His fingers lingered on her face, tracing the shape of her lips.
"This is a dream, isn't it?"
"Mmm," he nodded, his focus still on her lips. "The question is whether it's your dream or mine."
"It's mine, of course."
He chuckled. "But this is my train."
She resisted the temptation to thread her fingers through his unruly hair. She'd missed it. Before the burn he'd been one of those guys who always looked like he'd just rolled out of bed. With a self-conscious smile he stopped fondling her face and rested his elbow on the seat back. Still, his hand dangled near her shoulder and their knees almost touched. It was almost painful not to touch him when he was so close. And the way he looked at her made her nervous, so she started to babble.
"Did you like growing up in New York?"
"Nothing could be better. You been here?"
"Yes, twice on business. But I didn't know my way around."
"You should come visit me. I'll be your tour guide."
"New York by night." It sounded bitchier than she meant it, but then she realized that it did bother her.
He let the bitchiness roll by. "New York never sleeps. And I can show you things no one else ever sees." His mouth quirked. "Like the home life of a typical vampire family."
"If you guys invite me to dinner, I'll be sure not to accept."
"Vamp jokes, Helena? I like that." He leaned in, like he might kiss her, but a sudden thought lit up his face. "You can meet Maddy. Gregor's wife. She's fantastic. She used to be like you—human, that is."
"Oh." What did you say to that? Congratulations? Welcome to Tickville?
"I just meant that if you wanted to talk to someone who knows both sides, she's there."
Helena nodded. "I understand. I just don't think…honestly I don't think this is something I could ever do. Give up my days."
Alex reached up to stroke her cheek. "But think of all the nights you've missed."
"Why can't you be a normal guy?" She meant it with all her heart. Her voice broke when she said it. Alex leaned forward and kissed her. Slowly. His lips lingering over hers. Until, just as slowly, her lips parted.
With a long groan he pulled her close. She gave up the fight, dug her fingers into his thick, loose curls and kissed him for all she was worth.
The overhead lights of the train dimmed and brightened again. The seat vibrated, making her aware of the tingling in her thighs and a distinctly wet sensation between her legs. One of his hands played over her knee and up and down the back of her calf. It felt ridiculously good. She'd missed his touch. His taste. Except…
She broke the kiss. "You won't bite me?"
His eyelids lowered suggestively. Opening his mouth, he showed her his long incisors. She drew back, but he kept hold of her waist. He tested the sharp tips with his tongue and smiled. "I'd only do that in my dreams. Don't you worry about it."
Helena wasn't particularly convinced. If she had any sense she'd wake up. He reached up to undo a button at her throat. "What are you wearing under this coat?"
In that dream way, she didn't know.
"Stand up," he said. "Let me see."
The train stopped in an empty station. No one got off or on. The doors closed, the lights flickered, and they started to roll again. She gripped a pole and cast a nervous glance at the sleeping guy while Alex untied her short, black trench coat and undid all the buttons. The coat fell open and a hot breeze washed over her bare skin.
One side of Alex's mouth quirked up and his eyes took on a devilish gleam. "I didn't know they made things like this in Colorado."
He stripped the coat from her shoulders and turned her around so she could see herself reflected in the dirty window. Behind her, his body was solid black shadow, his coal-dark eyes startling in his white face.
He ran his hands up her sides. She wore a black leather bustier. Her breasts quivered in the shallow cups. Changing direction, he drew his hands down her waist and over her hips. She wore a short, short skirt. More like a belt with ambitions. Underneath that, garters and stockings. Where'd this getup come from?
He slipped his fingers under the hooks that held the stockings and murmured, "Gorgeous." Helena didn't recognize her reflection. Usually her bob made her look like a schoolmarm. Now it made her look like a dominatrix. She was built long and lean, and maybe she didn't run races anymore, but she looked good. The weight she'd put on just made her more curvy. It was the first time she'd ever looked in a mirror and really liked what she saw.
"Goddamn, woman, you are sexy." Alex kissed her bare shoulder. Stepping between her and the window, he asked her to grip the bars over her head. She did as he asked, taking a wide stance to brace herself against the rocking. He sat down in front of her. In the window behind his head she saw herself stretched out in an X, as if she'd been crucified. She didn't recognize the languid, hungry expression on her own face. But she looked down and saw the need in Alex's.
He lifted her foot onto the seat beside him. The stiletto heel rocked on the seat. Running his hands over her tensed calf, he said, "You have the legs of a goddess."
He kissed her calf, her knee, her inner thigh through the stockings. She couldn't touch him. Couldn't let go of the handholds without falling over.
He pressed her thigh to one side, opening her legs so he could run his tongue along the bare skin above the stockings. His hot breath washed over her thighs. She realized she wasn't wearing any underwear. At that same moment, he grabbed her bottom and pulled her against his mouth.
Helena choked back a scream as his tongue parted her flesh, lapping her in deep, long strokes.
"The smell of you," he groaned. "It makes me crazy."
With that he sent two fingers up inside her and bent his head to suck her clit.
"Fu—!" Helena lost her breath, and tried again, this time coming up with a faint, "Oh!"
What are you doing to me? She really didn't know. All of his fingers were busy. His long tongue way too talented. Was that her G-spot? Did he have two tongues? Or was that his thumb? Oh God.
"Alex!" She couldn't hold on. She'd faint. Or pee. She couldn't do this. And they weren't even alone. "Please. Please stop."
But he didn't. She squirmed and writhed so much her breasts fell out of the cups of the bustier. Through half-closed eyes she saw her bare breasts in the window, her open mouth, Alex's head between her pale thighs. Focusing more, she saw another face in the window, small and far away. It was the other passenger. He was awake and had his hand down his pants.
"Alex—"
Alex shot a glance toward the far end of the train. "You like an audience?"
"No!"
"Open your eyes." While he spoke he still worked her with his fingers and thumb. "Look at yourself. He's never seen a woman like you. Beautiful. Wild."
He paused to suck and lap at her. Helena looked at the guy's reflection in the window again. His eyes were wide, his mouth slack. He'd shoved his pants halfway to his knees and was beating off shamelessly. The rhythm of his hand was the same as Alex's in her, like they were both getting her off.
This was filthy. The train was filthy. Someone else could get on. Were there security cameras? Guards beating off in a booth somewhere? Yep, there was a camera in the corner. In the lens she saw herself spread-eagled. All these eyes. Like hands on her body. But she wasn't herself. No one would recognize her. With Alex here, she could be as bad as she wanted. She looked over her shoulder, straight at her voyeur. It startled him. With a smile she spread her arms and arched her back, letting her head fall back and breasts point at the ceiling. Hanging in suspension like that, she twisted her hips provocatively, grinding herself against Alex's face.
The guy jacked off faster.
Alex pressed her hard.