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Nova rubbed her forehead. CC spoke to her in that same monotone computerized voice that grated on her nerves.
“Bosstown is underground WB7. Do you want to know the base leader’s names and where to locate them?”
Nova paused in her pacing. She returned to her backpack to count her money. After Joe left, she’d been looking into what he’d told them for twenty minutes. She didn’t think he would return, so she wouldn’t be able to ask more questions.
For now, it appeared everything he stated was true. Panic stalked her. She took a deep breath. CC gave her suggestions on trains and routes, but there weren’t a lot of options. They would have to see what they could find once they reached the first stop. If they had good fortune, they wouldn’t have to go all the way to New Boise to get another train to Bosstown.
Nova considered the trip. Any good fortune for her had been scarce since she left Clare. Her eyes jumped to Arrow. Well, she had found Arrow.
Keeping her eyes on Arrow, she smiled. He sat on the bed calmly eating the last of the carrots. He let her think by not intruding. He was probably trying to do what she asked, shutting his face hole. A frown replaced her smile. His silence bothered her. She wanted him to tell her what he thought. Her eyes dropped to the sprinkling of chest hair across his muscled pecs. He should tell her what he thought and put on a shirt. Now was not the time to kiss again or get involved with conversations of that nature.
“Are you listening to CC?” she asked. When she argued with him, that’s when she came up with her best plans. She appreciated Arrow’s silence while she looked things up on CC, but now she wanted him to speak. He’d help her stay centered. If he could say anything, she’d be okay with hearing it.
He nodded.
“Bosstown is in the opposite direction from where we’re going.” Nova began to pace in front of the bathroom. “We’ve hours yet before we can get off this train then we have to hope we can get on a train going back the other way. I don’t even know if I have enough HOCs for another train ride. I might have only enough to go home. Private rooms are astronomical.”
Arrow nodded. She heard the crunch of another carrot.
“Stop eating. Care about this, damn it. Say something!” She’d reached the end of her patience. Marching over to the bed, Nova snatched the carrot from his hand. “We need to talk. You’re the one who likes to talk and ask questions.”
“Nova, sit with me.” Arrow took the carrot clutched in her hand then gathered the paper bag and set it aside. He patted the cot.
Frowning, she came to sit on the bed. Gradually, he coaxed her to lean back. Her head settled on his chest. She stared at the ceiling. Just being next to Arrow, touching him, made her mind tranquil. Before when she paced, her brain went as fast as this train, but now everything stopped. She absently ran her fingers over his arm making lazy circles. Goose bumps rose.
“It was actually a good thing that Joe told us about the fire. He might not have, and then we’d have gone all that way for nothing. This is a good thing. You should be happy. Relax and be happy, angel.”
Nova shrugged. Her fingers made lazy circles on Arrow’s arms again. She was glad they hadn’t gone all the way to New Bosie, but now she had new things to worry about.
“He wouldn’t have told us, except you...” She leaned up on her arms to look into Arrow’s eyes. “Are you going to tell me what you did?”
“I can’t explain very well. I see gold ropes or strings on people. The cords glow and move. All I did was I touched his strings. I smoothed them out.” Arrow paused. “They didn’t look right.”
“That’s why you said it was pretty on the train. You were talking about the ropes.” Nova considered the way he’d watched people since they had started traveling.
“Yea. It’s also partly why I was unfocused. I don’t know what the ropes mean or what they do. I’m guessing at it. I hope when I get my memories back then I’ll know, or maybe Dawn will tell me when we see her.”
“Seeing gold ropes might be a side effect of your gift of seeing through your sister’s eyes. I worked with a few scientists who study gifted people. A lot of times there are side effects to your abilities.” Nova cuddled close to him again. She wouldn’t be able to help him with what he described. She was gifted sure, but what Nova could do she couldn’t control. She couldn’t get Snow Flu, and other than her hellish mood swings, she had no side effects.
“I shouldn’t have touched the ropes not knowing what I’m doing or what the strings mean. I took a risk with Joe. I won’t take that risk again.”
“I disagree. I think you should figure your gift out. It’s important to know yourself.” She resumed petting his dusting of arm hair.
Arrow chuckled. The rumble made her head bounce. “You disagree with me? Something new for us.” His voice dripped with a mixture of humor and sarcasm.
Nova smiled.
“I don’t have time to explain how wrong you are about everything because I have to plan a trip to WB7. You should put on a shirt. Again, with me telling you to get some clothes on. I think you stay naked on purpose.” She sighed, and then tried to get up, but Arrow tugged her back down into his arms. She halfheartedly tried to rise again, but again he held her wrists.
Nova let Arrow settle her back against his chest. Her head leaned near one of his nipples and she inhaled. He smelled like hot male. Her Arrow. He wrapped one arm around her back. Maybe she wanted a few seconds of not worrying or planning. She could take a few seconds to enjoy his company. More and more, she felt like she knew him. Even if he didn’t have a past to tell her about.
What would it be like if he were at home with her? What if they had met and he’d taken her on a date? She pictured him at her door, leaning on the frame waiting to take her to dinner. These ideas were fanciful. Once she was home, he would return to whatever life he had here underground.
“You said you might not have enough hawks? What do birds have to do with us going to Bosstown?” Arrow cut into her wayward thoughts. He tried to slip his hand closer to her breast.
Nova slapped his hand. He returned his fingers to her ribs. “Not Hawks, HOCs.”
“You’re just saying the same word over and over.” Arrow rubbed his chin against her shoulder. He tugged her shirt down in the back. “Is this potato, potato?” Arrow’s warm breath fanned her skin. The tickle of his chin hair made her squirm.
“HOC stands for H.S.P.C. Organizational Currency.” She tugged her shirt back up. “I’m not talking about birds. That doesn’t even make sense. We’re underground.” Nova wished he would put on a shirt. If he had put his top back on, they could seriously discuss what they should do next.
“Yea. Got it. Why do we have to have some of whatever these are?” Arrow asked, but his voice held no real concern for the answer. He dropped his hand to move around her waist. Now his fingers brushed against her belly button. His bare chest was warm against where his skin grazed her cheek.
Nova summoned all her strength and batted his hand away. She liked what he was doing so she figured she should stop him.
“HOCs are used for private train cars. They are also used for trading for things like food and clothes. Years back Canada, the old United States, and Mexico got into an argument on what money they were going to use. When it came down to the Looney versus the Dollar, the governments couldn’t agree. The fighing made trading difficult on the Equator. There were so many currencies. One day the Mexican government, Canada, and the old U.S. got together and agreed to let the H.S.P.C. have money backed by their gold. Now on the Equator, you can use the Yen, the Euro, or the HOC. Here in the NEDs everyone uses HOCs.” Nova sat up intending to leave the bed. If she didn’t, she was worried her willpower might cave.
“NEDs?” Arrow asked while he captured her wrists again and pulled her back down. He kissed her neck. Nova moaned with his mouth on her skin. Now he kissed her shoulders. His warm lips distracted her so she was having a hard time thinking.
“It stands for Northern Earth Dens. United States, Canada, and Mexico above ground is the C.T.O.N.A., not the NEDs.” She took a deep breath. Her voice sounded funny in her ears. She realized his questions made her stay in bed.
“Got it.”
“I wish you had your memories back. I feel like I have to explain everything to you like you’re a child.” Angry that she could so easily crumble around him, she snatched the edge of her shirt to tug the top in place. Once more she attempted to rise, but Arrow grabbed her hand.
“I’m no child, Nova.” Arrow placed her hand on his hard cock. She could feel the outline through the fabric. She yanked her fingers away as if she’d been burnt.
“I’m sorry.” Arrow threw up his hands in a sign of peace between them. “I don’t know why I did that. I do get it. Go ahead and pace. I promise I’ll sit here. I remember silent is the important word.” Arrow’s eyes twinkled. “No getting friendly.”
Nova paused in the motion of rising off the cot. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t actually want Arrow to be silent anymore. What she wanted was... well, she wasn’t going to admit what she wanted.
“You said before that the ropes were part of the reason you were unfocused?” She turned on the edge of the cot to face him. His skin was incredibly smooth. With his shirt off, she got a healthy view of all that touchable light-brown skin. Her mind pictured stroking his penis again. She wanted to experience all Arrow could offer her. No matter how hard she worked to shake the desire, she couldn’t.
“Yea, part of it.” His hands rose to re-braid his hair. The strands moved smoothly in his skillful fingers. After his hair was braided, he dropped his arms to his lap with a plop. He grinned at her. He was always willing to give her what she wanted. She wasn’t sure she had ever been around anyone who was simply happy to make her happy. What was wrong with him?
“Do you see them on me?”
Arrow’s gaze traveled over her body. Now she was nervous. What if her strings weren’t attractive?
“I can’t tell. Could you take off your shirt?” A mischievous gleam appeared in his eye. His mouth kicked up on one side.
“No.” She hid her grin while she got up from the bed. She was being foolish. Standing next to the cot, she made up her mind to stop mooning over him.
Right before she would’ve retreated to the bathroom to clear her head, he reached over to capture her hand. His grip was warm and secure.
“I’m sorry. Please don’t run away to the bathroom. I don’t see the cords on you, or me. When I see through Dawn’s eyes, I don’t see them, either. I know little about the vision. I had hoped that once I saw Dawn, I’ll have more answers.”
“What was the other part?”
“What other part?”
“Why you’re distracted and unfocused. You were so out of it that you didn’t even notice Joe following us.” Sighing she perched next to his hip then slipped off her shoes.
“I didn’t notice Joe because I don’t see anyone, but you. I told you, Nova. You’re my angel. You’re the only thing I want to look at.”
Nova’s eyes jumped to his. She wished she could tell how earnest he was. He always looked at her like he didn’t see her creepy-colored eyes, or how short and unshapely she was. Arrow looked at her how all women wanted to be looked at.
As she sat there, she came to the realization she wasn’t going to get up again. She needed to get whatever this was out of their systems. If they could spend some time sedating this powerful sexual attraction, then they could both focus better. They had a long trip ahead of them. She couldn’t have Arrow looking at her with those captivating eyes of his.
A part of her whispered that this was the argument she gave herself about that “one” kiss. She ignored the solid reasoning that told her she might never get enough of Arrow. She was crazy. Crazy people didn’t have to listen to logic.
“I told you not to call me, angel.” Nova placed her dainty hand firmly on the center of his chest. She pressed on his warm pecs until he was flat on his back. As she leaned over him, she got a hint of his male scent. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t ask what she was doing. Instead, he looked at her with all the trust anyone could ever ask for.
Shyly, Nova touched his dark-toned neck and trailed her fingers along his collar bone. Her fingers slid up fluttering all the way to his jaw line. Bending her head closer, she pressed her tongue to the seam of his mouth before he could speak. Nova wouldn’t let Arrow deepen the kiss. She lifted her head to look down into his eyes. Those hypnotic brown eyes turned black and swept her thoughts away. She should explain her actions, but when her eyes alighted on his face, her brain turned off and her emotions took over. She traced her fingers over his mouth. Delicately, she let her wandering hands move over his cheekbones and drift to his ears.
Like a blind woman, she explored him. When he tried to reach for her, she set his hands up above his head. He let her pin them there easily. Letting go of his wrists, her fingertips moved over him to investigate each one of his ribs. Tenderly, she let her mouth sip at his flesh. The sensation of his rapidly heating skin under her palms made her feel in command and sexually excited.
Nova swung one leg over his waist. She moved in a position to keep him beneath her. The sensation of his rigid hips teased her inner thighs with anticipation. It was intoxicating that he let her have whatever she wanted. Her heartbeat accelerated. The world had become suspended in time. Her pulse pounded through her veins in a hammering beat. Blood rushed and it warmed her cheeks.
Arrow tried to reach up to touch her a second time. She set his hands above his head again and steadied them with an eyebrow flare punctuating her control. He didn’t say a word, but his eyes spoke eloquently. Those eyes pleaded. She understood what he wanted even if his request was never voiced. She wanted it all as well. Never before had she wanted to be in charge or to take control. In fact, she couldn’t even remember ever wanting sex or anything remotely like this.
Knowing she wasn’t going to stop, she bent her head. Her hair spilled like a curtain around his face. She sighed into his ear and bit softly on his earlobe before tracing the shell with her tongue. He shivered. Above her, he gripped the metal pole at the top of the mattress. A dizzying sensation started to saturate her stomach as she began to give in to what she’d been thinking about basically since she’d met him. She could lie to herself, but her body didn’t accept half-truths.
As restraint left her, Nova stretched out full length on the small cot. Her one hand propped under her chin. With half-closed eyes, she studied him. His eyes observed her now with fixed intensity. They looked less black and were a brilliantly glazed soft brown.
“Nova... I don’t know how to...” he muttered thickly. He sucked in a deep breath when she leaned over to flick her tongue over one of his nipples.
“You trust me?” Her hand lovingly ran down his flat stomach toward his midriff. She let her hand settle on the rough-haired expanse right above his pants.
“With my life.”
When she met his waistband, she undid the first button, then the second, then the third. When he didn’t make a move to stop her, she tugged on the heavy denim. He wiggled his legs to help lower his pants. When the fabric was all the way down to his knees, the absent cloth freed his erection like it was waiting to jump into her hands.
Before her, his penis looked bigger then she remembered. His cock also appeared harder somehow. She studied the skin that stretched tightly over the throbbing head. She’d seen his cock before and touched the thick top, but this was different. This time she was going to join him. Together they were both going to find the release they craved. There was nothing in her mind keeping her actions clinical this time. Who was she kidding? Even last time there were no clinical thoughts in her head.
Arrow hooked his thumbs into his pants to slide them all the way down to his ankles. She rolled off of the cot for a moment. When they reached his shoes, he sat up to yank off his boots and socks. Once his legs were free, she held in a giggle while he kicked his pants to the floor.
Naked, he returned to reclining on his back at the center of the cot. He had that look of trust shining in his eyes. The look was humbling and frightening. She was terrible in bed. Sure, her gay boyfriend had no idea, but Troy knew. What if she messed this up? What if she was awkward and he laughed? What if once he got his memories back, then he told her the sex had been horrible?
“I can see the questions on your face.” Arrow captured her hand. He kissed her fingertips before speaking again. “Angel, whatever you want from me you can have it.” He made a deep, harsh sound when he placed her hand over his cock. His tan skin flushed red. She sat next to him.
In one part of her brain, Nova was bewildered. She’d never touched a man because she wanted him sexually, and she always kept men at a distance. Also, she’d never reached an orgasm with someone, but now everything seemed to have changed. Wild quivers of sensation rushed over her at his heat. The more she gave in, in mind, in body, the stronger those feelings became.
Deliberately, she closed her hand over his straining shaft and shifted closer to him. She made a loose fist over the swollen mushroom top. As her fingers brushed over the tip, moisture beaded then traveled toward his balls. She spread the drips of pre-cum along a vein running downward then swiped at the slit at the top.
Arrow groaned deep in his throat but kept his eyes on her. She could see his eyes fighting to close with every tug of her hand.
“Nova...” Again, Arrow tried to touch her, but she pushed his hands above his head. He exhaled in a whoosh. “Let me touch you. Kiss me, angel. Can’t you see what you’re doing to me?”
“My eyes might be red, but I’ve excellent eyesight.”
He gave another ragged gasp as her fingers tickled downward over his balls, then made their way back up his shaft.
“I don’t know if I can do this again, like before. I want more. I’m going to lose my mind.” Arrow trembled under her hands. The way he shuddered made her smile.
“I’ve already lost my mind.” Changing her position, she maneuvered her body sideways. “Trust me, you don’t need it for this.”
Nova wanted him to be as swept away as she was. She’d never realized that desire like this could be as powerful as any other force in nature. She let go of him for a moment to taste his pre-cum on her fingers.
His eyes widened when she sucked them into her mouth.
Half on top of him with one leg on one side and the other leg pinning him down, his breath rasped as she began to caress him again. Absently she bent toward his mouth. Their lips met. She licked wickedly. He opened his mouth and her tongue speared in with no finesse, but he didn’t seem to mind. He eagerly let his tongue duel with hers until they were both out of breath.
Ripping her mouth away, her nipples beaded against her bra. Her clothes were too tight. They needed to come off. When she lifted her body up, Arrow watched her through heavily lidded eyes. She sat up unzipping the front of her sweater. Once the top was loose, she threw the garment to the floor.
As she straddled him, she bent her head to sprinkle kisses from his throat to his chest. Her hands ran downward over his cut abs. Each rigid muscle flexed as she caressed him. Nova could see sweat appearing on his cheekbones. When he attempted to touch her again, she captured his hands then placed them over his head. He might have muttered some swear word under his breath, but she wasn’t sure.
“What did you just say?”
“I said ‘no good’ in Navajo. I want you.”
“I like being in control. Say, ‘I want you.’ in Navajo.” Nova didn’t add that she was afraid if he started to touch her, his hands might make her flustered. What if she ruined this? To get him to desire her, she needed to be thinking not just feeling. On top is where she would stay.
“Ayóó ánííníshí Ayóó ánóshí.” Arrow’s hands reached for her thighs. His fingers slipped up her hips and tugged on the top of her jeans. “That’s I love you.” His dark eyes glittered then flipped to her shirt as his pupils dilated. She could see herself reflected in those erotic depths as they took in her face.
Letting her tongue out to lick some of the salty perspiration off of his cheek, heat infused her body. While straddling him, she grabbed the bottom of her dark blue shirt. The top was easily brought up and over her head. The movement tilted her ribcage high. Her slight round breasts strained against the black fabric of her bra. His breathing picked up then hitched. The little muscles of his face were taut as he kept himself motionless under her.
Nova slipped off of him then stood next to the cot.
“No.” He grabbed at her, but she was out of his reach.
“Wait.”
He rolled over so he could keep his eyes glued to her. The worry that he might judge her for what she looked like hung to her brain, but the insecure feeling didn’t stop her. Her fingers nimbly undid the button and zipper of her jeans then she shimmed them down. Next, she toed off her socks as her hands paused at her black panties. They hovered for a second before she grasped both sides to slide the black cotton to the floor.
Once she stepped out of the garments, she climbed back up on the bed then resumed straddling Arrow. The smell of her arousal filled the air around them. He didn’t try this time to reach for her, but she could see he wanted to. He moved his hands to the top of the bed to grip the sheet until his knuckles turned white.
Since Nova sat on him again, his dick brushed lightly against the sprinkle of soft curls at the junction of her legs. After she unclasped her bra, the black fabric slipped off her shoulders spilling out her small breasts. The last of her clothing hit the floor. His cock bobbed into the gathering liquid heat between her legs.
Arrow had begun to breathe heavy when she first returned to sitting on his legs, but as she threw her bra to the floor, his panting sounded like he’d run for miles. Seeing him excited for her made her feel free and seductive. The combination was heady.
Nova leaned down to bite his neck simply because she could. Arrow gave a sharp pleasurable growl, and she murmured her approval. She liked the feel of her nipples rubbing along his torso as she rocked over him. She shifted, so her nipples beaded into tight buds. The sensation made her wetter.
Rubbing along him like a sleek cat, she could smell her aroma mixing with his. When she reached his mouth, this time, he parted his lips. He drew her in for a passionate kiss which stole her control. So she wouldn’t rush, she pried her mouth away savagely leaving them both gulping for air. She looked down at him. His face looked very different.
Gone was the lost boy look. Gone was the vulnerable man who followed along telling her business slogans. In front of her was hard, magnificent, sexual male. His eyes became slits. His skin looked ridged and his lips were a darker shade. Desire had formed an erotic mask over his features. If she didn’t know better, she would’ve thought he was some type of dream she had made up in her head.
When she sat up, his eyes stared at her chest. She touched her pert nipples and delicate aureoles while he watched.
“Beautiful,” he whispered, shaking as if he was before a grand shrine. He tried to clear his throat. “I mean not beautiful. You’re—” His voice halted. To stop him from speaking she bent her head again.
He lifted his mouth to eagerly meet hers. Nova sealed them together. She felt like her lifeblood poured into his veins. A sweet wild heat filled her until the drops spilled out onto his legs. This heat was impossible to stop. Now she knew, until he was inside of her, she would never be able to let this obsession go. She had to finish what she had started. Once they were done, only then she wouldn’t yearn for him anymore. When this was over, they’d be free of each other. She wanted that, didn’t she? That’s how this would go, wouldn’t it?
She lifted her mouth away to suck on each of his nipples in turn. His heartbeat raced loud enough for her to hear as his mouth parted to groan. His body surrendered underneath hers, reacting in a helpless response as she gently grazed his skin with her teeth. The taste of him was as addicting as any drug and twice as potent. She moved against him intimately aware of his every response. He lifted his hips to meet hers as if trying to manipulate her and gain entrance to her body.
As he thrust his hips up, his cock slipped along her clit. Each kiss from the very first built a furnace inside of her. He was sending her temperature climbing. There was only one thing she could do for the both of them. Her eyes shut. She began sliding down his tense body like a warm serpent coiling on a rock. There was dampness on her skin as she moved. When her lips reached his navel, she ran her tongue around his belly button.
Harsh groans forced their way past his lips. He lifted his hips, so his erection bumped her chin. She’d sucked his cock once before, for only a minute, but it wasn’t like that this time. This time she wanted to capture him. She paused for a moment realizing she wanted to possess him. At this second, she hated his past. She hated every other woman who had ever had him, loved him, or that he’d ever loved.
Arrow twisted toward her lips as his hands stroked her hair beseechingly. She ran her palms down his thighs before moving them apart. Her mouth sank downward to envelope his whole thick erection in one slow, tortuous suck.
“Great Spirit, that’s...” He groaned again as she relaxed her throat to take all of the hard length.
A loud whimper tore from him, followed by begging that didn’t even make sense. She let him slip out of her mouth. His shaft glistened with saliva. Her tongue flicked over the purple crown as he shuddered from head to foot.
He whispered to her, but the words were foreign. The mumbles sounded like he was speaking Navajo again. All the yearning in his voice reached her even though she didn’t know the language. The driving hunger in his tone reached deep inside of her soul. That craving was all she could respond to.
Placing his legs where she wanted them, she straddled him once more. The ribbed column of his hard shaft bobbed as if searching for her warmth.
“Nova, please.” When Arrow begged again, a fever of want consumed her. She was driven by primitive instincts. Maybe this was why she was bad in bed. Soon her body became in total command of her mind. She pressed down hard on top of him so that not even a piece of paper could be forced between them.
“Yes,” Nova murmured while she lined up their bodies so he could penetrate her. She needed, and Arrow would satisfy. It was that simple.
Arrow’s words were lost to her. The sounds he made sent shock waves through her core. Nothing around her was breaking through her sexual haze as she clung to him. These sexual emotions were so intense they bordered on frightening. She was posed for him to enter her and a stark surge of elation washed through her. Ever since the first time she saw him in that cell she had wanted this. There was no denying it. She was terrified of stopping and of keeping going. He had some type of power over her, yet he would do whatever she wanted.
His hands rose up above his head again and Nova realized maybe, after all, she really was out of her mind.
The train gave a mighty lurch. A screech pierced her sexual fog. With a heave, she lost her balance and was thrown off the small cot. As she hit the floor, she rolled over to see Arrow who tried to reach her as he scrambled off the bed.
