With that, he closed the space between them, pulling her against his body forcefully. He channeled all his frustration, anger and longing he’d felt over the years and kissed her.Hard.
Daaron’s lips took hers, demanding she open for him. Tessa tried to fight him off, but he held her tight with one arm, pinning her as his other hand dug into the shorn remains of her hair. With one swipe of his knife he’d married her, by the Goddess, and now he was going to have her. His c**k swelled, glorying in the feel of her against his body. She gave a muffled whimper, the sound of a woman conquered.
He thrust one knee between her legs, pushing them apart and throwing her off balance. In an instant she went from fighting to clinging to him for support. He took advantage of the moment to reach down and grab her ass, lifting her up and wrapping her legs around his waist. Carrying her, he strode purposefully toward her tent.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she asked, gripping him tightly as they lurched across the campsite.
“Taking you to bed,” he replied. “No marriage is legal unless it’s consummated.”
“You’re insane. This isn’t a real marriage.”
“You’d better hope it is,” he replied, his voice grim. “Marrying me is the only thing that will keep you alive. Wives can’t testify against their husbands according to Imperial code.”
“Testify? Daaron, you’re insane. I don’t know what kind of terrible secret you think I know, but I don’t give a damn about you or your life. I just want to leave with my garnets.”
They reached the tent, Daaron shouldering his way in and Tessa clutching him as they lurched to a stop.
She tried to push him away again, but he wrapped a hard arm around her waist and gripped the back of her head one more time. This time his kiss waslong and slow, pouring out all the heat and frustration he’d built up over the years. She tasted better than his most fevered dreams. Finally he pulled away, allowing her to slide down his body. She opened her mouth to speak again, but he shushed her, putting one finger across her lips.
“Talk is all I’ve ever had from you, sweet Tessa,” he said. “Now it’s time for action.”
Chapter Three
Daaron surrounded Tessa, his body overwhelming her, his scent filling the air. She took deep breaths, heart racing, wishing desperately that their contact didn’t feel so good. She opened her mouth once more, defying him, but he gave her a look so heated and intense that she fell silent. Moving with slow, steady determination, he backed her up against the portable sleeping unit. Her knees buckled and she fell back, eyes wide.
He deliberately pulled off his shirt, throwing it on the floor. Her eyes darted from his face to the endless expanse of his chest, panicked. She had to find some way to distract him. Just as deliberately, he removed his shoes and then his pants, throwing the belt and holstered blaster atop them.
Tessa’s breath tightened in her chest. She tried not to stare at him, but the tent was so small there was nowhere else to look.
Now Daaron stood before her, proud and beautiful in his nudity. His c**k stood at attention, a solid pillar of flesh rising from the tangle of hair at his groin. It reached well up along his stomach, the helmet-shaped head flushing purple,pearls of moisture oozing from the slightly open slit. He dropped one hand down, rubbing along the rippled muscles of his abdomen, and gripped it firmly in his strong fingers.
He stroked up and down once, again, his eyes boring into hers as his erection grew even stiffer.
“I’ve been waiting far too long to do this,” he said, stepping toward her.
The sight of the large, angry man moving so purposefully toward her was more than Tessa could handle.
She turned, scrambling across the bed, trying to get away. His strong hands caught her around the waist and stopped her flight. He pulled her pants off, fingers so rough she wondered if there would be bruises later, and she opened her mouth to scream.
Some sixth sense must have alerted him, because he thrust her down into the bed, throwing his heavy weight atop her and knocking the breath from her lungs. One hand came around to cover her mouth. His voice whispered in her ear, “Don’t scream. I have men watching your campsite. You don’t want them to get the wrong idea about what’s happening here. They might hurt you.”
Tessa nodded her head, stunned. How long had they been watching? Didtheyknow about her garnets too? As if she should be worrying about the gems right now—Daaron was the greatest threat. They lay there for a moment, his enormous erection pushing against her ass, cradled by her flesh. The head pressed against her sphincter. She shivered, quivering beneath him. He groaned and thrust against her involuntarily, jamming the c**k head against her tightly muscled ring.
“Don’t tempt me,” hesaid, the words little more than a groan. “I want inside you too badly to play any more games, Tessa. Do you get that?”
She nodded her head, understanding him all too well. He removed his hand, pulling back from her, and she lifted her head to one side so she could breathe again. Her head felt far too free and light, forcibly reminding her that her braids were gone. She belonged to this man body and soul, so long as she followed the customs of theWarrens.
And if she ignored those customs?Tessa could hardly imagine that—they defined her, had enabled her to survive and thrive. Given her the strength to go to school and better herself. Without them she had no idea what she’d do.
“Don’t hurt me,” she said slowly and deliberately, careful not to move or incite him. “I will do as you ask.”
She felt some of the tension ease from his form. His hips pulled back from her butt just a little, and he adjusted himself until his erect penis pushed down between her legs. Her pants still held her feet together, and the feel of him trapped tight between theflesh of her thighs was strange.
Compelling.
“We’ll take our time,” he said, voice tight, triumphant.“At least for as long as I can handle it. I don’t want to hurt you. I want it to be good for both of us.”
The anger had eased from his voice, although Tessa still didn’t trust him any more than she could throw him.
“Tell me what you want me to do,” she whispered.
He laughed harshly and flexed his hips, rubbing his hard c**k between her legs. The thick length grazed her labia, and she froze as renewed sensation rippled through her. A trickle of moisture welled up inside, and her ni**les hardened against the bed.
He flexed once more, giving a low chuckle of satisfaction as she whimpered, twisting her hips and trying to get…something. Tessa didn’t want to think about that. A tightening need grew within her, the same treacherous attraction that had always made her vulnerable to him. Only this time there were no caustic remarks and lab tables to hide behind.