Free Genesis by Christie Rich

negate my
desire to bond with you.”
    “ For the love of
Pete!”
    He laughed. “No, for the love of
Rayla.”
    Oh brother. I pushed his shoulder.
“Sappy much?”
    He gave me a hearty grin. “You have no
idea just how sappy I can be, my lady. Now, please, we must return.
It is getting dark.”
    I hadn’t been paying attention to the
dwindling light. Up above us, the water stirred with glowing marine
life. Wow. They even simulated the stars.
    He set a hurried pace, as if eager to
get indoors. When I glanced at him, he jerked his gaze away from
me.
    What was Taylor afraid of down here?
He’d said himself this was the safest place I could be right now.
It had me wondering, but he didn’t comment. It couldn’t have been
that big of a deal because, otherwise, we would have drifted back
to his house, yet there had to be a reason for his sudden change in
mood.
    If I didn’t move it he would leave me
behind. I took one last look at the city and that creepy feeling
from earlier today flooded into me. Someone was watching us. I
sprinted to catch up to Taylor then made sure I stayed right by his
side.
    A shiver refused to stay buried, but I
didn’t think he noticed. I touched his arm, making sure he was
paying attention. “What’s out here, Taylor? What are you hiding
from me?”
     
     

Chapter Four
     
     
     
    Taylor refused to answer my question,
brushing it off with a lame joke. Something inside me recognized
the danger surrounding me even if he wouldn’t give it a name. I lay
in bed, trying to fall asleep. Taylor had promised to begin my
training tomorrow, and I knew I needed rest. Despite my inner
turmoil, my mind drifted off…
     
    Black mist surrounded me, yet I
harbored no fear. In the back of my thoughts, I was hazily aware I
was dreaming. So why did my skin tingle and my heart race as if I
was about to face the greatest challenge in my life? The mist
congealed into the recognizable shape of a man.
    “ Good of you to finally show
up,” said Heath, meandering toward me as if he had a year to reach
me.
    My pulse picked up as usual. It
happened so often, it shouldn’t even affect me anymore. “Why are
you in my dream?”
    He shrugged? “Why not?” His dark eyes
were hooded, yielding no emotion at the moment.
    I raised a brow. “I’ve got a suggestion
for you.”
    He gave me his real smile, and I nearly
melted right there. “Hmm?”
    With more effort than it should have
taken, I shook off my attraction to him. “Go hijack someone else’s
dream.”
    He laughed. He was nearly to me now. My
skin vibrated in anticipation of his touch. “Now, why would I ever
do such a thing when I’ve already found what I want?”
    I tilted my head. “Dream on, Heath.”
That pun was intended. He didn’t want me. He’d already proven
that.
    His face went serious. “I see a
demonstration is in order.”
    Without another word he pulled me
against him, his long legs pressing into mine. The warmth of his
body seeped into me, sending a rush of chills along my
arms.
    “ What do you want really?” I
asked, trying not to sound as breathless as I felt. I was still
angry at him for walking out of the bonding ceremony like he had.
If he wanted me so badly, why hadn’t he insisted on staying
there?
    His low chuckle surprised me. “There
are other ways to fight, Rayla.”
    I scoffed. “Yeah, like you’d really
fight for me.”
    He inched away from me as if seeking a
better vantage point. “You think not?”
    “ You don’t care about me. If
you did, you would have—”
    His lips brushed mine while his fingers
slid along my neck, sending my brain on vacation. His lazy kiss
wove a spell over me. Fitting me to him in a delicious way, his
hand pressed against the small of my back. When he intensified his
kiss, my bones melted into goo. It lasted forever, yet I groaned
when he pulled away from me.
    I staggered from the loss of him.
Frustrated, I reached for his hand, yet he stayed just beyond my
grasp. Taunting me. Jerk