Just One Embrace [The Tiburon Duet, Book 2]

by Lara Santiago

  "Start talking. How can you give up your position and not shame your father?"

  Crag took a sip of the beverage, evidently pleased she remembered his drink of choice, or perhaps remembering the last time they consumed this beverage and the ensuing encounter directly afterwards.

  "I spent a week wallowing in the depths of despair waiting for you to seek information, which, for my purposes, is ultimately irrelevant. Lena compounded my anguish by visiting my office every day, making plans for a life partnership I knew I'd never willingly participate in. So I allowed myself the possibility of letting it go as Keller had done.

  "When Keller abdicated the throne for Gabrielle, I simply couldn't understand him. However, when faced with a similar predicament, I found it easy to contemplate a life with you on Earth. This revelation led to a visit with my father. Now in his later years, he resides with my sister, Lizzie, and her family.

  "I started by asking my father about my mother. They were life mates before my mother perished in childbirth. My father never took another life partner afterwards, although he was young enough to start over. He never so much as contemplated any other woman, as far as I knew, out of deference to the memory of my mother."

  "That is so romantic. I wish I'd gotten a chance to meet your father when we were there before,” Ellie said wistfully. How wonderful for a warrior commander to love his wife so much.

  "I told him about you, Ellie. I informed him you not only carried my child but that you were also my life mate. I explained to him about the pretext petition that Lena brought up in the Elder's chambers and the ensuing details you were forced to seek. Then I begged his forgiveness for wanting to spend my life with you on Earth instead of as The Commander on Tiburon."

  "What did he say?"

  "He said he wouldn't offer me his forgiveness. He told me I was a fool to have let you go alone to Earth in the first place."

  "Really?"

  Crag nodded, smiling wistfully, and continued, “He told me he would have given up the position of The Commander easily and lived his life in shame in order to spend one more day with my mother if he'd been allowed the opportunity."

  "How sweet.” Ellie felt tears welling up again.

  Crag smiled. “I suppose. In any case, we put our heads together and came up with a plan to thwart Lena. My father is very intelligent and a keen strategist. I should have gone to him in the first place, before you were ever allowed to leave Tiburon. I was taken off guard by Lena and her foray into the scrolls. I apologize for sending you back alone."

  "I forgive you.” She found a laugh bubbling up. “So you have not shamed your father by leaving, and you can stay with me here on Earth, right?"

  "Yes."

  "Will you kiss me?” she asked and snuggled up close, putting her lips mere millimeters from his.

  "Don't you want to hear how my father and I, working together, bested our worst enemy?” The breath from his lips, tinged with the tart fragrance of Snapple, brushed over hers in subtle strokes of flavor.

  "Yes, I do, but that's for later. For now, I want you to kiss me.” She let her eyes fall shut and leaned forward to test his lips with hers. Instead of encountering the electric sensation of his mouth, she bumped into his cheek, rough with stubble. Undaunted, she licked his face. He made a noise somewhere between a moan and a growl when her tongue connected with his skin.

  He grabbed her hand, which rested on his chest, and laced his fingers through hers. She opened her eyes, realizing she had said kiss and not mouth touch. She corrected her demand immediately.

  "Touch your lips to mine, Crag. Don't make me beg you!” She shifted to straddle his hips and put her mouth dangerously close to his.

  "I don't want you to beg, Ellie. I only want to love you, no matter what planet we end up residing on."

  "Okay,” she nodded. “Touch my...” was all she got out before he grabbed her head with both hands and brought her mouth down to his.

  His firm lips caressed hers twice before she felt his barrier lower. The sensation of it felt as if she had tape over her mouth and it was pulled off in one erotic, zing-filled rip. Hot electric bolts danced across her mouth before his tongue licked its way inside to tangle and suck on her. She heard moaning and realized she was the one making the noise.

  Crag slid his hands down to her hips and massaged her lower back while his mouth made erotic love to hers. Her hands bunched his jacket lapels, gripping tight enough to make her fingers ache. He tasted like lemonade and ravenous man. Her body vibrated with want and need, filling her up in a rush she could hardly contain. She trembled with the longing pent up inside because of the one short week they'd been apart.

  One of his hands massaged its way up her spine to rest at the base of her hairline. Pressing his mouth even more firmly against hers, he slipped his fingertips in her hair, tangling the strands in his hand. She released his jacket and slid her arms around his neck, tightening around him. She wanted to be closer. Needed to be closer. Suddenly, she felt his impressive erection grow beneath her.

  A new burning desire to scratch an insatiable itch reared between her legs, and she rolled her hips to alleviate that prickle of desire. Crag was breathing hard now. Harsh gasps ensued as he stroked his tongue expertly around the inside of her mouth. He left no surface untouched on his journey.

  She heard a growl deep in his chest before a burst of rich, dark chocolate flavor shot into her mouth. Once that sweet sticky taste hit the center of her tongue, she convulsed in a powerful climax, which shook her body and soul. She cried out his name as she lapped up the flavor between them, swallowing the essence he provided for her pleasure.

  Whatever their future held in store she knew one thing for certain. She, too, would rather be dead than ever spend a moment away from her one true love. The one she currently held tight in her embrace.

  Chapter Fourteen

  "If you could see a way to allow us ten minutes with the Governor, I'd be most grateful.” Keller turned on the charm for Governor Bailey's secretary. Crag sat between Ellie and Barton, who dozed again. At least he wasn't snoring this time. She suspected he slept twenty hours a day.

  Ellie watched with interest as the secretary gazed into Keller's eyes and batted her lashes a couple of times. Unbelievable.

  "Well, I'll see what I can do, but he's awfully busy today,” the secretary said with a smile lighting her face.

  "I understand completely. I appreciate whatever you can do for us."

  "Have a seat then,” she said, smiling. Ellie watched as the secretary's salacious gaze followed Keller's derriere across to where she, Crag, and Barton waited. He leaned over to pick up a magazine from the table, and Ellie thought the secretary was going to either self-combust or fall out of her chair. Her eyes practically popped out while she licked her lips.

  "You're going to have to turn the charm down a few notches,” Ellie said when he settled next to Barton.

  "Why?” Keller glanced at the magazine in his hand, oblivious to the secretary now drooling on her desk.

  "The governor's secretary is never going to let us in if the alternative is feasting on you all day. I expect her to leap up and start shredding your clothing off any minute,” she whispered confidentially. “Gabrielle will kill me if I don't bring you back in one piece."

  "Gabrielle's used to it,” Crag said with a glint in his eye. “Keller always did attract the ladies. Especially here on Earth."

  Keller laughed though he didn't dispute what Crag said.

  "Gabrielle is my true life mate. Every other female, either here or on Tiburon, pales in comparison to the point I don't see them. I'm merely a good actor when the occasion warrants it.” Keller winked at the secretary, who smiled dreamily and continued her shameless perusal of him.

  Ellie was glad the secretary didn't allow her lust to gush over onto Crag. Perhaps the fact Ellie was practically fused to his side helped.

  After nearly two hours of casual flirting on Keller's part and blatant flirting on the secretary's
part, Governor Bailey granted them an audience. He agreed to meet them for two minutes. Barton woke up long enough to do his thing. Keller remained out in the secretary's interested view while Crag entered the office with Ellie under the guise of helping the healer. Barton pretended he had a new digital camera and fiddled with it, pretending to look for the indoor flash feature when he was actually doing a complete body scan.

  Governor Bailey, who was a robust fifty-one according to the brochures littering the outer office, was remarkably patient for a man with so much on his plate. Ellie tried to see him as the father she never knew. He was polite. He said all the right things at the right time, but Ellie was unmoved by him. She couldn't help but think that if this man were indeed her father, he'd seduced a girl barely eighteen years old. Upon finding out about his impending fatherhood, he'd sent checks for over twenty-eight years to cover an indiscretion in lieu of taking responsibility.

  Governor Bailey didn't seem flabbergasted by her name, although she clearly introduced herself. Perhaps they were wrong about him being her father.

  Barton fiddled with his voodoo healer device, as Gabrielle called it, for a long while. After pretending not to know how to operate it, Crag grabbed it from him. He looked it over for several minutes before pretending to take a picture.

  After fifteen minutes, they graciously said their long over due good-byes. Then after rescuing Keller from the Governor's secretary, who was about to get physical, the four of them retreated to the car. Once ensconced in the vehicle, Barton sat in the front seat and fiddled with the device. Ellie thought she would burst with anticipation. She held fast to Crag's hand.

  "Please, I can't stand it. Is he my father or not?"

  Barton heaved a deep lengthy sigh and said nothing, which was as good an answer as any. She released her hand from Crag and both went to cover her face. Surprisingly, she found she didn't have any tears left. She couldn't cry anymore, which was probably a good thing. Crag said nothing as he rubbed her back gently.

  "Don't worry Ellie. I'm content to remain here on Earth regardless of Barton's findings."

  "I don't want you to be merely content. How long before you resent me and the position I put you in?” He inhaled to respond, but she cut him off, “Well, I don't want to find out. Keller, take me home and then send Crag back to Tiburon. You still have time to make it back to the Council of Elders meeting."

  "I'm staying with you, Ellie. Nothing you say will make me leave,” Crag stated in no uncertain terms.

  "How did you manage to get away from Tiburon anyway? I'm dying to know how you bested Lena,” Keller said.

  Ellie smiled as she remembered what Crag told her after one or two rounds of gratifying mouth touches on the day he'd arrived.

  "I relinquished my command back to Kern."

  "Your father?” Keller asked incredulously.

  "Yes, he's the reinstated Commander of Tiburon with the stipulation that if Ellie was the product of a noble birth, then he'd step down when we returned, even if it took longer that two weeks.

  "That is pure genius. So if Lena still insists on life partnering with The Commander, she will do so with your father?” Keller barked out a laugh. “Kern really threw himself on his sword for you, didn't he?"

  "He never wanted to life partner again, but said that if he had to, he could think of a worse fate than to be life partnered with a member of the House of Fairfax.” Crag winked at Ellie.

  "I still hate it that you gave it up and what your father must sacrifice now,” Ellie said.

  "Does anyone care what I think?” Barton piped up from his seat in front.

  "Sure, Barton, what do you think? Keller asked with a quick wink to the back seat.

  "Well, Governor Bailey isn't your father, Ellie, but I think I have another idea you should consider based on the results I obtained from him,” Barton said.

  Keller, Crag, and Ellie watched him still fiddling with the machine dials. They waited for him to explain. Finally, he looked up and declared a shocking implication.

  Stunned didn't begin to express Ellie's surprise. Keller grabbed his cell phone to make an additional call, and they were off to one last destination.

  This final location would determine whether they lived on Earth or Tiburon.

  Ellie cheered for Tiburon. Crag deserved to be The Commander of Arms.

  She decided she wanted to knock Princess Haughty off her self-erected pedestal and legally claim Crag for her own.

  Lena didn't deserve to be life partnered to The Commander.

  * * * *

  "Where is he?” Senior Elder Forte asked the assembled group. The queen also sent Kern an anxious look at their tardiness.

  "The missive stated he would be here today. I'm certain he'll arrive soon for this special session of the council,” Kern stated from his position on the witness box.

  Lena was on the other side of the room. From her place across the room in her own witness box, she hummed the life partner ceremonial song, growing louder and louder with each repetition. She exhibited the smug look of someone who had already won the contest and waited impatiently for her reward.

  She didn't bat an eye when Crag relinquishing his command to Kern. She shrugged and said it mattered not who The Commander was. Crag told him she'd life partner with a dead body for the status. Kern agreed.

  Kern was prepared to life partner with her if Crag didn't return, but he hoped not to be sacrificed if they were merely late. The queen told him she was sorry she couldn't interfere in the proceedings. She needed to remain impartial, though she secretly told him how she felt. They discussed Crag's earthling at length and Kern knew the queen approved of her.

  "I'll only give you a few more minutes, Kern. If they haven't returned by then, we'll be forced to proceed with the ceremony. Guard, please go and check the dock. If they haven't arrived in the next ten minutes, we will be forced to proceed without testimony from Barton.” One of the guards posted inside exited the chamber on his errand for status at the dock.

  "Do you understand, Commander?"

  "Yes, Senior Elder Forte, I understand. I'm sure they are on their way as we speak.” Kern straightened his aching body as much as he could. He'd enjoyed the past few days of reliving his former glory of being The Commander, but his body didn't enjoy the experience as much. He was so proud of his son, Crag, for chasing after his life mate. Kern would have done the same thing given the chance.

  While he was ready to sacrifice his bachelorhood for the sake of his son, Kern wanted to see Crag again. He wanted very much for him to reside on Tiburon. He wanted to bounce his son's children on his knee as he had already done with his daughter's children. If Lena became his life partner, and Crag's stepmother, he wondered at the resentment it would cause.

  "I wish to be life partnered immediately when the witness doesn't show up in the allotted time,” Lena said for the third or fourth time since they'd started waiting. At least she'd stopped humming, Kern thought.

  "They'll be here. You have not earned the right to me yet."

  "Well, they still have to bring news she is of noble birth."

  Kern shrugged. He didn't understand Lena's passionate zest for status and was glad Crag would not be forced to life partner with her. He also hoped he would be saved in time.

  The doors to the chambers burst open. The healer, Barton, stumbled in. “Wait!” he shouted to the assembled group. Kern's heart warmed as he then saw Crag and a beautiful dark-haired earthling trailing closely behind him. This had to be Ellie, his son's life mate.

  "Barton, we've been waiting. Come and give your testimony,” Senior Elder Forte said. Kern thought he looked very relieved.

  "Yes, of course.” Barton swept up to the witness box at the front. Crag and Ellie walked over hand in hand to stand directly behind him. Lena was in the other witness box, staring daggers at all three of them.

  "Well, it was a battle, that's for sure. We had to take several trips, but I'm pleased to say Ellie Granger is in fact of noble birth.
"

  "How? How is she of noble birth?” Lena shouted from her perch. Her face screwed up in anger. Very unflattering, Kern thought.

  "She is the sister of the Governor where she resides on Earth. Keller estimates she is the equivalent of a High Council member's sibling. I have his missive statement here.” Barton handed a silver rectangular device to Senior Elder Forte. “Thus, she is higher ranked than you are, Lena."

  "The petition for pretext based on predetermined betrothal is denied,” Senior Elder Forte said quickly, and the sound of closure rang.

  Lena shrieked, “No! He's mine. He's mine. I will have The Commander as my life partner! You can't stop me.” She had to be forcibly removed from the council chambers by both the inner and outer door guards before Kern could relinquish his command back to his son and the third component of Crag's petition could be answered. Lena kicked and screamed the entire way out of the room. Her entourage from the House of Fairfax followed behind her in embarrassed silence.

  "I wish to relinquish my temporary reign as The Commander officially back to my son, Crag,” Kern stated formally to the remaining group. He smiled at Crag and Ellie.

  * * * *

  "So relinquished, Commander Kern. Thank you for your temporary service,” Senior Elder Forte stated in an equally formal tone. He ruffled through some documents on the table in front of him.

  "Crag, do you accept the mantle of responsibility for the duties of The Commander from your father ... once again?"

  "Yes, Senior Elder Forte, I do.” He was relieved to have arrived in time to spare his father the tragedy of life partnering with someone greedy for status.

  "In the matter of Crag and the third point of his petition, specifically life partnership with the earthling, Ellie Granger, who carries his progeny, we are in full agreement to go forward with the petition at this time.

  "It is obvious she has gone to great lengths to prove herself worthy of us. We welcome you to Tiburon, Ellie. We look forward to meeting the next Commander once your gestation is completed."

  "I'd like to beg the council's indulgence and ask that our life partner ceremony be performed post haste. Senior Elder Forte, I'd be most honored if you would conduct the ceremony yourself,” Crag said. It was his heartfelt wish and Ellie agreed.