C. J. Barry - Unearthed 04, page 15
“Want to go a few rounds in the holoring?”
“The way I’m feeling, I’d kick your butt.”
He slid her a skeptical glance. “Why don’t you let me and my butt worry about that?”
His words drew a smile from her. He motioned her down a side corridor, and she followed. They ran together in silence, two bodies moving as one force. It was more erotic than it should have been. Must be his bare chest.
By the time she figured out where he was going, it was too late. Free Quarters loomed dead-ahead. She pulled up, and he jogged to a stop. “I thought you’d want to see the girls.”
She did. It was the rest she wasn’t up to dealing with. “Are they still here?”
“Brilliard didn’t get a chance to drop them off before I shut everything down. Come on.”
He reached out and took her hand. She let him lead her into the atrium, where a group of small children were playing on recreation equipment. One of them came running when he saw Qaade. The rest pursued, and Qaade met them halfway. They surrounded him, squealing with excitement as he pretended to be a raging giant. Bellowing loudly, he lurched from side to side, his arms wide. Torrie stood agape at his antics, disbelieving her eyes. Little hands, arms and bodies clung to him in a game they had obviously played many times. Finally, the giant succumbed to the tiny monsters, to their absolute delight. And as he lay on the ground vanquished, they mobbed him with glee.
Torrie didn’t realize she was laughing until he rolled up on one elbow and grinned at her. Caught off guard, she had nowhere to hide. For a split second, she knew he saw right through her. But there was no judgment in his eyes, only the crinkle of a smile. Almost like he understood.
Then he was swallowed by a wave of miniature bodies. She could hear his laughter ring out from somewhere under the pile as he struggled to stand, only to be toppled again.
A group of spectators formed around the roiling mass of giggles and screams. Among them were a young woman and two small girls. Torrie almost didn’t recognize them. They were dressed in clean clothes, and their long, tangled hair was brushed and cut to manageable length. But more than that, they looked happy and unafraid.
She made her way over to them. Both girls smiled wide when they noticed her. The young woman holding their hands nodded in greeting. She had short hair and expressive blue eyes, making her look even younger than she probably was.
“You are Torrie,” she said. “I heard about you. You saved these girls from Wryth.”
Torrie grimaced. “Actually, that was Qaade. I was just along for the ride.”
The young woman shrugged. “You still helped. I’m Clarita, their caretaker while they are aboard Freeport.”
“Very nice to meet you,” Torrie replied. She kneeled down to the girls’ height. “Greetings,” she said to them.
The girls didn’t answer, but held tight to Clarita’s legs. The young woman patted their heads. “They don’t talk,” she explained.
Tome’s smile faltered. “Will they ever?”
“Perhaps. They were taught not to speak. It takes a while to get over the fear of punishment, So, until they tell us their names, we call this one Sesha”she hugged the youngest”and this one Reva.” The girl giggled at several gentle squeezes.
Punishment for talking. Torrie swayed and rose to her feet.
Clarita frowned slightly. “Are you feeling well?”
“Fine,” Torrie replied. “Thank you for taking care of them.”
Clarita grinned. “I like doing it.”
Torrie looked at the waif of a young woman. So much strength was in this small package. “They are lucky to have you.”
Clarita’s smile widened. “Thank you. But we better go. It’s their naptime.” She led the girls away.
Qaade came up beside Torrie. “They look good.”
She nodded as the trio disappeared through a doorway, then turned to Qaade. His body was covered with scratches and marks from his recent rough-housing, but he looked as though he couldn’t be happier. When their eyes met, his expression softened. Was that sympathy? Damn, it was like she’d become completely transparent. She didn’t need this.
Before he could tell her something she did not want to hear, she jogged off toward the exit. He caught up, and they settled into a hard pace together through a quiet corridor toward her quarters.
“In a hurry?” he asked.
“If you can’t keep up, feel free to quit.”
He cast her a bemused look. “Trying to get rid of me?”
She thought about that. Maybe she was. Every time he looked at her like that, it reminded her of all the times she’d walked by someone who needed help and hadn’t given any. It reminded her of howmuch she had and how little others possessed. It reminded her of Zoe, lost all those years ago.
And although she would probably never uncover the facts of her childhood friend’s sudden disappearance, deep inside she knew what had happened. Could she have done more? Could she do more now? There had to be a better way than thissaving one life at a time and flying scared. There had to be a way to make it right for everyone.
“I guess that means yes,” Qaade said. He slowed to a stop, and Torrie halted a few steps later. It took her a moment to remember what he was talking about, even after she finally focused on him. He stood there watching her, bare-chested and exquisite. His skin gleamed light gold, with muscles in all the right places. Deep pecs, broad shoulders, long, flat torso. She really had to hang around pirates more.
“I’m sorry. My mind was somewhere else,” she apologized, and pulled a swath of sticky hair from her face. “Do you have anything to drink onboard this wreck?”
A slow grin crossed his face. “In my quarters.” He pressed a panel behind him, and a door opened into a hallway. “After you.”
She narrowed her eyes. Somehow she’d been set up, but she wasn’t quite sure how. Still, a drink was what she’d asked for, so she followed him to his room. It looked much like hers, with one noticeable differencethe large bed in the center.
Her belly fluttered, which she was sure had everything to do with the half-naked man and big bed in such close proximity. Qaade opened a wall cabinet, his back to her. It was beautifullike a work of art.
Qaade turned back with two drinks, and he handed one to her. She took a big swallow and let it burn down her throat, banishing some of the cold that had permeated her body in the past few days.
“Strong,” she managed with a cough, the drink stealing the air from her lungs.
Qaade chuckled. “I don’t have another kind.”
“No, it’s fine,” she said. “It’s good.”
A long pause drew out between them before he said, “The numbness will wear out after a while.”
She blinked. “How did you know?”
“I see it all the time,” he said over his drink. “A new crewmember starts, and they go into shock for a while. But then you get used to it. All the horror.”
“I won’t. Ever.”
His gaze stayed on her for a long time before he set his drink down. Then he moved around behind her and placed his two large, warm hands on her shoulders. She tensed automatically, fighting the shock of intimacy, but he didn’t retreat. Instead, his fingers strummed her neck, caressing and kneading.
He muttered, “You don’t have a relaxed muscle in your body, woman. Are you always this tense?”
She wanted to tell him: Not tense, on guard. Protected. It was the only way to survive. But as he worked, explanations became less of a priority. She could feel the layers of stress peel away, and she let them. She wasn’t in a mood to analyze why.
All too soon, Qaade stopped and turned her around to face him. He took her drink, set it aside and moved in close. Heat from his body enveloped her, penetrating straight to her soul. That’s when she noticed his eyes. Hot didn’t even begin to describe them.
“Qaade”
He placed his palms on her shoulders and caressed them. “You need to relax.”
“Relax? Relax?” She couldn’t believe his audacity. “You stole my cargo, purchased me, dragged me to a ship full of slaves whose collective futures are being held hostage by a psycho who kills one hundred fifty-one people everywhere he goes. How do you expect me to relax?”
“Like this.” And he kissed her.
Chapter Seventeen
She gasped, both from surprise and pleasure. But Qaade tasted so good, and she needed to feel so much, she latched on to him with shameless desperation. A red-hot rush pushed everything else awaythe visual of the ship, the ghosts of death and the lunatic hunting them. She wanted this, wanted Qaade. To feel connected. To feel alive.
Qaade pulled back, eyes intense, looking surprised himself. Then his mouth possessed hers again, urgent this time. Her hands went to his chest, taking what she must to survive. She nipped his lip, ground her mouth against his and let out a shuddering moan. Fire sparked from the cold ashes of her hopelessness. It burned in her gut while Qaade’s hands heated her skin, skimming her breasts and teasing her nipples. His fingers explored with skill and devastating promise.
He broke off his kiss and swore softly. She frowned at the cold vacuum he left behind. No way, he was not doing this to her again. She needed this more than he did.
“Is there a problem?” she asked, her fingers clenched around his biceps, refusing to let go.
“Yes.” He led her to the lav. “I need a shower.”
She did too, but she was ready to burst into flames as it was. Dousing the fire was not what she’d had in mind.
“Right now? You can’t wait two minutes?”
He activated the shower and turned to her. “You could kill a man with a line like that. I can promise you, it’ll take longer than two minutes.” Then he stepped into the narrow stall fully clothed and tugged her in with him. She sputtered as water soaked her running clothes and shoes.
“Qaade”
His arms locked around her and his lips claimed hers, silencing all protests. His mouth, the water washing down her and the sounds of desire flooded her senses. She hurtled toward the only thing that had the power to purge the sadness that seemed to fill her.
Save me, she thought.
As if reading her mind, he lifted her leg at the knee and removed one shoe, all the while kissing her senseless. He did the same for the other shoe. She heard it thunk to the floor of the shower, followed by his own shoes.
Qaade’s lips left hers for the half second it took for him to peel her tank top off over her head. Then he bent down and tongued one of her nipples. Water misted and became rivulets that tickled down her throat and between her breasts. She lay her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. All she wanted at this moment was this one man. Nothing else mattered as he licked the water coursing across her body and his fingertips caressed the sensitive undersides of her breasts and her ribcage. Amid the overwhelming sensations of steam and touch, she felt his hands at her waist. Her shorts slid down her legs and pooled around her ankles.
She grasped Qaade’s hair as his mouth descended slowly along her belly, kissing her navel and nipping at her hipbones. Then she felt his lips at her very core, answering the ache that pounded in her blood. Steam filled her lungs as she quaked at his tender ministrations. Her head rolled back and forth in mindless anticipation. Pressure began to build, from his lips through her body, until she cried out as it took hold and delivered her into rapture. Waves of ecstasy displaced all thought, and she gave voice to them with a heartfelt, “Qaade.”
With aftershocks still ravaging her body, she clutched at his short hair and urged him to his feet. No doubt seeing the satisfaction lingering in her eyes, he grinned. Cocky pirate. Payback was going to be a pleasure.
He pressed into her, his mouth devouring thought. “Relaxed yet?” he murmured against her lips.
She slipped her hands inside his shorts and wrapped her fingers around his hard length. “Are you?”
He sucked in a breath and groaned his reply. She watched his head loll back, and his eyes closed as her fingers stroked the soft skin and hard length of him. She shoved his shorts down, and he leaned back against the wall, giving her free rein.
She took itkissing him from wide shoulders to narrow hips to thick thighs. Firm buttocks and long, sinewy muscle slipped under her palms as she eased herself down him.
After thorough exploration of the rest of his body, she finally ran her tongue along his engorged length. A full-body shudder racked him. Then she proceeded with her payback, reveling in the growls that erupted deep in his chest.
That is, she proceeded until he rudely removed her. With one hand, he shut off the water while he pulled her from the shower with the other.
“You know, I wasn’t finished,” she said.
“Neither was I.”
He turned, gripped her by the waist, and they tumbled onto the bed in a mass of slick, tangled bodies. He rolled her onto her back and settled heavily between her legs. His hands held her head still while he kissed her mouth and face. Impatiently, she arched upward, pressing his thick erection between them.
He hissed and froze. She took the opportunity to reach down and guide him into her.
“Now,” she whispered. “I want you now.”
With a guttural sound, he surged into her, stretching her tight and filling the emptiness. For a moment, neither of them moved, savoring the precious bond between them. Then Qaade withdrew and began thrusting in a perfect rhythm. She lost herself to his unrestrained force, which matched her own wild energy.
Did he feel it, too? Did he understand her desperation? Did he know how much she needed him? That thought held for a split-second, disturbed her on a dangerous level. Then, just as quickly, it was gonesmoke in the wind.
Their bodies were so in tune, she felt the change in him and opened her eyes to watch. To her surprise, he was already staring at her, his face etched with passion and pain. He clenched his teeth, picking up the pace and pounding into her with so much power that it took her breath away. In that moment, she realized he needed to escape as much as she did.
A wild inferno grew between them, flames melding and twisting, their tortured minds seeking peace. She felt a climax build, frightening in its intensity. Her nails sunk into Qaade’s shoulders, but she couldn’t brace herself enough for the violent wave. Just as it ripped through her, he plunged into her body one last time and let loose a primal roar of release. It reverberated through her soul, completing her.
Qaade collapsed, and she felt his heart beating wildly against hers as they both struggled for air. Residual waves of her climax skittered across her body, leaving Torrie drained. She held tight to Qaade, not wanting to lose the moment. Not wanting to go back to reality just yet.
When their breathing eased back to normal, he rolled off her onto his back and tucked her in his arm. The sweet promise of sleep whispered to her for the first time in days. Just before it took hold, she murmured, “I’m relaxed now.”
He whispered. “It worked wonders for me, too.”
The comm was chiming a steady beat when Qaade finally surfaced from possibly the best sleep of his life. Torrie was wedged beside him, his hand covering her breast possessively, and all was right with the world.
Except for the damn comm. He cleared his throat. “What?”
“There you are,” Brilliard’s voice rang out. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Were you sleeping?”
A smile tugged at his lips. “Yes.”
“Sorry,” Brilliard apologized. “I hate to interrupt a well-deserved nap, but we’re dropping out of hyperspace in roughly forty minutes. You might want to gear up.”
Back to the real world. “Will do.”
“And I can’t locate Torrie. Any idea where she is?”
Qaade turned and looked into her peaceful face. “I’ll take care of her. Out.”
Torrie drew in a deep breath, and burrowed into his shoulder. He’d like nothing better than to wake her slowly, watch while she blossomed in his hands and cried out his name once more. She probably didn’t even remember the event, but the sound was ingrained in his mind for all time. He wanted to hear it again. Every day, if possible. Never had he made love to a woman who could match his ferocity and who wouldn’t shy from his wild power. If anything, Torrie had relished it.
As he watched her sleep, he realized how damned comfortable he was, even with a full erection. As if this were something he’d like to do on a regular basis. It was more than just making love to Torrie. It was sleeping with her, waking up with her, laughing, crying, and arguing with her. That was a real life. And a familythe yearning for it made his chest ache. There was a reason why he never thought along those lines, and it was called Slipstream. He already had a family.
Still, he’d seen Torrie fight for him, seen the fierce passion in her eyes for a battle she didn’t start, and didn’t even fully understand. Most of his people were former slaves, and that was why they helped him. She didn’t have to be here. She had a choice.
For a brief moment, he wondered what it would feel like to have her by his side forever. He craved the passion in her heart and ambition in her soul, but even as he thought about it, he realized he could never be with her. He would never risk her. The thought of losing her or having her scrubbed like Fren was unbearable. Nothing would be worse than that. No, his life was too dangerous. He’d let her go. The sooner Slipstream swallowed him up again, the sooner he’d forget how good it felt to hold her in his arms.
He gently shook her awake. Her eyes fluttered open with marked reluctance, and she wrinkled her nose in protest. He ducked an errant elbow as she rolled over. He rolled her back.
“We have to move, Torrie.”
She yawned and focused on him slowly. A few blinks later, he saw reality invade her eyes; they clouded over, eclipsing the fiery lover. He hated that. She was right; she would never get used to Slipstream. Maybe that’s why she hadn’t chosen the life of a warrior, despite her aptitude; she couldn’t see past the struggle to the goal.
He leaned down and kissed her. Her fingers stroked his face and she rubbed her thigh against his erection.
