Chapter Fifteen
Ipace the tiny room as my heart pounds. Where is Summer?
I strain to listen for any hint of her approach. It’s well past the normal lunch hour, but she still hasn’t arrived. Could the military have found out I interfered with erasing her memories?
There.
A faint scrape of a boot echoes from further down the black tunnel. It’s large enough to walk in hunched over, but the tiny entrance off the room I met her in yesterday was almost too small for my shoulders. At least she found it. I was afraid I’d need to backtrack to look for her.
My pulse kicks up another notch while I smooth my hands over the jumpsuit I stole from a locker, checking that everything is in place. At least in this, if I’m spotted, they may assume I’m from the base.
I replayed our kiss for hours last night, savoring the memory of our first intimate encounter over and over in my mind. But what if I mess this up? What if she realizes I have no idea what I’m doing?
That had never been clearer until last night.
After she left, I read about all the different aspects of physical intimacy. I read about kissing, foreplay, and everything in between. The descriptions make my heart race as I imagine doing those things with Summer.
I think about her all the time. I can’t seem to stop. From the way her hair falls around her face to the sound of her laughter. Even the feel of her body against mine.
I want her more than anything, but I don’t know how to tell her. My attraction to her even had my cock responding, which, from what I read, is natural. That’s something that’s never happened to me before, but I’ve never been around women, either.
Summer’s light reaches me before her shadow comes into view around the last corner. Already I can smell her feminine scent of citrus and something sweet as she gets closer. I freeze in place as she appears in the doorway, staring at the way her hair creates a fiery halo around her face and shoulders.
“You have light. Nice,” she says, one corner of her mouth quirking up.
“I thought it’d be convenient to see each other.” Waving at the single bulb in the ceiling, I close the heavy door behind her. There’s not a lock on it, but so far, I haven’t seen anyone else in this part of the tunnels.
I rub the back of my neck, heat flooding my cheeks. “I, uh, I wasn’t sure if you were still coming...”
Summer steps closer, and my heart nearly pounds out of my chest. “Of course. I can’t stop thinking about you… going without food Or....” She slides her hands over my chest until she locks them behind my neck, tugging me down and tilting her face up to mine. “About this.”
Then her lips are on mine, and the rest of the world fades away. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her in close. The kiss is hungry, and devouring, and it steals my breath away.
When we break apart, I’m panting. And hard again.
Summer smiles up at me, a flush on her cheeks to match my own. “I don’t know where this is going,” she whispers. “I don’t know if it can go anywhere at all, really. But right now, being with you is the only thing that feels right in this whole mess.”
“You’re the only thing that’s ever felt right to me,” I blurt out.
Damn. That’s… pushy.
No. Clingy.
Summer’s eyes widen, but her smile widens on her lips. “Good.” She kisses me again, swift and hard. “Then we’re on the same page.”
I nod, still breathless. On the same page. That means in agreement. Perfect.
“How is everything else going? Okay?” Summer asks, her eyes searching mine.
“Of course,” I reply, trying to act nonchalant. “I was just waiting for you.”
“Good,” she says, setting her bag from her back on the floor and beginning to lay it out on a thin piece of material she laid out first. “I’m starving.”
I sit down cross-legged across from her, unable to take my eyes off her. I think back to my research about sex and kissing, and how it made me think about her. I wonder what she would think if she knew that I spent all night reading about intimacy.
“Ray?” Summer’s voice snaps me back to reality.
“Sorry,” I say, shaking my head. “I was just thinking.”
“About what?”
“Nothing important,” I reply, not wanting to share my embarrassing thoughts with her.
“Okay,” she says, looking at me quizzically. “Can I ask you something?” She leans in closer, passing me two sandwiches.
“Of course.”
“About the experiments on captives.” Her brows scrunch together as she studies my face. “What are they doing and how far are the doctors willing to go? Are they killing people?”
I take a deep breath, blurting out what I know so far. How they’re using alien DNA to modify us and the horrifying process that entails. How long they”ve been at it... how they”re doing it, and all the details I memorized from their information I”ve accessed.
I haven’t managed to find my file yet, but it’s only a matter of time. There’s so much more I want to know about myself specifically.
I can tell from Summer’s expression she’s angry, and a deep red flush creeps up her neck as she stares at me with wide eyes. There’s no reason to emphasize the cruelty and inhumanity of their actions.
“Wow,” Summer”s eyes are wide with shock. “That’s… unbelievably awful.”
“Yes,” I bite out bitterly, remembering all the times I’ve been sick, and weak, and watched others die slowly from the complications and side effects.
“Can I ask you something else?” Summer says, hesitantly.
“Sure.”
Summer swallows her food, staring at the sandwich in her hands. “How long were you held captive?”
“Honestly,” I glance at her while I unwrap the second sandwich she brought. I barely remember inhaling the first one. “I don’t remember anything before… you know?”
“Oh.”
“If I had to guess, I believe I was around ten years old. Somewhere around there. But I may think that because another boy said he was ten.” I shrug as I feel the heat creep into my face.
What must she think of me?
“Ray,” Summer says, her voice filled with sympathy.
“I know it’s messed up. But all I care about now is getting everyone out.”
“Everyone?” Summer repeats, her eyebrows raised in surprise.
“Everyone imprisoned,” I clarify. “I’m afraid I’ll get caught before I can release them.”
“You don’t have to do this alone. I’m going to help.”
I look at her, feeling a sense of gratitude wash over me. I thought no one would care about my well-being, let alone offer to help me.
“Thank you.” A lump forms in my throat as I swallow hard. “I, uh... I did some research last night. About...you know.”
Summer raises an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her lips. “Oh? And what did you research, exactly?”
“Just, you know.” I gesture between us. “Physical intimacy. Kissing. Sex.”
Her smile widens. “And what did you learn?”
“A lot,” I admit. “I didn’t really know what to expect. I’ve never...” I trail off, unsure how to say it. But Summer just nods.
“I know. It’s okay.” She takes my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “There”s no rush.”
Just her touch is enough to make warmth pool low in my belly. I stare down at our joined hands. “The articles talked a lot about communication. About taking things slow, and making sure your partner is comfortable. I want to do this right.”
“You will.” Summer lifts my hand, pressing a soft kiss to the back of it. “We both want the same thing here, Ray. As long as we go at our own pace, and listen to each other, we’ll be just fine.”
I nod, reassured by her words. She’s right and at least now I know she feels the same. I’m not sure how I got so lucky because if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Summer already, it’s that she’s smart, capable, and caring.
“Come here,” she murmurs, pulling me down into another kiss. Our lips meet, and just like that, the rest of the world fades away again. It’s only us, only this moment—and that’s enough.
I deepen the kiss, tangling my hands in her hair. Summer makes a soft sound against my mouth, shifting closer until she’s straddling my lap.
The feel of her body pressed to mine is intoxicating. I slide my hands down to grip her hips, holding her in place. She rolls her hips, grinding down against me, and a groan rumbles in my chest at the incredible sensations flowing between us.
I’m drowning in her, lost to the heat and intensity of our connection. All I can think about is Summer, about being with her, feeling her in my arms.
I want to strip her bare and explore every inch of her body. I want to learn what makes her gasp and cry out. I want to be the reason she falls apart.
Joy and relief flood through me. I crush her against me, embracing her with all the love and longing inside me.
I never want to let her go.
Mine.
Yes. She’s mine, and I’m never letting her go.