Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(92)
Author: Gena Showalter

"Jean-Luc, wait! Lexis – " Was I really going to do this? Yes, yes, I was. It was the only solution I had right now, though granted, it was a sucky consolation prize. "Lexis wants you. She says the two of you are meant to be together."

He turned, suddenly stiff, giving me his back but not walking away. "What are you talking about?"

"All I know is what she told me earlier today. She sees the future and she has seen the two of you together. Romantically."

He snorted. "Impossible. I don’t want her."

"And I don’t blame you. I just wanted you to know."

A pause, a nod. And then, unconsciously taking a page from Rome’s book, he strode briskly away.

"Wow," Tanner said. "I didn’t see that one coming." He shrugged and turned back to Elaine, smiling.

"Is there anything we can do, Belle?" Elaine asked.

"No. The rest is up to me."

Armed agents hid in the shadows all around the outside of my house. I should have told them all to go away, that the threat of Dr. Roberts was over, but I didn’t. I needed to have a conversation with John first, and I didn’t want to do that tonight. I chucked my keys on the table in the foyer and strode toward my bedroom. Tanner and Elaine were close on my heels, though they branched off and entered Tanner’s room. I paused, catching his eye as he closed the door.

He gave me a wicked smile before the cherry wood blocked him completely. I shook my head, sad and happy at the same time, and jumped back into motion. I had my powers under control, I’d been released from my deal with Jean-Luc, so I should be celebrating. Instead, I was going to cuddle my dogs, cry and come up with a plan. I’d broken a good man’s heart, and I needed a strategy to win back another’s.

The house was eerily quiet. Sherridan was probably asleep. Just like my puppies, I realized. They were snuggled together in their crate and snoring. Not wanting to wake them, I left the light off. No cuddling for me, it seemed. It’d just be me, my tears and my schemes.

I brushed my teeth and hair, washed my face clean of makeup, stripped to the skin and padded to my dresser to find a pair of panties and a nightgown. Wasn’t sure I’d have one. Rome and I had always slept naked. Lately, since his memory loss, I’d been using his shirts. I couldn’t do that tonight, since I hadn’t done laundry in forever.

Strong arms suddenly banded around my waist and lifted me. Before I could react, I was soaring through the air. I landed on the bed with a thwack, sprawled on my back, arms and legs splayed.

Gasping, I jerked upright, raising my arm. Cold, cold, cold. I am cold.

The ice was already forming in my hand. The moment it solidified completely, I launched it. The intruder ducked and the ball slammed into the wall, the door, freezing them.

And locking me inside with the depraved man. Dr. Roberts again? "I’m armed and I’m dangerous, motherfucker!"

"Good reflexes and good timing. You’ve already improved. The potty mouth needs to go, though." I blinked. Stilled. Gulped. "Rome?"

"The one and only."

"You bastard!" I summoned another ball of ice and tossed it, too. Once again he ducked. Wait. What was I doing? Way to win him back, I thought, willing the ice to leave me. "Don’t scare me like that again! I thought you were a scrim."

He rose. He was standing at the end of the bed. Moonlight seeped from the window and illuminated his strong body. He was dressed in black, his hair damp as if he’d just taken a shower.

A knock sounded at my door. "Belle?" Tanner called.

"I’m okay. Just having – "

"We’re fine," Rome said.

There was a chuckle. "Way to go, Cat Man. Carry on, you two. I’m about to." Then, silence.

"What are you doing here?" I didn’t bother trying to cover my nakedness. No, I lay back on the pillow, a seductive goddess – I hoped.

For a moment, his expression was so primitive I thought he was going to pound his chest King Kong – style. "We’ve got some air to clear," he said, and his voice sounded thick. Raw. "I heard what you said to Jean-Luc."

First, surprise rocked me. Then embarrassment. "So you were there?" He nodded. "I told you I would be."

"But I thought…you seemed…If I’m remembering correctly, you then said you weren’t going. And when you left with Sunny, you made it seem like you were done with me."

"As if." He reached behind his neck and pulled his shirt up and off. "You want to stand on your own, and I was trying to let you. I was trying not to interfere with what you felt you had to do. Even though it was killing me." Next he unsnapped his pants. "But I couldn’t stay away and found myself plugging into the audio feed."

Sweet heaven. I licked my lips, nervous and excited and trembling. "That’s wonderful. I’m glad. But first, I have to tell you something. Dr. Roberts was at the restaurant. He – "

"I know. I heard that, too. We all did. There were recorders all over the place. I’m surprised you didn’t know."

Damn, but I still had a lot to learn. "Why didn’t you guys rush in and take him?"

"Oh, John wanted to, but I threw a fit and he backed down. I didn’t want Roberts to panic and hurt you. More than that, I think John liked what he had to say about neutralizing powers. John wants to confiscate whatever new formula the good doctor creates.

"Now, enough shop talk. Let’s get back to the subject of you and me." His gaze roved over me, hot and hungry.

"Wait," I said, holding up a hand.

His head fell back and he groaned. "Not again."

"I won’t lie to you. I was thinking about ending things with you." Every muscle in his body froze, his eyes narrowing on me.

"But only because I worried we couldn’t make it," I admitted softly. "And only for a little while. Once my senses returned, I knew you were worth fighting for no matter what."

"Why would you think we couldn’t make it?" He relaxed, and slid back into motion. The pants tumbled down his legs. He stepped out of them.

As usual, he wasn’t wearing underwear.

As I drank in that long, hard, thick length, moisture flooded my mouth. "Because I was changing, becoming a different person, and I wasn’t sure you could love who I would be."

"And who’s that?" He climbed atop the bed, but remained on his knees. "Who are you now?" A tremor moved through me. I wanted to tug him on top of me, but resisted. This was too important.

"An agent. A very powerful agent who will one day be able to kick your ass. A very powerful agent who will maybe might kinda sorta one day want children."