Pussycat in Peril (Pussycat Death Squad Book 3) (11 page)

“Really child, I’ve heard worse,” Sarai said, clearly trying to smooth matters over.

“You’re talking about putting yourself back in the middle of a civil war. Hell, you can’t even call something this convoluted a war; it’s a damned melee and all you can worry about is my language?”

“Just because the situation is dangerous, there’s no reason we can’t be civil,” she said, deliberately goading him. Then she watched as the color rose in his face until he looked as though his entire body would go up in flames.

“If I can get you out of here safely, you will not be rescuing anyone,” Kaeden said through gritted teeth.

Astaria took a deep breath. calming herself with a delightful visual of plucking out his eyebrows. One-by-one. Then following up by doing the same to his eyelashes. They were too heavy and pretty anyway, and drew attention to his devastating eyes. The man was unbelievably exasperating, but it wasn’t fair to tease him, no matter how much fun it was.

“Why are we arguing about something that hasn’t happened? We don’t have a choice. Besides, we don’t know for sure this is what Boulos is up to. And how many times do I have to tell you, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself? I didn’t suddenly become helpless the day I married you.”

Kaeden’s sudden grin, gorgeous though it was, couldn’t have been more out of place, and Astaria raised a brow in query wondering what he was up to now. When he just continued to grin she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

“That’s the first time you’ve admitted it,” he said as though that explained anything.

“Admitted what?”

“That you’re my wife.”

“Of course I’m your wife, it’s not like you would ever let me forget.”

“Yes, but you keep trying to qualify it.”

“Qualify it? That must be an idiom, because I don’t understand what you mean.”

“You understand perfectly well, besides we’re speaking Arabic.”

“Oh for the—” Astaria broke off the sentence, suddenly aware that Sarai and Dawood were following their interaction as though they were watching the first pitch in a cricket match. She hoped they didn’t realize what she and Kaeden had revealed during their argument.

“Dawood, I remember when we used to argue like this. It’s good to see young people so in love.”

“We don’t argue this way anymore,” Dawood said. “Mainly because I decided that you’re always right.”

“Oh well, there’s nothing more we can do until the children arrive,” Astaria said.

“If they arrive,” Kaeden said.

“Inshallah the solution will go as planned and you can get out safely with those poor orphaned children,” Sarai said.

“I wonder how they’re going to bring them here,” Astaria said.

Kaeden sighed. “I just hope we’re wrong and dude just wants us to smuggle something simple, like a couple keys of heroin. Absconding with two royals in a country where there are at least three wars going on is so not on.”

“Well, just in case they actually do arrive, what will our cover story be?” Astaria asked.

Dawood answered her question. “Assuming they arrive openly we can just say they’re your children. You two are of an age to have such young children. And we’ve established that you’re refugees from the war in the east. Unfortunately, many families become separated in times like these.” He shook his distinguished head sadly. “Inshallah, it will only be for a few days and not many of our neighbors will see them.”

“Even if they come covertly it is best that you be open with their presence,” Sarai said.

“But what if they’re recognized? I mean, they’re royals, aren’t they well-known?” Kaeden asked.

Dawood shook his head sadly. “No one has seen these children in months. The princess maintained a low profile. I think she wanted Colonel al-Fariq to forget their existence. And children change so quickly. No one will recognize them. The question is what exactly will we do with them, and how will we get them out of the country?”

Astaria threw up her hands in frustration. Honestly, the whole situation was outside of enough. It was bad enough to have to worry about escaping, but to try to do it with two royal children. What was the man thinking?

“I hate the way Boulos has left us with absolutely no direction. It’s ridiculous. I understand keeping one’s own counsel, but the man has literally told us nothing. I’m seriously reconsidering what I told you about not killing him,” she said.

Kaeden took one of her hands in his. “I understand your frustration, not that it takes a lot to annoy you, but I prefer it this way. What we don’t know can’t cost us our heads. Discretion is probably a good character trait in people who engage in this type intrigue,” Kaeden said.

Astaria couldn’t believe her ears, and even Sarai blinked at Kaeden’s comment, but it was Dawood who spoke up.

“Surely you jest? Do you really think ignorance will save us? They will take off our heads whether we know everything or nothing. They will take our heads for fear of the consequences of
not
taking our heads. They will take our heads to match the number of heads some other bureaucrat took that day. Better to have enough information because we will die either way,” Dawood said.

Astaria heard the harshness of his words and agreed with his analysis, but her heart responded to the deep desolation in his eyes. Dawood, Sarai and her parents had all lived through the Civil War. They had endured that tragedy and come through with hopes and dreams for their children. They had been true believers. Patriots even, who had made tremendous sacrifices to rebuild the country. Now those dreams were crashing all around them with nothing left but more pointless bloodshed. It was painful for her, but for them it had to be unbearable.

Her gaze met Kaeden’s and locked. She knew he’d gone out to the market that day and returned with a package. More than anything she wanted him. Wanted to make love. To find the passion they’d shared the night before. To not think about all this madness. From the intensity of his gaze she knew he felt the same.

They finished their conversation with their hosts and after finding a safe hiding place for the package, parted company for the evening.

Chapter Eight

Astaria stood under the tepid water of the shower. Despite her lack of experience, she wasn’t nervous about what she was about to do. Plenty of the women in the guard were sexually experienced to one degree or another. Though she’d never intended to stay in the Guard for life and hadn’t taken the vow of chastity seriously, somehow she’d never met anyone she wanted to have sex with. She’d been hearing about the sexual adventures of others since her early teens, but was mostly indifferent. But when she thought about the feel of Kaeden’s mouth on her labia and the way her orgasm had wracked her body again and again all she just wanted more.

Though she understood why he’d waited to share his feelings. Astaria couldn’t help but be annoyed with him. After all, they could have been together all this time. She turned off the water of the shower. As she stood smoothing shea butter moisturizer into her skin she felt her first attack of nerves. Not because she didn’t want Kaeden, she had no doubt about that, but she knew she was more than half in love with him and making love with him was only going to make her feelings more intense. Their situation was precarious to say the least, and if the worst thing happened...She wasn’t sure she could survive losing another loved one. Then again, she would be devastated if he died anyway. So it would hardly make any difference. Astaria shook her head in annoyance at her uncharacteristic indecisiveness. Why was she delaying something she actually wanted? She pulled her gown over her head. It wasn’t as voluminous as the one from the previous evening, but it was hardly sexy. The gauzy cotton flowed down to her ankles and with her hair in braids…Maybe she should take them down? She looked too girlish. Well it wasn’t like she had anything else to wear.
Oh this was ridiculous
. She sucked her teeth in disgust and left the washroom.

It only took a moment to disabuse her of any concerns she had about being sexy enough for Kaeden. The expression on his face made it clear that he found her more than a bit desirable. Indeed the way his mouth dropped open told her everything she needed to know and emboldened her.

“Okay. I’m ready,” she said.

Kaeden chuckled low in his throat. The sound was positively feral, sending a delicious shiver down her spine.

“Are you now?” he asked with a slow smile. Tonight he was wearing only his pajama bottoms, which rode low on his hips exposing his heavily muscled torso to her gaze. All that mouth-watering golden brown skin drew her like a lodestone. More than anything she wanted to feel his flesh against hers.

“I am. Aren’t we going to make love? You went to the market today and I thought you bought condoms.”

“Damn straight I did. After last night I was prepared to die for the damned things and almost did over the cost. They were fifty Euros.”

“Wow.”

“Considering what I’m getting though they were a bargain at any price.”

Astaria stood in front of him, impatiently shifting from one foot to the other. “So, are you ready? When do we start making love?”

He moved closer until their bodies were barely touching the brief contact serving only to heighten her need to an even greater intensity. “Don’t you know habibti, we’ve been making love since last night. I haven’t been able to think about anything else all day. The way you feel. The way you taste. The way you quiver when you come. I just want to fuck you over and over again.” He lowered his mouth to hers.

Astaria gasped and raised her head as his mouth descended. He was right. She’d been craving this all day. She pulled his tongue into her mouth, desperate to have more of him. His feel. His smell. All of him. It was so good. The luscious feel of his tongue gliding against hers. Astaria sank into a swirling crimson-hued well of desire. Then he stepped back.

She stood in front of him as he stared at her, his gaze getting hotter and hotter. When he gathered her into his embrace she couldn’t believe how good it felt. This kiss was mind-melting in its intensity. Slow and deliberate. He took his time, molding his lips to hers. Mating his tongue with hers. Learning the interior of her mouth as though committing it to memory for the ages. Again and again never wanting it to end, but needing more. Then his lips were on her neck following the line to her shoulder. Seeking. Discovering like a bee seeking nectar. Followed by sharp bites that sent delicious shards of pleasure through her body until they exploded right in her clitoris. Getting hotter and wetter and more powerful with each bite. Who knew pain could be so delightful? Transforming into bliss with each sting?

When he released her she opened her eyes to look at him in bewilderment. He moved over to the bed and took a seat on the edge. “Take off that gown,” he said his voice resembling a growl.

“What?” she said, barely able to comprehend his words.

“Your gown. Take it off. I want to see you. All of you.”

She didn’t know what to think. Hadn’t he seen all of her last night? Part of her was shy and more than a bit embarrassed, but then again she was unbearably aroused at the notion of showing off for her man. Her husband.

She raised the gown a few inches at a time, exposing her body to his appreciative gaze. His eyes followed her every movement and she couldn’t help her heated response. It felt as though he was touching her ever so softly bringing a sensual awareness to every centimeter of her bare flesh. When she reached her upper thighs she knew he could see the wetness there, see the evidence of her desire for him. Watching the color rise in his face. His lips growing fuller. His pupils dilating with desire as she arched her back, flaunting her body for him. Her nipples pebbled hard. Wanting him. Needing his touch. Then the gown was gone and she stood before him totally exposed. Her legs parted of their own volition and she reached between them. Feeling the full arousal in her almost painfully swollen clitoris. The wetness that seeped over her fingers. She stroked herself once and then again thrilling in his response to watching her pleasuring herself.

“Come here,” he said, his voice even deeper and more guttural.

She walked over to him, inexorably drawn by the sexual tension that coursed through her body linking her directly to him. Her movements were slow and languid as she exulted in the lust she saw shimmering in his gaze. She stopped in front of him.

He reached out and cupped her mound and she moaned in response. The feel of his heated palm against her clitoris focused the desire there even more.

“Turn around.”

She followed his command then her knees bucked when he palmed her bottom before taking a sharp bite out of one cheek.

“Mouthwatering,” he murmured. He rose to his feet and pressed his heavy erection against her backside.

She let her head fall back on his shoulder as he ground against her. When his fingers sought out her pussy again she would have collapsed had he not been holding her up. Astaria spread her legs wider, wanting, needing more of him. Her pussy gripped his finger as it slid it in more deeply. He moved his finger in and out—two, three times. She rocked her hips back and forth loving the feeling of being filled, but needing more. She gasped aloud as a second finger joined the first and when he began gently flicking her clit with his thumb, she all but came unglued.