Rock Hard (16 page)

“But I’ve only been working for two weeks! I can’t miss a day already, I’ll be fired.”

Marduk laughed at her reaction. “Later, you can give me the address of your workplace, and I’ll have one of my brothers make sure that your job is secure for however long you are absent.”

Tess appreciated the intervention and lay still for a moment. Her next problem became more immediate in nature. Her energy level hovered at zero, and she wasn’t sure what would happen if she tried to make it to her feet, but she badly needed to use the bathroom. “I, umm, need to use your facilities.”

“No problem. Give me your hand.”

She reached for him and he drew her up, sweeping his big arm around her waist as she swayed with the abrupt change.

“I’ll be fine in a minute,” she said nervously, knowing that she shouldn’t be letting him get so close, but strangely comforted by his solid heat. “I feel gross,” she pushed at him a bit. “I must smell about as good as a goat, too.”

“You smell fine to me,” he corrected diplomatically.

Marduk helped her to the door of his bathroom, where she then pushed him away. “I’ll be okay now,” she assured him. He looked hesitant to leave her side.

“If you need assistance,” he replied, “just think it in your head and I’ll hear you.”

No way in hell you’re coming in with me, buddy,
Tess thought.

She got a
We’ll see!
in response.

Moving into the bathroom, Tess took her time, every action deliberate. If she ended up on her ass, the last thing she wanted was uber-god coming to the rescue and seeing her scrawny, naked body. She looked around. The bathroom was magnificent—all glass and chrome, but warmed up with the most marvelous green stone, veined with black and silver.

Fluffy white towels hung or lay everywhere throughout, and one of those totally cool radiator-cum-warming racks took up a vast amount of wall space. When she had ogled her fill and was almost through, she spied a tube of toothpaste. Squirting some on her finger she scrubbed her mouth repeatedly. Tess looked longingly at the toothbrush on the sink, but couldn’t bring herself to use Marduk’s toothbrush on puke-mouth. Maybe she’d ask him later if he had an extra.

Pale and smelly, but certainly more human, Tess emerged from the bathroom. Marduk was concentrating on something on the opposite side of the room.

“…so will you have Shamash do that for me?” Marduk was imparting his wishes to…someone invisible?

Whoa! Chick in the house!
A bodiless Anshar eyed Tess up and down.
Looking a little worse for the wear, buddy!
he teased Marduk.
You should take better care of her.

“I heard that,” Tess felt dizzy again. Marduk frowned.

“I’m hearing someone else’s voice.” She confronted the god.

Without turning, Marduk said, “You’re correct. I am in conversation with someone who’s walking a very fine line right now.” Obviously taking pity on Tess for the strangeness of the situation, he sighed. “Open your mind to me and I will let you see my brother, Anshar.”

Tess allowed her mind to go blank and felt a layer appear over her vision, almost like someone had covered her reality with a bit of film. A laughing figure appeared.

“Oh! You’re Anshar.” From her vision, she recognized the long blond ponytail and vivid blue eyes of the one she knew as the joker of the bunch. His voice answered, not through her ears, but again in her head.

And you are the mighty Tessa-mouse
, he expounded.
The whole household is waiting to meet you…

Marduk rumbled.

…after you’re through with Marduk, that is. Speaking of which
—he turned his attention fully back to Marduk—
we’ve called a meeting for 7 a.m.

“We’ll be there.” Marduk ushered Anshar out. Tess was happy that, before he left, Marduk reminded Anshar to contact Tess’s boss, then closed and locked the door behind the departing god.

“Now,” he said, gazing deep into Tess’s eyes and causing a shiver. “It’s time for a shower.”

“Why do you say that like you might have something to do with it?” Tess wrapped her arms around herself and gave him her best glare.

He chuckled. “Just look at yourself, Tess.” Marduk’s voice was soothing and even. “You’re feeling gross and reeling where you stand. I can’t put you in a marble shower stall and trust that you won’t fall over.” He sounded so reasonable. “That’s all we’d need right now, you cracking your head open. Doc Dani would suspect, with a second injury, that I’m abusing you.”

He meant the last as a joke, but he sensed an immediate fear that flared off of Tess in palpable waves. When she didn’t respond, he worried that something was terribly wrong. Were the drugs still in her system?

“Tess, are you okay? Snap out of it!” He crossed the room to touch her shoulder, but she flinched away, and actually cowered against the wall. She straightened quickly, but not before Marduk felt her terror.

“If you don’t mind,” she told him shakily, “I’m perfectly capable of taking my own shower. If I need help, I’ll do the mind-thingy and let you know.”

Marduk scowled with displeasure. He didn’t want her to be alone in the shower. Tess was still recovering, was most likely experiencing some post-traumatic stress from the attack earlier, and, selfishly, he would miss out on the warm water…and soap…his big hands sliding up and over her body while she glistened with bubbles. He let his imagination soar.

Once her petite body was slippery with soap, he’d rock his hardness into the soft curves of her ass, while his fingers explored her pert nipples. Marduk pushed that idea into her mind to see what her reaction would be, and saw her cheeks redden. She stumbled backward, putting space between them.

“I’m fine with the soap, all by myself,” she flung at him with a gasp. “The only thing I’ll need from you are some clean clothes.” She backed up slowly, as if she expected him to protest and follow. “Maybe a T-shirt and some sweat pants I can roll up?”

“You won’t need to borrow anything,” responded Marduk, taking a step away. He was getting the picture from her that he really wasn’t welcome. He must be behaving like an ass. “Enlil packed a few things from your place and brought them over, just in case you needed to stay for a while. They’re in the bottom drawer.” He indicated a charcoal, low slung, retro bureau against the wall, briefly wondering if Tess would be angry over that invasion of her privacy. It may not have even registered. She sent him a quick “thanks,” scurried into the bathroom, and firmly closed the bathroom door behind her.

Marduk sat on his gray silk sheets, perplexed. Didn’t Tess find him attractive? He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had trouble winning the interest of a woman. Had he lost his touch over the ages? He realized, from television, that ladies in this era liked the sensitive type. He could do sensitive! What would that entail? Flowers? Candy?

He’d also been told in the past that he was well-built, handsome, funny, and an amazing warrior. He flexed his muscles, unconsciously. So what was the problem? He was puzzling over his next move when he heard a distinct thud from behind the bathroom door.

“Tess?” He was on his feet in a heartbeat. “Tess, are you all right?” He knocked on the door, knowing she would hate it if he burst in. When he received no answer, her shy reluctance be damned, he entered the bathroom. She was crumpled on the bottom of the glass shower stall, water cascading over her still form. Marduk cursed and wrenched the door open. His T-shirt was instantly plastered to his body, and he whipped his hair back as water streamed across his brow. He knelt slowly by Tess’s side.

“Tess.” His heart was in his throat as he moved his hand across her shoulder and down her arm, picking it up to feel her pulse. She began to stir. Thank the gods.

Marduk had every intention of keeping his gaze averted from her breasts as she awoke, but his eyes moved over her curves of their own accord. Beautiful handfuls. His fingers itched to touch. That was when he saw the marks. His hand stilled mid-trajectory.

What the hell? Those are not natural! Inside his head, he roared. He had seen enough injuries in his long life to know that the marks on her breast had been made quite deliberately with a knife. Someone had cut his beautiful Tess! Who had dared to defile her in such an evil way?

Anger lit him up from within. He would kill whoever did this! His hand moved forward again to touch the evil marks, as if he could take them away, but he drew back sharply when her eyes fluttered open. He had just enough time to count before she fully awakened. Twelve marks. Twelve marks he would avenge in the cruelest of ways should he ever find the person responsible.

“What…what?” Tess suddenly became aware that she was no longer alone, nor was she upright. “Oh!” She sought to cover herself with her hands.

“Don’t be afraid, little one.” Marduk’s voice vibrated low, full of compassion that threatened to choke him. “You passed out in the shower. I’m going to help you to your feet.” He took her hand and placed it on his shoulder, while wrapping her waist with his arm and levering them both to a standing position. Quickly, he turned off the water, then reaching behind him, grabbed a fluffy cotton towel from the shower door and wrapped her into its warmth before she could protest.

Tess looked up at Marduk, suspicious of his next move. He’d come in to rescue her but, now that he was here, what would he expect? Odd. There was nothing sexual in his gaze. She was seized with a sudden and unreasonable gut wrenching disappointment.

She got the picture. He must have looked at her naked body before she had come to and been disappointed with what he had seen. She was no prize with legs that were too thin, breasts that weren’t full, hips that could only be called boyish. She’d never had any illusions that she was a desirable female, but damn, couldn’t she just this once…

Wait! What did she care? Was she crazy, messed up in her head by the drugs that were still in her system? Did she want Marduk to like what he saw? She thought he’d been interested before, but really…she scoffed at the ridiculous notion. Most guys could get hard in a stiff wind. Did she really imagine a male like Marduk, a god no less, (and she did, finally believe he was a god) could be aroused by her?
Grow up, Tess.

If Marduk was aware of her internal dialogue, which in all likelihood he was, the deity was doing a great job holding his tongue. She could only think how confused he must be listening to her, since she was giving off such mixed signals, but truly, she didn’t know what she wanted from him.

Tess leaned back against the shower wall. “Thanks for coming to my rescue. I guess you were right about my safety,” she admitted with transparent reluctance.

“Next time,” he said gruffly, “you’ll do well to listen to me. Come,” he continued, “let’s get you into some clothes.” He left the small enclosure, giving Tess time to re-group.

She stumbled on her way from the shower and he moved with swiftness, his arm coming around her for support again. She thought she heard the sound of indrawn breath, but surely that was her overactive imagination. There was no way this magnificent male could be at all affected by her nearness. Marduk grabbed another towel on their way out of the bathroom.

“Sit.” He pushed her onto the bed, allowing for no argument, then knelt at her feet. Without glancing up, he started at her toes and wiped the moisture away, leaving warmth in the wake of his fingers. Slowly he worked his way up and over her calves, rounding her knees, spending just enough time on the undersides to tantalize her nerve endings.

He moved to pat the length of her thighs with a deliberateness that left her languorous. First one, then the other, up to the edge of her towel, then back. His touch melted her bones. Tess felt something deep inside start to sizzle and, without realizing it, she placed her hands on Marduk’s shoulders.

Marduk had been lost, massaging her flesh, and was startled by her touch. He looked up slowly so as not to spook her, and watched Tess pull her lush bottom lip into her mouth. He saw her pupils flare, and felt his desire rise. The urge to kiss her was so strong. Dare he try?

He would have to move slowly. His little mouse had been hurt at some point in her life, and he didn’t want those memories to get in the way. He didn’t want her to fear him. Marduk let the towel drop deliberately from his hands. He let her see what he was doing and urged her mentally to set the pace. The warmth of his fingers replaced the rough cotton and he played lightly over her skin. He could have sworn her legs parted slightly and the pulse in her neck quickened.

Marduk moved closer, breathing in her scent, and brought his face level with hers. His nose nudged her undamaged cheek. She didn’t move away. Instead Tess turned into his touch, and he felt the tentative brush of her mouth at his jaw. It was all the encouragement he needed.

He tipped his head and drew her in with gentle hands at her shoulders. Carefully, Marduk brushed his lips to hers, once, twice, tasting the delicate mouth he wondrously held beneath his. When she finally softened and brought her fingers up behind his neck, he couldn’t help himself. Marduk claimed her mouth in a desperate crush.

His hands moved of their own volition down to the outside of her legs and followed her flanks upward under the towel. He felt her gasp at the boldness of his touch, but kept his mouth fused to hers, seeking her tongue and plunging into her warmth. Heaven.

His hands found her lightly muscled ass and curled around its taut softness. Tess stiffened and began to draw her body back. He tried to coax her forward again, but now she tensed. Her gasps changed in a way that made him suddenly unsure. He drew his hands away from her curves, but kept possession of her mouth, still eager for her kiss, when she stiffened completely and began beating at his chest. Marduk pulled from his sexual stupor, instantly contrite. He moved away and grabbed her pummeling fists, quieting her like a he would a trapped animal.

“Tess! Tess!” he crooned. His words fell over her again and again. He caressed the insides of her wrists with tender strokes. She needed to fight her panic and realize that he wasn’t going to force her into anything. “It’s okay, Tess. I would never hurt you. It’s okay.” Marduk continued reassuring her until he felt her come back to herself, calm, and go still.