Orchid by Jayne Castle Page B

anything more to it.”
    She could not look away from his intent face. “What is the problem?”
    â€œThe problem,” he said very deliberately, “is that I go on wanting you after we cut off the focus link.”
    She was very close to him now. The heat of his body pulsed against her, drawing her nearer. “I see. That is a problem, isn’t it?”
    â€œI need to know if you have the same problem.”
    She drew an unsteady breath, violently aware of the sudden, exhilarating rush of her own pulse. “I’m sure it’s just a superficial sort of thing. Some kind of weird, lingering after effect of the link.”
    â€œThink so?”
    The flash of icy amusement in his eyes annoyed her.
    â€œWell, it’s not as if we have anything in common,” she said.
    â€œDon’t,” he said, “remind me.”
    He brought her up hard against his chest, wrapped one hand around the back of her head, and kissed her. A deep, hard, fiercely urgent kiss.
    A driving thrill of need washed over her.
    â€œJust call me superficial.” She wrapped her arms around Rafe’s neck.
    It felt so right. Excitement and need rose within her. It shouldn’t feel this good, but it did.
    Rafe’s low, hoarse groan induced a delicious, fluttery sensation in the pit of her stomach. He tightened his hold on her. She felt his hand close over her breast. The heat of his palm seeped through the fabric of her T-shirt. She sensed his pleasure when he discovered that she wore no bra. His satisfaction increased her own desire in some crazily synergistic fashion.
    The contours of his heavily aroused body pressed against her. She could not get close enough to him.
    Without warning, just when everything seemed to be going along quite nicely, she felt herself float up off the ground. She gasped and clung more tightly to Rafe. Surely the passion he was generating could not have triggered an illusion on the metaphysical plane. She was excited, but not
that
excited.
    Admittedly there was a dreamlike quality to Rafe’s kiss, but she was
not
hallucinating.
    The world shifted around her.
    She squeezed her eyes more tightly together. She was okay. Awake. Not dreaming.
    So why the dazed sensation?
    She opened her eyes part way, seeking to steady herself with a view of the solid, stable room.
    There was nothing reassuring about the sight of the old-fashioned jelly-ice candles in the wall sconce spinning past her field of vision.
    Before she could sort it all out she felt herself falling. Slowly, gently, she floated downward until she became aware of the thick rug beneath her.
    It finally dawned on her that Rafe had swung her off her feet and lowered her to the carpet.
    Laughter bubbled through her.
    He came down on top of her, crushing her into the thick rug. He braced himself on his elbows. His eyes burned.
    â€œWant to share the joke?” he muttered against her throat.
    â€œIf there’s a joke, it’s on me.” She framed his face with her hands and pulled his mouth back down to hers. “I never dreamed it could feel like this.”
    He uttered a low, hoarse, hungry groan. His mouth closed over hers again. He wedged one leg between her thighs and pushed his hands up under the hem of her T-shirt.
    She was fumbling with the edge of his pullover, trying to get her hands underneath it, when a measure of sanity returned. What was she doing? It was all happening much too quickly.
    â€œRafe. I’m not sure this is a good idea. It’s too soon. We barely know each other. A superficial kiss is one thing. Superficial sex is something else.”
    â€œYou may be right.” Desire gleamed in his eyes. It was echoed in the faint curve of his mouth. “Maybe it will seem like a better idea if we do it this way.”
    She felt the familiar questing probe of his psychic talent seeking a prism. Automatically she responded. On the metaphysical plane a crystal clear prism took shape. Rafe