by Lisa Lace
I hadn’t thought through the consequences of hiding out in a village. It was going to be hard to find space for us. Anders cut his eyes over to me nervously, and I gave a tiny shrug.
“You don’t care, right? It’s good for the happy couple!� He grinned at us.
“Yeah, it’s okay. Isn’t it, honey?� Anders raised an eyebrow at me.
“He snores,� I blurted out. I took Anders’ hand and threaded my fingers through his. “He has a medical condition. We try to get separate rooms whenever possible. We’ll just have to put up with it for tonight, won’t we?�
I smiled brightly at Anders. He looked stunned for a moment before he forced a smile at me. “That’s right. She can’t get any sleep if we’re in the same room. But we’ll figure it out for one night. Do you have anything to muffle the noise?�
The man looked puzzled. “No. We don’t have a lot of concerts in this hotel, sorry.�
“That’s okay. We’ll be all right,� I said quickly. The proprietor took our fingerprints and samples of our DNA for the biometric door locks.
“Do you have any bags? We can bring them in for you.�
“We’ll grab them later.� I didn’t want to reveal that we had no luggage; it might arouse suspicion. A big city might have been better after all. It would have been easier for us to disappear. “Don’t worry about it.�
“Thanks for everything.� Anders and I walked away hand in hand.
I felt a little dizzy at our charade and tried to pull my hand away. “He’s still watching us,� Anders hissed. He wasn’t going to release me. “Snoring?� He looked insulted. “Do I look like someone’s grandfather?�
“Of course not. How old are you, by the way?�
“I’m turning thirty this year.�
That was a couple of years older than me, but not old.
“It was the only thing I could think of in time. Why else would a happily married couple ask for separate rooms?�
Anders didn’t let go of my hand until he needed to use his fingerprint to open the door. I closed and locked it behind us.
My mouth dropped open when I saw the size of the room. It wasn’t much bigger than our fighter. The bed took up almost all the space. I looked at Anders speculatively, wondering how much room I would have next to him.
“It’s going to be a tight fit in here.� I stared at the only piece of furniture in the room, aside from two bedside tables.
“I’d offer to sleep on the couch, but there isn’t one. The floor is out of the question.�
I looked at the clean but stained carpet and wrinkled my nose, agreeing completely. We were both adults. Couldn’t we share a bed?
“Are you uncomfortable sleeping next to me? It’s only for one night.�
“That’s right. It’s only one night. Sure. No problem.�
That’s what I said, anyway.
We grabbed some food from a place down the street and ate sitting on the bed. I also bought a bottle of local beer. I was having trouble calming down after the day’s events, and I hoped that a drink after dinner would help me unwind.
When we had finished eating and taking turns washing up in our closet-sized bathroom, Anders spoke up. “We need a plan.�
“Don’t look at me. This was your idea, not mine. I’m just along for the ride.� I looked around for a glass, but there weren’t any. I checked the bathroom half-heartedly. There wouldn’t be room for any in there.
“What do we know?� Anders rubbed his hands on his thighs and watched my fruitless search. “Pirates have the ship with all our loved ones and friends trapped in a tractor beam. They intend to sell everything, including the women, and kill everyone else.�
I had friends on the ship, but no one I loved. “That sounds just about right.� I took a swig from the bottle and immediately had a coughing fit.
“We have no idea of their timeline, so we need to act as quickly as possible.�
I nodded, taking another drink. It went down easier the second time. I thought I’d better take it easy or I’d be laid out on the floor comatose.
“We have to release the transport from the tractor beam and get rid of the pirates.�
“That’s the problem, all right.� I offered him the bottle.
“Thank you for your contribution to this discussion.� Anders stood up and gave an exaggerated bow, which looked painful since he could only move around in a small square of floor. “I greatly appreciate it.�
I stuck out my tongue at him.
He took the bottle, sniffed it with suspicion, and gingerly took a small sip. He made a terrible face before taking a bigger swallow. “I could use some help from your brilliant mind.�
“Okay, let’s figure it out. Are you sure we can’t contact the authorities?�
He shook his head. “There are no legal entities out here. The nearby star systems won’t touch the Scarfaces. They’re too afraid of retaliation.� He pointed at me with the bottle, then took another drink.
“How are you and I supposed to get rid of them on our own?�
He took another meditative sip. His eyes lit up as a thought popped into his head. “Technically, we’re not on our own. There’s a planet nearby that recently eliminated the slave trade. I happen to know the person who helped them get rid of it. She was a slave once herself, but now she’s a queen. She’s from Earth, too. I think she will be sympathetic to our cause. Her husband will do practically anything for her. If she says to send a fleet, he’ll send one.�
“A queen?� I held my hand out for the bottle.
“It’s just a title. In her heart, she’s a poor girl from Earth. You really have a complex about royalty. Don’t forget, I come from a noble family too.�
“Stop it, Anders. I don’t want to think about you like that. It will ruin our relationship.� I took a big mouthful and swallowed it down. My head was starting to spin, and I felt wonderfully relaxed. The beer was great. If we ever returned to the transport ship, I would have to bring back a bottle or two.
He shook his head. “Sometimes I have no idea what you’re talking about.�
“If you were a woman, you would understand. How do you propose we contact your queen and talk her into helping us?�
“I think we should just go there in the morning.�
“You. You mean, you’ll go there. I’ll wait in the ship.�
“I don’t think so. You wanted to come with me instead of staying in the panic room, so there’s no way you’re staying here. Anyway, this is a perfect time for you to overcome your issues with royalty. Is this a phobia on Earth or something?�
“Look, I’m just a pilot.� I took another drink and handed him the bottle. Maybe I was afraid of royalty. Or maybe I didn’t have a lot of self-esteem.
I wasn’t sure what my problem was, but I knew that I always acted like an idiot around his family. The last thing I wanted was for Anders to see me like that. He was going to have to see the queen by himself tomorrow, no matter what.
Anyway, I had bigger issues. Anders was taking off his shirt.
Chapter Five
ANDERS
Gwen was making it hard for me to think. It was mildly annoying that she was intimidated by royalty but didn’t seem to have a problem talking to me. The contradiction was frustrating. Another issue was that we were sharing a bed. It was going to be torture, and
I thought I wouldn’t be able to hide my erection all the time. Dealing with her had become a struggle.
I had been teasing her all day. Most of it was normal conversation, but some of my words had an edge to them and contained truths I couldn’t hold back. I didn’t know why things were different today. If I had been talking to anyone but Gwen, I would have thought she was interested in me. But I knew that couldn’t be true. I kept on flirting because she was safe. In a way, it was freeing that she wasn’t married anymore. I didn’t have to hold myself back at all.
We had been drinking for quite some time. I had either overindulged or the alcohol was strong. In any event, I was feeling uninhibited. So I took my shirt off. It was scorching in the confined room, and I wasn’t going to be able to sleep wearing all my clothes. We didn’t even have a window to open.
Her eyes got wide, and I grinned at her. “Is there a problem?� I couldn’t refrain from teasing. “Have you never seen a guy’s chest before?�
It was a dumb question since I knew almost everything she had done with her husband. She had looked at me as a confidant and had told me more things than I ever wanted to know about her sex life.
“Maybe you were making up all the things you claimed to do with Jake.� I was deliberately baiting her now, but I couldn’t help myself.
“Why would I do that?� She closed her mouth and frowned at me. “There’s no reason for me to lie.�
“So what’s the problem?�
“Do whatever you want. I will, too.� A mischievous glint appeared in her eye. She crossed her hands over her chest and grabbed the hem of her shirt, pulling it off in one smooth motion. She left herself wearing only a bright blue sports bra. I supposed it was kind of like a shirt. A really tiny shirt.
She grinned as my jaw dropped open. I hoped I wasn’t drooling.
“Are you drunk?� I pointed at the bottle. “Give it to me.�
“I think I might be.� She wriggled out of her navy flight pants and flung them onto a pile of clothes on the floor before she climbed back onto the bed.
I shrugged, taking off my pants. Gwen sat with her back against the headboard, and I joined her, taking a drink from the bottle and handing it over.
“Can I be frank with you, Gwen?� I felt the filter disappearing from my mouth with every swig I took from the bottle.
“Sure. Aren’t you always honest?�
“Generally, yes. But that doesn’t mean I always say whatever’s on my mind. I want to tell you the truth.� My brain was so fuzzy I couldn’t remember why I hadn’t told her before. “You are really, really sexy.�
“I know. Can I tell you something?�
“Sure.� I felt magnanimous.
“You are really, really sexy too.� She leaned in toward me and whispered. “I couldn’t say that before because of my husband. But there’s nothing to stop me now.�
“Did you think I was sexy when you were with Jake?�
She nodded solemnly. “I never let myself dwell on it, but I’ve got eyes.� She pointed to her head with two fingers. “Being married didn’t make me blind.�
I wondered why we had never said these things to each other before.
“So we can fuck now?� I noticed that her nipples were standing out hard and round against her sports bra.
“No.� I hated to say the word. “That would lead to bonding.�
“Oh, that’s right. People from Auxem suck. No one-night stands for you, huh?�
I shook my head, feeling regretful.
“Well, shit. I might as well go to sleep.� She sounded terribly disappointed.
“I think I need a cold shower.�
In the bathroom, I took care of my erection, but it neither sobered me nor removed my desire for Gwen. I wondered if the booze was an aphrodisiac too.
Probably not. I didn’t need anything extra to make me think sexy thoughts about Gwen. She only had to brush past me, and I was hard as a rock. I couldn’t count the number of lonely nights I had dreamed about her and having her spectacular body in my bed.
When I finished, Gwen took a turn using the washroom and said she was tired. She left the bathroom light on to illuminate the bedroom, which only had a single bright overhead light.
“I am too.� Maybe sleep would provide some relief from my torture. Yeah, right. Sleeping next to her would make me feel much better.
“If we can’t have sex, can we snuggle?� She looked wistful.
No! Why the hell would I want to do that? But what came out of my mouth was a single word. “Okay.� I couldn’t turn down any request from her after denying both of us.
She smiled happily and pulled back the covers, lying down on her side. I turned off the overhead light and crawled in after her, moving close and wrapping my arm around her waist.
She sighed. “This is nice, Anders.�
I don’t know if that was the word I would have chosen.
“Too bad about the sex, though.�
“You’ll find another boyfriend, Gwen.� I wondered if I sounded comforting.
“Don’t want a boyfriend.� She sounded grumpy.
“I’d fuck you in a minute if I could.�
“You would?�
“Of course. You’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen.�
I breathed in her flowery scent and tried to appreciate her warm, solid body against mine without going mad with frustration. I would probably never have the chance again, and I resolved to enjoy it.
A few minutes later, I was fast asleep.
I woke in darkness, unsure of who was sleeping next to me. The room was stifling hot. It seemed like the temperature increased on this planet at night, which was unusual but completely within the realm of possibility.
I realized that my boxers had disappeared. The body sleeping next to me was female and naked. She was also so hot I thought she might start a fire. She was rubbing her body up against me, pressing her lush, heavy breasts against my chest in an incredibly distracting way.
Her full lips met mine, and she kissed me with a hunger that I returned, needing her kiss like I needed to breathe. My tongue slid between her parted lips. It felt like I was invading her. She pushed closer to me and I felt my cock slide between her thighs.
That was enough to wake me and make me realize what was happening. Gwen was kissing me. I was naked in bed with Gwen, who wanted to have sex with me.
I wasn’t particularly sober, but some things had been drilled into me since I was old enough to have wet dreams. Sex with an unbonded woman was dangerous. The specter of Bond Rejection Syndrome was always present. I pulled away immediately, and she groaned.
“Come on, Anders. Stop doing this to me.�
“We can’t.�
“Please?� She begged me in a slightly tipsy way I had never heard when Gwen was completely sober. “You said we couldn’t have sex, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun.�
Technically, she was right, I supposed. “What if you regret it in the morning?� I wasn’t willing to go through any morning awkwardness with her.
“Neither of us is going to remember anything tomorrow. I need you.�
I knew I should try to resist her, but I didn’t have that much strength. I had never been able to turn her down before, and I wasn’t going to start now. I would worry about the consequences in the morning.
My carefree attitude often got me into trouble, but at that moment, I couldn’t bring myself to care.
&nb
sp; GWEN
If I remembered anything in the morning, I would probably be mortified about begging. I didn’t foresee any contrition about fucking Anders, but pleading wasn’t typically part of my behavior. For the moment, all I wanted was to feel his hands on my body. If that meant groveling, so be it.
He seemed to be considering my proposal, and I decided he needed some extra encouragement. I grabbed his cock in my hand and smoothly stroked it. He groaned and bent down to kiss me again. I don’t know what would have happened if he refused me. All conscious thought departed my mind on waves of pleasure. Anders was as skilled as he had promised. He took the time to learn about my body before playing me like I was the sweetest instrument in the galaxy.
After making out for a long time, until I was wet and yearning for more, he began to kiss my face slowly and moved down my neck, paying attention to the spots that made me gasp. He continued down my arm, pressing his hips into my elbow and the palm of my hand, making my thighs buck. He was finding erogenous zones I hadn’t known existed. I didn’t want him to stop.
Soon he made his way to my breasts, kissing in concentric circles until he got to the tip of one. Once there, he gave a slow lick and blew on it. My nipple could not have hardened more. I was breathing erratically and getting turned on from his touches. He caressed the hard bud again before kissing it. I made a frustrated sound, and he finally gave me what I wanted, closing his hot mouth over the aching peak.
“Keep going.� I was unable to stop myself.
He was nipping gently and sucking, but I needed more. I arched my back up toward him. He rewarded me by sucking harder. I grabbed his head, threading my fingers through his hair to hold him precisely where I wanted him.
Anders made his away across to my other breast and nipped at it, then licked away the sting. I was aching for him, but I knew I wouldn’t get that satisfaction. I tried to ignore how empty I felt and how much I wanted him inside me.
“Anders, I need more.� He lifted his head, eyes dark with lust in the dim light from the bathroom. His hands slid down my body. I impatiently waited for him to touch me again. His hands glided over my belly and hip bones, continuing down to my thighs before sweeping back up my inner leg. He finally cupped my soft mound, and we both sighed.
