Page 15 of Jorax
Amidst applause, Feldor pumps Jorax’s hand. “Excellent. We’ll begin the formal transition on Monday. Tonight, celebrate your achievements.” He turns to Icaron with a thunderous expression. “My office. Now.”
As Feldor marches the disgraced researcher away, colleagues surge forward to offer awkward but sincere congratulations to Jorax. Through it all, I cling proudly to his side, heart fit to burst watching him accept the acclaim he deserves.
The evening passes in a blur. I twirl giddily around the dance floor in Jorax’s sure embrace, dizzy with euphoria over his victory and new status—and my own unchecked emotions. Each time our eyes meet, the depth of feeling within them steals my breath more than any whirl or dip.
I lose track of how long we sway together in our private orbit, but eventually, the last notes fade. As we join the dwindling flow of guests to the exits, Jorax brushes his lips tenderly over my hair.
“Thank you for standing by me tonight,” he rasps.
I smile up at him as my throat convulses with emotion.
“Always.” I caress his beloved face, seeing past his rugged features into the lonely, passionate soul beyond. It calls to me like a siren song.
He leans into my touch, his smoldering gaze filled with wonder and infinite tenderness. As he escorts me into the star-filled night, I know beyond any flicker of doubt that I love this extraordinary man with every fiber of my being. And miraculously, I see the same unwavering emotion shining back at me from his eyes.
Chapter Sixteen
Jorax
My head is swimming, and my emotions are bouncing from shock to elation and back again. As they settle, all the distracting feelings fade away, leaving one overriding emotion. Affection.
People are pouring out of the ballroom. Many of their conversations float to my ears, most of which revolve around either my name or Icaron’s.
“Let’s get out of here.”
I grab Syrryn’s hand, barely resisting the urge to sweep her into my arms and carry her. Soon, we’re in my hover, and although I want to spill hundreds of happy, amazed words into the darkness of our private cocoon, we’re simply gazing at each other in silence.
“You were magnificent.” Her face is alight with happiness, positively glowing.
“Only because of your support. I should have said all of that to Icaron ages ago. You were the one who gave me the courage to finally take the risk.”
We bask in each other’s presence for only a moment more until she says, “Let’s go somewhere else. Anywhere.”
My pulse thrums with exhilaration as I guide the hover through the night. Beside me, Syrryn radiates contagious delight. As the glittering city slides past, I’m still struggling to process the monumental events of this evening.
I’ve never felt so seen and valued as when she clung proudly to my side while my life transformed before my disbelieving eyes. And the depth of emotion shining from her after, as we swayed and danced together in front of all those people—surely my lonely heart imagined the love shining in her eyes?
I steal a glance at her profile, unable to resist reaching across to tuck back a wind-mussed strand of her chestnut hair. She leans into my touch, eyes glowing with affection.
Clearing my throat, I rasp, “My body’s overflowing with excitement. I won’t be able to sleep for hours. Would you like to return to the falls overlook, Syrryn?”
Our special place holds such sweet memories from our first kiss under the meteor shower. I long to recreate them.
She bites her lip alluringly. “I was thinking we could go back to my place instead.”
Shock and nervous excitement spike through me. She can’t mean… can she? I clamp down on impossible hope. No matter what happens, anywhere with her will be paradise.
We soon pull up outside her cozy rental house on the outskirts of town. Syrryn’s soft grip is steady as she leads me inside, anchoring me amidst the tempest swirling within. The door has barely clicked shut behind us before she presses me back against it, desire blazing in her glittering eyes.
“Syrryn?” I rasp uncertainly even as lightning races across my skin wherever we touch.
Her response is to lift on tiptoe to capture my lips in a searing kiss that steals my breath and scatters all thought. I clutch her hips, my senses reeling from her sweet taste and the feel of her supple body aligning with mine. As she unbuttons my suit coat and drags her nails down my shirt-covered chest, a helpless groan escapes me.
“Make love to me, Jorax,” she whispers hotly against my jaw.
Joy and gratitude crash through me, chased swiftly by panicked uncertainty. My warped hideousness is one thing beneath concealing clothes, but bare…
Sensing my hesitation, Syrryn takes my face gently in both hands, holding my vulnerable gaze with infinite tenderness.
