Hold Me Kiss Me Thrill Me

Ekon Okafor wanted to believe he was stronger than this; or at the very least smarter than his actions were making a concerted effort to disprove.

He needed to believe he was capable of controlling his compulsions.

Unfortunately, Gloria Vega's choice of wardrobe challenged what little self-control he was usually able to muster around her.

The woman was gorgeous enough fully clothed. Seeing her standing in the doorway of his bedroom in only a t-shirt was a scene ripped out of one of his many recurring dreams.

The shirt barely dipped below the curve of her butt and revealed toned thighs the color of toasted almonds. Her dark hair fell in loose curls to her shoulders. A shy smile tugged at the edges of her lips as she silently approached him.

He tried to swallow but his mouth was suddenly dry.

“What are…” She silenced him with her lips.

“Don’t talk.” She kissed him again, this time with an intensity that caught him off guard. His thoughts were muddled.

This was wrong. He had to stop her before things escalated.

However, with each breathless kiss and every exploratory touch his resolve was stripped away until his desire for her was as naked as he wanted her to be.

Gloria dutifully obliged his wordless request. She pushed him to the floor then straddled his hips and stopped kissing him long enough to pull the t-shirt over her head. His hands immediately went to her breasts and squeezed them tentatively.

She moaned for him and it was the sexiest sound he had ever heard.

As her hand reached between his legs, his guilty conscience mounted a desperate final assault. She was married. Her husband had given him a job. The two of them seemed happy together. What type of man ruins that? How could they betray Victor?

Whatever guilt had surfaced was immediately drowned by an inhumanly strong grip around his throat.

As he struggled to breath, she smiled at him as she expertly worked her hips against him. He had never been so terrified and aroused at the same time.

As he verged on losing consciousness, she released her grip and he gasped for air.

His terror subsided and his confusion was only exceeded by how incredible the ordeal had felt.

She finally dismounted and lied down next to him.

“He's coming,” she told him. “Tonight.”

Julius Irving Martin, Jr. sat in the most uncomfortable silence he could ever recall enduring.

His dinner companion, Professor Venita Thomas kept her head bowed as if captivated by the jolloff rice on her plate.

The woman, whose opinion he valued more than nearly anyone's, was being uncharacteristically tight lipped.

Ten minutes into their meal, he had finished his sauteed chicken before she finally sighed then raised her eyes to meet his.

He liked when she decided against wearing her glasses. Her eyes were two drops of brandy and even more intoxicating. Venita was beautiful in an unassuming way. Nothing about her would turn his head on an ordinary day, but when she was absent from his life for even a few days, he picked up on subtle hints of beauty that caught him off guard.

"Did you hear me?" she asked. He then realized he had been literally lost in her gaze.

"I'm sorry."

"You should be. As your former and possibly future best friend, let me remind you that you are not nearly as smart as people think you are and that you will regret this decision for the rest of your life. In the very near future you will have to look your nephew in the eyes and tell him about the time you sacrificed your integrity for a few extra bucks."

"You make me sound like a monster."

"Guilty by association."

"And you're pointing a finger at me. I can see how you would feel that way. But V, they’re on the edge of something that could save millions."

"Or get them hooked on the latest miracle drug."

"Don't you think you're being a teeny bit, judgmental?"

"Only if you admit you're thinking with the wrong head." She was baiting him; he knew she wanted him to insinuate that she was jealous of the woman that had come to recruit him. "Well?"

"I can honestly say I'm doing this for the right reasons." It was not a lie. He had agonized over choosing the admittedly much more lucrative offer to work with his former college girlfriend over remaining at the institute to teach a course. He could never voice his opinion that Venita was focusing less on what he was doing than with whom he was doing it.

"Good luck," she finally said, forcing a smile.

"Even though you're being insincere, I appreciate it. Can a guy at least get a hug?" She shook her head no.

Without another word, he stood then moved behind her and placed his chin on the top of her head.

"I'm going to miss working with my best friend."

"Former best friend," she corrected "I'm going to miss you buying me food."

"I love you too."

Ekon’s eyes snapped open.

He had no idea what time it was, but he was acutely aware that someone else was inside of his condo.

After he slipped on a pair of shorts, he crept out of his bedroom.

There was no movement in the darkened living room. His heartbeat quickened and nervous sweat began to moisten the back of his neck. He could see light seep from beneath the door of the spare bedroom.

Ekon took a deep breath then opened the door.

In the middle of the room stood a naked orange and blue man. The man admired the bulge of his biceps and breadth of his pectorals.

“Abel?” Was this the "he" Gloria had warned him about earlier?

Abel’s flesh began to melt away like wax and fell to his feet in clumps.

Within seconds, nothing humanoid remained. The clumps slithered towards Ekon and began to congregate at his feet.

Ekon swallowed his panic and choked down a scream as the clumps completely enveloped him.