse. Chief amongst them, the feel of him holding her. Soft, warm silk beneath her fingers. Underneath the silk, the hard wall of chest muscles. His mouth mere inches from hers. His knowing gaze. The waves of need pouring from him, washing over her. The pressure of his hips against hers. The powerful,arousing pressure.
“Ah, shit,” Calli murmured to the dark. Playing back the dream memories wasn’t helping steady her pulse. She reached for the glass of water on the desk next to the bed.
The desk would be removed tomorrow, along with the leather chair in front of it. Her uncle had intended to use the bedroom as his study, only the demands of the mining site kept him away from the apartmentfor long hours. He spent all his time there. It was another reason he had begged Calli to come to Vistaria to help Minnie and her mother.
Calli groped for her watch until she remembered it had been taken from her. It was still dark, though—reason enough to lie down and try to find sleep.
Add a watch to the list, Calli, she reminded herself.
His eyes, his body against her, followed her downinto an uneasy sleep. They were accompanied with writhing shame. She may have resisted his dream image. She had not resisted the lure of him in person. She had almost begged to know him better. That was something she would never tell another living soul. Not even Minnie, who might understand.
Thank God she would never see him again.