“Drake Conners is an old friend of mine, and if he lived on this side, I wouldn’t hesitate to have him put us up for the night. But he’s over the mountains.”
David grunted. It was about the only reaction he could give. Dealing with her feelings of agitation, along with his own, made it difficult to speak. That, and he still couldn’t believe the emotions rolling through him.
White-hot anger…no, jealousy…surged through him. What right did he have to be jealous of a man he didn’t know? Why the strange reaction? He knew the answer, but he didn’t want to admit it. Because of the way she said the bastard’s name. Her voice had softened and warmth from her had filled his gut. Whoever the guy was, David knew they had been intimate. His primal reaction to that fact really surprised him. He didn’t go for women who jumped from bed to bed, but not one of his past lovers had been a virgin.
A woman’s past had never bothered him until now.
“What is this Drake to you?”
She crossed her arms. “He’s a friend.”
That was all she was going to give him? No way. “A friend? As in, a ‘he is my friend and can put me up’ kind of friend, or ‘I just had sex last week with him’ kind of friend?”
Her anger and his intertwined and heated his blood. Even knowing she had every right to be angry with his questions didn’t matter. He couldn’t stop the thrum of possessiveness from banging its way through his body.
“Drake is a scientist. He is a friend, a good friend. One I know I can trust. But, other than that, it isn’t any of your business.”
He damn sure is my business if you think I’m letting him lay a hand on you. David wanted so badly to shout out his ownership, to let the world know he would be the only one touching her. But he knew from that stubborn tilt of her chin that she’d never go for that. Knew underneath the want, there was a need so primal, so instinctive, he just wanted to rip her clothes off and sink his cock into her tight, warm pussy. These feelings were all too new for him to handle.
All of his police training had been thrown out the window. His concentration should be on securing a location, watching their backs. Instead, his mind kept contemplating how Genoa would look wearing nothing but that mean frown.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” The tone in her voice matched the pulses of impatience she shot at him. “We need to find a place to stay, Adams.”
She spun around and marched to the bay door exit. Dammit. His attraction to her, and hers to him, was making him act like a jackass. He jogged to catch up to her. With those long legs, she ate up a lot of ground.
He grabbed her by the elbow and she came around swinging. He stopped her fist with his hand.
“Hey, I’m on your side here.”
She snorted. “I thought you were someone else.”
Even if she did, she still probably wouldn’t have regretted clipping him. Equal parts of agitation and arousal swept through him. Funny, he knew they were her feelings, but at the same time, his body responded. Not that he hadn’t been running around half-cocked since he rescued her in the bar, but this was different. Her emotions shimmered within him, striking a cord.
“Let’s get one thing straight. Marcus wants you in his office ASAP. Since we have to wait for the ship, we need to find a place to grab a bite to eat and a few hours’ sleep.”
“Can’t we just wait here?”
“In case you didn’t notice, there isn’t much around here, and I need food. Preferably meat, and not the usual rat they serve around this place.” He jerked his thumb in the direction of one of the traveling food crafts. Langilians had a preference for small rodents, much like Earth’s sewer dwellers. David could almost eat them if he was starving.
Almost.
She sighed. “Okay, but I get my own bed, space ranger. I ain’t sharing a pillow with you.”
He followed her out, not correcting her assumptions. Although a fair amount of arousal emitted from her, David sensed something close to panic streaming from Genoa. She was keeping something from him, he was sure of it. Something that scared the hell out of her.
Now, if he could keep his hands off her long enough to figure it out, he’d at least have some self-respect.
The sway of her hips caught his attention. A flash of the taste of her in his mouth, and all the blood drained from his head to his dick. Oh, yeah, off to a good start, Adams.
* * * *
Genoa shielded her eyes from the glare of the Langilian southern sun. The white light burned her eyes, causing her pulsing headache to worsen. She didn’t need to turn around to know David had followed. Her body responded to him immediately. The hot air had intensified his scent. One whiff of his pure male aggression, and her blood heated, pooling between her legs. She shifted from one foot to the other, trying to relieve the pressure. But the friction of her silk panties, damp with arousal, heightened her senses.
“We can rent a hovercycle.”
He had leaned over her shoulder, his breath warm against her ear. She shivered as a bead of sweat rolled down between her breasts. Trying to separate herself from the confusion of her attraction, she nodded and stepped away from him.
“Come on.” His voice was a low growl, but she ignored it. If he were pissed at her, or aggravated about their situation, he might stay away from her. The further away he stayed, the better chance she had of resisting him until he dropped her in Marcus’ lap.
David strode past her, and she followed slowly, looking at the terrain of the unfamiliar planet. The stark desert surrounding the space station reminded her of the pictures she’d seen of Arizona. Coral sand shimmered in bright sunlight. Cacti littered the area, several of them blooming pink flowers. A few yards away, a small furry animal scampered about. She smiled and stopped to watch it hop around.
“Keep moving, princess.”
She shot him a dirty look over her shoulder. “Although a Neanderthal like you might not understand, I like little furry animals.”
“Okay. But just so you know, that cute little rodent has fangs that will not only dig into that ivory skin of yours, but their venom is particularly nasty. It’s a slow death. First it will attack your sight, then move on to your nervous system. By the time it moves through your entire body, you’ll be begging to die.”
She swallowed and watched the animal look up at her. It blinked its bright blue eyes. A moment before she was going to turn around and complain about David teasing her, the animal inched closer and bared a very sharp pair of fangs. She spun around and hurried after David, ignoring his smug laughter.
“Maybe someday you’ll learn to take my advice.” He held the door to the rental shop open for her.
The inside of the shop was dim compared to outside. For a moment, both Genoa and David hesitated, allowing for their eyes to adjust.
“Vat to voo want?”
Behind the counter stood a tall creature with pink skin, almost the same shade as the sand outside. She’d heard of Southern Langilians. They resembled lizards, with their scaly skin and their clawed feet. This one was actually dressed, but Genoa knew many of them didn’t bother. They were cold-blooded creatures, not able to adapt to any other weather extreme but the desert. His tongue flicked in and out, trying to pick up their scent.
“We want to rent a hovercycle to ride into Fineria. Should be back tomorrow,” David said, stepping around her and pushing her behind him.
“Voo have coin?”
The Langilian asked the question of David, but he kept eyeing Genoa. A chill swept over her, knowing by the calculating look in his teal eyes that he thought she might be on the table for payment. Langilians were into the slave trade. And, if he sensed her unique parentage, she knew he was probably counting the money he’d make off her.
“Yes, I do. And if you’re going to fucking talk to me, you better meet my eye.”
His attention finally left her and went to David. They haggled over the price for a few minutes, but David talked him down. After paying the Langilian and gathering the keycar
d, David ushered her out of the shop.
The chill that had swept through her body melted as soon as David’s hand came in contact with the small of her back.
“We should be able to find us a room in Fineria. It’s pretty big.”
“A room. I think I remember saying I wanted my own room.” Even if the idea of curling next to his body sent a wave of warmth through her. Damn. She needed to fight the attraction she had for this full-breed. He was dangerous with a capital D. Her own reaction scared her. Humans, full-breeds especially, usually turned her off. Well, except for Drake. He didn’t count, because he had as many scars as she did.
David studied the keycard for a moment, then walked up the aisle between two rows of dilapidated hovercycles. When he reached number forty-nine, he picked up the helmets, handing her one. “No. Even if I trusted you, which I don’t, I need to be there in case your buddies show up.”
She gripped the helmet, her fingers wrapping around the face guard so tightly, her hand ached. “I can handle my own safety, thank you.”
He slammed the helmet down on his head and turned to face her. His tawny eyes studied her. His lips were set in a grim line. “Like back at the bar?”
“That was—”
“What? Just a misunderstanding? You would have talked yourself out of it? Think again. Deras wanted more than just you. It must be the precious information you have for Marcus. But, as I said before, Marcus wants you, in the flesh. And I’ve told you before, and I will tell you again and again until you learn—I am in charge.” The last bit was said from behind clenched teeth. “Now, put your fucking helmet on and shut the hell up. We need to get to Fineria before dark and hunker down. Not only am I worried about some of the nocturnal creatures in this desert area, I also have a feeling the Gorgons aren’t that far behind us.”
She hated that authoritative, macho-man-in-charge attitude. Really, there was no reason for her heart to beat so hard and her blood to boil. She despised alpha males. “We lost them.”
He looked at the helmet still in her hands, and then at her head. She sighed and shoved it on.
“Honey, Gorgons always travel in pairs. You can bet there’s another group of them on your tail. And not only will they be pissed about losing you, but they might take it personally that I killed their buddy. I don’t want to be around when they show up.”
Chapter 5
David whizzed around a cab moving at a snail’s pace, trying to fight the worry gnawing at his gut. Genoa’s anxiety wormed through his system, combining with his, making it hard to concentrate. Of course, having every inch of her plastered against him wasn’t helping, either.
The cycle they had was a piece of shit, moaning and shuddering each time he gunned the engine. And when the craft shook, Genoa’s breasts jiggled against his back. He knew what they looked like, smooth and pert, and the taste…
He shifted, the pressure in his cock almost to the point where he might embarrass himself. Her nipples rubbed against his back again and he groaned.
“What’s wrong?” She had to yell the question over the sound of the motor.
“Nothing.”
Nothing that a few days in bed wouldn’t cure. He’d been light in blood to the brain since seeing her for the first time. Now that he’d had a taste of her, he couldn’t fight the sexual pull she had on him. He thanked God she had no idea of what she did to him. Knowing her, she’d use it against him, drive him crazy, and probably use the knowledge to escape.
He pulled into another lane. The craft shuddered again, her breasts pressed harder. Her panic was subsiding, and a flash of arousal hummed between them. Shit. His dick strained against the confines of his suit, the stretchy fabric rubbing against it. Her arousal and his, added to the friction, were going to drive him insane.
He noticed a hotel ahead with a vacancy sign. Weaving in and out of traffic, he took a hard right and parked in front of the entrance. A room, a bed, and a lock on the door were just what he needed right now. He yanked out the cycle’s keycard while he waited for Genoa to dismount. She was already opening the door before he had his ass off the bike.
“Genoa,” he growled.
She turned, her eyebrow raised, her eyes narrowed. “What?”
“Wait for me. You never know what you’ll run into on this planet. It’s a portal stop for every damn piece of scum in three galaxies.”
Her gaze traveled first down the length of him, then back up. “Yeah, I can see that.”
“Smart-ass.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him as he entered the hotel.
“Better than a dumb one.”
He refused to rise to her bait as he continued to pull her toward the desk. The sharp look of the male Denizen working the counter sent a flush of warmth to David’s face. With the exception of light-blue skin and four eyes, creatures from the Denizen Sector resembled humans. But their senses were three hundred times more acute than humans.
“We need a room.”
The clerk nodded, apparently agreeing. Lord knows the feelings rolling off Genoa were blasting him with a myriad of emotions. Fear, irritation, and at the moment, the strongest was arousal.
The clerk slid a keycard toward David, and smiled. “Twenty coins.”
David slammed down the money, grabbed the key, and headed to their room. A slap of agitation hit him so hard he almost chuckled, but he wasn’t going to let her win this argument. He found their room in no time and unlocked it. “Stick close behind me. I want to make sure we don’t have any guests we don’t know about.”
“Other than the irritating one with two legs in front of me?”
He chuckled. He couldn’t help himself. The woman had enough sass to need a good spanking. The image of Genoa draped across his legs, her bare bottom at his mercy, had him biting back a wave of painful arousal.
He entered the room, Genoa all but plastered against his back. The room was small and utilitarian, but that was fine by David. Less footage to protect. All he needed was the bed. And what a bed. It was big enough to accommodate Langilians, and some of their race could top eight feet. His dick twitched at the thought of his plans for that bed.
After checking a bathroom that sported one of the biggest tubs he’d ever seen, he returned to the bedroom. Genoa stood by the one small, round window, the red hotel sign flashing against her skin. While other feelings—fear, arousal—shimmered in the background, the one coming clearest to him was loneliness. Of having nowhere to turn, no one to trust. It was so strong he had to swallow the pain filling his heart and closing his throat. What was she hiding from him? She still didn’t trust him or she would know she wasn’t alone. And, even though he knew she’d been trained to question everyone’s motives, it angered him that she didn’t trust him. Completely irrational. And about par for his behavior since meeting her.
“Get away from the window.”
“Why?”
“Why? Jesus, do you not know how noticeable you are? On this planet, especially. Human women don’t venture here, and I can almost guarantee they are not almost six-foot-tall redheads with bodies to die for.”
For the first time, her face flushed. It had to be one of the most seductive things he’d ever seen. Knowing she kissed like a wet dream, paired with that show of modesty, fueled his hunger.
“You’re just saying that to get me into bed,” she said, but still moved away from the window, closer to him. Closer to the bed.
“No. It’s the reason I want you in bed.”
“David…”
“But first, we need to get a few things straight.”
She struck what had to be her favorite pose when irritated, crossing her arms beneath her breasts and tapping her foot on the floor. “A few things?”
“I’m in charge. I know you may be a first-rate spy, but I have a background in police enforcement.”
“I would have never guessed.”
“I just want you to listen to me, and to my orders, so I can get us both out of here alive.”
She snorted.
“And you’ll go to see Marcus. I don’t want him bothered with this problem, because what bothers him, bothers Shana. And I don’t want her bothered.”
“Shana?”
Was that a hint of jealousy he heard in her voice? “My sister married Marcus a few months ago.”
Her eyes widened and her arms dropped to her sides. “You’re Shana Adams’ brother?”
“Why do you find that so hard to believe?”
She shrugged. “I’ve seen her name on a few things. Some requests, things like that. I’ve sent her a few reports.”
“The last of which said that you were on to something big.”
Another jolt of fear lanced out at him. “Don’t worry about it. We get that ton of junk you call a ship fixed, and you can deliver me to Marcus with a fucking red bow on my head.”
He bit back a chuckle. Genoa’s emotions were riding a thin line between outright panic and arousal. Before she could argue, he stepped closer and drew her into his arms. He knew the alarm racing through her could push her over the edge of reason. Whatever she had on the Gorgons, and had for Marcus, must be pretty important. The moment his arms wrapped around her, she stiffened. He tried to ignore his own emotions of want, of downright need to have this woman beside him, beneath him. As he rubbed her back with one of his hands, her muscles slowly relaxed. A moment later, he wanted to shout with triumph because she slid her arms around his waist and pressed closer.
Every sweet curve of her body was plastered against him. From those long legs he’d like wrapped around his waist, to her wet, hot sex, and her firm breasts, her nipples hard with want. His blood raced, his heart beat against his chest. Her fear receded as her desire swept through both of them. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. The scent of her, arousal entwined with pure Genoa, wrapped around his senses. She nuzzled his neck, her breath hot against his skin.
Her passion ran along his nerve endings, pushing him further toward the edge. Genoa was something he couldn’t bite into and swallow in one gulp. She was a woman to savor. David wanted to spend hours getting to know every curve, every inch of her body. She was making it hard for him to remember that as her tongue traced a path up his neck, past his jaw to his mouth.
Telepathic Cravings Page 12
