“Baby, I’m sorry. But I had to cover our tracks to lead the Hazar’s guard away from us.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me that?”
“Because I had to get away from you.”
Calandra gasped, her anger forgotten. Her heart was tearing in two.
“No.” He took a step toward her, but Calandra retreated. “It’s not what you think.”
“It’s probably exactly what I think,” she said, fighting tears. “You got your rocks off and that was all you wanted!”
His face darkened with anger and he took another step toward her.
Her back met the cabin wall. There was no room to escape his intent. His hands rose to brace himself on the wall behind her, trapping her between his muscled arms. His broad shoulders and chest crowded her, reminding her of his strength. He was close enough now that she knew he’d bathed, his scent was fresh and masculine. Calandra fought her body’s natural urge to soften and strain toward him.
It was just the activator oil, she told herself, that heated her loins and tightened her nipples, painfully. “Ah hell, I’m so horny I can’t stand it.” She gasped when she realized she’d said it aloud.
There was triumph and relief in his gaze as he shoved her against the cabin wall.
His lips slammed into hers and the kiss left her witless—otherwise, there was no explanation for how she ended up with the kahfet bunched around her waist and her legs hugging his.
“Thing is…,” he said while fumbling beneath her for the opening to his breeches, “I can’t figure out why I’m here—why I couldn’t just take the first transport out of here.” His eyes closed when he found success and his cock sprang free.
Calandra sucked her breath in when he pushed inside her. “Tell me why you think you had to be here.”
“I had to see you.”
She persisted despite the heat that curled in her belly. “Why?”
“You’re different.” He speared into her, lifting her along the wall.
“Not good enough, Chavez.” She wound her arms around his neck and flicked his ear with her tongue. “There’s a lot you’re asking me to overlook.”
He flexed his hips. “Oh?” he asked, sounding as though he’d lost his train of thought.
She bit his earlobe. “Slave trader…ex-soldier.”
“I’m sorry now, about the first. The second one I’m not proud of.”
“You’re expecting me to accept a lot on blind faith.”
His hips twisted and rolled. “Your point?”
Calandra moaned into his ear. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m letting you have your way with me. Is there a good reason why I should?”
“Christ, isn’t this enough?” he rasped. “I’m here.”
“A vibrator could be here—why should I be more excited to see you?”
“Because I’m fond of you?” Drago’s face pleaded for her to end the questioning.
Too much was at stake—her future and her heart. She had to be merciless. Squeezing her legs tightly around his waist, she halted his motion. “Why Drago? Why are you here?”
The arms braced on wall on either side of her trembled. “Because I love your smart mouth. I love your toughness. I ache just looking at you—and I won’t share you, Calandra!” His voice deepened. “Never again.”
“Is there anything else you love?” she asked softly, hope bringing tears that threatened to spill onto her cheeks.
He closed his eyes. “You, Calandra. I love you.”
Calandra placed her palm against his cheek. “Why is that so hard for you to say?”
His dark, haunted eyes opened and stared into hers. “Because I let down those I love.”
Hearing the echo of her own fear, Calandra realized she was no longer a prisoner of it. “We all make mistakes, Drago. We hurt people we love. At the end of your life, wouldn’t you rather have regrets you’ve shared with someone, than regret never risking your heart?”
“All I know is I won’t let you go.”
Her heart thrilled to his promise. “To the new world?”
He leaned his forehead against hers. “No. I won’t let you go away from me. That is…”
She waited. “You have to say it Drago.”
Frustration stained his cheeks red. “Fuck, Calandra. I’m not any good at this.”
“Let me be the judge. Just tell me Drago. I deserve this.”
His brows drew together. “I won’t let you go—if you will have me.” He looked mad as hell. “There! I said it.”
She pretended nonchalance, although her heart was humming. “Hmmm, I don’t know, Drago. My friends and I are going to a new world. Are you willing to accompany us?”
“Darak has already offered me a job. Someone must trade our resources for the things we will need to build the colony.”
“So you have a new job. What’s in this for me?”
His hands lowered to her buttocks. “My body will be yours to command,” he said, his voice purring.
“You are such a man! Do you have any idea how conceited you sound? You want me to enter an exclusive relationship with you based on sex?”
His hands flexed on her flesh. The poor man was getting impatient. “Sounds good to me.”
Breathless excitement wound a tight coil in her belly. She was through with talking, too. “Guess I’ll need to take a test drive, to see whether I’m getting a good deal.”
“All engines are firing, love. Ready for liftoff?”
She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, and then swept her tongue inside while suctioning on his mouth. Relaxing her legs, she gave Drago room to maneuver.
He wasted no time. Clutching her buttocks, he lifted her then drove her down on his cock, grinding the curly hair at his groin against her clit. Then he lifted her again.
Traces of the activator oil reacted with the burning friction. Calandra gasped, parting their lips. “I’ll want a lifetime guarantee Drago.”
“I’ll throw in children,” he said, his voice harsh, his breath ragged. “Do we have a bargain?”
“Yes! Oh, fuck me, Drago!”
“You command is my desire.” He pushed her down his cock again.
Calandra needed to be closer to his him. While he worked her hips, she struggled to raise the kahfet over head.
“Damn!” Drago said, his hips halting their tantalizing movement.
Calandra dropped the robe to the floor and gave him a questioning glance. His gaze was glued to her breasts, and she realized this was his first up-close experience with her new jewelry. She brought her hands to hr breasts, her palms curving beneath them to raise them higher. Shifting her shoulders, she lifted a nipple to his mouth.
“You have the prettiest tits. Sure, I won’t hurt you?” His breath feathered the engorged tip.
“Never again,” she vowed. In the future, she’d keep his talented mouth and cock too busy.
He opened his mouth, and she pressed herself inside. His mouth closed over her breast and suctioned, tugging the ring rhythmically.
Her fingernails dug into his shoulders and she wished he were naked as she was. She wanted her skin on his.
Drago ground his hips into hers, faster, harder, with a little twist that left her gasping.
Calandra’s world rocked. An orgasm to beat all orgasms curled her toes, shuddered through her thighs, centering in her vagina to ripple and clench around his cock. With a cry she writhed upon him, barely noting when his hoarse shout heralded his own release.
When the storm passed, she found her head upon his shoulders and his arms wrapped tightly around her back.
“Do we have a bargain?” he asked again, his warm breath next to her ear.
She lifted her head to gaze into his eyes. “I love you Drago.”
His mouth stretched in a wide smile, then his gaze dropped to her breasts. “I can’t believe these are all mine. Don’t take those rings out.”
She slapped his shoulder. “Pig!”
The swish of the po
rtal sliding open drew their attention. Mary stood in the door and rolled her eyes. “Girlfriend, haven’t you had enough?”
“Never,” Calandra said, tightening her legs around Drago.
“Darak asked me to find out what was taking you so long, Drago. All he told you to do was bring her down to the shuttle.”
“We’re coming now,” he said, with a wicked smile.
Mary snorted. “Well, if you’re gonna walk around stuck to each other like that, you might get a few stares.”
Drago laughed, then helped Calandra bring her feet to the floor. She swayed for a moment and his arm steadied her. Together, they followed Mary out into the corridor.
“There’s so much territory left to explore,” Drago said.
Calandra slapped his arm. “Are you saying I’m fat?”
“Course not. Do you think I have a death wish?”
From ahead, Mary chuckled. “We aren’t going to make it to the docking station, are we? Darak’s gonna be pissed.”
“I haven’t even had a chance to play with your new jewelry,” Drago said. “I could attach a leash and lead you anywhere.”
Calandra grasped Drago’s hand and pulled to make him walk faster. “Just make sure our seats are together, Mary.”
“Man oh man,” Mary said, “this is gonna be the longest flight in history.”
Drago laughed, a deliciously low rumble, then his hand landed on Calandra’s buttocks. He squeezed.
Calandra gave him sideways glance. “What are you thinking?”
“We only need one seat,” he murmured. “That shroud you’re wearing will hide a host of indiscretions.”
“Or we could find a closet.” She bunched the material of her kahfet in her hands and lifted it slowly past her knees.
Drago’s steps faltered.
“Beat you there,” she said, tearing away and racing down the corridor to the shuttle, the sound of a lurid curse and heavy steps following her.
Just as she turned to corner, she heard Mary mutter, “You two are gonna populate the new world all by yourselves.”
Calandra fervently hoped so. Babies, and all the loving that would produce them, would help keep the shadows from Drago’s heart. She had his number now. The man might have a rock-hard body and a face that didn’t give away much, but she’d scratched his surface and found a warm, wanting soul.
Her master didn’t know it now, but she’d enslave his heart.
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