by Anna Hackett
She nodded. “Be careful.”
He ran his fingers along her jaw. “You, too. When I get off patrol tonight, we’re having dinner. Just you and me.”
Her heart thumped in her chest. “Okay.”
Gabe appeared, a big and hulking shadow. His jaw was working, as though he couldn’t bring himself to say anything, then he reached out and touched the top of her head.
“I love Emerson,” Selena said. “I’ll always look out for her.”
Gabe nodded. “Thank you. She’s going to continue work on the samples today. They’ve set up a new lab in the infirmary.” He pushed the words out like he was chewing glass.
“I’ll help her.”
A shudder of relief went through the Hell Squad soldier. “Thanks.”
“Be extra careful,” Tane warned her.
“You, too.” She really wished they weren’t in the center of a crowd.
But then Tane shocked her. He pulled her up on her toes and pressed a quick, hard kiss to her mouth.
“See you tonight.”
He strode out, and Selena just stood there, in a Tane-induced daze.
She looked around and caught a few knowing glances. Elle grinned at her and winked.
Pulling herself together, Selena headed out of the Command Center and down to the infirmary. When she stepped inside, one of the nurses pointed to a doorway at the back of the room.
Emerson and Noah were already working—masks and glasses in place. Large rectangular glass boxes with gloves built into them were set in a long row, the samples inside them. They weren’t taking any chances.
When she stepped inside, Noah came over and gave her a hard hug.
“Grab some tea or coffee,” Emerson said. “We have work to do.”
The doctor was putting on a brave face, although she was pale, and clearly trying to put the accident behind her.
“You okay?” Selena asked quietly.
Emerson gave her a small smile. “Working on it.”
“Alyssa?”
“Taking some time off, but that woman is tough. She’ll be fine.” Emerson’s lips twitched. “Plus, she has someone waiting on her hand and foot.”
Selena frowned. “Who?”
“A certain alien resident.”
Selena’s brows rose. “Gaz’da? Alyssa was very hesitant around him at first.”
“Apparently, not anymore.”
In the small kitchenette in the infirmary, Selena made herself a frothy coffee with extra sugar. It would rev up her system too much, but she’d learned she had a weakness for Earth’s coffee.
She drank it, then headed back to the lab and got to work on the samples.
“Selena, you reversed the Gizzida transformation,” Emerson said. “How?”
“I’m not sure. I was panicking, I was angry. I just knew I wanted to save you, Noah, Marin, and Alyssa.”
“Can I run some more tests on you?” the doctor asked.
“Of course.”
“You sure a certain badass won’t bust in and chew us out?” Noah grumbled.
Selena smiled. “He’s on patrol.”
Emerson hooked Selena up to several machines. When the needle pierced her skin, she tried not to wince.
“Thank you, Selena. For everything you’re doing to help,” Emerson said. “Tane’s right, you’ve been through so much—”
Selena placed her hand on the doctor’s. “I’ll do whatever I have to in order to help save the Enclave, my friends, and Tane.”
Emerson smiled. “So, you finally got through to him.”
Heat flooded Selena’s cheeks. “He said we’re having dinner tonight.”
“Ooh, a date. What are you going to wear?”
She blinked. “I don’t know.”
The doctor winked. “Knock his socks off. Something simple but sexy.”
Noah made a sound. “If you two have finished discussing dates and wardrobes, we have to save the world.”
Selena nodded. “Of course.”
Emerson smacked Noah’s arm. “We know, Mr. Grumpy. But we can still have a little fun while we save the world.” She patted Selena’s hand. “In fact, we need to take all the small pleasures when we can to see us through.”
“I’m pretty sure that Tane is not a small pleasure,” Selena said. No, he was big and overwhelming.
Emerson laughed briefly. “That is the truth. Now, let’s put our superhero capes on, and see if we can beat the Gizzida and their bombs.”
Tane stood under the spray in the squad locker room, his squad mates around him in the shared showers, washing off the dust of a boring patrol.
Part of him had wanted the damn raptors to attack. He wanted to take out his rage on them—for what happened in the lab, for what they had planned, for what they’d done to Selena.
He flicked the shower off and grabbed a towel. As he dried off, he vaguely listened to his squad mates talking and joking.
“Beer?” Hemi elbowed him.
Tane pulled on his jeans, followed by a clean, gray T-shirt. “Got plans.”
They all turned to look at him.
“Plans?” Hemi’s brows rose. “You never have plans.”
“Dinner.”
Hemi grinned. “With Selena.”
Tane didn’t bother to respond, just did his belt up.
“Hot damn,” Levi said. “Our fearless leader is finally going to break his dry spell.”
Tane shot the man a look.
“Take her flowers,” Dom said. “I bet she likes flowers.”
“Spoil her,” Ash added. “She fucking deserves it.”
“Take care of her,” Griff said. “Otherwise there will be a line of people waiting to kick your ass, led by Claudia, Finn, Noah…”
Tane held up a hand. “I should stay away from her.”
Hemi gripped his arm. “Don’t start with that shit again. You deserve her. Her sweetness, her light, her smiles. You keep hiding in the damn shadows…let that woman shine some light on you.”
Almost as one, his squad nodded in agreement.
“Don’t you all have your own women? Go and bug them.”
With a wave, and ignoring the good-natured teasing, Tane headed off. He stopped by the kitchen to pick up the picnic basket he’d ordered. Then he caught the autonomous open train up to the Garden. He’d left a message for Selena to meet him there.
He stepped into the Garden and breathed in the rich, green scents of plants and vegetation. A bowl had been cut in the rock of the escarpment. Overhead, the last hints of orange and pink from the sunset painted the sky. Often, the roof was closed up for security, but when they could, they left it open for the vegetable gardens, garden beds, and green area to get sunlight. An illusion system kept it hidden from the Gizzida.
He set up under the trees, setting the basket down and spreading out a blanket. Then he jumped the small fence surrounding the garden beds and plucked some flowers. There would be hell to pay with Old Man Hamish, the gardener. The old man guarded every petal and leaf, but Selena was worth it.
Fuck, now what?
The sound of the train arriving caught his attention. He turned to face the entrance.
Selena walked in and his breath caught.
She hadn’t spotted him yet. Tonight, her silver-white hair was loose, and she was wearing a pretty dress. The deep-green fabric fell around her slim body in soft folds. Tiny straps were the only thing holding it up, leaving her arms bare. He frowned. She’d get cold. Winter was approaching, and the nights were cooling off.
She kicked off her sandals and stepped onto the grass. She lifted her face up and he saw the bliss on it.
His gut clenched. Damn. He wanted her more than he wanted to breathe.
He took a careful step forward, and that was when she spotted him.
Her smile grew bigger. “The roof’s open.”
“I organized it for you.”
Overhead, in the darkening night sky, stars were appearing. He took her hand and led her over to the pic
nic blanket.
Her lips parted. “This is wonderful, Tane.”
Once she sat down, he handed her a drink of sparkling apple juice.
She stared at him. “I never guessed that Tane Rahia did picnics.”
“My first one.” He laid out the cheese and crackers, the fruit, and salad. “I heard that you’re vegetarian.”
She nodded, and popped a piece of cheese into her mouth.
He dipped a cracker into a special dip that the chef had made just for them. “Try this.” He held it to her mouth. As she ate it, her tongue brushed his fingers. He froze.
She sucked in a breath, and his cock twitched. He sensed the tension in the air.
Selena chewed and swallowed. “How was patrol?”
“Boring. Uneventful. How about you? How was your day?”
“We did more work on the samples.” She ran her hand over the lush grass. “No promising results yet. Noah swore a lot.”
“They all okay?” Tane took a sip of his beer.
She nodded. “They’re still a little shaken.”
He reached out and touched her fingers. “Everyone is. Ash was edgy to get back to Marin about one minute into patrol. No one wants to get turned into a Gizzida.”
She looked around the trees. “I wish the Gizzida weren’t driven to destroy and assimilate.”
Tane jerked his chin up. “Part of me wishes they’d never found Earth.” He looked at her. So damn pretty. “But if they hadn’t invaded, I’d have never met you.”
She smiled. “I know what you mean. Part of me wishes I was never abducted.” Her fingers tightened on his. “But there are things I’ve discovered on Earth that I like. A lot of things.”
God, he felt things inside him shift. “You must miss your home.”
She lifted a fat grape and bit into it. He was mesmerized by her lips and neat white teeth. He breathed deep, drawing in the scent of her, and fought to control the desire twisting inside him.
A part of him knew he should stay away from her. But he couldn’t fight the pull anymore.
Every day, he lifted a carbine and went out to fight for his friends, his brothers, and now for Selena.
“I miss the Forest of Oxalis.” She closed her eyes. “It’s on the moon where I worked. Sometimes, I can imagine the smell, the scents of the trees and flowers, hear the animals, feel the throb of energy.”
“What about your family?”
She bit her lip. “I miss them, but we’re different from humans. I would see them sporadically, but our relationships are…cooler, more routine. Less intense.”
“Is that what you’re looking for?” He couldn’t imagine anyone not wanting to worship Selena.
“No.” Her fingers clenched on his. “That’s not what I want.”
He shifted closer. “What do you want, Selena?”
“You.”
He cupped her neck, his finger rubbing on her pulse point. Her breathing quickened, her gaze on his lips.
“I’m the opposite of what you just described. I’m intense, possessive.”
She nodded.
He stroked along her slim shoulder and saw the goose bumps pimple her skin. “Cold?”
“No. Definitely not.” She tilted her head. “Are you going to kiss me?”
“Soon.” He dropped his mouth to her shoulder, nibbling along the delicate line of it. “I want to take care of you. Make sure I give you the best I can.”
She hadn’t been with a man and he didn’t want to rush this. He wanted to make it good for her.
“Okay.” She did a poor job of hiding her disappointment.
“What?” he demanded.
She tucked some hair behind her ear. “I’ve seen Hemi and Cam, Finn and Lia, Levi and Chrissy. What they have is hot, desperate—”
Tane yanked her close. “Don’t think going slow means I don’t want you, or that I’m not desperate for you. My control is hanging on by a thread. My cock is rock hard for you, but this first time, I won’t rush it. I won’t hurt you.” The air shuddered out of him. “Damn, I want my hands on you.”
He saw a flash of something in her eyes, and then she arched her back, pushing those pretty breasts forward. “So, touch me.”
His finger slid along her collar bone, and he nudged the strap of her dress off her shoulder. Then he pushed the other one down and her dress pooled at her waist, leaving her breasts bare.
He growled. “Look at you.” He leaned down and took her mouth, kissing her deeply, and forcing her head back. She moaned, clutching at him.
He lifted a hand and palmed her breast, then her drew close, letting his lips move over her skin, until he was kissing the sweet curves of them. He sucked one nipple into his mouth.
“Yes. Oh, yes.” Her voice was breathy.
Sensing something in his periphery, Tane looked up.
“Jesus.” His eyes widened. Butterflies filled the air around them, fluttering gently. Selena opened her eyes and gasped. Her face was flushed, her eyes glazed with need. “Please don’t stop.”
Ignoring the butterflies, he leaned down and kissed her. He grabbed one of her hands and tangled her fingers with his. Then, he moved their joined hands, sliding them under the skirt of her dress.
She stilled. “Tane?”
“Shh, just feel.”
His fingers and hers pushed higher, sliding along her thigh. Then he touched her silk panties, and using their joined fingers, pushed her panties aside. He slid through her wet folds and found her clit.
She made a strangled sound.
“That’s it. I want to see you come.”
Using her fingers, they stroked, rubbing until she was shifting wildly, her body tense.
“Tane.” He picked up speed, rubbing that swollen nub. Then she came on their joined fingers, crying his name. The butterflies took flight into the night above them.
Finally, she slumped against him, a faint smile on her face.
Damn. Need, vicious and hungry, clawed at his insides.
He jerked to his feet, pulling her up. Quickly, he slipped the straps of her dress back up, covering her breasts.
“Tane—”
He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the door. When she almost tripped, he swung her into his arms.
“What—?”
He slammed his mouth down on hers. “What I want to do to you, I can’t do here.”
She shivered.
“You’re mine now,” he growled.
Her hands flexed on his shoulders. “Yes, yours.”
Chapter Twelve
Tane’s room smelled like him.
Selena gripped his shoulders as he carried her inside and turned on a lamp.
There were no decorations, just a book by the bed, knives resting on the table, and an interesting carved piece of wood resting on the shelf.
Simple. Masculine. Tane.
He set her down by the bed and she looked up at him, her entire body trembling. He flicked the straps of her dress off again and the fabric slithered to the floor.
The way he watched her made her suck in a breath, her belly tight.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” he said.
“I can’t stop thinking about you.”
At her whispered confession, he shuddered. She gripped his shirt and together they pulled it over his head.
Oh, that chest. All power and strength.
His head lowered and he kissed her, hard and rough. Yes. His hand slid into her hair, and he backed her up until she pressed against the wall beside the bed.
She moaned into his mouth. His kiss felt like a stamp of ownership, his tongue stroking deep, mastering her.
Selena gripped his sides, one hand sliding over his abs. They were taut and she craved him. She wanted to explore every bit of his body.
He pressed close, and she felt his hard erection—long and thick—against her belly.
“Tane,” she moaned.
He nipped her bottom lip. “Tell me what you want, Selena.”
“
Everything.” Her hands clenched on him, and she fought to find the words to explain the nameless things she wanted. “I ache, and I want you to make it stop.”
He spun her and she found herself spread out flat on the bed. Tane stood above her, big, dark, and handsome.
“I want to see you,” she said.
He unbuckled his belt, then flicked open his pants. The air caught in her lungs.
He shoved his cargo pants down and she felt a throb between her legs. He was perfect—not smooth or pretty, instead, he was hard angles and raw strength, with a long, thick cock that made her belly catch.
She held out a hand to him. Something crossed his face—need, hunger, wonder.
Then his big body covered hers and she took the weight of him. Oh, he felt so good. He braced himself on his arms, and she absorbed his heat and energy.
“Selena.” His voice was deep and guttural.
She was surrounded by him—his heavy weight, his hot skin, his delicious scent. He swamped every one of her senses, and she couldn’t get enough.
He kissed her, and then his mouth slid to her neck. She arched into him.
“So beautiful,” he said against her skin.
She ran her hands over his back, and down to the hard curve of his ass. She hesitated.
“Touch me,” he demanded.
She stroked, feeling the flex of his muscles. His big body shuddered.
“Tane?” Her voice was breathy.
“Need you.”
She could barely believe that all this need was for her. That this man wanted her so badly that his body shook with it. It was intoxicating.
“Tane, please.” She pressed her hips up.
“Be sure, Selena.”
“Yes. I want you more than anything.”
He shoved her thighs wider, pulling her legs around his hips.
Anticipation made her shiver. He kissed her again, his mouth like a brand. His hands shifted between their bodies, stroking over her belly, and making her suck in a husky breath.
She felt him circle his thick cock, then he rubbed it between her legs.
She moaned. The round head pressed against her.
“No man’s ever been here.” His voice was a deep growl. “It might make me sound like a caveman, but I’m fucking glad I get to show you this, even if I’m damned for touching you.”
