High Energy by Joy, Dara (ink book reader .TXT) 📗
Book online «High Energy by Joy, Dara (ink book reader .TXT) 📗». Author Joy, Dara
something, anything…
Followed by her whimpering sob. His throaty growl. Their sighs.
They collapsed together back on the bed, Tyber still holding her close to him,
his open mouth clinging to the damp skin of her neck. Leisurely, he swept the
vulnerable spot with a slow lick of his hot tongue. Zanita still shivered
beneath his touch.
"So, you see"—he nuzzled her just below her ear—"what I mean by High Energy."
"Mmm." She curled up around him. "Not a relationship; an experiment." Her face
was smiling as she drifted off into a sated slumber.
The corner of Tyber's mouth twitched in a roguish grin as he gazed down at her
sleeping in his arms. The battle was won. His satiated purr, the victor against
her dreaming lips. "A rose by any other name, my Zanita."
He lowered the Jolly Roger.
Chapter Fourteen
« ^ »
"People of Earth, do not be frightened—we are your friends."
Uh-huh. Whenever an alien said that in a nineteen-fifties sci-fi movie, all the
armed forces on the planet were immediately mobilized in a rapid montage of
black-and-white stock-footage clips. Yep. There go the Brits, the Russians, the
Chinese, what looked suspiciously like a German U-boat, and for some
inexplicable reason, the U.S. Navy—just in case the aliens were sub-mariners.
Then came the spinning newspaper headlines: Aliens among us!; U.N. Meets to
Discuss Alien Menace!; Who Goes There?; and the ever-popular call to salvation,
There's Still Time, Brother!
Zanita lay back down on the couch in the den, shoveling popcorn into her mouth.
Half her attention was on the TV screen in front of her; the other half was
mulling over recent events.
Almost a week had passed since LaLeche's visit—or extortion attempt—and they
still were not any closer to exposing him. Tyber didn't seem particularly
concerned with their lack of progress, but it was starting to worry her. How
long should she give it?
It wasn't that she was in any hurry to leave Tyber's home— just the opposite if
the truth be told.
And therein lay the problem.
She loved living here: Blooey's fussing over them, the scent of his wonderful
cooking filling the house; Hambone's cozy company; Tyber's sweet albeit
commanding nature; the house itself—an enchanting haven so utterly a home.
She had adored the fall season in this house—the change of leaves, Blooey's late
harvest and squash everywhere, after-work hot drinks on the porch or sun room
with Tyber wrapped warmly around her, fireplaces lit in the evening to ward off
the brisk chill, the cat curled up on the rug.
It was easy to look forward to the winter at My Father's Mansion.
Zanita imagined Tyber's private, walled world blanketed in white—evenings by the
fire, wrapped in her Victorian shawl, reading, cold nights cuddling together
under the soft quilts in his shell bed, cozy as clams….
It wasn't good.
In fact, it was going to be incredibly hard to leave here. And the longer she
stayed, the harder it was going to get. There was only one thing she could do;
she was going to have to set a deadline and stick by it. Story accomplished or
not, when the deadline came, she was going to have to leave.
The thought was depressing.
So how long did she wait? At least until after Thanksgiving. Before Auntie had
left, she had given Zanita her customary Thanksgiving dinner invitation to her
home in Wellesley. Of course, Hank and her grandmother would be there; it was a
family tradition, and there was no way she could get out of it. Auntie had
extended the invitation to Tyber and Blooey as well. Which meant they would all
be going as a unit. Zanita thought it would just be too awkward if she moved out
around that time.
Before Christmas?
Hmm. Blooey had seemed depressed that he wasn't going to be making Thanksgiving
dinner, so Tyber had cheered him up by promising him he could make a big
Christmas feast. He had already mentioned to her inviting her grandparents and
Mills, since Mills didn't have any close family and she usually spent the
holidays with Zanita's family. Tyber had even graciously included Auntie.
How could she mess up everyone's holiday?
This was getting increasingly tangled. She sighed. Here was prime reinforcement
of her new tenet: Nothing was ever simple when a man was involved.
"Colonel, the aliens are demanding a meeting with the King of Rock and Roll."
Zanita gaped at the set, a popcorn kernel balanced on her lips.
Tyber stood in the doorway, chuckling. "What are you watching?" He leaned
against the door frame, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Aliens Uber Alles."
Another man would have scoffed at her choice of entertainment. But then, other
men weren't Doc Evans. "And you didn't call me?" He seemed miffed that he had
missed the beginning of the movie.
"I thought you were helping Blooey give Hambone a bath."
Tyber didn't respond verbally, just held up both forearms, which now sported two
long scratches.
"That's terrible! Shame on Hambone."
"He gets me every time, the scalawag." He sauntered into the room, sprawling
down on the carpet in front of the couch. Zanita held out the bowl of popcorn.
They watched the movie in companionable silence, occasionally making their usual
comments. Tyber rested back against the couch, the top of his head brushing
against her thigh. Every now and then his hand came up over his shoulder in a
blind search for the popcorn bowl. A couple of times he playfully missed,
tweaking her leg instead.
From her vantage point draped across the sofa, Zanita had an excellent view of
his long, muscular, jean-clad legs. Personal experience told her his thighs
really were as powerful as they appeared encased in those hugging pants. He
looked as sexy to her now as he had the first moment she had seen him.
The effect he had on her would never change.
Tyber was that rare type of man whose masculinity was always apparent, no matter
what he was doing. He was the only man she had ever known who could turn her on
simply by being there. Zanita was constantly crazy for the feel of him.
She exhaled, briefly debating whether or not to lean over, lift his thick fall
of hair, and nibble-kiss the back of his neck. Reluctantly, she decided against
it; such an action would undoubtedly lead to them missing the rest of the movie.
The other-worldly music suddenly increased in volume, letting the
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