DREAMS OF A SLEEPING GOD

Holly regarded him with a warm, empathetic smile, a welcome upgrade to her usual demeanor, Dagan noted. “You want to come in?” “No, you're tired. How 'bout a rain check?” “Sure, any time.” “Listen, I just wanted you to know that I'm no longer working upstairs.” Suddenly light-headed, Dagan leaned against his fender, waiting for Holly to explain. “Guess you could say I've been promoted.” “Congratulations.” “And I've put in a word for you.” “For me?” “Yeah, if you want to expand your horizons, do a little travel, put your talent to better use.” Dagan was now feeling a surge of adrenaline. It all sounded too good to be true, yet he didn't doubt Holly for a moment. Next to Will, she was the brightest light at MindStream. It was just a matter of time before Stew made more appropriate use of her extraordinary gifts. “There's just one catch,” she said ominously. “I'll have to take a big pay increase?” Grinning, Dagan was no longer tired. He looked forward to finishing this stimulating conversation over a cold beer. Then maybe the two of them could get naked and... “Get your mind out of the gutter,” she admonished with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Sorry...you just look so ravishing today.” This comment seemed to trip out uncensored, as though uttered by someone else, surprising Dagan with a degree of self-confidence he found both frightening and exhilarating. “You surprise me, Dagan Dankly,” she smirked, “I never took you for the flirtatious type.” “Just losing my inhibitions to fatigue, I guess.” “Tell me, while we're off on this subject, what is it about my body that you find so compelling? You stare at my chest, my hips, my crotch, as though you'd never seen a woman before. Just curious...” “I never stare at your chest!” he protested, mustering a show of indignation. Holly was well proportioned, to be sure, but he could find no grounds for this accusation. “You're doing it now!” Sure enough, his gaze had inadvertently shifted to her breasts, drawn there by the force of her suggestion. “Sorry. If someone tells you not to think about a polka-dot pachyderm, what happens?” “Don't apologize. I'm not complaining that you find me attractive. That's a good thing, but only if you're aware of what that says about you. Are you fixated on sex, or is there a deeper dimension to your attraction?” With that provocation, Holly stepped over to him, placing her hands on his shoulders. This unexpected act of intimate aggression sparked a flurry of emotive reactions. He felt enthralled, wary, vulnerable and excited——all at once. “Look into my eyes, Dagan.” That's when he noticed something for the first time. Holly's eyes weren't exactly the same color. Her right iris was a lighter shade, the blue offset by fine, yellow-green streaks. “You're getting distracted, aren't you?” “Yeah,” he confessed. “You can put your arms around my waist if you want.” That's what he did, and it made all the difference. Now he was able to relax, no longer disconcerted by the power she seemed to hold over his emotions. Her eyes were beautiful, but now he was peering past them, looking inside her, into her soul, if that was possible. “What are you thinking?” “You already know.” “Humor me.” “You're very beautiful...inside and out.” “Do you trust me?” “Yes, but I'm still...” “What?” “Afraid.” “Of what?” “That I'm in way over my head.” She took a half step closer, bringing their bodies into contact. They embraced, Dagan feeling light-headed again. “Do I intimidate you?” “Yes.” She gave him a soft, tender kiss on the lips. “Is that better?” “Yes.” “I don't mean to intimidate you.” “That's reassuring.”