“I knew you were there. And you were running hot. There’s a connection between us, Abby.”
“I know. It’s weird, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s love.”
She froze. Her mouth went dry.“Sam.”
“I needed some additional power, and I drew it from the link between us.”
“I realize there’s some kind of psychic vibe going on here. But there might be a very straightforward explanation involving the resonating frequencies of our auras. Or something.”
He touched the corner of her mouth. “I’m the expert here. If I wanted a para-physics explanation for what’s going on between us, I’d have come up with it. But I don’t need one. I love you. I have from the moment you stepped out of Dixon’s water taxi. It was as if I’d been waiting for you all of my life and you had finally decided to show up.”
Warmth and wonder sparkled through her. “Oh, Sam.”
“You were like some fabulous new crystal, glowing with unknown fire and mystery. And you were in danger, and I had so much damn baggage.”
“Well, to be fair, I had a lot of baggage, too.”
“I know. Someone was trying to grab you.”
“That wasn’t the kind of baggage I meant,” she said. “I’m talking about more serious baggage.”
“What the hell is more serious than someone trying to kidnap you?”
She cleared her throat. “I have never been one to take risks when it comes to romantic relationships.”
“Oh, yeah, right. The commitment-and-trust-issues thing.”
“Yes. But I’ve always suspected that the shrinks and the counselors were wrong. I was pretty sure that I was just waiting for the right man to walk into my life. I knew I’d recognize him, you see.”
Sam traced her bottom lip with one finger. “Did you?”
“The instant I turned and saw you coming toward me along the dock that first day. I recognized you, but I told myself I had gotten it all wrong. There was so much drama going on all around us. Everything was happening way too fast. For Pete’s sake, we had sex the first night that we were together. I never do things like that.”
“We made love that first night. Big difference.”
“Sure, but at the time all I could focus on was the weird feeling that there was some kind of psychic connection forming between us. It was very confusing. I was afraid to trust what my senses were telling me. But now I know that what was really going on was that I was falling head over heels in love with you.”
He drew her mouth down to his. Abby felt him open his senses. She responded, heightening her own talent. The kiss was dark and profound, the kind of kiss that sealed a vow.
The heat built quickly. Energy burned in the room. Sam rolled Abby onto her back and came down on top of her. She pulled him close, savoring the weight of him crushing her into the bedding. The power that charged his aura challenged and aroused and thrilled her in ways that she could not begin to explain or understand. She knew on somelevel that he was as compelled and captivated by her energy as she was by his.
Sam raised his head so that his mouth was only an inch or so above hers. In the shadows, his eyes heated.
“You and me,” he said. “Forever.”
She wrapped her arms around him. “Forever.”
He took her mouth again. The night burned. So did the Phoenix ring.
She awoke to the muffled whine of an impatient dog.
“Newton,” she said.
“Your turn,” Sam said into the pillow. “I let him out.”
“Okay, okay. But definitely a dog door.”
