Evidence of Desire: Hero Series 3 (3 page)

“Soni-love.”

Here and now, it still caused her spine to tingle as if time had no relevance. A sigh slipped from her mouth as heat filled her body. Back then it hadn’t just been the sexual desire, but so much more. Her name on his lips had been her everything, her life. She’d never been special to anyone before, never significant enough for someone to want to care for her. But, he did.

Even if just for a time.

Butterfly kisses, like the first rays of sun in the Spring that awaken each flower touched her face—forehead, temples, cheekbones and the tip of her nose. Just as the morning flowers could not resist and keep from opening to the sun, her body gave in and began to bloom. Warmth spread from her face to her toes and filled every place in between. Her breast became heavy and tight with need that echoed in the ache between her thighs.

After all this time, she still yearned for him.
Him
in her dreams wasn’t new. Through the years when she was too exhausted to fight against the memories her sleep would be invaded. This time it seemed stronger, so much more then all her others.

She wanted to feel his touch, submit to the passion of his kiss.

Then he was there. The soft whisper of her name fluttered over her parted lips before his mouth met hers. It was electric, and strange. She reached out to take hold of him, clutch his shoulders and bring his body to hers, but she couldn’t locate him before her.

His tongue slipped into her mouth, licking the back of her bottom lip, as he would do to her top lip all the time. A shudder raked her body.

Her mind seemed to play out the logistics of the kiss and she realized why she could touch him, he was leaning above her. Their mouths were a six and nine, coming to the kiss in opposite positions. Proof it was just a dream. Passion between them had been hot, but never wild or different. They’d kept things traditional.

As odd as it was, it continued, with less finesse as usual, but still powerful. When his tongue touched hers, the taste of him exploded in her mind and awakened more than her lust. She could always recall his smell in her dreams, or his touch, but never his taste. Never.

That’s what made her question the dream. Ending the kiss, she opened her eyes and realized a few things. First, there was a man above her. She could see the brilliance of his smile sparkling in the false starlight. That was all she could see of her masked intruder. Second, because his image was so vivid she wasn’t sleep. Slipping from beneath him, she faced him, albeit awkwardly because of the reclined chair, but had to see this man that had taken liberties with her while she was sleep.

Not sleep. Her mind taunted.

“What do you think you’re doing? Who in their right mind kisses someone when they’re sleeping and doesn’t ask for it?”

“Were you?” His voice rumbled, a rustic timbre.

The textured sound made her mind think of hot, passionate nights, filled with abandonment. Something that wasn’t in her nature to give into.

She forcefully shoved that thought into the same mental closet her history man lived in.

“Yes,” she gritted out. Feeling at a disadvantage, she smacked at the button to right the seat and barely gave it time to close completely before she was on her feet. “I was sleeping.”

Staring the man with his mask folded up below his nose leaving sexy formed lips the only part of him out. She wanted to kiss those lips again. Feel them on hers, the right way. Growling internally, she wished there was a switch to her desire as well.

He folded his thick webbed arms over a chest that was too broad for the costume he was in.

Spiderman
. It was a kid’s outfit. Something that seemed silly to her to wear at an adult’s function. Not to mention the fact that the guys that portrayed him in movies and cartoon was always lanky and youth like—she always pictured him as small in stature too. However, not this imitator before her.

“If you were sleep, Sonya, how did you know it was me?” he questioned, moving from his post behind the chair toward her.

Frowning she reared back. “What? I didn’t know anything. I don’t even know
who
you are now.”

“Don’t you?” His voice was like velvet, smooth and inviting. He kept forward along the side of the chair.

The urge to step back, as he entered her personal space tightened her core, but she wouldn’t give in. That would make him think he had the upper hand on the situation. If he tried something on her again, she’d need to be close enough to kick him where it counted to get away. The Planetarium was practically sound proof and it was unlikely that over all the music in the center of the museum that anyone would hear her if she screamed. She now could see how hiding out here had not been the wisest of choices.

“Look, pal, I have no clue wh—”

“You said my name.”

“I said wha…” Her words drifted away as something tugged at her memory. When she first smelled the scent, she had sighed. But, it hadn’t been release of air as she’d thought. A name was tickling the back of her mind. Taking a hesitant step back, she stared at the man in the dim light. She needed the room illuminated, bright. She had to see for herself. Since lights weren’t possible, she demanded, “Take off your mask.”

“Say my name, Sonya.” The webbed crusader of justice lowered his hands, then flexed them at his side as if he was trying to keep himself from reaching for her.

Another step back. She wanted to say he was Daryl. That was a safe response. Safe to her very existence. However, she knew Daryl wasn’t in this outfit. Besides, earlier in the night this man and Daryl had been talking in a group of other men so they could not be the same person.

However, Daryl was easier to keep at a distance.

“Take. Off. The. Mask.” Each word she forced out with the snap of breaking a stick in her hands. However, she wouldn’t be able to hold a stick now, she was trembling so bad.

“Anything you desire, Soni-love.”

It was the nickname that came out loud and clear, as well as the sight before her as he whipped off the mask that hid his face that caused her knees to buckle.

“Parker.”

He was there, catching her as her legs gave out, refusing to support her any longer. Strong hands gripped her waist and pulled her to him.

Clutching his shoulders for support, she focused her mind on the crisscrossed strips of rubber beneath her fingers that adorned his costume instead of the face before her. She gulped in several breaths to sure up her weak form.

“Are you alright, Soni-love?” His voice was laced with concern as he cupped her cheek to lift her face.

“Don’t call me that.” She pushed out of his arms. “What are you doing here?”

“I didn’t think my appearance would be a shock to you.” He set his hands on his hips.

“How could you not?” She threw her hands high as her side. “I haven’t seen you in years. Why would I think you would show up at my job of all places?”

Shaking his head, he stooped down and swiped his mask from the floor. Where it must have fallen when he came to her aid. “Because I’ve been here for weeks.”

That gave her a start. “What? Why? Have you been stalking me or something?”

“No.” He resumed his full height.

Was it possible he had grown even taller since the last time she saw him? She recalled him being tall, taller than her five-nine frame. Now, he appeared to be over six-feet.

“I’m surprised you haven’t seen me around. I’m head of the new entomology wing.”

Oh, no. No, no, no.
“How? Why? When?” She locked her jaw to keep herself from babbling like a numbnut.

“I put in for a grant.”

“At my museum?” she yelled in outrage. Not just because Parker was here, but because he had gotten a grant when she had been trying for years.

“If I recall correctly the museum belongs to the state. I wanted a change of pace. The fact that you happened to be at this one as well,” he shrugged. “Just a bonus.”

“I can’t believe this. I’ve been trying for a gran—” She silenced her tirade. What she did in her job or personal life was no longer any of his business. “When you discovered I was on staff here, why didn’t you come see me then? Weeks ago?”

“All the other employees have made their way to our department to welcome us. Silly me, I thought you would do the same. I’m sure you’ve heard my name around here.”

She swallowed, glancing away from his dissecting gaze. Parker could always see through her. “You know how I feel about being around bugs. Besides, I’m busy. I don’t have time for gossip and chitchat. Like now.” She swept by him. “I need to get going.” She mumbled out a quick, “Congratulation on your grant.”

At the door, he took hold of her arm. He pulled her back against him, his chest to her back. “I’ll let you walk away from me now, Sonya, but there’s a lot for us to discuss.”

Glancing, over her shoulder, she met his all to familiar light brown gaze appearing amber in the glow of the red exit sign. “There’s nothing for us to talk about. You do your job here, and I’ll take care of mine.”

She stepped away.

He let her go. Out in the hallway, she headed toward the back staircase that would lead to the employee entrance. It was in the opposite direction of the atrium and partiers. She kept up a brisk pace and was thankful when she didn’t hear any other steps but her own.

It was time to go. She’d stayed longer than she had planned at the party—three hours. However, up until fifteen minutes ago, she’d been having an all right time. More enjoyment at the event then she thought she would have. Then everything changed.

This night had revealed more shocks than she could handle.

Parker Hayden was here. In the flesh. Once again they would be in the same place.

How she was ever going to handle being around him, she didn’t know. She’d have to treat him the way she did anyone else that wasn’t in her department, at arm’s length. There wasn’t any reason they should ever cross paths except at department head meetings and official functions.

She could do that. She could keep her ex-husband out of her life.

This isn’t over.

Parker watched his ex-wife walk out the Planetarium and let her go. Even with every fiber of his being wanting him to go after her. In the five years since he had seen her last, nothing about his response to her had changed. For the last few weeks since he and his team had relocated here and started receiving the shipments for his exhibit he wondered about their first meeting. How he would react to her.

She’d pegged him on one thing, he hadn’t sought her out. That had been on purpose. A part of him didn’t want to risk her having a negative reaction and it causing trouble for him during the development phases of his exhibit. It was important to him, to educate the public on his research he’d conducted over the years. At times risking his life for the sake of science.

People were probably looking for him at the moment, but he took a few deep breaths and attempted to get himself together. He’d watched Sonya all night. Had seen the way Daryl the Councilman had pursued her. While they had danced and chatted, standing too close, Parker had grit his teeth so hard behind his mask he thought his jaw would shatter.

Daryl had familiarity with Sonya.

He didn’t like it. Even though he had no claim to her any longer he couldn’t stand another male sniffing around her. He wondered if Daryl and Sonya were dating, had dated. Parker wanted to drill someone about their history. However, he kept his and Sonya’s relationship a secret. Right now, needed to. The museum had no policy about employee relationships, since that was a lot of time how they thrived, because children were interested in what their parents did and got internships and jobs.

But, it was his knowledge to keep close to his vest, for now.

There was no doubt in his mind, Sonya would not be yelling it from the rafters.

Damn she was more beautiful now than when they were in college. There was a mature polish to her now—wisdom in her eyes and the sassy tilt of her chin. There was something lost in her gaze now that had been before, joy and laughter. Sonya had always been a serious type of person, but there was always light in her gaze. A smile played at the corners of her mouth.

A sensual, perfectly formed mouth that he wanted to kiss when he spotted her coming into the party. Unlike everyone else, she wasn’t wearing any sort of mask on her face, not even a demi one. Her African costume, which he doubted was a costume at all, had draped around her body and covered her hair. The material kept him from seeing her figure. He was curious how she had blossomed in the years they’d been apart as well.

He knew she hated anything to do with Halloween and costumes, for good reason, he’d been surprise to see how long she had actually stayed tonight. While she had been on the dance floor, he had been reminded of the first time they had met. When he’d finally got the courage up to approach her and asked her to dance at the Winter Ball in college. That night had changed his life forever.

The urge to go to her and pull her into his arms, to hold her close, just as he’d done the first time assailed him. But, he held back. Waiting for the right moment away from the crowds.

Then he saw his chance to get a moment alone with her when she left the floor and headed toward a back hall. He excused himself from Kravers and slowly made his way in the same direction. For a moment, he was worried that he’d waited too long to speak with her and she was leaving, but he caught a glimpse of the deep red fabric as it disappeared into the ladies restroom. Not wanting to be caught hovering outside the women’s door, he kept himself hidden beside some plants and a glass waterfall. She would have had to walk right by him to get back to the atrium.

The door opened with a low squeak, his attention was drawn by the clicking of her heels. He shifted his stance toward the hallway and waited. However, it went quite, with the exception of the faint music from the party. Sonya never passed by him. When he stepped away from the place he waited, the passage was empty. He’d been confused, at where she’d disappeared to. Then he realized she must have gone into the Planetarium.

Checking the door, he entered, soundless and spotted her immediately reclining in a chair two rows up. Approaching her, he thought she was observing the few simulated stars that were flashing above head. He found her sleep.

Her beautiful golden brown complexion was shadowed in the room. But there was still enough light for him to make out her features. Sonya had a round face, perfect like a dolls, with a pert straight nose, a small forehead and naturally thin eyebrows. It was her thick, long lashes that had drawn him in from the beginning. Dark brown shade like her wavy hair. They surrounded the most sincere cat-shaped hazel eyes. A mixture of two cultures her body seemed to harvest the best features of both.

The African-American genes in her were solely responsible for her lush lips.

Standing, behind her, he’d be drawn to those lips. Instead of reaching out and awakening her with a gentle nudge to her shoulder, he leaned over her and pressed his lips to her ear. The Spiderman mask had muffled a lot of the things he’d whispered to her, a revelations of his emotions he’d buried inside of him for years.

When he’d called her his nickname, Soni-love, she’d moaned his name. Just as she’d done in so many passionate dreams that had filled the empty years without her. He reacted. Not wasting time to remove his entire mask, he did what he needed to in order to free his mouth and place it on hers.

Electric. Shocks of pleasure, passion and joy had sizzled through every element of his body. His gut tightened with need and the ache for Sonya that always slumbered there ignited and came alive.

Once she was fully awake, things had changed between them quickly. The storm of desire put at bay for the time being.

The shock in her gaze had made him wonder if she had been expecting someone else to follow her, someone else to be kissing her. When Daryl’s image came to mind and he’d wanted to punch the man in his face for even thinking of touching Sonya.

Five years of absence gave him no right to claim her.

But, that’s how he felt. She was his. He’d come back for her, and everything that he’d lost when she left, and no one was going to stand in his way.

A few more deep breaths and he was ready to face the celebration of his exhibit again. When he arrived back to the atrium he was a little concerned when he didn’t see Sonya anywhere around. He figured she’d left, but still wanted to lay eyes on her and make sure she was all right.

“Let’s talk. My office is spear heading a youth program or entomology course for the underprivileged.” Mayor Dolman patted him on the shoulder.

Never having been a big political person, Parker realized that being given a federal grant had its strings and sitting in the states politicians pocket was one of them. Through the night, Dolman or his wife had tossed out one idea after another. As if during the months the new wing was being built they’d done nothing but planned out various political strategies to bolster the Mayor’s campaign for the following year.

Settling, Sonya in the special corner of his mind, he focused back on work. “What did you have in mind, Mayor?”

~ML~

Sonya snuggled deeper under her comforter. It was Saturday. Normally, she was an early riser, but today she didn’t want to get out of bed. Yes, she was hiding. She could admit that to herself. Even though she was in her house alone, she still felt better about not even seeing the light of day. Maybe then she can continue to pretend that everything that happened last night was a dream. A figment of her imagination.

Parker was not really in North Carolina.

The theme to Lion King rang out loud from her living room.

She groaned. “Go away!”

It didn’t stop, but continued to get louder.

She debated whether or not to let it go to the answering machine. She convinced herself that by the time she go to it, the person would be headed to voicemail. When it finally stopped, she pushed away the feelings of guilt and rolled over.

When it started again, she flung the covers off her body. Quickly, she covered her eyes to shield her vision from the glaring bright sun coming through the sheer part of her curtains. Emotionally, exhausted she had forgotten to close the drapes before tumbling into bed.

Getting up, she did a quick shuffle to the phone. She picked it up from the coffee table to answer it.

“Hi, dad.” She rubbed her forehead, feeling an ebbing thump of a headache from getting up too fast.

“Hey there, pumpadoodle.” Her father’s voice was filled with false cheer, as always.

“What’s going on?” she stifled a yawn and moved to the couch.

“Were you still sleeping? At this time of day? Are you sick? You want me to call you back later?” There was an edge of sincerity to her father’s voice this time.

She knew that he had some concern for her, but usually worry over his own self took precedence. Which equated to, if Sonya was unwell, then daddy might not get his monthly pay.

“No, dad, I’m fine. Just had a function at work last night and I’m still a little tired.” Peeping at the clock of her digital cable box, she noted it was after eleven. Gracious, it was practically unheard of for her to sleep past eight.

“Glad to know work is going well. Ahem.” He cleared his throat.

By now, she would think that her father was used to asking her for things. This pseudo-relationship between them had been going on since she start baby sitting in high school.

Not wanting this conversation to drag on, she opened the dialogue, “How much do you need?”

“You know I hate asking you for money. Kitten-rainbow, you already do so much for your old man. I went out just yesterday and—”

“The amount, dad.” If she allowed this song and dance to get wound up, it would go on for up to an hour. With everything else happening in her life right now, she didn’t have the constitution for it. Not today.

“Um, three hundred.”

Now she was wide-awake. “What? Why so much? I know Mr. Greene got your rent check, it came out of my account already.”

“Yeah, yeah…rent is fine. I just fell a little short on my utilities.”

“I don’t understand that. You live in a one studio. All your month utilities can be handed with a hundred and fifty a month. Your disability covers that and groceries.”

“True. But, things come up. You know, pumpkin patch, don’t worry, I’ll find some way to cover before they get shut off on Mond—”

Booze had come up. Or gone down his gullet as always. Why she even questioned him to hear one fabrication after another she didn’t know. “I’ll take care of the utilities and send you a little money for your pocket. How’s that?”

“Fine. Great. You’re the best.” Tremors broke through his words.

In her mind she could see the shaking of his hands as he held the phone to his ear.

“I’ll put it in your account today.”

“Thanks. I love you, Carebear.”

“Love you too, dad.” The call ended as it always did once financial arrangements had been established. She had no doubt that her father loved her. That in the miserable life he’d created for himself, she was the only thing he loved—after one other.

Erwin James Watson loved to drink. Her father had been an alcoholic most of her life. Since her mother walked out on them and he got his leg crushed weeks later at work. The bottle, cheap gin, was his first love. Too many nights more than she could count she poured her father into bed when he stumbled in during the wee hours of the morning. Once she got home from school, she got enough black coffee in him and something to eat, before he went out again.  Those small moments over dinner were the only lucid times she recalled sharing with her father.

Settling onto the couch, she made the phone calls she needed to for her father. Just as she figured her father was two and half months late on all his utilities. There was no reason for her to wonder where his money had gone to instead of bills.

Sighing, she completed the final transfer from her bank app on her phone.

Sitting in the corner of her sofa, she drew her legs up to her chin. She needed to do something to get her mind off her father. All too soon, she’d have to drive to Northern Virginia and handle the situations. Right now, she just wanted a shower and to lose herself.

“I’ll go to the studio.” Launching from the couch with a plan of action, she headed back to her room. Modern dance was her second love after art.

Going from her bedroom to the bathroom, she stumbled in a step as Parkers face flashed in her mind.
Where did he fall in the order?

She ignored her heart and continued getting ready. The loud rush of water when she turned on the shower and the bathroom ventilation fan drowned out any thought for the moment.

With a renewed vigor, she shower, shaved and added a moisturizing conditioner to her hair. When she was standing before the mirror, with a bathrobe on, she stared at herself in the fading steam. Her mind drifted back to Parker and she wondered for a moment what he thought of how she looked now. In five years she hadn’t changed much, except possible shortened her hair to just below her shoulders and weight. She wasn’t necessarily heavy, but she wasn’t as thin as she had been in college.

During high school and college, her figure could almost be considered boyish, it was the reason she had no problem focusing all her energy on her studies. None of the guys on campus had been clamoring for her attention as they had Karen, Tiffany and Veronica. Then there was Parker.