Starlight Cowboy

by Stephanie Beck

  Annalina looked over her shoulder again, locking eyes for a second. “Now.”

  So much for getting romanced. His dick took charge, sliding into her. Hot, tight, amazing. Annalina tightened around him. The first few thrust shouldn’t have put him so close to coming, but he barely held his load. He’d abstained for far too long. Her sweet walls clenched harder, trapping him. He gritted his teeth. He would hold out. A second later, streams of hot water connected with his balls. The change broke him out of imminent finish, but had the opposite effect on Annalina.

  Her free hand slammed against the wall. She cried out, staccato, punctuated gasps in time with his thrusts. He stepped up, pressing Annalina closer to the steel wall. Her feet and knees spread farther apart, giving him a better angle to move deeper and faster, and displacing the showerhead. Without the water on his balls, Shields’ exploded deep inside of Annalina. His palm joined hers on the wall, but hers slipped down before he could entwine their fingers.

  Right. None of that. He stepped away his dick satisfied, and once again hiding from the pounding water. He grabbed the showerhead and returned it to its spot above them. Sex was the invigorating thing, but he’d been serious about needing washing for practical reasons. He squirted soap on his sponge and smoothed it across his chest and arms. For shits and giggles, and because the lithe expanse of her back beckoned, he washed her, too.

  She turned rigid a moment, but relaxed into the wall again. “I can’t even tell you to stop, even though you should. That feels so good.”

  “Remember, we’re still in the shower. We can do all the touching stuff—including a soapy back rub to start the day.” He took his time, doubling over her shoulders and soft, supple ass. She moaned every few seconds, but made no move to re-engage for sex. Pity. He could get it up again.

  “My turn.” He added more soap and gave her the scrubber.

  She rolled her shoulders and turned. He’d thought her eyes beautiful when she was angry or laughing, but he’d never seen them so striking. The exotic shape, a blend of so much history, showcased brown, amber, and emerald. All mixed together in two wide, happy eyes.

  “Spin.” She twirled her finger.

  He did as directed. Her small hands massaged his muscles. She scrubbed all the places he loved having touched but couldn’t reach. It wasn’t cuddling, but it was nice. He’d been due for some sex. His blood pressure and state of mind would thank him as much as his dick was.

  “There.” Annalina ran the washcloth over him again. “Man stink is off. I’m going to get dressed. We’re still good on our deal?”

  Shields rolled his eyes and turned back to her. “Could you fucking kiss me before leaving me like your shower whore?”

  She pressed a tiny kiss to his lips and pulled away. “Bird lips. You’re one of those guys who are better walking away.”

  He knew his shortfalls in the appearance department. That didn’t mean he enjoyed hearing about them. “Jeez, don’t hold back. Tell me what you really think.”

  “You’re attractive and in possession of a penis you use very, very well.” She patted his chest, smiling at least as she delivered her verbal blows. “I’ve come to the conclusion you’re the most straightforward, least complicated man I’ve ever met. I’m game for meeting in here again, probably sooner than later. I’ll see you for breakfast. No funny business.”

  She stepped out and grabbed the towel she’d arrived at his door wearing. Shields grabbed the shampoo.

  Women. Would he ever understand them?

  Chapter Seven

  The communications call system kept beeping, but even for the sake of professionalism, Annalina couldn’t answer. Anderson waited on the other end, pissy about being made to wait. The jackass dialed them every morning at ten o’clock to give them a rundown of their ship. The Flying with the Oldies crew didn’t see the need, only stupid Anderson.

  “Holy shit, is the fucknutt bugging us again?” Shields reached over her shoulder.

  The shower sex had been amazing, she couldn’t deny it, couldn’t forget it, and was barely even able to follow her own rules to leave it in the shower. If she had her way, she’d strip him naked and figure out a way to screw him in the command center.

  Shields pressed the screen to engage. “Anderson, what the hell do you want?”

  “Daily check in according to protocol,” he sputtered, her ex’s cocky dickiness no match for Shields’ larger than life attitude.

  Shields rolled his eyes. “You’re wasting my time. Let’s move to weekly check-ins unless you have an actual problem.”

  “And who says I don’t have an actual problem?” Anderson demanded. “The filter is out on the captain’s bathroom shower.”

  “Sucks to be you.”

  She rolled her chair away from the com so Anderson wouldn’t hear her laugh.

  “My first mate has been searching for filters, but hasn’t had any luck,” Anderson continued.

  “Well, maybe you should go help her, you lazy jackass. Two sets of eyes are better than one. Any real issues?” Shields winked at her. “Because I have shit to do.”

  “You’re in a spaceship with a set trajectory. It can literally fly itself. What could you have to do?” Derision dripped from Anderson’s words.

  “Real captains always have something worthwhile to do, boy. You’ll learn soon enough. Ship Three, out.”

  Shields hung up, and Annalina applauded. Her captain bowed.

  “Nicely done.” She rolled to where she’d been marking their coordinates.

  “Given the level of dicketry, and how little you like dicketry, I’m baffled about how you could have dated such a tool.” He sat in his seat.

  “Well.” She’d said no emotional talk, but her relationship with Anderson was common knowledge. “I would say he hasn’t always been like this, but would be lying. I guess, for a while, I was willing to ignore it.”

  Shields wrinkled his nose. “Sounds stupid.”

  “Not one of my finer moments. After he broke up with me—”

  “What? That dickhead called things off with you?”

  She blinked. “Um. Yes. After three months. At that point, I realized I was settling, and he was a puke. I think I was ready to be in a relationship and let him be good enough for the moment.”

  “I don’t get why anyone would do something so idiotic. Either you see someone in an appealing light or you don’t. If you don’t, you don’t fuck them.”

  “It’s not all about sex.”

  “It’s at least fifty percent about sex, and if anything holds that much weight, it needs to be at least adequate. He doesn’t strike me as a good lover.” He lifted his hand, pointer finger and thumb a bare inch apart.

  Annalina snorted. “I’m not going any further with this. You get the gist. I was lonely. He was single. We enjoyed each other’s company for three months, and he broke it off. I’m past it.”

  “I’m still going to assume you were secretly relieved because he had a tiny, unsatisfying penis.”

  She shook her head and left the front deck. She had more wires to zip tie and ten hours to fill before she could escort Shields to the bathroom and have her way with him.

  Chapter Eight

  Shields brushed his teeth right outside the shower door. Annalina fiddled with the water temperature, ignoring him until he joined her. Their bathroom routine had led to a level of intimacy Annalina hadn’t anticipated, but she focused on the practical. He was chasing away dragon breath, so he could fuck her brains out to start their day. Nothing else. She scrubbed soap through her hair as she waited. If he would hurry up, they’d make a quick finish and get on with the day.

  She didn’t want to draw out their encounters. They spent so many hours of the day together working. This stolen moment of time needed to be focused, satisfying, and she needed it to start now. The door opened as she rinsed the soap away.

  “Keep your eyes closed,” Shields said.

  “You sure do like to be bossy.” She squeezed her eyes closed
, her clit already pulsing. Between the warm water drenching her naked body and the memory of what he’d done the day before, she already anticipated pleasure.

  “And you like it.” He rubbed her needy flesh, his warm hands slipping over her shoulders. “You’re ridiculously pretty, you know that?”

  His compliment, so unexpected, made her open her eyes. Water streamed down his face. It followed every curve and dip, even following his crooked nose. In the dim lighting, his nose didn’t look that bad. He might say she was pretty, but he wasn’t so bad himself.

  “Uh uh,” he said, his grin doing away with her sentimentality. “Close them. Touch your toes.”

  His strong fingers sank into her hips, guiding her before she could even attempt to comply. She stretched her arms to her toes, lifting up through her legs in a long stretch.

  “This is about the only time I don’t mind your bossiness.” She swayed her ass, inviting him closer. “I’m closing my eyes again now.”

  His fingers trailed along her hips and glutes. The teasing touch turned more to massage. She moaned as her tight muscles eased. She’d thought he’d go straight for the prize, but he circled the hollows of her knees, teasing.

  “So beautiful,” he said.

  She rose to her tiptoes, stretching again, and hoping to get his attention. He seemed to enjoy this play, and she strove for patience. If she had the showerhead, she’d use it to get things started. But Shields had her intrigued, engaged, and so wet.

  “What if we did this?” Cool liquid fell onto her shoulders.

  She jerked, but he tightened his grip and kept her in place.

  “Relax,” he said, and rubbed. “It’s conditioner. If it’s good for your hair, I figure it should be all right on your skin.”

  He massaged the conditioner around her spine and on her ass, using deeper strokes every pass. First her hips, then her ass, and then her crease. The smooth liquid felt amazing on her skin, like lotion in places she didn’t think to moisturize. Shields teased her pussy then trailed his finger up her crack. She froze, not sure if she wanted to close the distance between them or move away, but sure she needed to say something.

  She craned her neck to look in his eyes. “What did we say about kinky stuff?”

  He winked. “That we’d do it…if I was good at it.”

  He kept massaging, this time going deep enough for his slick, warm fingers to stroke her vaginal lips and up, skimming her pucker.

  She shivered, past interested and into wanting. He hadn’t led her astray so far, but she would be the judge as to whether he was good at “it.” “Enough play. Let’s do this.”

  His foot nudged hers apart and his cock slid in, the combination of her desire and the slick conditioner giving him instant access to her deepest spots.

  She moaned and reached for the nozzle. A little concentrated stimulation and she’d be off. Shields swatted her wrist and positioned his palm between her shoulder blades, keeping her bent double.

  “Give me a damn minute here. Just a minute,” he said as his thrusts intensified.

  She wanted instant gratification, but what would a minute hurt? He continued, each penetration teasing her more. The hand he’d settled on her shoulders wandered down, past her hip and belly, until his fingertips drummed her clit then circled it, the contact more precise than the handheld spray would have offered.

  The angle didn’t leave room for much more. Annalina lifted on her toes, but kept her palms pressed to the wall. Shields moved his tangled his fingers with hers. She shook free. They didn’t need to hold hands during sex, not now, not ever. He followed her lead and laid his palm against the wall beside hers instead. Their new angle allowed more contact. His hard chest slipped against her slick skin as he increased his pace. He had to be on edge. Annalina clenched her muscles, desperate for the orgasm that was so close, but whenever she was ready to tumble, he slowed down.

  Water streamed down her face, giving her a reason to keep her eyes closed. The teasing had to stop. Her whole body tightened—it hurt…it wanted. Shields straightened and bent her to touch her toes again. Another change, delaying orgasm. Shaking her hair out of her face,, she craned her neck and glared at him.

  “Patience.” He wiped a bead of water or maybe sweat from his brow.

  She gritted her teeth. He had two minutes before patient Annalina turned into take-care-of-it-herself Annalina.

  He hurried, the jacking motion rocking her onto her toes. She flattened her palms against the floor, keeping herself in place. His new tactic, pure concentrated contact, was going to work. New excitement jumped through her system with each push. Her toes curled, ready for the surge of pleasure that was so close.

  He abandoned his grip on her hips, his fingers exploring again. She opened her thighs wider, wanting him at her clit, but he stayed toward her ass. She became more desperate for the climax just outside her reach. His roaming fingertips brushed her ass once and then twice. She held her breath. That’s as far as she wanted him to go. No kinky stuff, she reminded herself. Nothing.

  She unclenched her jaw. “Oh for the love of—”

  He breached her pucker with one fingertip. After all the teasing, the well-placed touch threw her right to orgasm. She closed her eyes as pleasure washed through her again and again. His driving thrusts kept her orgasm going even after he’d released her pussy to clutch her hips. He came with sharp gasps. At least he was as affected as she was. She rocked against him a few more times, grasping the last offerings of pleasure while he was still hard..

  Shields gave her breast a friendly squeeze. “Let’s plan for longer than three minutes next time. And we need to bring a stool in here.”

  She swatted his hand, more for show than anything. “I believe the shower limit is seven minutes. And why do we need a stool?”

  He cleared his throat and aligned his eyebrows, the expression serious. “Fine, I propose we max out our time.”

  She rinsed off the remaining conditioner, biting back a giggle. “I can get on board with that. You still didn’t explain the stool.”

  He hit his knees and buried his face in her pussy. She jumped away, but the tiny cubicle gave no room for escape. He licked her slit long and deep before he hopped to his feet.

  “I can hold position longer if I’m sitting. Or, you can sit, and I can kneel—I’d tough out the cramps. I had a dream last night that my oral skills made you pass out. I kind of want to see if I can make that a reality.” He said it like he wasn’t throwing down the stuff wet dreams were made of. If he’d been cocky, she’d have scoffed. Instead, her mouth went dry.

  She rubbed her eyes, pretending to have soap in them so she wouldn’t gawk at him. When she’d thrown down the sexual component, she’d envisioned bare-bones-to-finish sort of sex. But this…his creativity and personal challenges were for sure going to spice up the next few months.

  She peeked to find him licking his lips, water still streaming down his face. “Um. Okay. I’ll put together a small plastic bench. We can, um, use it for storage while it’s not in use.”

  “Smart. Hard to argue double duty furniture. Are you all done, or can I help you wash your back?”

  She swallowed. If he helped her wash anything else, they’d abuse their seven minute allowance. “I’m good. See you at breakfast.”

  He stepped out, wrapped himself in a towel, and left the bathroom. Annalina collapsed against the hard, wet wall. What had she gotten herself into?

  ***

  Supervising a crewmate building a small bench had never been so exciting. If he let himself think of all the things he wanted to do on said bench, he’d never be able to make intelligent conversation. After their long day and short dinner, they’d retired to his room. For art. Yes. Lots of art.

  Annalina was holding firm to her rules. No flirting, no touching—all business.

  Shields posed, holding a ball of clay, naked and at Annalina’s mercy. He liked her kind of mercy, especially since the shower had become the naked fun zone. It brought
the creativity out in him. She stood beside his bed. The narrow bunk could hold them both, but he got the distinct impression she would put the kibosh on any offer he made for her to sleep in his space. He wouldn’t mind falling asleep next to a beautiful, soft, sweet-smelling woman. A little pillow talk wouldn’t be out of place either. Annalina had a hell of a mouth on her, but he found her mix of sarcasm and honesty fascinating. He didn’t understand her.

  “I get the impression you don’t like me,” he said after ten minutes of her sketching.

  “Oh, I wouldn’t say that.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Really? What would you say?”

  She lifted her pencil. “Is this because we’ve added a limited physical component? I’m quite satisfied with the arrangement we have.

  “Me, too. I…I don’t think I’ve ever had sex with someone who doesn’t like me.”

  “I’m sure you have. Those women hid their feelings better than I do.” She returned to drawing. “I don’t dislike you, Shields. The more time I spend with you, the more I see you as a wise captain, good at your job. Those are important things. But even you would have to admit you’re not the most mature guy.”

  He groaned. Nothing in her words or tone led him to believe she was being mean—only honest. He’d heard the same complaint before and knew his juvenile behavior had cost him promotions and status. Had it cost him women as well?

  “But there are more important things than maturity,” Annalina went on. “You’ve proven to be witty and wily—two of my favorite qualities. You’ve helped me out of jams—and that’s not new for you. Your willingness to stop what you’re doing to help a friend or stranger is pretty well known. No one is perfect.”

  “I’m better than I used to be,” he felt compelled to offer. “My mom died when I was in my early teens, and I moved in with my father. He’d been a once a year kind of parent up until then. He rolled with some pretty crass guys, and he left me with them a lot. It took me a long time to even identify they were idiots—I mean, serious social misfits who loved being stupid. By then, I had a lot of their habits.”