The Threshian launches into a long discussion about ore trading, and Ruth leans in against me, her breath whispering along my ear. "Does he always try to bore you into submission or are we just lucky tonight?"
I bite back a grin.
Bist notices my expression and he curls up a little, drawing back. "That is new for you."
"Mmm?" Ruth is still leaning close, and it's distracting. I have a hard time focusing on what my dinner companion is saying.
He waves a dozen legs. "The smile. I do not think I have ever seen that happen before. Your new pet must make you very happy."
"She's sufficient," I say casually. "When she's not acting up."
Ruth goes still in my lap. Then she rubs up against me, cuddling against my chest. "I try to be good, master."
I don't buy that too-sweet tone for a moment, or the fake whine in her voice, so I just pat her shoulder. "You're doing just fine."
But she wriggles against my thigh, sending sparks through my body. "I'm sure I can do better." Her tone is low, secretive. "Much better."
I pat her shoulder again, wondering if the crew has had enough time or if I need to stall more with Bist. "Another drink?" I ask him. "I'm buying. And I wouldn't mind hearing about that last shipment of yours. Is varanium really that popular in the colonies? I—" I choke off, startled, because Ruth moves in my lap.
In the next moment, her mouth is on my ear.
"I can be better," she murmurs, and then her tongue flicks along the line of my ear, licking and teasing. I suck in a breath as she drags her tongue over my skin, and then her teeth score against my lobe. She's clearly doing this to get to me.
It's working.
I can't think straight. My cock throbs in my trou, and Bist doesn't notice—or doesn't care—that the “slave” in my arms is tonguing my ear with enthusiasm. I do my best to ignore Ruth, since she's just playing the part, but kef me, she's really, really good at this. Her tongue is everywhere, teasing, and when she sucks on my earlobe, I jerk in my seat.
"Because of the new laws, varanium has doubled in price in the last ten years, and I think it will continue to rise," Bist continues, shoving food into his oddly circular mouth-hole as he talks. He loves to talk, and I'm glad he's carrying the entire conversation because I can't focus on anything other than Ruth and her enthusiasm for licking me. She's utterly shameless, getting up on her knees and straddling my thigh so she can make out with my ear even more, and when I twitch, she just chuckles with amusement.
It takes everything I have to remain still. To pretend I'm unaffected.
Ruth knows I'm affected when I'm around her, though. She knows her presence gets to me. Makes me feel things I'm not used to feeling. She makes me want. I stroke her back as she nips at my earlobe again, and I know when I walk out of here, it's going to be very, very obvious that my cock is erect.
"So you see, with all of the law changes going on," Bist continues, "This is why I'm afraid that my price has gone up."
"Your…price?" I manage, even though I was expecting this.
"Double," Bist says, sounding gleeful. "After all, a male as wealthy as you with an expensive human pet to parade around, surely you can spare a little more for a friend."
I should have known that he'd take Ruth's presence as a sign of wealth. "What if we keep the price the same and I throw in the human?" I joke, knowing that he'll never take me up on it.
Bist makes a sound of horror, pushing his plate away even as Ruth's teeth sink into my earlobe, hard.
I hiss, pulling her away, but I can't stop grinning at her ferocious scowl. If she wants to play the slave, I'll play along, too.
"No humans," Bist says, legs waving. "Disgusting, unclean creatures. Just look at her, licking you over and over again. Revolting! No, it must be credits. One hundred thousand credits for a night's stay."
"Deal," I say, and toss the pouch of credits on the table. It's immediately scooped up by one of Bist's hired thugs, who bounces it in his hand, weighing it. He'll find it light. "Half now and half once we're ready to leave." Just in case he decides to try anything.
"You drive a hard bargain," Bist trills.
Do I? I don't think I drove a hard bargain at all. I've been too distracted by human tongue to haggle.
50
RUTH
Just when I'm getting all turned on by making out with Straik in public, he goes and pulls a stunt like that.
Throw in the human? I should have kneed him in the damn balls.