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RICKA’S EXQUISITE SCENT played havoc with his senses making Synge very aware of how much he wanted her. He drifted in and out of sleep, fighting the urge to roll her on her back and claim her. Not only had his need to take care of her intensified, he also suffered a strong desire to mate and join with her, the bonding ritual of his people. No woman, not even those on Tarron, had ever tempted the animalistic side of his nature like this before. He would never force himself on her, but the enticing woman was hard to resist.
To make matters worse, he’d awoken to find her asleep and tucked against his side. Her head rested on his shoulder, her warm breath sending shivers across his bare chest. Her leg was draped across his thighs, and her free hand rested on his stomach. She groaned and stretched against him. She tilted her chin upward, presenting him with a beautiful pair of irresistibly full lips. She shifted her leg, her inner thigh rubbing against his erection and making him even harder.
He stifled a groan and slowly shifted her leg away from his groin, trying not to wake her.
Synge had never been this close to a human female before, especially not one this tempting. Unlike Tarron women, who were taller and more muscled, Ricka possessed soft, irresistible curves. He couldn’t resist stroking his thumb along the smooth, creamy skin on her cheek. Nor could he stop from gently brushing her mouth with his lips. He told himself it was only one kiss, to satisfy his curiosity.
He could tell by the steady rise and fall of her chest she was still asleep. Ricka moaned, her lips moving against his. Deepening the kiss, he coaxed her lips to part with his tongue. He slowly skimmed his hand along her thigh. She shifted closer, grinding against his hip.
He continued teasing her and slid his hand inside her jacket. Cupping her breast, he caressed the soft mound through the thin material of her bra. He knew he should stop but he couldn’t. She was so responsive and too damned irresistible. Inching his fingers below the edge of the fabric, he slid it off her breast to expose her hardened nipple. Rasping his thumb across the peak, he smiled when she gasped.
Ricka’s eyes flew open, and she broke the kiss. Surprise and need flashed across her drowsy expression. She pushed her upper body away from his chest, leaving her leg draped across his hip. “What are you doing?”
By the old laws of his people, the woman was his. He’d fought for her and would have died for her. No one would dispute his claim if he took her, possessed her, owned her. His body ached for all those things, yet he would deny himself any of it if she refused him permission. Unlike the warriors, he would not force himself on her. It did not, however, mean he was above using persuasion as a tool. “I assumed it was what you wanted since...” He withdrew his hand from inside her jacket and skimmed his hand slowly along her thigh.
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RICKA COULDN’T BELIEVE she was practically sprawled all over him. When Synge ran his large hand down the side of her leg, tingles of desire coursed along all her nerve endings and warmth pooled between her legs. Part of her needed and wanted to know what it would feel like being naked beneath him. Another part of her remembered she was a prisoner aboard his ship and refused to succumb to the cravings of her traitorous body. She couldn’t roll away from him; her back was already pressed against the wall. “No. It is not what I want.”
His nostrils flared. “The scent of your arousal suggests otherwise.” His voice was lower than normal, huskier, deeper, and laced with hunger.
Heat flushed along her cheeks. “You can smell me?”
“Yes, Tarrons have acute senses. It is part of what makes us good hunters.”
“Well, it’s not what I...I mean, it’s not going to happen.”
“Are you sure?” He cupped the back of her head, pulling her forward and capturing her mouth.
All thoughts of resisting disappeared as need and desire poured through her. She parted her lips, begging him to use his tongue. When he delved deeper, she moaned, knowing he craved this as much as she did. Damn, he really knows how to kiss.
He gently rolled her onto her back, settling his hips between her legs. Bracing on one elbow, he held her gaze. “I want you.” He slowly traced his thumb along her jaw as if asking for her permission to continue.
It was her undoing. She tangled the fingers of her free hand in the hair at his nape. Pulling him closer, she teased his lower lip, grazing it with her teeth.
Groaning, he took control of the kiss, his actions strong and possessive. When he finally pulled away, they both panted for much-needed air. Reaching over her head, he freed her wrist from the cuff.
He pushed away from her and sat on his haunches, then pulled her up so she was straddling his lap. He pressed kisses to her throat, pausing long enough to remove her jacket and her bra. “You are so beautiful.” He placed his hands on her hips and lowered his mouth over a breast, sucking the bud, rolling his tongue around the tip. “So soft,” he whispered against her skin.
Ricka whimpered and dug her fingers into his shoulders. He moved to her other breast and gave it the same amount of attention. He pulled back and blew on the wetness coating her chest. The pleasure was intense, and she shivered. Running her hands along his chest, she enjoyed the way his breath hitched and his muscles tightened beneath her fingertips. “Amazing,” she said and traced the markings along his side, stopping when she reached the edge of his pants.
Touching him made her want him even more. She scooted off his lap and reached for his zipper. “These need to go.”
Synge rose on his knees, holding her with an intense gaze. She slid his pants down to his knees, staring at his very hard, very large erection. Biting her lip, she fisted her hand around his thick length and stroked upward.
He hissed and pulled her hand away. “You tempt my control, and I need to be inside you.”
Ricka lay back on the bed and shoved down her pants and underwear. “Please, take me,” she said, her voice laced with need.
Synge didn’t hesitate to cover her with his body. He crushed his mouth to hers, swallowing her gasp when he thrust inside her. She arched her back and tucked her legs behind his ass, meeting each of his hard, powerful strokes. His teeth scraped along the base of her throat, driving her closer to the edge. She cried out and dug her fingers into his back, the climax hitting with a force stronger than anything she’d ever experienced before.
He continued to pump, increasing her pleasure. Moments later, he tightened the grip on her hips, driving hard one last time and taking his own release. He collapsed on top of her, panting heavily.
After several minutes, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and rolled to his side. Drawing her into his arms, he tucked her against his side with her head on his shoulder. “Mine,” he whispered.
The alien’s possessive claim disturbed Ricka and comforted her at the same time. As much as she wanted to fight their attraction, she relished the protective curve of his arm and snuggled against him. She relaxed and let her thoughts drift. Later, once they landed and she’d had time to plan her escape, she’d worry about the way he made her feel.
A beeping noise startled Ricka awake. “What is that?” Some of her muscles were sore, and she was tender between her legs. She probably wasn’t going to walk right for a week and couldn’t help the smile tugging at her lips. The time spent with her handsome-as-hell outlaw had been the best sex she’d ever had. The man was tenacious and had the stamina of ten human men, which he’d proven at least four times before he’d finally let her sleep.
“It is a system alert. Nothing to worry about.” Synge took her wrist and slipped it back into the cuff. He slid out from under her and sat on the edge of the bed.
She tugged at the thin restraint, a reminder of why she was here. Dammit, she should have known better than to believe she could trust him. Clenching her free hand into a fist, she took a deep breath and fought the urge to smack him. Losing her temper wasn’t going to help Libby, and finding a way to rescue her friend was her main priority, something she couldn’t do if he kept her confined. “Wait, where are you going? You’re not going to leave me like this, are you?” After the time they’d spent together, it hurt to think he didn’t trust her. “I need to use the bathroom. And a shower would be nice.”
He rubbed his chin. “If I release you, do you promise to behave? No more attempts to leave. I have seen how you handle a weapon and have no desire to use force to disarm you.”
Where was she going to go? They were in the middle of space. The Klorthon had taken her knife, so unless he left his repeater lying around, she wasn’t much of a threat. The most damage she could do would be to reprogram the ship’s flight path. Since she had no idea where they were going or how to return the colony, she’d have to wait until they landed. “I’ll be good.” At least for now.
He leaned forward and released the cuff. “We should be near our destination, and I would prefer not to ‘lock you up,’ as you put it. Do not give me a reason to these again.”
“Where exactly are we going?”
“I am taking you to my home on Tarron. You will be safe there.” Moving off the bed again, he bent over to pull on his pants. No matter how insufferable, arrogant, and controlling Ricka thought he was, she couldn’t help admiring his naked physique. The man definitely had a nice ass.
He walked to a nearby cabinet and withdrew one of his shirts from the drawer. “You can wear this until we arrive and I can get you more appropriate clothing.”
She sat up. “Thank you.”
He nodded and returned to sit on the edge of the bed. “There is a bathroom and shower to the right at the end of this passageway.”
Having no idea what to expect, she was tempted to ask Synge what it would be like when they arrived on Tarron. She held back her questions, afraid he might become suspicious if she appeared too interested.
She slid off the bed, avoiding any physical contact. The man was too distracting and she needed a place, away from him, where she could think and plot the next move to find her friend.
