32 Waiting For A Girl Like You

August 14, 2019 –

A/N: The beginning of the end. It’s been a wild 4 years as of next month. Enjoy the penultimate chapter, guys! 😈

---

Hotel Room, In A Land Far, Far Away – July 11, 2026

“I promise to cherish you and honor you for all of our lives. You and I are cut from the same cloth, lone warriors with steel-plated hearts. You will never feel alone again. Your soul will be joined to mine, entwined, from this moment on.”

He caught her chin under his finger, raising her face until her limpid eyes met his.

“We both know we have been fated for this moment to happen for Lord only knows how long. Right now, you are afraid of what you are feeling because you’ve never felt it before. The loss of control, the instinctive response to me. I know, because I once was where you are. Before I finally realized that nobody else could ever compare to you. That no one else ever will.”

She couldn’t speak. Her heart raced. She wanted to tell him that she felt the same way, that she loved him so much, she was half-mad with it, but the words were caught in her throat.

He placed her on her back at the edge of the bed. She put her arms out to stop his rapid descent towards her breasts.

He grabbed her hands and pinned them to the mattress next to her head. “No more waiting,” he growled. “Trust. Surrender. Let me take control.” His eyes softened at her wary expression. “I won’t hurt you. And you won’t regret it.”

With a sinful, I-can’t-wait-to-have-you grin, he framed her face in his hands, locked his lips with hers, and replaced every thought in her head with pure pleasure. Like a pirate, he plundered the depths of her mouth, using his tongue and teeth in erotic ways that made her moan and melt and primed her for so much more.

I’ve been kissed by men who did a very good job. But they didn’t give kissing their whole attention. They cannot. No matter how hard they try parts of their minds are on something else. Missing the last bus – or their own techniques in kissing – or maybe worry about jobs, or money. This man doesn’t have technique . . . when he kisses you, he isn’t doing anything else. You’re his whole universe . . . and the moment is eternal because he doesn’t have any plans and isn’t going anywhere. Just kissing you.

When he lifted his head, she wanted to follow; she didn’t want to break the kiss, which had left her dizzy with desire.

She couldn’t fight him. Her body wanted him. Needed him. Yearned for him.

He lifted his head and stared into her eyes.

“Tell me to stop.”

His intense gaze never left hers as he continued.

“You say one word – stop – I will. Any other word, any other protestation, I will ignore because I know you need to pretend to fight this to preserve your sanity until you can accept it. I speak from experience. Tell me I am wrong.”

He held his breath, sensing she would say no such thing but knowing better than to take this glorious woman for granted ever again.

It wouldn’t just be sex, not for him.

He wanted her. Ached for her. Craved her.

Slipping inside her wet heat. Pumping hard then slow. Then hard. Watching her face as she screams my name. Her body clutching and pulsing around me as she cries out in throes of ecstasy.

All of her.

And when you choose a life partner, you’re choosing a lot of things, including your parenting partner and someone who will deeply influence your children, your eating companion for about 20,000 meals, your travel companion for about 100 vacations, your primary leisure time and retirement friend, your career therapist, and someone whose day you’ll hear about 18,000 times.

For life.

My emanated essence racing to go and live inside of her womb. Babies. Watching them nestle at her breast. Growing old together, holding hands on our front porch.

He kissed her again, this time his tongue tracing the shape of her lips before one hand cupped the back of her head, his fingers curling in her silky hair as he shifted position on the bed, stretching his body along with hers and cradling her against him.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly, not in pain but from trying to catch her breath from that earth-shattering kiss. She wanted more and eagerly reached for him, flattening her palms against his torso as she eagerly removed his shirt, exposing his torso to her hungry gaze. It was strong and well-muscled, his broad chest heaving under her roving fingers.

I still cannot believe this is happening.

“I—I—”

“Say the word,” he nuzzled her neck. “And I will stop.”

His fingers caught the strap of her camisole and tugged it down her arm to the crook of her elbow. In the next instant, his mouth was on her bared breast, sucking hard, while his tongue flicked and swirled around the engorged peak.

“Wait,” she cried, her body trembling with need even she arched towards his greedy mouth instinctively. “Just wait…”

“Oh no, temptress.” His voice was husky with need. “I’m not done with you yet.”

His heated lips were still laving at her throbbing nipple while his other hand trailed down to the hem of the silky garment and lifted it above her hips.

“Say it, if that is what you want.”

“No…”

“That is not the word and you know it.” His fingers brushed along her thighs. They parted instinctively. “Tell me to stop.”

“No.” She closed her eyes as her thighs opened wider.

“No, you will not tell me to stop?”

Her voice sounded barely louder than a whimper even though her pulse pounded in her ears.

“Don’t… stop.”

It felt like forever that he teased her, the stirrings within her body already far surpassing anything she’d ever dreamed of before. His fingers lightly stroked her nub, then teased her sensitive flesh. She knew her juices flowed for him, her body telling him what her voice could not.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stop?” he rumbled against her neck.

“Yes!”

“Then spread your legs wider.”

She could only emit hitching gasps as she did so. It was almost as though she’d been drugged from her senses, and only in the morning would she possibly be able to think straight.

He cupped his hand over her mound, slipping one finger into her slick passage as his palm kept steady pressure against her clit. Heat coalesced under his palm. She couldn’t think straight between the thick, deep sound of his voice, his scent, and that sweetly tormenting finger roving inside her.

She let out a small whimper.

“You are so tight. I cannot wait to be inside you. The first time, I will fuck you hard and fast and make you mine. It will not be loving or tender. I will mark you as mine and claim you.” He pushed his index further still. “The second time I take you, I will fuck you long and slow until I have felt your body drain my cock many times with your orgasms.”

She moaned and heaved her hips upward so she was practically riding his hand now.

“The third time,” he continued, “I will fuck you until you scream my name and beg me to let you come because by then you will be all mine.”

Her belly clenched, tight with need. His skilled digit plunged deeper, then pressed up, finding that magical spot.

“Come for me,” he ordered when she began panting from his expert ministrations.

She let out a loud cry as her body obeyed even while her mind struggled to comprehend the command. He kissed her, crushing her lips with his. His finger continued whatever magic motions he used to conjure the response from her, prolonging her reaction until she lay trembling on the bed beside him.

He withdrew his hand and, his gaze firmly on her, sucked her juices off his fingers while she gasped for breath.

A slow, seductive smile curled his lips. “You never said stop.”

Speechless, she continued to stare up at him as she recovered. But then, when he smirked again, she suddenly sprang to action.

There was no way she would let him get even one more smug, self-satisfied moment!

Without warning, she swiftly rolled over and shimmied down the mattress, neatly devesting him of his pants and underwear in one swift tug before he knew what hit him.

His dick, large and thick, looked both rigid and impatient to get back to the business at hand. It also made her mouth water.

She was zealous to give as good as she’d got.

Her mouth opened wide as she fervently wrapped her lips around him. She’d never imagined his taste would be objectionable in the least, yet the sweet flavor of his pre-come still took her by surprise. She greedily took him in as deeply as she could, closing her eyes and using one hand to cup and caress his balls.

“You little minx!” He panted as he stroked her hair. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?”

Damn this was hot. She could easily spend hours doing this.

She closed her eyes and burrowed her head deep between his legs, his musky, spicy scent filling her lungs and nearly making her dizzy.

He rested his hands on the back of her head.

“You…were entirely worth waiting for,” he rasped.

“Good things come to those who wait, lover.” She felt his stiffness tense up even more as his other hand cupped her head. “Also, if you do not tell me to stop, I cannot.”

He briefly let go of her. She knew she should lift her head, say the word, and end this insanity, as she could feel he was getting close to finishing.

Instead, she deep-throated him.

His hands returned, holding her and caressing her head while he let out another groan of lustful bliss and found his sweet release.

The heady taste of his emission filling her mouth washed all other thoughts away and formed the sum of her existence. She lapped it all up, hot and thick and creamy on her tongue. Even then, his member didn’t completely soften as she’d expected, only marginally losing its rigor.

He gripped her hair and attempted to pull her off.

She tried to keep him from dislodging her. He laughed and pressed his thumbs into the corners of her mouth and gently pushed her away, gathering her into his arms when she tried to nuzzle back into position.

His hand caressed her back as he pressed her face against the crook of his neck.

“You just took me to the stars and back after many years of burning need, so have mercy, woman!” He mock-protested with a rich chuckle. “A man needs to catch his breath!”

He put his arm back around her and pulled her close, so her head rested on his chest, and his legs snaked around hers. The hair on his thighs rubbed against her own smooth legs, sending shivers of delight through her entire body.

“Overruled! Respite denied, as I too have been suffering from the same insatiable cravings all these years!”

Without further ado, she flipped over so that she straddled him, her hands braced on the smooth muscles of his bare pecs. His rigid length stirred beneath her and she gave a little wiggle, making him gasp.

She smirked, determined to fully demonstrate what kind of woman he was dealing with.

“My turn to be on top.”

She centered herself over the head of his now fully erect shaft and inched forward slightly. He exhaled softly as her moist folds stroked over the tip and back down again, and she sighed contentedly as well when her clit came in contact with the silken skin covering the head of his erection.

His fingers slid between her legs to toy with her clit, then rose to play with her nipples, tugging them gently with fingers covered in her own juices.

She dropped her head back and let her hands fall, lightly running over the head of his cock before they reached her womanhood.

His breathing was growing ragged she stroked at her mound with tantalizing fingers.

She coyly glanced down to gauge his reaction and bit back a knowing smirk as she saw his beautiful face transformed by lust.

“You are amazing,” he whispered, as she slid her index finger down over her clit and began rubbing it lightly. The sensation of being watched combined with what she was doing made her incredibly hot, and she let her eyes fall closed as she continued teasing herself with her fingers. Her hips started moving, her wetness sliding deliciously against his rigid length, fiery and pulsating against her soft flesh.

“Come here, my incorrigible hellcat!” He grabbed her hips, pulling her upward so that he could fit himself inside her. She pulled away.

“Not yet,” she purred, enjoying the frustration on his face. “I’m in charge here.”

“Oh, Jesus,” he groaned, throwing his head back on the pillow and closing his eyes.

She shook her head and waggled her finger. “Patience is a virtue.”

“It’s not one I want to learn.” He gasped as she ground herself harder on his raging erection, teasing him by letting the tip slide just into her entrance and then pulling away again. His fingers dug more deeply into her hips, but he did not try to move her again. He was letting her control things, at least for the moment, and she enjoyed the power in a way she never had before. Watching his captivated reaction to her was indescribably sexy beyond words.

She rubbed against him faster, his gasps filling her ears, her blood racing as her clit became more and more sensitive and engorged against his hardness. She leaned back, pert breasts oscillating gently, stiffened nipples flushed and dark against her pale skin.

She grasped down behind her and let her fingernails scratch gently up his inner thighs. His hips jerked up reflexively, and when she ran her nails across his sack, he groaned.

“Enough, Meine Dame!” Edgeworth growled, and before she knew what was happening, he lifted her again and impaled her in one smooth, quick thrust. “It’s time I started ensuring I shake every memory of Phoenix Wright of your system – permanently!”

“I eagerly anticipate a lifetime of your vigorous, quaking efforts, Liebling.” Franziska’s voice took on a teasing inflection. “I also promise to let you know if you are even veering towards the Wright path to victory…”

He bucked forcefully beneath her in response to this naughty bait, and she languidly arched her back and fluidly matched his rhythm while treating him to a saucy wink.

“Hmmm… however, I can already feel my recollections beginning to grow hazy…. Phoenix, who?”

Babar Bar, Kingdom of Khura’in – July 11, 2026

Summer nights.

Night after night I have waited for someone
I looked up and you were there
But I can’t remember this feeling I’m feeling
I know that you’ve answered my prayer

The music in the bar being belted out by the latest karaoke performer continued to swirl around them. Although wrapped up in his own contented bubble with the spirit medium, Phoenix idly noted that the upbeat tempo nonetheless failed to disguise its poignant lyrics. Like some sort of sign, the verses were still as applicable to his current state as every other song that’d preceded.

For once in my life
I found someone to love
And who really cares
For once in your life when you know
You found true love and you just can’t pretend
All of my life I’ve been waiting
(Waiting for you)

However, if the Stevie B classic playing was a herald of sorts, it was redundant; by now, the card shark certainly didn’t require any reminder, demonstrative or otherwise, that for at least the last two song sets, he’d been embracing the woman of his dreams at long last.

This is the rhythm of summer nights
Two bodies dancing
Until the morning light
Our favorite DJ
He’s playing our favorite songs
Summer nights

It’s as if we can feel our bodies in synchrony with our minds, in that way we think with no words and just bask in each other’s propinquity. There’s a mutual unspoken joy in it, experiencing these waves of serenity as steady as the ocean. It’s being here together, on a balmy summer night in a foreign land of who knows where, existing in each sweet moment as if it were just one, the past falling away with a gentle acceptance of the future.

A smile crept and the air grew thick with a tenderness that couldn’t help but make him breathe slower, deeper, happier.

This is the rhythm of my life
You feel the music
The magic of the night
Two bodies dancing
To our favorite songs
Summer nights

Maya wordlessly nuzzled even closer to him, rubbing her cheek against his chest while keeping her steadfast grip around his waist. He closed his eyes, rocking side to side ever so slightly in subconscious time to the music, so it was almost as though they were dancing together in that dimly lit corner of the bar.

It may have looked strange to any possible onlookers at the duo, but he didn’t care. He was lost in his thoughts as he reveled in the fact that the treasure he’d sought so long was finally in his arms.

Maya Fey. She’s honestly the girl you don’t see coming at first. She’s the only girl you find yourself wanting to try for. You’ll find yourself remaining soft for her no matter how hard life gets. Even when you’ve built your strong exterior, she’ll be the one who can see right through it. She knows exactly how to crumble every wall you build.

Day after day
I’ve been searching and searching
For someone to love me for me
See I never knew
Of this passion inside me
‘Til you came and set my heart free
Now I wanna share my life,
My soul, my dreams with you every night
‘Cause I wanna let you know
I’m a stronger man with you by my side
All of my life I’ve been waiting
(Waiting for you)
Summer nights

Even after being apart for so long, you’ll still find yourself craving her. Even when she’s a chaotic storm herself. You find yourself storm chasing into the unknown because she’s the one who makes you feel safe when your mind is raging and confused. She’ll be your calm. In her eyes, you’ll find beyond them lies a familiar soul. And that’s why she’s different than every other girl. That’s why for me, she’s the only girl in the world.

Said woman of his dreams took in a shaky breath, at last quelling her earlier sobs, though she continued to cling to him like a lifebuoy ring.

Phoenix’s heart raced in responsiveness to his body being nestled against; the gentle, firm hold of those slender female arms. As Maya’s fingers moved to thread tenderly through his spikes, he felt himself relax under the gentle touch, all previous lachrymose emotions crumbling at his feet like dust.

I want nothing more than to be able to take her hand and somehow, show how much I’ve missed her, just like she taught me to remain open and soft. Good things do come to good people, and I truly believe she is one of them, even if she’s not mine…

“Nick?” At last, she drew back and stared up at him with those mesmerizing orbs, which now seemed confused about something. “Is everything OK?”

Phoenix blinked. He’d gotten so caught up in his lovelorn reverie, that he hadn’t even comprehended that he’d subconsciously loosened his hold on her, so their prolonged hug was now being entirely unreciprocated by him. No wonder the spirit medium was questioning what had so unexpectedly gone awry.

Maya bit her lip and moved closer, her searching gaze peering deeply into his own, as if trying to silently convey, “Hey, it’s me, you dork! What’s going on here?”

In about two seconds she’d utter the words aloud if need be, as her trademark effervescence hadn’t dimmed with age in the slightest!

Nick always said me being so cheeky was good; he let me be myself. We used to laugh so much, at times stopping the conversation because we knew a torrent of giggles needed to be released on both ends. But of everything we ever did, it was staring into those magnificent sapphires which I loved the most. That’s all we ever needed to connect, him and me. Just eyes, no words required. Even if we were mute, I know our connection would remain the same.

Grasping how foolish he was being, the pianist chuckled and flashed her his most disarming smile, unaware of how his face lit up like a ray of light as he did so.

And Maya nearly melted right there on the spot.

Mysterious hobo Nick was hotter than a ghost pepper… but smiling, laughing hobo Nick was downright irresistible!

There is something in the way you laugh that reminds me of my better self. There is something pure in the way you struggle to do what is right, it’s honesty, right? You have the kind of creative brain that brings such magic and interest to life, one that enjoys the sparking of ideas. So, my friend, I am still hopelessly smitten with you…a girlhood crush turned gentle admiration which has led to an incurable lifetime ardor…

A silent, inward sigh. A crush. Who was she kidding?

“Crush” was such an infantile word, one that must have been invented by older folks, the ones with an interest in belittling young love. Maya hated it. She didn’t have a crush on Phoenix. She loved him with a passion hotter than a thousand suns. He was The One. She knew it. He was all that was in her mind; he was her true north, her everything…even if he didn’t know it.

More than anything in the world, I wish I had the nerve to finally tell him how I feel so that I can stop feeling like a volcano about to erupt from the force of suppressing these toiling emotions…

Unaware of Maya’s inner havoc, Phoenix was vainly attempting to steel himself. Of course, he would be fine – so long as he wasn’t physically touching her anymore and feeling those lush, ripened, feminine curves of hers pressed against him, thus testing the proximities of their friendship boundaries and his overall self-restraint. Now that the initial shock of being reunited had worn off, he would be just fine!

After all, if he by hook or by crook, discarded the fact that he’d at long last been reunified with his former assistant, whom he also happened to be madly in love with, after a literal dog’s age, there was still the comforting joy of being with his dear friend again!

I’m back with my best friend after seven years apart. What the heck else matters?

That realization was what finally allowed him to somewhat relax; his expression softened and his cheeks dusted a slight pink, and there was a tentative gentleness about him that made her stop and stare. It was like Phoenix was 24 all over again – that sweet and earnest rookie attorney in the blue suit, not this enigmatic, hunky yet unreadable hobo standing there in his stead!

Her breathing became softer, the pensive look melting into a smile as soft as the moonlight. Her body squirmed just a little as her muscles relaxed again as she met his intense gaze.

There is something about those twin jewels of his that I’ll never find in another man; as if in that moment when our gazes locked, our souls have made a bridge of some sort…

Phoenix found himself helplessly lost whenever he stared into those eyes of hers. Those deep sienna orbs, baring flecks of deep brown married with lighter hues. Always glowing with humor and playfulness that gave one the shivers and wrapped one in a warm embrace at the same time.

That last time I saw those eyes was when I left Misty Fey’s funeral, that day we saw into each other’s souls when you looked at me which those lugubrious orbs. So much strength remaining despite the years of weathering, so much life. You knew my fears and I knew yours; you were everything I could have asked you to be. All you asked is that I come back safely to you someday, and as I watched you through Gumshoe’s car window you blew a kiss… a single kiss when you thought we’d driven away too far away for me to see. I loved you so much then. Almost as much as I do now.

Unable to control the tide of emotions threatening to erupt from him another moment, he found his hand reaching out, as though he no longer had full control of it, and cupping her fragile jaw, tracing the curve of her full bottom lip with his thumb. She gasped slightly and her mouth parted to reveal straight white teeth, rosy calescence in her cheeks mounting from the intimate touch. She swallowed hard and he watched her throat move convulsively. Her chest rose and fell as her breathing grew more rapid.

She’d gotten so damn beautiful over the years that it almost hurt to look at her now.

He could drink in her presence like a strong wine and enjoy feeling tipsy. He watched her like she had the stars in her hands and soft petals at her feet. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let go.

But that would mean revealing how he felt about her; a notion that frayed his nerves so bad he shook at just the thought.

As he studied her, Maya nervously licked her lips. He wanted to lick her lips for her. How would they taste? For some reason, he thought they’d taste sweet, like cherries. He frowned. Why was he even thinking about her lips, now of all times? His brain must be even more muddled than he thought.

He barely swallowed a groan as carnal urges he had no business feeling threatened to consume him.

She licked her lips again, this time her tongue accidentally licking his thumb.

Involuntarily, he could feel the tell-tale stirring inside his boxers, and sweat broke out all over his body.

Ummmm…urk! Like a pimply-faced, walking hormone of an adolescent bearing zero dick control…I just went from six to midnight!

He gulped and forced himself to think of the un-sexiest thing possible to rid his stirred senses from the sensation of that dainty, wet, kitten-like tongue against his flesh.

Dahlia Hawthorne! Hell’s bells and a buck of blood!

Of course! His demonic ex!

I even made up a song parody about my former swain in my mind, based on the ear-worm tune, “Hey There Delilah!”

Nothing was less bonerific than dredged-up memories of the titian-haired, satanic succubitch herself!

Hey there Dahlia, what’s it like down in hell, baby? It’s where Chief sent you that day because you looked so goddamn guilty. (Yes, you did). Oh, the truth you so well hid, oh yes you did…

Fucking Dahlia. The very same She-Devil he’d had the misfortune of losing his virginity to…

Gyaah! Forget her, Phoenix! Focus on her twin sister Iris, instead! The one who’s about as passionate as a protein bar!

Giving his head a shake, he then belatedly realized that he’d been so focused on suppressing the quivering in his loins, that he hadn’t even noticed his duplicitous hand was still stroking at Maya’s exquisite visage!

Hurriedly, he dropped his hand like a hot potato while he cursed himself to the moon and back.

What the hell am I doing?! I have no business touching her like this! Get a grip, Phoenix, and stop acting like such a stupid clutzoid dumbhead nong-nong!

Naturally, as though his life hadn’t thus far been enough of a suck salad (complete with the bacon bits), at that precise moment, the faint strains of an unmistakable, tell-tale romantic ballad were then heard in the background.

It was one which both of them were all too acquainted with.

Holy Shit Zombies! Don’t tell me they’re actually playing…

“This one goes out to all the lovers in the house,” the DJ crooned.

The next patron had come up to the microphone now and the famous melody, reminiscent of the friends’ countless movie night marathons by the iconic rock band, Foreigner, began.

“I want all the ladies and germs in the house to grab the person closest to them, even if they’re not here with somebody, and get on the dance floor to support this sweet, sentimental guy, Mr. Herbie Hind! He’s here celebrating his fifth anniversary with his special girl, Dinah Mite, tonight, and this was the song he initially sang to convince her to out with him! Come on everyone – lovers and other strangers – let’s share that loving feeling with them! Don’t be a spoilsport – get your rears out here!”

There hadn’t been much coaxing required to get all of the twosomes out of the woodwork and make their way to the dance floor. Most of them had already been venturing there the moment they’d heard the beginning bars to “I’ve Been Waiting For A Girl Like You.”

Phoenix stood frozen on the spot, unwilling to move.

Gyaah! I can’t get up close and personal with Maya again! I just willfully traumatized myself to get from midnight back down to six!

“When in Rome, right? It’s hard to disobey a command like that, huh, Nick? Time to cut loose and kick off the Sunday shoes!”

Maya forced herself to sound as plucky and cheery as she’d been back in their old, familiar days of friendship, as it was becoming perplexingly evident from his indecipherable mien that Phoenix was going to continue staring at her, yet not uttering a word!

“Um, everybody cut footloose? You don’t remember that awesome retro tune? From that 80’s musical flick of the same name. Hello?! Footloose?! We used to love watching movies like that, Nick. Don’t you remember?”

When he still didn’t budge, a note of exasperation crept into her tone.

“C’mon, Old Man! This is a nice song from a great movie! I’m feeling nostalgic even if you are content to be a total pill! Now quit being such a wet blanket!”

Like a tugboat pulling at the world’s most reluctant ocean liner, the petite psychic managed to drag the cement-footed pianist to the outskirts of the dance floor, amongst the dozens of other couples.

Her fingers automatically followed the path of his hoodie collar, encountering both the warm skin at the nape of his neck and the short, spiky hair on the back of his head, hidden under his beanie from her eyes but not her fingers. Immediately, she recognized how much she liked the feel of both. Along with the sturdy, shelf-life quality of his broad shoulders that her arms were draped over. And his height, which had her stretching upward even with her 2-inch heels.

“I don’t dance.” Phoenix’s cadence was grated, as though her conversant touch of his hair which he’d seemed to enjoy only moments ago was now unwelcome. His eyes were heavy-lidded and impossible to read as he looked down at her.

The rejection stung and made her feel oddly defensive.

“What’s so damn hard about it?”

Uwahhhh! Don’t say hard, woman! Jesus H. Christ in a chicken basket…PHRASING!

“Just put your hands on my waist –like they were when you hugged me a few minutes ago before you got all weird for some reason! – and …let your hips just do a slight swing.”

So long, I’ve been looking too hard, I’ve waiting too long
Sometimes I don’t know what I will find
I only know it’s a matter of time
When you love someone
When you love someone
It feels so right, so warm and true
I need to know if you feel it too
Maybe I’m wrong
Won’t you tell me if I’m coming on too strong?
This heart of mine has been hurt before
This time I want to be sure

Wooden hands plunked down onto her waist even before she finished speaking, settling on either side of it at the narrowest part, just above the flare of her hips. She could feel the size and shape of them holding her lightly through the thin material of her sheath. High-necked, with tiny cap sleeves and an Asian vibe, her spirit medium outfit wouldn’t have been her first choice in a crowded bar, especially given the heat on that summer night, but at least it was made of breathable cotton.

She flashed him a teasing smile.

“OK, forget swinging! Just… sway then! Even an old fart like you can sway, can’t you, Nick? You just move your left foot…”

“Which one?” He deadpanned.

“Hardy, har, har. Try this basic box step – forward, to the side, together. Backward, to the side, together. Think you can manage that and spare my toes, mister?”

“Maybe.” It seemed he could, and even pick up his feet at the same time, although recalcitrance practically oozed from his pores. “It’s just that this seems like such a frivolous waste of time, especially when we’ve got so much catching up to do, Maya.”

The sudden jump of her heart was not, she reminded herself fiercely, outwardly visible. She kept calm by focusing on hearing him say her name again after so long. Was swoon even a word people used anymore? Because to her surprise, and embarrassment, the gravelly way he said her name made her want to do just that!

“I can’t hear you,” she mouthed, although she could. But using the romantic tune as an excuse gave her a second to recover.

I’ve been waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
I’ve been waiting for a girl like you
A love that will survive
I’ve been waiting for someone new
To make me feel alive
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life

Looking irritated, he dipped his head – she got a whiff of soap and felt his heated breath on her ear – then repeated the reasoning behind his objections to this particular activity.

As he straightened, her heart was still behaving oddly, but for an entirely different reason.

Her body tingled where he’d touched her and her erratic heart was beating so hard that she thought it might fly out. There were butterflies – no, lions – inside her chest. It felt unfamiliar, yet good.

No, not good.

The feeling was downright exhilarating.

You’re so good
When we make love it’s understood
It’s more than a touch or a word we say
Only in dreams could it be this way
When you love someone
Yeah, really love someone
Now, I know it’s right
From the moment I wake up till deep in the night
There’s nowhere on earth that I’d rather be
Than holding you, tenderly

Forcing herself to not get swept away amidst the now openly necking twosomes surrounding them, Maya sternly reminded herself that she was a grown woman now, not a silly, fanciful teenager! She could not allow herself to get carried away by quixotic songs just because she was slow dancing with the only man who’d ever turned her knees to water!

“This place has an outdoor lānai, where we’ll finally be able to hear each other, Twinkle Toes!” She deliberately kept her tone jocoserious to mask her nervousness about how the inexplicable but undeniable tension between them was raising the temperature in the air. “I swear we’ll go chat over there right after this song, provided your pacemaker can hold out that long!”

She’d made up her mind that the only thing to do was play the old friendship card to the hilt, and if her stomach twisted tighter than a loaf of challah bread at the prospect of being in such proximity to the man, she was prepared to raise the stakes and add an extra side of masking mockery to the table!

“I hate bars,” the spiky-haired man muttered. “This bar may be nicer than the dive I work at now, but it’s hardly the first choice of atmosphere for a man on vacation.”

“This place is called Babar Bar,” the necromancer told him. “It’s mostly a tourist place, seeing as how it’s in the country’s top, according to Detective Badd, hotel, called the Holly Muh’Dar Mahal.”

“Babar, bar?!” Phoenix stopped dancing and eyed her dubiously. “Well, I guess that explains all the elephants in the décor, but what’s with the lodging name?!”

“This country is super devoted to The Holy Mother.” She grinned impishly. “And also, such naming is common to the locals here in the Kingdom of Khura’in! Better get used to West Asia customs, you Yankee Doodle Dandy!”

“Asia?!” His jaw dropped. “What the shit? Edgeworth told me he was taking me to Europe to check out the jurist system there to do some preliminary research for getting my job back!”

“Don’t they teach geography in law school?” Maya tittered. “Obviously, Edgy was deliberately being obtuse, because Europe and Asia are technically the same continents, which is also identified as Eurasia!”

“Maya now is not the time to school me about my mapping knowledge. I’m not in the mood.”

His jaw had hardened, and she found herself noticing with interest the faint shadow of stubble that darkened it and his cheeks.

How was it that she’d ever thought she wasn’t attracted by tall, dark, and handsome men? In a possible example of the worst timing ever, she was discovering that she did – although the strong, silent type vibe was getting a little irksome! How could he have been so keen to catch-up, but was now against actually talking?!

Sheesh! if the brooding brute isn’t in the mood for light-hearted banter, then what is he in the mood for?!

“Have it your way, then, you surly schoolboy! Class is no longer in session!” She gave a playful, one-fingered caress to the warm skin at the back of his neck, and felt every muscle in his body go taut as a bowstring in response.

Every muscle. There was enough space between them that the tips of her breasts only barely brushed his bulky sweatshirt, but she felt his entire body tense from the innocuous gesture, and this time, he didn’t bother to hide his thoughts behind his poker face.

Her lips parted as she, at last, discovered what he’d been trying to hide behind the now smoldering gaze.

Hungry eyes.

I’ve been waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
I’ve been waiting for a girl like you
A love that will survive
I’ve been waiting for someone new
To make me feel alive
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life

Her gaze slid up over his face.

His mouth was grim. His eyes had a hard, restless glitter at their backs.

For a moment their gazes held.

Mutual acknowledgment.

The air around them felt like it was slowly turning to steam.

Maya couldn’t speak. She was afraid if she did, she’d break the spell.

I’ve been waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
I’ve been waiting for a girl like you
A love that will survive
I’ve been waiting for someone new
To make me feel alive
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life

Won’t you come into my life?
My life?

“Let’s just say I’ve been on a highway to hell these past seven years. So geography has been the last thing on my mind!” The edge to his voice was underlined by the tightening of his grip on her waist. She could feel the blunt tips of his fingers digging into her flesh. “But I’ll go out on a limb and assume it hasn’t been a cakewalk for you, either.”

When she could only nod a mute affirmation to this, he leaned down to her ear to ensure she heard him this time. This time, his cheek brushed hers. The sandpaper feeling from his stubble against the softness of her skin made her insides turn into melted marshmallowy goo.

“The song’s over now. We’ve got eons of playing catch-up to do now. Time to cut loose.”

This time it was Maya’s turn to remain rooted on the spot.

She was still taken aback by the unforeseen shift in their dynamic and was a tad rattled by the idea of being alone with the object of her (obviously shared!) desire in less crowded proximity. Part of her wanted it more than the air she breathed; but the inexperienced, unworldly part of her still felt overwhelmed and uncertain of what would happen…

In pretend deafness, all she could muster in response was, “What did you say?”

He leaned close again. This time she was prepared for the rasp of his cheek against hers, for the feel of his breath against her ear, for the smell of soap with a hint of menthol—a shaving cream, no doubt—and all man.

“I said, let’s get the hell out of here.”

The hard angle of his jaw was only a little above the level of her eyes. She watched it clench, watched his mouth thin and harden. The aggravation defense: nothing she ever would have employed with premeditation, but it seemed to work.

Then his arms encircled her, tightened. He pulled her fully against him and swung her around, lifting her clean off her feet in the process. It might have been a defensive move, designed to keep them from being bumped by a wildly boogying couple on their right. But she thought it was an offensive one, payback for her pretense. Whatever his motive, it was an unexpected enough move to cause her to lock her arms around his neck and cling to him, then leave her plastered right up against him like jelly to peanut butter, even after her feet were firmly back on the floor again.

It was something that, in retrospect, she would have been better off avoiding.

Too late.

Who would have guessed that she was such a sucker for a big, strong man who could sweep her off her feet?

Apparently, she was. Once she had her feet beneath her again, she could have put some space between them. She could have unlocked her arms from around his neck and taken a half-step back.

Yet Maya didn’t. She didn’t want to.

She felt as if tongues of flame were licking at her skin.

The feel of his heat, even through his clothes and solid muscle, was intoxicating. The unyielding firmness of his chest against her breasts, the brush of his long, powerful legs in his jogging pants against her fitted apparel, the uneven rise, and fall of his chest. She could both hear and feel his rapid breathing at being in such propinquity, and it was making her burn. It all made her quake.

She never even realized her smile was gone until his eyes slid down to fasten on her mouth.

A wave of heat hit her, as tangible as if it had come rolling off a fire. Her heart pounded. Her pulse raced.

The music and darkness swirled around her, blocking out everything except him. Except them.

She watched him looking at her mouth, and her bones turned to water.

Shrouded in the deep purple gloom of the dance floor, with neon shafts of light shooting like meteors through the darkness high above his head, Phoenix appeared larger than life and sexy as hell.

And all she could think about was how lust-fueled she felt by him in that instant.

What she wanted, so much that it was surprising, as the idea no longer scared her, was for him to pull her close against that rock-hard body of his, claim her mouth with his own and kiss her until she was utterly and completely breathless.

Their eyes met. His were hooded, restless, gleaming. They made her mouth go dry. They made her insides clench. His face was close to hers. It was all she could do not to turn her head so that her mouth brushed his sandpaper cheek.

Wrapped in his arms, with the evidence of how much he wanted her right there between them and the electricity they generated throwing off sparks everywhere, she almost forgot why they were on the dance floor in the first place.

Then his head dipped closer still…

Stevie B – Summer Nights

Plain White T – (Phoenix’s parody )Hey There Delilah

Foreigner – Waiting For A Girl Like You