They"d indulged in the all-American dinner more than a few times while working late nights. Those evenings comprised some of her favorite memories as they chatted about open cases or school. The rare, relaxed occasions accounted for most of the breaks she"d allowed herself since beginning her training. The reminder of their easy companionship put her back on level footing. Accepting the plate he offered, she served a slice onto it then turned, searching for somewhere to sit.
"Sorry, it"s a tight arrangement but I have to be with you at all times. Go on, take the bed, I need to finish up a few things." He waved her toward the other side of the room with an absent flick of his hand before carrying his dinner over to his desk. As he sat down to resume work on his notes, he turned. "I know this is hard for you, Becca. But I won"t let you hide. Remember, I decide what your limits are unless you want to quit. And you"re stronger than that."
Then, he let the matter drop.
She watched him become engrossed in the doc.u.mentation, wishing she could a.s.sist him like usual to calm her tumultuous blend of fear and antic.i.p.ation. Of course, she couldn"t be involved as anything other than the subject but it reminded her again of her changing role. Gathering up her plate, she shuffled onto the bed.
Rebecca attempted a few positions but, no matter how she arranged herself, she couldn"t find a way to sit that didn"t require two hands to hold her robe for full coverage. Kurt appeared engrossed in the records, his dinner lying mostly forgotten next to him on the desk. He"d write furiously for a few minutes then reach over, scoop up his pizza, take a large bite and keep going.
Sure he wouldn"t notice her exposed state, she scooted across the bed until her back b.u.mped the wall. She sat cross-legged, tucked the fabric between her legs, tugged it across her chest, tightened the belt as well as she could, then rested her plate on her thigh.
She flipped on the TV then cycled through the channels, watching bits and pieces of shows that caught her attention but she didn"t have a favorite program to tune into. In fact, she didn"t own a TV and wouldn"t have been able to pay for cable if she had. Always busy, it was an unnecessary expense. So, instead, Rebecca studied Kurt as she dug into another slice of pizza.
He dwarfed the standard-sized desk, about half the size of the mahogany monstrosity in his office where he worked during regular office hours. She sighed as she recalled several vibrant dreams she"d had about him laying her back on the glossy surface and sliding his c.o.c.k into her...
She hadn"t realized she"d gasped when he appeared at her side.
"What"s wrong? Did you burn yourself?"
"N-No, I"m fine. I..." Her mind raced in frantic circles as she tried to work out the details. Why didn"t I think of this before? She had dreams of Kurt often-extreme, detailed, erotic dreams.
"You what? Are you sure you"re all right, baby?" Concern etched his features as he observed her. "You"re pale and your pulse is racing. It"s been a stressful day for you, I know. Tell me if you don"t feel well."
Blushing furiously, she couldn"t see a way out of this uncomfortable situation. Kurt set her half-eaten dinner on the table beside the bed then pulled her onto his lap. The closeness increased her discomfort.
"This relates to the experiment." It wasn"t a question. When she didn"t deny it, he sighed. "Becca, your training makes it clear you can"t keep secrets from me about our research. I need full disclosure. Tell me what"s going on here."
He was right, of course. Besides, she"d given her word to be open and honest no matter how embarra.s.sing it might be.
"I just realized you"re going to see my dreams tonight." Comprehending how moronic her admission must sound, she added, "I mean, I knew you would. That"s the whole point of the experiment, right? But I didn"t think it through all the way."
"What"s there to think about?"
"I dream of you."
She confessed so softly that even straining he might not be able to make out the words. She knew he had though when his arms tightened around her and his hardening c.o.c.k nudged the globes of her a.s.s.
"Thank you for your candor. I"m flattered and grateful. Because, when you didn"t object to me witnessing your dreams during my outline of the study, I thought it might not be an issue. I admit, I hoped you were so worried about exposing yourself to me that you hadn"t considered the content of your dreams."
"Why would that concern you?" she asked, hoping to hear what her rational mind figured couldn"t be possible.
Tilting his head forward, he let it drop until his brow rested on hers and his raptor eyes focused like lasers on her own.
"Because I dream of you too, Becca."
The bolt of energy his words generated electrified her exhausted muscles. She jerked back. "I meant I"ve had s.e.xual dreams about you."
"I know what you meant." He gathered her close once more.
Kurt didn"t volunteer any details so she reasoned he"d dreamt of her in a platonic way, which wasn"t unusual since they interacted every day. People often make cameo appearances in the dreams of individuals they"re close to, she reasoned. But he was about to find out she hadn"t referred to such a normal occurrence.
Even if he"d had the occasional lurid dream about her, she bet he"d never had the ones where they were emotionally involved. Nothing she could do would prevent the mortification her future held because sleeping next to him would only enhance her active imagination. Each breath tinged with the intoxicating scent of him would be sure to trigger her most daring dreams.
Resigned, she rested against him. Suddenly, it seemed as though the day had sapped all her strength. This one last outburst had drained any residual energy. Even the thought of finishing her dinner couldn"t entice her to move.
Kurt ma.s.saged her scalp with slow circles. The motion, as well as his heat and strength, combined to suffuse her with lethargy. When did he start touching me?
She couldn"t stifle her yawn.
"You"re exhausted, aren"t you, sweetheart?"
"Mmm. Who wouldn"t be after a day like today?" She could hardly believe the episode in the laboratory had happened. It seemed like a fantasy. She never would have imagined pleasure could be so intense or so frequent. And, if tonight"s dreams were anything like her usual ones, today"s adventure would be a drop in the bucket compared to what tomorrow held.
"Okay, then. Let"s get you ready for bed."
Chapter Ten.
Kurt would have loved to question Becca more about the content of her dreams. If the glimpse he"d had earlier in the week represented the norm for her, they were vivid and carnal. But she was fading fast. Her heavy eyelids drooped, and he needed to prepare her properly. Then he wouldn"t have to ask. He could watch her fantasies unfold. He barely stifled a groan of antic.i.p.ation.
Although it seemed they"d retire sooner than he"d planned, she didn"t have the energy to stay awake much longer. Son of a b.i.t.c.h. Why hadn"t he noticed how hard she"d pushed herself lately?
He"d bet she hadn"t slept a full night in months. He wished he"d paid more attention and forced her to rest but it could be better this way. Fatigue would drain some of the fight from her mind and make her more receptive to the images put forward by her subconscious. He laid her on the bed then unwrapped her body from the fluffy robe like a delectable treat.
"What are you doing?" She grabbed the lapels.
He enfolded her delicate fingers in his hand.
"I need to get you ready for the Dream Machine. I"ll explain the procedure as we go. Then, I"ll let you sleep." Kurt didn"t want to give her an excuse to flee now but he had to offer one last chance to change her mind before things got intense. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
"I think so." Her eyes closed but she couldn"t obscure her nerves from him.
"I"ll be right here the whole time. I won"t let anything happen to you."
"I know." As soon as her grip slacked, he slipped the covering from her.
"Good girl." He took her robe then draped it over his desk chair. He opened the bottom cabinet section of the nightstand next to the bed before withdrawing a metal unit with an attached display panel, which he put on the surface of the table. The machine was about the size of a briefcase. A simple, plain grey box with a ten-inch, flat-panel monitor embedded in the side housed the advanced electronics.
"That"s the Dream Machine?" Her eyebrow arched.
"Yes." Amused he asked, "What did you expect?"
"I...I don"t know. How does it work?"
"It"s pretty basic. I modified a computer with an oversized hard drive. This unit records the data feeds from diodes. It stores them for later viewing on the attached monitor or you can burn the videos to DVDs for screening on any standard player. The trick comes in converting the dreams from brain waves into images."
Becca loved to learn new things. He often demonstrated technology and ideas for her. She wouldn"t be able to contain her curiosity about something so novel. He indulged himself in explaining his invention.
For the past year, he"d devoted all his energy to making the Dream Machine a reality. Having someone to share his success with, someone who could understand the concept, the apparatus and its possible applications, was rewarding. He couldn"t wait for her to work alongside him, proposing improvements and generating new ideas. The notion was nearly as exciting as the thought of f.u.c.king her. Nearly.
As expected, she suppressed her exhaustion and rolled over for a closer look. He hoped this familiar routine would help to ease her anxiety as professional interest overcame her nervousness. Thrilled she had become comfortable around him, enough that her lack of clothing or their intimate position didn"t seem to faze her, Kurt pressed on.
"I found a way to modify a standard diode used to measure brain waves similar to those used to detect heartbeats. You know, the kind you see taped to people on TV emergency room shows?"
She nodded.
"The device transmits the wave pattern to the computer into a special program I built. It transforms the sequence into pictures the same way your brain does for your subconscious."
"So, when I"m asleep, I"ll have to wear one of those diodes?"
"Yes, I"ll attach it at the base of your neck with surgical adhesive. I"ve been working on the design. It"s comfortable. I"ve included a wireless transmitter in the diode itself so you don"t have to worry about choking yourself at night. Since the diode is tiny, the range is short. Therefore, you"ll have to be within ten feet of the unit for it to work."
"So, I"ll be sleeping here?" She motioned to the rumpled expanse of sheets.
"Yes."
The machine didn"t have to be engaged for her thoughts to come to life. He couldn"t suppress a smile, "I"ll be sleeping with you, Becca. I told you I"d be with you twenty-four hours a day for the remainder of the experiment. I need to be here in case anything happens. Although, I swear I would never let you do this if I thought there was any chance you could get hurt."
"Okay." Her throat flexed as she gulped. "I"m not afraid of getting injured."
"Just to be sure, I"m also going to monitor your vital signs. You"ll sleep naked. You"ll be most comfortable that way. The other diodes will need to be attached to your chest to track your heart rate and breathing during the collection phase."
With a soft whimper, Becca shied away from him. He was sure she didn"t realize she"d done it. She had always hidden her insecurities, even on the best or worst days she must have had these past years. The glimpse of her emotions encouraged him to probe further.
"What is it?" He gave her the time she needed to gather her courage. She"d promised to be candid with him during the experiment. She would honor the commitment because she valued loyalty and honor. But he craved her admission of what they both understood.
"It"s hard enough you"re going to see my intimate thoughts. Knowing I"ll be totally exposed, and that you"ll be lying next to me while I"m having them, makes me uncomfortable."
Kurt nodded. "Let"s even things out. I"ll sleep naked, too. I always do."
"Um. Th-that sounds fair."
For the first time in a long time, he laughed aloud. Her practical response didn"t fool him. The gleam of hunger in her eyes gave her away.
At the suggestion of his hot flesh pressed to hers as they snuggled deep into the lush bedding, her instantaneous and obvious arousal perfumed the air. He couldn"t help but tease her a bit to observe her reactions.
In addition to her tongue moistening her lips, her nipples pebbling before his gaze and the way her heart rate kicked up triple time, goose b.u.mps rose on her arms. She chafed them with brisk swipes of her hands designed to eliminate the betrayal of her response. Instead, the motion caused her luscious b.r.e.a.s.t.s to bounce beneath her crossed wrists.
He had to touch her.
"Cold, Becca?" He tucked her against his side, which prevented her from glimpsing his grimace at his deliberate obtuseness. He rubbed his hands down her slender arms, sharing his heat. When a hard nipple mashed into his rib cage, he fought to swallow a groan. He supposed it was fitting punishment for getting her riled up.
Tonight had the makings of the most difficult night of his life. Only one thought kept him from going insane with l.u.s.t-tomorrow all his patience should pay off.
"I"m good, thank you, Doctor."
Since they hovered at the start of the dream collection phase of the experiment, he didn"t protest her use of his t.i.tle although it rankled. He wished she would let go and admit she wanted to do this for them, not for the experiment. Although she progressed, her evolution was taking more time than he preferred.
"Okay, then. Lay on your stomach. I"ll begin attaching the diodes." Becca flipped over, presenting her sweet a.s.s in innocence as she wiggled to settle herself in a comfortable position. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s plumped beneath her ribs as her arms relaxed and her legs spread until a sliver of her p.u.s.s.y peeked from between her thighs.
Kurt allowed his stare to roam over her. He ached to kiss her, but he had to wait at least one more night.
Twenty-four hours had never seemed so long.
When she peeked over her shoulder at him, he leaned in to brush her hair aside. He drew a quarter-sized diode from his pocket, removed the covering on the bonding agent then applied the device to the base of her neck. He wrapped his hand around her fragile throat, pressing down on the transmitter to ensure its sufficient adhesion.
Once again, her delicate frame aroused him. Elated she didn"t flinch at her vulnerability, he encircled her neck with his fingers then placed a warm kiss beside the device.
Her muted sigh broke through to him. The faint indention on her skin indicated he"d nipped her neck, though he hadn"t realized he"d done it. He couldn"t prevent himself from taking one last taste of her skin.
Licking the spot, he soothed it.
"Is it not sticking?" Her raspy whisper sounded uncertain as she attempted to rationalize his actions. She still refused to admit how far they"d come in the past two days.
"There"s nothing wrong with the sensor." Before she could object or retreat from him again, he helped her roll onto her back then began applying the additional input devices. He might have been angry when she closed her eyes, since the flush creeping across her chest indicated embarra.s.sment caused her to avoid meeting his hungry stare. Instead, her shy acceptance was somehow endearing.
Watching Becca fight her own reactions amused him because she slid closer to him with every moment they spent together. She couldn"t ignore the chemistry between them forever.
When his hands hovered a fraction of an inch from her skin, she bowed up to meet them. Deciding to make the most of her response, he took the opportunity to touch her for reasons other than attaching the medical devices.
Kurt"s hand cupped her left breast. She arched against his hand, grinding her puckered nipple into his palm.
While pleasure distracted her, he attached the next two diodes above her heart and lungs. He stroked one finger around the devices until she relaxed beneath him again. He continued to caress her until her breathing turned steady and deep. The simple contact electrified his fingertip while she slipped in and out of a light doze. He"d saved the last requirement for when she would be the most amenable to the needs of her body.
"There"s one more thing."
"Hmm?"
"I"ve designed a special receptor, similar to the probe in the laboratory. It"s much smaller and will be comfortable for you to sleep with. I"ve also created a harness belt to keep it in place throughout the night." He attempted to soothe her with his modulated voice. Seeing her so relaxed filled him with a sense of satisfaction.
He didn"t want to disturb her but this had to be done for the experiment to work. The board would require evidence.
Becca roused just enough to question him. She stammered, "Inside me? All night?"
With a firm hand on her shoulder, Kurt restrained her. "Shh, baby. You can take it. In fact, it"ll enhance your pleasure. If you have a stimulating dream, your muscles will have something to cradle and squeeze."
After a brief hesitation, she agreed. "Okay."
She fidgeted beneath him as though the suggestion of the device inflamed her. To keep her steady-and prevent her from dislodging any of the diodes-he swung one leg over her hips, pinning her in place. Her reflexive movements drove him crazy. Could he stop himself from taking her if she continued the seductive sway of her hips rocking against him?
"Mmm. I love your weight on me, holding me here."