Soraya

 

Waking up in Dez’s arms was pure euphoria – something I didn’t think I’d ever get enough of. I pressed my back into his hard chest and he grumbled something into my neck, then pulled me closer. Tingles spread in a rolling wave from my toes to fingers to the top of my head.

The blankets were cocooning us in our own space away from the world. I wanted nothing more than to stay there all day. Dancing my fingertips along the ridges of his forearm, I once again admired the ring he’d gotten me. Damn, if this man didn’t have good taste.

A warm breath moved across my neck again and a second later, lips followed. I let out a soft, hitching sound and my eyes closed. Dez made his way to my lips and I twisted, hungry and seeking. He smiled into the kiss and I pulled back. My heartbeat was a drumroll in every cell.

“Hi,” I said, a little shaky. The morning light was bright in the room and I suddenly felt shy. “I mean, good morning.” I let out a hiccupping laugh and winced. “Very good morning.”

“Morning, Raya,” he said. His hazel eyes danced and his lips quirked at the side. “Tired?”

“In the best way,” I said, rolling over completely and snuggling against him.

“I have to get up,” Dez sighed, even though he didn’t move.

“No, I don’t think you do,” I responded, slipping an arm around him.

“I have to take a shower, go to the office and get some work done. Beni’s been covering for me, but I have papers to grade,” he said into my hair.

“Mm, sexy. Oh, do I get an automatic A now?” I asked with a laugh, looking up at him.

“Maybe,” he grinned. “You stay here. In fact, I would love it if you stayed here.”

“No, I don’t think so… I think I’ll take a shower, too,” I said, sitting up.

Dez gave me a surprised look and shrugged. “Okay, I can wait.”

I paused as I got out of bed and looked over my shoulder at him. “Dez.”

“Yes?” he asked, smiling. I gave him a look and his expression became bewildered. “What?”

Laughing, I fell onto the bed backward and reached up to touch his chin. “I adore you.”

“What?” Dez asked again, still at a loss as he gazed down at me.

Winking at him, I said, “C’mon, Prof. I think there are a few things I can teach you after all.”

A throb went through me as Dez’s upside down face lit up. Slowly, his smile curved at the corners and a shiver shot through me. Then he was grabbing my hand, pulling me to my feet and leading me the way through the cold apartment and into the bathroom.

In another minute, my back was up against the cold tile as hot water poured over us and our starved lips met. Tongues stroked and teased. Fingers explored and gripped. Skin pressed against skin, his six-pack pressing into my stomach and making my eyes close.

Soon Dez was lifting me up, his arm around my waist and his thick length pressing at my center. Opening my eyes, I met his gaze and my entire body quivered.

“I still can’t believe this is happening,” Dez whispered.

“I can’t believe I waited this long,” I whispered, and he let out a rich laugh, moving closer.

We became one. I was biting my lips, holding onto him and squirming. He filled me to the breaking point and I was moaning as he began to move. Somehow, whether by instinct or talent, Dez knew exactly how to tease every last bit of satisfaction from me.

When I shattered, I was always vaguely surprised I was still conscious.

“It is a good morning,” Dez said wickedly in my ear.

All I could do was nod as I smiled up at him, knowing I looked like a smitten fangirl.

 

I was stretched out luxuriously on the couch, still wearing my favorite pajama bottoms and one of Dez’s big, Boston University sweatshirts. My hair was a glorious mess, my skin still tingling and my lips were still swollen. I was daydreaming about when Dez would come back from work and find me here. How he’d lean down, nip at my lips, then his weight would push me down into the couch…

Sharp, insistent knocking abruptly ended my fantasy all too soon. I sat up and eyed the door warily. Knocking came again and I moved towards it, hand drifting towards the new phone Dez had bought me yesterday. Leaning in close, I jumped when a fist banged on it.

A muffled voice said, “Easy, there, do not break the door, please.”

“What?” I murmured, laughing to myself as I opened the door.

Kesari and Roy were standing on the other side, Kesari’s eyes blazing with green-gold fury and Roy trying to hold her back.

“Soraya?” Kesari gasped, the fury changing to astonishment.

Even Roy looked staggered. “What are you doing here? What are you wearing?” Kesari elbowed him and he winced. “Sorry, I am surprised and did not mean to be tactless.”

“You never do,” I said, ushering them in. “What’re you two doing here?”

“What do you mean? Of course, we’re here! We would have been here sooner, but it took us forever to get a flight because of the stupid snow,” Kesari said, jerking off her scarf and prowling around the apartment. “Dez, get your butt out here!” she shouted.

“He isn’t here, sweetie,” I said.

“Kesari’s been a bit stressed about Dez and you,” Roy said delicately.

I frowned at him, for a second thinking he meant Kesari didn’t like me and Dez dating, then Kesari interrupted my thoughts.

“Where is he, Sora?” she demanded, coming back over to me and ignoring Roy.

“He’s out, honey,” I said. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” she cried out. “You call me, saying I need to get out here–” My eyes widened. That’s what this was about – not the dating, but the attack. Oh shit. I’d completely forgotten I’d called her. Never mind calling her back and letting her know I was okay. “And that Dez was in trouble. Then I hear all these noises and your phone goes dead! I mean, sure, Dara said it was nothing to worry about, but I knew better. I’ve been freaking out.”

I took her by the shoulders and tried to give her a reassuring smile. “I know this doesn’t excuse it, but a lot happened and I forgot. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to put you two through – never mind.” I paused. “Listen, Kes, did you tell my family any of this? Piper?”

“No, of course not,” she said with a scowl. “I’m not an idiot.”

Roy cleared his throat. “Kes, why don’t you sit down? Let Soraya talk, hm?”

She leveled me with a furious glare, almost impressive in someone as pixie-like as she was. “Are you going to tell us what’s going on? Or have you forgotten?”

“Remind me never to get on your bad side,” I muttered. leading her over to the couch. “I’ll tell you everything and I haven’t forgotten – oh my God! I did! I didn’t tell them…”

My stomach was sinking fast as I suddenly remembered casing those warehouses in Charlestown. I’d forgotten to tell Andrei and Dez about how the TLO had switched them up. Slipping a little on the floors in my socks, I scrambled over to the window as I dialed Dez.

Pick up, pick up… I begged in my head.

“Hi, you,” he said jovially in my ear. “Miss me already?”

“Dez, listen to me, the warehouse we found – that one is a trap. It’s been emptied out and all the product has been moved to one closer to the water. I checked it out, but…” I trailed off as my eyes darted to Roy and Kesari. “Well, there was a lot going on this weekend and I forgot to tell you.”

“Shit,” Dez muttered. “Hold on a second.” I heard his voice rumbling and then I thought I heard Andrei answer. “Are you with Andrei and the rest of them?” I demanded. “What happened to work?”

“Andrei?” I heard Roy ask behind me, sounding startled. “My cousin Andrei?”

“Yeah, I swung by because Andrei called me,” Dez replied. “Easy, Raya, I was going to tell you when I got home. But Andrei wants you to come here now. Dara said she’d come get you…”

I glanced over at Kesari and Roy. “Actually, I think I have a ride…”

 

Roy drove and Kesari peppered me with questions the entire way there. I managed to deflect most of them, insisting she talk to Dez and not get information second-hand from me. But she wouldn’t stop. Turned around in the front seat, she couldn’t stay still and it was making me nervous. She’d pulled the top strap of the seatbelt too far down.

“Kesari, I wish you wouldn’t sit like that,” I said and she ignored me. “Hey, how much coffee have you had, hon?” I asked her, then met Roy’s eyes in the mirror.

“Just a coffee on the plane and then a red-eye at the airport,” Kesari said.

“Just,” Roy said under his breath.

She flushed. “You know I’m worried.”

Reaching over, Roy gently squeezed her knee. “I know. And you know it is okay.”

The look on Kesari’s face could have melted the polar ice caps in one millisecond. Roy gave her an equally heart-rending one in return. Lips pulling up into a small smile, my heart glowed as I glanced between them and tried not to squeal.

I wish Faye could have lived to see Roy smiling like this. She’d love it, I thought wistfully.

Once we were at the building, we hopped out and Kesari all but ran inside. Roy shook his head, darting after her and I brought up the rear. A shudder went through me. We weren’t far from where the Valspars had waylaid me.

Inside, there was a round of greetings as I saw Dara, Obi, and Finni coming forward to say hello, hugging Kesari and Roy, then commenting on how good I looked.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kesari asked, frowning at me.

“I was a little beat-up the other day,” I said vaguely.

“A little,” Dara snorted under her breath and I shot her a look.

“Hey, brat,” Dez called out and I watched Kesari whip around. She ran at him and he grinned like a happy older brother. Dez was an only child and Kesari was like a little sister to him.

But that meant I knew what was coming even if he didn’t.

“Why didn’t you tell me what happened, you jerk?!” she yelled, punching him in the arm.

“Ow!” Dez yelped. “Woah, easy tiger, I had good reasons!” Dez said, backing up and looking to Roy for help, who shrugged. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Calm down and I’ll explain everything.”

“I will not!” Kesari all but shouted.

“Who’s the tornado?” Andrei asked, coming out from a back room and eyeing Kesari.

“Dr. Kesari Iyer,” she flashed at him and put her hands on her hips. “Who are you? Do you have something to do with all of this? Are you a Shifter of Anubis?”

“Sure,” he said cryptically and Kesari squinted at him. “I’m Andrei Zima,” he said, now grinning with a delighted kind of amusement. He glanced around and spotted Roy. “Ah, yes, of course, I know you. You’re the little doctor who thawed out my cousin, here.”

Kesari glanced at Roy, raising her eyebrows and pointing at Andrei. “He’s a Zima?”

Andrei extended his hand and Kesari slowly took it. He bowed low and kissed her knuckles. “We’re not all lacking charm, love.”

“I guess you kind of look a bit alike,” Kesari commented, eyeing him as he stood up.

“Nah, Roy’s a blond Kai,” Andrei said in a teasing tone as he let her go and winked at me.

“I am not,” Roy snapped, prowling over and Andrei let her go.

Andrei went to say something else but was interrupted by Kesari. “Is Alvie here?” When nods met her question, she said bossily, “Good. Come on, Dez, we have tests to run on you.”

Dez looked at me for help, but I shrugged and held up my hands. Roy followed, barely glancing at Andrei and his dark cousin looked piqued. Even I was surprised. Usually, Andrei and Roy got along pretty well, especially since Roy had adored him as a kid. I knew they didn’t see each other much, but I thought they had a pretty good relationship.

Before I could mull on it further, Dara interrupted my thoughts, with a sigh and a question, “Dez says you’re about to throw a massive wrench in our plans?”

I let out a long sigh of my own. “Yes.”