CHAPTER FIFTEEN

 

After several long minutes, Nathan pulled back and put some space between their bodies. He was breathing hard and so close to losing control he could barely see straight. Ti’ann looked up at him with heavy-lidded eyes, her mouth bruised from his kisses; so damned sexy. He needed to get them some privacy soon or he was going to fuck her against the tree. Not that she looked like she’d mind.

He glanced away, into the forest. He’d prefer taking her to his ship where he knew they’d have complete privacy. Anyone could walk into her tent. But they’d have to walk through the woods and avoid the bonfire to get to the landing pad without running into anyone. It was a long walk. He wasn’t sure he’d make it to her tent, nonetheless all the way to his ship. So her tent it was. For now. To take the edge off. Then maybe he’d talk her into spending the night in his ship with him. BinRal would be able to keep an eye on things. Just this one night. If he could have this one night, he was sure he’d be able to think straight again.

“Come on.” He took her hand and headed toward camp. He was walking too fast for her; she had to trot to keep up, but he couldn’t slow down. Even holding her hand was making his blood race.

As they neared the edge of the clearing, he listened for voices. Everything sounded quiet. Most everyone would be at the bonfire, enjoying a few drinks and some story telling or songs. So they should have a clear path. The last thing he needed now was to get stopped on the way for some long conversation that brought Dr. Jones out of her sensual stupor.

“Almost there,” he said more to himself than to her as they started across camp.

“Hurry.”

Her voice, quiet and thick with longing, nearly undid him. God, yes, he’d hurry.

He pulled her through the tent flap and into his arms in one move. Better, but not good enough. He stripped her, tasting skin as he revealed it. Part of him wanted to slow down but he couldn’t. He’d been thinking about this since he saw her again. He hadn’t been this wound up since he was a teenager. His clothes hit the floor, and he kissed her again.

Her fingers tangled in his hair, tugging at the band holding it back. He helped her loosen it then unwound her braid. Thick, heavy waves of brown silk fell into his palms. Better than blonde, he decided. Perfect. Her. He stepped back to look at her, naked, her hair falling around her shoulders like a cloak, her skin flushed and warm. She was the sexiest woman he’d ever known. Like a mythical goddess.

For a beat, he just looked at her. She stared back, a brief flash of uncertainty crossing through her gaze. Oh no you don’t, he thought, and pulled her into his arms. This was no time to shy away from him. He wanted Ti’ann, the lust-drugged goddess, and he intended to have her.

He pushed her onto the narrow cot and covered her with his body. The bed groaned under their weight. Wonder if it’ll hold? Didn’t matter. If it collapsed, they’d just have to finish on the floor.

She panted against his ear. Her hands were all over his body, petting and kneading him, driving him closer to insanity with every touch. Her tongue flicked against his neck, slid up his throat and he shuddered. “That feels good.”

He shifted and moved until he had her sprawled on top of him. He’d last longer this way. He hoped.

Something bunched under his back and he wiggled to flatten it out. Because he was watching her, even in the dim light he saw a flush crawl across her cheeks. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She pursed her lips and wouldn’t meet his eyes as she said, “That’s your jacket, if you want to move it.”

He raised his brows, so surprised, for a minute, he was silent. Then, “You have my jacket in your bed?”

“I meant to give it back the next day, after you loaned it to me that first night. But… I…”

“You’ve slept with it this entire time?” His already racing heart thumped harder. The thought of her sleeping with his jacket sent jolts of excitement though his blood.

She swallowed. “I like the way it smells.”

He groaned and squeeze his eyes closed. “Were you naked?”

She wiggled, the wet heat of her brushing his abdomen. Stars danced behind his closed eyelids. Every nerve in his body, already tensed and eager for her, went into overdrive.

“Uhm. Yes,” she admitted softly.

“Fuck.” He breathed out between his clenched teeth. “If I’d know that, I’d have joined you in this cot a hell of a lot sooner.” His cock jerked in anticipation and he was about a nanosecond from thrusting into her.

“Really?” she asked, a touch of humor in her voice.

When he opened his eyes, she was smiling down at him without a hint of the embarrassment from just a moment ago.

“Why did you wait?”

“Job. You’re a client. It was nothing. Stupid. Never mind.” His vaunted rule was pointless now. Had been from the moment he saw her again. He never could have made it to the end of this job without getting her naked again. He’d been fooling himself to think he’d ever stood a chance of resisting her.

He cupped her face and pulled her down for a kiss, devouring her mouth, so beyond desperate now he couldn’t pace himself.

She broke the kiss and asked, “Do you want your jacket back?”

“No. Keep it.” The idea of her having a piece of his clothing with her was like a branding, like leaving his scent on her, and it appealed to such a primitive part of him he barely recognized the impulse. He didn’t want to analyze it either. “You looked better in it anyway.”

She smiled, the expression wicked and sultry, then dipped her head. He felt her breath hot against his skin and her mouth moved lower. He had a pretty good idea where she was headed and really liked the idea, but he didn’t think he’d survive it. Not now. Not this time. He pulled her back up and kissed her, keeping her curious tongue well occupied.

Her hair fell across his shoulders, tickling his chest. She used some sort of flower-scented soap and it surrounded him now, filling his senses. He remembered she smelled of something similar the last time they were together. Would that scent have infused his jacket now? Maybe he did want the jacket back if it smelled like her, like the two of them mingled together. He reached up and cupped her cheek, watching shadows play across her face in the dark tent. She was so stunning, so sexy; she robbed him of all reason. And if he didn’t get inside her soon, his heart might just burst from the strain.

Pulse hammering, he said, “I have to… I can’t wait… I want to go slower, but…”

She put a finger over his mouth. “Now. Now is very very good.”

He couldn’t agree more. With a growl, he pushed into her wet heat. Her eyes closed as he entered her, her head falling back. Her long hair tickled his thighs, adding another sensual layer of sensation. He forced himself to breathe slowly as he gently worked himself into her. The feel of her clenched around his cock pushed him too close to the edge, but turning back now was impossible. Still, he didn’t want to hurt her. “You’re so tight,” he whispered, groaning when she shifted to settle farther onto him.

“It’s been awhile.”

“Are you all right?”

“Almost.” She rose up until he was nearly free of her then dropped her hips hard against his, taking him fully in the single motion.

“Fuck,” he muttered again, squeezing her hips. Sensations bombarded him—the cool air on his cock when she lifted herself off him, only to be swallowed by her heat when she pushed back down. Her tight, slick channel squeezed him mercilessly. His control in tatters, he almost lost it completely.

“I’m better now.” Her wicked grin made his cock pulse.

She rode him so slowly it was like tortured. He clenched his teeth, trying to think of something else. He caught her scent again and his brain sizzled. “You’re killing me,” he murmured, reaching up to caress her breasts. She shuddered when he toyed with her nipples and increased her rhythm. “Better. Now, faster.”

“No.” She slowed again.

“Yes.” He pinched her nipples until she moaned.

“Not yet,” she pleaded, but she moved faster.

“Yes. Now. I want to feel you come.” He moved one hand between them, pressed his thumb against her clit and held the pressure.

She threw her head back. “Oh, god.”

Her voice strained as she held back. She’d been more vocal in the hotel room. He’d loved all the noises she made, all her little sounds of pleasure, her groans of satisfaction. Once they’d taken the edge off, he was definitely taking Ti’ann to his ship for some privacy where she could make all the noise he wanted her to.

He watched her face flush, felt her body quiver; he was enthralled by her movements.

“Ti’ann. Come for me. Now.” He increased the pressure of his thumb on her clit, stroking it in tandem with her movements as she rode him. Then her body jerked as a squeal she tried to hold in erupted from her.

Feeling her clench tightly around him robbed him of what little control he had left. He thrust up and finally let go. He gritted his teeth as he came, arching his back reflexively. His body shuddered with the intensity of his orgasm.

When they were spent, Nathan collapsed back onto the cot, pulling Ti’ann down onto his chest, both of them panting hard. He felt her hot breath on his skin and savored that tickle of sensation, a sensation he’d never been able to forget.

Still inside her, he held her hips, drawing small circles over her soft skin. She trembled and clenched around his still semi-hard cock. His groan turned into a chuckle when she sighed. “You sound pleased.”

“Yes.”

She also sounded sleepy and content. That was one of the many sounds he liked to hear her make. “Let’s go to my ship.” He kissed her temple through a mass of sweet smelling hair. “We’ll have more privacy.”

She sat up a little to look down at him. “We’re going to need more privacy?”

“You didn’t think I was finished with you yet, did you?”

Her eyes widened.

“I’m not. Come back to my ship. I’m going to need most of the night with you.”

She stared at him for a long minute, not smiling or blinking. He waited, holding his breath, fully prepared to beg if he had to. If she refused, he’d stay here and seduce her again, and again if he needed to until she agreed. The longer she stared, the more he decided talking her into coming back to his ship might be fun.

Then she grinned, a secretive cat’s grin, and his heart started thumping.

“I think I’d like more privacy,” she said.

*****

Ti’ann woke feeling warm and safe, and sore. She hadn’t felt this sore in…three years. She lay spooned up against Nathan, her back to his chest. His arm was heavy and secure around her waist, a brace she was grateful for considering how narrow his bunk was. She stared across the small cabin at a featureless metal wall wondering if he had anything to drink.

She slid out from under his arm, onto the floor, and almost collapsed when her wobbly legs wouldn’t hold her weight. Bracing a hand against the wall, she waited while her body stabilized. Damn, she was sore. She grimaced as she moved, only to grin a moment later with a memory of how she’d gotten like this. Not a night she’d ever forget or regret. She stumbled naked out into the companionway in search of an auto-cooker or a cooler. She kept one hand braced on the wall to stay upright then fell, almost literally, into a closet-sized bathroom only a few steps past Nathan’s room. Might as well stop here first.

She looked around the tiny cubicle, all very functional and utilitarian. Like the rest of the ship. There didn’t seem to be any wasted space. The vehicle was sleek and small and fast, yet it was cleverly designed with enough room for a couple of people to live in it for a few weeks. It reminded her of those old Earth stories of mobile homes. Personally, she couldn’t imagine living in such a confined space for very long. Her tent wasn’t big, but she had an entire campsite to live in.

She used the small toilet then washed as best she could using the miniscule sink, hampered by the size of the room and the inability of her muscles to fully cooperate. When she felt mildly refreshed, she eased back out into the companionway to find something to drink. She stepped into the solid wall of Nathan’s chest.

“Oh. Sorry.”

He pulled her close and she rested her hands on his shoulders, liking the feel of muscles flexing under her touch. He was still naked too and his skin was warm against hers. He stared down at her, his hands smoothing up and down her back. The expression on his face was strange, impossible for her to read, but not blank, not that neutral working look he got sometimes. There was definitely something there.

“You okay?” She would have pulled back if he hadn’t tightened his grip.

“Fine. You?”

She smiled, tentative but genuine. “I’m sore and thirsty. Got anything to drink around here?”

His expression cleared and he grinned. “Sorry. I should have thought of that earlier. Come on.” He took her hand and pulled her a little farther up the companionway to a small auto-cooker, then punched in an order for two containers of water and a container of fruit juice. “You need the sustenance,” he told her with a crooked smile that made her stomach dance. “Do you want something to eat?”

“No. I’m just thirsty.”

His eyes narrowed. “And sore. How sore?”

“Very,” she groaned. “I’ll get over it.”

“Did you shower? The hot water would do you good.”

“I didn’t want to make that much noise. I was trying not to wake you.”

“Too late, I’m up.” He handed her a container of water and waited until she’d finished it before taking a sip of his own. Then he handed her the fruit juice and nodded at her to drink.

She did, a little self-conscious under his scrutiny. Her gaze dropped. Oh. Bad idea. He hadn’t been joking about being up. Her gaze jumped back up to his chest, but despite her best effort, she peeked again. He was an impressive man.

She gulped down some of the cold juice and handed the container to him. “Want some of this?”

“No. Drink it all. You need it.”

Yes, she thought, peeking again because she couldn’t not look at him. She was definitely going to need all her energy. She smiled into the container as she finished off the last of the juice. Not that she minded. She hadn’t felt this free, this satiated in years. She might only get this one night from him, and she intended to take advantage of the situation before he got tired of her.

He pulled her close when she’d finished her juice and kissed her, gentle despite the pressure of his erection against her stomach. She could feel tension running through his arms and chest, but his kiss was relaxed and confident. When he eased back, she expected to be led back to his room. Instead, he took her into the tiny bathroom cubicle.

There was barely enough room for them both. They couldn’t move without touching one another. He pressed a code into the palm-sized console next to the door. The toilet and sink retracted into the walls, and the room became a shower with two jets of hot water pummeling them.

She groaned in pleasure, hunching her shoulders forward so the water would work from her shoulders down her back. “This fells wonderful.”

“That’s just the beginning.”

He pumped soap onto his hand from the dispenser positioned near where the sink had been, lathered the soap up, then began washing her. He massaged as he went, squatting down in front of her to start at her ankles and feet. There was so little room in the cubicle that she ended up standing between his spread legs while he balanced on his toes in front of her. The position put his face close to the most tender part of her body. She felt his breath hot against her curls, and held her own breath, hoping he’d lean just a little bit forward.

He continued cleaning and massaging her, working up her legs, across her butt, gently between her legs, so gently she thought she’d scream. He rubbed up her stomach, kissing her belly as he stood. The touch of his lips made her knees weaken. She wanted him on his knees in front of her again, but she was enjoying the torturous washing so much she stayed quiet, waiting. He washed her stomach, spent time in kneading and caressing her breasts. Her breathing quickened and she forgot about her sore muscles.

She tried pressing closer, but he eased her away and turned her so she was facing the wall. Water sloshed over her arms and shoulders, hitting her with warmth from both sides. He worked soap and strong hands down her back, pushing her hair over one shoulder to get it out of the way.

“How does that feel?”

“Wonderful,” she murmured, leaning her forehead against the wall.

“There’s more to come.”

“I don’t think I can take much more.”

“Yes, you can.” He moved his soapy hands into her hair and started massaging her scalp. She dropped her head back so he could rub her temples. The jets shot hot water over both her shoulders, and between their bodies, creating a buffer between them. When she let her head fall back, the water grabbed her hair and swung it down her back again. He eased his fingers through the length, gently untangling knots.

“That feels so good. I’ll reciprocate when you finish. I promise.”

“Not this time.” He kissed the side of her neck, making her shiver. “But next time maybe.”

She loved the sound of that, liked they might end up in the shower together again. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to get enough of him. He was like a sensory glut, better than being turned loose in a bakery with all those delicious cakes and pies at her disposal. She knew it couldn’t last. He’d get bored with her again. But right now, she needed this release, needed to indulge her sensual side without feeling embarrassed or ashamed.

Her other two lovers had made her feel shy about her love of touching and tasting and feeling and talking during sex. She’d tried once, with each of them, to indulge her senses, to please them as well as herself. But they’d both been turned off by the idea and her efforts. Brad had laughed at her and told her she wasn’t that kind of woman so not to try. Jack had been appalled she wanted to talk during sex or try new things. He’d been insulted that she didn’t think he was man enough to lead the way. So she’d let him. And been bored but content with his conversation and company. Until he’d dumped her for a girl half his age, even younger than Ti’ann had been. He told her he was bored with the sex when he left. She still didn’t understand that part, but she knew it was her fault.

The only person she’d ever been able to truly indulge herself with was Nathan. She’d let loose and felt completely uninhibited with him. He never laughed at her or told her she wasn’t “that kind of woman” while she indulged her every fantasy. Oh, he’d gotten bored a lot faster than the others, as evident by his hasty departure, but at least she wasn’t bored while he was with her.

Nathan turned her into a spray of water to rinse her hair. Facing him again, she felt the need to lean into him, kiss his strong chin, lick the water off his neck. When she tried, though, he held her back with his hands still in her hair.

“My turn to indulge,” he said, his voice deep and husky.

His words were so close to her thoughts she sucked in a sharp breath. Then his hands moved to her breasts again and she thought, Okay, you can indulge all you want.

“I love looking at you like this,” he murmured. “Your skin flushed and wet, warm from the water.”

“The water isn’t the reason my skin is warm.”

“I love that, too.” He leaned down, taking her nipple in his mouth.

She dropped her head into the water and groaned. “You can do more of that if you like.”

His chuckle was hot against her skin. “I intend to.” And he kissed lower, moving down to her stomach, dropping to his haunches again in front of her.

“You can definitely do more of that,” she said when his mouth moved lower.

“Are you still sore?”

“What?” She couldn’t think anymore. She was practically on her toes, waiting and willing him to move his mouth between her legs.

“Are you still sore?” he asked again, his voice patient and quiet.

“I can’t tell. No. I’m fine. If you don’t stop teasing me, I’m going to scream.”

“So scream.”

Since she wasn’t much of a screamer, she moaned loudly instead and clenched her fingers in his wet hair. She tilted his head so he was looking up at her, his eyes dark with desire and humor. “Stop teasing or I’ll make you pay later.”

He grinned and leaned forward to lick a circle around her navel. “I look forward to it.”

And then he eased lower, his mouth moving to where she wanted him, and she forgot about everything else but the play of his lips and tongue. When she came, she screamed.

He wrapped her in his arms and held her until the last ripples of pleasure eased from her body. Then he stood, keyed the water off and the air dryer on. “I love the noises you make,” he said, kissing her cheek.

She was too spent to stay upright without his support. “Your turn next. As soon as I can stand again.”

His laugh was quiet and tickled her nerves. He dropped his hands to her butt and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around him to keep her balance. “You don’t need to be able to stand,” he murmured against her lips and then he slid into her.

*****

Ti’ann woke with at start, looked at the readout above Nathan’s computer console and realized the sun was already up. Damn. She’d intended to leave before dawn, to get back to her tent without anyone noticing. She did not want to explain last night to Krin. He’d probably be happy for her, but she wasn’t prepared to talk about it yet.

She rolled away from Nathan and was surprised when his arm tightened at her waist, pulling her back against his chest. “I have to get up,” she said, wriggling around to face him.

He lay on his side, keeping his arm firmly around her. His eyes were nearly gold in the dim light, most of the green lost. “Not yet.”

“I have to get back to my tent. I don’t want to waste the day answering Krin’s questions about this.”

He didn’t smile or grin or otherwise crack the hard line of his mouth, not even to frown. “Will he be upset?”

“Not if I’m not.”

“Are you?”

“No. Of course not. I’m surprised you’d ask.”

“You were going to leave without waking me.”

“I would have said goodbye.”

“Good. Now go back to sleep. You don’t start work for another two hours.”

“At which point everyone in the camp will be awake and moving around.”

“You embarrassed to be with me?”

“No!” She dropped her gaze to his chin. “I didn’t think you’d want this broadcast around the camp. They talk you know.”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t bother me. I’m too exhausted to be awake right now. Go back to sleep.” He closed his eyes and pulled her tightly to him so her cheek rested against his chest and his chin on top of her head.

He felt so warm and being wrapped in his arms felt so good that she sighed and gave in. She was exhausted too. And he wasn’t chasing her away so there was no point running.

Krin would never let her hear the end of this.