“I haven’t felt inclined to fuck. What’s wrong with that?”
“Suffice it to say there’s a wager going around in the palace on when you’re going to go after Tamara.”
“I should have all of you punished for insubordination,” Kendrick grumbled.
“Yeah, yeah. You’ve been threatening me with that since we were kids. May I remind you, my friend, that I know you better than anybody else on Bandar?”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning I’ve never seen you like this. What is it with Tamara anyway?”
Kendrick looked baffled. “I can’t explain it either. By rights, I should be glad that she’s not here. She’s stubborn and feisty. She doesn’t hesitate to argue and fight for what she believes in. Most of all, she’s not afraid to let me know when she’s mad at me.”
Vartan heard the fascination in his friend’s voice and resisted the temptation to chuckle. Did he even know how lovesick he sounded? Clearing his throat, he stood up. “So, she’s just as stubborn and willful as you.”
“That she is,” Kendrick responded. “She also satisfies me in bed like no other. I don’t know whether I should kiss her or spank her sometimes.”
This time, Vartan couldn’t hold back a brief laugh. “Sounds like my kind of woman. Maybe I’ll fuck her and see for myself what it is that’s got you hooked.”
The swiftness with which Kendrick reacted took him by surprise. Vartan found himself slammed against the wall, a thick arm pressing against his throat.
“Don’t even think about it,” Kendrick growled.
He could have dislodged Kendrick’s hold but decided against it. He’d achieved his goal. “You just proved my theory,” he managed to choke out.
“What are you talking about?”
Vartan grinned when Kendrick released him and moved away. “You’re in love.”
“What?”
“Tamara is the only woman you’ve refused to share with me,” he explained, straightening his clothes. “You’re moping around here looking lost while she’s gone. And --” he held up a finger, “-- you haven’t fucked anyone else in her absence. I think you’re not just missing her, my friend. You’re lonely without her.”
Vartan knew Kendrick was finally realizing the truth. “I think it’s time for you to get your woman back. I’ll tell Orrin to have your ship ready to leave within the hour.” The dazed look on his friend’s face was enough to make him shake his head. He swore he would never end up the lovesick fool like Kendrick. Women and love? They were just too much trouble.
Chapter Seven
As luck would have it, the Xerexians tracked Dax’s ship, Federation Guardian, to Primus One.
“Commander,” the young man monitoring the sensors spoke up. “We have incoming.”
Dax made his way to where the young man sat. “Who is it?”
Pressing one of the many buttons on the console, the young man peered into the monitor. “Xerexians, Commander.”
“Code five, everyone,” Dax declared in a calm voice. He glanced at Tamara. “Strap yourself in. We’ve got company.”
Tamara quickly pulled the safety belt across her lap and tried to quell the panic that swelled inside her. The damned Xerexians were forever causing trouble. She watched as the crew of the Guardian went into battle mode, manning their respective stations. They were remarkably calm, taking their cue from Dax who watched the huge monitor without a flicker of reaction on his face. When the first attack came, they were ready and fired back immediately. Without missing a beat, the Xerexians fired back. The hit rocked the Federation ship.
“Damage report,” Dax barked.
“Nothing major, Commander,” another young crewmember reported. “Minor fire in Deck 25.”
“Give me the controls,” Dax ordered, sitting down in front of the console. Within moments, he took over flying the ship. Tamara was confident of Dax’s ability to get them out of this dangerous situation. He was a highly decorated commander. “Fire up jump mode.”
“Ready, Commander.”
“Do it.” The ship surged with a powerful burst of energy. Dax was trying to outrun the Xerexians.
“They’re staying close to our heels, Commander,” a crewman reported over the din of beeps and alarms. “The Xerexians must have some kind of new technology. We’ve always been able to outrun them in jump mode.”
“Goddammit,” Dax cursed under his breath.
“Commander,” the young man cried out. “We’re approaching an asteroid belt.”
“This might just be what we need.”
“Dax?” Tamara choked.
“We’re going into the asteroid belt and lose them there.” Gripping the controls tightly, Dax sped toward the asteroid belt and in a display of unbelievable flying skills, maneuvered the Guardian through a dangerous obstacle course of huge rocks.
“Oh, God,” Tamara whispered in fear. “Don’t let us die, Dax.”
To her surprise, Dax grinned. “I wouldn’t do that, Tam. Your father would kill me.”
This was hardly the time to crack jokes. In the next moment, her heart jumped to her throat. The ship rolled and bucked violently as it hit an asteroid. Tamara hit her head on her seat and for a moment she saw stars. The Guardian sped on, swift and sure, dodging asteroids left and right.
The damned Xerexians foolishly followed them and kept on firing. Dax managed to pull ahead of the enemy and slip behind a large asteroid. “Fire up the laser, full blast.”
“Yes, Commander.” The young crewmember’s fingers flew over the keyboard. “Ready, sir.”
“On my mark,” Dax ordered softly, watching the screen in front of him intently. As soon as the Xerexian ship appeared, he gave the order. “Fire. Now!” The first volley missed, giving the enemy the chance to fire back. It was a clean hit and the blast rocked the Guardian violently sideways.
Dax gritted his teeth. “Fire again!” This time, the laser blast hit the enemy ship dead on, blowing it into a thousand pieces. All that was left of the Xerexians was the countless debris that floated around them in space.
The Guardian limped out of the asteroid belt heavily damaged and managed to reach a remote Federation outpost. Tamara undid her safety belt and hurried to Dax’s side.
“You’re hurt,” Tamara exclaimed as she saw the blood on the side of Dax’s face. “Let me see it.”
“In a little while. I have to check on the cargo bay. We sustained some heavy damage there.” He strode out of the operations room of the ship, with Tamara at his heels. They took the lift down and emerged into the large cargo hold. Crates and containers were strewn about; a warning alarm pealed repeatedly.
Dax approached one of his crew. “What’s the damage?”
“Outer hull breach, sir,” the man replied. “We have to seal it first before we can safely fly again.”
Dax’s lips tightened. “Do it and make it quick. I don’t want to risk another encounter with the damned Xerexians.” He turned and found Tamara at his heels. “Tamara, not now. I have things to do.”
Tamara forced him to sit on a crate. “I need to see your wound, Dax.”
“I can go to the infirmary and have it looked at.”
“This will only take a minute.” She pushed back the hair on his forehead and examined the cut. Peering closer, she stepped between his splayed legs. “It doesn’t look too bad. Just a cut.”
“I could have told you that. You’re a pushy woman.”
She grinned down at him. “You did good today, Dax. It’s hard to believe you’re the same boy that I used to defend against the bullies at the Armed Services Academy.”
He snorted. “I just let you think that. Your father made me swear to look after you.”
With a laugh, she hugged him. “Whatever you say.”
“Commander?” came a panicked voice from the communication device attached to Dax’s belt. “Uh, I think we’re being boarded. I’m picking up a teleporting signal in the cargo bay.”
At the same time she and
Dax heard the obvious fright that underlined the voice of the crewmember who just barely finished reporting the disturbance, there was a commotion on the cargo bay. Across the way, the silhouette of a tall man suddenly solidified.
Kendrick.
Stunned, Tamara couldn’t move. She could only watch wide-eyed as Kendrick headed toward her and Dax.
“Why do I get the feeling my ass is about to get kicked by the fearsome giant that’s coming over here?” Dax wondered out loud.
All hell broke loose. Kendrick hauled Dax away from her arms and threw him against a bunch of containers stacked haphazardly against the wall.
With a loud whoof, Dax hit the containers with a thud. He groaned.
“Kendrick!” Tamara screamed. “Stop.” The crewmembers of the ship all drew their weapons and pointed them at Kendrick. “No! Put your weapons down.” Of course, they didn’t listen to her. When Kendrick pivoted, she was shocked at his furious glower. “Have you lost your mind?”
“You’re coming with me,” he growled.
Ignoring that comment, she rushed to Dax’s side and helped him up. Dax groaned and hung on to her. “Is he who I think he is?”
“Yes. Now shut up and let me find you somewhere to sit.”
“No, thanks. I can do it on my own. I don’t intend to piss him off more.” Dax gently disengaged her hands and gave her a little push. “Go.”
Kendrick wasted no time. He hefted her over his shoulder. Tamara pummeled his back with blows that didn’t even affect him. “Let me down, you brute. Dax is hurt. How could you do that?”
“Shut up,” he hissed. “Do you want me to hurt him some more?”
The look on Dax’s face was comical as he shook his head emphatically. “We don’t want that. You can apologize to me later, Kendrick of Bandar.”
Kendrick merely glared at him and at all the crew now standing behind Dax. They were all gaping at them. Hot color suffused her cheeks.
With a push of a button, Kendrick transported them to his ship and directly to his quarters. Tamara sucked in a sharp breath, feeling the strange disorientation that came from teleportation. As soon as the dizziness passed and Kendrick set her on her feet, she stomped away from him, cursing her not quite steady legs, and clenched her fists. “Are you insane? Why did you do that? Didn’t you see that Dax was already hurt?”
“You care about him?” he asked in a voice that throbbed with deadly anger.
“He’s my friend! Of course I care about him.”
“You belong to me.”
“Aarghhh!” she cried out in frustration. “You’re such a Neanderthal. Why don’t you just drag me into a cave and beat me into submission?”
“I just might if I ever see him holding you in his arms like that again.”
“We had just escaped from a nasty encounter with the Xerexians,” she explained, exasperated. “I was merely checking out his head wound.”
Kendrick crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you trying to tell me you weren’t running away with him?”
“What?” This really was crazy. “He was actually taking me back to Bandar. I would have gladly told you that if you just kept your caveman tendencies in check and asked me, instead of attacking my friend.”
“What was I supposed to think when I saw you in his arms?” he countered, clearly without remorse. “That should teach him not to touch you again.”
“Don’t tell me you were jealous? Ha! And you have the nerve to get mad at me when I felt the same way about you and Rahda,” she tossed at him. “I’m sure you slept with her while I was gone. That woman has no shame.”
He stalked over to her side. “I slept with no one while you were gone.”
She snorted in disdain.
“I grow weary of this foolish discussion.” With one forceful tug, he ripped open the top of her blouse. Tamara gasped as buttons went flying in all directions. “Kendrick!”
He shut her up in the most effective way possible. He took possession of her lips and thrust his tongue in her mouth. Tamara stiffened at first and resisted. Kendrick was not to be denied. And in truth, her own needs were fighting against her, weakening her resolve. It had been a while since she’d seen him and if she was honest with herself, she’d admit she had missed him. With a muted groan, she kissed him back. The harsh sound he made in response slid over her skin like a hot caress right before he ravaged her senses and rendered all her protests useless. She was only dimly aware of tumbling down on the bed, clinging to Kendrick and pulling him on top of her.
The loose pants she wore were no match for his insistent hands. In one smooth move, he pulled them off and tossed them somewhere behind him. Without letting her go, he unfastened his trousers and kicked them away. Tamara slid her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around him as he rammed inside her pussy in one stroke. She sucked in her breath, feeling stretched and filled to the brim.
Kendrick didn’t give her a chance to catch her breath. Hooking his arms under her knees, he pushed her legs up, opening her wide for his unforgiving thrusts. A whimper crossed her parted lips, her breath coming in pants as he fucked her with vigorous strokes. It was hard and fast. Rough and, oh, God, she loved it. All too soon, she felt the tingling starting somewhere in the region where they were connected, a gathering pressure in her lower belly that signaled the imminence of her orgasm. His cock rubbed against her aching clit every time he pushed in and out, reducing her into a quivering, moaning creature. High up in her channel, Kendrick seemed to know exactly where her G-spot was. The friction against the little button drove her crazy. “Right there, right there,” she chanted mindlessly.
He merely grunted in response and fucked her faster. It was too much. With a desperate cry, she came. Her orgasm was so intense it bordered on pain. Tamara hung on, aware of him pounding in and out of her clenching pussy to prolong her pleasure, pushing her toward another one. Kendrick released a groan and came inside her.
She lay limp and sated. On the heels of that satisfaction was a depressing thought. She’d given in again. She had absolutely no power to resist him at all. “Why do I let you do this to me?”
Kendrick looked at her with concern. “Did I hurt you?”
With dismay, Tamara realized she’d unwittingly thought out loud. She shook her head, compelled to be candid after the shattering intimacy they just shared. “No. Not physically.” She sought to explain. “I know someday you’ll break my heart.” She flushed, hating that she felt so vulnerable at that moment. She pushed against him, trying to get him off her but he was an immovable object. His shaft still pulsed inside her pussy.
He looked at her enigmatically. “Why do you say that?”
“Because I’m starting to care about you,” she confessed, uncaring that she was leaving herself open to more hurt. “And I can’t afford to do that. Ours is a physical arrangement. We vowed not to make it emotional.”
“I never made such a promise.”
Her eyes flew to meet his. “All right,” she amended slowly. “I vowed not to get emotionally attached. It’s not as if our relationship, if you can even call this a relationship, is permanent.”
“What if we want it to become permanent?”
Tamara froze.
With a gentle touch, he drew away the damp hair clinging to her cheek. “I learned a lesson while you were away.”
The earnestness that accompanied the softness of his voice was oddly touching. “W-what lesson is that?”
“I learned that I couldn’t touch another woman.” He looked directly at her. “I could have had any number of women in your absence. In truth, I tried. Nothing worked.”
She frowned, resenting his admission that he did try to fuck somebody else. “And?”
“I gave up,” he confessed. “The whole palace knows I haven’t been able to touch another woman since you arrived. They were placing wagers on how long I would last before I came after you.”
A happy smile slowly parted her lips. “Is that right?”
He
groaned. “I don’t know what this means but I missed you. I got used to sleeping with you next to me.” He dropped a gentle kiss on her lips. “What do you think about starting over?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “I don’t exactly know what I feel, since I’ve never felt this way before. I want you to stay with me. Not because of the contract but because you want to.”
Kendrick was clearly searching for a way to express his emotions. It was touching the way this strong, ruthless warrior was trying to verbalize what he was feeling. At the moment, he was displaying a vulnerability that she was sure nobody had ever seen from him before.
Tamara cupped his cheek. Even if he was unable to express his feelings into words, she didn’t have that problem. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
His eyes darkened as he buried his face in her neck. “I’m glad.” He drew back. “I suppose that’s what I’m feeling too.”
She burst out laughing. He frowned. “What’s funny?”
“You are. It’s so hard for you to admit you’re starting to love me too.”
“Perhaps I am. Although I have to tell you, it’s very unsettling,” he grumbled. “I’ve never felt this way before. I feel so…” he trailed off.
“Vulnerable?” she supplied. “I feel the same way. You can hurt me as much as I can hurt you.”
He groaned. “Let’s just start over, shall we? Forget the contract and wipe the slate clean.”
Putting him out of his misery, she reached up and kissed him softly. “I’d love to stay with you. For as long as you’ll have me.”
Kendrick returned her kiss and deepened it. “That might be for a very, very long time.”
She grinned. “Fine by me.” She felt him thickening inside her and tightened in response. “How about we make a new contract? We see where this thing takes us and hopefully we grow old together?”
“I’ll hold you to that.” He plunged inside her with deep, sure strokes. The happiness that she felt threatened to spill over and tears came to her eyes. She had finally found the man she was looking for all her life and she was not about to let him go.
Contract to Pleasure Page 8
