Tori shot up into a sitting position. Her sleep-fuzzed eyes swept across the bedroom.
Samantha. She’d been right there in her dream. So close it felt as if she could touch her. She could still hear the sound of her friend’s laughter. Still see the way her head was thrown back, her wild blond hair blowing in the wind.
Tori’s heart pounded against her ribs. It was almost painful to remember parts of her friend, but not everything. The dream had almost felt teasing. Presenting her with oddly familiar stuff, yet never quite letting her grasp anything.
But she had recaptured one piece of information. Tori threw the sheet back and looked at her tattoo.
Samantha had half a sun tattooed on her right ankle. The other half.
They’d permanently marked their bodies together. They were close. And she knew that Samantha had a big role to play in everything that had happened to her.
Sighing, Tori dropped her head into her hands.
She was over it. So unbelievably over it. The uncertainty. The not knowing. She just wanted some concrete answers about who she was and what the heck was going on.
Throwing off the sheets, she padded out of the room and down the stairs. There was a small limp to her step, but she walked through the pain. Stepping into the dark kitchen, Tori grabbed a glass and filled it at the tap.
The quiet of the house was almost annoying. The quieter her surrounding, the louder her mind and all its questions.
Tori stared into the darkened night through the window as she took sips of water. Watched the moon reflect the tiniest hint of light.
Who was she? A teacher? A nurse? Maybe she was self-employed…
More than her profession though…was she kind? Was she respected? Did she have other friends, people she spent her Friday nights with?
Tori wasn’t sure how long she stood there, watching the silent night. Wondering what kind of a life she’d forgotten. Eventually, she sighed and rinsed her glass.
Turning back toward the hall, she looked up—and her body turned to ice.
A scream got lodged in her throat at the sight of a man standing in the hallway. He was still, but so large he took up all the space. Shadows covered over his face.
Quickly, Tori reached across the counter and grabbed a knife from the block, pointing it forward.
When he took three large steps into the room, the air whooshed out of her lungs like a deflated balloon. She pressed her free hand to her chest. “Christ Almighty, Oliver! Were you trying to scare the bejesus out of me?”
Her heart banged in her chest so violently, she was almost scared a rib was going to crack.
When she looked back up, she noticed the man was shirtless and looking perfect as ever.
Oliver moved forward again, stopping just in front of her. “Sorry, I should have made some noise so you knew I was here.”
Ah, yeah. He should have. It would have saved her a near panic attack.
“That’s okay.” If she was honest, she was impressed with her immediate instinct to grab a weapon. Just like in the self-defense classes and at the motel, it was again confirmed that she wouldn’t freeze during an attack. “How long were you standing there?”
“Not long.”
Hm, why was she not sure she believed him?
Oliver put his hand out. “Can I have the knife?”
Glancing down at her hand, she realized that it was still in her grip and remained pointed right at Oliver’s stomach.
“Oh. Sorry. I can put it away.”
She slid the knife back in the knife block. As she did, her gaze caught on the stars outside the window. She hesitated before moving back to the sink, her eyes not leaving the twinkling lights in the sky. “I wonder if there’s anyone looking at these stars right now, missing me.”
Samantha maybe? Where was she? Was she safe?
Tori had this overwhelming feeling that she wasn’t. Mostly, because if Samantha was safe and free, Tori was almost certain her friend would have torn down the world to find her.
Tori felt Oliver’s heat on her back as he came to stand behind her. “It’s possible.”
Possible. Not definite.
Her hands went to the counter edge. She knew if she looked down, her knuckles would be white from how tightly she held on. But a desperation clawed at her insides. Desperation to recapture her identity. Her friend.
“I feel like I’ve been plunged into a dark ocean. I can’t see anything. All I can hear is white noise. It’s deafening.” She swallowed. “I’m lost. All I want is to come up for air, but I can’t find my way.” Her voice cracked on the last word. She quickly swallowed. Clenched her jaw to stop from falling apart.
Oliver’s hands landed on top of hers. His entire body caging her, heating her from behind. Gently, he unclenched her fingers and held them in his hands.
“You will.” She felt his breath on her ear. “Even if I have to dive down there and tug you out myself.”
His words had some of her desolation receding. Oliver let go of her as she turned. He didn’t lift his head. His mouth was right there. “What if you drown with me?”
One hand grazed her cheek before cupping it. “No one’s drowning, honey.”
So certain. And strong. And confident. She needed more of that.
Lifting her hands to his shoulders, she lightly stroked his skin. “You’re almost too perfect to be real.”
He shook his head slowly. “I’m far from perfect.”
“Me too.” She barely knew herself, but she knew that. “That makes us two imperfect people. Drawn together for reasons we don’t know.”
His thumb stroked her cheek. “But we will. Soon.”
Before she could think better of it, Tori leaned her head forward and pressed a kiss to his chest. She heard his quick intake of breath. He didn’t pull away.
Why did kissing this man feel so right? Touching him…
Her hand lowered. She felt the strong pounding of his heartbeat below her palm. Tori’s lips returned to his chest. Pressing more light kisses, enjoying the light rumble of his skin that came with each breath.
In the blink of an eye, she went from standing on the floor to sitting on the island. Just like earlier this evening, he wedged himself between her parted thighs. Heat cascading from her core to her limbs.
“My head’s telling me this a bad idea. My heart’s demanding I don’t let go.”
She studied his face, running a hand through his hair. “Which are you going to listen to?”
She knew which she wanted him to choose. Hell, she wanted to beg the man to choose his heart. Choose her.
She was a risk. There was no doubt about it. But she wanted him to take a chance on her.
His hands slipped under her tank top, splaying over her bare waist. “I should listen to my head…”
There was a pause. Then his mouth was on hers. Hot and demanding. No hesitation.
She tilted back as he leaned into her. Her heart soaring in her chest. The passion this man made her feel was explosive. He demanded her whole attention. Every shred of it.
Tori’s legs wrapped around his waist as their mouths melded together in the most intimate way. She grabbed his shoulders, anchoring herself to him.
His hands lifted from her waist, taking hold of her top and tugging it over her head. His fingers closed around her breast.
Tori moaned deep in her throat, her head falling back. Her body throbbing. Oliver took advantage of her exposed neck, nibbling and sucking the sensitive skin.
Christ, her body was on fire. She ached for the man. Her need so intense it was almost painful.
Suddenly, the air was moving around her. Oliver walked them through the house, up the stairs, all the while keeping one hand under her and the other on her breast.
He was all power and intensity, and for tonight, he was hers. He had to be. She would surely die if he left her.
Oliver lay Tori on his bed.
He ignored the voice in his head that said this was a bad idea. He ignored every whisper of doubt. Because she felt good. So damn good and right.
Oliver stripped off his briefs, enjoying the way her fiery eyes took in every inch of his body. Once naked, he lowered himself to the bed, removing her shorts slowly.
Fuck. The woman was magnificent. Her long brown locks fanned over the pillow. Her beautiful curves bare of any material, generous breasts completely on display.
He’d never tire of looking at her. Of exploring her soft skin with his fingers and mouth.
He kneeled at her feet, watching her with hooded eyes. “You remind me of an angel.”
“Your angel,” she whispered softly.
His. An unfamiliar territorial feeling pressed down on his chest. It felt both good and scary.
Lowering his head, he pressed a kiss to her ankle just above the sun that was inked to her skin. Then he moved up to her calf. Oliver trailed his mouth up the inside of her leg, stopping at the apex between her thighs.
He heard her quick intake of breath, the acceleration of her heart. Oliver lowered his head, sliding his tongue across her sensitive bundle of nerves.
Tori jolted beneath him, her hips rising off the bed.
Oliver circled her thighs with his hands, pinning her to the bed. His shoulders widened her legs farther. He swiped her in long, slow strokes. Then he paused and sucked on her clit.
The moans coming from Tori had his blood roaring in his veins. He felt himself hardening to an almost painful degree. He was vaguely aware of her fingers pulling at his hair. Her nails scraping his skin.
Removing a hand from her thigh, he inserted a finger into her, rewarded with a strangled whimper from her throat. Slowly, he pulled his finger out, before pushing back inside.
He felt every little jolt and vibration from her body as he continued to push in and out. To suck and play with her sensitive clit.
“Oliver!” Her voice was a strangled gasp. She was close. Teetering on the edge, exactly where he wanted her.
Rising to his knees, Oliver reached across her body, opening his side drawer and grabbing a condom. Opening it, he was about to slide it over himself when Tori reached up and took it.
Slowly, she rolled the condom over his shaft. He growled softly at the feel of her touch. The pressure of her fingers.
The woman was killing him.
Leaning over her, he placed his head at her perfectly rounded breast. Taking a hard nipple into his mouth, Oliver sucked. Her nails dug into his skin. He swiped his tongue over the peak a few times. She writhed beneath him, moaning his name.
When he grazed her nipple with his teeth, she whimpered. Her fingers returned to his hair, yanking his head up. He saw the lust in her eyes. The desperation.
“I want you inside me, Oliver.”
His dick twitched.
Leveraging himself on one elbow, Oliver positioned himself at her entrance, watching her features closely as he slid inside. Pleasure spread across her face as her muscles stretched to accommodate his size.
So. Damn. Perfect.
Once he was seated fully, he paused. Drinking her in. His heart did a funny kick.
Tori wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer. Reaching up, she kissed him. Her lips crushing his.
Oliver lifted his hips, then pushed back inside. He just held back his groan of pleasure. It was taking every ounce of self-control not to pound into her.
The woman felt too fucking good.
He continued to thrust, loving the feel of her breasts brushing against his chest. Her feet pressed into his ass, urging him deeper.
He swallowed every moan that tried to escape her lips.
When Tori arched her back, Oliver sped up his thrusts, driving faster into her heat. Harder.
His fingers found her core and he stroked her. She tore her lips from his and threw her head back, matching his thrusts, her cries piercing the silent room.
At the sight of her so wild and lost in the throes of passion, Oliver increased his speed again. The roaring of blood in his ears so loud, it deafened him. He latched on to her neck with his mouth. Nipping her. Sucking her salty skin.
The tension built inside him. So taut, it could snap at any second.
He pinched her clit. That was it.
A strangled cry of pleasure released from her lips; she shuddered violently and came apart around him.
Oliver kept pumping, but at the feel of her walls twitching, clamping down on him, his last shred of control disappeared. Growling deep in his throat, he let his climax tear through him. Shattering him.
He held himself steady above her for long seconds, the world shifting from chaos to stillness. His breaths were long and deep. Hers short and loud.
Neither of them said a word. He didn’t, couldn’t, end the connection just yet.
Eventually, he knew he had to. Slowly, Oliver slid out of her heat, lowering himself beside her. He pulled her against his chest, wanting her close.
Tori snuggled into his side, the soft tresses of her hair splaying across his skin.
He held her as her breaths evened out. He wasn’t tired. Not even close. Something had changed inside him tonight. The feelings he’d been running from, pushing aside, and trying to ignore, now slammed him right in the face as he glanced at Tori.
There was only one word to describe her. One word that felt completely unfamiliar and a bit uncomfortable in his mind.
His.
Everything he’d always believed himself to be—the lifelong bachelor, the man only focused on his mission—suddenly came into question. Tori felt right. Her living in his house, lying in his arms, felt right.
