by Sadie Carter
She let out a frustrated sigh. “Would it hurt him just to ask for once instead of always ordering?”
He’d probably end up self-combusting.
She raised her arms, delighted to feel only a small pinch of pain. Okay, so that inhibitor was kicking in now, and she didn’t feel out of it like she had before. She sure wished she could remember what she’d talked about with Moroco. She knew he remembered, but from the way he’d high-tailed it out of here when she’d asked him, it didn’t seem like he was about to tell her any time soon.
She undid her safety harness then carefully stood. There was a little bite of pain, but nothing she couldn’t handle. Wasn’t like she hadn’t lived with pain before. She needed to get out of this shuttle. She wasn’t claustrophobic but even she was started to feel closed in. Besides, what if the damn thing went on fire? No way she was going to be trapped in here.
Her need to leave had nothing to do with the fact that she didn’t like being here on her own. She moved to the door. This side of the shuttle was mostly undamaged. The side closest to Moroco had borne the brunt of the impact. She stared down at the ground, grimacing as she realized there were no stairs. She guessed that meant she was going to have to jump.
She sat and let her legs dangle off the edge. It was a bit of a leap but perhaps if she shimmied around onto her stomach and hung her legs off the edge she could do it. She studied the ground. It was several feet away. Jumping that far with the state of her back would be a really stupid idea.
She sighed. And she wasn’t stupid. Or foolish.
Instead, she sat there and breathed in the slightly humid air. Around her, creatures cried out as the three red suns that shone brightly in the sky started to drift across the horizon. She shivered as something let out a deep cry. Maybe staying in the shuttle wasn’t such a bad idea. Saffron was a city girl. She knew nothing about camping or wildlife or anything like that.
“What are you doing?” a loud voice boomed, and startled, she turned, wincing slightly as the sharp movement tweaked her back. In the growing gloom of darkness, she hadn’t even noticed him approach.
“You move too quietly. Can’t you make some sort of warning noise?”
“What do you think you are doing? Did I not tell you to wait inside the shuttle?”
“I am inside the shuttle. I’m sitting here admiring the view. Well? Did you see anything? Think there’s a town or something close by?”
“Close? No. I managed to climb a nearby hill and I could see some lights in the distance. It will take me a while to walk it but if I start now I should be able to return with help by tomorrow evening or the next morning at the latest.”
“What? No way. You are not leaving me.”
Fear filled her at the thought. She’d barely managed to sit here for the last hour on her own without going insane. How could she survive the night alone? Let alone two. Not going to happen.
His gaze narrowed as he stared up at her, his hands on his hips. “You are in no condition to go on a long walk through the forest.”
“I’ll be fine as long as you keep those pain inhibitors coming,” she told him, ignoring the slight twinge in her back. She’d just have to hide that from him.
“You will slow me down.”
“I won’t. I’m fit and I’m used to going on long hikes. Ask anyone.” She’d never been on a hike in her life, but how hard could it be? She’d been walking since she was eighteen months old, she was practically an expert in it.
He shook his head.
“Moroco, please. I can’t stay here alone.”
A thoughtful look crossed his face and he looked away with a sigh.
“What if something happens to you and you can’t get back? What if it takes you a lot longer than you think it will? What if no one will help you? I could be out here for weeks on my own.” She was nearly hyperventilating at the thought.
“It will be safer for you here.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’ll be safer with you. I can’t stay here alone. You leave me and I’m just going to follow you.”
From the look on his face she figured she’d won the argument. But then his face firmed. “You’ll stay where I put you, mate.”
She raised her eyebrows. “No. I won’t.”
“You will if I tie you down.”
She narrowed her gaze furiously. “You wouldn’t.” Except she knew he would.
He smiled smugly. Oh no. He wasn’t going to win this easily.
“And what happens if someone finds the shuttle? What if the Sky Warriors find me? They could have some way of tracking this shuttle. What if one of those wild animal’s attacks? Then what? Could you really live with my death on your hands, knowing you could have prevented it?”
He sighed and she knew she had won. But she managed to hide her victorious grin. Barely. Damn, it felt good to win.
Chapter Twelve
If this was winning she’d rather be a loser.
“I’m not wearing that.” She stared at the harness Moroco fashioned from the straps of an emergency, light-weight parachute he’d found in the shuttle. She eyed the contraption in the early morning light. No way. No how. She might not have much in this life—no money, no home, no friends but she did have her dignity and she wasn’t about to let that go. “I’m walking.”
Last night, Moroco had made the decision to wait until morning to head out. Thank God, because she hadn’t been certain how she’d handle the hike, even with those amazing pain killers he kept shooting into her system.
Instead, they’d eaten a couple of the emergency rations he’d found and slept for a few hours in the shuttle. Well, tried to sleep. She’d lain there, listening to him breathe.
As far as partners to have while being kidnapped he wasn’t half bad. He hadn’t panicked. He’d kept his head and it was because of him that they managed to escape. And he’d watched out for her. Normally, she was the one taking care of everyone else, so it was a novelty to have someone take care of her needs first. He’d even prioritized her injury over his when it came to the pain inhibitors.
And he was damn good at giving massages.
Not that he’d offered to give her another. A shiver worked its way through her. As the pain inhibitor wore off, her arousal seemed to increase. She didn’t know what it was about him that drove her insane, but she couldn’t stop thinking about that orgasm. Or her reaction afterward.
She’d acted like such an idiot. She didn’t understand why she’d gotten so upset. It was just an orgasm. If he could make her do that just from coming then what would it be like if they fucked? Not that he’d made another move on her since.
Finally, she’d managed to get off to sleep. Moroco had to wake her up.
The fact that he could have just snuck off without her hadn’t escaped her. She would have been terrified to wake up and find him just gone. But he could have done it.
Instead, he’d woken her up and waited for her to get ready.
Then he’d slammed her with this…this kiddy carrier. Did he really think she was going to let him carry her all that way?
“You cannot walk with your sore back.”
“Actually, I know that walking is good for me. At least that’s what all those physiotherapists told me when I explained that my exercise mainly consisted of walking back and forth between the sofa and the kitchen.”
He sighed, looking resigned. “Must you fight me on everything?”
“I don’t think I fight you on everything.” But she had been accused of being argumentative a time or two and she seemed to take exception to most things Moroco said or did. But usually he bit back.
What was going on with him? She’d never tell him this, but she kind of enjoyed their arguments. Now he was acting all resigned and tired.
“Fine. Try to keep up then.”
“I will. Don’t worry.”
And for the first hour, she did. Then her legs started to ache. Her back was next. Those stupid physiotherapists didn’t know what they we
re talking about. She always knew they were just trying to torture her with all their exercise ‘suggestions.’
Well, they hadn’t worded them as suggestions but that’s how she’d taken them.
Her legs and back weren’t even the worst of her problems. It was her feet. Her shoes were not made for walking. Actually, they weren’t made for much of anything. They’d cost her $5.99 in a Black Friday sale and she was starting to understand why they were sold so cheaply. They’d held their own for the first twenty minutes, but now she could feel the damp dew seeping through the soles. Her skin was rubbing horribly and her little toe felt like it was on fire.
Damn it. Maybe she should have let him carry her.
She’d made her bed and she had to lie on it. Besides, how could he carry her when he was carrying a backpack with all their emergency rations? And there was no way she was telling him he was right. That set a bad precedent.
She kept her mouth shut and just plodded along behind him.
One foot forward. Next foot forward.
Her breath sawed in and out of her lungs. She really was horribly unfit. She just hoped he couldn’t hear her. Except how could he not? She sounded like one of those steam trains she’d seen on a vid once.
As the suns rose, it started to heat up. Sweat ran in rivulets down her skin, just adding to her discomfort. Now her thighs were rubbing together, sweat was pooling between her butt cheeks and her bra was rubbing the undersides of her boobs.
Attractive.
But she was not going to complain. She was not going to slow him down. Perhaps she’d just collapse and lie here, waiting for one of those howling animals she’d heard last night to eat her. It had to be less painful than what she was going through right now.
To top it off, she was so horny she was in pain. Her nipples rubbed against her bra with each movement. The lips of her pussy were swollen, her clit was painfully engorged. It was ridiculous. And incredibly bad timing. She had to grit her teeth as a shockwave of need swam through her, heating her even more.
Wonderful. Just wonderful. She glared at Moroco’s back as he walked in front of her, completely oblivious. He just strode along as though he were going for a lovely afternoon stroll. He didn’t even seem to be sweating any more than usual. Damn him.
The least he could do was match his steps to hers. Didn’t he realize that she had much shorter legs? She practically had to run to keep up with him. And she didn’t run. Ever. If you ever saw her run then you should run too because there would be a blood-hungry, chainsaw-wielding murderer chasing her.
She stopped for a brief minute, leaning against a tree. He kept on going. Just as she’d thought. He’d completely forgotten she was there. Sadness filled her for a moment.
With a sigh, she kept going. Just one foot in front of the other.
The last thing she wanted was to give him cause to tell her I told you so.
Or to leave her behind.
Stars, he should have just tied her down and left her back on the shuttle. He snuck a look behind him to ensure that she was no longer leaning against the tree and was following him. Even though the thought of tying her down held a great deal of pleasure, he’d seen the look of fear on her face when he had suggested it and that didn’t sit well with him.
If he was truthful, leaving her behind hadn’t felt right. Who knew what sort of mischief she would get up to without him to watch over her and keep her in line?
So instead, he had designed a way of carrying her that left meant he could still take the backpack with emergency supplies.
But instead of being thankful, as most females would have been, she had given him a horrified look and told him in no uncertain terms that she wouldn’t be getting into it. So, he’d let her have her way, knowing she wouldn’t last long. Not only was she wearing unsuitable footwear, but his Saffron wasn’t one for exercise.
His Saffron.
He did not like the way he was softening towards her. Even though she was his mate, he had intended to keep some distance between them. He would not allow himself to feel anything more towards her than duty and arousal. He would keep her safe, ensure her health, and take her as often as they both needed.
But he would not care for her. He would not care for any female again.
And yet, listening to her heavy breathing, watching as her movements grew slower and more pained, he started to feel the stirrings of guilt. She was his mate. It was his job to look after her. And here he was, allowing her to push herself beyond endurance in order to prove a point.
Although, in his defense he had not thought she would last this long without complaining. She did not usually hesitate to voice her opinions or thoughts about anything else. He was shocked that his ears hadn’t started ringing with her complaints after the first fifteen minutes.
He was actually kind of proud of her. And he couldn’t help but compare her to Fancia. The other woman would have just expected him to carry her as her due. And still, she would have probably complained. About the heat. The bugs. The lack of decent food.
No, he was grateful not to have to put up with a list of complaints. But he wished she would make one. Then he could stop and finish this foolish charade. Then he could care for her as his body was urging him to. What had he been thinking? He was a healer and he knew of her back injury. He should have just told her she was going in the carrier and had that be the end of it.
He was a terrible mate.
“We are stopping here.” He came to a stop in a small clearing.
“What? Why?” she asked, wiping her sleeve across her face, leaving a smear of dirt in its wake. “Not because of me. I can keep going.”
Sure, she could.
“I am not certain why you continue to lie to me. You are a terrible liar.”
She scrunched up her nose. “No one else seems to think so. I’m actually pretty good at fooling people.”
“And why do you need to fool people?”
She shrugged, looking like she wished she hadn’t said anything at all.
“Sit,” he commanded, pulling the pack off. “We will have something to eat and drink before we set off again and you need more pain relief.”
Her tired nod and the slow way she lowered herself to the ground told him more than anything that she couldn’t continue on like this. He pulled out a fluid pouch and a vitamin bar and handed them over to her. She eagerly drank down the fluid, closing her eyes in delight. His cock twitched at that look on her face.
Now was not the time.
Although he couldn’t help but remember the look of pleasure and hunger on her face as he’d made her come. Then the way she had pulled away from him afterwards. That still puzzled him. He knew she had felt pleasure, he had felt her body react.
He also knew she had never felt anything like that before. Had that been it? Was her reaction a surprise to her? To realize that she could feel that? Saffron was a guarded person. As far as he could tell the only person she let close was Sophie. She was very protective of her sister. She watched out for her, made certain she had what she needed.
But who looked out for her?
He fixed another injection of pain inhibitor. She was now leaning back against the tree behind her, her eyes closed. It gave him the chance to study her. She was normally so animated, so full of life, so passionate about things that she could barely keep still.
But she was still now. Tired. In pain.
He wanted her to lean on him. But that required trust and Saffron had been hurt in the past. Was it any wonder that she could not trust him to care for her? Especially when he had not even shown her how well he could look after her.
He hardened his resolve to do what was best for her from now on. He really needed to work on gaining her trust. Not that he ever intended to give her the same. But all that was needed for him to look after her was for her to trust him.
“You are supposed to eat that bar. I do not want to give you some more pain inhibitor unless there is food in your stomach.”
<
br /> She grimaced as she looked down at the bar. “I’m surprised you can call this food with a straight face. This tastes like drywall. Not that I’ve eaten drywall before but it’s got to be close to this.”
“You need to eat. It has vitamins and it will calm your stomach.”
“How did you know my stomach was upset?”
“You have rubbed it a few times.”
She stared at him suspiciously for a moment. “Do you notice everything?”
“Yes. Now eat.”
Sighing, she unwrapped the bar and slowly ate it, bite by tiny bite. He handed her another fluid pouch, which she gladly took, taking sips between bites to wash the terrible taste down. And it was awful, even he couldn’t pretend otherwise. But he didn’t like how pale she appeared. It would give her a much-needed boost.
He gave her the pain inhibitor, grateful they had plenty left. He could use one himself; his head was throbbing, although he’d walked at nearly a crawl so she could keep up. He could have covered at least twice as much ground on his own.
He frowned as he saw the way she pulled at that undergarment thing she wore. The one that covered her breasts from him.
“Is there something wrong with your breasts?”
She stilled, looking at him in shock. “No, they’re fine.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“Fine, my bra is just chafing a bit. But then what isn’t?”
“Take your top off.”
“Um, Moroco, listen, I’m sure you’re feeling horny too, but now really isn’t the time to get down and dirty. Because you know, I’m actually dirty. And I smell. And I’m chafing in places I don’t want to think about. Now I know why all women seem to want a thigh gap—it’s to stop the chafing when they walk too much. Ouch.”
He stared down at the dirt. “Why would anyone wish to get down and dirty?”
A blush filled her cheeks, surprising him. The only time she ever grew embarrassed was when they were talking about joining. “You thought I wished to join with you?”
“You needn’t look so horrified,” she muttered. She wrapped her arms around herself, giving him a defensive look. “I get that I’m not looking my best but you’re the one who is under the delusion we’re mates. Isn’t that what mates do?”
