Baby, it's Cold in Space: Eight Science Fiction Romances

by Margo Bond Collins

  “What do you want, Angelo?” The bitterness in her voice only solidified his need to help her.

  “Elle…let’s talk. Maybe we can figure out a solution.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think I haven’t already come up with one?”

  He tilted his head. “Have you?”

  A slight flinch crossed her features before she stepped away from the door. “All right. Let’s hear your brilliant ideas.”

  As he crossed the threshold, her fresh, clean scent filtered into his senses, stirring a craving deep inside. A memory of their kiss in the cultivation unit flared to life. The urge to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her to him caused his fingers to tingle. He’d make her forget all about the Sandowins, of that, he had no doubt.

  Her room was as he remembered. A vid-screen graced one wall and two chairs surrounded a small table, but the largest piece of furniture—her bed, took up most of the space. Seems real estate on a ship was at a premium for most races in the galaxy.

  The door closed, enclosing them in the small space. As Elle walked by, she brushed against his arm. Fire, hot and fast, raced across his skin.

  She motioned to one of the chairs. “Have a seat.”

  The tension lines around her eyes hadn’t eased, and he vowed to remove the offending marks come hell or high water.

  “Please, sit.” Strained and rough, her words pinged across his nerves. Her captain’s shields were up full force, and it would take some work on his part to get her to lower them. He hated to see her in such pain.

  She placed her hands on the table and twirled the ring on her thumb. The gold-colored metal was dull, evidence of her constant touch. “If you have an idea, I’m all ears.”

  He pulled his gaze to her eyes. “How much tenium do you have to trade?”

  “We have three hundred containers, not nearly enough to meet Malachi’s requirement.”

  “I sense that doing half the trade now and coming back isn’t an option.”

  She stood abruptly, almost knocking her chair to the ground. With quick strides, she paced in the small space between the table and the end of her bed. She raised her fist and shook her hand. “Those damn bastards. I knew they’d try to weasel more out of us. We even brought extra just in case, but not enough…”

  “Is there anything else you can offer?” He had an idea, but he wanted to give her a chance first.

  “Unfortunately, tenium is our only product.” She pursed her lips. The puckered edges of her mouth flared the memory of their kiss back to life once again.

  He couldn’t stand to see her pace any longer, so he rose from his seat and gripped her arm. The softness of her warm skin fed the flames burning between them.

  She glanced at him, her brow furrowing over her beautiful eyes. There was something missing, a piece of the puzzle that didn’t quite fit. He had to know what it was.

  “Tell me. Why is this shipment so important to you?”

  She bit her lip. His heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, this was the most important question he’d ever asked.

  Her gaze darted back and forth, as if she assessed whether she could trust him.

  He inhaled, waiting.

  She let loose a slow breath, her shoulders visibly relaxing.

  His chest lightened. Would she share her secret with him?

  She twisted the ring on her thumb. “My brother…Toman. He’s in jail and I need four hundred credits to pay his fine within a week. If I don’t, he’ll be sentenced to the mines.”

  A stray tear fell over her lashes, splashing against her cheek. He followed the trail with the back of his finger. Her cool, wet anguish brushed against his soul, and he ached to help her.

  “In addition, a large payment is due on my ship. The numitite crystals would be enough to pay for both, but when Malachi tripled the price…” She lowered her gaze and shook her head. “I don’t have enough tenium for either.”

  “I’m sorry, Elle.” He couldn’t stop himself and pulled her into his embrace. She’d trusted him with her secret.

  He brought his lips to her ear and gave her a tender kiss before he whispered, “I have an idea, but need to ask you a question first.”

  She shivered in his embrace then leaned back to stare into his eyes. “Ask away.”

  “You mentioned the Sandowins have a drink fetish. Did you mean alcohol or any kind of drink?”

  “Their nervous system is very…touchy. They like anything that can either relax them or give them a good buzz.”

  “Perfect. As luck would have it, I have some rare Earth coffee on my pod.”

  “Really? How did that get there?”

  He shrugged. “It belonged to my co-pilot.”

  Her eyes brightened, lightening the weight on his chest. “The Sandowins love caffeinated drinks. How much do you have?”

  “Four bags. My co-pilot stashed them in the small space under his seat.” A small knot of regret pooled in his gut. “He owed me anyway.”

  She bit her lip, worry lines creasing her forehead. “I’m not sure that will be enough.”

  “It’s worth a try.”

  She focused on the blank vid-screen. The light reflected off her yellow eyes, making them appear to glow. Caught up in their beauty, he couldn’t look away. When she finally glanced at him, his chest tightened. He understood at a base molecular level that he’d do anything to help her.

  “Perhaps between the tenium and the coffee, they’ll be willing to bargain.” Her features softened a tad and a smile tugged at her lips, but tension lines still crinkled her forehead. “Thank you, Angelo.”

  He knew how to ease her frustration, and the blood pumping through his veins headed south with his desire. As he licked his lips, a tendril of uncertainty raced along his nerves. “Elle, would you allow me to…service you?”

  She scrunched her forehead. “Service me?”

  He tightened his grip around her waist, drawing her closer. Her breasts pressed against his chest and even through the material of their shirts, her nipples hardened. His breath bottled up inside. Breathing became difficult. “I want to take away your frustrations. Please, let me service you,” he rasped.

  Her eyes widened. She pushed against his chest. “Release me. Now!”

  ***

  A rush of adrenaline coursed through Elle’s bloodstream, fueling her anger as well as her desire. She couldn’t believe the callous words had come from his lips. He still held her in his embrace, and she squirmed against him. With each twist, her nipples rubbed against his firm chest, teasing her, testing her resolve.

  In an instant, he released her. His eyes widened then his brow creased over his gorgeous chocolate eyes.

  “Let me service you? What do those words mean to you, Angelo? Do you just want a free fuck?”

  Even as anger tore hot and fast through her veins, a part of her melted under his scrutiny.

  Angelo touched her arms, his fingers light and gentle. “Elle…on Earth, people go to copulation clubs to relieve a physical need—to provide and receive a service.” His jaw tightened. “I hated those clubs. The sex was cold, impersonal. With you, I feel something and…I only want to pleasure you.”

  She focused on his eyes. The sincerity reflected there broke through the walls around her heart. He cares about me… Tears threatened to form, and she couldn’t maintain his gaze.

  He caressed her cheek, and with the tip of his index finger, raised her chin. “Elle, I would never force you to—”

  She didn’t need to hear another word. With a quick tug, she wrapped her fingers in his hair and kissed him, silencing him in the process. He stiffened momentarily then placed his free hand behind her head, cradling her. His kisses were soft, gentle, exploratory. Her heart pounded. As if sensing her need, his kisses became more passionate, deeper, and he licked the seam of her lips, requesting entrance.

  She opened to him and their passion took on a fevered pace, the intensity of which she’d never experienced before. A rush of wetness pooled
between her legs, and a soft moan escaped her lips. For the first time, she longed for more, for more of this man.

  “Angelo…” Hearing the desire in her own voice sent a thrill coursing through her.

  He pulled back enough to look at her, measuring her with a narrowed gaze. “Elle, is that a ‘yes’?”

  She couldn’t stop the giggle as it bubbled from her lips. “Angelo…that’s a definite ‘yes.’”

  The smile that formed on his lips warmed her heart, and her chest expanded.

  “Angelo, just so—”

  “Angelo Thirteen.”

  She pursed her lips, her heart aching for his unwillingness to drop the moniker. “Just so you know, I’ve got a strip in my arm. It prevents pregnancy.”

  His eyes widened for a moment. “I hadn’t thought about the possibility… On Earth, women’s eggs are harvested shortly after birth—”

  She placed her fingers against his lips. “Enough.”

  With a brazen attitude, she tugged on the edge of his scrubs, and he gripped the material, ripping it over his head in one fell swoop. The deep planes of his chest and the definition in his firm abdomen sent a thrill along her nerves. She boldly trailed her fingers along the ridges.

  His muscles tightened, and he audibly inhaled. She smiled. Torture him, she would. She tugged on his waistband, untying the slip knot. With reckless intent, she trailed a single finger under the edge of the material, grazing the tip of his erection.

  A hiss burst from his lips and he gripped her wrist. “Not so fast. Remember, I said I would pleasure you.” A sexy smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

  Trailing a finger down the side of her face, he pulled her in for another bruising kiss. Warmth spread through her body until her toes tingled. His passion burrowed into her chest, setting up home. She was under this man’s spell and a wave of happiness built in her soul.

  When she didn’t think she could take much more, he broke the kiss. Placing his arm under her legs, he drew her to him and captured her in his embrace. The sudden movement made her squeal. She wrapped her arms around his neck to hold on, and his warm scent invaded her senses. All she wanted was to stay in his arms. Cradling her with one hand, he yanked the comforter off the bed and laid her on the sheets.

  With tender care, he removed her boots, her blouse, her pants, and her undergarments. Each touch sparked a new wave of desire, and she mewled in frustration, aching for him.

  Stepping away, his gaze roamed from her face down to her breasts, stopping for a moment at the juncture between her legs before trailing down to her toes. At last, he looked into her eyes. “So beautiful, Elle.”

  The longing in his gaze and the tenderness in his voice brought pinpricks of tears to her eyes. Her chest constricted, bottling up all her emotion like a cork in a flask. The slightest pressure and she’d explode.

  His erection strained against the thin synthetic material of his pants and the length and breadth of him sent a fresh round of wetness to her sheath. She squeezed her thighs together, enjoying the gentle pressure, increasing her desire.

  “Angelo…I want to see you.” She held his gaze, but by the spark in his eyes, he understood all too well what she asked of him.

  With a firm tug, he pushed his scrubs over his hips and down his legs. His member was long and thick, the tip a slightly darker shade then the rest of his skin. A bead of wetness formed at the end, and she licked her lips. What would it be like to taste him?

  “Do I meet your approval?” His words were low, sensual.

  She met his gaze. He studied her, this proud, virile male. His question wasn’t one of arrogance, but one born of a true desire to please her. She’d never known a man like him.

  Unable to contain the sense of euphoria welling in her chest, her voice wavered. “Oh, yes, Angelo. Yes, indeed.”

  The smile that crossed his features did her in. I’m falling for him. Deep in her heart, she was lost to him now, and a part of her was glad.

  He knelt on the bed and straddled her legs. She reached for him, but he gripped her wrists, preventing her from touching him. “Not yet, Captain. Relax, let me drive…let me pleasure you.”

  A tendril of fear weaseled its way into her heart and her pulse spiked. He’d asked her to give up control. As if he’d sensed her discomfort, his brow furrowed, and he released her. “Elle, I would never hurt you. If I do something you don’t like, just tell me to stop.”

  She was at a crossroad. Open her heart or kick him out and reinforce the barriers she’d erected long ago. Her breath lodged in her throat. What do I do?

  Chapter Ten

  ANGELO THIRTEEN’S MOUTH WENT DRY. In not so many words, he’d asked Elle to trust him. Would she? He held his breath, waiting for her response. The whir of recycled air was the only sound in the room, that, and his beating heart.

  The tension lines in her features eased. She relaxed against the soft pillow, a slow exhale easing from her lips. “Okay Angelo, I believe you.”

  The weight lifted from his shoulders, and he released the breath. He’d do everything in his power to show her how much he’d come to care for her.

  “Lay still.” His words came out husky, evidence of his own desire.

  She bit her lip, but settled into the mattress. A beauty like he’d never seen before, her arms glistened with a slight sheen of sweat, making her green skin glow. His fingers tingled with his need to touch her. Tenderly, he trailed the tips of his fingers up her thigh until he circled her hip bone.

  “That tickles.” She shivered under his touch, goosebumps forming in his wake.

  “Close your eyes. Focus on my touch, feel the sensation over your body.”

  She did as he asked, endearing her to him, and his chest constricted. This strong, independent woman let him past her defenses. He wouldn’t betray her trust.

  “I’m going to run my fingers over your skin, explore your body.” As he drew his fingers over her stomach and between her breasts, a smile crossed her face. Little tremors travelled along in his wake, and blood rushed to his groin, tightening his already engorged shaft.

  Tiny mewls escaped her lips as his fingers wound down first one arm, then the other. The softness of her skin called to him, and before he could stop himself, he bent down and brushed his lips against the corner of her mouth. Her eyes opened at the unexpected contact, and she raked her hands through his hair. She tried to pull him closer, but he was on a mission. He wouldn’t be sidetracked from his quest.

  He broke the kiss and circled his fingers around one of her breasts, closer and closer until he reached the firm peak. With a gentle squeeze, he rolled the taut flesh between his fingers. She bucked beneath him, and a loud cry of frustration tore from her throat. “Angelo, please.”

  Warmth spread through him, and he couldn’t help the chuckle that reverberated in his chest. “As you wish, Captain.”

  He lightly tweaked the end once more before circling her nipple with his tongue. The taste of her flesh and the firmness of her round bud sent more blood south. He groaned, and she inhaled, digging her nails into his shoulders. The painful spike made his shaft twitch.

  Sliding his palm over her hip, he squeezed her tender bottom as he brushed his lips over the soft skin of her abdomen. With deliberate leisure, he pressed his mouth against the edge of the small triangle of curls that graced the juncture of her legs. Her moan travelled along his nerves, piercing his heart. His chest ached like he’d never felt before.

  Is this what love feels like? He wasn’t sure, but he wanted to please her over and over again so he could continue to hear her sweet sigh.

  He lingered at her curls, inching closer and closer to her sex with each kiss. She squirmed under his onslaught. Her soft giggles only tightened the band around his heart, squeezing him with such bliss.

  He peered at her. The soft glow on her cheeks and her hooded eyes indicated her pleasure. He smiled and gripped her thighs, giving them a gentle coax. “Open for me.”

  She tensed, the muscles
in her legs hardening beneath his touch.

  His senses went on high alert. Creases formed around her eyes as she nibbled her lip. “I’m…afraid.”

  A ball of dread tightened in his stomach. “I promised I wouldn’t hurt you, and I won’t.”

  She gripped the sheets in her fist, her knuckles turning white. “It’s not that. I’ve…never done this before.”

  The muscles in his arms and back stiffened. “You’ve never…made love before?” He wasn’t sure what surprised him more, that she was so untouched or that he’d come to understand his emotions. I care for her.

  “I’m not a virgin, but I’ve never done…this.” Her green cheeks darkened, and she bit her lip once again.

  They’d already crossed one bridge together. He needed to help her cross another, so he gave her his most encouraging smile. “It’ll feel good. Believe me.”

  Her gaze darted back and forth as she studied him. She seemed to want him to continue, yet fear held her back. Finally, her features softened, and she gave him a quick nod.

  His chest expanded once again, filling him all the way to his soul. He’d won her trust, and she’d won his heart.

  He pressed against her thighs, encouraging her. She opened to him, and her sweet spot glistened with her desire. As he inhaled, her unique apple scent invaded his senses.

  His balls tightened, and a groan eased from him. “You’re so wet, so inviting…”

  He didn’t wait for her response. With a slow, lingering swipe of his tongue, he tasted her for the first time. Her sweet essence made him moan, the reverberation traveling through their connection. She bucked under his onslaught, and he gripped her hips, holding her in place. He circled her clit with his tongue, and she continued to jerk against him, the intensity in her movements increasing to a fevered pitch. He caught her gaze. I’m here for you, Elle.

  She didn’t look away until the cry tore from her lips and she shuddered against him. He continued his gentle torment, wringing every last twitch from her. At last, he pulled back and wiped the evidence of her climax from his mouth. She’d claimed him in her own way. He could get used to her scent and her warm wetness all over him.