Only to jump as Riana, in full sight of anyone who cared to look, cupped his ass in one hand.
Shocked, he darted a glance down to hers.
Riana's eyes were slumberous with desire. She stood up. “The meeting is adjourned."
Her hand still on his ass, she urged him forward. Darias heard soft laughter, and the back of his neck grew hot. All too well, he understood. The suppressant had worn off. Riana intended to have sex with him. Right now. And she didn't care who knew.
Darias found he did.
* * * *
"Take your clothes off.” Riana was already shedding her clothes with haste. When Darias hesitated, she quit working on her clothes, and began on his. “Hurry. I want you now.” She tore the tunic in her haste. “This minute.” She shoved down his breeches, her mouth open against his chest. He smelled clean with a faint tang of musk.
She was burning. Between her legs, her panties grew wet. She sucked harder, rewarded with his sharp intake of breath, then tore her mouth away to taste his stomach, licking and nipping at the corded muscles. “Hurry, Darias!” Impatient, she gave one hard shove.
His feet tangled in his breeches and he toppled backwards onto the bed.
Riana followed, straddling his hips. She didn't even bother to remove her opened shirt. Her mouth fastened on the flat copper disk of his nipple. Raking the beaded nub of flesh with her teeth, she gave it a small, sharp bite before running her tongue over the small hurt.
Darias went as still as death beneath her.
It took Riana a second to realize he wasn't responding. She lifted her head.
"What is it? What's wrong? I didn't really hurt you, did I?"
"Why are you Punishing me?"
Riana moistened her lips, not sure she had heard correctly. “Punishing you?"
His eyes searched hers. “You are using your mouth on me."
"So?"
"Such methods of arousal are reserved for Punishment."
Riana dropped her head onto his chest. She closed her eyes and prayed for patience. She lifted her head as she put her finger on something that had been bothering her since being stranded on this benighted planet.
"Is that why you didn't kiss my breasts whenever we had sex? Or use your hands to arouse me?” Riana couldn't keep the incredulity from her voice. For a race that used sex as a punishment, they were oddly reticent when it came to foreplay in making love.
"It is forbidden. Custom reserves such intimacies for Punishment."
"Well, I hate to tell you this, but your customs are about to change.” She sought the leather thong about his waist and tugged it off in one swift motion. “Lie back and close your eyes. Tell yourself you have to submit to my desires. I don't care. Blame it on the suppressant—another of your charming customs,” she reminded him sarcastically, still smarting over her previous punishments. A blatantly sexual smile curved her lips as she ran her hand the length of his cock.
The muscles in his legs became rock hard.
She smiled down at him. “Just don't tell me you don't want me. It's kinda hard to hide the proof."
Riana was determined to arouse him to the same fierce level that she had last night. Only this time she was going to give him satisfaction. A satisfaction that would blow his narrow Nexarian mind.
Her insides quivered with need. First she had to find a way to control the blasted aftereffects of the suppressant. She was so hot already, it was a wonder she didn't incinerate them both.
"You truly are not Punishing me?"
His deep, midnight dark voice thrummed through her. More liquid gushed from between her legs. If he could do that with just his voice, Goddess help her if he should actually touch her.
His rough warrior hands closed on her waist before she had even finished the thought. Riana arched her back, shamelessly offering him her breasts before she remembered she needed to stay in control long enough to show Darias the error of his ways ... and to teach him things that would make his eyes cross.
Licking her lips, she took his hands in hers. She guided them to the thick spindles on the headboard. “Grab them and don't let go,” she commanded.
"Riana,” he growled, wariness returning to his voice.
"Trust me, Darias. This is not about punishment.” His hands flexed under hers and she held her breath as long moments dragged by. Then, with a reluctance he wasn't even trying to hide, he did as she bid.
She favored him with a brilliant smile.
"Last night, you enjoyed it when I took you into my mouth, didn't you?"
His eyes darkened. “Last night is better off not mentioned."
Goddess, but the man could be contrary. Even now, after swearing on his honor to obey her in all things, he balked at answering a tiny question. “I am your mistress, Darias, and I command that you answer me truthfully."
Pure resentment edged his expression. She could tell he was thinking about defying her. She pinched his nipple. Behind her, she felt his cock twitch in response. A small breath huffed from between his lips.
His lips tightened. “Yes."
The man could give an Antarian cargo leech lessons in tenacity. Well, he would learn why there were no Antarian cargo leeches on her vessel. She could be every bit as tenacious as the vicious little creatures when she was set on something.
"Yes, what? You enjoyed it a little? Or you enjoyed it a lot?” She drew the tip of one fingernail down the middle of his chest, to his navel. He gasped. She dipped her finger inside.
"I enjoyed it a lot,” he grated out, his hands tightening on the spindles.
Riana was intrigued by the dusky color that surged into his cheeks at the admission. Why, the man was embarrassed! She thought about pushing him further, but then decided against it. Her aim wasn't to infuriate or humiliate Darias. She let her satisfaction sound in her voice. “Good."
"Why good? Ah, Krel,” he groaned as she licked her way down to his navel, only to tease him with the thrust of her tongue there. “Ah, Krel,” he groaned again, “Don't."
"Don't what?” she murmured, letting her breath send chill bumps across his flesh as she spoke. She tasted him again. “Don't continue?” She thrust a little harder. “Don't stop?” She loved the way he was so responsive to her. Why had it taken her so long to figure out why he didn't caress her when making love to her? So much time wasted. So much needless frustration.
"Don't stop,” he grated, arching his hips.
"I have no intention of stopping.” His skin was slightly salty and all male. His taste could be addictive.
Reaching his groin, she kissed the base of his cock.
It swelled further. He moaned and tightened his grip even more on the sturdy spindles.
They creaked.
Riana wondered vaguely if the beautiful wood headboard would survive. Ah, well. As the new Supreme Chief, she could always commission a new bed if it didn't.
One that was much stronger.
Settling herself between his splayed legs, she studied the thick member she held in her hand. Talk about your works of art. It was beautiful. Long, thick, the skin as smooth as spidersilk over hot titanium, its head dark and flared. A drop of moisture formed at the tiny eye bisecting the head. Unable to resist, Riana collected the pre-come on the tip of her tongue.
Darias shuddered.
A matching shudder of pure longing arced through Riana. She forgot she was teaching Darias about foreplay.
She engulfed the head of his cock between her lips, letting her teeth rake him lightly. She sucked on him before running her tongue around the cap. His strangled moans of encouragement went straight between her legs. She wanted to keep tasting him but her need was too strong. In one move, she sat up and sheathed inside her.
Goddess, he was so large. It took her aback each time that he entered her how he stretched almost to the point of overfull. Unable to help herself, Riana began sliding up and down his cock. Need spiraled tighter inside her. Because of the aftereffects of the suppressant, her climax started almost i
mmediately. She screamed as the orgasm tore through her in wave after wave. Collapsing upon Darias’ chest, aware that he hadn't come but already half asleep, she mumbled, “I'm sorry. I'll do better next time."
* * * *
"I've contacted Saria,” she said.
"You what?"
Riana stared at the canopy above her, her arms behind her head. Her body was tired, no, more than that. Even after her nap, she was exhausted. It was more than another, longer, bout of sex. A vague sense of dissatisfaction gnawed at the edge of her consciousness. Riana shook off the strange mood, putting it down to another aftereffect of the suppressant.
"I contacted a representative of the Far Islands. They've agreed to meet with our trade representative."
The sheet pooled around Darias’ waist as he surged upright. Riana was momentarily distracted by the sight of his hard body.
On the other hand, maybe her problem was she wasn't tired enough.
"How did you get past my safeguards on the computer system?” He didn't give her the chance to answer. “And how stupid can you be?” he bit out. A shaft of sunlight burnished his skin, highlighting muscles sculpted by work and warfare.
Her sex heated and swelled in response, distracting her. Damn, why did everything about the man make her want to jump his bones? She was worse than Belzidian hissing cats, which stayed in perpetual heat unless pregnant.
His words sank in. Her gaze jerked up to meet his furious one. “Stupid? You want to talk about stupid. Stupid is refusing to trade with a country-state because it is governed by a woman. Oh yes, I know that Saria is a woman,” she said as his eyes abruptly shuttered. “It took me less than,” she snapped her fingers under his nose, “that once I hooked up to my ship's computer. And stupid is not putting the needs of your country before prejudice."
"The Far Islands has goods and resources that Nexar needs.” Riana continued her litany, ticking them off on her fingers as she spoke. “It also is a large, ready-made market for Nexar's products. Did that make a difference to you? No,” she answered her own question. “Instead you decided to trade exclusively with Trinearia, a country poorer in goods, resources and population."
"I couldn't."
The quiet admission halted her tirade. Riana sat up and hugged her knees. Not looking at him, she asked, “Why?"
Darias glanced out the window, seemingly finding the cloudless sky fascinating. “You know why."
"I want to hear you say it."
He looked at her then, his amber gaze bitter. “Because it would eventually mean the downfall of our society. Once the women learned there was another way of life, they wouldn't be satisfied until they had it for themselves. And because my warriors would never tolerate dealing with a woman as an equal, at the very least it would have meant war. The warriors would have seen it as their duty to return the women of the Far Islands to their proper place."
"And you. Do you also see it as your duty?” She held her breath. She was asking about more than the Far Islands, and they both knew it.
His gaze didn't waver. A pulse in his throat throbbed strongly. “The matter is out of my hands now. If the men don't already know the Far Islands is ruled by a woman, they soon will."
He had evaded answering her question. Which, in and of itself, was an answer. Disappointment cut like a knife. “So nothing has changed?"
"No."
Riana wasn't sure, but she thought she detected a note of regret in his dark voice. Probably her imagination. Darias, like her, would never accept his place as slave. If she ever forgot that, she would be right back to where she started—his possession. Her work was cut out for her to get him to change his mind, to agree that women were not only capable of running their own lives, but deserved the chance to do so. Riana lifted her chin.
"So be it."
Chapter Five
It started out as a simple request.
"Please get me a copy of the contract you were drawing up between you and Trinearia."
"Do you not know how to craft a trade contract?"
Riana's head snapped up from perusing the document on the table in front of her. She was sitting at the huge table in the Great Hall, surrounded by the new heads-of-household of the local Guilds. The entire cavernous hall went quiet at Darias’ question.
Though he had not shouted, his voice carried easily to the far corners of the Great Hall.
Riana was excruciatingly aware that the busy hive of men seeing to their needs stopped their work. A hush of anticipation fell on the room.
"What did you say?” Surely he would not take their battle for dominance public again?
"I asked if you knew how to craft a trade contract."
He was.
His tone reasonable, Darias glanced about at the other women at the table.
"As Supreme Chief, surely you understand such a basic day-to-day necessity?"
The women seemed to shrink in on themselves. Around the room, Riana heard a few uncomfortable mutters of agreement as he managed to sow seeds of doubt with just a few words. She also saw satisfaction glint in more than one male's eyes.
"You were the one to declare to everyone that the women were as capable as the men. If that is the case, why do you need the contract that I, a mere male, created? Are you saying that you, the Supreme Chief, need the help of a male slave?"
"Actually, I wanted to see the document to see how much damage control I needed to worry about,” she drawled, inwardly furious at how quickly Darias had managed to undermine the confidence she had taken such pains to instill in the women.
She pushed back her chair and stood. She had to regain the advantage. “Unless, of course, you are afraid to reveal just how inept a trade negotiator you were?"
A slow smile curved his lips. Riana wanted to smack it off his face.
"Of course,” he murmured, skepticism in every line of his powerful body. “I can see where that would be a concern. I will get it for you immediately."
Darias had won that encounter, Riana acknowledged ruefully. All she could do now was regain lost ground. And make sure he never caught her unaware again.
Riana watched as Darias sauntered away, arrogance in every stride. Her hand began tapping against her leg rhythmically. His obstinacy was endangering everything she was working to build and the blasted man knew it. Oh, she was well within her rights to take him out into the garden tonight but...
"I'd rather spank his bare ass until he can't sit down,” she muttered.
"What?"
Bryta's scandalized tone jerked Riana's head up and she realized she spoken aloud. Her cheeks heated.
"He's driving me crazy.” Even to her own ears, she sounded defensive.
"You wouldn't, would you?” Bryta's gentle eyes were huge.
"Well, why not?” Why not indeed. No law stopped her from enacting her own flavor of punishment. The more she thought about it, the more determined she became. Darias knew he had earned a Nexarian punishment and was prepared for it, but how would he react to an old-fashioned, butt-burning spanking?
"Children are spanked, not warriors.” Bryta was clearly distressed.
"They are when they stop behaving like warriors and start acting like unthinking children. Darias would rather endanger the entire country-state's future than concede that I, a woman, might have some good ideas for getting us out of this economic slump."
"But ... but on his bare,” Bryta glanced around and lowered voice to a whisper, “ass?"
"Exactly."
"Are we allowed to do such a thing?” Her friend wiped her hand on her pants leg nervously.
"Bryta,” Riana said patiently, “the men no longer rule us. We rule them. We can punish them as we see fit. I don't know about you, but I find the Nexarian method of punishment limiting."
She watched Darias cross over to Gaith. The two men spoke, occasionally glancing her way. Gaith turned away, but not before Riana saw the satisfied smile shaping his mouth.
Her anger ratcheted up another notch. Riana narr
owed her eyes before she smiled, a slow, evil lift of her lips.
"Darias."
His shoulders tensed, then he turned and faced her.
"You can retrieve the contract later. Wait for me in our chamber."
Without a word, he did as she asked. She knew what he was thinking and had to admire his nerve. She wasn't sure she could face punishment in the garden as equitably. Not since he'd punished her that last time.
Too bad she wasn't punishing him in the garden.
Mad as she was, Riana couldn't help but admire his firm ass as he walked up the stairs. The man did have one very fine set of gluteus maximus.
Riana gave him just enough time to contemplate what he thought was coming, then followed him up the stairs.
* * * *
Darias paced the bed chamber restlessly. Stopping behind a chair, he gripped the padded back and glanced over his shoulder at the peaceful garden behind him. The flowers dipped and bowed under the sapping heat of late afternoon. This damned drought showed no signs of breaking.
One glass door was partially opened, allowing a hint of a hot, fragrance-laced breeze to waft into the room. Darias could hear the sound of distant voices floating up as people went about their business.
Krel, he hated waiting.
Almost as much as he had come to hate the hidden alcove in the garden.
From the position of the sun, he'd have at least two more hours before Riana strapped him down on the Punishment Stone.
Darias closed his eyes and swallowed as a shudder worked its way down his spine.
He wasn't a coward. As a warrior, he'd faced death and had his share of wounds. As Supreme Chief of Nexar, he'd had to make some hard decisions; which man to send on a suicide mission, whether or not to sentence a man to death, and so on.
But nothing he'd faced as either warrior or Supreme Chief garnered such a hard knot of dread in his stomach as contemplating the Punishment from one offworld woman. Making that walk to the hidden alcove needed more resolve than facing the best trained Trinearian warriors.
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