Page 14 of Abalim

She glanced around her messy office. Everything was in its place—her stack of to-be-read books piled in one corner and a stack that needed to be put on the bookshelves in another. The bookcases around the room were stuffed with novels of every size and color, along with various knickknacks on the shelves. The plant on her desk was a bit wilted. Darn, she’d better water it before it died. The two plants on stands in front of the windows seemed to have the same problem. When was the last time she took care of them? She rubbed her forehead. Why didn’t that seem right? She’d already taken care of the plants somehow.

“Find me? Am I lost?” She lifted her gaze to the sight of the gorgeous man, drinking in every luscious detail, and gave him a goofy smile. Hey, she was only human.

The man sat on the edge of her desk. His smile was warm and inviting. “I’m afraid so.”

Ignoring his implication, she widened her eyes and took a closer look at him.Holy… soaring space dung. This guy had to be one of the best-looking men she’d ever seen in her life. And she’d seen quite a few of them. Okay, they were two-dimensional pictures of male models she browsed through when deciding which one to pick for a cover of her latest romance book. But this guy… this guy put them all to shame. It wasn’t just the symmetrical arrangement of his face, which was fine… fine… fine, but it was the maturity and intelligence stamped there that took her breath away.

And his killer body wasn’t anything to sneeze at, either. Even though he wore loose clothing that could’ve been worn in the middle east centuries ago, the gap in the linen shirt and sleeveless brown vest displayed a virtual smorgasbord of hills and valleys of firm pecs with a hint of a six-pack farther down. His short sleeves lovingly caressed his bulging biceps that screamed power.

Her breath quickened as her gaze roamed over the muscles of his arms, tracing the contours of his body, and she imagined what all that power would feel like if she ran her fingers over them. A flush of warmth rose up her spine, and her heart thudded.

Lisa continued her examination. His skin was so dark it gleamed with purple highlights in the soft light. The whites of his eyes were a startling contrast to his face, as were those white teeth shown when his sensuous, full lips parted. His shoulder-length hair had corkscrew curls soft against his thick neck.

Even with his hands folded in front of him, his passive attitude didn't fool her one bit. There was obvious intelligence in his sharp, obsidian gaze. As if he knew the secrets of the universe that no one else did.

She was drawn to him, captivated by the beauty and mystery surrounding him. She’d bet her hard drive someone like him could share a boatload of exciting stories in a deep baritone voice. Better yet, whispering into her ear in the dark as they cuddled in a cloud of soft blankets. Naked.

Whew! If she was lost, she sure didn’t want to be found by anyone but him.

“Tell me how you’re feeling.”

The concern in his rumbling voice made her shiver.

Before she had a chance to answer, her stomach gave a loud rumble. She put her hand over it with a sheepish grin. “I’m starving.” Her nose wrinkled. “I don’t think I’ve eaten in a long time.” She tilted her head and gave him a quizzical stare. “I don’t understand why I said that. It’s not like I go around missing a chance to eat.” She patted the side of her well-endowed rear end with a chuckle. “Can’t get this baby looking like this by skipping meals.”

Abalim took her hands in his and pulled her up to stand. “I’m afraid I can’t help you with that, but I can give you the pleasure of tasting your favorite meal.”

The promise in his dark eyes made her suck in a breath. She’d rather find pleasure in something other than food. Her eyes roamed over his tempting muscular chest. Where to start… where to start…

He leaned over and whispered into her ear. “What would you like?”

Him? She licked her lips.Dang. Down, girl. No need to attack the man she met seconds ago. When he pulled back and looked at her, his hands squeezed hers just a bit. She shivered. The skin where he touched burned.

“Food.” His eyes twinkled. “What food would you enjoy?”

“A, ah, bacon cheeseburger and curly fries?” Her stomach rumbled and her mouth watered. She hummed at the thought of two sirloin beef patties smothered in melted cheese topped with crispy bacon between two toasted buns.

Her office disappeared. Now she sat cross-legged on a plush pillow on the floor. On top of a round table was a plate containing a double cheeseburger with a steaming helping of her favorite spicy fries. Modesty be damned. She grabbed the normally forbidden temptation and took a hefty bite. The burger was delicious. With each bite, she relished the flavor of the melted cheese and the juicy beef. For the first time in days, her hunger slowly started to abate. The fries, however, were even better. The golden-brown potatoes were perfectly seasoned, and the crunchy texture helped ease the aching hunger. After scooping up and devouring the last fry, she slouched and licked her fingers to savor the succulent grease left behind.

“I’m sorry, this isn’t real,” Abalim said from across the round table. “But the sensations you experienced aren’t phony.”

“What do you mean, this isn’t real?” She glanced around. Whoa, the only thing she saw was the table with plush cushions around it. The background was just a misty wisp of fog, like in a bad black-and-white horror movie. “Where am I?”

With the grace of a man in tune with his body, Abalim stood and sauntered to her, holding his hand out. “Come, let’s go someplace more comfortable. I’ll explain everything I know.”

She studied his outstretched hand and his sturdy fingers beckoning to be touched. With a mental shrug, she placed her hand in his.

Now the atmosphere was warm and cozy. She found herself on a plush couch facing a fireplace with a soothing fire dancing merrily inside. Abalim sat next to her, nice and cozy-like. While they didn’t touch, his body warmth eased the tension between her shoulders. How odd she trusted him like she did. She turned and sat cross-legged to face him.

“Okay.” She twined her fingers together and twiddled her thumbs. “Start by telling me where we are.”

Abalim twirled his forefinger to encompass the softly lit room that could’ve been someone’s vacation home in the mountains. “We are in what my family calls a Dreamwalk. Do you know what a psychic is?”

She nodded her head and shrugged. “Of course. I write paranormal romances, after all.”

His smile creased the skin at the corner of his eyes. “That should hopefully make this easier to explain. You see, I’m a very strong psychic whose main talent is telepathy. I was in that cell you and your friends were in on FiPan. Once I was there, it helped me connect with you mentally.”

Lisa gasped and put her hand over her mouth. “You mean you can read my mind? And you’re in it now?”Shit!Did this mean he knew she lusted after him earlier? Her face heated.

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