6
Ray was so tired that he could barely put one foot in front of the other. After a very long night, and a seemingly endless day, he was ready to fall over. He paused in front of his building and stared wistfully up at the brightly lit window. What he wouldn't give to be able to just wish himself upstairs, but just knowing what he had waiting for him was enough to get him moving. His heart lifted a little with the thought of Neela, and he couldn't help but smile. He shifted the bag holding their new phone to his other hand and pulled open the door. With a sigh, he started up the steps to the apartment.
He could hear the TV before he reached the landing and shook his head. One of these days they were going to get an eviction notice for the noise. It was funny how that had never bothered him before. He'd always been a noisy neighbor. Between the band and his stereo there had always been enough noise to wake the dead, but things were different now. Now he had a family.
He froze in the act of reaching for the knob, a warmth he'd never known before spreading through his chest. His eyes burned, and he swallowed hard. A whirlwind of emotions unexpectedly rose up in his gut. Panic, fear, worry. But chief among them was contentment. It scared him suddenly how happy he was. At that moment, there was a bright future in front of him, and all he had to do was reach out and take it. Grasping the doorknob, he gave it a firm twist and pushed open the door.
The sight that greeted him was not what he had expected, and he could only stand there gaping like an idiot. Brett and Emily were both on their feet pushing and jostling each other with video game controllers in their hands.
"Will you stop!" he heard his sister squeal.
"You stop! I'm just…Now, look what you did!" Brett yelled back, dropping his hands to his sides. He turned to glare at her, and she returned his glare with a smug smile.
"Don't be a sore loser," she said primly.
"Best two out of three," Brett growled.
Ray jumped as a pair of arms snaked around his waist.
"Hey stranger," she said, her husky voice sending a shiver down his spine.
"Hey," he said, turning in her arms to pull her close. He took a moment to savor the feel of her soft body against his, letting her scent soothe him. With his hands on either side of her face, he bent to kiss her softly. "You are the best thing that's happened to me all day," he whispered in her ear.
"Bad day?"
"You have no idea," he said slowly, "But its getting better."
She smiled, and he thought he'd stop breathing right then.
"I friggin knew it," Brett said sharply, and they turned quickly to find him glaring at them.
"You knew what?" Ray asked, wondering if he was going to have to fight again. Whatever Brett wanted to do, he'd let him. He deserved all Brett could dish out and more for what he had done.
"First you punch me, then you steal my girl! I can't leave you alone for five minutes without you getting into some sort of trouble."
Ray narrowed his eyes, and Brett gave him a small smile. Relief flooded through him, easing some of the tension that he'd been carrying around all day. For whatever reason, Brett had forgiven him for everything. Even for being with Neela. He gave Neela's shoulders a quick squeeze and stepped toward his friend.
"Man, I didn't know she was your sister," Brett said quietly. "I swear to God, I didn't."
"I know that…"
"I don't blame you for knocking me on my ass, either," Brett continued ruefully. "If it had been my sister, I probably would have killed the jackass that did what I did." He rubbed the back of his neck and nodded toward Neela. "So when I ran into Dr. Neela and she told me what was what…"
He broke off and shrugged. Stunned, Ray turned to look at Neela. She gave him a tentative smile, as if she wasn't sure what he would say to her interference. What could he say except…?
"Thank you."
She blushed. "You're welcome."
"Oh, God. Are you going to start kissing again?" Emily said from the sofa.
"Pipe down," Ray shot back as he turned to Brett. "I'm sorry, man," he said, holding out his hand. "I didn't mean to lose it like that."
Brett grinned and grabbed his hand, leaning in to give Ray an awkward hug.
"You better treat her good," he said quietly, and Ray nodded, knowing exactly who he was talking about.
"That's a promise," he said before he pulled away.
"Well! Now that that's settled, I have to go teach your sister a lesson on this game."
"She's beating you isn't she?" Ray asked wryly.
"I wouldn't say beating," Bret began.
"Perhaps destroying?" Neela suggested. "Four times now," she then offered brightly. "Badly, I might add."
Brett cracked his knuckles and stretched his arms out.
"I'm just getting warmed up," he said defensively. "If you'll excuse me."
When he'd returned to the sofa, Ray turned to Neela and gave her a weak smile.
"How soon can we kick him out again?" he asked, his voice tense.
She frowned with concern and sensed that he had more on his mind than what had just happened. She reached up and touched his cheek.
"Are you all right?" she asked softly.
He shook his head and set the new phone on the counter.
"We have to talk, Neela" he said. "I have to tell you something."
Her throat closed up at the desperate look in his hazel eyes. She had never seen that look in his face before and wondered what had happened. The intensity of that look sent shivers not only down her spine, but to every cell in her body.
"Just a moment," she said.
She walked into the living room and leaned over the back of the sofa.
"Brett. Would you mind taking Emily out for a soda?"
He gave her a long look before stopping the game and turning to Emily.
"C'mon, brat. Why don't you and me get out of here for a while? I'll take you out for a pizza at the best place in town."
Emily jumped to her feet, her eyes shining.
"Really?" She turned to look at Ray. "Can I go?"
Ray gave her a forced smile and nodded.
Emily squealed and raced from the room to grab her coat.
"What's wrong?" Brett asked when she was gone.
"I need to talk to Neela about a few things that I don't want her to hear." Ray shot him a fierce look. "Take care of her like she's your sister, Brett."
"Trust me, Ray. I'm not stupid enough to make that mistake again." He probed his lip with his tongue. "It hurts too much."
He snatched his coat from the chair in the corner and pulled it on. He crossed the room and stood next to Ray, staring at him with a frown. Suddenly, he gave Ray's shoulder a squeeze.
"You know you can count on me, Ray," he said quietly.
Ray nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Just then, Emily bounded from Neela's room, gave Ray a quick kiss on the cheek and was out the door. Brett shot Ray one last searching look before he went after her.
"Have her home in two hours," Neela called after him. He waved to show that he'd heard her, and was gone, closing the door behind him. Neela dragged her eyes away from the door to find Ray watching her.
"What?" she asked, suddenly self-conscious under his scrutiny. "What is it?"
He dropped his bag to the floor and stripped off his jacket, his eyes never leaving her face.
"Do you know how beautiful you are, Neela? Do you even realize what you do to me?"
She felt her heart skip three beats before it sped merrily along in her chest. She struggled to drag a breath into her lungs, but the intensity in his eyes seemed to burn away whatever air there was.
"What are you talking about, Ray?"
He prowled toward her, each movement the lithe motion of a stalking cat, while she stood rooted to the spot. He stopped right in front of her and took her hand, placing it over his heart. Her breath caught as she felt his pulse pounding through her palm.
"That's what you do to me," he whispered, his voice rough. "That's what you've always done to me." His face twisted with some heavy emotion that seemed close to pain. With a low moan, he pulled her into his arms and held her as tightly as he could. She returned his embrace, clinging just as tightly to him. It was all she could do, for her knees were suddenly weak with the force of the emotions that were now singing along her veins.
"Neela, I…"
She lifted her face to look at him, and suddenly his mouth was on hers in a fierce kiss. She whimpered as his hands tangled in her hair, turning her head so he could gain a deeper contact. Her lips parted, inviting him inside, and he didn't disappoint her. His tongue teased the inside of her mouth as his hands slid down her back to cup her buttocks. It was all she could do to keep from crying out as he pressed himself, hard and insistent, against her belly.
"You do that to me, too," he whispered as he trailed soft kisses from her mouth to her ear. She hissed as his sharp white teeth nipped the sensitive lobe. Her body was on fire now, but then it always had been where he was concerned. She slid her hands under his shirt, needing to feel his skin beneath her hands. He pulled air into his lungs in a harsh breath.
"I want to make love to you, Neela," he said hoarsely. He lifted his head to look down at her, his eyes darkened with desire. "I need make love to you."
She searched his face for a moment, wondering when it was that she had fallen in love with him. Not that it mattered. She was here, in his arms, but not close enough for her liking. She wanted to feel his body against hers without any barriers. She wanted him to make love to her, because, somehow, she sensed that that's exactly what this was. What was happening now wasn't just sex, it was something far deeper and she couldn't deny herself any longer what she wanted. And what she wanted was him. All of him; mind, body, and soul.
Without a word, her eyes locked on his, she lifted his shirt to his chest. He helped, pulling it over his head and tossing it into a corner. Slowly, wanting to savor this moment, she ran her hands across his collarbone, down his smooth chest and across his stomach to the short hairs below his navel. He sucked in a breath as she lightly traced the waistband of his jeans, just grazing the skin with her fingernails. She glanced down as his stomach muscles contracted, her hand hesitating at the button. Lifting her eyes to his, she hoped that he could see in her eyes just how very much she loved him.
"Yes," she said simply. She couldn't say everything that was in her heart, not yet, but she could show him. She backed away toward his room, her hands working the buttons of her shirt. His eyes caught the motion and fixed there as he followed her. Suddenly, he pounced, lifting her with his hands on her bottom.
"I've waited too long for you already," he said harshly, before he slammed his mouth down on hers. She matched him in ferocity, wrapping her legs around his waist to hold him close. She moaned and writhed against him to ease the ache that had begun between her legs. The ache that only he could soothe.
They fell together on his bed in a tangle of limbs. She didn't even realize that he was undressing her or that he had undressed as well until she felt his calloused hand against her skin. She opened her eyes as he knelt beside her on the bed, staring at her with a hunger she would not have thought possible.
Ray felt his throat close up as he drank in the sight of her. He had imagined this moment a thousand times in a thousand different ways, but his dreams could never compare with the reality. Her dark hair was spread out on his pillow like a fan, and the look in her eyes as she watched him was more than he could have ever hoped for. With a hand that only slightly trembled, he traced the edges of her lips with his fingers, then down her chin, to the hollow of her throat. She hissed and arched into his hand as he lightly grazed one nipple with the palm of his hand. Unable to resist, he bent slowly to take it into his mouth, teasing with teeth and tongue.
"Ray…"
He smiled against her skin at the whispered plea, but he didn't stop until he had given his attention to both hardened peaks. He rose again and crawled down her body, softly nipping her skin, licking to ease the light bites, creating a line down the middle of her belly to her navel. His hands traveled lower, finding the triangle of dark hair between her legs. Her hands fisted in the pillow as he teased her with his fingers, then lowered his mouth to taste her.
She was going to die. She could see her death in the thousand stars that were suddenly dancing behind her closed lids. She could feel it in the scream that was ripped from her throat as she exploded into a thousand pieces under him. This had to be her end because nothing in her experience had ever felt like what Ray was doing to her. She was still trembling when he slid up her body to stare down into her eyes. The tender smile on his face was only a trace smug, but at that moment, she would have forgiven him anything.
"Ray, I don't…"
"Shh…" he said, placing a light kiss to her lips to silence her. "I'm not through with you yet, Neela."
She could only hang on in desperation as he slid into her, banishing any thought she might have had, any words she could have said.
Ray ducked his head to hide his face. He didn't want her to see how devastated he was by the feel of her beneath him, surrounding him with her sleek heat. His lip actually trembled as he felt her contract around him. He closed his eyes, hoping that he could make this last, praying that he wouldn't make a fool out of himself. But he gave it up as a lost cause with his first slow deep thrust. There could be no holding back with her. Not now. Not ever again. With each touch, with each kiss, he felt a little more of her seep into his blood until he wasn't sure where she began and he ended.
"Neela…" he whispered breathlessly, and groaned when she arched to meet him. "My God, Neela! I love you, so much…"
Then thought fled completely as she wrapped her legs around his waist to bring him deeper, ever deeper until he couldn't hold back anymore. With a hoarse growl, he came, feeling her explode around him again. He barely felt her nails as they dug into his back, and the sound of his name as she screamed out her release was nearly drowned out by the pounding of his heart in his ears. It was all he could do to keep from just breaking down. He lay there, braced on his elbows, listening to the sound of his heart slow, and felt at peace for the first time in his life. He felt her fingers gently combing through his hair and lifted his head to look down at her.
"Neela…" he began, and trailed off when the words would not come.
She smiled softly and pulled him down for a kiss. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his ear.
"You don't need to say it, Ray," she whispered, her breath brushing his ear. "I love you, too."
The air rushed from his lungs as her admission sank in. He searched her face, hoping that she really meant it. She smiled, and he closed his eye as relief slammed through him. There would be no more secrets between them, no more hesitation. He rolled to his back, pulling her with him, and she nestled against him without reservation. He stroked the soft skin of her back as she molded her body against his. Never before had he felt so calm, so at peace. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head, knowing that this was where he was supposed to be.
"Ray?" she whispered, and he felt her smile against his chest.
"Yes?"
She pushed herself up to grin down at him. The mischievous look in her eyes made him wonder what she was thinking.
"What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"
He laughed and pulled her back down for another kiss.