Crossfire - a sizzling slow burn with supernatural powers

Colors behind closed eyes

My mother looked at me as if I had pinched her. And to be fair the sentiment surprised me a little, but the words rung true as I spoke them. My mother and I co-existed in the house more than we had a mother-daughter relationship, but it was true for us. She padded my arm gently.

"This will be a good thing, and it's not full time."

She left the room to return to the home office. She was running away as she did when there was an emotional or real moment between us. I went upstairs to my room. In some ways we were alike. We needed some alone time to gather our thoughts. My mom did that with a glass f wine and some light work on her computer. I did it running or drawing.

I sat at my desk with a pencil between my fingers, casually sketching, or rather occupying my hand as I thought. I needed to be home to have some semblance of normalcy. This was where I was completely myself and where I could still recount the old, ordinary Harper who attended high school and came home, before meeting Brandt and stepping into the world of the empowered. I missed that life, its dullness and continuity. There was time to think. I loved Brandt, but everything, my entire life, was a roller coaster ride of emotions and actions. I needed to breathe.

The door to my bedroom was flung open. Brandt was in the doorway. He was here. His floppy hair reached his eyebrow. His gaze was on me with the blue glint of color so clear. His lips parted. I could feel his energy and it made my skin tingle. His leather jacket creaked as he bounded across my room and pulled me from my seat.

I dropped the pencil on the floor and it rolled away.

Our lips met and we could finally take a deep breath. My hands pulled Brandt closer and closer still. Any distance between us was too far. We were hungry for each other, kissing and breathing together. Brandt's energy sizzled in the air. He held me in his arms and he kissed my jaw and my neck. My pulse pounded in my ears.

I pushed his leather jacket off his shoulders. I wanted to be closer still. I felt the muscle beneath his t-shirt. He tore off the jacket without removing his lips from my body. Our mouths met and his tongue caressed mine. Brandt ran his arms around my back in a strong embrace and lifted me from the floor. My legs circled his waist. The heat between us rose as our bodies pushed together. It was unbearable and I didn't want it to stop.

I ran my fingers through his hair to keep his lips on me. Brandt's hands crept under my top, my skin afire with his touch. Brandt closed the distance to my bed and lowered our combined body. His weight on me felt right. His lips left mine and we pulled a blue spark between us. It broke with an audible snap.  Brandt caressed the sting in my lower lip with the pad of his thumb. His eyes sparkled blue with emotion. 

I pulled my top off and heard Brandt's breathing hitch. He pulled his T-shirt over his head and my hands traipsed the plains and grooves of his chest. Brandt kissed my Lichtenberg figure and ran his tongue along the zigzag lines. Every nerve sung with intensity and I saw colors behind closed eyes, when Brandt's tongue reached my peak and his fingers the other.

A breath began with me and ended with Brandt as if we were one and the same. Our movements were waves between us, bound by hot currents. We were hyper focused and lost in each other. Every touch was a brand new discovery in our united wilderness together.

This wasn't planned, but it felt right. Even afterwards as our breath settled and some of the heat evaporated, I felt like was in the right place, laying skin to skin with Brandt. My one leg was flung over his, and my hand resting on his lower abs. I began to move it, but Brandt's hand on mine stilled my movement. We didn't move to cover up or find our clothes. I felt strong, happy, and loved.

Brandt studied my face as if taking in every detail.

"I don't think I can be away on assignment again. Especially, when my dad and Levina keep me in the dark. Are you okay?"

I nodded.

"I am now." Truth be told, I missed Brandt like crazy, as if my life was dependent on his. I was alright now. I was back home and Brandt was here with me.

Brandt pulled my hand closer and kissed the inside of my wrist.

"I almost exploded with lightning when Levina told me you had been taken and I left the assignment. I needed to get back to you."

"I missed you too, but Brandt, even if you had been here, you couldn't have done anything. Levina couldn't do anything. And I still escaped."

With every word Brandt pulled me closer, assuring me that he was there and he wouldn't let me go. I leaned over and kissed his mouth.

"It's okay," I cajoled, "and your dad is one step ahead of you. He was here today appeasing my mom to let me stay with you."

Brandt frowned and I understood. This was a reaction to Neil Duncan's actions, which were never altruistic. At the same time, I had burst the bubble we were in. I got up on one elbow.

"Hey, here and now, please," I said.

Brandt smiled his sincere smile.

"God, you are beautiful."

His warm hands stroked my body as if making sure that I was physically there and that I was alright. I relished every touch. I pulled him closer to me and not wanting to stop.