Eight

Chapter

“I need to talk to you,” Rom said. “But I have to be able to see your face when I do.”

“I can sit up.” Hayley started to lean forward, but Rom tightened his arms around her.

“No way, sweetheart.”

There was no way he was letting her weaken herself further. Not when she had only just started to look like she was feeling okay. That waxy, colorless cast to her skin had scared the crap out of him. He had thought he might be losing her, had even felt her slipping away. The more he held her, the better she seemed, the stronger. He wouldn’t risk her backsliding.

Hayley leaned to the side so she could arch an eyebrow at him. “Katie might like the orders, but I’m not that kind of girl.”

Rom grinned. “I believe it. Any other time, I’d do anything you say.” His voice dropped as his smile faded. He cupped her face with his hand, amazed at how small and fragile she seemed. “Right now, I have to know you’re okay. Please, just let me take care of you.”

Her lips parted slightly, her cheeks getting that beautiful blush. It spread down her neck and over her collarbones, drawing his gaze lower—to places he had no business looking at or even thinking about. At the same time, it was hard not to, with her sleight weight on his chest.

As gently as he could, he lifted her and turned her around to face him, sitting up and crossing his legs. He deposited her in the little nest that position created, with her legs draped over his thigh. He cradled her back with one arm and used the other to gently trace the line of her cheekbone.

Her features were so delicate, huge blue eyes, lush lips that finally held a healthy pink to them. He longed to bury his fingers in her bright red hair, to pull her close and kiss her until all the nightmares of this place were forgotten. Instead, he lifted one of her hands and then the other, placing them above his hearts. Her eyes widened as she felt their strong, discordant beats.

“You have two hearts?”

“I do,” Rom said. “I know that when I touch you, you feel better.”

She blushed and looked away, but then nodded. Her hands stayed firmly pressed to his chest, his hearts beating faster beneath them.

“There’s no shame in it,” he said, lifting her chin with one finger. “I’m grateful that I’m able to bring you ease. But you should know, it’s not one-sided.”

The faintest crease appeared between her eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

Rom gingerly placed his hand above her heart, curling his fingers over her collarbone. Her own heartbeat picked up, but then steadied and slowed a bit. As it did, his hearts followed suit, their beats becoming closer and closer to a single, strong beat.

“You can feel that, can’t you?” Rom said. “How being close to you, touching you, affects me, too? I couldn’t explain it before, but then your friend told us what was in that file. About us being soulmates.”

Hayley shook her head. Her hands dropped away from him to fall into her lap.

“Don’t dismiss it,” Rom said. “Please.”

“You don’t even know who you are.” Hayley’s voice was barely above a whisper. Rom strained to hear her. “You didn’t know what you are. How can you know that it’s true?”

“There are things I know are true when I hear them,” Rom said. “Like my name. Like being a Cygnian warrior. But I didn’t need to hear your name to know you. I already knew you. I felt you. However I made my way to you, I believe the file is right. It’s because you hold the other part of me. The other half of my soul.”

“It could be something Norem put in the file just in case someone accessed it. It could be a trick.”

Hayley refused to meet his eyes. A tear escaped one, rolling down her cheek. Rom reached out and smoothed it from her skin with the back of his fingers.

“I think you’re afraid to let yourself believe it’s true,” Rom said. “You’ve lost so much already. Had so much taken from you. In any case, I believe you feel it the same way that I do. The echoes of my emotions. The rightness of us being close.”

His voice dropped low as his throat tightened with emotion. What if he was wrong? What if she was right and this was a trick? Rom didn’t doubt Norem would stoop to something as sadistic as making them think they were part of each other. That they were made for each other. Deep down, Rom couldn’t believe this was a trick. It felt too real. At least, it did for him.

“Tell me you feel it, too,” he said.

She finally met his eyes, her lips parting as she reached up and slid her fingers through his hair. Rom’s hearts started to race, their pounding beat almost making him dizzy. She drew him closer, till their mouths were only a breath apart.

“I do,” she whispered softly.

Rom’s chest felt as though it was about to explode. He couldn’t breathe, didn’t dare to move. Time seemed to stop… until she pressed her lips against his.

She was tentative at first, her lips cautiously exploring his. Rom held himself still, letting her take the lead. His hands ached to pull her closer, his dicks straining against his pants. He wanted more. More closeness. More skin touching skin. But more than anything, he wanted not to scare her off.

She gripped his shoulders and pulled herself up so that she was straddling him. His control almost snapped. Whether she was struggling with her own or could sense his need and took mercy on him, she deepened the kiss at last, flicking her tongue across his lips. He opened to her immediately, welcoming her more intimate explorations, languidly stroking her tongue with his.

Her skin was so soft. He was almost afraid his stubble might abrade her. It didn’t stop her from shifting her lips to his jaw, nibbling along it till she made her way to his ear and nipped at his earlobe. Pleasure arced along his nerves, lighting up every cell in his body. He was hyper aware of her arms wrapped around his neck, her warm breath against his skin, her small breasts pressed firmly against his chest.

“Rom,” she murmured into his ear. Shivers spread over his skin at the sound of his name in her voice.

“Tell me,” he whispered. “Tell me what you want and it’s yours.”

She leaned back so that she could stare into his eyes, a soft smile playing at her lips. “I want you.”

His hearts were racing, beating against his chest. His breath went deeper, the rush of air making him feel more alive than he ever had before. He buried his fingers in her hair. The fiery strands were silken, softer than he’d imagined. He pulled her close for a passionate kiss, his tongue plunging into her mouth, staking his claim. She matched every thrust, her fingernails raking across his back as she pressed her core against his erections.

More ecstasy crashed through him. He reached down to grip her hips, grinding against her, wanting desperately to bury himself in her heat. Still, he held himself back, not wanting to hurt her nor frighten her in any way. This needed to be healing for both of them, this experience of union, of… unity.

Unity …

Her hands left his back, shifting between them so that she could unzip her jumpsuit. He helped tug it down her arms, freeing them from the drab garment. She broke off the kiss just long enough to pull the plain white sports bra she wore over her head and toss it aside. Rom didn’t miss the opportunity to worship her breasts. He ducked his head to first one, then the other, pulling each tight bud between his teeth and flicking it with his tongue.

Hayley groaned, her fingers buried in his hair, holding him tight as she rocked against his dicks. He gripped her hips and lifted her so that she could stand. Her knees wobbled, but she kept her balance on the soft mattress. Rom still looked up at her with concern.

“I’m fine,” she said, her voice breathless. “Better than fine.”

“Thank the Maker.”

Rom grabbed her jumpsuit and panties at once and tugged them down her legs. She leaned on his shoulders for balance as she stepped out of them, awkwardly shimmying out of her boots as well so he could toss them aside. When she was fully naked, she started to lower herself to him again, but he gripped her waist and held her up. Her brow furrowed again as she cast a questioning glance his way, but he merely grinned in response. Then he leaned forward and buried his face in the soft curls between her legs.

Hayley gasped, her hands once more going to his hair. She groaned as he flicked his tongue across the small pearl buried in her silken folds. He slid one hand around to cup her backside, pressing her more firmly against his mouth. The other went to her core, gathering her wetness before sliding two fingers deep within her. Her grip tightened on his hair, her hips rocking against him.

He spread his fingers, working them in and out, massaging her channel and helping to prepare her for him. Her sex clenched his fingers, her breathing becoming more rapid. She would fall into ecstasy any moment. Her body stiffened and then she pushed against him suddenly.

“Wait,” she said.

Rom quickly released her, staring up with worried eyes. Had he hurt her? Was she having a relapse? Or had she changed her mind? Of the three, his preference would be for it to be the latter. He would rather take on the agony of her rejection rather than have her be in pain again. When he looked up at her, she didn’t seem angry or afraid. He opened his hearts to her, trying to pick up her emotions.

Warmth. Desire. Affection. He couldn’t tell if they were coming from him or her or both of them.

“I want it to be with you,” she said.

He let out a huge breath, relief washing through him. She smiled and pushed his shoulders to get him to lie back, then dropped down to straddle him again. He helped her undo his pants, finally freeing his erections. The cool air against his heated skin sent more shivers over his skin. He glanced up to see her staring at his dicks with huge eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

She swallowed hard. “It’s just… There are two of them.”

“Yeah. Is that not… normal?”

She shook her head. “Not where I’m from. And they’re not usually that big.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, starting to lift himself onto his elbows.

She pushed him back down. “I’m sure we can work this out. Just… one at a time.”

“Whatever you need, sweetheart.”

With a smile, she bent over him once more. She captured his lips more boldly this time, lowering her hips to his so that his bottom dick lined up with her slit. Slowly, she drew herself along its length, so warm and wet. Rom thought he would lose his mind if he couldn’t bury himself in her soon. His prayers were answered when she pressed her core to his crown and inched down, her body spreading as it welcomed him.

He kept himself as still as he could, giving her complete control so that he wouldn’t hurt her by going too quickly. It took all of his self-restraint not to thrust himself into her. His hands shook as they trailed down the smooth skin of her back. Hayley placed her hands against his chest and lifted herself up on her knees so that she straddled him again. The movement pressed him deeper, and he let out a groan. She smiled at him softly, her eyes heavy-lidded.

She rose up on her knees, then lowered herself back down over and over, each time, taking him further into her slick heat. Electricity fired along his nerves, his skin alive with it. He had never felt such torment nor such pleasure. Finally, she slid down, taking him fully within her. Her sex was already starting to pulse as his upper dick nestled against her clit.

“Hayley…” Her name was both a moan and a plea.

She nodded and said, “I’m ready.”

“Thank the Maker.”

Rom gripped her hips and thrust up into her welcoming sheath with long quick strokes that kept her gasping. Pressure built within him, heat burning through his body, radiating out from where they were joined. He felt her tense, then she cried out, her fingernails raking across his chest. He increased his pace, coaxing as much pleasure from her as he could as he found his own release.

Nothing could ever feel this good. It didn’t seem possible. And yet, even without his memory, he knew they weren’t done. His upper dick throbbed, anticipating its turn at being buried within her. He pulled her against his chest, letting her catch her breath for a moment. Every instinct told him to thrust into her again. But he needed her to be ready. Ready for something he didn’t truly understand, but that called to him, to his soul.

Unity…