Chapter 27
RAFE TURNS TO THE BAR cart behind them in the Lens, to the two espressos he poured earlier. “Take one,” he says.
When Dez takes the cup in her hands, a thunderous whoosh sounds in her ears.
She feels for an instant like she’s being violently shaken, like she’s a dusty rug being beaten.
Then, as quickly as the feeling came on, it’s gone.
She’s standing straight, her stomach settling, her limbs bewildered. She looks at Rafe.
“What was that?”
“Your reacquaintance with time. Eri designed the formula to wear off naturally after twenty-four hours. But if you’re ready to come back into time sooner, all you have to do is seize it.”
“Seize time?”
“In effect,” Rafe says. “Reentry is triggered when you touch something—like that espresso cup,” Rafe explains. “The Soma wears off instantly, and you drop back into real time. It works best when you use both hands. Go on, drink.”
Dez takes a sip. It burns her tongue. She may not understand what’s happening, but it’s real.
“One more thing,” Rafe says, withdrawing from his pocket a small white box of matches bearing the Acheron crest. He strikes one against the flint and a pop of pure white fire glows from the tip.
Dez’s eyes follow the smoke rising from the flame to a small hole she’s never noticed at the shadowy apex inside her Lens.
Rafe lets the match burn until the white fire reaches his fingers; then he shakes out the flame.
“What was that?” Dez asks.
“I sent your finished film to our Distribution Department. They’ll put it in a format I can share with your brother.”
“All you did was light a match.”
He tosses the matchbook to Dez. “Every time you complete a film, light one of these. The smoke sends a signal”—Rafe points up—“and our Distribution Department takes it from there.” He gestures at the screen. “Pull up your O’Rourke film. We need to send that one on, too.”
Dez faces her Lens and brings Lexa O’Rourke’s face to her screen. She looks at Rafe, who nods as she strikes a match and lets the white flame burn down to her fingers.
“Blow,” he says.
She blows, watching the smoke rise, wondering what signal this sends and to whom.
“Now, about your dress for tonight,” Rafe says.
“I’m in no shape for a party.”
“You’re going. Everyone’s going.”
“What time is it?”
Rafe checks his watch. “Five-fifteen.”
Less than a quarter of an hour ago—in real time—Dez had all but given up on Lazarus. Somehow she’s completed it in actual minutes. And Rafe’s going to get it to her brother. The thought of him watching it tonight comforts Dez immeasurably. She only wishes she were able to be there, too.
“Congratulations, Dez.” Rafe’s words have that huskiness to them that makes Dez stop everything and look up into his eyes.
His hungry gaze drifts down to her lips.
They said they weren’t going to do this anymore.
Earlier she couldn’t stop thinking about Asher.
Even now, a part of her is longing for more of him.
But Asher isn’t here. She’s never even kissed him, has no idea what kind of physical chemistry they’d have.
He’s so far from her life that fantasizing about him is an end in itself. And that’s all it will ever be.
Rafe, on the other hand. Very much here. And he’s looking at her like there’s no way this isn’t on.
The chemistry is supercharged.
He steps close. She hears him breathing. His just-rained scent makes her want to run her tongue down his smooth, tan neck. He reaches out first this time. Thrilled, she holds her breath.
He takes the espresso cup from her hands and sets it down. When he turns back to face her, there’s that dangerous look she loves in his eyes. It means he’s about to let his mouth do what it was made for.
He slides his hands around the side of her face, so he can take hold of her hair. With a tug that makes Dez moan, he tips her face up so she’s looking in his eyes.
“I crave your body all the time,” he says, his voice a hungry growl.
“You said once you never think of me unless you have to,” she teases as he leans even closer, his mouth drawing against her neck, making her breath come in short, hot gasps.
“Well, it’s true,” he says, touching her lips. “I just have to think about your body all the time.”
Dez smiles as she runs her fingers along the hollow of his neck. “You also said we should stick with cold.”
“But we’re celebrating,” he whispers into the sensitive skin behind her ear.
God, she needs this man. Right now. In his entirety. And there’s nothing he can do to stop her.
Fortunately, this time it’s Rafe who kisses Dez. His lips melt against hers with an intensity that matches her own. He pulls her close against him, kissing her like he needs her to live, like he needs her more than oxygen. She can feel the throb of him at her waist.
All at once, he lifts her up, swings her legs around either side of his hips, so that she’s straddling him.
Her pussy quivers like it has a mind of its own and it’s come up with a really good idea.
Slowly she starts grinding against him, riding him through their clothes.
She bucks her hips against the hard ridge of his cock, and it feels like scratching the most delicious itch.
She’s very close to coming when he pulls her shirt down, burying his face in her tits.
Sucking hard enough to draw arcs of purple bruises on her skin.
It’s incredible, and it’s not nearly enough.
The stress of these few weeks has been so immense, and now Dez has finished something. Something good. She needs to commemorate this. She needs to let everything inside her free.
“I want you,” Dez pants. “Now.”
He moans, bucking his hips as his tongue teases her nipple.
“Not yet,” he whispers.
“I need you,” she pants, but Dez can’t help what happens next: she hears the echo of what Yael said to Jet the other night, outside Villains. He snarled something in Yael’s ear, and she said, very pointedly, Not yet.
But Dez doesn’t want to think about Jet right now. She wants to come.
“Not yet?” she repeats, grinding harder, panting deeper, sucking on his neck. “Does that mean soon?”
“You little slut.”
His dirty words send her into the stratosphere, where she swims in a sea of total pleasure.
“Rafe, I’m coming.”
“Come for me. Come harder.”
So she does, closing her eyes to fully inhabit the climaxing abyss. Dez shudders, sending new, stronger waves of ecstasy coursing all the way through her bones. She throws her head back, enjoying it down to the last drop as he slowly kisses her breasts.
“How was it?” he finally asks in a soft, throaty voice.
“Let’s keep going.”
“Impossible to overstate your abject horniness, isn’t it?”
“If you know that about me, why do you make me wait?”
He grabs her ass and squeezes, smiling as he kisses her again. “So no one gets hurt.”
Dez bites his lower lip, still a little bleary from her orgasm. How can he make her come so hard with the simple friction of his hips?
“I told you,” she says, “I’m not catching any feelings—”
“I’m not talking about your feelings,” Rafe says. “I’m talking about fucking you so good it would destroy you.”
“Jesus, Rafe.” She can’t hide how turned on he’s made her, all over again. “It sounds like that might require some conditioning training.”
“It does.”
“When do we start?”
“I’ll let you know,” he says, and then, tragically, he sets her down. “I have to go now. And you should go get some rest before tonight.”
Dez grinds her teeth in frustration. “Why do you keep doing this?”
“Why do you keep letting me?”
“I’m starting to hate you.”
“That’s too bad, because you’re kind of growing on me,” he says. “Get some rest. You’re going to need it for tonight.”
“I would so much rather take you to bed than go to some stupid gala.”
“What if I promise to make it worth your while?” Rafe says, and kisses each of her closed eyes as he turns to walk away.