Chapter 97

HE DREAMED OF HER AGAIN, and as always, he was grateful for the dream, although even in his sleep, he was conscious it was only a dream. He loved these dreams when he could be with her, and every time he woke after having one of them, he just wanted to go back to sleep and be with her again.

He seemed to have missed the beginning of this dream, though, and tried to make it start over again from the beginning, when he would see her and she would smile and he would tell her all the things he wanted to say to her. He would hear her laugh, then watch her think as he told her something serious. He needed all of the first part of the dream, as well as this part, to get him through his lonely waking hours. This dream was hurtling by too quickly. He was surrounded by the feel of her mouth in his dream when he suddenly woke and, at the same time, came with exquisite, agonizing pleasure. He heard himself groan with his release.

After he could breathe again, he realized with a start that he could still feel her touch. He looked down and saw her golden hair in the faint moonlight from the window, then her face and the smooth skin of her naked body as she moved up to lay in his arms.

His heart pounded rapidly, torn between what he wanted and what was right. “Anne...”

She put her finger over his lips. “I’ll leave before morning. I need one more night with you before I go. I need it, Terrence. You don’t have to talk. I don’t want to hear any logic or what’s best for any of us. I just need this night. And besides, you can’t make me leave now, not when it’s my turn. That wouldn’t be fair.”

He smiled. “No, I’d never do that. Not when it’s your turn.” He kissed her and ran his hands along her curves, feeling her body shudder in response. “Waking up like that could kill a man, lassie. But dying like that would be worth it.” He moved from her side and turned her body so he could see the long beautiful nakedness.

“I’ve missed you so much, Terrence.”

“Lassie, you don’t know what missing is.”

“Show me.” She lay back and let him begin his pleasuring of her.

He started with his mouth on her neck and moved down slowly to her breasts. He took his time, loving the way this part made her arch up in desire, her body looking for his. That would come, but not yet. He trailed his tongue down past her still-tight abdomen and found her center, continuing his caresses. He wanted to feel her desire get her to that point he loved, where she begged him to finish her. His mouth still buried in her, he glanced up to see her face. Almost there, you’re almost there, my love.

Her voice, husky and desperate, broke out. “Terrence, have mercy. Please, please.”

He released her and she flew off her cliff, crying out.

Afterwards, he moved up to lie beside her and let his fingers gently draw swirls around her breasts. “Now we’re starting off even.”

She smiled. “I like the sound of that—starting off. Come be inside me.”

“Not yet. You’re still in that earthquake aftershock region. Any touch will take you over again, and the male body’s not quite as resilient—at least not at my age. We’ve hours.”

She placed a hand on his chest. “Don’t fall asleep.”

“No, no sleeping.” He drew her to him. “I’m going to kiss you for a while.”

“Mm-m.”

He kissed her hair, smoothing it down with one hand. “How did you get here?”

“The security guard, Brian. I told him you’d called me.” She smiled. “I think he blushed all the way over here.”

“I can imagine. Where is he now?”

“Parked downstairs. I told him to take a nap, that I’d be down again before morning.”

“He’ll probably never be able to look either one of us in the face again.”

“I don’t care.”

“Nor do I.” He kissed the valley between her breasts. “Earthquake region quiet?”

“Quiet enough. Come be inside me.”

“Truthfully quiet, lassie? I want you to last more than five seconds.”

She considered. “Maybe you should just keep kissing for a while, then. I’m probably still in the five-second range.”

He spread her legs apart and eased into her. “I have a better idea. Let’s just get this series of earthquakes over with, and then start again.”

She started to say something, but instantly got caught up in a tremor. He moved inside her, just enough to transition her from one to the next, loving the way she cried out with each eruption, saving his own for when they started again from the beginning.

He fell asleep just before dawn. When he woke up, she was gone. On the table beside his bed she’d left a gift-wrapped package with a small card on top. Next to it was her key to his flat.

He’d forgotten it was his birthday. Opening the card slowly, he read the words she’d written, words that impaled his heart with their simple message.