Chapter 21: Enemies tomorrow.

"What's wrong?" Rea asked playfully as he turned to watch Karma with wide, unblinking eyes and pretended ignorance.

He knew exactly how she felt right now because he was energized with all the pent-up sexual tension as well.

Rea didn't let it show in his expression as he stared down into her alluring eyes. His erection was still painfully hard, and the head throbbed between their bodies. He wanted to explode more than breathe.

He grinned when she squirmed against him in a brazenly shameless gesture. Her belly rubbed lightly over his engorged tip, and he had to grit his teeth to stop from entering her again. How long had it been since a woman had wanted him like this? Hell, he would've said the last woman he could remember being eager for him would've been Karmen-Marie when they were teens. There was something powerful in knowing he was making her wait. Having the upper hand was a potent aphrodisiac. He loved making her lust rise.

"You know what's wrong," She reached between their bodies to grip his overly sensitive shaft. Her tongue passed over her bottom lip and fluttered her eyelashes. He wanted to bite her mouth and then lick the sting away.

When the hot spray blasted his skin, he thought he had a moment of clarity about what he was doing. He shouldn't be with Karma like this. What they were doing was a bad idea, considering she didn't even know who she was. At any moment, her memories could return. But as soon as he was near her, all his good intentions vanished. When he tasted her, Rea found himself wanting to be with her like in the old days.

As he smiled down at her upturned face, he gloried in the fact she thirsted for him so badly. He clamped down on his lust and scooped her up into his arms. She always made him feel desired and wanted. Rea ignored all other thoughts and left the shower.

Karma wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her legs around his waist. Her face brightened in eager anticipation and triumph. Rea carried her to the door of the bathroom and pressed her back against the smooth wood surface. He loved it when she looked at him like there was some sort of victory in getting him to have sex with her.

"Do you remember this, Kitten?" he whispered into her ear. He kissed her neck as he started to lower her body onto his still-hard shaft. "Do you remember all the things we used to do?"

She shivered in his arms and moaned his name. Some animalistic part of him felt like he had captured her. It was so right to have her trapped in his arms. Short of an avalanche, nothing would stop him this time.

Karma gripped him like a hot, wet glove. When he was with her, she always made him feel like the dominant man. That hadn't changed. Having her had been an eraser. When they were together the sex had the power to delete everything dark that had happened to him all day long. When he was inside her, Rea was in charge, and no one told him what to do. He didn't have to be anyone but her lover. He had no responsibility other than to make her scream his name.

"I remember when you used to tease me. Don't tease, Rea," Karma pleaded.

Rea settled her until he was buried in her tight folds. She gripped him with such force it took him a second to keep from falling apart.

Gasping, he struggled not to come as Karma leaned forward and ran her tongue leisurely up his neck to his earlobe. He thrust forward, no longer with any control over his hips. When she touched him with knowing hands, he became clay for her to mold into whatever she wanted.

Slowly at first, while he savored the feel of her gripping him, he thrust into her with one long, deep drive. She rocked her hips to meet his seeking flesh. Her movements spurred him to press her harder against the door. Nonsense words followed by her begging sputtered out of her mouth. He couldn't stop himself from picking up speed. He shoved her savagely against the door of the bathroom as she pleaded with him to pin her. He forgot everything as she urged him on, tugging at his hair.

All thoughts about going slow or taking his time departed. All he had was his basic carnal needs. Her hands eagerly roamed as her nails dug into his back. She tightened her legs around his waist until he was sure he wouldn't be able to breathe.

"Yeah, Kitten. That's right, want me," Rea demanded against her seeking mouth. His fingers gripped her ass as his seed began to spurt out of his body.

Some sane part of him thought he should pull out, but the feel of her clamping down on his quivering flesh was too good. As soon as he started to climax, it triggered her orgasm. Karma's inner muscles began to milk him in a pulsating rhythm. The feel of her was exactly like he recalled from long ago. Everything about Karma was as he remembered, including their chemistry. Right now, holding her was as close to heaven as he was sure he would ever get.

Out of breath, he dropped his head, and she placed her cheek on his shoulder. Vainly trying to still his shaking body, he paused as all the problems he'd been trying to banish out of his head began to intrude. He wanted to hold on to the feeling of power and strength that she inspired in him, but it began to wane as soon as his concerns returned. This was a huge mistake. His inner voice of reason whispered. What was he going to say when all her memories came back? He thought about how horrible the conversation would be. He wished he didn't feel this connection to her. A part of him held her tightly, hoping her memories would never return. The problem was that he needed to know what was going on in her head. Her brain contained the answers to who wanted him dead. He needed to know.

"Thanks for checking on me," Karma purred into his shoulder. Rea couldn't help the answering smile that spread on his lips.

"Karma, you have a bad bump on your head. We shouldn't be doing this until you're better. When all your memories are back, things will be different."

Rea chose his words carefully and slowly let her feet touch the floor. His now-limp shaft slipped from the warmth of her body. Damn, but just the thought of being back inside her made him start to get hard all over again.

No.

He had discipline. From now on, he was going to use it. He shoved the sexual hunger and odd protective feelings aside and tried to get his head on straight. He had to make sure they never did that again. For all he knew, in a few days, they would be trying to kill each other again. Maybe if they were trying to kill each other, they wouldn't care that they'd had sex. Even if she didn't care, he would.

Staring down at her large, dark eyes, he couldn't imagine ever hurting her. She looked like the kind of woman he should champion. She looked like his woman.

"I know I have a few injuries. It's only… I wanted you so much. You know I've no power to stay away from you. I never did. From the moment I met you, you always had a way of charming me. I can't help myself when I'm with you. I'm sure I'll love you for the rest of my life."

"God, Kitten, don't say that to me."

"Why? It's the truth. You could pull the truth out of me if you wanted to, so why bother hiding my feelings? I wanted you from the first second I caught you watching me in the shower. No matter how old I get or whatever has happened between us, I know my love for you will never change. You make me feel special, and I love you. I always will."

Rea shook his head as if hoping he could dispel the warm feeling that spread across his soul. It didn't work. He still felt loved, cared for, and actually respected by her. She'd always looked up to him and always looked at him with her heart shining in her eyes. Intellectually, he knew that as long as this drug ruled her, he wasn't going to be able to fight the spell that he would fall under with her around.

"Kiss me, Rea, or Mac, or whatever you want me to call you. Just kiss me." She gave him her same pout and tugged on his hair.

Rea scooped her up into his arms, and while cradling her close, he left the bathroom. He carried her to the side of the bed and lowered her onto the sheets. He didn't want to let her go, but reluctantly he did. Before he pulled away, he kissed her with all the feelings he had inside. He couldn't tell her he loved her. He didn't know her anymore, but still, the feeling was so strong it almost pulled the words from his mouth.

This was it. Rea would kiss her one last time. Then he would go. He would lock her in. Rea would tell Gears to make an antidote first thing. If he couldn't cure her, then he wouldn't come back until the drug was out of her system. He couldn't let her confuse him any longer. Her tongue timidly explored his teeth as her arms stole up around his neck to hold him tight.

"There. I kissed you. Goodnight." He lifted his head and gulped air. "I'm leaving."

"You can't leave. I'm afraid of the dark. Stay and hold me." She didn't let go of his neck as he hoped, and he found himself pulled until he was beside her. Their still damp skin sealed them together. Their wet skin was conspiring against him.

"Karma, you can see in the dark. When we were younger, and I found out I could make people tell me the truth, you confessed that you had a gift too. Remember how you made me put on my dad's night vision goggles, and then you juggled in the dark to prove it?"

"I know, and you got beat for stealing those goggles. Don't remind me." Karma gave him an exasperated sigh. "Fine, you got me. What a shock that you know I'm lying." She sighed dramatically, and her antics made him want to laugh. "I don't want you to leave, and besides, just because I can see in the dark doesn't mean I can't be afraid of what I'm looking at. Please stay, Rea. You make me feel safe. I'm lonely without you."

She curled her body around him like a well-fed kitten, and he could hear her purring. It was a struggle to want to care for her. He shouldn't feel like this. Where was his self-preservation? Where was his good sense? She was a stranger and an assassin.

"I should go, Karma." He used her name to appear unyielding. He used the word should. He grinned when she snuggled closer and yawned. This was why he had nicknamed her Kitten shortly after they met. Karma didn't move once she was satisfied. She would sleep hard once he was finished feeding her or having sex.

"Why did you nickname me Karma?" she asked drowsily. "I like Kitten better."

Rea looked at her and realized he could do two things. He could tell her the truth and go, or lie and stay. The decision was hard. Go, and not come back until she knew who she was, or stay with her breasts plastered up against him. Her leg intertwined around his thigh and made the choice for him.

"It's a name you picked up instead of Karmen-Marie," he faltered.

Fine, he would sleep with her for one night. Tomorrow, he would tell her the truth, and he wasn't having sex with her ever again. They would go back to being enemies first thing in the morning.