Page 58 of Morning's Light

Why not go back to old faithful? Israel was ready and willing. No emotion, no commitment. Easy. Instead, she stood in front of Elon with the awkwardness of the first time, words drying in her mouth and heat still pooling between her legs.

The tenderness of the situation took her by surprise, as did the insatiable thirst to have him a second time. To have everything again, not just the sex but the breathless touches, the sighs in the dark.

All of it.

“If this is a one-time deal, please tell me now.” His statement came on a whisper. He didn’t want to hear the answer. Still, he had to ask.

“I don’t know.” She didn’t want to hurt him. The fierce need to protect rose up inside of her.

Elon gathered her to him and maneuvered her out of the kitchen. “Come on. We’ll sit, have a little bite to eat. I probably have leftover chicken tikka in the fridge.”

They walked into the living room. A large couch in odd shades of burgundy and tan plaid dominated the space. The television played softly in the background, men in vibrant colors chasing after a bright orange ball.

Aisanna took it in. She allowed Elon to sit and pull her down on his lap. His lips brushed at her neck and before she knew it she had leaned into the contact. He continued his exploration of her skin, a trace of emotion in the warmth of his caresses. “I’m glad you’re here.”

She hated herself in that moment, putting him at risk for her own selfish reasons. It felt good, deliciously good. Her every nerve was alive and on point, aching for more when she knew it to be a deplorable idea.

“I really should go. I think I’ve overstayed my welcome,” she murmured.

“You don’t have to leave. Stay with me for a while. I promised to feed you, didn’t I? Stay.”

She hesitated to tell him it was a mistake. Did she regret it?

No, not yet.

Leaning away, she prepared to tell him she had places to be and people to see. Then his hand found hers, and somewhere in the depths of her mind, a bell clanged for round two.

**

Aisanna snuck out of Elon’s bed before sunrise.

The moon rode high in the sky when she extricated herself from his embrace, gingerly lifting his arm and slipping beneath it. Leaving him was harder than she was ready to admit. His embrace was so comforting and familiar.

She gathered the rest of her borrowed clothing and kept her footfalls soft as she wound down the hallway. The front door opened with a sigh, letting in a gust of frigid air, and she let herself out. It swung shut behind her with a thud of finality. The end of…something.

She shivered and rubbed at her arms. Never before had she been in the habit of sneaking out of someone’s house with guilt heavy in her heart. Those kinds of things were reserved for teenagers. The boy who knew he had overstayed his welcome. The college girl who remembered her early final and still hadn’t studied.

Certainly not suitable behavior for a respectable thirty-year-old woman. Aisanna wanted to kick herself.

Lights were on in the restaurant next door, the food already frying in preparation for the day. With her appetite sated, she no longer felt hunger.

“Get your head on straight,” she admonished. “There are more important issues to think about here, like stopping Darkness from taking over.”

Speaking it aloud, in the stilled hush of night, had her hurrying along outside with borrowed cash in hand and checking over her shoulder. She’d call a cab from the restaurant, get home hopefully before frostbite threatened her feet, still clad in Elon’s soft cotton booties. Better than being barefoot.

Dangerous things hid in the night. She knew now, better than anyone else. Had experienced firsthand the horrible things awaiting her if Darkness caught the advantage.

Why had she gone so far with Elon? It didn’t make sense. Something had moved in her, an emotion scarily close to desire but keener, sharper. A horse of a different color.

She ached for him. Her breasts tightened at the thought of their time together. Each step was a restless reminder that she dared not repeat the moment. No, no, no, went the beat of her heart.

The restaurant staff was friendly and accommodating, and soon she was on her way home. Remorse warred with contentment as she remembered the look on his face, the look when he finally realized that it was no dream. The way his body felt when it thrust into hers. Happiness rose up and she forced it down. It was a blunder, a one-time thing. It was too dangerous to continue.

For Elon, she clarified. He was already halfway in love with her. What would happen to him if Darkness decided to exploit her weaknesses? She tried to harden her heart.

**

She walked through the front door and was immediately accosted.

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