by Anna Hackett
He bent his head and sucked her nipple into his mouth.
“Axton!” She jerked beneath him, her hands clamping onto his head. He lapped at her nipple, then released it to move across to the other breast.
“Good?” he murmured against her skin.
“Yes.”
“More?”
“Yes!” She arched into his mouth and he moved, his lips trailing down until he found her belly button. He kissed across her stomach, traced the light ridges of muscle—another sign of that strength he found so attractive. Then he let his lips touch one of her implants.
“You’re beautiful.” He nudged her legs apart and looked at her. Dark red hair and glistening, female flesh waited for him.
She shifted on the covers and even in the dim light, he saw the flush on her face.
“Beautiful,” he said again. He slid one hand up her slim thigh, rubbing in circles. Higher, higher.
Her mouth opened on a gasp.
He circled her clit, watching as she squirmed against him, her breath hitching. Then, keeping his gaze on her, he slid a finger inside her.
Her hips jerked up off the bed. She was so tight. He pulled back and slid two fingers into her. “Does that feel good?”
“You must know it does.” Her voice was breathless.
He worked her, stretching her, keeping his thumb strumming her clit.
“I want to touch you,” she said.
“Soon.”
Her jaw tightened. “I mightn’t have much experience at this, but I’m not a pushover, Axton.”
He almost laughed. “Baby, I know you aren’t a pushover. But I want you to lie back and let me love you. Believe me, watching your pleasure gives me pleasure, too.”
Her gaze shot down to where the towel was tented in front of him.
“Now—” he leaned over her “—I’m going to taste you.”
Her saw the muscles in her stomach clench. He pressed a kiss to her hip bone, then moved lower and stopped with his mouth inches from her warm, damp flesh.
“I’m going to put my mouth on you. Then I’m going to lick and suck you until you come in my mouth.”
“Axton.” His name was a whimper on her lips.
He pressed his mouth to her.
She cried out, her hands twisting in the sheets.
He licked her with one long stroke, then gripped her legs and lifted them onto his shoulders. He sucked, drank in the honey of her. Her whimpers and cries made his own desire swell and his cock with it. Damn, if it got any bigger, he was going to be in real pain.
She ground against him, her heels digging into his back. She bucked her hips and then came on a scream.
So. Beautiful.
She fell back on the bed in an abandoned sprawl. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes slumberous.
Axton stood and dropped the towel.
Her eyes widened. The lazy aftermath of her climax evaporated and heat sparked again in her blue eyes.
She got to her knees, her skin shimmering in the moonlight. She reached out and wrapped a hand around his cock.
Axton groaned.
“My turn to torture you,” she whispered.
***
Xenia’s entire body was quivering with the need storming through her.
She ran her hand up Axton’s long, hard cock. When he groaned, she marveled that she could elicit a reaction like that. She closed her fingers over his thick length. She knew she’d be able to take him inside her, but touching him like this…well, she did wonder how he’d possibly fit.
“Enough.” He pulled her hand away and pushed her back onto the bed.
“But I hadn’t finished—”
“You can explore more later.”
“I want to taste you.”
His groan was long and gratifying. He put one knee on the bed, looming over her. “Later. You get anywhere near me again I’ll come all over the bed like a teenager.”
“Really?”
“Really.” He nudged her legs apart and dropped down on top of her.
As she took his weight, Xenia suddenly felt small…and very feminine. She was used to being one of the strongest, the fastest…
“Stop thinking.” He nipped at her lips. “Are you ready?”
“I couldn’t possibly get any more ready.” She felt the head of his cock nudge her and she stilled.
He pushed, just the head lodging inside her. Then he stopped.
“Don’t you dare stop,” she whispered fiercely.
“I’m…trying to go slowly,” he said between gritted teeth.
“Why?” She wrapped her arms around him, felt his body straining. “I’m not delicate, Axton. I’m not soft. I want you. All of you. Hard and fast.”
“Baby,” he breathed the word. And slid in another inch.
Oh, it felt good. “More. I want all of you. Take me.”
He groaned. “I don’t want to hurt you. You…you’re tight.”
“Take me, Axton.”
He hovered there, just circling the thick head inside her.
Damn noble man. Xenia wound her leg around him, her heel pressing into his firm ass. And used her strength.
She gained herself another delicious inch. “Take me, damn you.”
He growled and pulled out a little before he surged inside her.
Her head fell back, her fingers digging into his shoulders. Oh, he filled her up. And it felt good, right. Perfect. She felt like she’d been waiting a lifetime to feel this, to have this man inside her.
It was like some barrier had broken and his control shattered. He thrust inside her, stretching her, making her feel so good.
“Baby,” he groaned.
The rhythm of his thrusts lost any sign of measured control until he was pounding inside her. Her blood was so hot she felt like she was burning up. Desire was a tight coil in her belly and growing tighter by the second. She scored his back, knew her nails had left a mark, but she was completely lost to the pure fire of loving him.
He took her mouth, his kiss wild and needy. He drank from her lips. His hands reached back and took hers. He slammed them above her head and his fingers entwined with hers.
Her previous orgasms had been slow builds. Desire piling on desire until she’d burst.
This one crashed into her like a runaway comet.
Xenia cried out, sobbing Axton’s name.
A second later, he bucked against her, holding his cock lodged deep inside her as his release hit.
Sensation poured over her. The scent of Axton mixed with the musk of sex. The beautiful stream of moonlight falling over his dark skin. The feel of his hot body against hers. The sound of his ragged breathing against her neck. And the taste of his kisses still on her lips.
Nothing had ever felt more perfect than this moment.
“I’ve wanted you for so long,” he murmured against her skin.
It should have been sweet. But instead, she tensed. And now that he’d had her? She knew Axton had his choice of women. From high-profile society Centaxians to ambassadors’ daughters, women flocked around him, hoping to become Prime Consort.
Xenia knew one day he would find one of those glittery society ladies to be his consort. She’d be gentle, well-spoken, gracious. She’d be able to make small talk with ambassadors and magnates, host parties, and do a bunch of other hostess things.
The thought of small talk and parties made Xenia’s mouth go dry.
What the Prime Consort wouldn’t be was a CenSec.
“Hey, whatever you’re thinking, stop it.”
She glanced up and saw intense green-gold eyes staring down at her.
He traced a finger over her kiss-swollen lips. “So now...”
She swallowed. “Now?”
“I want you again.”
He rolled, flipping her so she was on top, straddling his hard stomach.
She steadied herself, palms flat against his chest, and pondered the implications of the new position.
He smiled. “That’s right, b
aby. The control’s all yours.”
Xenia smiled. Then gripped his cock, lifted her hips and sank down on him.
His smile wiped away. The muscles in his neck strained. “Fuck.”
“I intend to.” She rocked her hips. Oh, he felt even bigger this way. “I’m a quick learner, all my Security instructors said so. I think I’ve learned enough from you the first time around to get the hang of this.”
“Xenia.” A primal growl.
Desire roared through her, chasing away any trace of her dark thoughts. She rose up until just the mushroom head of him was left inside her, then she sank back down. “I’ll need practice. A lot of practice.”
Chapter Six
Xenia woke and stayed still while she tried to work out what had pulled her from sleep. It was dark and…moonlight was shining in from the roof?
Then she remembered. Axton’s place. Axton’s bed. Axton’s big body curled around her.
She bit her lip. She’d had hot, sweaty sex with Axton Saros. Numerous times.
Then she realized what had woken her. He was moving and jerking in his sleep.
She turned over slowly, careful not to startle him. His eyes were closed, but every muscle in his body was stretched tight.
“No. No.” His voice was harsh, raw with pain.
“Axton?” She reached for him.
He moved fast, as fast a fully-trained CenSec. He had her under him, her arms slammed above her head. His chest was heaving.
Fighting her training, Xenia followed her instincts and kept her body relaxed and loose.
He blinked. “Xenia?” A tortured whisper.
“It’s okay. You were having a nightmare.”
He cursed and yanked away from her. He set his feet on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed, head in his hands. “I could have hurt you.”
She snorted and kept her tone light. “Hardly. CenSec, remember?”
The line of his back was rigid. Xenia knew that while the doctors might have healed his scars, there were still others, under his skin, haunting him in the dark of night.
“I can still smell them. Feel the sting of their blades, the wrench of my shoulder. Smell my own blood.”
She bit her lip. Wished she could go back and kill all the Rahl who’d hurt him. But all she could do now was listen.
“But that wasn’t the worst. They told me about the ruin going on around the planet, the women they’d abused and sent into the slavery, the pieces of our history they’d destroyed. The worst was being helpless, unable to do a fucking thing about it.”
Xenia knew words wouldn’t soothe the ragged pain. Instead, she did the only thing she could and pressed herself against his back, wrapped her arms around him.
Seconds later, he pulled her into his arms. He lay back on the bed, holding onto her tight. If she hadn’t been a cyborg, she would’ve been in pain. She pressed her cheek to his chest and held on.
He buried his face against her neck and breathed deep.
Something inside her chest fluttered. He was battling his demons alone, too proud to ask anyone for help. Too noble to accept it wasn’t his fault.
And yet, sometime later, he finally relaxed and drifted off to sleep. In her arms, leaning on her.
Xenia pressed a palm over his beating heart and let sleep claim her.
***
Axton set the fresh, red zhoma-berries in a bowl on the bench, then poured bright-orange gala juice into a long, slim glass. On the stove, eggs were sizzling.
He could have just ordered up what he’d wanted on the food printer, but he’d wanted to cook.
“You made me breakfast?”
He looked up. He’d never seen anything better than Xenia wrapped in the blue silk robe he’d picked for her. She looked a little rumpled, her eyes still sleepy and all that gorgeous, red hair framing her face. Hair he’d taken great pleasure in seeing spill across his chest and even more pleasure in wrapping it around his hand as he’d taken her from behind.
She’d drank in every pleasure he’d given her and given back more than he’d dreamed possible.
She’d held him in his darkest moment, and hadn’t asked questions or offered platitudes.
He wanted to keep her.
Taking a deep breath, he approached her. He couldn’t tip her off. Not yet. Or she’d run and hide behind her perfect CenSec persona.
No, he had to woo her. Gently. Sneak through the defense array and insinuate himself so deeply she couldn’t get him out.
He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “You sound surprised.”
“I usually just eat a nutribar or take a nutrient pill.”
He shuddered and pulled her over to the stove. “They might be packed with everything we need to survive, but they taste like cardboard. I promise, you’ll love the taste of my scrambled eggs.”
He gripped her waist and lifted her onto the marble bench. She rearranged the robe but it still left a lot of leg bare for him to admire.
“I see you found the robe I left for you.”
“Yes.” She fingered the silk. “Do you have a lot of these lying around for…lady friends?”
Her voice was even, composed, but even after such a short time, he was learning to read his CenSec. He nudged her thighs apart and tugged her closer. Her body was stiff.
He tipped her chin up. “I have a goods printer. I wanted something you’d enjoy feeling on your skin. And I wanted it to match your eyes.”
She softened against him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders. “It feels decadent. So soft.” She rubbed her nose against his. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He reached around to the bowl and nabbed a bright-red berry. He held it to her lips. “Here.”
Her neat white teeth bit into the flesh. He watched her eyelids flutter.
He smiled. He loved watching her reactions. Her enjoyment of simple pleasure. “Good?”
She licked her lips. “Very good. What are they?”
Blood rushed south and he smothered a groan. “Zhoma-berries. A delicacy from the planet Souk. They taste so good I grow some hydroponically.”
“More,” she said.
Feeding her the berries, watching her reaction, listening to her tiny sounds of pleasure, made his blood thicken.
“Hmm, so good.” She licked the berry juice off his fingers. “I think if you wanted to bribe me, zhoma-berries would do it.”
He just stood there, staring at her red-stained lips.
She smiled. “I think your eggs are burning.”
“Shit.” He pulled away and saved the eggs from fiery destruction. As he slid them out of the pan and onto plates, he felt her watching him.
“You’re pretty domesticated. I envisioned the Prime having a house full of staff or at least some syndroids. I never pictured you cooking.”
“I have a syndroid for cleaning and a few people who come in twice a week. But I like to cook when I have time. My mother is a food engineer. She specializes in cloned food for starship travel, but she also believes in cooking. She taught me.”
“I’ve never seen Xander cook.”
A small throb of pain in Axton’s chest. “Xander left for Centax Security very young.” Axton had missed his brother growing up, but they’d come a long way to forging a strong relationship as adults. “Did anyone teach you to cook?”
She raised an eyebrow. “They trained me to kill, fight and strategize.”
And how to smother her emotions. Axton sometimes worried what his planet had lost in their drive to be stronger, faster and smarter.
“Time for you to taste my eggs.”
They ate where they were, Axton standing, nestled between her legs. She enjoyed all the tastes and he enjoyed watching her.
Xenia took a sip of her drink. “I want to taste something else.”
“What?”
“You.”
With a growl, he gripped the back of her head and pulled her mouth to his. The kiss was long and lazy.
Then she pulled back. �
�That’s not what I meant.” Her hands drifted down to the waistband of his black sleep trousers.
Desire was a firestorm in his blood. His cock turned hard as space rock in a flash.
When she slipped off the counter and dropped slowly to her knees, he swore under his breath. “Xenia.”
She tugged his trousers down and his cock sprang out. With a humming sound, she circled her hands around his thick length.
Axton gripped the bench, his hands clenching on it.
“I’ve never done this before,” she whispered. “Tell me if I do something wrong.”
She flicked her tongue against the end of his cock.
“Shit.” He fought not to tangle his hands in her hair.
She made a little humming noise. “Salty.”
She took him into her mouth, her tongue still circling around the head. Whenever he made a noise of pleasure, she gave that spot extra attention.
She pulled back. “Help me. Tell me what to do.”
Damn, his knees were weak. “Take more into your mouth.” Creator, his words were so hoarse they were barely understandable.
She followed the instruction. Her hands gripped his thighs and he felt the bite of her nails.
“That’s it, baby.”
She found a rhythm, moving up and down, taking about half of him. When she looked up at him, the sight of her mouth stretched around his cock, her eyes glittering and her cheeks flushed, made him even harder.
He saw her eyes widen.
“Relax, you can take me.” He gently cupped the back of her head. “You look so incredibly hot. Now, I want you to relax your throat. I’m going to go deeper. Can you take more of me?”
She managed a tiny nod. She pulled back until just the head of his cock rested on her lips. Then she swallowed him down. When he hit the back of her throat, she moaned.
“Swallow. That’s it.” He kept his voice gentle.
As she tightened her lips on him, her tongue driving him crazy, he felt his release coming, electricity sizzling along his spine.
But right now, as much as he was enjoying her mouth, he wanted to come inside her.
“Xenia.” He pulled out of her mouth, gripped her under her arms and pulled her up.
“I was enjoying myself,” she protested.