Since that particular image of her with Nathan was the last memory he’d carried for these past several days, it would be a lie to say he hadn’t pondered all the implications associated with the event. Including the instant discovery that Nathan was the first man she’d been with when she discovered this disease. Did she care for Nathan? Undoubtedly. Had they formed a bond in their short time together? Would she rather be with Nathan?
Gray wondered if she was about to express her newly rediscovered love for Nathan. He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear her say the words out loud, but shrugged in reference to her comment. She didn’t have to be sorry about what happened.
He did his best to guard his heart and shrugged. “I didn’t want you to suffer. Besides, Nathan is my best friend. I trusted him to take care of you. He did. It wasn’t your fault, Penelope. I don’t blame you for not wanting to suffer in agonizing pain.”
“Nathan is a very good man.”
“He is. The very best.” Gray squeezed the regret out of his soul.
“I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but I had to tell him that we were involved.” She inhaled deeply and her stunning aqua gaze returned to taunt him with seductive grace. “I didn’t tell him that I loved you though.”
Gray’s heart skipped a beat in impulsive elation, and a grin erupted before he could temper it. “Why not?”
“Because.” She blinked, and she smiled in return. “I wanted to tell you first.”
The desire to kiss her reared so suddenly and desperately that he pulled her mask off knowing what it would do.
She didn’t stop him.
He cupped her face sans the mask. “I love you, Penelope. Don’t ever doubt it.” And then they kissed and kissed and kissed all the while clothing stripped quickly from their bodies.
Before she could demand that he do so, Gray pressed her against the wall out of view of the room’s camera, released his cock and pierced her deeply. Never ceasing the kiss, he pounded into her and because of the seemingly endless separation which really only amounted to five days, it didn’t take him long to cure what ailed her.
The orgasm rushed out of the end of his cock in seconds, but the best part of the experience came a few minutes later when she did.
The grip of her pussy signaling her release moments later after he slid his hand between them to ensure her climax, made him come even harder a second time. She wrapped her legs around his waist during the subsequent interlude, connecting them at a level he never wanted to sever.
Gray didn’t know what their future held, but didn’t ever want to be away from her again.
“I’m sorry the cure you came here for didn’t work,” he whispered against her head. “Tell me what I can do to help you beyond the physical and I’ll do it.”
“I just want to go back home, Gray.” She pulled away to look deeply into his eyes. Her mournful expression made his soul ache. She repeated, “Please just take me home.”
Chapter 12
Ten days later, still aboard the Dalton and mere hours away from making good on his vow to take Penelope back home, Gray experienced an epiphany.
He woke with a start in the middle of the night snuggled up to Penelope after a lengthy lovemaking session earlier in the evening. After she’d fallen asleep, Gray had watched her for a long while unable to sleep and trying to figure out what troubled him.
Something elusive and on the edge of his conscious had nagged at him for the duration of this trip. He glanced at the time piece on the wall, noting he had another three hours before his shift started. The undetected aspect dawned on him as suddenly as the illumination of an exploding star. Time.
It had been well over five hours since they’d had sex in the shower and fallen into his bunk. His calculations told him that she should have woken him at least a couple of hours ago for another round, but she hadn’t.
They’d spent almost every waking and sleeping hour together on the return trip to Bravura due to the new filter masks Penelope wore. Smaller and less bulky, they allowed for more intimacy rather than the big bulky face masks from the first trip. Angelica had secured the smaller mask from a place near the dock and rounded up enough of a supply from the Parsec Colony to allow coverage for Penelope’s entire trip home.
Each night, after his shift on the command deck, Gray came to either her room or called her to his. The intimacy afforded them with this change had strengthened their relationship, at least in his way of thinking. Penelope was distant at times, but Gray dismissed it as worry over her future.
They spent inordinate amounts of time talking about what might happen with Nathan, Damon and her job once they returned to Bravura. She worried about the status of her job most of all, but Gray told her he’d find a place for her on his ship if need be.
Visibly dubious of his repeated offers, Penelope generally found a way to change the subject of conversation soon after, and he let her in an effort to keep the peace. He knew she had enough on her mind with her uncured virus to consider, which was the catalyst for his epiphany.
The subtle changes in their lovemaking, across the ten days ticking by quickly, had been so slight that he knew she hadn’t noticed. At least not yet. Afraid to wake her, point out the obvious and be mistaken, Gray simply kissed her mouth gently while she slept and kept his own counsel.
Given the restrictions of their relationship, he hadn’t spent nearly as much time with his mouth between her legs as he’d wanted. Perhaps now was a good time. Watching her sleep and wishing to have her wake with his tongue jammed in her pussy became equal parts of agony and ecstasy.
The urge to taste her was too irresistible so he gave into temptation. Ever so carefully, and so as not to wake her, Gray slid his body down the bed until his face rested next to her hip. He turned on his side and kissed her leg. She didn’t move. He twisted to hover over her and lowered his face until his tongue licked the perfect bud of her clit. She inhaled deeply, but didn’t move. Gray smiled and dove in for more. He pushed his mouth over her and sucked her clit between his lips. Wet, even in her sleep, Gray noted that she was as delicious as he remembered.
A trickle of moisture gathered on his chin, so he released her clitoris and licked the juice covering her pussy lips all along her seam. She cried out and moved, but pushed herself closer to his mouth. He grabbed her legs with eager hands and resumed licking her clit. Once he’d established a solid rhythm, he pushed two fingers inside her body and massaged as he licked her clit until the miraculous sound of her screaming orgasm nearly made him come. The glorious pulses against his fingers gave him hope that a normal life might be possible.
Perhaps the cure had worked after all, but had a delayed reaction. He knew for a fact that the time between incidents had increased.
He kissed his way to her mouth as a particularly delightful feeling encompassed him.
“What did you do to me?”
“Something magnificent.”
“I’ll say.” She drifted off to sleep again and that made Gray even happier. He’d never been a clock watcher, but watching the time tick further and longer between her brazen episodes had been subconsciously sending a red flag.
Glancing at the time piece on the wall again, Gray decided to relieve Ensign Cahill early. He’d been working long shifts on this journey back to Bravura.
Angelica volunteered to take the Mirage to Rycan along with the delegates. It gave her an opportunity to captain her own vessel and the glow she exuded was worth seeing. Cahill pretended not to miss her, but Gray was glad to see he didn’t begrudge her the opportunity to captain a vessel. Although, Gray suspected they’d both be happier once she returned to Bravura as scheduled a week after the Dalton.
Once they’d been within range, messages had been back and forth between his ship and Bravura Space Command with regard to Damon being detained on criminal charges.
Nathan remained in the med lab. Director Blevins had insisted they take Damon back to Bravura to face charges, but wanted it handled quietly in deferen
ce to Damon’s illustrious father, Oscar Kaslan. Damon was currently locked up in the brig, where he complained daily about his poor treatment and threatened dire consequences once his father found out about his confinement.
Damon never once took any responsibility for what he did to Penelope or Nathan. Penelope refused to press charges because she feared her word against Damon’s wouldn’t survive. Nathan pressed charges immediately, and Gray backed him up.
Once the Dalton was docked, they all had a private meeting scheduled in the tribunal room at the Bravura Science Lab conference table to take place immediately after disembarking the ship.
Gray knew Penelope was still worried about her job and being gone for so long, but she’d given him a tight-lipped frown and refused to discuss any charges the few times he’d brought it up.
In the name of getting along, he abandoned any pressure on the matter of her pressing charges, but asked that she be there during the hearing. Her reluctance was understandable, but Gray was glad she agreed to attend.
Once the hearing was behind them, Gray planned to discuss their future. He knew Penelope was his one true love.
A pledge ceremony was what he had in mind. He wanted her to know that he loved her and he’d stand by her regardless of her illness.
* * * *
“I protest this barbaric trial,” Damon snarled as he was brought into the Bravura Science Lab conference room in restraints. Penelope swallowed hard and resisted the virulent urge to launch across the large oval table at Damon to throttle him with her bare hands.
“Silence,” his father hissed just as fervently. Oscar Kaslan followed his son into the room along with a gray suited law representative likely well versed in personal damage accusations.
Damon’s father was a well decorated military hero from the intergalactic wars and now held a powerful government position in Spectra. The three took seats opposite of where Penelope sat between Gray and Nathan.
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, wishing to be anywhere else but right here, right now. Stifling the impulse to scream about the barbaric treatment she’d suffered because Damon the bastard had given her an incurable virus, Penelope concentrated on breathing in and out as she kept an eye on the time.
Beside her, Gray glanced at her restlessness and smiled briefly as if in reassurance. He’d done everything possible to ensure her comfort for this meeting, and she tried to relax for his sake, but worried endlessly about what this meeting would reveal. She didn’t want anyone here at work to know about the virus she harbored.
Still sporting a sizeable bandage on his back beneath his uniform, Nathan sat straight up, unable to lean back in his chair due to his injury.
The tribunal had been called to ascertain the punishment Damon would face for trying to harm Nathan. Penelope hadn’t brought any charges against her coworker and hoped that during today’s inquiry, none would be brought against her.
She had come directly from the Dalton with Nathan and Gray. They hadn’t even been docked for an hour yet. Penelope figured she had three hours left without a mask before she’d have to excuse herself and go hide.
From across the table, Damon smirked at her, and she hoped he’d stay quiet about her problem. In this forum, she was merely a witness to what happened to Nathan.
Dr. Ledreder entered the room, followed by two other high ranking scientists at the lab. His gaze slid over her quickly, and Penelope saw his concern. At least he didn’t seem angry with her.
Once seated at the end of the table he began, “This is an informal hearing—”
“Then why am I still bound?” Damon interrupted. He lifted his connected wrists and crashed them to the table.
“Because you shot my first officer in the back after breaking into his private room while you worked for the Bravura Science Lab,” Gray stated evenly. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Allegedly.” Damon dragged his folded hands off the table and back into his lap. But the self satisfied grin remained and stayed focused on Penelope. “No one has proven I did anything, yet.”
Gray’s gaze remained on the table in front of Penelope when he added, “You were sent there under company orders from the Bravura Science Lab which makes it their jurisdiction. If it were up to me you’d already be on your way to the nearest penal colony.”
“May I ask why my son was sent to the Parsec Colony?” Oscar Kaslan, asked slowly and carefully as if unwilling to jump to his son’s defense without further explanation.
Dr. Ledreder harrumphed. “I sent him to intercept Dr. Drake. She went to get medication for one of her patients, but was unaware that we already carried that drug in our vault.”
“And you couldn’t send a sub space message to her?” Oscar frowned.
“With sub space static what it is, communications are very poor along the channel between Bravura and the Parsec Colony. We couldn’t contact her using that means. At least not reliably. Quite frankly, I didn’t expect Damon to follow her all the way there.”
“You said, ‘Bring her back!’” Damon pulled his stare from her and sent an angry glare to Dr. Ledreder.
“What will it take to get the charges dropped?” Oscar asked.
Gray leaned forward. “Are you asking for a monetary figure or something else?”
Eyes wrinkled with amusement, Oscar Kaslan responded, “What else is there?”
“Lots of things. How about the assurance that Damon won’t accost others in this manner for starters?”
Oscar shrugged with a slightly puzzled expression coloring his features. “My understanding was that he was merely jealous over the…” he paused and his gaze shifted to Penelope before continuing, “…indiscretion of Dr. Drake privately engaged with another man.”
“What?” Penelope didn’t mean to voice her shock out loud.
“Mr. Kaslan is her assistant. Why would there be any jealousy?” Gray asked. “Or is romance encouraged between employees here at the Bravura Science Lab?”
“Of course not,” Dr. Ledreder spoke up.
“Whether or not it’s encouraged is a meaningless supposition. These things happen.” Oscar sent Penelope a slightly distasteful glance as if the thought of his son consorting with such an insignificant person was offensive.
Penelope countered, “I can tell you, sir, with complete honesty that there is absolutely nothing romantic between your son and I. Nor has there ever been.” She thought Damon’s father looked relieved by her announcement.
“Doesn’t matter.” Nathan spoke for the first time. “There is no good reason for what he did to me.”
Oscar released a deep sigh. “I agree.”
“Whatever.” Damon snorted and shook his head.
Gray directed his gaze to Dr. Ledreder and said, “Regardless of the eventual outcome of this tribunal meeting, I’d like to ask that Mr. Damon Kaslan not ever be allowed to work with Dr. Drake again.”
Dr. Ledreder nodded. “That can certainly be arranged.”
Damon half stood from his chair. “I won’t take a demotion. Not for the likes of her.”
“My first officer could press criminal charges with the galactic federation of planets,” Gray added in a calm tone. “I wonder what the minimum sentence is involving personal assault.” He turned to Nathan. “Ten years minimum? Is that correct?”
Nathan nodded, but remained silent.
“That won’t be necessary.” Oscar sent his son a positively demonic glare.
Damon huffed. “What about Dr. Penny? What about her crimes?”
Penelope froze in her chair. She’d been about to check the time piece on the wall, but instead she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Her crime started with Damon’s horrific beginning act of poisoning her with the virus. But she didn’t want that fact brought to light. Not here. So she chewed the inside of her mouth.
Damon continued, and Penelope wondered what he hoped to accomplish. “She embezzled company funds.”
“How do you know?” Nathan shot back.
“Dr. Drake did not embezzle company funds,” Dr. Ledreder said with a long sigh. “She has discretionary authority over the funds in her department and can spend the monies as she sees fit.”
Gray spoke up. “I’m curious about something, Mr. Kaslan. In my place, what would you do?”
Oscar’s brows furrowed. “I beg your pardon?”
“If my first officer had broken into your son’s private room and shot him in the back, what would you be asking for as punishment? Because I suspect we wouldn’t even be entertaining the idea of his release. I believe the Penal System would be in authority.”
The elder Mr. Kaslan ground his teeth together and closed his eyes. “I see your point.” His eyes opened again. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “If you don’t want monetary compensation, Captain Wyckoff, how about I introduce you to the Trade Governor? You’re a business man. And I have the power to set up a meeting where the two of you can discuss possible business between your corporation and the Galactic Federation of Planets. Would that be of interest to you?”
Gray smiled and said, “That would be an acceptable start, however, I already have a meeting with the Trade Governor courtesy of Dr. Drake’s brother. I don’t need two of them.” Penelope felt the blood drain out of her face in embarrassment. She wanted to die. She didn’t know how to speak up and tell Gray to take the meeting. Her betrayal would cost him the very thing she promised.
She turned her head to Gray but her shame wouldn’t allow her gaze to reach his eye level.
Damon laughed out loud. “Dr. Drake’s brother is the lowest of the low in the governor’s organization. You couldn’t possibly have a meeting courtesy of him.”
Penelope shook her head as if she could stop Damon from revealing her lie and prevent Gray from discovering the deceit of her initial proposal. But it was far too late.
“You’re mistaken.” Gray glanced at her and added, “Tell them.” The puzzled uncertainty in his expression stopped her heart.
“I’m so sorry, Gray,” she whispered. Take the meeting!
Sex or Suffer [Dark Colony 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 21
