Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(115)

"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."

"And all of that is what's been making you so distant with me?"

"That, and you seemed to be pulling away from me."

A frown curved his lips into a half-moon. "If I seemed upset at the gym today, it was only because I was worried you would outgrow me. That you wouldn't need me anymore. But I realized that's okay. You don't need me. You're stronger than I am, and I like that. I'm proud of it. Of you. That was never clearer than when Dr. Roberts offered to free you from your powers but you weren't sure you wanted him to. I didn't want you to accept, either. They're a part of who you are. Part of the girl I love. A girl who's brave and sarcastic, loyal and determined."

"I - I - " Couldn't form any intelligent words.

"I'm not done, Wonder Girl," he chided. "I wanted to strangle Lexis when I got my memories back and realized what she'd done to keep us apart. I wanted to beat myself for listening to her, even for a minute.

I wanted to kill Jean-Luc, with my memories and without, for looking at you as if you belonged to him.

And he's lucky the dates are over. I planned to hunt him down tomorrow and put a bullet in his leg to keep him away. No one keeps us apart. Not even you. Not even me.

"I love who you are, yesterday, now, tomorrow, always. You're complicated and yeah, powerful, but that doesn't change the core of you. You're strong, and did I already mention brave? You're loving, giving and sexy as hell. You speak your mind, you never back down and you make my heart stop every time I look at you. I would be lost without you. And yes, I want kids with you, no matter how they'll turn out. One day. Right now, I just want you all to myself."

His speech was a dream come true. Wondrous, amazing, surreal. Everything I'd ever wanted to hear and more. Once he'd stung my feminine pride. Now he'd utterly soothed it. The tears I'd expected tonight poured free, as if a dam had broken. But they were tears of joy. "I will never outgrow you. I will always need you. But I want to be clear. I'm it for you? The one and only?" I didn't mean for the questions to squeak out, but they did.

He nodded. "My one and only. Now, enough talking. We've got some reuniting to do." He was on top of me in the next instant. I wrapped my legs around him as he fed me a kiss, his tongue plunging deep. My hands were all over him, and his were all over me.