“Lily...”
It’s too late for any warning, though, because I rush across the room on an artificial high, elated to be in Cole’s company and worried about his injury.
“No, we do have time for this,” I shoot back. I grab the miniature briefcase and almost disassemble it when I yank it open. In seconds, I’m rummaging through it like a fiend. Antiseptic and flimsy gauze made of bottom-of-the-barrel materials are all I find, but it’ll have to do. It’s still worlds better than doing absolutely nothing. “We don’t know what awaits us when we find a way out of this maze of Donner’s creation. Better we take advantage of any opportunity we get to get you cleaned up and then we’ll worry about the next step, okay? We need to make sure you don’t develop an infection or worse.”
“It’s my mechanical arm,” Cole deadpans. “I don’t think it’s susceptible to biological agents.”
A cloud falls over my face, darkening my expression. “You have no idea the bad shit that could happen because of that.”
And he doesn’t. There wasn’t any time to sit and dawdle before, and I’m still unclear on how his injury came about. Everything happened too easily and quickly for me to be able to just toss caution to the wind like Cole would have me do. If there’s any double-cross we overlooked, it’s better to make up for that foolishness now.
I tell Cole as much.
“If you say so,” he says, lowering himself to the chair in front of me.
“I do.” I take his bionic arm, glad that I don’t have to field any further argument from Cole, and deftly work away to sterilize his limb. In the secluded environment we’re now occupying, a spark ignites between us. I want to give into it again, to taste his kiss for a second time, to melt into him, but I must do the task in front of me.
There will be plenty of time for all of that later, I remind myself. For now, it’s better to go as efficiently as possible.
“So, what do we do now?” I ask as I wrap the bandage around him. The movements take me back to when I first arrived in Temis and needed to change the dressing on my abdominal gash. It seems surreal to me that only a few days ago, I was still running the risk of a hell of an infection. Instinctively, I brush my fingers under my shirt and over the place where the port Donner had installed was until very recently. In his hurry to have me bathe in front of him, that asshole neglected to provide me with adequate bandages.
To my utter gratitude, though, there was no pain as my hands pressed the former site of Donner’s drug delivery system.
“I think I know where we are,” Cole says, eyeing the walls that surround us with renewed interest. A ghost of familiarity rises over his face, giving way to faint recognition.
“Are there any patrols nearby?” I ask. For all I know, we’re in a deserted ship or under Donner’s own unofficial jurisdiction, where any kind of lawmen are redundant.
“I reckon there are,” Cole replies. “But before we alert them, we need to time this right.”
“Okay.” I stow all the medical supplies back in the case and stash it underneath the workstation. That’s when it dawns on me just how weird it is that there should be a workstation at all here. I scan the rest of the room, taking inventory of the quarters we’ve found ourselves in. “We’re in a hotel in Temis.”
“Yes,” Cole says. “Wait, where did we think we were?”
“I hadn’t the faintest idea,” I confess. “A bastard with means like Donner knows no bounds.”
“Thank Cybele he didn’t smuggle you out of here.” Cole scowls. “It would’ve made it that much harder for me to find you.”
My hand finds his and I squeeze. “But you did.”
We lock eyes and the world falls away. I want him, more desperately than I have ever wanted anyone else my whole life. But there’s no time.
As if reading my mind, Cole clears his throat and averts his gaze. “And we need proof before we bring anyone else into this. It won’t do for us to raise hell without being able to corroborate whatever we claim.”
“Don’t you have any kind of cachet with them?” I ask, eyes widening at the prospect of having to secure proof. How are we ever supposed to do that and manage to crawl out of this clusterfuck alive?
Cole furrows his brow. “With the patrol?”
“Yeah.”
“Not to take down someone like Donner,” he says with a sigh. “Okay, listen up. I have a plan.”
My ears perk up and I absorb every word that comes out of Cole’s mouth with avid interest. There are still kinks that we’ll need to work out on the go, but the gist of it is pretty simple: we’ll have to find a way to be on site as soon as possible.
“In case Donner uses a small incident to distract the crowd,” I say.
“Precisely.” Cole nods gravely.
I don’t need to ask him why that is. Unfortunately for me, I know the answer to that question all too well. Without being privy to whatever twisted stunt it is that Donner means to pull, we must be as vigilant as possible. There’s no room for error. Until there’s actionable intel about the last, unknown part of the job that Donner intended to enact, we’ll have to play this safe.
“Let’s go,” I say, jumping to my feet.
It soothes my nerves to have Cole follow me. More to the point, it’s reassuring to know that he’ll have my back, come what may.
He’s proven himself to be a reliable ally in all this. I can’t wait until I have the chance to thank him properly for all his tireless efforts.
22 Cole
Nothing in this universe feels as good as seeing Lily sitting safely in the rig. Her eyes are closed, and her legs are folded beneath her. Her body doesn’t twitch or move. Despite the chaos swirling around us, she’s able to maintain her focus and calm her mind. She’s a statuesque beauty.
She sits quietly. A serene expression rests upon her face, and her breathing slows. My retinal scanners measure her vitals. Her heart beats at a rate lower than her normal resting level, and her oxygen intake drops.
I watch her, waiting patiently. Even though she appears tranquil, I can feel her unease. We’ve been at this for hours, but somehow, Donner has managed to vanish. It’s a recurring theme with him it seems.
Lily shakes her head, returning to me. “I can’t do it. I can’t get a bead on him.” Her voice falters. She sounds as though she is seconds away from breaking.
“It’s ok.” I place my hand on her knee, trying to comfort her.
“It’s not okay,” she snaps, rising from her chair. “I am tired of running, and I am sick of constantly having him in my head. He needs to be stopped. This needs to end.” Her tone is rife with emotion as she paces back and forth in the control cabin.
I stand from my chair, surging with her overflow of emotion. In a few calm steps, I meet her and take her into my arms. She doesn’t fight me but welcomes the embrace, burying her head beneath my chin.
“Whatever big catastrophe he’s planning—it’ll take longer than a day,” I whisper to her. “All is not lost. We still have time.”
“You don’t know that,” she huffs. “Neither one of us have any idea what this psycho is planning after he uses the crash as a distraction.”
“That’s true, but I do know how talented you are. You won’t be easy to replace. Donner’s going to need some time to figure out his plan without you.”
She peers up at me. “You don’t think he’ll come after me again?”
“No.” I shake my head. “Business is business—he’ll move forward with something or someone else.”
Our eyes lock, and I can feel her vulnerability. Her feral instincts bristle, positioning to strike. The emotion chokes me.
I hug her closer. “I’ll get him.”
“No, we will get him.”
I grin. “Is that a bet?”
The comment wins me an irresistible smile. My hands cup her face, and I brush my lips against hers—thankful just to have her back in my arms, safe.
But when we kiss, the magnetic tug I’ve always felt
between us deepens. It makes it difficult to pull away. I begin to take a step back, but she grabs hold of my shirt. Her fingers dig into the fabric, giving her a strong grip.
“Where are you going?” she whispers.
Her warm breath tickles my ear, and a shiver rolls down my spine. My heart hammers my chest. “Nowhere.”
Her arousal floods my senses. I can almost taste it. “Come here.” She pulls me into another kiss, holding me close to her.
Our souls edge near each other, pulled by shared emotions and electric pulses. It awakens uncontrollable desire that heats me from the inside out. The sensation is so strong, I struggle to control it. I kiss her deeply, but it’s not enough. I need all of her. I need to complete the connection that ties us together.
My hands latch onto her hips and pull. Our backs bump into walls, knocking down tools and toppling floor items. My hands flow over her body as we stumble closer to my chamber. Our lips never part, desiring more than the moment can offer.
When we reach the threshold, I lift her onto the bed. Seeing her laid before me sends my senses into overdrive. Desire streams through me. I feel as though I will explode if I don’t have her.
I climb on top, my body surrounding hers. Our arms entwine. Our mouths breathe out words of desperation, drawing the other closer. I pin her wrists to the bed, ensuring she won’t slip away from me.
I never thought I’d end up with a woman like Lily.
Not even in my wildest fantasies had I envisioned this type of passion and longing. When my planet disappeared, I assumed I’d never find my soulmate. Whatever it was that this woman sparked inside me, it tore through my core with an unyielding heat.
I tear the clothes from her body, not able to wait a moment longer. She stares up at me, naked and vulnerable. The look on her face nearly brings me to my knees. At that moment, I have no other purpose in life other than touching Lily and making her want me as much as I want her.
“You’re beautiful, Lily. Absolutely. Beautiful.” I barely even recognize my own voice.
She pushes up on her elbows, smirking before crooking one of her fingers at me, beckoning me closer. Her hypnotic eyes lure me in like a siren, and with that one look, she owns me.
I slide my hands along her skin, working my way up her body and dotting it with kisses. I resist the urge to go quickly, despite my ancestral blood trying to hurl me forward.
I want this to last.
I want her to crave me as much as I crave her.
I want her to feel our connection as I do.
Her legs tremble, and she sucks in a deep breath. I wasn’t the only one anticipating this moment. She reaches up for me. Her fingers touch my skin, toying with the hem of my shirt before she pulls it from my back. She then runs her hands along my torso.
My cock strains against the buckle of my pants. I should have taken those off first, but she had me in a daze. The emotions swelling between us leaves little room for my mind to work.
Dropping down on her, I settle my hips between her legs. My hand brushes the hair from her face, allowing me to look into her haunting eyes. Every second pulses with the promise of sinking into her and taking us to the point of no return. The anticipation in the air is so thick. I run my lips along her neck until she wraps her legs around my hips. Her heels dig in with an insistent, urgent need.
Tilting her head up, she moans at my nips along her skin. Her smell, her touch, her taste, everything makes me want this to last as long as possible. Make it something she can’t forget.
“Stop teasing me.” She grabs my hair and tightens her grip.
My scalp tingles. “It wouldn’t be fun if I didn’t.” I push off of her and kiss my way back down her body until I am off the bed. Winking, I unbuckle my pants.
She rolls her eyes at me. “I’d really like it if you would fuck me already.”
“There’s that spitfire talk that I love so much,” I say as I climb back on top, following her like a predator stalking his prey. I run my hands through her hair and lay another searing kiss on her lips.
Her knees spread a little bit wider, letting me get close. Her hot, wet heat rests just below my cock. I shudder and count in my head, so this isn’t over before it even begins.
Breaking our kiss, I stare down at her. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Her plump lips are wet from my kiss. Her breath rises and falls with anticipation.
Lifting my hips, I run my cock along her pussy. Her wetness soaks my head.
Up on my knees, I press into her. My cock makes its presence known, demanding entrance. There’s a hint of resistance, and her breaths come out faster before I lunge my hips and sink into her. For a split second, my mind flashes with a bright light. As though my brain turned off and on again.
Her pussy wraps around my cock like a fist, and I get light-headed. Thrusting my hips, I bite my lip. Watching her writhe under me is quickly becoming my new favorite pastime. Every sound. Every taste makes me a little bit more addicted.
Her back arches off the bed. My name on her lips sends a shiver down my spine. She cries out, and I am lost in her.
Our worlds collide together. I can feel the rawness of her spirit and the gentle, fun, alert innocence at the seat of her heart. It ties to the parts of me that have been deprived of freedom from pressure, having been hitched to duty for what feels like eternity.
I reach down and strum her clit with my thumb. Her legs lock around me, keeping my thrusts short and fast. She bounces back against me as our rhythm syncs together.
She grabs a pillow and shoves it over her face as she screams into it. It sounds a lot like my name. I try not to let it go to my head.
My jaw clenches tight. I ride out the vise grip she has on me. Her pussy milks me for all I am worth, and I can’t hold it back anymore. Watching her come apart was my favorite sight in the world.
I roar out her name and follow her, shooting rope after rope of come. A link surges through us, merging us together on a level few will ever get to experience in this galaxy. She is my one and only. My true soulmate.
23 Lily
Perhaps it’s ill-timed for us to be tangled up in each other like we are, but I don’t care. I trace little doodles made of air and happiness and this deep-rooted security I’ve never felt before on the surface of Cole’s skin, basking in the afterglow of the wild time we just had. If there is a way to preserve individual moments of one’s life, to keep them intact in the depths of one’s mind, I want to know what it is. There has never been a more perfect bubble for me to retreat into than the one that Cole represents.
It startles me to realize I can spend the rest of my life exactly like this. Safely nestled in his arms, enjoying life for the brief minutes of joy I get with him. I don’t need to do anything else to be satisfied and content. This is it. This is more than enough for me.
Which is an incredibly foolish thing to think. It’s like I need to ruin my own happily-ever-after by tempting fate. I won’t be surprised if someone—Donner’s minions or, worse, Donner himself—storms into Cole’s rig and executes us right here and now.
You need to take some classes on how to experience bliss without psyching yourself out, I think, unsure of why I’m giving pointed advice to myself in the second person.
The silliness envelops me, and I burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
I look at Cole, unprepared for the sheer, stark emotion in his eyes. I blush, hand-waving as if to tell him that it’s nothing. There is nothing in the galaxy that can pry the maelstrom of random thoughts darting in and out of my mind from the innermost sanctity of my headworld.
“Tell me,” Cole says, his voice altogether too serious for me to believe that he’s doing anything other than teasing me.
I giggle again, and his hands snake around my sides. He tickles me in earnest, and the guffaws roll out of my mouth with ease. I squirm, swatting him away, but like his own taunts, it’s good-natured. Light.
I can really get used to th
is.
“Stop!” I gasp, breaking free from him. I’m quick to my feet, making a beeline for the shower. Cole follows me, chasing me in circles around the confined space of his rig. I’m too fast for him to catch me, but he does manage to wind me up again.
“Hey, now, if you keep escaping me, we’re gonna be here all day,” he warns. The levity in his voice is unmistakable.
I lift my arms in the air, panting. “Then how about we call a truce?”
“I’m not interested in peace,” Cole quips.
“And what are you interested in?” I glance at him only to find him staring back at me with dirty in his eyes. I match his lusty grin and lick my lips. “Huh, so that’s what you’re interested in. Didn’t I tire you out just now?”
“You did a lot to me just now,” he says, closing the distance between us with a single stride, “but it’s not nearly enough to enable me to think about anything else.”
When he wraps his arms around me, lacing his fingers through my hair, I don’t shy away. I lean into it, welcoming his embrace, his torrid kiss, the feel of his hard body against my own.
“Well, how about this,” I start to say, but Cole shuts me up with another deep, passionate kiss. Whatever it is that this man represents to me, I want more of it. My body is throbbing again, ready to take more of him, to give in to him for the second time, and again, and again, and again, until there’s no one else left in this godforsaken station but him and me, until time itself becomes an abstract concept, until we can’t take another second of each other.
It concerns me a little how easily I clear my mind of my many considerable problems when there’s a chance of indulging myself with Cole.
Just a little, though. Mostly, I want to give myself a rubber stamp of approval to get lost in him, everything else be damned.
“How about what?” Cole prompts.
I break away from him because the only way my cognition is going to whir back to life is if there’s not a sexy-as-all-the-living-fuck cyborg pressing his cock against me.
The Cyborg Bounty Hunter: In the Stars Romance Page 11