“I cannot make it more clear,” she finally snapped, turning a hard glare on him. “I have no wish for your company or conversation. Leave me be.”
His smile came slow, but in it he exposed two long canine teeth.
I will not be intimidated.
“As you wish.” His steps slowed. “Though I’m sure we shall chat again.”
“Let’s hope not,” she muttered and turned away, her steps quite a bit quicker as she fled back to the lodge.
*
Leo watched her run away and his gaze narrowed. Excitement and lust mingled in his blood.
She was not overtly feminine. Her body was toned rather than having luscious curves. No, her curves were more slight. She was lean and with a lovely face.
Gods, it would be a thrill to fuck her. If he allowed himself the opportunity. He’d been without female companionship since leaving Multron and Bernadette behind. Though he had to admit he welcomed the break from his pet human—she’d begun to grate on his nerves lately.
He watched as the woman—Rebecca, was it?—disappeared from his vision and he began to walk again. Could it even be possible? That the man the Planetary Army of Belton put a bounty on was really a woman? A woman who stole specimens and fought and defeated trained soldiers.
Quite interesting. Interesting, indeed.
His gut told him he was onto something. That it was too much of a coincidence that she had a rib injury and one of the soldiers had mentioned inflicting a wound in the same area on the thief.
His lips curved into a smile and he flicked his tongue over one sharp incisor. He hoped it was her. Because if so he would enjoy breaking her. Enjoy her pleas that he not turn her over to the military.
Beneath his trousers his cock stirred, and he resisted the urge to reach down and stroke it. Until he could prove she was the thief and had her in his possession, he could not touch her.
But it mattered not. There were other women willing to let him sate his lust between their legs.
Being a blood drinker apparently aroused as many women as it made fearful. As was the case with Bernadette, who’d followed him back to Multron after he’d done work on another human planet.
But for now, he needed to slake his lust and touching Rebecca was off limits. Too bad that plump little lodge owner had turned him down, though. She would have been a great fuck to pass the time.
He tilted his head as he walked, already envisioning her without the dress. Yes, she’d be quite fun to bed.
Perhaps there was still time to convince her. She might be one that protested until you touched just the right spot on her body, and then she’d be begging like a pooch.
Hmm. The idea had appeal. He quickened his pace, already considering how he’d go about this.
* * * *
“I thought about you quite a bit today.”
Nika’s heart tripped as she glanced up at Brendon. “Did you, now?”
“I did.” He caught her hand as they walked to a park near the lodge. “There was little else to do. The forensic specialists scoured the lab again for evidence.”
Nika stumbled, felt the hairs on the back of her neck lift. “Oh? What happened?”
He hesitated and touched his eye. “Actually, it was how I came by this. There was an attempted break-in at the lab.”
She feigned surprise and made a cluck of sympathy. The sympathy was not so much feigned. The wound above his eye truly did look awful. And she’d been responsible for it.
“Did they catch the person?”
“Not yet. Hence the forensic search.”
Her throat grew tight.
“Enough about me. What have you done with yourself today?” he asked.
Forcing words out through the tension in her throat, she murmured, “I had breakfast with Molly. Spent an hour working on my report.”
“This report—”
“And then the strangest thing happened,” she rushed on, knowing he’d been about to ask about her work. And Gods, it was nothing but a lie. And she couldn’t bear to keep lying. “I went for a walk, and I was followed.”
Brendon stopped, turning to face her with his expression guarded. “Who followed you?”
“I cannot be certain. All I know is he comes from Multron. I believe him to be a blood drinker.”
The air hissed out from between Brendon’s teeth. “He followed you? Why? Did he harm you?”
“He did not hurt me.” She bit her lip. “But he made me quite uncomfortable and said some very off remarks.”
“Such as?”
Knowing she could hardly bring up him mentioning her nonexistent cousin, she simply shook her head.
“It doesn’t matter. I was just surprised he followed me. You seemed to realize whom I spoke of. Do you know the man?”
“No. I do not know him personally. But I have heard he is a bounty hunter visiting the planet on business.”
“A bounty hunter,” she repeated, her pulse quickening.
The military would not have put out a bounty on her head, would they?
“You look pale, love. Are you still up for a walk in the park?”
“I am.” She pressed a hand to her forehead and forced a smile. “’Tis nothing but a bit of a head cold.”
“If you are certain.”
“I am.”
And she was certain that she needed to keep herself focused. She could not afford to be distracted by fear. Or by passion. And gods, she’d certainly let the latter become a diversion.
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Brendon again. He was nothing more than a means to an end. And she would do best to remember that. If seducing him and being his lover resulted in pleasure, then so be it. But it was still nothing more than part of her job requirement.
Her internal conversation was just the spark she needed to light the fire under her. It reminded her of how much was at stake.
She squeezed her hand around Brendon’s and brightened her smile. “I am just thrilled to be spending more time with you. Though I must confess, since your admission about the break-in at the lab, I am worried for your safety. Do you work alone?”
He laughed softly and raised her hand to his mouth, brushing his lips across the back of her knuckles.
A tremor of pleasure seared through her blood.
“I used to. But they have raised security since the attempt.”
“Have they? So there are more of you working now?”
“Yes. Three soldiers per shift.”
Three. That would certainly pose more of a challenge.
“And do you usually work during the day?”
“Most of the time, yes.” He hesitated, turning them off the trail and toward an open park. “The night of the attack I had volunteered to cover the shift of a fellow soldier.”
“I see.” Her mouth tightened. “Quite unfortunate you happened to be there at the time of the attack. I hate that you were hurt.”
“Hurt, but fortunately not killed.”
She bit her lip, just before she could ask how the other soldier fared. The one she’d knocked out.
“Were you alone that night? The only person harmed?” she asked instead.
“No. There was another soldier on duty, the man I had come to relieve. The thief had him out cold.” Brendon’s voice hardened. “For a moment I thought him to be dead.”
“How terrible. But he is well now?”
“Yes. Though somewhat humiliated to have been taken down so easily.”
A swell of amused laughter bubbled in her throat, but she quickly snuffed it out.
She cleared her throat and said lightly, “You know, we never had a complete tour of the lab. If I came in to do another one we could spend more time together while you’re working.”
“I like the way you think.” He grinned and winked at her. “Perhaps tomorrow?”
“Only if you’re not too busy.”
They stopped in the middle of the open field and she breathed in the cool crisp air. There were not m
any people about, save for a family that helped a toddler down a sky slide.
Her gaze moved up to the slide high in the air and the lift that would take the child to the top. Her mouth curled into a soft smile as the toddler and mother exited the lift and sat down on the slide. A moment later they sailed down the clear slide—not quite invisible, for it shimmered in the fading sunlight.
“It looks fun, does it not?” Brendon asked.
“Indeed. I have to confess more so, that I’m intrigued to see children. On Zortou, there were none.”
“I had forgotten. Your generation was the last to be born on that planet. And among you, only a handful of females,” he murmured sympathetically. “Will you be able to have children of your own some day? Or did they…”
“Yes, I will be able to if I want. On Zortou they gave us injections regularly that would keep us from conceiving. Nobody wanted more men on the planet and once it was discovered that’s all that were being birthed…they put an end to it.”
The toddler squealed as he reached the end of the long slide and hurried off back toward the lift.
“You said you could have children if you want. Do you?”
Did she want children? She blinked, having not even considered the possibility. “I had not really thought about it. I’m not sure I would be the mothering type.”
“I’m not so certain about that.” Brendon touched her shoulder, turning her so that she now faced him. His pensive gaze searched hers.
Her cheeks flushed with color and she slid her gaze away from his. She would likely never be a mother, though. To do so would normally require being intimate with someone. That in itself rarely happened, with this mission being the exception. And as Rachel had informed her, she’d been given the injection to prevent pregnancy.
She watched the child and mother reach the top of the slide again. Something inside her softened, twisted a bit. Being a mother was likely a wonderful thing…
Nika started with dismay, stumbling backward at her own soft thoughts. Gods, what was wrong with her? Thinking about motherhood now? Truly?
“You look quite terrified,” Brendon teased. “Though I can understand. The idea of being a parent daunts the best of us. Myself included.”
“Yes, well. I cannot quite see it ever happening with me,” she said tightly.
“Are you on an injection schedule now?” he asked softly. “I did not use any protection.”
“I am,” she murmured and decided this topic needed to end. Like two minutes ago.
Turning fully in his arms, she slid her hands over his chest. “Though all this talk about procreating has made me quite excited about the process.”
He arched a brow and his gaze settled on her mouth. “Indeed?”
She let her tongue dart out to wet her lips. “Indeed.”
“I had thought to invite you onto the slide with me,” he murmured. “But perhaps we should indulge in a different form of entertainment?”
Nika let out a burst of laughter. “We are too large for the slide. It’s only for children, silly.”
“Nonsense.” He scoffed and then stepped back, grabbing her hand again. “I make it a habit to ride it at least once a week.”
“You jest!” She laughed, but didn’t fight him as he tugged her toward the lift.
“Never. We shall enjoy the slide and have a childhood moment. And then once back at the lodge,” he turned and growled against her ear. “We shall enjoy a more adult moment.”
Brendon squeezed into the boxed lift with her and she was suddenly forced quite close to him. His hard muscles pressed into the soft curves of her body.
Licking her lips, she confessed, “I am not sure what excites me more.”
“Why not both?” He slid his hands past her hips and squeezed her bottom lightly.
Heat spread through her body. Her nipples tightened, pressing against his solid chest.
She let out a soft gasp as the lift rose sharply into the air and she pressed her head against his shoulder. The wind brushed against her cheek the higher they rose.
He moved one hand up to rub her back and pressed a kiss against her forehead.
“Having you this close to me makes me wish we had skipped the slide,” he muttered in her ear. “For what I want to do to you right now surely is not appropriate for the eyes of children.”
She lifted her head, her eyes dancing with amusement. “The slide will take but a moment and I do so want to experience it. What we do after may take all night.”
“Is that a promise, love?”
“Or a threat. How would you feel if I bound you?”
He gave a soft laugh. “And to think, I’ve been thinking of asking you the same thing.”
Chapter 10
Her pulse jumped. She’d been teasing, but the look in his eyes indicated he had not.
The lift jerked to a halt and she swallowed hard.
“Time to go down now.”
Go down. The way he said it left no doubt of the double meaning. And at the moment, for the first time in her life, she actually had the desire to take a man’s cock in her mouth. Not any man’s, but Brendon’s. Never with her owners had she enjoyed the chore. Quite the opposite.
“Come, love.” His heated gaze ran over hers. “Let us slide and be on our way back to your room.”
Her cheeks heated and she gave a quick nod, turning and exiting the lift onto the slide.
The sudden realization at how high up they were sent a wave of dizziness through her.
“Gods, we are quite a bit in the air, are we not?” she asked, her voice tight.
How had she not realized her fear of the height would be so great?
“Easy, love. I’m right behind you. Just settle onto your bottom, and I’ll slide my legs on the other side of yours.”
She sat gingerly, gripping the edge of the slide’s high walls. Truly, there was no danger of falling off, but still, being able to see under her and over the slide—since it was clear—sent a wave of excitement and terror through her.
Brendon sat down behind her and the slide wobbled slightly, ripping a gasp from her.
“It’s all right. It’s quite safe.” He slid a hand around her waist and urged her to lean back against him.
She did, letting her head rest against the hard curve of his shoulder.
“Ready?”
“No, but I don’t suppose I have any choice now.”
“Not at all, seeing as the toddler is again on the lift at this very moment.”
She bit out a hoarse laugh. Surely if a child could do this, then she could.
“One,” he began. “Two.”
Before he could say three, he’d pushed them free and they swept downward on the slide at breakneck speed.
Nika shrieked as the ground rushed closer with each passing second. Her hair whipped back from her face and her nails dug into Brendon’s legs. The exhilaration and fear combined to make her pulse race and give her a complete feeling of being weightless.
She yelled the whole way down, clutching Brendon until they came to a stop at the bottom.
“Gods!” She laughed and scooted to her feet, pressing a hand against her chest. “That was amazing.”
Brendon’s face was alight with pleasure and he laughed, glancing back at the slide.
“I haven’t a clue the last time I went down that thing.”
Nika laughed harder. “You lied! I thought you went down daily.”
“Hardly. A grown man visiting the play equipment daily?” He made a face. “How scandalous.”
She swatted his chest and he caught her wrist, pulling her close.
“Shall we go down again on the sky-slide?” he murmured, sliding his hands down to her waist. “Or are you hoping for another sort of ride?”
The air escaped her lungs on a tiny puff, as moisture gathered heavy between her legs. “Most definitely another sort of ride.”
“Wonderful,” he growled. “For I am certain I have something for you to ride on, love.
”
She bit her lip and pressed her body firmly against his. “Promises, promises.”
His gaze smoldered just before he lowered his head, covering her mouth with his. He licked at her bottom lip, drawing it between his teeth to nibble on, before sliding his tongue inside. She let out a soft sigh and melted into him.
*
Each stroke of Nika’s tongue against his made Brendon’s cock just a little bit harder. Gods, he wanted this woman. Watching her carefree and teasing on the slide had just made him realize how much she’d begun to sink her claws into him.
He lifted his head and pressed his forehead against hers.
“Let’s head back to your room,” he muttered unevenly, rubbing his thumb across her bottom lip. “Before I do something highly inappropriate. Like fuck you on one of the high-speed swings.”
She laughed softly and stepped back from him, placing her hand in his again. “Is that considered inappropriate?”
“Naughty minx.”
Her laugh deepened. “Let us go. But might I ask why you do not invite me to your bedchamber?”
He shook his head, but his fingers tightened around her hand. “I make it a rule to never bring a woman back to my bedchamber.”
She opened her mouth to likely ask why not, but then seemed to think better of it.
Good. He hated to admit his reasoning aloud. It wasn’t that he couldn’t bring a woman back to his bedchamber; he was perfectly entitled. And he knew many of his fellow soldiers did so on a regular basis.
But to do that would be opening himself and his life to speculation. It would leave him vulnerable. Being with a woman at her unit or somewhere else gave him the power. It let him come and go exactly when he wanted. There were no ties and there was no way a woman could come harass him at his residence if things ended badly.
The walk back to the lodge seemed to take much longer than the walk to the park. Nightfall was descending upon them and the air grew chilly.
Each step they took brushed her hip against his and sent a wave of her sensual perfume beneath his nostrils. He rubbed his thumb across the palm of her hand and was rewarded when she let out a small groan.
When the lights of the lodge came into view the relief was tangible. He resisted the urge to pick her up, carry her into the lodge and up to her room in true primitive fashion. Something like those fictional caveman films from the old planet Earth that traded like crazy.
Need Me Page 11