Lost in her thoughts, she barely noticed when Sam pushed her gently onto the bench seat and turned to the stove, still glowing red from her earlier efforts. The warmth from the RTG had spread throughout the entire building now and she was overcome with exhaustion. The brief nap she had taken outside on the rocks hadn’t compensated for two sleepless nights and the months of overwork and pressure prior to them.
She suddenly realized that he was preparing a meal from some packaged rations.
“You don’t have to do that. I can just have a protein bar.”
“You will eat a proper meal,” he said, his voice uncompromising.
Part of her wanted to bristle at his peremptory tone, but his concern for her warmed her heart. It had been a very long time since anyone cared about what, or even if, she ate. Derrick would never have noticed—unless it was to make some cutting remark about her need to slim down. Sam doesn’t seem to have any objections to my body, she thought with a reminiscent shiver of pleasure.
She watched him from under her eyelashes—that big strong body, the harsh, masculine face—and despite everything, she could feel her body responding. Her nipples tightened, pressing against her thin lace bra. After her divorce, she had purchased the pretty underwear in an attempt to regain some of her confidence as a woman. When she packed for Mars, it was the one indulgence she had permitted herself. The light silk and lace took up little room and fit easily within her weight allowance.
A small smile curved her lips. Sam had certainly seemed to appreciate it.
A few minutes later, he placed a plate in front of her. The enticing aroma awakened her hunger.
“This smells good. Thank you.”
“It’s just a precooked meal,” he said dismissively, but his face softened slightly.
He had also prepared a meal for himself and they ate in silence for a few minutes. Once her hunger started to recede, she found she was watching him again from under her lashes as she tried to decide on a neutral topic of conversation. Instead, he broke the silence.
“How do you want to begin your experiments?”
Her mouth went dry and she suddenly lost her appetite. The thought of using him as an experimental subject made her skin crawl.
“I… I have the growth medium we were using back at the main lab. I can start there.”
His eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t need me for that.”
“Well, no—”
“I understood that you specifically requested assistance from a cyborg.”
“I didn’t. My assistant did. Without my knowledge.”
“I see.” He pushed his empty plate aside and rubbed his jaw, studying her. “Why did he suggest it? Would it make a difference?”
“It might,” she admitted reluctantly. “We have yet to determine a way to balance the nanite growth without introducing cybernetic parts into the host.”
“The host?” He arched a sardonic brow. “What a delightfully vague way of referring to a person. But then again, I don’t suppose cyborgs count as people, do they?”
“Oh, stop it,” she said crossly. “You know very well I think of you as a person, Sam.”
“Sam was left behind in the labs. I am S-756.” He overrode her instinctive protest. “I am here for your experiments. We should begin there.”
When she didn’t respond, he added, “You implied there was a timeline.”
“There is,” she admitted. “Sam, are you really sure about this?”
“Yes.” He leaned across the small table, his body filling her vision. “Although I have no intention of letting you strap me to an exam table.”
Her breath caught at his nearness.
“I don’t make the same promise where you’re concerned.”
Apprehension and desire fought for dominance. She could imagine only too clearly what it would be like to be subject to his demands and a thrill of excitement made her pulse spike and her nipples tighten. She supposed she should be more scared. He had tried to make it sound like a threat but nothing he had done so far made her in any way concerned that he would hurt her, not physically at least.
“If that’s necessary,” she said, her voice coming out low and husky, and she saw the answering flare of lust in his eyes.
“I told you not to play with me, Addie,” he said harshly as he stood up. “I’m going to begin setting up some of the equipment tonight. You go to bed.” He started to leave, then hesitated. “Is there anything you need?”
“No. Thank you. That is—you said we don’t have any water?”
“Only bottled water tonight. I’ll drill the well in the morning but I need light to do so.”
“Is there enough to brush my teeth and wash off?”
He turned back to her, his gaze raking over her in a way that left her feeling completely naked.
“There’s more than enough for that. There are cleansing cloths in the bathroom. They activate with a little water.”
“I won’t use much,” she promised.
“Addie, I said there was plenty. Use as much as you like. I… I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
She almost laughed. Uncomfortable? When she was alone in an isolated camp with the man who had captured her heart all those years ago. A man who had good reason to both dislike and distrust her. But despite his stern face, she knew that he was sincere, and she gave him a soft smile.
“Thank you, Sam. I’ll be just fine.”
“S-756,” he growled and departed abruptly, closing the door to the lab behind him.
S-756 tried to concentrate on unpacking the lab equipment, but his thoughts kept turning to the small woman on the other side of the door. He had intended this trip as a punishment. Not that he had any intention of hurting her, but he wanted her to have some understanding of what it was like to be subject to the control of another. Instead, he found himself more concerned than angry. She seemed so sad. Whenever she was quiet, shadows haunted her eyes. And the fear she showed earlier…
If that bastard ever showed up on Mars, he was going to kill him.
With a sigh, he decided that dreaming of an impossible future wasn’t going to get him anywhere and he got to work, trying to keep his mind off of Addie. Unfortunately, setting up the lab required neither the physical effort nor the mental exertion to wear him out. By the time he had accomplished everything he planned, he was still restless and unhappy. He could take another ride or maybe just go for a run—long enough to stretch his legs, to remember the cold and lack of oxygen that he had been subject to for so long.
Still, he supposed he should at least let Addie know. He walked back into the living quarters and found her curled up on the top bunk, looking impossibly small and defenseless where she had huddled under the covers. He didn’t have the heart to wake her and he hovered over her for a moment, unusually undecided.
She gave a pitiful cry and her eyes flew open, almost black in the dim light.
“Sam?”
“Yes, Addie. I’m here.”
“Could you—would you mind—holding me?” The words emerged in a rush. “I’m so cold.”
As he stepped closer, he realized she was shivering. The temperature was still set at a comfortable level for humans and he frowned. “Do you need me to increase the temperature?”
“I… I don’t think it’s physical,” she whispered, and he understood.
Those long nights in the lab before she came along had been far colder than the sub-freezing temperatures on Mars. He had never felt so completely alone, abandoned by the military that he had devoted his life to, treated as less than human by everyone he encountered. She had changed that. How could he deny her now?
With a muffled oath, he lifted her from her bed, still wrapped in her blankets, and lay down on the bottom bunk. It was a tight fit, but he cradled her on top of him, using himself as a mattress. She gave a contented sigh and burrowed closer. Her shivering stopped gradually, and he realized to his astonishment that she had drifted off to sleep. Even more astonishingly, hi
s earlier discontent and restlessness had vanished. With a sigh of his own, he tucked her closer, set his systems to rest mode, and allowed himself to drift into a peaceful repose.
Chapter Eleven
Addie woke up conscious of two things: she was lying on top of a very large, warm body and there was an equally large, warm erection pressed between her legs. For a moment she froze, then she caught the scent of leather and musk and realized she was still cradled in Sam’s arms.
After the best night’s sleep that she’d had in months, possibly even years, she felt limp and relaxed, still half asleep. Then he shifted beneath her and his erection nudged her exactly where she needed it. A wave of desire swept over her and she could feel her nipples beading against his chest. She couldn’t help remembering the previous day and the pleasure he had given her without receiving any in return. Could she give him the same pleasure? A quick glance up at his face assured her that his eyes were still closed.
Her hands shaking, she slid down his body, keeping her movements as small as possible, which meant that she dragged herself along the length of his cock. Now that she was face-to-face with his erection, she was almost tempted to chicken out. He was just so big. But she wanted to do this for him.
Still using small, careful movements, she gently unfastened his pants. His shaft sprang free, thick, hard, and perfect. She gulped nervously before wrapping—or trying to wrap—her hand around him. Her fingers didn’t meet. His scent was even stronger here, filling her head with lustful thoughts. She realized she wanted to taste him, not for his sake, but to satisfy her own curious longing. She swiped a tentative tongue across the broad head and almost moaned aloud with pleasure. He tasted rich, salty, and delicious but as she returned a second time, his entire body stiffened. She looked up to see him staring at her, his face hard and flames of lust in his blue eyes.
“What are you doing?”
“I wanted to please you,” she said softly and licked him again.
He groaned and she saw his fist tighten on the edge of the narrow bunk.
“You don’t have to do that,” he said, his teeth clenched.
“I want to.”
Before he could respond, she gathered her courage and closed her mouth over the wide head. He filled her completely but he didn’t thrust, didn’t push, and she felt her mouth soften, letting her take another inch. His hand came to her head and she froze, waiting for him to force her deeper, but all he did was run his fingers through her short curls.
Grateful for his forbearance, she probed at the sensitive underside of his cock with her tongue, relishing his corresponding moan. Her hands tightened almost involuntarily around his shaft and he hummed approvingly. His other hand closed over hers, making her grip even tighter as he showed her what he liked. Pulling up, she concentrated on exploring the head, licking and sucking every inch, before plunging back down, taking more of him this time. Another groan rewarded her efforts and she increased her pace, slow sucking withdrawals followed by rapid plunges, each one a little deeper. He touched the back of her throat and she choked. A flash of unpleasant memory was erased by his immediate withdrawal.
“Slowly, angel. You don’t need to take all of me. Just the feel of your hot little mouth is all I need.”
The hand in her hair stroked soothingly as he used their joined hands to prevent her from going too deep. She licked him again, letting the taste and scent remind her of who she was with before she closed her mouth over him once more. As her confidence grew, her pace increased. His whole body tensed, his hand on his shaft squeezing around hers while the fingers in her hair stayed soft. One last plunge, forcing her mouth tight against their hands. He touched her throat again but this time she swallowed around him and with a hoarse yell he exploded, hot liquid jetting into her mouth and down her throat.
His body went limp beneath hers and she slowly raised her head, giving him one last lick and a tentative kiss before looking up at him. She had expected to find his eyes closed but instead he was staring down at her, his gaze both soft and thoughtful.
“Why did you do that, Addie?”
“I told you that I wanted to. It was the least I could do after you gave me so much pleasure yesterday.”
His face hardened. “You don’t owe me anything. I would never put my pleasure above yours.”
She stared at him in dismay. “That’s not what I meant. I enjoyed it too.”
A lot more than she had expected to actually. She was suddenly conscious of the damp ache between her legs and the throbbing demand of her breasts. He was still frowning so she forced herself into a sitting position, fighting back the urge to cry. His eyes dropped to her thin nightshirt and when she followed his gaze, she could see the taut buds thrusting against the thin cloth. His eyes widened and his nostrils flared.
“You are aroused.”
Ignoring the heat rising in her cheeks, she scowled at him. “I told you I enjoyed it.”
He sighed and pulled her up beside him with one easy movement so that they were face-to-face.
“I’m sorry, Addie.”
Was he always this suspicious of anyone being nice to him? A lump appeared in her throat. How much of that was due to her actions? Once again she tried to decide if she should tell him about what had really happened at the lab but unless he was ready to listen, she wondered if he would even believe her. Before she could decide, he gently pressed his lips against hers, then swept his tongue inside.
“You taste of both of us,” he murmured.
“Is that a bad thing?”
“I no longer know.”
The admission seemed to be torn from him. With another one of his effortless moves, he repositioned her on the bed as he climbed to his feet.
“You should get some more sleep.”
Looking past him, she could see the pale Martian dawn beginning to brighten the outside landscape and she shook her head.
“No, I need to start getting organized.”
“Oh yes. For your experiments.” The tone was sardonic but he didn’t seem as angry as he had the day before. Perhaps they should start off every day like this. I wouldn’t mind.
S-756 bullied Addie into eating breakfast before he left the habitat. As reluctant as she seemed to be to eat, he didn’t understand how she maintained her luscious curves. Or was she only reluctant to eat in his presence? He kept trying to remind himself that she was the woman who had betrayed him, that she was just another one of the fucking scientists who thought that cyborgs were no longer deserving of human rights, but he couldn’t convince himself. Every time he said something harsh and he realized that he had hurt her, he felt angry and ashamed. All he could do to atone was to provide her with everything that she needed.
Beginning with the supply of fresh water, he thought as he went to find the drill. More specifically, he would be drilling into the layer of ice that rested beneath the Martian surface. Once they tapped into it, the heat from the RTG would melt the substrate and they would have an almost unlimited source of water. Addie would enjoy that. He had seen the wistful glance she had given the shower when he handed her another cleansing cloth. Why did it feel so right to provide for her in spite of everything that had happened in the past?
The way she had woken him up this morning filled him with delight and not a small amount of guilt. He wanted to believe that she was trying to manipulate him, but she had been too uncertain and then in the end, too obviously aroused. He should have taken care of her needs, but he was afraid that if he touched her, he would have an even harder time restraining himself. Just the thought of her soft mouth stretched around his cock, her tongue sending shivers of pleasure up his spine, and the look of surprised pleasure in her eyes made him stiffen.
Fuck. He needed some hard work before he returned to the habitat and spent the rest of the day devoting himself to her pleasure.
After giving Blackie a handful of the food pellets he enjoyed, he let the horse out so that he could absorb sunlight then went to gather the drilling
equipment.
A few hours later, he entered the living quarters. He could hear Addie humming in the lab and decided to test the new supply of water by taking a quick shower. The heating equipment had not yet been connected so the water was icy, barely above freezing, but he had experienced much worse and perhaps the freezing temperature would help him keep himself under control.
A hope that disappeared completely as soon as he walked into the lab and saw Addie bending over a piece of equipment, her coveralls stretched tightly across that luscious ass. Then she looked over her shoulder and smiled as if she were really happy to see him and he went from semi-hard to rigid. He had no defenses against her. Covering his emotions with a cough, he forced his voice to remain emotionless.
“Are you ready for me?”
Her smile dimmed a little as she turned to face him, but she lifted her chin and fuck if that little sign of rebellion didn’t turn him on even more.
“Not yet. I want to set up a batch of controls first and they won’t be ready until the morning.”
In spite of himself, he was interested in what she had planned.
“What are you trying to do?”
A little cautiously, she began to explain the experimental protocols but when he responded with interest, her enthusiasm took over. A few minutes later, he was being bombarded with details. He couldn’t follow all of it, but he understood enough to realize just how determined she was to make the project a success. A reluctant admiration washed over him as he watched her eager expression, her cheeks flushed, her hands waving as she explained her hypothesis. She looked almost as excited as she had looked the previous night and that sent his thoughts spiraling into a completely inappropriate direction.
He couldn’t spend the rest of the day with her without trying to capture some of that excited enthusiasm for himself.
A Fistful 0f Cyborg (Cyborgs On Mars Book 2) Page 7