She tookearlierto mean yesterday. “That’s great, Mom. I’m glad she stopped by.”
Elizabeth yawned, a sign she was pushing the envelope with her medication.
“Anyway, Mom, I’ll call you tomorrow, let you know if I find anything.”
“I love you, honey.”
“Love you, too.”
After she disconnected the call, Orianna fell over on the couch, stared up at the ceiling, and let her phone fall from her fingers. Now that her daily tasks had the appropriate checkmarks, she purposely blocked out everything—her mother, her job, her deadbeat father, missing sister, abandoned warehouses, handsome man from the alley—focusing on the soft rasps of her breaths. It took a good twenty minutes for the meditation to take hold, but finally her brain blanked, and she managed to relax.
Like it had every night for the past couple of months, her body began to warm the longer she lay there, a sexual longing pulling her under. And no sooner did the heat begin to stir down low than the images of the man from the alley flashed into her brain. No matter how hard she tried to shut him out, there he was, lingering, ratcheting up that desperate need to feel those strong hands on her chilled skin, anything to warm her.
She had no idea what spurred these strange urges, because Orianna had never had a strong sex drive. No, she wasn’t some sappy virgin who was waiting for Mr. Right to come along and sweep her off her feet, but she definitely wouldn’t mind a guy who knew how to work the tools he’d been given. Unfortunately, she’d yet to find him. But hope bloomed eternal, right?
Tilting her head back, she reached over and pulled open the end table/nightstand drawer, retrieved her trusty vibrator before flipping off the lamp.
Unlike any of her ex-boyfriends, her battery-operated boyfriend had fantastic stamina and damn good aim, and he’d come in handy these past few weeks.
Relaxing into the cushions, she closed her eyes once more, hoping to find that connection that linked her to the man in the alley. It wasn’t that she really thought he was somehow reaching out to her telepathically, because that shit didn’t happen. However, she did enjoy the fantasy of it all, her imagination having been hijacked by sinful thoughts of the handsome savior.
Orianna allowed one hand to slide over her chest as she lay in the dark, tugging the T-shirt up to reveal her belly. Her skin prickled with awareness, nipples hardening into points. Her touch wasn’t going to ignite the flames, but it was a start.
“Are you there?” she whispered, knowing she sounded like an idiot but too far gone to care.
When no one responded, she conjured images of the handsome man, remembering him exactly as he had been in that alley. Tall, dark, and deliciously dangerous. Though she tried to hang on to the image of his chiseled face, the most she saw these days was a blurred jaw, dark shades, and the sexy mohawk. She remembered the way that bullet had slammed into him, those strong fingers as they’d searched for the cut on the back of her head. God, she would give anything to feel his touch again.
“I wish you were here,” she said softly, flipping on the vibrator and trailing it over her hip bone toward her center.
I wish I was there, too.
Her eyes flew open as they did every time his voice echoed in her mind, just to ensure no one was in the room, because those words sounded as though they’d been spoken directly into her ear. The dark cadence of his voice was so real, as though she could reach out and touch him.
Content she was still alone, she closed her eyes once again.
“I wish I could feel your hands on me,” she said softly. “It’s the only thing I can think about anymore.”
Let me hear you pleasure yourself, Orianna.
Of course she did his imaginary bidding, sliding the vibrator between her legs, grazing her clit. It was how it always started, her aware of the toy between her legs, her hand guiding it until at some point she would drift. Reality was replaced by fantasy, and in her head she saw vivid images of the man. He was always kneeling between her legs, his tongue working magic against her sex, making her moan and sigh.
And like usual, she wasn’t sure how much time passed as he worked her over, taking her to the peak again and again before finally allowing her to barrel over the edge into the blissful abyss.
Unfortunately, the aftermath was the same as well. Orianna opened her eyes, instantly missing the warmth she’d felt during those few brief moments when she’d been sure his hands, lips, and wicked tongue had been on her body.
Orianna?
The voice only sounded in her head, but it was so clear, Orianna shot up off the couch, snapped on the light, and stared around the tiny apartment. Aside from the bathroom, there was only one room, so she didn’t have to look far to know she was alone.
I need you, Orianna. I don’t want to go this alone anymore.
She scanned the empty room, wishing like hell he was there.
“I need you, too,” she whispered softly, wondering if she’d finally drifted down that slippery slope into insanity.
Chapter Five
Eclipse’s heart was racing, his breaths sawingin and out of his lungs as he lay in the dark, a fragile connection still lingering between him and Orianna.
