Compulsion: Magnetic Desires (17 page)

August 2011

I lashed out to silence the infernal racket from the alarm clock and pushed myself out of bed. Facing another Saturday on site, I stumbled into the shower and raced to get ready. As I jumped out of the shower my phone rang, and I snagged a towel and dashed into the bedroom to answer it. Maybe Mike was calling to cancel the appointment this morning. Phone to my ear, I struggled into my pants. "Hello, Mike. Are you calling to give me the day off?"

"It’s your sister, moron," Birdie chirped on the other end. "Happy Birthday."

I stared at the date on my phone. "Thanks, Sis, but it could have passed me by this year."

"Are you doing anything for it?"

Putting her on speaker, I tugged my shirt over my head. "Yeah, I’m working."

"I meant, are we celebrating?"

"I’m not really in the mood." I picked my phone up and raced into the kitchen where I poured coffee into a travel mug.

"You need to get over it." She meant I needed to get over
her
, and she was right but it would take time.

"I know. Look, I have to go, but I’ll ring you if I decide to do anything." Hanging up on her, I rushed to the truck and gulped my coffee as I drove out to the site. Mike was already waiting with the plumber and electrician.

"You're late." Mike glanced at his watch, as I jumped from the truck. "I guess you're lucky it's your birthday."

I strode over to where the three of them were standing. "What are we up to?"

It took all morning to get the issues sorted out, but we were on schedule for Monday. I wiped the dust off my hands on a rag. "Well, I’m off if you don’t need me for anything else?"

"No, I’ll be leaving in a minute too." Mike ticked off boxes on his tablet. "Oh, Mellie asked what you were doing tonight."

"Absolutely nothing." Knowing Mellie and Mike, his next words would be a dinner invitation.

"I'll let her know," he said, not glancing up from the tablet.

I climbed into the truck and wound down the window. "See you on Monday."

Mike kept working on his tablet as I drove away from the site.

On the way home, I decided to take the GTO for a spin. It had been forever since I’d taken the beast for a drive. I hadn’t had the time, but with an entire afternoon to myself I could rectify that. She’d been in perfect order last time I started her, but I hadn’t taken her for a run in months.

I pulled the cover of the GTO and circled her before popping open the door and sliding behind the wheel. The vague smell of leather conditioner still clung to the seats, and I keyed the ignition. She shuddered and sputtered a cough before her engine stopped. Popping the hood, I went to get my toolbox. I’d have her humming again before the sun went down. Time got away from me.

"Hey legs, have you seen the birthday boy?"

"What are you doing here?" I slid out from beneath the car and stood up.

Mellie threw her arms around me, despite the fact I was covered in grease and dirt. "Happy birthday. Come inside, we're going to celebrate."

She grabbed my hand and pulled me along. We stopped in the laundry and I kicked off my work boots while she washed her hands, which were almost as filthy as mine. I took a turn at the sink and then she dragged me into the kitchen while I protested. "Mellie, I didn't want to celebrate."

Mike poured scotch and Coke into glasses while he chatted with Birdie, who perched on a stool. Mellie’s famous chocolate cake sat on the counter. Next to the sink sat a tray of steaks.

I shoved my hand through my hair and grinned. "Seriously?"

Mellie hugged me, and Mike pulled a bottle of absinthe from a paper bag. "Seriously."

Two shot glasses were already lined up on the bench, and he poured a measure of the green liquid into each before handing me one. "Cheers."

He tipped his glass, and I mimicked him. Birdie kicked us out and took over the kitchen while she made salads. Mike fired up the grill, and I nursed my drink while I sat on the edge of the back deck.

Mellie plunked down beside me and elbowed me in the ribs. "Did she... have you heard from her?"

"No." I shook my head. "I think it's over. I have to let it go."

"I can kidnap her for you if you want. Just say the word." She raised an eyebrow.

I snickered at her comical expression. She would make a great gangster. "Thanks, but I don't think that would be a good idea."

She patted my knee. "If you change your mind let me know."

A commotion broke out as some of the guys from my crew entered the backyard. Mellie fiddled with the sound system, and tunes pumped through the speakers. Everyone settled into a comfortable group, drinking and chatting as the smell of steaks perfumed the air. Everything I wanted was right here, except her.

***

I
spun Mellie around the dimly lit backyard. I’d had several scotches over dinner, and another shot of absinthe. Mike chortled as I tried not to trip over my feet and failed. If Mellie hadn’t been holding me up, I would have been on my ass.

The guys left, leaving the four of us to continue without them. Birdie brought out my guitar, and I belted out a Bon Jovi number for Mellie and managed that ridiculous boy band song Birdie loved. Mike lurched over to me and handed me another shot, and I slammed it down. I probably shouldn’t have. It hit me fast and pushed me over the edge of mellow to really fucking drunk.

Mike grinned at me with both his faces. "Play us another one."

I strummed the guitar, losing notes as I picked at an extraordinary amount of strings. Eyes shut, I wandered around the backyard. My playing improved as I felt my way through the music with my fingers. I swaggered as I belted out a mid-eighties rock ballad.

Lowering the guitar to my side, I opened my eyes. The world spun, and my stomach pitched, but I fought the need to heave.

I was not alone in the middle of the yard. Clo stood right in front of me, an ethereal angel swaying in and out of focus. She opened her mouth and I put my palm over her face as I pressed one of my fingers to my lips and yelled, "Shush!"

Cocking her head to the side, she took my hand in hers. "Orion?"

I tipped my head in the same direction. "You're a hallucination, right? You're in my head, maybe you always have been. Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I could be a writer like Ernest Hemingway or Stephen King. I've got an awesome imagination, that's all. You're not real."

She raised her eyebrows and drew them together. "Don't be stupid. You hated English, remember?"

"Yeah." I shrugged. "But with technology these days, I could do it. I could write a story where the love of my life was always mine."

She sniggered.

"Hey, Clo," Mellie sung out as she passed us.

"Huh? What? You see her?"

"Sorry about that. They were drinking absinthe." Mellie squeezed Clo's shoulder.

"My timing couldn't be worse then?" I watched the two exchange glances. It was possible they were communicating telepathically.

"Probably not, but timing isn't everything. It's what you do with it. "Mellie reached up and kissed my cheek. "I'm going to get Mike home before he passes out. Goodnight, birthday boy, play nice."

"I always play nice." I swatted her butt.

She yelped and turned around to wag a finger at me. "I mean it, Orion. You're the one who will regret it tomorrow."

I already regretted tomorrow after slamming that last shot of absinthe. My gaze shot back to Clo, and she took a step away. "You’re real then."

"And you’re drunk." She gave a nervous giggle.

I advanced on her, and she threw glances over her shoulder as she retreated. "That may be, but I can still tie a damn good knot."

"What?" She halted, and I grabbed hold of her.

Swaying on unsteady feet, I ran a palm down her arm and twined our fingers together to haul her into my chest. "I'm going to get you naked, and then I'm going to tie you to my bed. You’re never going to escape."

It was not a great plan. I could barely hold myself up. Even if I could manage to tie the knots, it wouldn’t keep her beside me. The idea though, had my imagination in overdrive. One day, if she stayed, and I wasn’t so drunk I’d broach the subject seriously. For now, I just wanted her to know that I never wanted to let her go. With each minute that passed, I rested more of my weight on her. "Babe?"

"Yes?" she snuck under my arm and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"I love you. L.O.V.E you," I sung to her as she half carried me into the house.

"Love you too," she cooed as she pushed me on to the bed and pulled off my jeans. "Let’s get you into bed."

Fingers to her cheek, I couldn’t help myself. "Would you let me?"

"Let you what?"

"Tie you up and have my way with you."

"Anything for you."

"No, love." Her face swam in front of me. "Anything for you."

***

"S
hit," I groaned. Someone was taking a meat cleaver to my brain and they weren't skilled or methodical. No, this was a murder being performed by someone with no idea how to wield a knife, and anger management issues. Stretching out, I encountered bare skin. What the fuck? I didn’t remember going to bed with anyone, but there was certainly someone next to me now.

My mind raced through the possibilities. God, please don’t be Bella, I prayed to the ceiling, as she snuggled closer to me. Turning my head to gaze at the back of her head, I let go of the breath I’d been holding. Thankfully, it wasn’t Bella. I wouldn’t have to deal with the awkwardness that would have caused, but the burnished blond highlights in her copper hair made me freeze as she rolled toward me.

"Morning." Clo stroked her hand over my chest. "How are you feeling?"

I was shocked, confused, and pissed off she was naked in my bed, and I regretted not being able to remember the night before. "What...are you doing here?"

She grazed her lips over my jaw as her fingers traced over the dips in my abs and moved lower. "You don't remember."

"No."

"You were off your face when I got here." She slid a leg over my hip and brushed against my cock.

Already erect, the desire to roll her under me and forget I was angry with her was tempting, but I had to know what she was thinking. "Why are you here, Clo? I slid her leg off me and inched closer to the edge of the bed. "What happened to going back to Zack?"

She cringed, and I reached out to comfort her, but I snatched my hand back. I needed more than her in my bed to be willing to give her anything.

"I"— she clasped her hands to my face— "decided to take a chance."

I held still as she gripped my shoulders and tried to pull me down to her. "What about Zack?"

"I told him to stay the hell out of my life."

"Did you?" My lips twitched and my chest swelled.

"There's always been something better right in front of me. I just needed to jump in."

She didn't need to pull me to her this time. I craved the connection. Rolling her under me, I kissed her like it was the first time, and the last time, and every kiss in between. Miracles could happen. Between my fingers I caressed a strand of her hair and wound it around my finger. "Are you mine, Clo?" I whispered against her lips, "Are you mine?"

"Yes." She nibbled at my bottom lip and ran her hands down my spine.

"And if I tell you I love you?" I waited for her usual response.

"I love you too."

"God, Clo." Tucking my hands under her back, I held her as close as I could. It wasn’t close enough. I wanted to pull her inside me, and wrap myself up in her. If we were one, she couldn’t change her mind. "Are you sure? You have to be sure. You're all in, or not at all."

Her hands cupped my face, her wide eyes locked with mine.

Damn, it was good to hear her say it and mean it the way I wanted her to. "I need you, Clo. Being without you hurts too damn much. I'm not alive when you're not with me."

"It was painful for me too." Arms around my neck, she pressed her naked body to mine.

The heat of her under my palms and the sensual way she moved against me while I wandered my hands over her body reassured me this was real. My heart wanted to explode out of my chest, and I held her face between my hands as I lowered my mouth to hers, savoring the taste of her and getting reacquainted with the tiny scar on her bottom lip. "Did we make up last night?"

"No." She shook her head and her lips rubbed against mine. "I arrived too late."

"Good." I trailed a hand down the side of her throat.

Her chest rose and fell under my palm, her hip trembling in my fingers. "Good?"

Reaching her knee, I guided her leg around my hip. "I don't want to miss a moment with you, especially now that I don't have to temper my feelings."

Her fingers covered mine, edging my hand over the dip of her hip to tease her entrance. "I want everything you want."

I slid my other palm up over the hollow below her belly to the valley of her breasts. Underneath my fingers, her heart beat a slow rhythm that filled my senses until it seemed my own echoed hers. "All I ever wanted was you to be happy."

"I am." She curled up to nibble my lip, her tongue lingering against mine. "You make me happy."

The heat of her pulled me in, coating my dick and adding to the fizz in my nerves. My body too small to contain the feeling in my chest; a physical ache took up residence inside me, causing my arm to shake as I stroked a hand through her hair. "Angel girl, you might just be killing me."

"What?" She shifted her hips so that the tip of my cock stroked her slit.

"Either I'm having a heart attack or I'm so happy my heart is going to explode."

Her hands ran down my sides and flattened on my hips to ease me inside her. "We're happy, Orion, maybe for the first time. I feel the same way."

The bed banged and squeaked gently while we moved together in a world of our own making. My hands glided over her skin, damp with sweat, to cradle her cheeks. She cried out, her fingers digging urgently into my hips as she quivered beneath me and her inner walls squeezed around me, ripping me apart inside. In the moment she came I swear my chest exploded, reshaping the very fabric of my being.