by Anna Hackett
“Oh, yes.”
Her gaze met his. Her hips lifted, then sank down.
Raw desire was like fire inside him. She was like a fist clamping around his cock.
“I feel like I’ve wanted you forever.” His fingers clenched on her curves. “Move, my garva.”
He buried a hand in her wet hair, and set his teeth on her neck again.
She moaned, her hips moving faster as she rode him.
He heard her harsh intakes of air, the scent of her arousal. They rocked together and Sabin thrust up, wanting nothing between them. He wanted to be as deep as possible inside her.
“Sabin, Sabin.”
Her inner muscles rippled on his cock. Her nails scored his back.
“Right here, Finley. I’m ready to watch you come.” His finger found her clit. “Feel how hard I am for you.”
“Just for me?”
“Yes, now come.” He pinched her clit and thrust up, his cock deep.
With a scream, she came. Her movements turned jerky and she rocked down on him.
With a roar, Sabin rose and turned. He slammed her onto the bed and thrust hard inside her.
His release hit him like a blinding white light. His body shuddered hard and he growled her name.
He poured himself inside her and she wrapped herself around him—arms, legs, her inner muscles.
Sabin buried his face in her hair and felt at home. His port in the darkness. His harbor from the storm.
Finley woke facedown on the bed, feeling good.
So good.
Lips pressed to her spine, traveling down her body. Her belly clenched.
“What time is it?” She couldn’t get used to being underground with no windows.
His teeth scraped her spine and she bit her lip. Sensation rocketed in every part of her body.
“Early,” he responded.
He sank his teeth into her bottom and she shuddered. A pulse beat between her legs. She was a little sore, but she wanted him again.
She turned on the bed and pressed a kiss to his chest. Sabin smiled at her and then his mouth met hers. He cupped her cheeks, and kissed her like she mattered.
Careful, Finley. She pulled back. His eyes were warm, but his face was drawn.
She cupped his cheek, feeling the rough stubble under her fingers. “Are you okay?”
“I just need some sustenance. My helian expended a lot of energy healing me.”
“Oh!” She pushed away. “I’ll get you something to eat.”
“No.” He pulled her back down on the bed. “Stay here. Naked. I’ll get it.”
Finley lay back and watched him leave the bed. God, the man was delectable. There was no sign that he was self-conscious being naked. Why should he be? As he walked across the room, she drank him in. He was all solid muscle, strong thighs, and a gorgeous ass. She shivered. As he walked out the bedroom door, she had the perfect line of sight as he raided the fridge. She watched him eat quickly and efficiently. He brought them both back a protein drink.
She took hers and moved to cover herself with the sheet.
“No.” He stopped her. “I like looking at you.”
She fought a blush. “I’ve never eaten naked with anyone.” She cocked her head. “I’ve never eaten naked at all.”
As she drank, he cupped her breast. He played with her nipple until it was a hard point.
“Sabin.”
He finished his drink in one last gulp and set the glass down. He took hers, and set the glass beside his, then he kissed her.
She moaned against his lips. She nudged him back and then remembered his horrible injuries. “Let me check your wounds.”
“You know I’m fully healed.”
“I’d like to see for myself.”
As he lay there, she ran her hand over his shoulder. There was no sign of the bite mark. She kissed the smooth skin. Next, she moved to where he’d been scratched. She peppered kisses across his pecs.
“Finley—” His hands snaked into her hair.
She found his flat nipple and licked, before she nipped it with her teeth.
He groaned.
She felt a sense of power to affect a man like Sabin in this way. A strong, disciplined alien warrior. She moved lower and pushed him back. She found his healed side, the skin perfect. She raked it gently with her teeth and then went lower.
“I wasn’t injured there,” he said.
She smiled against his hipbone and cupped his cock. Oh, boy. She licked the head of it.
He jerked and whispered her name.
Finley licked again, then sucked his hard cock into her mouth. It pulsed against her touch and she sucked as much of him as she could. She savored the salty taste of him. She really enjoyed his tense body, every single one of his reactions. She could feel the way he savored every sensation.
“I won’t last much longer.” He yanked her up his body.
“I don’t mind.”
“I’m not coming down your pretty throat, Finley. I want to be deep inside you.”
Her belly spasmed. “Sabin—”
He pushed her onto her back. He kissed her knee, her thigh, her belly. His tongue dipped into her belly button. She arched up, then his big body was over hers.
Oh, he was gorgeous. She’d never get tired of looking at him.
“Everything about you feeds my senses, Finley. Your scent, the sound of your voice, the feel of your skin.”
She quivered. No one had liked any of those things about her before.
“How your body takes me inside you.” He sat up, his big hands circled his cock and pumped.
Oh. God. Liquid heat washed through her. Watching him touch himself was so hot.
“Sabin, please.”
“You need me?”
“Yes, please make the ache better.”
He leaned over her, and rubbed the head of his cock against her folds. She cried out.
“There.” He covered her, then with a single thrust drove inside her.
“Sabin!”
“Finley.” A deep groan. “I could stay inside you forever.”
He pulled her legs tight to his sides. She held on as he thrust inside her. It was hard, deep. He took over every part of her.
As his thrusts got harder, she pressed her mouth to his skin. He filled her up, surrounded her. Right here, right now, she wasn’t the sensible, and sometimes lonely, scientist. She was just Finley, a woman who needed this man. This man, who made her feel desired. Protected.
Her body spasmed. She was close. “I want you to come with me, Sabin.”
He slowed his thrusts but they were still deep, his gaze locked on hers.
The feel of him was mind-blowing, touching places in her no one had ever touched.
She gripped his big biceps. “Sabin, please. Together.”
“We are together, Finley.” He changed the angle of his hips. “Just you and me.”
Her release built like a wave, rising higher and higher. A searing orgasm rippled through her.
Finley’s scream was hoarse. As pleasure swept through her, she held on tight to this man who made her feel so much.
He moved faster again. “Finley.” A growl and a prayer.
Then his big body shook as he came inside her. His grunts were the sexiest thing she’d ever heard.
Sabin dropped down beside her, moving them so his cock stayed lodged deep inside her.
“Perfect.” He pressed a kiss to her shoulder.
She fought back tears. She’d never been perfect. She’d always been too smart, too big, too tall, too difficult. She swallowed and realized that Sabin meant it. To him, she was.
God, when this alien warrior left her, he’d shatter her heart.
Chapter Thirteen
Finley finished dressing, and tied her hair up in a ponytail.
She turned to find Sabin right behind her. He was in his usual black uniform. He slid an arm around her, his hand resting on her butt as he pulled her close.
His kiss lit
up everything inside her. He’d touched, stroked and kissed every part of her through the night.
As they pulled back, she drew in a breath. “Enough. We need to meet the others.”
He stroked her lips with his fingers, then let her go.
Of course, he’d left her blood humming. As they walked down the hall, she was sure anyone looking at her would know exactly what she and Sabin had spent the night doing. She glanced at him. She was so damn grateful that he was all right.
The horror and fear of the night rose like a specter, her throat tightening.
Frowning, Sabin glanced at her. “What’s wrong? I can sense your distress?”
“I’m just glad that you’re okay.”
He slid an arm across her shoulders. “I am, too, but if you put yourself in danger again like that, there will be trouble.”
He dropped a kiss to her hair.
They met the others in her lab.
Kaira rushed forward. “You’re both okay?” The Air Force commander had a bandage on the side of her head.
“We’re all right,” Sabin said. “You?” He eyed her bandage.
The woman nodded. “Just scrapes. Roberts and I are fine.” Her lips firmed into a flat line. “We recovered Blackwell’s body. I’ve informed his family of his death.”
“I’m so sorry, Kaira,” Sabin said. “I know that it’s not easy to lose a member of your team.”
She lifted her chin. “The Kantos will pay.”
“Any sign of them?” he asked.
“We have extra drones up in the air, but not a single sighting.”
Finley bit her lip. Where the hell were they? There were several assassins still out there, somewhere.
Sabin crossed his arms over his chest. “They’re out there. We’ll find them.”
Dr. Gregson nodded. The older woman looked tired. “I sent Admiral Barber an update on the attack last night. She’s moved up the orbital testing.”
Finley straightened, her pulse jumping. “Really?”
The woman nodded. “They’ve moved a Space Corps orbital team into position. We’ll do the testing today.”
Finley gasped. “Today?” She glanced at Ian and Gemma. “We have so much to do.” She looked at Sabin. “We have to get prepped.”
“I want to check on base security with Kaira,” he said. “I’ll meet you back here soon.”
Finley nodded. As the others left, she got busy. She needed to get the testing satellites in position. This had to work.
She pressed her hands to the workbench. They needed the StarStorm operational. Yesterday.
For a second, she had a flashback to driving out to the crashed SUV, not knowing if Sabin was alive.
Damn, she was falling for him.
So stupid, Finley. Sabin was an alien warrior. An Eon warrior. She knew that he was dedicated to his ship and empire.
And she knew he liked to keep control of his senses. This attraction between them threatened that.
She pressed her fingers to her temple, feeling a headache forming. The fact that he would leave didn’t change how she felt. No one had ever made her feel like he did.
She’d enjoy every minute she had with him until he left. She straightened. She’d make every moment count. For however long she had him.
She turned to her computer. “Gemma, check the firing sequence.”
“On it, Doc.”
This test would be more challenging in orbit. There were so many new variables to account for. As she ran through the testing program, worry chewed at her.
She felt a touch on the back of her neck and blinked. Sabin smiled down at her.
“You need to make more noise when you move,” she muttered.
He smiled. “I don’t think you would’ve heard a starship arrive.”
“We need this to be ready for the test—”
He squeezed her shoulders. “We’ll be ready.”
As Sabin moved over to a second computer, she triple checked all her calculations. Sabin started checking the targeting.
Dr. Gregson arrived. “Are we ready?”
Finley blew out a breath. They were as ready as they’d ever be. “We’re ready.”
“The orbital team is in position,” the woman said. “Send them the coordinates, so they can get the satellites in position.”
Finley sent the data through. A big screen on the wall flickered to life, and the image displayed the interior of a small Space Corps shuttle, with the orbital team aboard.
Behind them, she saw half a dozen satellites out in space.
“Moving the array into position,” came the deep voice of one of the astronauts.
Finley fidgeted. Sabin touched her waist and she grabbed his hand. She didn’t care who was watching.
They watched the astronaut leave the ship. He wore a sleek, black-and-white spacesuit with a streamlined helmet. He flew gracefully through space until he reached the first satellite. He opened a panel, adjusting something on the control panel.
“This is Storm Team One. The satellites are in position.”
Finley blew out a breath. This was it. She watched the astronaut return to the shuttle.
“Initializing StarStorm orbital test,” a female voice said.
Finley’s mouth was dry now. The Kantos were coming. They wouldn’t stop. They had to get the StarStorm working.
But she couldn’t help but feel like she needed more time. That they were rushing things.
The countdown started.
She held on to Sabin’s hand.
“Oh my God, my nerves are killing me,” Gemma said, from behind Finley.
The first laser fired.
Finley sucked in a sharp breath. It looked so different in space.
More lasers fired, the net forming.
“It’s working,” Ian said.
Finley’s chest expanded. The net was beautiful.
“The final laser is failing to fire,” the female voice said. “But the others are successful.”
Gemma squealed and hugged Ian. His cheeks went red. Finley turned to Sabin and grinned.
“Just one small glitch, but it worked.”
“Congratulations,” he said.
Finley squealed and threw her arms around him. He lifted her off her feet, then his mouth was on hers.
She didn’t care about the others, she just kissed him back. His tongue stroked hers and he took his time.
When they lifted their heads, Gemma and Ian were grinning at them.
Finley fought a blush, but she didn’t care.
For however long she had him, Sabin was hers. She’d cherish every minute.
He set her on her feet.
“The test was a success,” Sabin said.
“But one laser failed. We still need to do some fine-tuning.”
“Let’s get to work.”
“Ahh.”
Sabin lifted his head and watched Finley throw her old-fashioned notebook across the lab. It hit the wall, then smacked to the floor. She slumped in her chair.
“Finley?” It was just the two of them. Gemma and Ian had worked with them all day, but left for the evening an hour before.
“This was supposed to be an easy fix,” Finley said. “But I can’t do it all from down here.” She blew out a breath.
Her jaw was tight and her shoulders stiff. He walked to her, and massaged her shoulders. “You have a team to help. You don’t have to do every little thing yourself.”
She grunted. “I need the orbital team to manually adjust some of the weapons systems.”
“So send them the instructions.”
“This isn’t their specialty, and the StarStorm is completely new. What if they get it wrong? What if—?”
“They get it right.” Sabin crouched in front of her. “I know this is your project. I know you feel a great sense of responsibility.” He rested his hands on her thighs. “You are not alone.”
“I know.”
“Send the instructions.”
“Now?”<
br />
“Yes. So you don’t stress and stew on it.”
She huffed out a breath, then tapped on her computer. Finally, she hit send.
“There. Detailed instructions sent to the orbital team.” Her computer chimed and she leaned forward to read the message. Her lips quirked. “They’re going to start work right away.”
“See?” Sabin stroked her thigh.
Her gaze dropped to his hand and lingered.
“You can relax now,” he said.
“Hardly. I’ll still worry about it. And if the damn Kantos assassins attack again…”
Sabin had seen the mess of the fight with the assassin in the other lab. His gut clenched. She could so easily have been killed. Ian had detailed the fight for him and how courageous she’d been.
His. Sabin’s helian pulsed. She was his to care for. To protect.
He stroked his hand higher and she stilled. He flicked open the button of her sensible pants.
“Sabin.” Her voice was half shocked, half aroused.
“I want you to relax.”
“Anyone could come in—”
“Everyone is gone for the night. They were exhausted trying to keep up with you.” He stroked his fingers along the seam of her pants and she gasped. “Do you like that, Finley?”
“I like any time you touch me.”
He gripped the sides of her pants and tugged. She clutched the arms of her chair and lifted her hips. “Sabin, if someone does walk in—”
“I locked the door when Gemma and Ian left.”
She licked her lips. He knelt in front of her and slid his hand up her bare legs.
“Touch yourself,” he said.
Her cheeks turned pink, but she slid her hand down her body. She had a sensual streak she kept hidden.
His blood pulsed, his cock surged. “I love looking at you.”
She touched herself and moaned softly.
Desire roared higher. Sabin pushed her hand away, then leaned down and put his mouth on her.
“Sabin.”
He licked and sucked, watching her writhe under his touch. He loved pleasuring her.
She panted, whispering his name. A hand slid into his hair, holding him to her.
“Oh, yes.” Her body shook as she came.
Sabin slowed his kisses. He pressed a kiss to her inner thigh and she shivered.