She didn’t want to go. She fought him, straining to keep them connected, but he was stronger and relentless. He held her back while she whimpered in distress.
“Not here,” he said.
“On-call room?” she asked.
“No.” He swallowed and took an unsteady step backward. Again, she tried to keep him close, but he refused though his gaze seemed to burn. “I’ll drive. Your hotel?”
She nodded and headed for the door on shaky legs. He remembered her tote bag, which held purse and tablet. And while Dennis muttered an amused, “Yabba dabba do!” she flipped the lights off.
“StillThe Flintstones,” she returned as she shut the door. Then linking her fingers with Hank, they headed to his car.
Neither spoke much on the drive, though he attempted conversation twice. The first time, he said, “Do you want to talk about this?”
“No.”
Then five minutes later, he tried again. “We don’t have to—”
“Yes, we do. It’s the magic, right?” Or the brain tumor.
He looked at her, his gaze serious. “On my side, yes. You’re still free. You can still say no.”
Could she? She didn’t think so. Not with this need clawing inside her. Her face must have said as much because he shook his head.
“You aren’t magical,” he said firmly. “You don’t have to feel this way.”
“But I do feel like this.”
His expression tightened. For a moment she thought she saw joy, fierce and powerful. But a second later it was locked down and hidden away. A statue of Buddha had more expression than he did. And then he asked one last question.
“What if…” He halted as he turned a corner. “What about the baby?”
Notababy. He’d saidthebaby as if a child was a foregone conclusion if they did this.
She closed her eyes and dropped her head back against the seat. The idea of carrying his child thrilled her. And that confused her. In her mind’s eye, she was looking at a serious little boy or a giggling little girl. One would play with a chemistry set, another would tear after a soccer ball. And she had no idea which child would do what. She thought of holidays and birthday parties. Of baby snuggles and that moment when Hank brought home a puppy. All those scenes flashed through her head and she wanted it. Oh God, how she wanted it.
But she couldn’t say that aloud. She was a career girl. She’s spent most of her life in study just so she could have this job with the CDC ferreting out the secrets of stubborn viruses and deadly fungi. Bacteria were almost boring because she understood them so well, but there were always more mysteries to solve, more contagions to conquer. She loved her job with an all-consuming passion.
Except for right now when the passion was completely focused on him.
“You sure I’m not magical?” she said. It certainly felt like she’d been taken over by something.
He shrugged. “Not in the way I am.” Then he repeated his words loudly. Firmly. “You arenotbound by this.”
Yeah, she was. She already felt the link between them. Solid chains that heated her blood and made her womb ache to be filled.
“I want this,” she said firmly. Not just the sex, but the whole thing. Husband, kids, white picket fence—whole shebang. She just hadn’t expected it to happen this fast and with a man she’d only met yesterday. Brain tumor or magic didn’t matter. She wanted him, so she pointed to the extended stay hotel parking lot. “Turn here. My room’s in the back.” She had a kitchen, a desk/sitting area, and a very large bed.
He didn’t say anything more as he parked. She hopped out immediately, her keycard in hand. She was inside in a moment, already stripping out of her clothes. He followed a step behind, quietly shutting the door as he watched her toss aside tunic, bra, leggings, and panties. She was naked beside her bed within seconds, and it felt so good.
Then she turned to wait for him.
He stood there at the door. He hadn’t moved and yet she thought she could hear his heart racing and his breath short and quick. She could see the bulge in his jeans and knew how very large and hot his penis was. There were things she wanted to do to him, but it all culminated with him inside her. With the pounding release and the grasping pull of her womb as she took his seed inside.
“We do this,” he finally said, “we do it my way.”
“Any way. I don’t care.”
“I do. You do whatever I say or I leave right now.”
