"What is that?” There was a catch in his deep voice. Was it worry or curiosity?
"This,” she twisted off the lid and dipped a forefinger inside, “this is goldjel.” She watched him closely for his reaction and gave a tiny, silent sigh of relief when confused amusement slid into that golden gaze.
"I can see the gel is gold, what I want to know is what it is used for.” He frowned.
Riana couldn't restrain another giggle.
Her hand flew to her mouth. A giggle! She who never giggled. Then again, she couldn't remember ever feeling this happy. That in this, at least, Darias was willing to put aside their fight and put his trust in her. If that wasn't worth a little giddiness, then nothing was.
Crooking her finger, she scooped some of the viscous gel out of the jar and let it ooze back down. “No, goldjel. It is from the Beta Epsilon system."
He eyed it suspiciously. “What does it do?"
She widened her eyes in feigned innocence. “Why, how would I know? After all, I'm just a poor female.” She scooped up more of the gel, this time letting it slide down her finger toward her wrist.
"Riana,” he drawled in warning, his hands squeezing the spindles harder, as if he had in mind something else he'd rather wrap his hands around.
She scooted closer. “Rather than trying to explain, let me demonstrate instead."
A small puddle of goldjel pooled in her palm. Riana took his straining cock in her free hand and held it steady while she dribbled the thick gel over the head. Immediately, the gel hugged the hard male flesh, coating the entire flared cap.
Darias’ hips jerked. His eyes widened and his mouth worked around words that wouldn't form.
She smiled wickedly as she upended the small jar and let the goldjel slide out. With a seeming mind of it own, it shaped itself to Darias’ cock and balls.
"Krel, it acts as if it is alive!"
"It is."
"What?” he bellowed, his hands turning loose of the spindles.
"Easy,” she soothed, putting a hand on his muscled abdomen and patting him. “It won't hurt you.” She glanced from his hands to the spindles.
With obvious reluctance, he renewed his grips on the thick, polished wood.
"Goldjel has a natural affinity for male pleasure, instinctively knowing a man's threshold of pleasure and holding him there.” She arched an eyebrow as something occurred to her. “Darias?"
"W-What?” A subtle tremor went whet through his strong limbs as the goldjel vibrated with a low-level intensity.
"You do know why I was in this sector when the ion storm caused me to crash on this planet, don't you?” Odd, but despite weeks in Nexar and the intimacy between them, Riana wasn't sure if he knew such a basic thing about her.
His head arched back and his throat worked. Finally, he gritted out from between teeth clenched with pleasure. “No. It didn't matter. I had you. What you did in the past, was in the past."
Riana didn't know whether to kiss him or smack him.
Exasperated, she put her hands on her hips. “The past was the past? Darias, you are an arrogant dragon.” Laughter bubbled up. “But you are my dragon. Well, whether you want to know or not, I'm going to tell you."
"Could we talk about this later?” His hips pumped and the goldjel pulsed. He sounded strangled. “You were going to teach me about the feather."
"I still am.” She picked up the feather and ran her hand up it, ruffling the soft edges of the vane. “I'm a trader. I go from sector to sector looking for new goods to sell and offering what I have to anyone who is interested.” She brushed the tip of the feather over his lips.
His eyes shot open, surprised at the tingle the feather in its wake.
He wet his lips. “What does that have to do with the feather?"
"Guess what I trade?"
"Feathers?” His gaze went unfocused as she trailed the tip of the feather down over his chin and throat, to the point between his masculine nipples.
She could tell he wasn't really interested in her answer. He was intent on the so-light touch.
She tapped it against his breast bone to garner his full attention. “Feathers, goldjel, Wa'Shin balls, sonic nipple clamps, stim paddles.” Riana shrugged. “Whatever I think I can find a market for."
He looked up, a myriad of expressions crossing his face. Disbelief, curiosity, arousal.
Riana wondered if he even remembered to breathe. “You have a business selling such things? To men?"
"And women. Not everyone is like Nexarians. Most people think of sex as something mutually pleasurable and are not afraid to experiment."
Abruptly, he pinned her with a hard gaze.
Even though he still gripped the headboard, she had the sudden impression of danger.
She went perfectly still.
"Have you experimented?"
She licked her lips and tried to think of a way to explain. “I've never experimented with anyone that means as much to me as you do.” She suddenly realized it was true. The other men had been fun, but that was all. Whenever she moved on, she looked back with no regrets. Leaving Darias, on the other hand, would wrench something from her soul that couldn't be replaced.
He must have read the truth in her eyes for the battle-ready tension left his muscles. His mouth quirked up in a self-deprecating smile. “My body is yours."
She wanted more.
Riana felt like she had been slammed by a piece of space junk. Why hadn't she seen that before? She wanted more than his body, more than his willing cooperation to experiment. She wanted his heart. It was only fair seeing as how he had hers.
When had love crept up on her? Was it when she realized that Darias truly cared for his people—men and women? Or was it when he broke the traditions of a lifetime to please her?
Her lips firmed as the stubbornness and determination that Sharri had often lamented would get her in trouble, rose to the forefront. No matter. She would work on his emotions with the persistence of an Antarian cargo leech sucking energy from a ship. The man was already drawn to her against his will. She would build on that until he realized he loved her.
And she knew just how to start.
Dragging the edges of the feather across his skin, she circled the flat disk of his nipple.
It hardened under the light torment.
"Krel! What is that thing? It feels like small jolts of energy brushing my skin."
"Don't you like it?” But she already knew the answer. He couldn't hide his response to the twin assault of feather and goldjel. “Do you want me to stop?"
"Krel, no!” he gasped as she brushed the feather over the other hard nub.
"Then you don't mind if I do this?” As if she were painting a masterpiece, Riana drew intricate patterns over the tight muscles of his abdomen. “Or this?” She tickled his inner thigh before moving the feather to the sensitive area behind his knee. Each touch, she knew, teased his nerve endings to a higher level of arousal. The goldjel began to glow as it, too, increased its energy.
Fascinated, she watched as Darias’ balls tightened and drew closer to his shaft.
Hard breaths escaped his lips. He sounded as if he had fought an army as he gasped out, “I wouldn't want to hamper your experimentation.” His back bowed.
Riana heard a muted hum as the goldjel increased its energy output yet another level higher.
She ran the feather over his buttocks as his hips left the mattress.
A strangled groan echoed on the air as he pumped his hips helplessly, the goldjel absorbing his come.
He was beautiful in release. He gleamed with sweat, the light defining each hard plane of his body. She was tempted to sit there and watch him, but, before the stimulation could become uncomfortable instead of pleasurable, she removed the goldjel and replaced it in the jar.
A sheen of sweat covered Darias’ body.
She leaned down and tasted the salty flesh of his stomach with the tip of her tongue. Turning her head, she rested her cheek on his heaving belly
.
At last his breathing evened out.
Darias cupped the back of her head in one large hand. “I think I like your feather."
She kissed his belly button. Taking a deep breath, she pushed upright. The muscles in her stomach quivered at what she was about to do. She only hoped she wasn't pushing Darias too hard, too fast.
"Do you have faith in me?"
"Haven't I just proved that I do?” He grinned. “To both our satisfactions?"
"Turn over."
He did so immediately and without hesitation.
Awed by his trust, she pulled a small bottle of oil from the case. Pouring a small amount in her hand, she warmed it between her palms. The exotic fragrance of rantatia wood filled the air. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she curved her hands over the heavy muscles, loving the feel of his strength beneath her palms. Pressing her thumbs to each side of his spine, she dragged them down to the small of his back. Putting more oil on her hands, she sensuously massaged the sensitive area before letting her fingers drift lower.
He stiffened.
"No."
Snuggling her cheek on the curve of his flank, she pressed tiny kisses against his skin. “Please.” She had to get him to agree, to erase the memory of his punishment in the garden and the fiasco from yesterday.
"You promised you wouldn't,” he grated.
"I promised I wouldn't last night,” she corrected. “This won't be like it was in the garden, I promise. This will be different.” She almost said, trust me, but this time Darias had to come to that choice on his own, without any prompting from her.
"I can't."
"Because I did it during punishment or because it caused you embarrassment yesterday?” Tears burned her eyes. Tears she refused to allow fall.
He turned over. He lifted his hand, cupping her face and catching one glittering drop on his thumb. “No. No to both."
He sucked the tip of his thumb into his mouth, taking her inside him. Riana thought her heart would melt even as the ache in her chest refused to go away.
"I just can't."
She produced a wobbling smile. One step at a time. Maybe one day he'd trust her as he had in the office. Trust her to remove the other memory. “Turn over.” Even to her own ears, her voice was smoky, sensual.
He met her eyes for a long moment before he abruptly rolled to his stomach.
She pressed her thumbs on each side of his spine, loving the firm, glide of strong muscle under oiled skin. She skimmed her thumbs, framing the deep indent, down until they met as the start of the powerful muscles of his buttocks. He tensed. She smoothed her hands back up to his shoulder blades. There, she spread her fingers. He was so broad she didn't even begin to span the breadth of his massive shoulders. A delicious heated tingle puffed the lips of her pussy and started a trickle of moisture down the inside of her thigh. He made her feel so small, almost dainty.
A wry smile lifted the corner of her mouth and she almost snorted. Dainty! Life as an independent trader didn't have room for dainty. You had to be self-reliant and able to look after yourself. To give as good as you got. And she could. She had the scars to prove it. But, against Darias’ size and strength, she felt feminine and all female. She loved that. Almost as much as she loved the fact that all that power and strength submitted willingly to her.
Leaning forward, she kissed the spot between his shoulder blades, then just under the left one. Tightening her thighs against his haunches, she slid sensuously down until she was sitting just above his knees. Her breath caught as her pussy dragged over the sculpted perfection of his ass.
She poured more of the oil in the cup of her palm, rubbing it between her hands to warm it. Placing a hand on each buttock, she savored for a moment the flex of the powerful muscles beneath her touch. She nipped the curve of his ass. Her lips stilled on his skin, she murmured, “You're built like a warrior, all clean lines and strength."
"I am a warrior.” His voice was deeper, hoarser.
Her hands continued rubbing and stroking, testing the resilience of his inner thighs and then the softness behind his scrotum.
He spread his legs a bit more, silently encouraging her to further exploration.
Sitting up, she ran her hands back up, this time letting her thumbs trace the seam of his buttocks.
He tensed, an almost imperceptible tightening of his muscles, so slight that she wouldn't have even noticed if her body hadn't been hugging his.
"Mmm. I know you are.” Pretending she hadn't felt his reaction, she slid her hands down again, this time dipping a little deeper into the crease separating the cheeks. She paused, her thumbs on each side of his anus. “You pleased me last night.” He'd done more than please her. She'd pushed him hard, teased him with the threat of punishment, only to show him that if he gave himself to her, trusted her, she would give him pleasure that a Nexarian couldn't even begin to imagine. She should be satisfied.
But she wasn't.
For there was that last bit of his trust she didn't own.
Most women wouldn't mind.
As his Mistress she wanted Darias, cock, balls and ass.
As the woman who loved him, she wanted him heart, body, mind and soul ... and his complete trust.
No, not until she had that would she be completely satisfied.
Nor would he.
"When you trust me, really trust me” Her touch light, she ringed the tight opening with the pad of one thumb. His cheeks clenched, trapping the motion. “I will take you here.” Not giving him time to protest, or to say anything, she swung her leg over him and cuddled next to Darias. “But not until you trust me."
Darias pulled her close, next to his heat and power. He didn't say anything, just pulled her hand over until it cupped his rear.
She sighed, not sure if they were ever going to get to that point. One of them was going to have to compromise.
* * * *
Darias woke up, a contented groan on his lips as he rolled over noting that Riana was already up and about. How did the woman do it? She'd worn him to a nub. Not even his most vigorous work out with Gaith had stolen his energy this much.
He grinned, then again, he'd never felt the need to wrestle with Gaith all night.
Pulling himself upright against the headboard, he yawned and scratched his stomach. His hand froze mid-stroke.
There, on the foot of the bed, were his well-worn leather breeches and work tunic.
Chapter Eleven
Three weeks later
Gaith had a dark frown on his face as he hurried down the wide staircase. “We need to talk.” Not giving Darias a chance to say anything, he hauled him into an empty room and shut the door.
Darias crossed his arms over his wide chest. “Well?"
"Our plan is not working!” Pure frustration glinted out of his first's eyes.
Darias looked closer. The fine silk of Gaith's tunic was sticking to his back. He glanced away quickly as the man's buttocks clenched in a rhythm he immediately recognized. Darias fought the flush creeping up his neck as he remembered some of his encounters with Riana's ‘toys'. At least the leather breeches she'd returned to him hid the effect of her mischief better than the silk slave trousers had. It was odd, really, how quick Bryta had been to adopt Riana's ways and attitude, but still insisted on keeping Gaith in the revealing clothes.
In fact, he was amazed at the dominant tendencies all the women showed. Despite his belief the women would soon crumble without the men to guide them, they were not only showing themselves as capable of running a business but of not hesitating to keep their men in line.
A grudging respect filled Darias.
"Perhaps we need to rethink our plan."
The words were out of his mouth before he even realized what he was going to say.
"We need to take control from the women.” There was a pugnacious thrust to Gaith's jaw.
"You would have us break our word?"
Though the admonishment was mild, deep chagrin flashed across the
other man's face. “No, of course not. It's just that everything we try the women find a way around. I just heard that the trade strike is over. All of our planning, all of our interference, all of our Punishment was for naught! Bryta is even selling,” he hesitated, “things to the other women! She should be Punished."
A surge of impatience went through Darias. “Have you not had your fill of Punishment? Perhaps if we men had listened to our women instead of seeking ways to keep them subservient, we wouldn't be in this predicament now.” Ignoring the shock on the other man's face, he turned to leave, needing some time alone to think.
"Riana is opening Nexar to traders from out of the sector."
Looked like he wasn't going to be alone after all.
* * * *
"You can't be serious!” Darias stormed into the Great Hall, his expression as dark as the storm clouds outside the huge windows.
Riana sighed. Somehow he'd heard about her plan to open trade with select offworld traders. She settled deeper into the elaborately carved chair. A hush fell on the chamber. Several of the nearest women, members of the Council, turned expectant faces in her direction. The men, who had been quietly going about the business of seeing to the council members’ needs, froze.
"You can't seriously intend to invite outsiders to trade with Nexar."
"Why not?” she asked mildly. “Nexar needs an influx of both goods and money to pull it out of the economic slump."
"Outsiders will ruin Nexar with their ways.” Darias continued up the steps until he was standing less than a hand's breadth from Riana. “I forbid it."
A collective gasp went up from the interested spectators.
Riana heard a tap, tap, tap. Annoyed, she looked around for the offender, then realized she was drumming her fingers on the polished arm of the chair. She forced herself to stop.
"You forbid it,” she repeated slowly. She began tapping the toe of one foot.
"I will not allow you to pollute my country-state with the insidious customs of offworlders."
Thunder rumbled in the distance. Riana forgot about their audience as she leaned forward. “Your country-state is slowly stagnating to death. You know I speak the truth. I've read your journals. You were looking for an industry capable of making the transition from agriculture to industrial more viable. But there wasn't one at hand, was there? People were leaving the land, but Nexar had little else to offer."
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