The room had two beds that looked like alien pods right out of a sci-fi movie. The curved tops turns different colors that showed through the frosted windows.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimrvdOAw9i
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMGZLFyRLp
“You’ll want to get completely undressed and get inside,” the spa consultant, Kaylee, said. “Press this blue button three times”—she held three fingers up—“when you’re ready. The hood doesn’t lock, so you can get out at any time if you need to.”814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LZ2e30q6e
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSF7Lta0Yr
Tara barely heard a word beyond “completely undressed.” She couldn’t bring herself to look at James directly, but watched for his reaction out of the corner of her eye. He was nodding at what Kaylee said, not seeming embarrassed or anything.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMX3ZC2QBVD
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnBnlHHsHH
Tara had gone to college. She knew what naked men looked like, but she’d always been careful not to let anyone see her naked—even when she’d lived in a dorm.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZWD5rffxw
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUKyCClSad
Almost before Kaylee left, James stripped off his t-shirt and tossed it on the chair. As he started to undo the button on his pants, Tara turned away automatically. She pretended to inspect the hydro-derma-fusion bed, wondering if she could get away with telling James not to look while she took off her clothes and got in.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAzXJcROXW
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8urZLnQYGx
“Need help?” James’ voice said in her ear, his breath tickling her neck.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAE5PykeDE
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeT5kuJgq9d
She wanted to reply in exasperation, but what came out was, “Yes.”814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtbmRiZ85T
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBKxRJS0XD
His hands curled under her shirt and grazed her skin as he pulled it over her head and tossed it onto the chair along with his clothes. He took a step closer to Tara so she could feel his warmth from behind. He undid her bra clasp with one hand. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to act casual, even as her skin was prickling.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUPV7qb2EI
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiyTSASWIaO
She climbed quickly into the pod, comforted by how it enclosed her body. James got into his pod leisurely. When his body was hidden from her, she watched as he pressed the button, repeating what Kaylee told them.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseKMTw2qAm
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN56vyeEBPV
Tara did the same and faced the ceiling. The bed pulsed with vibrations that reverberated through her teeth. The temperature grew steadily hotter and hotter until it reached the point where it burned the surface of her breast, stomach, thighs, and toes. Sweat beaded at her eyebrows and tickled its way down her nose and under her eyes.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbYNDpdDTu
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzScIJvKFs
Turning her head again, she looked at James. His eyes were closed, and though a hint of sweat lit his cheekbones, he seemed at peace. Tara liked the chance to trace his profile and imagine painting it without him being aware she was doing so.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBI3ZtLxu5V
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYI9nBXQmUP
“Why are you staring at me?” he said without opening his eyes.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnOjGpTdaQ
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLn7r6v55bX
Tara wanted to deny it, but instead she said, “You look so peaceful.”814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQauzF6C9hH
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXUZu2157f
He still didn’t open his eyes, but the corners of his mouth quirked up.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3L38qY5Wq
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNdZnO8Zjk
She closed her eyes, too, and imagined she was in India. No, not India because James wouldn’t be there with her. Somewhere else hot and humid—maybe Thailand.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1BJE10EiA
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOi1aQgF9x6
Sometimes she thought James was just an aspect of her imagination—as if she’d just seen him across the bar and imagined all these interactions. But then there was the fact of how physical and present he was. There were the little details, like how he kept his nails short so he could type quickly; how Tara barely came over his shoulders when she stood beside him; how his forearm was bigger and longer than hers; how he hummed as he cooked.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioVK5Md2XT
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6Cse6hVuk
The next thing she knew, the heat evaporated, and the pod gave a low whine. James stood beside her, a towel low enough around his waist that she could see the ridges of his pelvic bone. His skin and the curls at the nape of his neck were damp.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiREnlx974
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRmwBj62DX
He wordlessly lifted the hood so cool air rushed onto her body. She realized with some surprise that she was covered with a sheen of sweat and distilled mineral water. Her first instinct was to cover herself or roll into a ball, but she couldn’t move. All she could do was James look at her. In her stark nakedness, she was forced to confront a stark truth. As much as she tried to keep James at arm’s length, she couldn’t.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAO237Io7c
814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9scJFxc33
He leaned over and set his finger lightly against the base of her throat. Tara could feel her pulse beat against it before he ran it down—between her breasts, along her abdomen, through the concave curve of her belly button, and down, down, down until her body ran out. His touch scorched more fiercely than the 118-degree infrared lights.814Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTMJnHCZoM
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
