"You didn't tell me, either."
"I didn't want to hear you turn down the offer."
"Of a bed?" she asked and then giggled softly. "Oh ye of little faith." She snuggled against him, forcing her shoulder up into his armpit in a not so subtle hint to wrap his arm around her. "Better," she said when he did and after a silent minute or two, "I like it here."
"On Celos?" he asked, surprised.
"No, not Celos. Up here, like this, just you and me, where I only have to think about how I feel and not who I am and who you are."
"Just the sex, huh?"
"That, too, but I was thinking more of just the man."
"And I, the woman."
He pulled her over until she was straddling his lap. His cock was hardening before her knees relaxed on either side of his hips and she settled her heat in the perfect spot. She rocked her hips forward and back and watched his face to gauge his response to his growing erection.
Hands draped lightly around his neck, she cocked her head to the side. "Aren't you going to kiss me?"
"I was waiting for you to kiss me."
"You like me being the boss?"
"No, you like you being the boss. I like watching you like it."
He really did. He liked the way her eyes danced when his cock jumped at her touch and that little secret smile she had when she made him groan with want. She mapped his body like an interstellar chart, keeping a log of each stop along the way with a notation of where the most pleasure could be found. Like all power, she became more confident with its use, but hers was not the power of domination. Hers was the power of pleasure and care with no expectation of a return reward. Her use of it touched his heart.
"You like feeling me like it," she teased, showing once again how much she saw that others might miss.
"That, too," he told her. His quiet laughter was captured by her mouth.
Hadrid's Harem, but the woman could kiss. She acted as if she could swallow him whole if only her lips could get close enough. Her tongue delved and demanded, and his tongue answered. Like the rest of her, Wynne's mouth was warm and sweet. Real.
He knew she spoke the truth when she told him she was inexperienced. Her wonder and delight in her body's reactions were too genuine to be faked. She was hesitant and sometimes awkward, but never shy.
She'd had no lovers and according to the old warrior, no interest in men, so where did her kissing talent come from? And did it make a difference as long as she exercised that talent only with him? At the thought of her in another man's arms, Tor's hands gripped the firm globes of her ass and pulled her closer. Wynne rose up to meet him chest to chest. Her breasts flattened against him and rubbed with the rocking motion that was once reserved for his lap.
The change in position made little difference to his cock. The pressure of her body relieved, it now strained uncomfortably against the seam of his trousers. The platform's curtains were still tied to the posts. They were on display to the buildings across the street. It must have dawned on her, too.
Using her tiny white teeth for a last gentle tug at his bottom lip, Wynne pulled back.
"Whoever thought putting a bed in full view of the neighbors was a good idea?" she asked with a frown. She threw up her hands. "Oh, I forgot. This is Celos. Who'd care?"
Tor's hand took advantage of the space between them to seek out her unbound breasts. His thumbs played over the hardened nipples enjoying the feel of them through the fabric of her tunic.
"It's meant for sleeping," he told her with a chuckle for her grumbling. "The thick walls of the buildings keep out most of the daytime heat, but at night it's cooler out here. Every home used to have one. Whole families would sleep outside. Most of them have been replaced by landing pads for street skimmers."
"Are those the things that look like skitts?"
He nodded. "More comfortable than the military ones, though."
She leaned back, holding the wrists of the hands at her breasts, to look above the canopy. "Why don't I see more of them?"
She didn't seem to notice she was hanging out over the edge of the platform. If her hands slipped, she'd fall on her head. Tor tugged her upright. "You see more of them during the day. At night, people walk."
"No drunken driving, huh?"
He laughed at the thought. "No driving necessary. You can program them to take you home." He pushed with his foot until he stretched full length on the mattress. "At night, people walk to take advantage of the cool breezes and the dark."
Wynne followed him, rolling to her back so that she lay shoulder to shoulder beside him. With her body raised and supported on her forearms, she looked across the narrow street to the windows of the building beyond.
"These sleeping platforms need landscaping. You know, bushes and shrubs and tall plants."
He laughed. "I know what it is, but why? They would block the breeze."
"To hell with the breeze, I want to take advantage of the dark." She lay back with her hands over her head which didn't help his gods damned erection one little bit. "Once is not enough," she sighed.
"It was more than once," he countered, not a little affronted by the accusation. "If Hadrid can satisfy an entire harem, I can certainly satisfy one small human. More than once," he added, just to make sure she understood. It was particularly insulting since his cock had risen repeatedly, breaking all previous records. "Can a human male do better?"
"How would I know?" She giggled. "Though from what Mira tells me, their egos are about the same as yours. I meant one night, not one time." Her sigh turned soft and sad. "One night isn't enough for a memory that will have to last a lifetime."
The painful hitch at the end had him turning to cup her cheek in his palm. "I'm not planning to die, Kushma."
"No one ever does. I left my father frying meatballs on the stove. He thought it would be a treat since my mother's appetite had fallen off. I left my mother grumbling about the cost of the meat. They weren't planning to die, but they did."
"Kushma," he whispered and ran his thumb over the lips still swollen from their kiss. "I'm not going to die."
Wynne kissed the pad of his thumb. "That your heart keeps beating will make me happy," she admitted "But it won't stop my heart from breaking or mourning your loss. If you're caught, you'll spend the rest of your life imprisoned. If you're not, you'll spend the rest of your life running. Either way, you'll be lost to me."
"Come with me, then." The offer was selfish, but he was unable to stop. "There are places out there along the outer reaches, colonies and outposts that would welcome us. They have no more use for the peacekeepers than I do."
She smiled at him, but there was no joy in it. "I wish I could, but if I was with you, I'd wish I was back home on Earth. I have children, Tor, children who have lost so much already. They can't afford to lose me, too. I have a sister expecting her first child. She's going to need me or at least my patience and good sense." She tried to laugh and failed. "And who'll take care of Mohawk? He's getting older, you know, and we're his family. Mira will have her duties as wife of the new Governor. She'll have her baby, and I don't suppose she'll agree to leave her job. It's a full blown newspaper now. Someone has to look after the old rascal." Her regret was reflected in her sigh.
"I have to be there. Don't you see? The Godan have taken over our protection, but we can't expect them to do it all. The war has done so much damage. There are children who need homes, the elderly with no one to make sure they stay warm and fed, people who feel too hopeless to begin again, and people who just need to know there's someone out there who cares. I have no special talent. I'm not strong the way Mira is, but I'm young and healthy and I can do those things for people. I'll never be a hero, but I don't need to be. I have a purpose in life and it's a good one. This time with you and the others has helped me see that.
"You took me from a nightmare to a dream, Tor, but now it's time for me to wake up. You need to get your ship back and take care of your crew. I need to go home and take care of mine.
" Her eyes pleaded with him to understand.
He wanted to argue, but knew she was right. What kind of life did he have to offer a woman like Wynne who needed people around her to care for? They would never be able to stay in one place for too long. Her sister was pregnant with a Godan child. What if Wynne was GCP, too? A life on the run or confined to a ship was no way to raise a child. A pip needed sunshine and the smell of growing things. They needed the company of others.
"Then we'd better get started on those memories," he said and reached for the lever high up on one of the corner posts. Screens slid along their tracks, enclosing the platform on all four sides. "They let the breeze in, but keep prying eyes out. This may be Celos, but sleeping families like their privacy, too. Besides, it keeps the pips from rolling off in the middle of the night."
"Those clever Celosians." Wynne had her tunic off and tossed to the side as soon as the last screen clicked shut. "I don't suppose they're soundproof, too."
Tor laughed as she pulled at his shirt. "They're for sleeping, Kushma."
"Then we'd better keep the snoring to the minimum."
He stopped her hands when she reached for his belt. He was as eager as she, but wanted to give her a memory that would last. "You give and give, Kushma. This time you'll be the one to receive."
"But you said you liked it."
"Did I?" he asked as he pushed her back onto the bed. "When I'm finished, I'll give you a chance to remind me."
He removed her boots and then crawled up over her body to find that kissable mouth waiting for his lips without further complaint. He kissed her slowly and deeply. He took his time moving from her mouth to her eyes to her temples. He used his tongue and lips to memorize the lines of her nose, and cheeks, and chin. He resented the jewels that kept him from tasting every inch of the beautiful face.
Fingers entwined with hers, he held her hands above her head, though he didn't need to. She left them there when he slid his hands along the length of her arms while his mouth sought her breasts. She sighed with contentment and pleasure as he suckled and toyed with each one. Plump with the firmness of youth, Tor filled his hands with their abundance. The brown nipples responded instantly to his attentions and Wynne's soft moan expressed her loss when he withdrew and moved downward to taste her ribs and soft belly.
"Mmmm." It was the sound of sensual bliss as her body arched to meet his mouth. "I like that."
"Really?" His laugh vibrated against the softness of her skin. "It's hard to tell."
"Shhh." Her whispered reprimand was followed by a giggle. "Remember the neighbors."
"Ah. I'll try to restrain my enthusiasm."
"Don't you dare!"
"Fussy woman, you're never satisfied. Always criticizing my performance."
"It's not your performance. It's the intermission between the acts. Get on with it and make me come."
With others she was careful with her words and blushed easily. With him, she was free, her wants unfiltered. More than her body was exposed during their private time together. She was real. It was another gift shared only with him.
"All in good time. It's my turn to be the boss, remember?" He laughed at her whimper of frustration.
He let his tongue dally at her navel until her impatient hips demanded more. How could he refuse? He drew a line with his finger from her navel to her woman's slit, already damp with want. Her legs opened further with a touch to her thighs. With the next thrust of her hips, Tor slid his hands beneath the globes of her ass and lifted her to meet his mouth.
Her nub, tiny and hidden to all but him, poked from its concealing hood as eagerly erect as his straining cock. His tongue danced around it while his fingers played the tune, delving in and out of her wet and welcoming channel to set the rhythm.
Her whispers turned to tiny cries muffled by the sleeve of her tunic that she clenched between her tiny white teeth. He watched her as she came. Eyes glazed with the results of his efforts, mouth slightly open with panting breath, silken skin shining with moisture, Wynne was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
Her body relaxed and her eyes closed.
"If my arms and legs would work," she panted, "I'd give you a standing ovation."
If the neighbors were disturbed, it was Tor's laughter that woke them.
Chapter 23
Ish pointed through the dirty window at the two men sprawled across a lopsided table. Their eyes were closed and their mouths were open and drooling. Three bottles, two upright and empty, one on its side with contents pooled on the floor, also shared their table along with the remnants of whatever they'd eaten that was now being shared with the flies. The mess at the table flowed over into the room.
"There are the two fathers you were so worried about. That's Till on the right. He'd sell his own wife if the money was right and in fact has, though I hear her body's so played out she's not much use to him now. Beso would do it, too, if his wife would stay sober long enough."
Wynne's stomach revolted at the sight. The idea of children living in such squalor was heartbreaking. "Can we take the kids with us?"
"Sure. We can raise the next generation of killers and thieves."
"I said I was sorry." Her shoulders sagged when she sighed. "Okay, I deserved that."
"Another mistake. Never say you're sorry. It's a sign of weakness. We are what we are."
"What you are is a lie. I figured that out, too."
"Yeah, yeah, poor Ish." The woman motioned for Wynne to follow. "Cry me a waterfall, but keep walking."
Boneyard was a fitting name. The otherwise barren acreage was littered with the skeletons of spaceships, large and small, and other equipment Wynne couldn't identify. Most of it looked like it had been there for years. Hills of sand marked the places where time had covered the rest.
"Till's a slug," Ish told her, "But he's still the best source of spare parts for older ships as long as you're willing to dig them out yourself and pay what it's worth and not what he asks." She pointed to the far end of the field where a black metal monster shot up from the sand. "That's where we're headed. Looks like we beat Tor and Mohawk in spite of Alamandria's fussing."
The two men had left before them with Tor saying he had a few things to take care of on the way. It would be less noticeable to travel in pairs. Mohawk wasn't happy about it, but after Tor took him aside to speak, the old warrior reluctantly agreed.
Alamandria was eager to see them go, but as soon as the door closed behind the men, she set about packing bags of clothing and cosmetics for Wynne.
"I'm happy you've chosen Tor. He will take care of you in the best way he can. Learn from him, but..." The former mordata cosma raised an elegant finger. "His future is in question. If things should end badly, you'll need these things to begin again. Men don't like a woman who dresses in tough clothing." This was said with a reproving look for Ish's leather outfit.
Wynne started to protest that she'd lived quite well without a man, but Ish, who had no interest in anything feminine beyond her sexually explicit gold pendants, stopped her.
"How generous of you, Alamandria. Where are your manners, Wynne? Say thank you."
Wynne did as she was instructed, offering her thanks with a smile, though she didn't understand why Ish would care. Alamandria beamed at her and then took Ish's hand, folding it around a much smaller token of affection. She leaned in as if to kiss the Osana woman's cheek, but whispered in her ear instead.
"If you see him, kill him."
Surprisingly, it was Ish who did the cheek kissing. "I'll be happy to."
Surprising Wynne again, she even carried the heavier bag and continued to carry it after they turned the corner and were out of sight.
"Giving you those things made her happy and she has little enough of that," Ish said as they walked through the dark streets. She must have felt Wynne's surprise at the sympathy. She made a sour face in response. "The only thing Alamandria ever did wrong was turn down the wrong offer. She gave good value for the money she was paid and
her services went way beyond the bedroom. She was generous with her love and her money, and she never betrayed a friend. It isn't only her face. She wants revenge for her Companion. He was with her from the beginning and he died trying to protect her. She's a little off, but she never lost track of what's important. She introduced me to Tor, you know. Said he needed someone he could trust to watch his back."
"And he could be trusted to watch yours." She was beginning to see how this crew fit together.
Ish glanced Wynne's way. "Aren't you the clever one? Posy came next, and then Digger joined us when he was released from the military. Chubo and Nix came after that, and Lusomo was last. You know about Truca. There were a few others in between, but they didn't fit."
"They didn't like making runs to the outer reaches without much profit to show for it." Again, it was a statement and not a question.
"That, too."
Ish wasn't the type to speak of things like love and compassion. She would see that as weakness, too, but she understood what it meant.
"I would have been like Gisela if it wasn't for Alamandria and Tor," she said in her typical matter-of-fact tone. "I owe her and I pay my debts. Digger and Lusomo deserve that, too."
"But how will you find him? Tor said you won't be leaving the dock."
Wynne pulled the shawl, a real one this time, further over her face when they passed two women in the street. It was a few hours before dawn and most of the people they passed were only interested in getting home, but she wasn't taking any chances.
"Did I just call you the clever one? I take it back."
After a few more turns, Ish continued as if they hadn't spent the last ten minutes in silence. "You're getting on that rust bucket with us, right? You're going to Imperial City, right?" She looked at Wynne as if expecting an answer.
"Yes, but only because I asked for a ride. He wants his ship and Chubo and Nix. I want the women." She also thought she'd find peacekeepers there who would help.
"And you really think he's going to drop you off, kiss you a chaste goodbye, and let you wonder off alone into a rich man's playground looking like you do and with those silly dots glued to your face."
Tor (Women of Earth Book 2) Page 22