by Anna Hackett
But she knew he had the same wants and needs as any man. He’d told her that he was used to dampening his feelings, but as she stared into his eyes, she saw a wealth of emotion.
Ever slid her hand down, scratching one of his nipples with her fingernail. He sucked in a sharp breath.
“You want to please me?” Man, was that husky voice hers?
“Yes.”
“What will please me is you, naked. Clothes off.”
Watching her, Magnus slid to the edge of the bed and stood. He shrugged his shirt off. Sweet Jesus, the man was built. She had to touch him again.
She reached out, gripping his hips, and pulled him closer. His big body went still, but vibrated with tension. She undid his belt, and then the fastenings on his trousers. She felt his intense gaze on her, and when she looked up, his cheekbones were heightened with color, and his eyes were heavy-lidded.
Then she freed his big cock. Oh, yes.
Leaning forward, Ever wrapped her fingers around his long, hard length, then licked the wide head. He groaned, and as she licked down his cock, taking her time and enjoying the musky taste of him, she saw the muscles in his legs strain.
Her belly quivered. There was nothing quite as intoxicating as seeing the proof that you were affecting a strong man. She sucked him into her mouth and moaned with pleasure. His hand slid into her hair, and she sucked harder. She pulled him deeper and was rewarded by his harsh groan.
As she worked him, she felt some of his control slip. His hips pumped forward, his cock shoving farther into her mouth.
“Ever…” A guttural sound.
She pulled off with a popping noise. “Do you like this?”
His fingers tightened in her hair. “Yes.”
She licked under the head of his cock, finding a sensitive spot. He groaned again.
“Do you like seeing my lips around your cock?”
His eyes fired. “Yes.” His hand slid down to her cheek, nudging his cock back into her mouth.
Ever sucked him harder, loving the way his gaze was glued to her mouth.
Gripping the base of his cock, she kept pleasuring him. God, she loved this.
“Ever…I’m…” His hips thrust forward again.
She pulled back. “Come, Magnus.” She sucked him in again.
A moment later, his body went as stiff as a board. Then, with a harsh cry, he came. She tasted his salty release in her mouth and she swallowed it down.
Suddenly, his hands slid under her armpits, and he lifted her up like she weighed nothing. He set her down in the center of the bed. As he pressed one knee to the covers, she saw that his cock was still hard.
She reached out, stroking him. “I guess there are a few advantages to being a cyborg.”
He grunted. “I’m always hard around you.”
Her heart thumped against her ribs. His body shifted over hers, but she saw that he was careful to keep his weight off her. He sat back on his knees and nudged her legs apart. The broad head of his cock nestled at her folds and she made a whimpering sound. Their gazes locked. She was on fire, and she needed him so much.
Then, he pushed forward. She moaned again, her body stretching to take him. God, she was so full, and he was going so deep.
Finally, he was lodged within her, and then he pulled back, making her cry out. He started thrusting.
Each plunge was heavy and powerful. She felt the muscles straining in his back, and she reached up, scratching her nails down the skin.
“Need you.” His deep voice rumbled through her.
“You have me.”
Soon, he was thrusting harder, the bed thumping against the wall. Yes. Possessed by her cyborg. It was everything she’d ever wanted.
One of his hands moved to grip hers. He pinned both her hands above her head. He held her there, his hips pistoning inside her. She loved every second of it.
Ever’s orgasm crashed over her and she came hard. She screamed, thrusting herself up against his big body.
Then Magnus grunted, thrust one more time, and jetted his release inside her.
He dropped down beside her, pulling her into his body. Their sweaty skin stuck them together, and their thundering heartbeats were the only things she could hear.
Then she felt his lips brush her bare shoulder, and she knew nothing had ever felt so right to her before.
Naked, Magnus walked out of the bathroom, a warm cloth in his hand. Ever hadn’t moved, and was still sprawled on his bed with a lazy, well-satisfied smile on her face.
He sat beside her, nudging her thighs apart, and cleaned between her legs.
His body was still tingling. He’d never felt so much pleasure before. His cock was already hard again, stretching upward to brush his belly. But he ignored it. Right now, he was focused on Ever.
He took his time cleaning her and then tossed the cloth aside. Because he couldn’t stop himself, he stroked her with his fingers. She was so pretty and soft there. Pink and swollen. His.
She moaned and stretched like a hunting cat.
He moved back onto the bed, resting his back against the headboard. But he didn’t take his eyes off that gorgeous body.
Memories trickled into his head. But instead of her skin drenched in the golden light of his bedroom, it was Ever’s glossy skin drenched in shadows. Her husky cries echoing off stone walls. He remembered her straddling him and taking his cock deep.
“You’re quiet.” She shifted on the bed and moved up beside him.
He pulled her to straddle his lap, his hands clamping on her hips. More memories came. This was how they’d made love in the desert. They’d been desperate for each other, to touch and feel.
Magnus remembered now. He’d been overwhelmed with emotions—need, desire, pleasure. He’d tried to stop her, worried that she was vulnerable, but she’d told him that she was finally doing what she wanted, and had refused to stop.
“I remember.” He lifted her up, his cock rubbing the folds between her legs.
Her eyelids fluttered. “The desert?”
“Yes.” The head of his cock lodged in her warmth, and then he used his hold on her hips to push her down.
As his cock slid inside her, stretching her, she let out a strangled moan. “You remember that first time in the desert?”
“Yes. I took you just like this.”
She let out a breath. “No, I took you just like this.”
He stilled, lodged deep. “I remember we talked for hours. You tended my wounds.”
She nodded. “And I finally drifted off to sleep for the first time in so long, knowing you were keeping watch. But I had a nightmare, and you held me.”
“Then you attacked me,” he said with a faint smile.
She gasped, rising up on her knees. But Magnus pushed her down again. Drak, she felt like a hot glove closing around him.
“I did not.” Her tone was indignant. She tilted her head, a smile on her face. “Well, maybe a little. You were so strong and hard. Don’t tell me that I took advantage of the big, bad cyborg?”
Even then, wounded and caged, he’d felt a connection with her. He’d felt the overwhelming need to please her, care for her.
“You rode me hard that first time,” he said.
She started to move, hips slapping against his. “Like this?”
She slid up and down on his cock, and Magnus gritted his teeth. “Yes.”
“God, it felt good then, and it feels good now.” She was panting, riding him hard. “Afterward, you took me again.” Her voice hitched.
“From behind.” The memory of her rounded ass shoving back against him made his gut clench.
“Yes.” A husky whisper. Her inner muscles clamped down on his cock.
Magnus pushed up, lifting her off his cock. He spun her around, planting her on her hands and knees in the center of his bed.
“Magnus—”
He gripped her hips, sliding one hand over the smooth cheek of her ass. Then he moved forward, notched his cock between her thighs, a
nd thrust inside.
She arched her back. “Yes.”
She pushed back against him, and it wasn’t long before Magnus was slamming into her warm body. He slid a hand beneath her, finding that little nub, and stroked.
“More,” she panted. “Harder.”
Whatever Ever wanted, he’d give it to her. He increased his thrusts, gritting his teeth to hold off his own release. A second later, she splintered apart, crying out.
He gripped her hips harder and picked up the pace of his thrusts. It only took a few more plunges into her tight body for his orgasm to hit him.
It was like taking a round to the chest. He roared his release.
His body shaking, he pulled her down onto the bed. He couldn’t find a pillow and glanced around. The bed was completely wrecked. The blankets were skewed, and all of the pillows were on the floor. He didn’t care. He curled around her body and pressed a big palm to her belly.
“I’m glad you remember,” she said.
“Me, too. I’m sorry, Ever. I’m sorry I left you there.” Pain clawed at him. To think of what they’d shared, and then his gladiators had rescued him, and she’d been left behind. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t remember.”
She turned to face him, stroking his jaw. “It’s not your fault. You were injured, and I’m sorry to tell you this—” her voice lowered “—but you aren’t all-powerful.”
“They expected me to be.”
She stilled. “The military?”
He nodded. “I was their best killer. The most efficient and the one with the most kills.”
Another stroke over his cheek. “You aren’t what they made you. You’re the man that you’ve made yourself to be. Imperator, rescuer, friend, ally.” She kissed him. “Lover. I like you, Magnus. A lot.”
He pressed his hips against her, his hardening cock rubbing against her skin.
She laughed. “I guess you like me, too.”
“A lot,” he murmured, taking her mouth with his.
A laugh escaped her. “Again?”
“You do need help with your pregnancy hormones.”
Her smile lit up her face. “It is very kind of you to help me out.”
He stood, liking the way her hot gaze stroked over his naked body. He scooped her into his arms.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“I’d like to fuck you in the shower now.”
She licked her lips. “Oh. Well, carry on.”
Chapter Eleven
Ever worked feverishly, one hand writing notes in her notebook, and the other popping a salty snack the kitchen had made for her into her mouth.
She was starving today. She patted her belly, which she was pretty certain looked bigger than yesterday. She wasn’t just hungry because of the peanut. A long, energetic night had left her ravenous. She looked up, smiling at the memory. She’d woken this morning wrapped up in her sexy cyborg. Waking up pressed against Magnus’ warm skin was…she shivered. Glorious.
Then she frowned, her gaze moving back down to her work. Guilt flooded her in an overwhelming wave. Sam was still stuck at Zaabha, and it made Ever feel so guilty for feeling so good.
Reaching out, Ever stroked the fabric of the stealth suit resting on the bench. She was planning to get it operational and show it to Magnus today. It was just what they needed to help them follow the off-worlder to Zaabha without being seen. Without it, she knew there was a huge risk the team would be discovered.
And that would blow their only chance of finding Sam.
There was a knock at the door. “Come in.”
Rory bounded through the doorway, her baby nestled in her arms. A big gladiator followed right behind her.
Ever smiled. Rory Fraser, her husband, Kace, and their new baby boy.
“Hi.” Rory grinned, face glowing. “Thought you might like a visit from a new mommy, a cute baby, and an overprotective, but very sexy, gladiator.”
Ever saw Kace scowl at his woman and she swallowed a smile. “I’d love that.” She didn’t miss the way Kace scanned her lab like enemies might pop out of the shadows at any moment. “This prospective mom, baby bump, and overprotective cyborg who is currently off doing imperator business, would love that.”
As Rory moved closer, Ever made eye contact with the bright-eyed baby looking in her direction. He looked several weeks older than she knew he was.
“Hello there, Finley. Aren’t you looking cute today?”
The baby rewarded Ever with a gummy smile.
Her heart melted into a puddle. God, she could hardly believe she was going to have one of these soon. The healers didn’t know the exact length of her pregnancy, but she knew it was likely she didn’t have long to go. “Can I hold him?”
“Sure. The kid weighs a ton.” Rory handed him over.
Kace frowned. “He’s tiny.”
“Compared to you,” Rory said.
Ever snuggled the baby close and breathed deep. It didn’t matter that he was half alien, and that they were a galaxy away from Earth, he still had that familiar, new-baby smell.
He was a big boy, and when she brushed his cheek with her finger, he latched onto it, gripping hard. He was strong, too. “He’s gorgeous, you guys. Nice job.”
Rory leaned into Kace, and Ever saw the man soften. He pulled Rory close, his gaze resting on his son. It was clear that the military-trained gladiator adored Rory and their child.
A lump formed in Ever’s throat. Could that be her and Magnus? He’d worshipped her body in bed the night before. Could she show him how great they could be together? And what a great father he could be?
“What are you working on?” Rory asked.
Ever pulled Finley up to her chest. “You’ll regret asking me that.”
Rory snorted. “I spend most of my days with Regan. That woman can go on and on about her experiments.”
“I’ll see if I can match her.” Ever launched into an explanation about her stealth suit and research. She saw interest spark in Kace’s eyes.
“That sounds like a very useful piece of technology,” he said.
“I just need to figure out a power system for it. What I’m using right now doesn’t last long enough before it burns out.” She was really hoping she could sort the issue out today. Then Magnus could use it for the mission.
Her gut clenched. Seeing him injured last night had driven home the fact that he wasn’t invincible. He could be hurt…or killed.
“Hmm.” Rory turned Ever’s notebook around and flicked through the pages. Ever had forgotten that the woman was an engineer.
“What about using a carno?” She plucked the energy crystal out of the box of things Ever had on the bench. “They’re common here on Carthago, and we use them to power a lot of smaller devices at the House of Galen.”
“I tried. I couldn’t get the connection stable enough.”
“If you join it up here…”
She picked up one of Ever’s tools and started fiddling with it, connecting the power crystal into the suit. A second later, the suit changed color, matching the silver of the bench. It disappeared completely.
“Oh, wow,” Rory said.
Kace moved closer. “Incredible. I’ve seen some prototype stealth suits before in the military, but none that functioned this well.”
Ever handed Finley over to Kace. She paused to watch the man as he expertly shifted the baby into his brawny arms. God, was there a sight surer to make a woman’s insides gooey than a bare-chested man snuggling a baby?
Leaning over the bench, Ever fiddled with the crystal that Rory had connected. Then she lifted the suit and quickly shimmied into it. The stretchy fabric was extremely adaptable and forgiving, and she flicked the lightweight hood over her face. She stepped away from the others and activated the controls on the side of the suit.
“Oh, my God,” Rory gasped. “You literally just disappeared.”
“It’s working.” Excitement spread through Ever’s veins. She walked around the lab.
�
��I have no idea where you are,” Rory said, grinning.
Suddenly, the suit flickered. “Crap.”
“Is it the power or the camouflage failing?” Rory asked.
“Power’s fine. It must be the camouflage.” Dammit. “I really need longer to work out all the kinks.” But the mission was tonight. She reached down to the controls, flicking the small panel open. She fixed the problem, causing the suit to flash, and she disappeared again. But it was a temporary fix. She knew it would fail again.
The door opened, and Magnus entered. She watched his gaze sweep the room, and then he tensed.
“Where’s Ever?” His gaze moved over her without stopping.
She grinned. Then his gaze moved back to her location and stopped. Her smile dissolved. Damn, how did he know where she was?
“I can smell you,” he said.
Hmm, she needed a way to have the suit mask scents as well. She made a mental note to add it to her research. She pressed the controls and reappeared.
Magnus blinked. Aha. She’d managed to surprise her cyborg.
She held her arms out. “What do you think?”
He strode up to her, fingering the suit. “Incredible.”
She quickly pulled it off and handed it to him. He rubbed the fabric between his fingers, and the small crystals embedded on the fabric shimmered in the light.
“I can outfit six people with these suits for the mission.”
He raised his brows. “Really?”
She nodded, then licked her lips. “But they aren’t in perfect working order. They still have glitches.”
He frowned. “Glitches?”
“The camouflage fails and needs a quick adjustment. Really, I need more time to find a permanent solution to the problem.”
“We don’t have more time.”
“I know, but I have a workable, temporary solution for the mission.” She glanced at Rory, who gave her an encouraging thumbs-up. “I come on the mission, and ensure the suits stay operational.”
“No.”