Gabe
Page 9
CHAPTER FIVE
She couldn’t breathe. She was caught in an endless swirl of white, rolling and tumbling, disoriented, falling, alone. Keshara screamed.
“Wake up, sweetheart. You’re safe. You’re here with me.”
Arms like bands of steel held her, and she was pressed firmly against a rock hard body, her breasts compressed against the muscles of his chest. Gabe whispered reassuringly in her ear and stroked her hair. “Nightmare?” he said when he realized she was free of the dream.
“The avalanche. I was caught in the avalanche.” She swallowed hard. “Alone.”
“I had a hell of a time waking you.” He brushed a kiss on her temple. “You’ll never be alone, not while I’m alive to stand with you. We’re a team.”
The words made her catch her breath, wondering how deeply his sentiment ran, or if he was merely trying to be comforting in the moment. “I’m awake now.” And conscious of how well their bodies fit together.
This time when she pulled his head closer to hers, it was her tongue that caressed and quested for entry into his mouth. When he parted his lips for her, she tasted the special flavor that was his alone, the spice her Badari senses told her was Gabe and no other. Her heart pounded, and she held him tight, rocking her hips against the hard, hot evidence of his desire. Gabe groaned, and his tongue tangled with hers in a sensual dance that was far too brief before he broke the kiss off.
Keshara wasn’t going to be denied again, not if he was as willing as his body indicated. The huge erection lying against her belly like a steel rod was impossible to deny, even through all their layers of clothing. “I want you,” she whispered, running her hand under his shirt and stroking across his chest. She circled his nipple with a fingertip, relishing the way he reacted to her touch. Enjoying the tension of his muscles under her palm, she moved her hand slowly down his body, under the edge of his pants as he clenched his abdominal muscles to make her access easier until she came to his cock. Curling her fingers around the impressive girth, she rubbed the length to the root. Oh yes, those dry boring sex education modules had no relationship to the reality of what it felt like to have her hand on an actual aroused male for whom she had deep feelings. The way his skin was soft to the touch over the implacable hardness of his manhood was arousing and exciting.
He locked his hand on her wrist but didn’t attempt to break her hold on him. “Are you sure you know what you’re getting into?” Gabe glanced at her hand caging his impressive erection and rocked his hips against her hold almost as if he couldn’t stop himself in instinctive response to the pressure. “There’s no denying how much I want to make love to you, but I’ve been fighting the desire.”
She moistened her lips, conscious of how he tracked the motion of her tongue. She could tell his arousal heightened in response as his body stiffened even further and she felt him pulsing against her palm. She filed away the fact of how the visuals stimulated him. “Why resist? I want you and you admit you want me.”
His hips bucked as Keshara ran her hand along his shaft again, squeezing and stroking, encouraged by his reaction to what she was doing. “Because this is all new to you, I’m the first guy you ever met outside the Khagrish. It’d be an honor to be your first lover, but it’s not fair to you when you don’t know what the world holds. I don’t want to take advantage of the situation. And besides, you—you might meet someone else later and be sorry you didn’t wait.”
“I want no other lover,” she said, puzzled rather than hurt or annoyed at his reluctance. “It’s my decision who to want and who to love. The heart knows.”
“You haven’t even met a Badari male yet.” His voice was strained under the effort he was making to resist the temptation she offered. “I’m trying to do the honorable thing here but you’re the most captivating woman I’ve ever met. You’re tantalizing me right up to the edge of my self-control.”
She realized with a flash of insight he was trying to protect her out of a mistaken but admirable impulse, concerned with her possible naiveté. He protected himself as well, from future rejection by her, when it might hurt more. Oh yes, his emotions are as deeply engaged as mine. Keshara withdrew her hand, to the accompaniment of his involuntary protest, but only so she could unfasten his shirt and press her lips to his bare chest and taut stomach. Emboldened, she dropped tiny, teasing kisses, enjoying the taste of him against her lips. “So many worries,” she murmured in between caresses. “We don’t even know what tomorrow might hold. You could have died today in the avalanche or I could have. I say we’ve wasted enough time denying what we both know lies between us.” She paused and sat up, staring into his eyes. “But if you ask me to stop, if you really don’t want us to be intimate tonight, I’ll wait. I’d wait for you forever.”
Gabe groaned and rested his forehead against hers. “No, I do not want to wait, as you can plainly tell. I’m not experienced with—with deflowering virgins, to be blunt.”
Keshara raised her hands away from him and sat back. “I’m an adult woman, making my free choice of who I want to take as my lover and I trust you to be caring and considerate.”
He kissed her forehead. “We haven’t discussed protection. As in I don’t have any with me, and I doubt that at the Retreat you have any need for birth control. Humans and Badari are cross fertile, you know.”
“We take pills. Ashla said there were problems with the Khagrish males who used to be at the Retreat in the early days, and the Director didn’t want any outlier results of the experiment, as she called them, so we’re on meds. I guess no one ever ended the order for contraceptives, even though there are so few males left at the facility. We take the medications once a year, so I’m protected for a while yet.”
“I’ve got a clean bill of health,” he said. “Cleared at my most recent pilot’s physical shortly before I was captured and brought to this planet. Thought I should mention that, although Badari don’t pick up infections or viruses.”
“Are we done with the checklist now?” Keshara pushed at his shirt, and he allowed her to strip it off. His muscles gleamed in the firelight and, once again, she ran her hand below his belt to explore what lay there. “I trust you. Everything you’ve said makes me trust you more, if that’s possible.”
He lifted her chin and bent to kiss her again, fiercely, passion unleashed and now she realized with a thrill of excitement how much he’d been holding himself back. Gabe laid her on the mattress and undressed her, taking too much time over the task for her taste, but it was pleasurable to hear him exclaim over her beauty as he peeled the layers of fabric away. He lowered his head to take the tip of one aching breast into his mouth and tug and tease. With his free hand he toyed with the nipple of the other and she arched into him with a moan of pure pleasure as she fumbled with the fastening of his pants.
“Skin to skin everywhere,” she said as she traced her fingers lightly over his spine and shoulders. “Please, Gabe.”
“Your wish is my command,” he said with a grin, disengaging from his attention to her breasts and giving her a little salute. She smiled in response. Gabe was irresistible to her in all his moods, but the teasing, flirtatious moments were so unlike anything she’d ever experienced in all her existence that she could easily get addicted to them.
Keshara plucked at the waistband of his trousers. “Take them off, soldier. You’re the one stalling.”
“And you’re sure you want to do this?” He checked her face one more time.
“More than anything, as long as you’re in agreement.”
For answer, he sat up and worked his pants off, throwing them aside.
She was riveted by the sight of his cock standing proudly, ready for her pleasure, the heavy sac drawn up tight below. There were minor differences from what was depicted in the training modules but she was too aroused to conduct a scientific analysis. Gabe was built on an exceedingly generous scale and would surely satisfy the curiously enticing ache building deep inside her. “Incredible how large a male you ar
Gabe laughed, the sound all male and happy. “Sweetheart, you’re good for my ego.”
She lay back, spreading her legs. “I hope we fit together. I’d no idea you were blessed with such impressive size everywhere. The training module illustrations were much more modest. Of course those were unexcited males.”
“Being here, close to you, I’m definitely excited, as you put it.” He laughed and stroked his hand along her body as if savoring the sensuality of her curves. “Don’t worry, nature designed the sexes to fit together nicely but a certain amount of preparation is required,” Gabe said with the wickedly amused expression she found so charming. “But I think you’ll enjoy the process. If you don’t then I haven’t been solicitous enough.” He slid his hand up her thigh and gently through her curls, until he was stroking her innermost folds, inserting one cautious finger and then two, working them into her channel, massaging the soft, slick surfaces.
Keshara was embarrassed how wet and eager for him she was, but he seemed to find her state of readiness a compliment, murmuring his approval and appreciation.
“But, especially for the first time, we can do better,” he said.
Taking a firm grip on her hips, Gabe lowered his head and was plying his sinfully skillful human tongue in all new ways. When he found her sensitive bud of flesh and paid extra attention to the bundle of nerve endings there, she squirmed and pleaded, but he was relentless, working her until the waves of pleasure became overwhelming. She crested on a wave of sensation, head thrown back, her entire body involved in the climax he’d invoked.
As Keshara came down from the sensual high, he moved over her, guiding himself into her body an inch at a time. She was amazed how full she felt as his manhood stretched her channel, and how much stimulus was provided to her body as he progressed, sliding forward a delicious increment every time he moved his hips. He was watching her face.
“Good?” he asked.
“Better than anything I ever felt before,” she said, holding him as tightly as she could and adjusting her hips to get a slightly better angle.
“This might hurt briefly,” he warned. “I hope not but then I’ll more than make it up to you, I swear.”
“I’m not worried. I trust you.” Keshara tried to match the rhythm he was setting as Gabe moved more rapidly, stroking in and out.
She clung to him as there was indeed a tiny flicker of discomfort, quickly overridden by the pulses of the approaching climax. Her world narrowed to the man above her and the place where the two of them became one, and she rejected conscious thought to concentrate on the sensations deep inside. As he thrust deep and hard, saying her name with so much emotion she wanted to cry with pride at how she affected him, she spun into a whirlwind of pleasure, locking her legs behind his back to intensify her own climax.
Passion and instincts overwhelmed her, and to her utter astonishment she felt her fangs deploy.
As they lay tangled together in the aftermath, his cock deeply seated in her welcoming body, Gabe said, “Sweetheart, were you trying to claim me?”
Mortified, she sat up, disentangling herself from his embrace, and turned away from him, but he caught her wrist before she could gather her legs under her.
She couldn’t meet his gaze, though. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened. I’d never hurt you. You—you must be disgusted.” Tears overwhelmed her then.
“Hey, nothing of the kind. I’m extraordinarily complimented.” He gathered her close despite her halfhearted struggles, pulling her onto his lap where she curled up. “But claiming each other as mates is a serious step we need to talk about first.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” She was afraid to see what expression might lie in his eyes.
“When your fangs deployed and you went for my shoulder, that’s how a Badari claims his or her mate. There’s nothing wrong or unnatural about the instinct.” He tilted her face up to his and kissed her on the lips. “Let me see?”
Keshara allowed her fangs to deploy. The mood was ruined—how could it be any worse?
“Perfectly to scale—the right size for you,” he said, approval clear in his tone. “Potentially deadly, useful in a fight.”
Hardly daring to believe the positive tone of his response, she could only whisper. “They don’t repulse you? The Khagrish, even the Director herself says our natural armament is proof of our being nothing more than clever animals, created from bits and pieces of DNA.”
“The Khagrish lie practically every time they open their mouths.” His tone was acidic. “Yes, the scientists engineered the Badari but you’re sentient beings. Highly intelligent. So we have a few differences here and there, makes no difference to me.” He shook his head, running the fingers of one hand through her hair, smoothing out tangles, caring for her with a tenderness amazing in such a tough soldier. Her heart melted all over again. “Not at all. The claws and fangs are just another part of you. You should see the daggers Aydarr and the guys come equipped with. Six times the size of yours at least.”
She leaned against him, allowing herself to be soothed, breathing in his unique scent, which was calming and comforting. “What did you mean, about me trying to claim you?”
“Apparently, it’s an instinct thing, from what I’ve been told. Guys are understandably pretty private about the details of their claiming. Your Great Mother blesses the bites and, within a few hours, marks like golden ring tattoos appear on the man and the woman’s shoulders.” He grinned a bit crookedly. “The human partner doesn’t come equipped with nifty fangs. We’re sort of lacking in that respect, so what I’ve inferred is the human mate has to bite down hard enough to leave a bruise. There are only five mated pairs in sanctuary valley so far.” He took a deep breath. “The point is, I’m honored you want to claim me.”
“But?” Because Keshara could clearly hear there was one coming.
Brow furrowed, he sounded troubled. “Badari mate for life.”
With despair, she assumed she knew where he was going with this. “And humans don’t?” The ache in her heart was crippling, and she wanted to curl up and hide.
Stroking her skin in a soothing massage, he kissed her shoulder and shook his head. “On the contrary, we dream of it and promise each other to stay till death parts us. Not all human unions actually go the distance. Most sadly don’t.” Gabe paused and swallowed hard. “Sweetheart, I’m going to be blunt here. I’d like nothing more than to be your mate for life. If anyone had ever told me—me of all people, because I’ve been a tumbling asteroid my entire life—that I’d fall in love with a woman I just met and want to bond to her for the rest of my days, I’d have said they were nuts. Or high on feelgoods. But you’re special. You’ve been special to me since the first night in the damn furbana den when I was all busted up. I can’t get you off my mind. I don’t want to stop thinking about you. I wanted to live for you and protect you and be with you.” He watched the fire as if gathering his thoughts. Keshara held her breath as he continued. “Love at first sight is kind of a myth in the human world. People want to have it but almost no one ever does find it. Well, I did, when I laid eyes on you. No other woman ever affected me this way, and I know no one else ever will.”
But?” she asked again. If he had all these intense feelings for her, which matched the ones in her heart, why was there a problem?
“I’m not even Badari. You have no idea what they’re like, but you’ll see when we reach the valley. You could communicate mind to mind to them—”
“Stop bringing up these other males!” She shut him up by kissing him thoroughly. After a startled moment, he yanked her close, one hand rising to cup her breast as his tongue dueled with hers in the warmth of her mouth. As they clung to each other, she felt the unmistakable evidence of his desire pressing hard against her thigh, ready for more intimacy. Keshara broke off the kiss and framed his face with her hands, staring into his eyes. She could see the golden glare of hers reflected in his. “Don’t try to protect me from my own heart. Don’t try to protect me from my choices. Don’t try to protect me from you.”
Holding her gaze, he said, “I give you my word.” He grinned, but then his smile faded. “You know I’m one of Aydarr’s soldiers? Mostly he uses my skills as a pilot, but I’ve done combat missions as well. My status doesn’t change, whether I’m your mate or not. I fight for all of us to survive but I’m under his command. I go where he asks me to fight.”
She studied his face. “I chose a warrior. Why would anything change?”
“There’s another thing.” He swallowed hard. “I’m on deck for a job, not sure when or if it’ll actually happen, but I’m one of the only two guys in the valley who can fly a spaceship, a Chimmer spaceship to be exact. This is top secret, but our forces recently captured one, and we’re working hard to make it suitable for humans to endure a long flight. We believe we have to get word to the Sectors, to the human authorities and get help. Walt, another human, and I would be piloting the ship on this trip, if we can figure out where exactly the Sectors is in relation to here. I didn’t care before—I volunteered—but now there’s you and even if we’re mated I’d still have to go. Walt can’t go alone.”
Keshara mentally reviewed the situation he’d outlined. “But you’d return with these other allies?”
He stretched his hand out to her, and she clasped her fingers in his. “My word as a soldier, once the briefings were done and the Sectors agreed to send an armada, I’d be back as soon as I could get the ship refueled and plot our course home to you.”
Trying to bolster her own acceptance of what he was telling her, she asked for further reassurance. “The reason to go is compelling?”
He countered her question with one of his own. “How much do you know about why this planet exists? Why the Khagrish do their perverted ‘research’?”
She shook her head. “Not much. The Director was contemptuous of those she’d left behind in the outer world so the training material we were given to study was fairly laconic on the subject. We live in a completely closed world by her preference.”
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