“I thought maybe…” Her lips clamped shut. Anything she’d say now would not help the situation.
“We both need to treat this as a medical procedure.”
Her head bobbed up and down in agreement. This stoic man was more than just her heroic rescuer. While she’d climax repeatedly during this medical procedure, he wouldn’t be unaffected. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful for your help. I realize this has to be difficult for you too.”
He inclined his head but didn’t comment on her words. “We should begin now.”
“Where do we do this?” Her fingers shook, and her whole body trembled. This was it.
“On the bed should be fine.” He indicated an alcove at the back right corner of the shuttle only a handful of steps away. “The schematic is easy to follow and removing it should be a simple procedure.” He paused for a moment. “It’s important for you to be as still as possible, so I don’t inadvertently press the chip further into your body.”
“All right, I can do that.” She nodded, agreeing to do whatever he needed.
“It may be very hard for you,” he cautioned, not minimizing the challenges of the process. “The sensations will be strong and powerful. If you’re bucking and writhing, it will make retrieval difficult.” His gaze strayed to her groin and shot back up to her face.
Bucking and writhing. Oh God. She’d never bucked or writhed in her entire life. Even while she’d enjoyed sexual relations with Jonathan, she’d never describe it as out of control. It had been pleasant, of course, but she’d wondered what the excitement was all about.
Now wasn’t the time to find out. She didn’t know this man. And he was too handsome, too desirable, too everything. The fact that Jaden had to touch her so intimately was unnerving. The fact that he expected her to buck and writhe while he simply stood there was mortifying.
“I guess I should take off my pants.” Mia trod to the cot and grabbed the waist of her slacks. She stood motionless for a minute.
“Maybe I should shower first. It’s been days since I’ve washed. I’m sweaty and dirty and…” She let the words hang in the air.
“I understand your concern, but we shouldn’t delay.” He nodded to the bed. “You’ll be fine.”
It was pointless to put this off any longer. Jaden needed to get back to his ship and other duties; she was only one of his responsibilities.
When he nodded again, she slid off her slacks and undergarment and eased onto his bed. This was no time for modesty; she positioned her head on his pillow, stretched out and parted her legs.
****
Jaden sucked in cool air and swallowed hard as Mia spread her slender legs. A dusting of fair curls covered her feminine lips, and soft pink skin peeked through her delicate wet folds. His breath hitched as her body opened to him. He wanted to say something comforting, reassuring, but his tongue clung to the roof of his mouth, and no words could escape.
For an instant, he closed his eyes and breathed. She was perfect. The sight of her, the smell of her, filled his head. She’d worried about being unwashed, but her sweet sexy scent filled his senses. When his cock hardened, he imagined ripping off his pants and burying his erection into her sweet body.
Jaden swallowed hard and bit back a curse. What the hell was he thinking? His job was to help her with the chip not take advantage of her vulnerable state.
His hands shook as he flexed them in quick succession, and he ignored sweat gathering at the nape of his neck. He needed to do this right. He owed her respect and dignity, even though there was little dignity in what they had to do.
“Mia, I need to touch you now.”
Her chin trembled as she nodded her understanding. “Do what you need to do.”
She was instantly wet, dripping wet, when his fingers grazed the seam of her sex. If there had been even a shadow of a doubt the scanner was wrong, it vanished.
Her clitoris, hot pink and swollen, was literally throbbing with need. Jaden swallowed again and whispered a prayer.
Mia’s legs opened wide, her thighs taut as a bow. She was asking, no begging, and he imagined her delicate folds, glistening like honey, wrapped snugly around his shaft. He longed to taste her. Her scent, now stronger with need, was intoxicating.
His resolve was tested as his cock grew stiff and his testicles tightened. To wrest back control, he shut his eyes and breathed. He had the skill and training to do this right; he couldn’t fail her.
When he started to spread her inner lips with his fingers, her hips shot off the bed, and his hands jerked from her body. The last thing he wanted to do was injure her.
“Sorry,” she said in a shy whisper, clearly embarrassed by her intense response. “I’ll do better.”
Jaden steadied his hands as he spread her slender legs again. Her folds were almost reddish now and soaking with her wetness. He swallowed again. There was no way she was going to be able to remain motionless during the procedure. He’d barely touched her, but her spine arched from the contact and she was ready to fly. Once he inserted his fingers into her vagina, she’d explode.
Jaden considered their options and settled on the smartest course. She wouldn’t like it, and it would taunt his restraint, but they didn’t have a better choice. “I think it might be best if we let you climax several times before we attempt removal. Once you’re past your first few orgasms, you’ll probably have more control.”
“No, no. I can be still,” she protested. “I can do what you need.”
“You can’t.” His hands were high on her thighs, holding her legs apart.
“I…”
“Mia, I don’t want to make a mistake. Our window is so small. Don’t fight this.” Then his finger grazed her clitoris, and she practically shot off the bed. As Jaden grasped her slender legs to keep her from falling, his cock swelled and his body tensed. No. He gritted his teeth and refused to acknowledge his ache. His needs weren’t important; his focus had to be her. “Just let it happen, and then we can move on.”
“Ahhh.” Mia cried. Her arms dug into the sides of his bed and her muscles quivered from the pressure. As the jolt shot through her and sent her spinning, her back reared and she collapsed, limbs splayed in all directions.
She was still panting when he coaxed her legs wider a minute later. He was doing what he could to be gentle and patient, but time was their enemy. Waiting wasn’t a luxury they could afford right now.
“Relax,” he ordered as his fingers covered her clitoris again. He stroked it lightly between two fingers, and she panted for air. She clawed at his bedding, trying to hold on as the rest of her body shot off the bed.
“Jaden, oh…” she gasped, meeting his eyes as his fingers touched her fuse.
The next two orgasms left her dripping with sweat and gasping for air. Maybe this hadn’t been the best course of action. If anything, she was needier, hotter, and less in control.
“Jaden, Jaden…I need more.” Her whole body flushed with heat.
“This.” He touched her entrance, and her body clenched.
“Not enough, not nearly enough.” Her wide blue eyes, pleading and desperate, implored him to take away the throbbing between her legs. “Please. I need more.”
He shook his head. The pressure in his groin was unrelenting, but he pushed it aside. “I can’t.”
“Please,” she begged again. “I need to feel you inside of me.”
He couldn’t. No matter how much she pleaded with him, he couldn’t. His cock strained against his snug pants, but he bit his upper lip and continued to ignore it. “Mia, if I did what you wanted right now, I’d just embed the chip further into the wall of your vagina. It would make retrieval much more difficult.”
“I don’t care,” she said without shame, wild and restless with her back arching and her hair fanning out in every direction. “I need you now.”
“We both know that’s the chip talking.” He spoke calmly, carefully. It was the only thing he could do. “I have a responsibility for you.”
> “Then take care of me,” she begged again.
He’d taken an oath. He had a duty to her. But she was begging him and her cry almost trumped common sense. His palms dampened again as he took a deep breath. “Maybe this will help.” He plunged three fingers into her channel, hoping to simulate the fullness she craved. Her passage was so tight, but slick, and it was easy to enter her body.
He was careful to avoid the chip as his fingers thrust inside her. His heart thudded as he simulated intercourse with several energetic thrusts, and her back braced again. When Mia’s head lolled back on the mattress, her whole body tensed—from the tips of her tightly turned toes to the cords in her outstretched neck. Jaden knew her body now, her response, and she was seconds from another powerful climax. As soon as she exploded, her body would be in free fall. That would be his time to act.
When she cried aloud, signaling her orgasm, Jaden kept his fingers deep inside her opening. He wanted her to rise as high as she could with this climax. Her thighs shook and her body quivered as the sexual tremors rocked her again and again. Jaden waited for her sigh, the brief instant when the vibrations had slowed and she could almost breathe again.
When she gasped her slow tired cry, he twisted his fingers and reached for the chip. It was embedded in the middle of her G-spot, so he had only a nanosecond to act. Two fingers closed on the small chip. As quickly as he could, Jaden detached it from her skin, avoiding all but a slight pinch during the removal process. An instant later she was free. Minutes after that she was out like a light.
Chapter Three
Mia’s stomach rumbled when she woke later. She didn’t know how long she’d been out, but her stomach said it had been hours. As she raised her arms for a good stretch, a light thermal blanket slid down the front of her chest. Her lips curved slightly at the thoughtful gesture. Since she was still bare below the waist, the blanket was more for her privacy than comfort.
Mia scooted to the edge of the bed and grabbed for her pants, a bit torn but still wearable. As she slid them up one leg and then the other, her body still tingled from the after-effects of the chip. Her face colored as she thought of the way she had acted on this very bed just a short time ago. She barely knew this man, and she’d begged him for sex. She’d thrashed about as if she was sex-crazed. Of course, it was the chip, but nothing could change that she’d pleaded with him to take her.
Mia ran her hands down the length of her thighs, wanting an extra moment to steady herself. She’d never, never had orgasms like that before. She’d only been intimate with one man, and they’d only coupled a few times. Those experiences had been pleasurable, but nothing like the world-shattering eruptions that had coursed through her body when Jaden had touched her.
She closed her lids to picture his dark earnest eyes. Yes, she was incredibly grateful he’d rescued her from the slave ship, but that didn’t explain how he made her weak-kneed and breathless. Even before he’d touched her, he’d attracted her.
He’d said she was beautiful and desirable, but he needed her to be an assignment. It couldn’t be more complicated than that. Mia took a deep breath as she slid off Jaden’s bed. In a few days, this whole thing would be behind them, and she could get on with her life.
Jaden stood across the small shuttle in an efficient little mess area as Mia emerged from the sleeping alcove. His hands were deep into a large bin of fresh vegetables.
“Hi.” He glanced up from his task. “Feel all right?”
“Yes, a little fuzzy-headed but fine,” she responded, hoping he wouldn’t notice the warm blush on her cheeks. “How long was I out?”
He glanced at a time-keeping device in the nook beside him. “A while—at least six hours.”
She nodded, thankful he didn’t ask embarrassing questions. “What are you doing?”
“The food unit isn’t working. Actually, a lot of our systems aren’t working. While you were sleeping, I ran a couple of diagnostics and repaired some of them. They’re rebooting now, but it’s going to take at least twenty-four hours before we’re back to normal.”
“So in the meantime, you’re preparing food manually?” His knife quickly danced over a board of colorful foods. It was an unusual sight, but his skill and precision with a knife was obvious. “I thought only Earthlings still did that.”
“The food unit breaks down on a regular basis, so I try to keep fresh food on board.” He relaxed as he spoke. His stick-straight military posture was gone and the corners of his lips turned upward.
“So you’re a chef as well as a pilot?”
“Well, I’m not much of a cook, but I don’t go hungry. I am a very skilled pilot though.”
“I suppose I get to take advantage of both your skills today.” She waved at the array of complex computer systems surrounding the cockpit. “I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to operate a ship like this. You must work with hundreds of buttons and switches.”
“With navigation, communication, and operations, there are dozens of systems with thousands of switches and buttons.” His smile widened. “So you could say I’m an excellent button operator and a decent cook.”
“I’m starving, so decent will be fine with me. Whatever you’re making will be delicious.” She eyed his work area. “Those aren’t strawberries, are they?” Native fruits and vegetables from Old Earth were hard to come by. They often didn’t grow well when transplanted on other planets, and Jaden had a whole bowlful of the rare delicacies.
“Join me.” Jaden grinned as he patted a pull-down stool beside him. Mia’s stomach rumbled as he grabbed a few juicy berries and handed them to her. “The life of an intergalactic trader is an interesting one. My younger sister loves fresh Old Earth berries. Whenever I get the opportunity, I trade for them.”
Mia plopped down on the stool. “Oh, we should save them for her then.”
“No, they’ll go bad before I get back to Vanta. I could freeze them, but we can get frozen berries anytime.” He picked up a few more bright berries and placed them in her palm. “Enjoy them all, please.”
A burst of sweet flavor exploded in her mouth as she savored the small juicy fruit. “Your sister has good taste. How wonderful it must be to have a brother who can bring such yummy treats. Do you get to spend much time with her?”
“No.” He shrugged. “I don’t get to Vanta too often, but I was heading there before I received the alert about your kidnapping.”
Mia stopped chewing in mid-bite. “Oh, no. I kept you from seeing your family.”
“Your situation was more dire,” he said with all practicality. “I will spend time with them in two hundred and fifty qualits.”
Two hundred and fifty qualits was more than three months. Mia couldn’t imagine having to wait that long to see her parents or her sisters. “I guess with your work, you don’t get home very much.”
“Not often.” He grabbed a tubular green vegetable from his food bin and continued chopping. “My business takes me all over the galaxy. I meet a lot of interesting people on the planets I visit, and I don’t mind the quiet of space travel.”
“I’m afraid I’ve ruined your solitude.”
Jaden’s mouth lifted slowly at the edges. “Not at all. While I do like solitude, I am happy to have your company.”
Her brows rose at that. She’d been nothing but trouble since they’d met. “That’s nice of you to say.”
“It’s true.”
Mia scooped up a few more strawberries and plopped one in her mouth. While she didn’t doubt Jaden’s sincerity, it was hard to believe he enjoyed her presence. “Well, I’m sorry your sister’s misfortune is my good luck, but we can’t let these go to waste. One day, on my ninth birthday, I think, my mother made a whole pie out of fresh strawberries. It was such a treat.”
“That’s right. You Earthlings enjoy celebrating the anniversaries of your birth.”
“You don’t?” It was surprising how different people could be throughout the galaxy.
He shrugged his shoulders a
nd his brows rose too. “It is not considered a special day for Vantas.”
“That’s too bad. I still love my birthday.”
His brown eyes brightened, and it was nice to see the glimmer there. Her words—and the sentiment behind it—were humorous to him. “Why are you smiling like that?”
Jaden’s grin widened. “People talk a lot about Earthlings in the galaxy—much more so than other people, I think. Part of it is because of all the contributions your people have made in this sector. So much of the technology and innovations were developed by Earthlings on either Delphus or one of the other Earthling settlements. But there’s also a lot of talk about how very, uh, interesting Earthlings are.”
He was playing with her now. This was a different Jaden Zoma than the one who had hauled her out of a locked cell on an alien vessel and touched her so intimately to safeguard her future. That Jaden didn’t tease or share his emotions. It was nice to see this side of him. “What do you mean by interesting?”
He cocked his head to the side as he considered her question. “Friendly, emotional, sentimental.”
She raised her brows and pursed her lips to stop grinning. “And you think sentimental is bad?”
“No, no.” There was that playful note in his voice again. “I think sentimental is very interesting.”
“Hmm, there’s that word again…although I suppose it’s better than the alternative.”
“What would that be?”
“Boring,” she tossed out. “Who wants to be boring?”
“No, Mia, you’re certainly not boring.”
She laughed at that. “Thank you, I think.”
He picked up his knife again and thinly sliced a small purple onion. “How long has your family lived on Delphus? Did they come with the Great Migration?”
“Yes,” she replied, not surprised he was familiar with the well-known historical event. Several hundred years ago, Delphus had started out as a small trading post in the Celsus sector. It was a strategically located planet in the center of a cluster of well-populated humanoid worlds. Ships from all over the galaxy had made it a vibrant spot for galactic commerce.
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