Nebula Nights: Love Among The Stars

by Melisse Aires

  He didn't give her the choice, pulling her into his arms. He was living heat and strength, from the broad expanse of his chest to the length of his legs, clad in some light, clinging fabric. Against her bare skin… Someone had undressed her, although she still wore her soft bra and panties.

  He was in the bed with her. This realization should have shocked her, but instead, he was a bulwark against the nightmare. She snuggled closer, shivering, her face in the curve of his throat. His scent filled her nostrils, clean male musk, tinged with that delicious tang of the forest. She spread her palms flat on the hair-roughened plane of his chest, her belly snugged against his, her legs opening to tangle with his longer ones.

  "Shh," he murmured, his voice a rumble in her ear. "It's all right. You're safe."

  One of his arms was wrapped around her, his hand stroking her bare back. The other hand cupped the back of her head, his long fingers spearing through her short hair. From this warm nest, it seemed safe to examine her memories, terrible as they were.

  "My place ... is it really gone?"

  "Yes."

  She shuddered. Not a nightmare then, but real. "I dreamt I was there. While it burned. And I couldn't do anything."

  "You were there." His breath was warm on her temple, his lips brushing her skin. "And you can't do anything about it."

  She took a sobbing breath, fighting the hot weight of tears pushing behind her eyes. "I won't be helpless. I won't. I'm strong."

  His hand smoothed over her back again, down into the curve and lower, over her ass. "You're a fierce one, Kiri te Nawa."

  The remnants of her fear morphed into anger, swift and hot. She pushed at his chest, her fingers tangling in the mat of short, curling hair on his chest. "Are you laughing at me again?"

  His hand smoothed down her back again. "No, wildcat. I'm admiring you. You've been through a lot in the space of a few hours, and you're still hissing your defiance. Hold onto that. Sometimes defiance is the only thing that gets you through. Although I'd remind you recklessness does not necessarily denote strength."

  "Sometimes … it's all I've got," she whispered. Then, ashamed of betraying vulnerability, she flexed her hands, digging her nails into the plush swell of muscle of his pectorals. He sucked in a sharp breath, and she bared her teeth against his throat and nipped at him.

  His fingers tightened painfully in her hair, and he pulled her head back, his eyes glittering. "Tyger kitten or no, do that again and I'll turn you over my knee." His breath puffed warm and moist against her face.

  She believed him, but she needed some outlet for the emotion tumbling inside her. Sliding her hand up, she speared her fingers into his short hair, cupping the back of his head, hard and silky under her palm.

  She tried to pull him closer, but he resisted. She glared at him. Couldn't he see she needed him, needed forgetfulness? She was just giving him what he wanted, wasn't she?

  "Are you sure?" His face was taut, his square jaw set. "If I kiss you, I won't stop there."

  Her heart thundering, trying to climb her throat, Kiri trembled clear into her feminine core. She held male power in her grasp. She wanted desperately to unleash it, use him to burn through the dark backlog of despair. "Yes. I want this."

  He swooped, his mouth opening over hers, his lips hot and demanding, his tongue licking into her mouth to claim hers. It was more than a kiss, it was a claiming, and she reveled in it, her body softening against his, his taste and scent filling her senses. This was sheer hedonistic pleasure, drowning her in sensation.

  He held her in one arm, while his free hand stroked down over her shoulder, his fingers tracing the edge of her soft bra. He cupped her breast in his hand, and she arched into his touch, loving the cup of his palm over her sensitive flesh, even through the thin, stretchy fabric of her bra. He dragged his thumb over her nipple and she moaned as pleasure shot down through her body, straight to her pussy.

  Kissing her deeply, Stark stroked his hand down over her belly, over the thin fabric of her panties. His fingers delved between her thighs, and he cupped her mons. Claiming her most private place, for now.

  Another moan struggled up her throat, the soft sound hanging over them, above the rustle of sheets, the rush of their breath and the thundering of her heart.

  "That's right," he urged against her mouth. "Let me hear your pleasure."

  He let her go, just long enough to yank at her panties. The soft fabric tugged at her hips and then tore, falling away from her. She should care, but she wanted his hand on her again, so desperately that she whimpered instead, opening her thighs to him, lifting her upper leg to curl it over his hip, arching into him.

  When he cupped his hand over her again, bared now to his warm, powerful touch, she cried out at the exquisite relief. He kissed her again, closing his lips over hers to drink in her cry.

  Then he stroked his long fingers into her waiting flesh. His touch was sleek and easy—she was wet for him, so ready for the large pad of his finger to delve into her, drawing her wetness up, up and over the swollen knot of nerves hiding in her curls.

  "This?" he asked gently, drawing his finger in a tiny, tantalizing circle.

  "Yes." She strained toward him.

  "Say my name, Kiri." He stroked her again, with the same teasing care, and her pussy contracted, aching for more. She dragged her eyes open enough to find him watching her, his eyes hooded, gleaming with pleasure as if he were surveying a new acquisition, one that he planned to exploit to the fullest. "Who do you want touching you?"

  "You. Stark," she managed, wanting to hit him, wanting to kiss him. "Please, touch me."

  "Logan. You'll call me Logan. Say it when you come. Can you do that for me?"

  How dare he sound so … tender, coaxing? She wanted to please him as much as she craved the pleasure his diabolically clever touch promised.

  She had to get out of here. Just as soon as he gave her what she needed. This was just sex. Any more of his tenderness, and she was afraid she'd cling to him like a weakling, not wanting to let go. "Yes."

  "Good. Lights, dim." The room darkened around them, until he was only a darker shape in the shadows around them. "I want you only to feel, Kiri. Feel me, feel my touch."

  He stroked her again, slicking more of her wetness up over her clitoris. His touch quickened, deepened, sure and swift. She clung to him, breathing his breath, bowing into his touch as he stroked her up the cliff of need and tugged her over the top.

  "Logan … Logan." She arched in his hands, her pussy spasming with delicious pleasure that spread outward, through her body. With a shudder, she sank against him.

  "Mmm," he approved. "Again, I think."

  She opened her mouth to protest. She was relaxed, hazy with release. And in her previous encounters, one orgasm had seemed a fortunate thing. But he kissed her, and his tongue licking into her mouth, and two large, insistent fingers thrusting up inside her pussy was so lovely she surrendered, just for a little while longer, to the pleasure of being explored by a man who clearly knew his way around a woman's body.

  "You're very tight," he murmured against her mouth. "I like that."

  She opened her mouth to reply, but gasped instead when he hooked his fingers, pressing hard against a magical pad of nerves still throbbing from her orgasm. Need spiraled again and when he stroked his thumb over her clitoris, she moaned his name.

  "Logan … oh, that feels—that's so …"

  He nipped at her lower lip, wet from his kisses. "Can you take your bra off for me? I'd enjoy suckling you while I make you come again."

  She would have done anything he asked in that moment. Fumbling with the soft fastening between her breasts, she pulled her bra open and shrugged her shoulder out of it, letting it fall behind her.

  "Mmm." He moved down in the bed and she felt his hot breath on her bare breast. "Put your nipple in my mouth, little cat."

  Incredibly, she blushed, heat scalding under her skin in the darkness. She cupped her hand around the back of his head and pul
led him to her breast, arching her back to offer herself for his mouth.

  He laughed, low in his throat. "Your pussy is squeezing my fingers like a hot little vise." He moved his head, brushing his lips back and forth over her pebbled nipple. "Nice and long, I like that."

  Then he licked her nipple into his mouth and began to stroke her again, inside and out. He enjoyed her other breast as well, using his teeth carefully on her distended nipple and then pulling on it strongly, a soft, wet tugging that sent pleasure streaking through her in dark pulses, in time with his fingers. And Kiri found that she could, after all, respond a second time, longer than the first.

  "Say my name," he commanded, his voice a velvet leash in the darkness, binding her to him.

  "Logan," she cried, riding his hand into delicious oblivion. Then she simply whimpered as she came apart in his hands.

  When she had finished, he pulled her close against him, her thigh across his hip. Kiri lay in his arms, panting. Her skin was damp and hot as if she'd been running, her muscles lax. She stroked her face against his throat, breathing him in and slid her hand over his shoulder, stroking the hard curve of muscle and down over the bulge of his biceps.

  She shifted and felt another bulge, a hard rod that twitched against her mons, straining beneath his thin sleep pants. Kiri's eyes flew open as she realized that he had pleasured her twice and himself not at all.

  She opened her mouth and nipped the tender skin where the strong column of his neck flowed into his shoulder.

  He grunted. The lights gleamed on and she found herself flipped onto her back, her wrists cuffed over her head on the pillow in his ungentle grip, gazing up into the eyes of a dangerous man. "I told you what I'd do if you used your teeth or claws on me again."

  Breathless with daring, Kiri showed him her teeth. "Why don't you have me, instead?"

  His brows shot together. "Because I don't take advantage of women who are traumatized."

  "What do you call what you just did?"

  He smiled slowly. "I call that making you very relaxed."

  She licked her lips, suddenly dry from her swift breaths. He had her completely in his power, and at this moment, there was nowhere she would rather be. "Then let me make you very relaxed, Logan Stark."

  His eyes fired again, molten heat replacing the anger. He moved, settling into the cradle of her open thighs with a lithe twist of his powerful body. She moved to accommodate him, helpless to hide her response as she felt his cock lying on her belly, long and turgid even through his thin pants.

  "Are you sure?" He moved again, driving himself against her. "Because I don't need to be repaid for anything."

  "Is that why women usually let you fuck them? To repay you for … things?"

  "No, Kiri, it's not. But I don't suppose you'll believe me until I prove it to you, will you?

  Instead of waiting for her answer, he kissed her, still holding her wrists imprisoned. His weight pressed her down in the soft bed, his powerful grip held her helpless and yet it anchored her, protected her. Completely unlike her usual independence, but for now, strangely right. Somehow, by demanding her compliance, he'd removed the shame of wanting to do whatever he told her. She was safe in his skilled hands. She loved the abrasion of his hairy chest on her breasts, the hard press of his hipbones into her inner thighs, his mouth devouring hers.

  He lifted up just enough that there was air between them and leaned on the elbow of the arm he held her hands with, reaching down with the other hand to shove his pants down. His cock slapped against her bare belly like a hot, silken brand.

  Kiri shivered with the intensity of her excitement, and he watched her closely as he took himself in hand, the back of his hand brushing her mons as he stroked his shaft, up and down. He looked into her eyes as he stroked the broad, hot head into her swollen labia, and then pressed, thrusting into her.

  She closed her eyes, suddenly shy, and his grip tightened on her wrists. "Don't look away from me. I want to see those Tyger eyes while I fuck you."

  He kissed her, a swift, hard kiss. "Kiri."

  "Yes, Logan." She gazed into his eyes as he thrust again, deeper. It burned a little.

  Watching her closely, he pulled out a little and thrust again, his way easier this time as her arousal slicked his shaft. "Am I hurting you? You're very tight."

  She shook her head stubbornly and he kissed her again. "Little warrior. Here, this will help."

  Letting go of her wrists, he moved up over her. Kiri tipped her head back to watch as he reached into a cubby in the headboard of the big bed. He came back with a small vial of clear, golden liquid. Sitting back on his haunches between her thighs, he squirted some into his palm and then stroked it over his cock with slow strokes, as if it was very pleasurable.

  She watched raptly. He was beautiful, his cock springing up from his groin, long and thick and suffused with blood, the broad head dark. Sheathed in liquid, his shaft glistened under his stroking hand.

  He watched her watching him, his face taut with purpose and pleasure. "What is that?" she asked.

  "Gesics, with enhancers," he answered. "Safe organics. You'll like it."

  He poured more of the ointment into his palm and tipped his hand down to let the warm liquid flow over her mons and down over her pussy. Then he stroked his wet fingers into her folds, watching as he did so. A warm tingle spread from his fingers, delicious and a little frightening.

  He looked up, watching her face as he thrust his fingers deep inside her. "It will feel even better with my cock inside you."

  She dug her fingers into the bed, wanting to hide from his knowing gaze and yet thrilling to it. "Then what are you waiting for?"

  He withdrew his hand and knelt over her, wiping his fingers on his hard thigh. "Perhaps for you to ask me nicely to fuck you."

  The independent side of her wanted to slide regally off the bed and walk away, tease him as he was teasing her. But the ointment was working its magic on her pussy, making it throb and ache emptily. Or perhaps that was just the sight of his cock, waiting arrogantly for her to surrender and take him into her body. Perhaps it was all of him.

  She'd never wanted anyone more. She bent her knees back, opening herself to him. "Fuck me, Logan Stark."

  He came down over her, his eyes blazing into hers. "Oh, I will, Kiri te Nawa. Until you give me what I want."

  Then he thrust into her, again and again, until he was seated deep inside her, the head of his cock lodged against the back of her pussy. Filling her to the brim, to her limits, with virile, rampant male. He lifted up just enough to look down between their bodies and grunted with satisfaction. "Ah, that's so good, little cat. Now, give me your hands."

  It was only when he kissed her again that she realized she'd lifted her arms over her head for him. His hand grasped her wrists, manacling them tenderly as he began to move inside her. She moaned into his mouth at the overload of sensation in her pussy and he moved faster, thrusting into her with long, hard strokes. He was too big, too much, too everything. She fought him and he slowed, but kept moving. He didn't let her go, either.

  "Shh," he murmured against her lips. "I'll stop if you need me to, little cat. You know that, yes?"

  Looking into his eyes, she nodded. He kept moving, slowly, holding himself back. Kiri moaned again, this time in pleasure. She moved her hips up to meet his, urging him onward.

  "What do you want?" he asked roughly.

  "You. Faster," she urged him. "Harder."

  He groaned with pleasure and complied, driving into her with increasing force. The slap of flesh, the succulent sounds of their joining filled the quiet room, and his cock filled her until she could hold back no longer and screamed his name, her pussy convulsing in pleasure around him.

  He came with a silent shudder that stiffened his long, powerful body over her, heat flooding her. He relaxed slowly and lay in her arms, a heavy, solid weight of hot, damp male. His breath soughed against her temple, his heart thundering against hers.

  His grip
on her arms relaxed, and his thumb caressed the soft skin of her inner wrists. Then he lifted up, slowly pulling out of her. Ravished and exhausted, Kiri lay there, feeling wet heat trickle out of her pussy and not caring.

  He looked her over, a slow, hot sweep, before lying down beside her. "If you don't mind, I won't have you wash. I enjoy knowing my cum is in you," he murmured.

  Kiri was too shocked to answer. Was there no facet of sensual activity this man wouldn't discuss?

  He smiled, stroked his hand down over her, breast to hip, and let her go.

  The lights dimmed once again, and she lay beside him in the darkness, listening to his breathing. What had she done? And what had she allowed him to do? He'd done more than have her, he'd possessed her. She should have been in control of her own body and her responses, not him.

  She squirmed, heat burning down her face, her throat and chest, remembering the way he'd held her wrists and the way she'd let him. Oh, God, she'd allowed him to subdue her like a—a sexual captive, not an equal. She'd never let a guy hold her down like that, it was … unnerving.

  If only it hadn't been so good, so intense. He'd drawn response after response from her, of a power she hadn't though herself capable.

  "Go to sleep," he murmured, his deep voice lazy with satisfaction and amusement. "You can think it through tomorrow."

  "My thoughts are my own." She turned on her side, away from him. At least what was inside her head was off-limits.

  "Hissing again so soon, little cat? Well, I suppose I didn't bring you here for conversation, did I?"

  Kiri pulled the soft covers up around her ears, and scowled into the darkness. Even her rebuffs amused him.

  Chapter 6

  Kiri woke with a start. She curled up, her hands and one knee under her, ready to spring. Where was she? In a strange bed, a strange room, filled with the soft light of glow lamps.

  Logan Stark stood in the doorway of the room. She relaxed with a huff of breath, her heart pounding.

  "Good morning," he said. "All right?"