Page 61 of Joshua's Mistake
Her warm, wet pussy slid along his shaft, looking for penetration. He didn’t know how, but he pushed Desire away, unlocking her strong arms and legs.
She screamed as if he’d caused her pain.
“I’m sorry. I need all of you, not just this.” Somehow saying it out loud helped his resolve to move away from the jungle scene.
The feral look in her eyes told him she had no idea what his words meant. She stood slightly crouched as if ready to spring forward. Fisted hands and wide, screaming mouth, she was still nearly impossible not to run back to. He wanted her, wanted to fuck her, but it could never be enough without the rest of Tessa.
Once again, he was clothed as he backed quickly away.
The high-pitched cries of Desire’s longing faded as he continued to pull away from her. Darkness surrounded him. The thud of fist on flesh and a distinctly female grunt of aggression pulled him and he followed the sound.
Dimly lit, she fought a shadow he couldn’t see and even in spirit, she was magnificently strong and capable. Dressed in close-fitting shorts and a workout top, she was tall, lean and rippled with tight muscles. She punched and kicked at demons only she could see.
“Tessa?”
She turned away and the shadow subsided in the swirling gray. Tessa’s eyes narrowed and her fists came up as she crouched slightly as if ready to spring at him. She looked as if she might attack him. He thought Desire might have found a way to follow him, and then she relaxed. “Joshua, you don’t belong here.”
Elation bubbled in his gut. She spoke. She had a mind and not just emotion and instinct. “I came to bring you back, Tessa.”
She shook her head and looked cautiously over her shoulder. “I have to defeat him.”
“Who are you fighting?”
“Banta. This is his domain. He trapped me here. I have to defeat him.” She turned and stalked forward as if she were searching for the shadow.
“He’s not here, Tessa. It’s true, he trapped you, but he’s still in the world of man. You can’t hurt him here. Come back with me and we will defeat him together.”
She spun toward Joshua. He thought he saw a moment of confusion before her scowl returned. “You’re wrong, Joshua. He’s here, I nearly had him.”
Maybe the truth would bring her around. He had no idea how long he’d been away from his body this time. He did know he had very little time. “Tessa, you have to come back with me. If we stay here much longer our bodies will die.”
“You should go. I can weaken him here and then you can destroy him from above.”
He heard a loud bang. It sounded like gunshots. He turned toward the noise but saw nothing. Adrenaline rushed through him. He wanted to grab her and run, but there was no place to go. He couldn’t force her out of the ether and into her body, the choice had to be made of her own free will. “Tessa, you have to come with me. I need you with me. We can defeat Banta but only together and not in this place. I can’t go back without you. Please.”
Strength turned and walked toward him. “Why can’t you go?”
“I can’t leave you behind. I came for you.” He could hear the panic in his voice.
Her head cocked. “Why?”
He took a moment as if he could draw breath in the spirit world. It was time to call on his own strength. “There is no point for me to go back without you. I have never given a damn whether I lived or died. The only person I’ve ever cared about is my brother and I have kept him at arm’s length. You are the only person I’ve ever wanted to let in, Tessa. If you will not come with me I will stay here with you and together we will fight your demons. I love you.”
Her eyes widened and she took a step back.
“You love me?” The voice did not come from Strength who still stared directly at him. It was still Tessa’s voice, but it had come from behind him.
He turned. Tessa, dressed all in white and vibrating with the aura he’d grown to love in a very short time, stood watching him.
“I love you with all my heart.”
“I never imagined you could love me.”
He moved forward until he was only inches from her. “I never dreamed I could love anyone until I met you. You are my only reason to go on, Tessa. I can’t go back without you.”
Her eyes flicked toward where he had last seen Strength. “I’m afraid. You don’t know the pain Banta can cause. I would rather die than feel my soul ripping away again.”
His heart contracted painfully. “I can’t promise he won’t try. All I can promise is I will be by your side and I will die to protect you. I’m sorry I failed in Florida, Tessa. I should have protected you.”
“I was trying to save you,” she said.
“I know and you did. But I’d rather die than live without you.”
She threw her arms around him. “I love you, Joshua Lakeland.”
In an instant Strength, Fear, Sorrow, Desire and Rage all came together in the Tessa who was Love. Light exploded in every direction.
