Free Disillusioned by Cari Moore

she
had to think he had chosen the higher ground. For once, maybe he
had chosen not unleash his anger on her, though now more than any
other time, she deserved it. Still, though she appreciated his easy
forgiveness, she couldn't entirely trust it. At some point, no
doubt, the other shoe would drop.
    Rather than dwell on what she couldn't
control, Tessa tried to go along with Merritt's playful attitude.
She could never resist him when he teased her, playing the dominant
male in a way that mocked both him and her. For Tessa, any attempt
to strong-arm her usually resulted in a mule-headed resistance on
her part. With Merritt, though, they both knew the joke. He would
never actually strong-arm her, and she really would never resist
him.
    How could
I ? she wondered as the scent of him washed
over her. The crisp, clean smell of his newly-pressed shirt
entwined with the scent of his own musky skin and intoxicated her.
When he stood above her, she could feel the warm of his body
envelope her, a heady sensation even on his worst day.
    Today was not his worst day; on the
contrary, on this day, she longed to lure him to her. With the the
tension of the night's events fresh in her mind, she needed to feel
that he loved her, not just hear it. She stared up into his eyes,
trying to pour all of her affection into her gaze.
    “Pack warm clothes,” he stated
nonchalantly, leaning away from her. “I would hate for you to get
cold.”
    Disappointment flooded her
as she felt the air chill around her. Maybe Merritt had resented
the previous night after all, she pined as the storm of worries
gathered around her once again. A roller
coaster, she lamented. Today is like a roller coaster. And I hate roller
coasters! One moment, she relaxed, the
next she mourned, the next she felt lost in confusion. For a
moment, she considered calling off the vacation as all her emotions
churned like angry bees in her mind.
    Before she could speak, the mad buzzing of
her thoughts were gone.
    In their place stood Merritt, his arms around
her, his mouth on hers. He, no doubt, had intended play with her by
walking away, another toying round in their continuous cat and
mouse game, but to Tessa, the feeling of his embrace felt deadly
serious. It erased all of her self-doubt and unwound all the
anxiety in her mind. If he could hold her like this, then he had
truly forgiven her. Even through the play, Tessa could sense an
intensity, as if Merritt, too, wanted to eradicate the previous
evening's tension.
    By the time he stepped away
from her, Tessa's pulse raced. How he could still so easily knock
her off balance she didn't know or understand; the thought brought
a smile to her lips. So strong and beautiful in his youth,
Merritt's few added years had increased his power rather than
diminished it. Not fair, she pouted. His physique had not weakened or
waned – if anything he had grown stronger. Years of martial arts
classes had both satisfied his drive for excellence and hardened
his musculature. The hair at his temples had greyed lightly,
perhaps earlier than his years would dictate, but his thick, wavy
hair was still soft and full, and Tessa loved the scent of his
shampoo.
    She couldn't help but lean toward his
retreating face to catch the scent, and Merritt grinned in triumph.
Relaxed by the reconciliation, Tessa fell back into their normal,
comfortable play. She gathered all the challenge she could muster
and glared at him in defiance. Such an expression would have
intimidated a lesser man. Merritt, however, never backed down from
a challenge, and he knew better than anyone just how impotent
Tessa's bark could be. Instead of seeming scared, Merritt barked a
cocky laugh. Tessa wanted to punch him; and Tessa wanted to grab
him by the collar and plaster her mouth on his.
    As if he read her mind, Merritt reached back
toward her and gripped both of her wrists. He pinned them above her
head and flashed her a feral smile. Before she could protest, he
had pressed his entire