“Your new wife sure didn’t like the idea, did she?”
A slow smile spread across Jonah’s lips. “No, she didn’t. She’s a feisty little thing, isn’t she?”
Both of them turned to look at the bed, and something unspoken hung in the air between them for a long moment before Jonah sighed.
“Gonna go pack up some ore and get it ready for shipment. Be back later.” He headed for the door, then paused with his back to B-669. “You look after her, you hear?”
He was gone before B-669 could answer.
Chapter Seven
When J-817 let himself back into the dome, long after midnight, everything was quiet. He caught the quick flash of Billy’s eyes in his direction before the younger man closed them again and resumed a rest position. There was no movement from behind the pink curtains, but he was only too conscious of the woman they concealed. The irony of the situation didn’t escape him. His idealistic young recruit had brought him the perfect woman—for himself. Billy was the one who deserved a young, beautiful, fertile bride, not him.
Even knowing that, he wanted her. Fuck, how he wanted her. But she was not for him.
He wondered if there was any way to transfer the marriage to Billy, even though every instinct he had immediately protested the idea. From the moment he saw those big green eyes looking up at him with that combination of defiance and vulnerability, only one thought had run through his head.
Mine.
He shook his head, trying to push the thought away, and headed for the sanitary unit to wash away the dirt of the mines. He stripped quickly and stepped under the flow of water, noting approvingly the increase in temperature. It would be much more suitable for Daisy. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had taken a hot shower and the unfamiliar warmth seeped into his bones. Yes, she would enjoy this. His mind conjured up the image of her standing beneath the spray, wet and naked, her skin flushed from the heat, and his body responded, his cock going instantly hard. He gave it a rough stroke, remembering how it felt to be pressed against the soft curves of her luscious ass.
If she was here right now, he would fill his hands with those tempting cheeks, lifting her up into his arms before sliding her down over his aching shaft. He shuddered and his grip tightened. A few hard strokes and he was on the verge of climax when the door opened and Daisy’s startled eyes met his. Her gaze dropped to his cock as she gave a soft gasp, her mouth opening in a perfect little circle, and nothing on Earth or Mars could have stopped him from coming. He exploded in long, shuddering jets as she watched. Then a tide of pink swept from her face down over her chest. She quickly stepped back and closed the door with an incoherent apology.
Fuck! Even though his knees were still weak from the force of his climax, guilt filled him. She should not have seen that. Why the fuck hadn’t Billy stopped her?
He stepped quickly under the moisture extractor to remove the water from his skin then wrapped a towel around his waist. When he emerged, Daisy was perched on the edge of her bed intently studying her hands.
“Free now,” he said gruffly, and she scurried past him with a muttered thank you, still not meeting his eyes.
As soon as the door closed behind her, he strode over to Billy’s bunk and flipped it over. The young cyborg had been pretending to be asleep and ended up sprawled on the floor as he glared up at him.
“What did you do that for?”
“Know why. Why didn’t you tell her I was in there?”
Billy tried to look innocent. “I was half-asleep. I didn’t realize what she was doing until it was too late.” He winked, his usual easygoing nature restored. “I didn’t realize she was going to get that much of a show.”
“Probably scared the hell out of her.”
“She didn’t look scared to me.” Billy inhaled. “It doesn’t smell like it either.”
J-817 followed suit and realized what he had already unconsciously noted. The sweet scent of her arousal perfumed the air. Although he would have sworn he had nothing left, his cock stiffened. Fuck. Resisting her was not going to be easy. But he had to do it. He wasn’t a fit husband for anyone.
The door to the sanitary unit slid open and they both looked over. Daisy slipped out, not looking in their direction, climbed into bed, and firmly pulled the curtains closed. He scowled at Billy, but the other man only grinned at him and lifted his head as if scenting the air. The sweet scent of her arousal hadn’t lessened.
He started to stalk out of the habitat but reconsidered. He didn’t want her to think that she had driven him away. And part of him wanted to stay, wanted to be close to her, wanted to know she was safe. Turning his back on Billy, he returned to his own bunk. He listened as Billy put his bed back in order but once the other man settled down, he found himself concentrating on Daisy. He could hear the soft rustle of her movements as she shifted position and heard her quiet sigh. His cock ached, tormented by her closeness, but in spite of that, as he finally drifted off to sleep, he smiled.
Daisy stared into the darkness above her bed and tried her best to think of something—anything—other than the sight of a naked Jonah. Lord, he was magnificent. He had looked even bigger in the small bathroom, with broad shoulders and a wide chest covered with a fine dusting of hair that trailed down to that outsized cock. The memory of his hand grasping it, the intensity of his eyes burning into hers as he shuddered and came started a throbbing ache between her legs. She had read that women in their third trimester experienced an increase in desire, but she had scoffed at the idea—until now.
Her hand curved around her stomach in the darkness. Nothing about this pregnancy had been expected. She had always been meticulous about birth control and hadn’t even considered that she might be pregnant when she missed her first two periods. She had assumed it was stress, first from the attempt to escape from Richard and then from the journey itself. Once she began to suspect, she had been too afraid to ask the ship’s doctor to confirm her condition. Not only was she scared that word might somehow find its way back to Richard, but she wasn’t sure if her condition would make her ineligible to settle on Mars. Instead, she had researched pregnancy on her computer, trying to make sure she was doing everything possible to ensure the baby’s health.
She hadn’t started to show until well into her fourth month and she could almost have believed she had been mistaken despite the other signs. But then she had woken up one morning and, almost overnight, her baby bump had doubled in size. Fortunately, she had been able to purchase some of the limited supply of fabric in the ship’s store with the generous allowance that Jonah—that Bill had provided. She had made herself some oversized dresses and a baggy jacket to wear over them in an attempt to disguise her increasing girth. But she had still been terrified of anyone finding out and spent as much time as possible in her cabin. Not that she had any real desire to mingle with the other passengers. Not only were the vast majority of them men, but they too were a possible source of information if Richard tracked her down. He might not bother to come after her—hopefully, he was no longer even in a position to do so—but if he knew that he had fathered a child…
She shivered, and not from desire this time. But then she heard the sound of a body shifting from the darkness beyond her curtains and her tension eased. Jonah was here with her, and even after the brief time she had known him, she believed down to her soul that he would never let anything happen to her or her child. A second movement followed, from further away this time, and she smiled as she thought of Bill. He might be more handsome and charming than she entirely trusted, but so far he had proven himself both kind-hearted and well-meaning, if impulsive. With two men equipped with the strength and skills of a cyborg to watch over her, she and her baby were as safe as they could be in this harsh new world. She tucked her cheek down into the pillows and went peacefully back to sleep.
The peaceful feeling lasted until she awoke the next morning, pushed back the curtains, and found Jonah sitting on one of the narrow benches watching he
r. The memory of the previous night sprang to mind and she blushed.
“No need to color up,” he rumbled in that deep voice that made her clit throb. “Small space. Things happen.”
“Um, yes. I suppose they do. But I’ll make sure I knock next time so I don’t disturb you.”
“Didn’t disturb me.”
His eyes glinted, humor mixed with the lingering heat in them. Trying to avoid the dark eyes studying her so intently, she looked around the rest of the dome but Bill was nowhere in sight.
“Where’s Bill?”
“Went to talk to a friend.” His lips twisted. “To find out what a female needs.”
“A female? Another woman from Earth?”
“Yep. Also married to one of us.” He was watching her carefully.
“I thought you said it wasn’t legal.”
He shrugged and stood up and her throat went dry as his muscles rippled and he suddenly seemed much larger. Her nipples tightened and she automatically crossed her arms over her chest, hoping he wouldn’t notice, but the pressure of her arms across her chest just added to the ache.
“You cold?”
“No, not at all. I just…”
He let her flounder for a minute then took pity on her and changed the subject. “What do you want for breakfast?”
“I usually just ate a protein bar on the ship, once I could keep a meal down.”
He frowned. “Still feeling sick?”
“No.” She shook her head and gave him a sheepish smile. “It went away just like the articles said it would. Now I’m hungry all the time.”
“Go get cleaned up. I’ll make you something.”
Self-consciously, she raised her hand to her head, suddenly aware that her hair was in tangled knots and she was still wearing the previous day’s outfit, now a wrinkled disaster. “I guess I am a bit of a mess.”
“Not possible.” His eyes were all heat this time. “But you’ll feel better afterwards. Go on now.”
He nodded firmly in the direction of the bathroom before turning to the kitchen counter, but the unexpected compliment put a smile on her face as she went to attend to her morning routine.
He was right; she did feel better when she emerged just in time to see him putting a plate on the table. She gave him a grateful smile as she sat down, then her eyes widened. In addition to bacon-flavored protein strips, the plate contained what looked like real eggs and actual bread.
“Are these eggs? Do you have chickens?” She hadn’t seen an enclosure the previous day.
“Nah. The boy picked up some real food while he was in town.” His eyes sharpened. “You want some chickens?”
“I don’t know. I read about them on the ship—I read everything I could get my hands on about life here—and it seems like they’re working out well as part of the habitats. They provide eggs and eventually meat, plus they live off plants from the hydroponic gardens and in turn supply fertilizer for the plants.” She looked around again. “You don’t have a greenhouse?”
“Not really necessary for us. Hell, we don’t even need the dome, but it’s convenient.” He shrugged. “Now eat before it gets cold.”
She took a forkful of eggs and groaned with pleasure. “Oh, these are so good.”
When he didn’t respond, she looked up to find him watching her hungrily, but it wasn’t her plate he was eyeing. She licked her lips nervously, and his eyes grew even darker as he followed the path of her tongue.
“Do you want some?” she asked innocently.
“Not hungry for food.”
“What are you hungry for, Jonah?” Gathering her courage, she leaned across the table towards him. “We are husband and wife. Now that we’re alone, maybe we should get to know each other a little better…”
He shoved back from the table so quickly that his bench toppled over and she jumped, a startled gasp escaping her lips. He froze and then his face shuttered.
“Don’t worry. Won’t hold you to that.”
He turned and stomped out of the dome while she stared after him in dismay. She started to push her plate away, no longer hungry, but then the baby kicked as if to remind her that she needed to eat. She sighed and picked up her fork again. It really was delicious; she just wished he was here to share it with her.
When she was finished, she carefully washed the plate, then placed it in the rack designed to capture any drips. Now what? One of them must have cleaned up while she slept, she realized guiltily as she looked around. Everything had been swept and dusted, and the rest of the containers Bill had brought in were neatly stacked to one side. There wasn’t much else to do but maybe she could try finding a place for the contents…
She was struggling to open the third container when Jonah stalked back in.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Startled and annoyed, this time she didn’t flinch but put her hands on her hips and glared at him.
“Putting things away. Or at least I would be if there was anywhere to put anything.” The small shelves in the kitchen area had filled up quickly and assorted items covered the kitchen table.
“You need to be careful in your condition,” he growled, and her annoyance vanished as she realized he had yelled out of concern for her.
“I’m fine. Just trying to make the place a little more… homey.”
He looked around, rubbing the scars under his eye thoughtfully. “Reckon it could use some help. Wait there—and don’t pick up anything else.”
She frowned after him as he disappeared through the airlock, but he returned soon after with some additional shelves. Together the two of them unpacked and organized the rest of the supplies. Well, mostly him. If he had his way, he would have done everything while she sat there and directed him, but she refused to be treated like an invalid. Instead, she assisted him as much as he would permit.
Their bodies frequently brushed against each other as they worked and she became increasingly aware of his presence, of his heat, of his dark smoky scent. As she reached for one of the last boxes, she stumbled and he caught her, catching her against his body. She could feel his erection against her hip as she looked up at him. He had automatically turned the human side of his face to her, and she reached up and put a hand on his metallic cheek, gently turning his face towards her.
“I was startled, not scared. I do want to know you better.”
She deliberately licked her lips and his eyes heated. His body tensed and, for a moment, she was afraid that he would pull away again. But with a groan that seemed to come from deep within, he bent his head and kissed her.
No, kiss was too mild a word.
He devoured her, forcing her lips apart and plunging into her mouth as if he was starving. Her knees weakened and he growled against her lips and pulled her closer, fitting the soft swell of her stomach against his hard frame. She clung to him, equally as desperate for his touch as he cupped her breast, working the swollen, sensitive flesh with a demanding hand.
“Look what I got. Clint and Jo insisted—”
Bill’s cheerful voice took a moment to penetrate her pleasured daze, but Jonah reacted immediately, tucking her behind him and supporting her with one arm as her knees wobbled. A gust of cool air made her realize that the top of her dress gaped open, her breasts bare and her nipples like ripe berries against her pale skin. She hadn’t even noticed Jonah had unfastened her dress. Blushing, she closed the fabric again before peeping around his big body to see Bill staring at them in dismay.
“Oh, shit. I’m sorry…”
He started to back away, then looked down at his hands in confusion as a series of soft cheeps erupted, and she realized he was carrying a small box of chicks. “I’ll just get their carrier.”
“You brought chicks!”
With an excited gasp, she slipped past Jonah and rushed over to examine the fluffy little creatures. She picked one up, delighting in the soft down, and looked back at Jonah to share her pleasure. He was staring at the two of them, his face unreadab
le. She started to bring the chick to him, but he brushed past her with a muttered word and disappeared through the airlock.
J-817 fled to the darkness of the mineshaft, bowing his head against the rock once he was safely out of sight. What the fuck was he thinking? When he had been helping Daisy that morning, the two of them had worked together so easily that he allowed himself to be seduced by the idea that perhaps they could actually make it work. That he could be a good husband.
And what had happened? At the first opportunity, he had practically assaulted her. Rather than treat her with the delicacy she deserved, he had attacked her, ravishing her mouth, yanking her dress open. It wasn’t until he had been forced to raise his head that he had seen her mouth, seen how red and swollen it was from his kiss. Fuck. He had been on the verge of taking her right there against the wall of the dome. If they hadn’t been interrupted…
Daisy was much too sweet and soft, too delicate for someone like him. She needed someone like Billy, someone who would bring her presents and make her smile, someone who would treat her as gently as she deserved to be treated. This marriage has to be in name only, he reminded himself.
Chapter Eight
Daisy’s reaction to seeing Jonah in the shower had an effect that B-669 hadn’t anticipated. As he had righted his bunk, he had to suppress his own wave of desire. Although he knew that Daisy had been reacting to Jonah, the scent of her arousal had affected him just as much. The knowledge that she was so close, sleeping all alone in the big bed, tormented him. Every time she moved in her sleep or made a soft noise, his body reacted. She was for Jonah, not for him; he kept reminding himself, but that knowledge didn’t help during the long sleepless night.
As soon as the sky began to pale, he slipped out of his bunk and headed outside. He was not entirely surprised when Jonah followed him.
Together they walked to the overlook and stood silently as the sun rose, sending a warm orange glow over the barren landscape.
A Few Cyborgs More (Cyborgs On Mars Book 3) Page 5