Forsaken Realms (Bounty Hunters United Book 1) (13 page)

His fingers tangled in her hair as he brushed his mouth against hers, pressing down with such passion it took her breath away.

She parted her lips. The moment he swept his tongue across hers, beautiful warmth spread through her that left her longing for more. Every inch of her tingled, on high alert. The blood rushed between her thighs, bringing a stunning wave of excitement with it. The desire to wrap her legs around him and feel him moving inside her became unbearable.

His kisses were sweet and carried a hefty dose of something darkly irresistible and impossible to describe. The more he kissed her, the more her need for him soared. It was no lie—Kironian kisses were addictive. They acted on her heightened senses like a love drug. Her hands slid to the sides of his face and held him captive, unable to get enough.

He lifted the edge of her shirt and glided his hand beneath. The first touch of bare skin made her nipples push the lightweight fabric to points. He cupped her breasts and gently kissed each before choosing one. His thumb circled her nipple, rolling it between his fingertips and tugging it in a slow, subtle rhythm until heat built between her thighs that couldn’t be denied.

Everything felt so good; it was impossible to remain still. She arched against the mattress, inviting him to go further. He dipped his head and gently teased the nipple with the edge of his teeth causing the keenest pleasure. His moist breath passed through the thin shirt and left it clinging to her. The shirt was pushed higher as he circled his tongue around her nipple and made it glisten.

Thrilling sensations inundated her as she lifted her arms above her head and melted beneath him. His knee parted her thighs as his warm weight pressed down. When he rubbed against her thigh, she felt how hard he was, and how much he needed her. She reached for the waist of his pants and tugged them to his hips.

Syan stopped her hand. “We can’t.”

“We must.” A sense of desperation set in. She reached a flailing hand toward the closest pack. “There’s a condom in the side pocket.”

He looked utterly confused.

“You know.” It was hard to focus, but she did her best to send him as strong a mental image as she could of what a condom was.

“Oh.” He nodded.

“It’s a simple old-fashioned idea that still works.” Gemmina rolled onto her side, her hand strained to reach the pack. After a clumsy but brief search, she located one of the tiny squares, retrieved it from the depths of the pocket, and ripped the packet open with her teeth. “You know how this works don’t you?”

His expression was beautifully innocent. “No.”

It was her signal to take charge. “Lie on your back.”

Syan’s face flushed, and his lips parted. For a moment, he looked as if he might protest. Firmly, she planted her palm on his shoulder and toppled him onto the mattress with a swift push. He gazed up at her through a fringe of black lashes, startled. “Lift your hips and slide those pants off.”

He did as he was told, arching his hips high and tugging the fabric down his legs before kicking them aside. He released a deep breath as he settled onto the bed with his cock standing straight.

With a light touch, she grazed her fingertips along the length of his shaft. At the first contact of her warm hand on his bare flesh, he shuddered. She leaned over and kissed the crown and ran her tongue in wet circles around the rim until a low moan rose in his throat. She drew away and rolled the condom down the shaft. It was well lubricated and felt slick in her palm. “You’ll like what’s next.”

His eyes closed as he surrendered to her. “I’m already enjoying it.”

In a graceful swoop, she straddled his hips, braced her hands against his shoulders, and gazed down at him. Only half of his face was fire-lit; the rest was lost in shadow. She traced a fingertip along the long bridge of his nose. “Open your eyes.” An uncharacteristic boldness took hold of her. “I want you to watch.”

Slowly, he opened his eyes and reached for her waist to draw her closer.

She took hold of the shaft and stroked the head of his cock between her thighs. The sweet sensation melted any lingering resistance. With a gentle push, she guided him inside. He was thick, and her breath caught as her hips sank in a single smooth motion, taking all of him.

His lashes fluttered. “Move slowly,” he whispered.

With deliberate strokes, she rocked against him. “Move like this?” Arching backward, she allowed her breasts to gently sway as she rose and sank on the shaft. “Or like this?” She pinched her nipples until they flushed dark plum and rolled her hips against him. “You feel so good.”

Desire blazed in his eyes. With an abrupt motion he clutched her hips. “Stop!”

For a moment she stilled and allowed him to draw a calming breath. Only after she felt him relax did she start moving again with slow, teasing full-body caress. Sex had never felt so good. His intense excitement was extremely arousing. No lover had ever looked at her as if she were a goddess fulfilling every desire, but he did. In that moment, her heart opened to Syan, and the thought
I could love him
came pouring out.

A smile curled his lips as she thought it.

“Eavesdropper.” Gemmina stroked her fingertip against her clit as he moved faster. The claim bite really moved things along. Her blood was already boiling. All boundaries between them seemed to blur. His excitement was hers, and she was right on the edge with him. Fiery sensations raced through her and made her toes curl. She was so close. Her body ached as she leaned forward, rubbed hard against him, and gave into the most thrilling, skin tingling orgasm in memory.

“Ah!” she cried.

Syan held tight, as he pumped faster. All his muscles strained taut as his hips arched off the mattress.

“By the gods!” he moaned as he came hard with a shudder. His eyes remained shut as he collapsed limp on the mattress.

A peaceful feeling of being in the right place with the right one filled her heart. There was no regret. This man simply had to be loved. She grazed her fingernails across the tattooed shambu on his chest, reluctant to think or move and spoil the moment.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked up at her with a bashful smile. “We are good together, aren’t we?”

She nodded, too scared to speak and confirm this almost miraculous feeling.

In a tender gesture, he took hold of her hand and kissed her palm. “Lie beside me.”

“Wait.” She carefully slid off him, removed the condom, and tossed it into the fire, where it sizzled into oblivion.

He drew her to his side and wrapped the blanket and his long limbs around her. With affection, he kissed the top of her head and encouraged her to snuggle into the crook of his arm.

His broad bicep provided a firm pillow to lay her head upon, as he smoothed her hair from her brow. “Close your eyes. Let’s rest a while.”

“I might fall asleep, and it’s my turn to stand watch.”

“You’re safe with me. I’ve built the fire high. We’ll be fine.”

Sweet exhaustion swept over her. She longed to stretch out beside Syan and give-in to being cherished and looked after. Those feelings were something she never truly experienced and was starved for. “Are you sure?”

He kissed her cheek. “Gemmina, I want to look after you. I need you beside me.”

The sensation of his solid body tangled with hers was luscious. “All right, but only for a few minutes.”

* * * *

She woke with her cheek pressed against Syan’s chest. Opening her eyes a crack, she glimpsed that it was dawn and the waterfall glowed pale pink. The fire had burned to ash. It was heart-wrenching to realize night had fled, and it was already time to face whatever the day might deliver.

Gently, she placed her palm over Syan’s heart and felt its steady beat. The faint scent of musk radiated from his skin. Still deep in sleep, his breath was slow and his lashes fluttered. The warm weight of his arm wrapped around her felt like the most welcoming haven she’d ever known. Drowsy, she snuggled closer, luxuriating in the solid feel of a beautiful man beside her, wishing every day could start like this. With the lightest touch, she kissed his chest, shoulder, and the inside curve of his bicep, anything she could easily reach without disturbing him. In sleep, he looked innocent, without a trace of the fierce warrior in evidence.

An unsettling thought crossed her mind—
I’m happy
. Being so content was almost terrifying. As she studied the soft curves of his lips, a long neglected part of her heart spoke its preference in the silent but insistent language that only the heart speaks; it said the dreaded words—
Please may I keep him?

Syan stirred with a groan and rolled over. “It’s morning isn’t it?”

“Yep.”

“I don’t want to get up.”

“Neither do I, but we have to.”

“I’m starving.”

So was she. “We’ve still got protein paste, lots of it. Let’s eat and get moving. I want to be under the cover of jungle before the sun rises any higher. We can’t risk being spotted by patrol craft.”

He rose on his elbow and gazed at her with a peaceful expression. “How do you feel today?”

“I could use more sleep and a big mug of coffee, but, other than that, I feel okay.”

His fingertips gently skimmed across the top of her shoulder. “Just okay? I meant how do you
feel
?”

She was too wary to say,
I feel like I fell in love with you. Help me.

“I feel the same. You don’t want me to use the word ‘love’ do you?” With a soft touch he leaned close and kissed her lips. “Things will settle down. I will not ask anything of you that you aren’t willing to give.”

“I woke up feeling like I could give you everything.”

A brilliant smile lit his face. “I hope you feel the same way after the bite fades.” He took hold of her, pulled her close, and rolled her beneath him. In a graceful sweep, he drew her arms above her head and pinned her wrists to the mattress. “I can’t be this close and not be tempted.”

Time suspended as if she needed his touch to continue breathing. “Don’t fight it.”

With his free hand, he pushed the tissue-thin shirt to her waist. “Are you certain? We could wait.”

“No we can’t,” she laughed. “One thing. Condom. Side pocket.”

With an outstretched hand, he riffled through the side pocket and pulled out a silvery square.

“That’s it.” She took it from his hand as he brushed a sugary kiss against her lips and made her blood simmer. “Those kisses.” With a lazy sway, she rolled her hips beneath him. “They drive me crazy. I can’t think.” She lay across the mattress with her arms stretched above her head and parted her lips. “Where were we?”

His eyes glittered in the dim light. “You’re so beautiful and easy to love. What’s wrong with the men on Earth? On Kiron, you would have been claimed long ago.” Taking his weight on his elbows, he slid on top of her.

She wrapped her legs around his hips and felt his powerful body poised between her thighs.

“Hold me close. I want to feel loved,” he whispered.

Love.
He kept using that word, and she wished he wouldn’t. Love was too frightening, scarce, something she had so little experience with. This was the time to feel, not think. With eyes closed, she waited for the first stunning moment of friction as he slid inside her.

He held still. “Gemmina, look at me.”

She opened her eyes and met his dark gaze.

“Keep your gaze locked on me. You’ll see the truth in my eyes. I would be good to you.”

She wanted to believe him so badly it stung. “You don’t need to say that.”

“I do. This is my chance to enforce my claim.”

“Enforce?”

“Re-enforce,” he quickly corrected. “On Kiron, after the first night together, and only if a man is sincere, it is traditional to pledge responsibility for a mate’s welfare and tell her that he cares for her above all others.”

She sensed what he would say next, and her heart ached for it to be real and not some beautiful illusion between two strangers from distant worlds.

“Gemmina, I wish you were mine. I won’t ask how you feel about me because I can sense how scared you are that things have happened so fast.”

“I’m going to need a little time. Women on Earth—

“Take a long time to make up their minds about what they already know to be true? Yes, I am getting a sense that is how it is. I am prepared to be patient.”

No man had ever wanted to claim her or seemed so sure she was part of his future. The street child in her was wary. “You’ll need to be patient with me. This is all new.”

“It’s new to me, too.”

“You seem to always say the right thing.” A nervous smile curled her lips. “But now it’s time to say nothing.” She took hold of him and guided him inside. In surrender she arched her hips off the mattress to meet him. The first slow stroke woke every nerve. Her breath caught as he pulled out. The next stroke was even better. He was slicker, and it was easier for the full length of him to slide inside. Her eyes closed as a rapturous sigh escaped her lips.

“Look at me.” He cupped her face in his hands.

The fierceness in his eyes left her stunned. She felt like she was in the sights of a wolf. The moment was so intimate she wanted to shut her eyes and flee the intensity of his gaze, but he demanded she not break away. From the look on his face, she expected the next stroke to be harsh, but instead it was incredibly gentle as he moved with unrushed ease.

“I would never hurt you.” His voice was silk in sharp contrast to the fire in his eyes.

As she fell in pace with his slow rhythm, enjoying every one of his gruff moans, or sharp intakes of breath, her arms locked tight around his neck. They moved in unison and took each other to a sweet climax that left her shaking. For a few minutes, they lay skin-to-skin, tangled together in silence, too spent to move.

He kissed her cheek. “We should get dressed.”

Gemmina grazed her fingertips along the grainy stubble on his jaw. “You need to shave.”

He rubbed his palm against the side of his face. “Or let it grow.”