Chapter 3

 ~IRENE~

My eyes slowly fluttered open. Besides my legs being numb from last night's dream, I didn't find any reason to want to get up. Slowly sitting up, I ran my hand through my hair, gazing outside the window at the rising sun. Stifling a yawn, my hands drifted to the midst of my thighs, feeling my drenched underwear.

"Shit." I could feel my face redden. That dream was so bizarre it felt so real. I could still feel the lips of that red-eyed hunk on my face and my shoulders. My fingers grazed my hard nipples, and my blushing intensified.

"Whoever that was, he better show up in real life," I whispered.

My phone rang, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. Glancing at the screen as I picked it up, I saw Larry's name on the screen.

"Hello." I placed the phone to my ear.

"Irene." His voice was exactly as sharp as the morning person he was. "I hope you are in better conditions now."

"Yes." I hopped off the bed. "I guess it was one of those dizzy spells. Rare but happens."

The breath of relief from the other side was clear. "That is wonderful. Take your time and get ready. You'll be needed at the office around 11:00. The equipment needs to be loaded."

"Equipment?" I scratched my head.

"For the excavation. Have you forgotten"?

The memories of the image of the screen came flashing to me. "No, I haven't. I just thought we would take some time."

"Not in this case. Delay is dangerous."

"Okay, Larry." I chuckled. "I'll be there."

I heard heavy breathing on the other end.

"Larry?" My brows furrowed.

"You know you can call me Dad." His voice had a softer tone. "It's been eighteen years, and we should have a time to differentiate between formality and the latter."

"I know." I rubbed the back of my neck, knowing he was right. He did rescue me out of the hell called orphanage when I was seven.

"I'll see you later," he said.

"Yeah," I said and cut the call.

*********

"Irene!"

I was enveloped in a very tight hug, courtesy of my mountain of a friend.

"Connor..." I wheezed. "Can't...breathe."

"Oh, sorry!" He quickly set me down.

Dusting myself, I glared at the apologetic grin on his face. Sometimes, he forgot his strength. The anger swiftly vanished from my face, replaced with a smile. How could I stay mad at him?

"Good to see you, too." I gave a light punch to his bicep. It would definitely be like a small tap to him.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I'm feeling okay." I shrugged. "In fact, better than okay."

"That is good." His face spread into a wide smile. "Please do not frighten us again like that. Mr. Wesley could barely concentrate all day after you left."

"You're kidding." I deadpanned. The mental image of Larry pacing about in his office seemed unrealistic and comical, considering how stoic he always was. 

"I do not lie!" Connor folded his arms, seemingly offended. His statement and the accent made me want to laugh. Until I glanced in the direction of the stairs. All humor departed.

From the steps, Jeff descended. Beside him was Bianca, and they held hands. It wasn't the fact that they always displayed attention of love that irked me. It was the fact that Jeff was my ex-boyfriend. We broke up for one of the dumbest reasons.

 My virginity. 

The fact that I wanted it to remain that way till marriage irked him. And then when I found him cheating with Bianca, hell broke loose.

"Heard about what happened," Jeff said as soon as he reached the bottom. "Sorry."

"Yeah," Bianca muttered. 

My eyes narrowed. She could shove her half-hearted apology where the sun doesn't shine. Without another word, they walked away. 

"Are you okay?" Connor said.

"Yeah, I am." I spun around to smile at him.

"You know you can always talk to me." His eyes reflected concern.

It was at that time I noticed the tired lines underneath them.

"Connor, you look like you didn't sleep last night," I said.

"What do you mean?" He averted his eyes.

"Connor." I folded my arms.

"Okay," he sighed. "I was occupied last night."

"Occupied?" My eyebrow arched.

"Well..." His expression took on that of a shy ten-year-old's. "I've been seeing someone."

There were ten seconds of silence between us.

"Oh my gosh!" My eyes rivaled an owl's.

"Irene!" He looked around, wary of some potential spies onto our spicy gossip.

"Sorry." I placed my hands over my mouth.

Grabbing him by the arm, I pulled him to the back of the large pile of equipment. We were both hidden from view.

"Tell me about her," I said, keeping my voice low.

"Well..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I met her recently. She's a gym instructor."

"Oh, a sportswoman." I wiggled my eyebrows with a giggle. 'I see you have a thing for women with muscles. There has to be a balance, eh?"

"It is not like that!" A light scowl marred his features. "Yes, she is fit. But I can assure you she is not the way you describe."

My eyebrow arched in disbelief.

"Okay." He reached into his pocket and fished out his phone. Retrieving it, his eyebrows formed a comical thin line as his fingers swiped at the screen.

"See!" He showed it to my face. I took the phone and peered closer at the screen. My lips parted in surprise.

The picture of his supposed girlfriend was the opposite of my expectation. True to his words, she was into fitness, as she was wearing a tracksuit. However, the tracksuit hugged her apparent curves. She had red curly hair, thick lips, and deep blue eyes.

"Oh wow, she's gorgeous," I whispered.

"Aha! I told you." He stretched his hand for the phone.

I gave it back to him, and we both walked around the pile of equipment.

"So how far have you gone?" I nudged him. "I hope she can handle a knucklehead like you."

"I take offense to that!"

"I'm kidding."

"Ah, I can't stay mad at you!" He gripped me by the side, giving me a slight noogie.

Brushing my hair back into place, I shook my head with a smile. Everything was getting back to normal.

                            

**********

"Again?"

I never thought having the same kind of dream back-to-back was possible. But I was damn wrong.

I found myself in the same desert just like the previous night's dream. This time, I found myself on top of a bed. The pool where that mysterious hunk emerged was gone.

"This is new." My hands traced the purple silk sheets on the bed. I wasn't even going to ask what a bed was doing in the middle of the desert on a cold night. After all, it was a dream.

I felt a strange warmth behind me and spun around. A huge ball of fire, strangely grey in color, had materialized. My hand flew to my chest, calming my raging heart as I saw the familiar silhouette of that mysterious man through the flames. With each step he took, my beating heart seemed to stubbornly push away my hand that supported my chest.

By the time he emerged from the flames and they died behind him, my heart rate had steadied. Again, half of his face was hidden by a shadow.

"It's you again." Good thing I could talk this time.

The corners of his lips curled upwards as he approached the bed. Getting on top of it, he crawled towards me slowly, his red eyes glowing in hunger like I was a meal. Then again, I didn't mind being his meal. I didn't mind being eaten. 

In more ways than one.

To prove that, I lay down flat on the bed, keeping my eyes on him. He paused, seemingly surprised by my obedience, and then the smile was back on his face as he resumed his movements. He hovered above me, his gaze roaming all over my naked body. His eyes settled on my lips, and he descended. Without a second thought, my lips parted in reception.

Our tongues tangled in a one-sided battle in his favor. His hands brushed my hair and cupped my cheek, moving to my breasts. A small gasp left my lips as I felt the soft squeeze he gave them. 

He pulled away from me but kept his hands on my breasts. If his touches on my boobs made me flinch, the sudden feel of his hard cock against my thigh made me pool at the midst of my legs.

My legs parted. Was it against my will? I wasn't sure. His eyes widened for a split second and then narrowed.

"No." 

I jolted at the sound of his voice. Hearing it for the first time, it was so deep. Like rumbling thunder in the skies above.

His hands left my breast, tracing my face.

"Not the right time, my love."

Before I could voice my frustration of being teased, he claimed my lips again. His lips were a drug. A drug that cured any kind of negative emotion I felt. I wished he would kiss me forever. But like dreams, not all things last forever.

Pulling away, he placed a final kiss on my forehead before rising from the bed. The fire from earlier appeared in front of him.

"Can I know your name?" I called.

He paused in his steps, giving me time to admire that large, muscular butt. That ass that I should have taken the opportunity to grab while he was kissing me earlier.

I hoped there would be a third time because I would utilize the chance well.

He turned around, and I saw that sadness in the glowing red eyes.

"In time." Those two words

were all he could send my way before he disappeared into the flames.

The fire slowly diminished along with the dreamworld, leaving me with a frustrated groan knowing dawn was approaching.