“Yes.”
“What do you think?” He valued Vartan’s opinion. They’d fought side by side numerous times and Kendrick trusted Vartan implicitly. His friend was battle-honed and had the cunning instinct of a true warrior.
“Xerex will retreat from their threats of war if they know what’s good for them.” Vartan poured himself some ale as well and sipped before speaking once more. “However, I wouldn’t put it past them to create some havoc. I don’t trust Xerexians.”
Kendrick nodded. “I agree.”
“The ship I sent has the ability to cloak its signal. The Xerexians won’t pick it up in their radar. They won’t even know the ship is there. Anything out of the ordinary, we’ll know.”
“Well done.” Kendrick grinned. “I gather you enjoyed your trip to Solana Four?”
Vartan’s lips tilted in a smile. “Who wouldn’t? Solana Four is nothing but a playground, my friend. A paradise with a variety of pleasures to sample. That was probably the easiest mission you’ve ever given me.”
He chuckled. “I knew you would like it. Orrin told me you didn’t bring anyone back. Solana Four’s women didn’t interest you?”
His friend shook his head. “They’re amazing but only for short periods of time. I’ve never found anyone who would make me lock myself up in my room for three days and demand not to be disturbed,” Vartan drawled teasingly.
“Too bad,” Kendrick murmured, not rising to the bait. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”
Vartan sat down on a couch and leaned back. “I have it on good authority that this woman is not the least bit intimidated by you.”
“Orrin does not know when to keep his mouth shut.” Truthfully, he had no secrets from Vartan, for he was more like a brother.
“So it is true?” Vartan chuckled.
Kendrick looked out the window. In his mind, he was seeing Tamara. “She is very strong minded, quite unlike the other females I’ve dealt with before. Tamara does not allow anyone to push her around.”
“Better and better. Yet you managed to persuade her to stay here in Bandar?” There was obvious curiosity in Vartan’s voice.
“In exchange for my decision to become Earth’s ally, she agreed to stay here with me for a period of time.”
Vartan whistled under his breath. “This woman must really be extraordinary. Getting involved in messy human politics is a high price to pay. Ever since I can remember, you’ve had no problem getting a woman into bed. Why her?”
Kendrick chucked ruefully. “Tamara’s different. She’s a Federation Special Services agent, wields a plasma gun with admirable expertise and knocked me on my ass the first night I met her.”
Vartan burst out laughing. “Now I really can’t wait to meet her. Although I hope she knows you allowed her to knock you on your ass, right?”
“She took me by surprise.” Kendrick braced himself for more mocking laughter from his friend.
None was forthcoming. Instead, Vartan stared at Kendrick thoughtfully for long moments before finally speaking again. “You may have found the one woman for you.”
Kendrick snorted. “Nonsense. It’s merely lust, I can assure you.” Something tugged deep within him at Vartan’s words. Could it be possible his friend was right? Impossible. “I’d prefer to settle down with a more malleable, more agreeable Bandarian female than a stubborn, headstrong human female.”
“Ah. Think about this. Will a submissive Bandarian woman excite you as much as this one obviously does?”
“I’m sure I will feel the same way,” Kendrick assured him. Privately, he couldn’t help but think that Vartan might be right. Tamara excited, infuriated, provoked, aroused and satisfied him like no other woman he had ever known.
The door opened. A young woman dressed in a short, gauzy skirt glided in and headed directly for Kendrick. Her breasts swung gently as she moved, drawing attention to her dark nipples. She came up close and bowed, her pert breasts bobbing softly. “Prince Kendrick,” she purred.
“Rahda.” Kendrick gave her a fond smile. Before he met Tamara, Rahda shared his bed most of the time. She pleased him in every way and he couldn’t find any fault with her sexually.
“You haven’t summoned me lately, my prince,” Rahda pouted. “I know you’ve been occupied with the human female, but I’ve missed you.” With boldness, she eliminated the few inches separating them and rubbed against him. “You don’t want me anymore?”
His arms went around her automatically. “As you’ve said, I’ve been otherwise occupied.”
She rubbed her breasts against him, sighing like a cat in heat. “Did I displease you somehow?”
“No.”
She smiled. “I could help you with your bath tonight.” Standing on tiptoe, Rahda kissed him full on the lips.
Kendrick kissed her back, surprised when he felt nothing but mild interest. Rahda was skilled in the art of sex and had never before failed to arouse him. Why was it different now? Feeling unsettled by his body’s lukewarm reaction, he kissed her deeper, harder. He touched her soft, generously curved body. Rahda parted her legs and cradled him close to her pussy. Puzzled, Kendrick waited for his cock’s response to her blatant invitation. There was none forthcoming.
* * *
The sight that greeted her at the entrance to the receiving room stunned Tamara. Kendrick was kissing a young woman rather passionately, his big hands roaming with familiar precision all over her body. Cold fury almost choked her and she clenched her fists. How could he fuck her like he’d been doing nonstop for days and then paw another woman?
So what? You don’t have an exclusive right to him.
At this thought, she drew up short. Come to think of it, what right did she have to get mad? There was nothing in their agreement that stipulated fidelity, right? And how could she ever demand fidelity from a man like him, whose sexual reputation was well known in the galaxy?
Nevertheless, for some reason, she was angry. Whirling around, Tamara stalked to the nearest exit and had the satisfaction of slamming that door against the wall. She emerged in the garden and sought the most secluded part, wandering deeper amidst the wild profusion of blooming flowers and trees. She came upon an intricately sculpted fountain surrounded by stone benches. Water gurgled happily from a small, hidden spout, falling into the basin at the bottom.
She sank onto a bench. The soft, fragrant breeze and the sound of flowing water should have soothed her, but she still seethed. For the first time in her life, she felt impotent anger. She was powerless to complain. Her sole reason for being here was to occupy his bed. If he chose to dally with another woman, shouldn’t she be thankful? If he were with another woman then he would leave her alone. That was a good thing, right?
Moments later, she gave up. No matter how she tried to convince herself she should be thankful another woman had Kendrick’s attention, it didn’t work. Her temper still simmered. What was she here for if he was going to fuck somebody else?
Am I jealous?
She drew in her thoughts sharply. There was something seriously wrong with her if she was jealous. Her arrangement with Kendrick was only temporary. It would not behoove her to form an emotional attachment to the brute. Ha! Emotional attachment? That man probably wouldn’t know what that meant if it hit him on the head.
Just because she was livid didn’t mean she was jealous. What set her off was his complete disregard for her feelings. He should, at the very least, dally with another woman where she couldn’t see them. “Lecher,” she muttered under her breath. “Who the hell does he think he is?”
The loud clearing of a throat disturbed her furious thoughts. Tamara found Orrin standing a few feet away from her and schooled her expression into a polite mask. “Orrin. What can I do for you?”
Orrin gave her a friendly smile. “Ina has brought you some fresh clothes.”
“Thank you.” She desperately tried to sound composed. “I appreciate it.”
“You like the serenity of the garden?”
“It would help if you understood the nature of Bandarian males.” Orrin held up a hand. “I saw what you saw.”
Tamara couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You’re defending him?”
His expression was earnest, and he seemed to be searching for the right words. “Here in Bandar, we’re not as much concerned about fidelity and monogamy as humans are. To us, sexual pleasure is sought and given freely. As the ruler, Kendrick naturally has women in his household specifically here to see to… his needs. Rahda is one of those women.”
Bitch. Tamara snorted. “Naturally.”
“Once a man is mated, it is up to him to remain faithful to the relationship. He is free to seek pleasure outside the relationship.”
“And the woman has no input in this whatsoever?”
“Bandarian women are by nature submissive. Their foremost concern is the pleasure of their men.”
Tamara decided it was wise to keep her mouth shut before she insulted the whole race.
Orrin’s lips tilted. “We have found that more often than not, the man does not seek other women once they’re mated.” He paused. “Do you expect Kendrick to change his ways while you’re here?” he asked gently.
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation. “By the same token, how would he feel if he saw me with another man?”
His brow wrinkled. “It never seemed to bother him before.”
“I guess humans are different.” She stood up, restless. “I think I’ll explore the grounds.”
“Would you care for company?”
“No. Thank you,” she added to soften her rejection. “It’ll be dark soon. I won’t be long.” With a small wave, she wandered off. She needed to think, needed to get herself under control before she faced Kendrick again.
* * *
When she came back, darkness had fallen. Slipping inside the door, she made her way to Kendrick’s bedroom and headed for the bathroom. Although it wasn’t really a bathroom in the strictest sense, more like a computerized cubicle. In it, she stood with her arms stretched out wide and an arm-like contraption wet her with water before scrubbing her down with soap. All in all, it took no more than a couple of minutes and she was clean and dry. On the way out, she happened to glance at the huge, hedonistic tub buried in the floor, fed by an underground hot spring. An unexpected and unpleasant thought occurred to her. How many times had Kendrick used that tub with a woman? Or worse, women? Averting her eyes, annoyed once again, she pulled on a robe and sat on the bed to brush her hair.
The door opened with a loud thud against the wall. “I’ve been looking for you.” Kendrick stood in the threshold, arms on his hips.
Tamara stiffened at the displeasure in his voice. “I went for a walk and came back here,” she replied, keeping her voice even. “Do you need me to vacate this room?” His puzzled look seemed downright genuine, she thought with irritation. He’s a great liar. “I don’t mind if you need me to make myself scarce tonight so you can…” she gestured with her hand, “spend time with that woman, Rahda.”
“Rahda?” he echoed.
She put down her brush. “Yes. I saw you earlier and just figured you would want me out of the way tonight.”
“You’re upset,” Kendrick concluded with a trace of surprise.
Tamara stood up, hating having to look so far up to meet his eyes. “I am not upset,” she denied with what she hoped was convincing disdain. “I’m sure you’re used to a variety of women to see to your sexual needs.” She tossed her damp hair over her shoulder. “This means I’m free for the night, am I correct?”
Kendrick stared at her for a long while. She glared right back. “Wrong.” He advanced toward her with slow steps.
She didn’t like the look on his face and stepped back, making sure to keep the bed in between them. “What do you mean, wrong?”
“You’re not free tonight. Or any other night.”
Skirting around the bed wasn’t easy but she managed it. “Rahda wasn’t enough for you? Here in Bandar, it might be all right to fuck another woman after you’ve just had one. Human females don’t appreciate it.”
“Explain,” he demanded, his eyes narrowing into slits.
Tamara tossed her hair over her shoulders and met his gaze without flinching. “You can at least take a shower or something to cleanse yourself after you’ve been with another woman. I won’t have you reeking of her when you come to me.”
“You dare too much,” he warned with chilling softness. “You forget who I am. Get undressed and get on the bed.”
Ha! Who the hell does he think he is? She wasn’t a sex slave. As quickly as thoughts of defying him entered her mind, it also occurred to her that he was probably waiting for her to do just that. She would not give him the chance to accuse her of breaking the terms of their agreement. Seething with impotent fury, she shrugged off the robe. Without even looking at him, she climbed on the bed and lay down. It took all of her will to lie there and bite her tongue. Not lash out at him like she wanted to.
From the corner of her eye, she could see him undress with methodical precision, not once taking his eyes off her. The slide of the clothes on his skin had her gritting her teeth, imagining the material rasping against his soft body hair as he took them off one by one. The click and snap of his trousers and the resulting soft clink on the floor made her clench her fists. She unclenched them right away. She could feel his eyes boring into her. Refusing to look at him, she trained her eyes on the ceiling, tracing the intricate pattern of the Bandar crest carved into the plaster.
Kendrick stood over her, his engorged cock jutting proudly from a nest of soft dark curls. “Games annoy me, Tamara. Have a care not to play one in my bed.”
Tamara let her eyes meet his briefly. “I wouldn’t dream of displeasing you, Prince Kendrick.”
A frown furrowed his wide forehead. He slid onto the bed next to her and just gazed at her. She held herself stiffly, bracing herself for the first contact. When it came, it was where she didn’t expect it. He laid a warm hand on her stomach, palm flat. “Do you think to lie there and simply endure my touch until it’s over?”
“Our agreement did not stipulate being responsive,” she retorted. “You wanted a body in your bed, you got one.”
“You humans’ penchant for games is amusing to me,” he mused. “You seem to like conflict.” Kendrick slid his hand up, cupping her breast in his hand. “We shall see who comes out the winner in this round.” He swooped down and tongued her nipple a second before he sucked the tip in his mouth.
Tamara tried not to jerk in reaction. She tamped down on the heat radiating from the fierce suction of his lips, feeling the push and pull deep in her womb. I’m stronger than this. I can do this. When he released her, she uttered a sigh of relief, only to panic again when he drew swirling patterns with his tongue on her sensitive skin. With her eyes locked on the ceiling, she mentally reviewed the brutal training regimen for the Federation Special Services. Ancient boot camp had nothing on the present day training she had to go through. In fact she -- ohhh!
Tamara bit her lip and held back a moan as Kendrick traveled down to her front and laved her navel with soft licks. Damn him! He was making sure he didn’t miss an inch of her body. Her eyes flew open when he stopped, and she found him looking down at her.
“So stubborn,” he drawled in a throaty voice. He leaned in and licked the pulse beating at the base of her throat. “Don’t hold back, Tamara. I want to hear your enjoyment when I touch you.”
Tamara arched her neck. She could feel insistent little flames of heat stoking the fires in her pussy but she held her ground. “Let’s just get this over with, shall we?”
“We shall see about that.” Shouldering her legs apart, he settled in between her splayed thighs and just looked at her exposed pussy.
Clenching her fists, she forced her thoughts to another direction, instead of at the moisture she cou
ld feel spreading in her exposed channel. It’s a natural reaction, she insisted to herself stubbornly. When he simply buried his face amid the folds, she couldn’t help but jerk against him. And when he licked her labia with light flicks of his tongue, she was tempted to relent and let out a moan. Gritting her teeth, she held back. How long could she do that? She didn’t know. Her father always said she was stubborn to a fault and she wasn’t about to change now.
With his fingers, Kendrick pulled the lips apart and immediately licked her clit. Pleasure made her close her eyes tightly and fist her hands on the sheets, but still she made no sound. She’d rather die first. A desperate moan threatened to erupt from her throat. She bit her lip, enduring the sensuous lapping of his tongue in tortured silence. When his tongue slipped inside her slit, she almost reared off the bed. When he attached his lips to her clit and sucked, she almost died. She could feel her juices dampening her upper thighs but still she kept silent. Orgasm was knocking at the door, threatening to blow her control to smithereens. Perspiration coated her skin and she felt feverish. Any moment she was going to come. By God, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of hearing her moan in bliss.
Kendrick blew on the swollen nub of her clit and she shuddered. So close, so close… He stopped. Tamara’s eyes flew open, in time to see him stand next to the bed. He sported a massive erection, so why had he stopped? Confused, she watched as he fished something out from the side table. Flicking the tube open, he squeezed some thick, clear, gooey substance onto his palm.
Her eyes widened as she realized what it was. Lubrication. Her heart thudded in apprehension as he took his cock in a fisted hand and liberally coated the whole length. She swallowed. What the hell --
Their eyes met. His were full of challenge, silently daring her to protest. He wasn’t intending to -- he couldn’t be -- “Y… you,” she began to sputter but swallowed it back as his eyebrow rose.
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