His lips found mine, and I locked my arms around his head. The heat of his skin pressed down, and I was in heaven. I never wanted to let go. Never wanted this to end. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
He froze like I’d slapped him. Did he not want me to say that? Did that freak him out? He was my mate, right? Like, he was stuck with me? He would fall in love with me. He had to. That was what I was promised by Warden Egara. A man, alien, perfect for me.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“It is not possible. Not yet.” The denial broke his trance, and his lips found mine with long, exploratory kisses that made my heart ache. Yep, I was in trouble here.
Why did he say that? Did he think his own mate wouldn’t love him? I could relate, but he was freaking amazing. Why would he think that? Why had he gone silent and stone-faced when I said the “L” word?
Stupid. I never learned to keep my mouth shut. I always just said what I was feeling. That habit had always gotten me into trouble. Apparently, I hadn’t learned my lesson.
His kisses were like a drug. I locked my legs around his thighs and tugged at him to move his cock where I knew we both ached for him to go.
We were both silent as he slid deep. He took his time, slowly increasing the rhythm of his thrusts until I couldn’t take anymore. I cried out as another release blasted through me, amplified by the essence of his bite still circulating in my body, in my blood. By him. His heat. His strength. The smell of his skin. I was addicted, and I would never get enough.
He covered me, his heavy weight like a blanket as he filled me with his seed. I’d told Warden Egara I wasn’t ready for kids—and taken suitable precautions. That didn’t stop me from imagining my big, scary teddy bear with toddlers crawling all over him like he was a jungle gym. He wouldn’t forget about our children, ignore them or leave them behind. He wouldn’t treat them like they were invisible.
He wouldn’t ever treatmelike I was invisible, either. Even now, he held himself up with his elbows on either side of my head so I could breathe. He shuddered as the aftereffects of his own orgasm continued to ride him. I ran my fingernails gently up and down his sides, everywhere I could reach, petting him, letting him know he mattered to me.
He kissed me one more time before lifting his head to glare down at me. Which was a bit humorous with his cock still buried deep. That, and he couldn’t stop looking at my lips.
“Abby, what were you doing crawling around in the ventilation system? That was not a good idea.”
“I thought it was an excellent idea.”
He rocked his hips, his cock shifting inside me until I was on the verge of asking him to start all over again. Hell, I was going to be sore, and I didn’t care.
“I couldn’t reach you. What if you’d been trapped in there? I will not have you place yourself in danger.”
“I was fine.” I lifted my head and kissed his shoulder, nipping at him just a little. His hips jerked in response, so I did it again. “If it weren’t for that stupid rubber duck box blocking me, I would have made it to another room and left a boot for you.” I lifted my leg as much as I could to make my booted foot visible from the corner of his eye. “But I’m glad I didn’t. Boots have excellent traction.”
With a chuckle, he rolled to the side and pulled me with him. His hard length slipped free, and I sighed at the loss. I loved the feel of him inside me. I felt like we were one, like I really belonged. Like I mattered to him.
“I have never used autopilot on a ship. Not once.”
“What if the flight is really long? Don’t you need to sleep?”
“I can go several days without sleep before I become compromised. Generally, it does not take that long to get where I need to go.”
“Several days?” I rested my head on his shoulder, content when his arm settled behind me, holding me against him.
“Yes.”
He held me. He was big. Warm. Safe.
I never wanted to move again.
8
Cormac
Fuck me. I’d been so distracted by my mate—and my out-of-control instinct to claim her—that I’d ignored her statement.
If it weren’t for that stupid rubber duck box blocking me, I would have made it to another room…
I yanked my uniform back on as quickly as I could manage while being distracted watching my clean, naked mate put on the fresh set of clothing I’d generated for her after our shower. I’d been obsessed with bathing her, couldn’t tolerate the smell of Blade on her skin. I’d washed her with my own hands, fucked her slowly in the shower, generated some food and delighted in watching her consume something called lasagna like it was the most delicious thing she’d ever tasted. I tried a bite but did not care for the acidic taste of the red paste.
I’d pounded down several nutrition bars and some fluid designed for my Hyperion system and then stared at her as she moved food to her mouth. Chewed. I’d watched the flow of her neck muscles as she swallowed and allowed my gaze to wander down to her curved breasts. Watching a naked female eat was one of the most erotic things I’d ever seen. My fangs had dropped. I wanted to bite her again. And again.