Rebel

by Aubrey Ross

  She ignored his provocation. Her gaze quickly scanned the cabin. The wristcuffs lay on the floor where they’d fallen, but her clothes were nowhere in sight.

  “I’d like to get dressed now,” she told him.

  “And I’d like you to finish undressing.” He paused for a wicked smile. “But I think we can compromise.”

  “This is no compromise. I’m cold.”

  “I’ll be happy to warm you.”

  Ignoring the sensual purr in his tone, Corry walked to the bank of storage compartments, searching each in turn. Empty! He must have shoved her clothes into the recycler.

  Determination burned through her self-consciousness. She stomped to the ship’s stern and lowered one of the pull-down bunks. The bedding was attached at the bottom. Undaunted, she continued her search. The locker in the small private cabin contained a blanket. With a defiant flourish, she shook it out and settled the soft material around her shoulders.

  “Feel better?” Ashton lounged in the open doorway, one shoulder rested against the doorframe, his brawny arms folded over his chest. A lock of burnished hair lay across his forehead, and the consuming intensity of his gaze bore into hers.

  “I feel like strangling you,” she said bitterly. “There were legitimate reasons for what I did. You’re just being petty.”

  He took a menacing step forward. “It’s petty to subject you to the treatment you dealt me?”

  “I made you undress to discourage you from escaping. Where the hell am I going to go? We’re in the middle of freaking space!”

  “You also left me in that freezing cell without food or light because you didn’t like what I had to say!”

  “Korbin would have beaten the shit out of you! You should be thankful—”

  Her words died in a frightened squeak as he grabbed her. One hand fisted in her hair while his other arm encircled her waist. “Korbin? Who is Korbin? Stupid question. Who is Korbin Reah to you?”

  She glared and her jaw clenched.

  “Your lover?” His hand tightened in her hair. “Shit, is he your husband?”

  His line of reasoning was so far off base she couldn’t help but laugh. “I thought you were psychic.”

  With his dark eyes blazing, he leaned in close and whispered, “I would have preferred the beating. Would you like to know how I passed the hours in that cold, dark cell?” She turned her face away, but he continued in her ear. “I ripped your clothes off while you thrashed and screamed. I relished the struggle. Your anger made me want you more.”

  Korbin was right. Ashton could mesmerize. He wove a spell around her, muddling her mind until all she could do was feel. He pulled her hard against his chest, his hand still twisted in her hair. With her arms trapped by the blanket all she could do was arch away, and that ground the distinct ridge of his erection into her belly.

  “Stop it.” She turned her head and glared into his eyes as she tried to wedge her arms between them. The blanket hampered her efforts. Shouldn’t she be afraid?

  His mouth hovered over hers, brushing against her lips with the barest hint of a caress. “I fucked you savagely twice, but soon your resignation wasn’t enough. I wanted your passion to equal mine. I touched you with my hands and my mouth.”

  Desire spiraled from her chest to her groin, mocking her struggle. She’d spent way too many hours imagining his hands and his mouth igniting sensations in her body.

  “And I begged for it, right?” She jumped ahead, hoping to minimize the images triggered by his words. “You were such a phenomenal lover I wept for joy at your touch and was powerless to resist you.”

  “No.” He shook his head, brushing his lips against hers. “You wept with shame because you hate me and still I made you come over and over.”

  “That amounts to the same thing.”

  “Does it?” he jeered. “I say we find out.”

  Corry knew he meant to kiss her the moment he put his hands on her, but she wasn’t prepared for the rush of emotion unleashed by the kiss. His mouth took possession of hers, lips urging hers apart, tongue delving between.

  She couldn’t breathe. Her head spun as his hand splayed across the back of her scalp, holding her in place. She wanted to resist, to hold perfectly still and show him she was unaffected by his kiss. He was warm and strong, his mouth sure, his tongue demanding. Reluctantly her tongue returned his caress, tasting him.

  He tugged the blanket from her hands and molded her against his body. With her breasts crushed against his chest, she could feel the steady thumping of his heart. His large palm slipped beneath her panties and cupped her ass cheeks. Corry groaned into his mouth. He rocked his hips, intentionally rubbing his thick cock against her.

  It had been so long. No, it had never been like this.

  “Lift your arms,” he whispered.

  Without thought or hesitation, she obeyed. He grabbed the bottom band of her undershirt and tugged it off over her head. Cool air played across her bare skin and she shivered. His hands swept slowly down her arms and came to rest beneath her breasts.

  She couldn’t do this. She was betraying the cause by succumbing to his touch. Looking down, she was struck by the contrast between his gold-toned hands and her pale skin. His fingers squeezed her breasts but left her rosy nipples uncovered. They tightened, waiting for his attention.

  Why was she allowing this? He was repaying her for her cruelty, mocking her with her body’s eager response, and she allowed it. No, she encouraged him with her cooperation and her sighs. Shame washed over her in a cooling wave. She lowered her arms, crossing them protectively over her breasts.

  “You’ve made your point.”

  “Was I making a point?” His smile was slow and predatory.

  “Leave me alone.”

  “I don’t want to. I’d think that was obvious.”

  Ashton had never been so aroused in his life. What had started out as a punishment quickly took on a life of its own. The softness of her skin, the sweet taste of her mouth intoxicated him. He wanted more. He wanted to sink into her heat, feel her inner muscles tighten as pleasure shattered her world.

  She was frightened by her desire, but there was no denying the signs. Her nipples tightened into pebble-hard tips, a bright flush crept across her ivory skin, and her pupils dilated dramatically. She wanted him.

  He should stop. He should lock her in this room until they reached Halley Prime. But his first glimpse of this spirited beauty had aroused his desire and his fascination. Each interaction only reinforced his need to sample her fire.

  “Why did you sneak into the cellblock with the blanket?” He caged her against the wall with his arms.

  “I overreacted.”

  He chuckled. “When you left or when you returned?” Her lips twitched as if she suppressed a smile. “I’ve never been that angry. If you’d been a man, I probably would’ve snapped your neck, but you’re the most confounding woman I’ve ever met.”

  “Is that a compliment?”

  Using just his fingertips, he raised her chin until she looked into his eyes. “I’ve wanted you since you marched into the holding cell that first day. You were all pride and bluster, and I wanted to kiss you senseless.”

  “Do you always get what you want?”

  He answered with another lazy smile. Tracing her lips with his index finger, he waited for them to part then slowly pushed into the warm, wet interior of her mouth. She allowed the intrusion, her gaze locked with his. Her tongue swirled around his finger and Ashton guided her arms to her sides. Still wet from her mouth, his fingertip traced her nipple.

  Settling his mouth over hers, he coaxed and caressed. He nipped at her lips, soothing each tiny hurt with a stroke of his tongue. He wanted to devour her, to consume her, but she deserved to be savored. Her lips parted under his. Accepting the silent invitation, he slid his tongue into her mouth, tasting her, taking her.

  She pushed her fingers into his hair, responding with equal fervor. Her tongue slid against his, curled around his, and
followed his retreat. She’d never been this bold before, never ventured into his mouth. Heat spiked through his body, spearing his groin, making his cock buck.

  He lifted her, wrapping her legs around his waist as he latched on to one tender nipple. Suckling firmly, he felt the beaded tip poke against his tongue. She was so passionate, so wonderfully responsive. Could he make her come just by teasing her nipples? He didn’t have the patience to find out.

  He didn’t have the patience for a lot of things right now. He’d meant to bring her to orgasm over and over before he finally took her. But his painful erection mocked his selfless intentions. He needed to be inside her!

  Pushing away from the wall, he walked to the bunk and sat her on the edge of the firm pad. He tugged his uniform top off over his head and shed the bottoms just as quickly. Kneeling on the floor, he eased her legs apart and moved between them. Her arms covered her breasts again and uncertainty filled her eyes.

  “I won’t hurt you. I’m not angry anymore.”

  “I know.”

  Her voice trembled and Ashton hesitated. “Everything about you tells me you want me, but I still see fear in your eyes. Are you worried about pregnancy or an STD?”

  “No. Injections are mandatory, even for the premier’s son.”

  “Then what’s wrong?”

  “I shouldn’t want you. It’s weak. It betrays everything I hold dear. I can’t do this.”

  Framing her face with his palms, he kissed her, distracted her while he scanned her emotions. Desire pounded through her, the intensity easily matching his. Part of what frightened her was how much she wanted him. The flickers of shame bothered him. He didn’t want her to feel guilty about the attraction flaring between them.

  “You’re my hostage,” he whispered against her mouth. “I’m much stronger than you. I’m a ruthless bastard. I take what I want when I want it. Your only rational choice is surrender.”

  She opened her eyes and nodded, understanding clear in her gaze. With those words he’d released her inhibitions, freed her from her shame and gave her an excuse to give in to her desire.

  “Stand up.” He used a firm, commanding tone.

  He didn’t move back as she stood and the silky skin of her belly brushed his face. Hooking his thumbs in the waistband of her panties, he dragged them down. She stepped out of the undergarment with one foot and kicked them aside with the other. He nuzzled her belly, teasing her with featherlight kisses while his hands explored the firm contour of her ass. Her flesh was soft and warm, addictive. He stroked her, squeezed her, memorized the texture of her skin.

  “Raise your leg to my shoulder. I want to taste you.”

  A shuddering breath escaped her mouth, but she tentatively lifted her foot off the floor. Ashton guided her leg into place and bent slightly, breathing against her damp sex. “When we’re finished, I’m going to shave these curls. You’ll love how my tongue feels sliding across your smooth, sensitive mound. Nothing should distract from such pleasures.”

  “Then shave me now.”

  He looked up at her, their gazes colliding across the quivering expanse of her naked body. “I can’t wait. Can you?” With his gaze still locked with hers, he flicked her clit with his tongue. She gasped and jerked, grasping his upper arms for support. “Didn’t think so.”

  Holding her firmly against his mouth, he circled the swollen nub. Her fingers tightened each time he stroked the sleek hood protecting her exquisitely sensitive nerve endings. Her feminine musk stirred his senses and her soft cries urged him on. He’d imagined this, dreamed of her taste and her trembling need.

  He dragged his tongue from back to front, gathering her cream and sucking it into his mouth. She squirmed as he grew bolder, pushing into her core and exploring her tender folds. Her hips rocked. She did everything in her power to bring his tongue back into contact with her clit. Each soft cry fueled his resolve to build the urgency. He wanted her panting and desperate, ready for anything.

  She stiffened, her breath caught on a gasp, and he quickly pulled away.

  “No!” Her fingers tangled in his hair. “I was almost—”

  “The first time you come for me, I want to be inside you.” Easing her back across the bunk, he pulled her hips to the edge and bent her knees. “Hold your legs open.”

  Her wide, luminous eyes stared up at him as he gently parted her folds and pushed two fingers into her pussy. Stars, she was hot! Her inner muscles clenched his fingers, her passage wet and incredibly tight. Why was she so tight? He pushed deeper, spreading his fingers as wide as her stubborn muscles allowed. She moaned and shook.

  Bracing himself against the bed with one hand, he arched over her, claiming her mouth with deep, passionate kisses. He slid his fingers in and out, rotating his wrist with each stroke. “How long has it been, sweetheart? I really don’t want to hurt you.”

  “A long time.” Her admission sounded hoarse and strangled. “But I ache.”

  How could he resist the subtle plea in her tone? She might be unsure, but she needed this as much as he did. He positioned himself against her entrance. One sharp thrust or ease in slow? What would hurt her less? With just the head of his cock inside her, he found her clit with his thumb. He rubbed firmly, pushing into her with slow, steady pressure. She stretched around him, slick and wet, and tight enough to steal his breath.

  Corry trembled as his cock surged into her aching pussy. Deeper and deeper he pushed, filling her, stretching her. The skillful motion of his thumb detonated tingling tremors. Her inner muscles fluttered, accepting his thick length.

  Her nipples felt as if they throbbed in time to the rhythm of her core. Tension coiled. She tossed her head, restless and hot. Arching, she took him deeper.

  “Almost there,” he whispered.

  How could he possibly have more to give? Did they augment everything on Halley Prime? A giggle threatened to reveal her anxiety. His balls pressed against her ass and Corry released her pent-up breath. They’d done it. He was buried to the hilt and she was alive and breathing. Her body was designed for this, but damn, he felt huge!

  “Am I hurting you?”

  He’d obviously misread her expression. “No. You’re just… I don’t think it’s just my abstinence. You’re rather—large.”

  Smiling down at her, he kept up the steady rhythm with his thumb. “And this is the lowest setting.” He pulled back about halfway then thrust deep again. “You’ve never been with a man who had implants?”

  Shocked that her fanciful thought hadn’t been fanciful at all, she asked, “Have you ever been with a woman who doesn’t?”

  He shook his head and grasped her hips. “Pleasure implants are the traditional gift for everyone’s eighteenth birthday.”

  “Not everyone’s.” Resentment seeped through her desire as she stared into his passion-glazed eyes. “Just citizens of Halley Prime.”

  He gathered her close and kissed her softly, his fingers stroking her hair. “I won’t use them if they upset you. Just relax and feel me move.”

  His kiss soothed her. The slide of his cock aroused, yet she was distracted by the mention of his implants. Every person on Halley Prime had pleasure implants? How could they squander precious resources on such a trivial “tradition”?

  “Wrap your legs around my waist,” he ordered, frustration sharpening his tone. “You’re not going to let this go until you understand, so I’ll demonstrate.”

  He must have sensed her distraction, her emotional withdrawal. She hooked her ankles behind his back. A subtle vibration gradually intensified until her core literally hummed with sensation. “Oh! Your… I’ve never—”

  Pleasure burst with spontaneous force and Corry cried out. Her pussy squeezed his vibrating cock, shooting darts of tingling heat all through her body.

  Trembling and dazed, Corry stared up at him. “What else can your implants do?”

  Ashton pulled back until only the head of his cock remained within her wet folds. “I can provide hot or cold stimulation
as well as lubrication if we decide to be really adventurous. And when you’re ready, I can get significantly larger than I am right now.”

  “No. This is almost too much. I couldn’t…”

  He thrust his full length into her, ending the conversation. Corry clutched the bedding as he moved. His dark gaze never left her face, his expression tense, eyes sparkling. Confusion and tenderness swirled through Corry. How could she feel anything but resentment for him?

  How could she not? He was everything she’d ever wanted and more.

  And he was her enemy.

  His mouth sealed over hers, driving away the disquieting thought. His hands slipped beneath her bottom, adjusting her hips to a better angle. He reached deeper, filling her more completely than she ever dreamed possible.

  She shared his breath, savored his taste and surrendered completely to his demanding penetration. He moved faster, each forceful drive a distinct claim on her body. His gaze burned. His fingers dug into her hips. Pushing up with her heels, she arched into his downward thrusts. Sensation sizzled along her nerve endings. Her blood raced through her veins. She gasped and moaned.

  “Now.” His voice snapped with authority. “Come for me now!”

  Happy to oblige, Corry cried out. Her pussy rippled with wave after wave of scalding pleasure. He closed his eyes. His abdomen clenched as his cock jerked deep inside her.

  The last tingle hadn’t left her body when shame came crashing in. What had she done? This was Premier VinDerley’s son.

  “It’s a little late for regrets.” He shifted his hands to her waist, keeping his cock buried in her body.

  His augmented, vibrating cock! The shallow citizens of Halley Prime wasted time and money perfecting internal sex toys while thousands of children starved.

  Rearing up, she shoved him backward and scrambled off the bed. “This never happened!” She snatched the blanket off the floor and wrapped it around her trembling body.

  “What is wrong with you?” He scowled. “I know damn good and well you enjoyed that as much as I did.”