Salvaged Destiny

by Lynn Rae

  “I’m a comfortable sort of person, Del.”

  “I know. You’re very comfortable to be around and that’s rare for me to find. So that’s why, since you’re leaving, I wanted to try…while I have the chance.” She was only slightly babbling.

  “Just so I understand—you want to be with me, tonight, intimately, because you’re comfortable with me and I’m leaving soon?”

  Del nodded, that was pretty much her whole strategy, other than the potential vagueness of “be with”. A platonic sleepover wasn’t really what she wanted, but she’d take it if that’s all Lazlo offered. “I wasn’t suggesting we have some full-blown affair. I know we aren’t interested in that. Neither one of us. I’m busy with work and you’re going away. I was just hoping for tonight. But I understand if you can’t.”

  Lazlo took a breath and shifted closer to her, his long legs stretched out near hers. He reached out and caught up her hand and she shivered with the potential of that touch. Maybe she should draw back now before it was too late. Go back to being uninvolved Del Browen, just her and her rocks, unemotional and interesting. No reckless intimacies.

  “Just tonight?”

  Del nodded, stroking his hand since she couldn’t seem to bring herself to stop. “Forget I suggested it.”

  Lazlo shook his head. “Maybe I don’t want to forget it.”

  He shifted even closer, one of his heavy thighs pressing to hers as he circled his strong fingers around her palm. Del tried to look in his eyes but was distracted by the warmth of his body. “Intimate physical interaction, correct?”

  “Yes,” Del breathed out, suddenly feeling lightheaded and nauseated. Lazlo was going to start laughing now. What big, smart, nice man would want to roll around with a grubby little trash picker like her?

  “I think it could be good,” Del ventured, watching his face for any sign of amusement, not taking a deep breath now. Lazlo was very focused on her and she didn’t see any humor in his expression, only concentration.

  “I think it will be great.”

  Just as Del processed what he had said and started to feel a thrill of possibilities, Lazlo reached out for her and she clutched his hand as he pulled her close. He circled his arms around her and she slid her free hand up all of the hard swells of his biceps and deltoids. Her whole body was at least ten degrees hotter.

  “Would you like to?” Del managed to ask as she stared into his eyes.

  “This is a strange seduction,” Lazlo replied and circled one hand behind her head, staring at her and looking very serious.

  “I know. I’m strange.”

  “You’re fascinating.” Then he slowly lowered his face nearer to hers and Del felt swoony, his fingers on her back, his thighs pressed to hers, his warm scent dancing into her brain like really good anesthesia. But this was her idea—she needed to kiss him before he reconsidered the whole thing and politely escorted her to his door and said goodbye.

  She sucked in a shaky breath and caught his mouth with hers and something popped in her brain. He was light and cautious and tasted better than anything. Del felt a moan rising up she tried to repress but Lazlo just kept kissing her, testing where her curves were, nudging her lips a bit farther apart, tightening his hold on her as his tongue touched hers and her whole body jerked.

  Somehow Lazlo was lifting her and she was moving her legs to sit in his lap, panting as Lazlo kissed her cheek and nuzzled her ear. Del found his cheek with her fingertips and moved him back for another kiss, this one slow and soft and so much like Lazlo that she melted against him, her body anxious to fold into all of his angles and stay for a while.

  With a few more tastes of her mouth, he eased back and looked at her. Del was sure she looked flushed and drugged, since that was how her whole body felt.

  “Well, that was compelling,” Lazlo rumbled, not looking particularly nice anymore, more determined and warmed up than anything else. All Del could do was nod a few times and hold on to his shoulders. Somehow her legs had wrapped around him and most of her awareness was located where her body was straddling him.

  “Right. I agree. So are we in agreement?”

  “Were we arguing?”

  “No, I’m just trying to be clear.” Lazlo was thwarting her efforts to reach a conclusion since he was busily investigating the fastenings on her clothing. Not undressing her, merely locating and noting them as if he were going to disassemble something complicated. Which was a promising idea. When his fingertips moved over her waistband, Del shivered and tried again. “Lazlo, what do you want to do?”

  “Keep finding out how compatible we are.”

  “Ah, so, right then. Just for tonight.” Del blinked at him, his face close to hers, and she sighed with relief. He wasn’t going to reject her—in fact, he was holding on tightly. He pulled off the microspecs and tossed them on to his sofa.

  “Just for tonight.”

  “Should we stay here, or…?”

  Lazlo grinned then, his normal, happy and friendly grin and Del felt herself smile in return. Despite how entirely aroused he was making her, between his bunchy muscles, good smell and fantastic kisses, this was still Lazlo, the man she’d tromped around with in the sand, shared water with and survived with. They had fought to save each other.

  One good night, that was all she wanted or expected. And she had sudden faith he would give that to her.

  “I vote ‘or’.” He lifted her up over his shoulder and carried her back to his bedroom, the bedroom she’d slept in once, where she’d felt safe the whole night. The only night she’d felt safe in so long.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Lazlo was dizzy with lust and disbelief. Despite his complete certainty Del wasn’t attracted to him, here she was, clinging to him after some hot kissing, allowing him to bring her into his bedroom and deposit her on the bed, smiling and reaching for him as he drew back to look at her.

  Del seemed too small somehow, too fragile for what he wanted to do with her, and he tried to calm down, ignore his inner compulsion to strip her and dive in. He wanted to be as patient and kind as she deserved. But Del seemed to be interested in something else. She followed him as he moved away and grabbed his arms tightly.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Just giving you a little space.”

  “I don’t want space. I want you.”

  “Oh but—” Then she was kissing him, her mouth hot and wet, and he let her, reveling in the way his body tightened and hardened and everything else faded away—only Del was there. She pressed against him and he couldn’t reach her clothes, so he tried to start removing his own, only to have her pull back and whisper.

  “Here, let me. This was my idea.”

  “This isn’t a job, Del. It’s supposed to be fun.”

  “Oh yes. I’m having fun,” Del assured him as she vigorously unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it down around his arms. She’d neglected to unbutton his cuffs, so now he was entangled and she grunted as she pulled at the tight fabric at his wrists. It was actually stimulating. Maybe she would tie him up.

  “It works better if you unfasten the sleeves first.” Lazlo laughed, enjoying Del’s typical determination in such a new and exciting field. If she was like this for the rest of their time together, he was going to need a lot of rest later. Hopefully much later. He could catch up on his sleep on the transport to Weave tomorrow.

  “I know that now,” Del grumbled, fumbling for buttons. “Sorry, I’m a little out of practice.”

  “What, in taking off clothes? I would have thought you did that every day,” Lazlo teased, bending to kiss her quickly on the neck as she stared at his shirt. She tasted delicious.

  “I do. I do take off clothes every day. My clothes. Every day.” With a triumphant flourish, she pulled his shirt free and flung it in a distant corner of the room. “I just don’t undress a man every day.”

  “I can put the shirt back on if you want to practice,” Lazlo offered and she shook her head vigorously as she pulled at his undershir
t. Determined, his Del.

  “Don’t you dare.” She looked fierce and he decided to kiss her again as a reward for her hard work.

  “Tell me what you like. We only have tonight. I want to do this right,” Del whispered after stopping one slow, soft kiss with a little grunt and wriggle. Lazlo retaliated by pushing a hand up under her shirt and touching the soft skin of her back as he’d wanted to ever since that bastard Avo Kirk had stepped on her. At his touch she curved against him with a full-body shiver.

  “I liked that,” was his answer as he carefully maneuvered her across the bed, looking at her bright eyes and open mouth. This was already better than all the fantasies he’d tried not to have the past few weeks. Del was glowing and he couldn’t look away.

  “Do you like doing anything else?”

  “I like everything. Nearly everything,” Lazlo amended, remembering a long-ago encounter with an outwardly shy and proper woman who wanted him to scream obscenities at her while she rubbed her hair on his feet. That had been an unexpected and unpleasant request. Somehow, he didn’t think Del was going to initiate anything similar. She seemed to be pretty straightforward in her approach.

  “Good. Me too.” Del went to work on his waistband, taking a break every few seconds to pull his undershirt up and nuzzle at his chest, which was enticing enough for him to reach down and pull the obstructing garment off, throwing it and wondering if it landed anywhere near his shirt.

  With a happy chuckle at the newly exposed expanse, she stroked her fingers along his chest and nibbled at his body, working her way from one side to another, sucking his nipples as her lips encountered them. Blast, that felt fantastic. He pushed his fingers into her soft hair and reveled in the sensation.

  Del turned her attention back to his trousers and before he realized it, they were unfastened and tugged down around his ankles, which meant he had to clear his head enough to kick them off and then he could return to Del, who was wriggling against him, still fully clothed, hot mouth slick on his skin, fingers pulling along his arms.

  “What about you?” he managed to gasp after she sucked on his neck.

  “I’m good,” Del replied and ran her fingers up his thighs, her palms warm and fingers tickling through hair. Grabbing her wrists, Lazlo stopped her from driving him insane. He caught her gaze, her gray eyes dark and half-closed as she panted.

  “No, you’re great. But there is some inequity here.”

  “I know you’re bigger than me. I’m trying to cover as much territory as I can—” She smiled at him and he felt his heart turn over. This was Del, in his bed, touching his nearly naked body, making him hard and hot and happy. And making a joke.

  “No, Del, I mean the clothing.” He tugged at her shirt gently and she nodded.

  “You want to see me.”

  “Yes, and touch you too.”

  “I’m warning you, I don’t have the best body. And my chest still looks like a horror.”

  “Let me find out.” Lazlo took matters into his own hands and began to work at all the buttons and fasteners he’d already mapped out.

  Del lay back as Lazlo knelt over her, concentrating on her clothing with a little frown. She tried not to look at his undershorts and what was clearly happening in them, and tried not to think about how disappointed he was going to be when she was finally naked. Maybe she could turn off the lights before he removed her shirt.

  No, too late. He’d slipped it off and was now kissing her shoulder and neck, which felt magnificent enough that she didn’t think about her scars or undernourished frame for a few minutes. Then she was breathing harder and was supremely grateful her trousers had disappeared and his big fingers were so light on her skin, so light they felt like whispers.

  “Lovely Del,” Lazlo whispered and he gathered her up and pulled her to him and she let go of everything. All of her anxiety and modesty and desperation floated away as Lazlo came to her. Holding on to his hard shoulders, she moved any way he needed her to allow the rest of her clothing to be slowly peeled away, listening to him breathe, taking in his warmth and scent as if he were a fire on a cold night.

  Sitting together, he cautiously reached for her unimpressive breasts. They easily fit in his big hands as he cradled them with gentle squeezes. He kissed her as he touched, both sensations swirling in her until she was rocking in his arms. Then he laid the very tips of his fingers against the pink scar from Avo Kirk that burned between her breasts and he apologized quietly, his face tight with regret.

  “Not your fault,” Del tried to reassure him, smoothing her hands over his cheeks, touching his hair, watching him relax with her touch. He looked at her and she smiled at him, accepting now that this was going to be good, this wasn’t some impulsive mistake due to one too many drinks and one too many sad songs. This was her friend Lazlo.

  “Closer,” Lazlo murmured.

  She rose to her knees, catching his dark eyes as she slid one leg over his, settling herself against him, scooting closer, pressing his hard length to her, sighing with the pressure and anticipation.

  With a tiny growl he leaned back, pulling her down on top of him, his thighs tucking against her bottom to press her tight, still holding her breasts as her nipples pushed hard against his palms. Del felt wild, skin flushing hot, arms quivering, so very wet against him that she couldn’t think, except to move up and reach down for him.

  Pulling at his stretchy undershorts, she managed to lower them a little, but it took his cooperation to finally remove them and allow her to caress him. Lazlo released a breast and met her hand as she grasped him, anxious for more.

  “Are you ready? I haven’t even—”

  “Please, I can’t wait,” she begged, shivering at the feel of him in her hand, compelled to have him by some part of herself she’d been ignoring. She rose and they both eased him to her, Lazlo’s fingertips drifting along her folds as she slowly sank down, taking him in, shaking with the sensation, her groan matching his.

  Moving her hips slowly, she balanced herself with her hands on his broad chest, his big thumb somehow right where she needed it, beginning to breathe in time with him. All the shivery energy in her body began to build fast. She rocked, finding a good rhythm, watching Lazlo tense and tighten under her, his face rapt as he watched. Then Del couldn’t think anymore. Cool fire was pouring through her, shudders of complete pleasure taking her away from everything but him. He held her as she arched over him, holding still for her.

  Clutching at him, Del fell and discovered Lazlo was the best, most solid thing in her world. While she was gasping out her final climaxes, he shifted his grip on her and rolled so that he was angled over her, pushing in even more deeply, and she let out a loud moan of surprise.

  Easing back, Lazlo rasped out, “Oh Del, sorry.”

  Shaking her head from side to side, she reached for him weakly, her arms finally functioning again. “No. Come back, please, Lazlo.” She missed his skin already.

  Taking a deep breath, he carefully maneuvered himself back to her, Del assisting as she could, arching with happy satisfaction as he found her again, moving again.

  Gripping her hip with one hand, he held his weight on his other arm, his muscles swollen and hard with the effort. She circled her arms around him, touching his cheek and his side as Lazlo began to thrust hard.

  Del moved her hips, anticipating the steady repetition of his body. Concentrating on his tense face, Del felt a surge of pride as Lazlo lost himself in her, shaking and shouting out her name as he collapsed.

  Trying to calm her breathing, Del shifted under his weight and he moved away with a deep sigh, his big arms still around her, keeping her tight to him—which was exactly where she wanted to be. Curving her legs over his, she enjoyed the warmth still rushing through her tingly body. So that had been Lazlo Casta blasting through all of her notions and ideas about how it would be.

  At a loss as to what to expect next, she decided to wait quietly. But instead of falling asleep as she’d anticipated, Lazlo instead m
ade a satisfied sound and curved against her, kissing her cheek while he studied her.

  “How are you?” he rumbled, his expression relaxed and nearly lazy.

  “Well, and you?” How absurdly polite for two people who had just moaned, groaned and thrashed naked against each other. His thick hair was wildly disarranged, his skin was flushed and he was the handsomest man of her experience. Rather atypically, she did not want to move, clean herself up, put on clothing and run out the door.

  “Better than I ever anticipated,” Lazlo said, running his fingertips along her arm, circling the ticklish parts of her elbow until she shook and pressed against him.

  Del watched his warm brown eyes as a satisfied smile quirked his lips. “So you anticipated this?”

  “Of course I did. Many times and in all sorts of scenarios.”

  “I didn’t expect this.”

  “No? I’m surprised.”

  “I’m surprised too. I never expected you to be awake afterward. I thought you’d fall right to sleep. In all of my fantasies, you were snoring right about now,” Del teased and he laughed.

  “You’re full of spice.” Lazlo turned his fingers to her hip, tracing up and down the curve then spreading his palm possessively over her buttock with a slight squeeze. Del shivered again and he smiled at her involuntary response, leaning over to kiss her neck and squeeze again.

  “How long can you stay?” he asked against her skin and she breathed deep, inhaling his scent and wondering how she’d ended up here. Her initial request had been incredibly awkward, but the results had been splendid.

  “You need to pack,” Del offered him the opportunity to send her home with a horrible pang, terribly sad again he was leaving. “I should go.”

  “You should stay and help me,” Lazlo countered, now slowly investigating her shoulders after gently pushing her arms down onto the bed. Breathing more rapidly, Del tried to think of a good reason why she shouldn’t stay any longer.

  She’d had her wonderful experience with him. She’d been the lucky recipient of more than enough pleasure to dwell on in the long months ahead, so it was probably best to go while she could. Go while it was less painful.