Stars Across Time (24 page)

She gave his nipple more attention with her tongue as she brought her hands around to his chest, then explored lower, following the ridges of his abdomen down to his belt. His thick shaft was already pressing against his pants, nudging her, and it seemed to harden further as she drew near. She unclasped his belt buckle, not quite as deftly as he had her bra, but she didn’t have to break threads this time. An improvement. She slipped her hand into his underwear and clasped him. He stretched toward her, growing like a flower drawn to the sun. She dropped to her knees, pushing his pants down over his hips, so she could see him, all of him, underneath the starlit sky.

“Andie,” he whispered. “You don’t have to—”

She shifted her grip on him, using both hands to cup his length as she slid her tongue across the tip. His words ended in a garbled groan, and his head fell back. Pleased by his response to her, she took more of him in her mouth, stroking up and down with her hands while she licked and teased gently. She gazed up at him as she drew him in and out, admiring the view of his lean hard body, the way the starlight gleamed off his chest, his skin still damp from her kisses. She took him deeper, wanting to show him that she appreciated him, all he had done to help her, all he had risked. And more than that, she loved the taste of him, the throbbing heat between her thighs that intensified as she fondled him and felt his response. The rapid rise and fall of his chest excited her, the clenching and unclenching of his hands, hands that must want to tangle in her hair, to grip her so he could thrust into her wet warmth.

She wouldn’t mind, but she wanted him inside of her core, not simply in her mouth. Her body pulsed with need, the emptiness crying out to be filled.

As if he knew her thoughts, he stopped her with a growl of, “Andie,” and a touch to her shoulder. She raised her head, meeting his eyes, eyes that burned with hunger and desire. She licked her lips, wanting everything he wanted.

In one easy motion, Theron lifted her from the deck. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around his hips. His hard length pressed between her thighs, and she gasped, grinding into him, regretting that she still wore her pants. He carried her to the railing, setting her on it, without letting a millimeter of space separate them.

“We should go to the bedroom,” he whispered, his breaths fast and eager. Ignoring his own words, he kissed her, his lips devouring hers as he found the button of her pants.

“I want you here,” Andie managed between kisses, between the rocking demands of her hips. She knew she should stay still, make it easier for him to remove her clothes, but she couldn’t help herself. Her own breaths were as quick as his, her body charged and ready, the aching emptiness within her demanding to be filled, demanding
him
. “Under the stars,” she added, thinking he would like that. She liked the idea, too, but mostly, she loathed the thought of letting go even for the short climb back into the house. She was ready
now
.

“Good,” he breathed, his bare chest leaning into hers.

One hand cupped her butt from behind, keeping her from falling backward, while the other slipped into her loosened pants. She thought to let go of his shoulders for long enough to shove off the rest of her clothes, but his touch distracted her. He pushed her panties down far enough for his thumb to graze the crease beneath her tight curls. She grew still, her body throbbing against him as she hoped he would do more. When his thumb slipped between her folds, she gasped at the new sensation of calloused skin against her sensitive flesh. Even as he kissed her, stroking her tongue with his, he brushed against her clitoris. Her body shuddered in response, and she arched against him, her fingers digging into his shoulders as waves of pleasure coursed through her. She wanted to tell him how ready she was, that he could take her any time, but she couldn’t manage the words. Her breaths were ragged, rapid, the rest of the world disappearing as those waves built to a crescendo. There was nothing except for him, except for the intense yearning consuming her. With a final stroke from his thumb, she called out his name and soared into the stars, the sky blurring above them.

Andie slumped in his arms, trembling. Eventually, she remembered to breathe.

“Wait here,” Theron whispered in her ear, his voice hoarse, naked with need, and she remembered that he hadn’t come yet. As spent as she felt after the exquisite attention from his hand, her body tightened again, excited at the realization that they had yet to join.

After he was certain she had a grip on the railing, he strode to the chest to retrieve the blanket he had mentioned earlier. All of his clothing had come off at some point—the memory was a haze—and she stared at his erect penis, unable to take her eyes from it, from
him
. While he laid out the blanket, she rushed to peel off the rest of her clothing, feeling silly that she still wore socks and shoes. How sexy.

By the time he turned to her, she felt they had been apart for far too long, and she leaped into his arms. He caught her easily, his muscular arms wrapping around her, even as she locked her legs around his waist again and grabbed his shoulders.

“Already wanting more?” he murmured, his heated eyes conveying his passion and also his pleasure at this knowledge.

“Oh yes,” she responded, then kissed him hard, rubbing herself against him, her swollen lips pressing against his thick, naked shaft. She was insatiable, and she didn’t care. She didn’t feel any embarrassment with him. “I want you to hammer me like a...” She paused, groping for a simile that would apply to his world. “Like a blacksmith,” she said.

He chuckled. “Whatever my little soldier wishes.”

It couldn’t have been easy with her climbing all over him, her legs wrapped around his hips, but he lowered her gently to her back so that she rested on the blanket. She kissed him, aware of the stars behind his head, but more aware of his hard body pressing against her. She grabbed him, wanting to guide him into her, but he smiled against her lips, seemingly having something else in mind. He lowered his head, cupping her breast with one hand while he kissed his way toward the other one. She enjoyed the sensation, but it was the touch of his other hand, the one that had drifted lower, that had her arching up toward him again. He stroked her, and she gasped, as if her water hadn’t just overflowed moments before. Then he kissed his way lower until his tongue replaced his fingers, the new texture arousing her to greater heights.

“You taste good,” he growled, and she felt the reverberations of his words between her lips; they sent fresh shudders of desire through her. She couldn’t manage anything except a gasp in response.

He alternated stroking and sucking, while she was helpless to do more than buck and writhe, her entire body trembling under his expert touch. She wanted to do something for him and, indeed, felt selfish for receiving so much attention, but all she could do was bunch her hands in the blanket and thrust up toward him. Only when she was begging for him, crying out his name and hoping his neighbors didn’t complain, did he ease into her, his swollen head parting her folds, pressing into her. She spread her legs, welcoming him in, welcoming that thick fullness.

“Faster,” she breathed after his first slow strokes. She knew he was restraining himself, making sure he didn’t hurt her, but she needed him so much, she would have taken pain if it brought pleasure, as well.

“Demanding,” he said, his eyes slits as he looked down at her. But he obeyed her order, thrusting deeply into her, a groan of release escaping his throat.

Then they were rocking together, their mouths meeting even as their bodies did. There was no pain, only intense pleasure as they crashed together, deeper and faster. Andie was not aware of anything except giving into the demands of her body—and his. A moment before he came, he brushed his thumb against her clit again, and she flung her head back, crying out at the ecstasy that engulfed her. They reached their climaxes simultaneously, his growl of pleasure not as shrill as hers, but just as satisfied.

He gazed down at her, his eyes full of passion as they burned heat into her soul. The comet blazed in the sky behind his head, and she was glad they had enjoyed their moment right here, under the stars.

Then they tumbled to their sides on the blanket, still entwined, though they were spent. Andie’s heart ached with how good he had been to her. She vowed to lavish more attention on him next time, to ensure he enjoyed everything as much as she had. But he didn’t seem to have any complaints. He cradled her close, kissing her mouth, her nose, and her eyes.

“Hope you don’t mind,” Andie she said, her voice thick with emotion, moved by the gentle way he touched her.

“That you woke up my neighbors?” Theron grinned. “Not at all.”

“I meant that you’re the colonel, and I’m the captain, and I was giving you orders.” She grinned back, kissing him.

“That was an order I was happy to carry out. But if you want, I can boss you around next time.”

“I think I’d like that.” Her grin turned into an impish smile, and they went back to kissing for a while after that.

T
heron had forgotten to ask about the tattoos. He hoped he would find another chance to do so. His mind had been on other things when he had been exploring Andie’s body the night before. And again that morning. Twice.

He bit his lip to keep from grinning at the memories, and for the second or third time, he resisted the urge to clasp her hand. They were sitting side by side, so it was tempting, but they were at the headquarters briefing room table and had an audience. With General Morimoto in the seat on his other side, he was bound to notice unauthorized hand holding. And goofy grins, as well. Yesterday, Morimoto might have teased Theron good-naturedly—or as good-naturedly as he ever became—about finding a woman, but he wouldn’t appreciate anything other than professionalism in this meeting. Gideon and Captain Schwarzburg were leading it, with Gideon doing most of the talking. Andie listened quietly.

She had been surprised she had been allowed into the meeting, but as Theron had explained, none of their handful of pilots had the clearance for anything to do with the time machine. Since she already knew everything, it was easier to take her than worry about making someone new aware of the machine. Such was the argument he had made to the general. Morimoto hadn’t been that enthused—he had wanted to brief one of their own pilots, one familiar with the aircraft of the time. In the end, he had probably given in more as a favor to Theron than because he believed it was the logical choice. Theron hoped he would not regret making those arguments.

“We’ve acquired a plane for you, Colonel Theron,” Gideon said, and nodded at Andie, as well. “It doesn’t have any army markings, so they shouldn’t shoot you down when you approach, and it has floats for a water landing. It’s over in the lake now, so you’ll leave from there shortly before sunset.”

“Who exactly would be shooting us down?” Theron asked.

Gideon produced a photograph of a big fishing vessel, or perhaps a whaling vessel—Theron spotted some harpoon launchers on the bow.

“The captain is on record as being a Vladimir Radwanska and not from our seas originally. It’s unknown whether he’s running the market or simply supplying the venue and taking a cut. A small cut, this time around. Apparently, someone relieved the market of most of its inventory before it arrived.” Gideon grinned.

Theron waved his hand for him to continue, but he was pleased that Andie also smiled over at him.

“The ship is sailing in waters around the Bellingham Islands,” Gideon went on. “Since they’re not docking, you have to come either via air or by ship. From what we’ve learned so far, they get a mix of both—General Duckworth had reserved a small private yacht to take him. In addition to needing a way out there, and needing to know the exact location, you need an invitation.”

Davies slid a folded card across the table.

Theron opened it. “General Duckworth is invited to attend the Fisherman’s Ball?”

“Yes, we found that in his quarters when he was, uhm, detained.”

Morimoto grunted—or that might have been a growl. “Getting the evidence to hold him wasn’t easy, Theron, and he’s not a happy man. He’s on house arrest now, and that’s probably all that will come of it. He has friends in the government, and it would be a blow for the army to lose him, so nobody wants to press charges. I almost wish you hadn’t stumbled across him.”

Theron frowned. “Then we wouldn’t know where the market is.”

“I know. But he was making purchases on our behalf, for the Mount Olympus mission. Rocket fuel.”

“So we’re supposed to ignore the theft?”

“We wouldn’t have to be stealing if they hadn’t used everything up back then,” Morimoto grumbled.

Theron didn’t know what to say to that. He supposed he objected less to the idea of stealing fuel, but it opened the door to greater crimes. Such as kidnapping. And who knew what else these people might try if they continued to have access to a time machine?

“See that decorative calligraphy at the bottom?” Gideon pointed at the border of the invitation. “The coordinates are in there, cleverly woven into the design. I almost missed it.”

“So we know where to go and when to arrive.” Theron waved at the date and time stamped on the card. “But isn’t it going to be a problem when someone besides Duckworth shows up? His name is on it.”

“That’s for you to deal with, Theron,” Morimoto growled. “Say what you need to say to get onboard. Tell them the truth, or most of it, that Duckworth was detained and that he gave this to you so someone else would buy the fuel. We’ll give you money to back it up.”

“I still can’t believe you want me to go as myself. Are you sure there shouldn’t be costumes? Disguises? Fake mustaches?”

Andie snorted softly.

“We thought about that,” Gideon said, “but we think your notoriety will help in this case. They might question Duckworth sending in some second lieutenant, but it should be conceivable to others that you would be someone he would trust and that you would have the rank and influence to be a part of the same projects. Which, in truth, you are.”