She looked up.
“I love you.” The words were deep and dark and warm and they wrapped around her like a thick blanket.
“I-I love you too,” she said softly. Throwing her arms around him, Rena closed her eyes and pressed her head against his chest. Maybe he was a little crazy. But he was her crazy and that felt better than anything she had ever known.
Epilogue
“Ten thousand credits?” Rena said, her eyes and mouth wide open, staring at Riks.
Riks put up his hands. “You said you trusted me! It’s not a bad price for a ship that size!”
“Not a bad price!” she shouted. “I could have gotten at least double that two systems over! Now we’re broke and flying this hunk of junk of yours!”
“We’re not that broke,” Riks explained. He looked sheepish.
Rena smacked him on the arm.
“Hey now,” he growled, scowling at her.
“Hey now, yourself!” she snapped, turning around and walking away. She felt him grab her before she could get too far. She was over his knee in an instant, his hand landing with a soft swat. It was more playful than anything.
“What was that for?” she asked, turning to look at him smiling back at her.
“Well, you smacked me. I figure you deserved a little discipline. Also, I just like this place.”
His hand settled on the soft flesh of her rear and moved lower, toward her thighs. Rena felt the ache begin between her legs, but then he stood her on her feet.
“Is that it?” she asked, barely able to hide her pout.
He smiled. He’d started smiling more lately. She liked that.
“That’s not it but I think Jayne and the boys might have something against us disappearing into my quarters every hour.”
“They probably don’t mind!” she said, leaning toward him for a kiss.
He gave her a peck on the cheek. “Anyway, the money doesn’t matter, I’ve already spent it,” he said, standing up and walking toward the star charts.
“Already spent it?” She felt a fury start to rise inside her again. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing!
“Yeah,” he said, his back to her, hunched over the screen.
She folded her arms across her chest and hoped he could feel her glare on his back. When he finally turned around, she set her jaw, trying to look as angry as she could. “Well? Are you at least going to tell me what you spent it on?” she snapped.
“New heat shield and a couple of claws for the bottom of the ship.”
“Claws? A heat shield I understand, but claws?”
“Yup.”
“What are we going to do with claws on a wreck like this?”
He turned to look at her finally, a big grin on his face. “We’re going to catch some marmle in the Ashima system!”
She shook her head. “Okay, whatever. I guess we have to do something like that. Claws and a heat shield should only be a few thousand credits. What happened to the rest?”
“Poker game.”
Her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open again. “You didn’t,” she whispered.
He was still grinning when he started nodding.
“You won?” she asked, her voice still quiet.
“I won.” His big smile just got bigger. She watched him reach into his pocket.
“How much?”
He shook his head slowly. “Not telling. But enough for this.”
The glint of diamond set in brilliant metal caught her eye. Her heart stopped for a moment as she looked up and into his eyes. A shiver ran through her. He was still smiling.
“Rena Rain,” he began as an overwhelming sensation welled from deep within her, “will you marry me?”
It felt like she had started shaking. She couldn’t tell if it was excitement, fear, or everything in between that was filling her entire body, making her skin goose bump in shiver after shiver of wonderful delight. One thing was certain. She loved this feeling and she never wanted it to go away.
Running to him, Rena jumped into the air. He caught her against his sturdy frame as she wrapped her legs around his massive trunk. Pressing her lips to his, she closed her eyes and sank into a deep and passionate kiss.
When she opened them again, she felt her cheeks flush as she pressed her forehead against his and stared deep into his eyes. “You big dumb pirate,” she teased. “Of course I will.”
The End
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More Stormy Night Books by Samantha Madisen
The Warrior’s Mate
For generations maidens of Adena’s people have been taken as brides by the powerful men of the Tlani clan, in tribute for their continued protection, and when she comes of age Adena is given to the mighty warrior Lor Quinn. Stripped bare and displayed before the assembly, her suitability as a mate is tested and confirmed for all to see before she is claimed publicly by her new husband to consummate their union.
Lor’s dominant lovemaking excites Adena far more than she ever would have thought possible, but it is only when she is led to Lor’s training chamber after the ceremony that she begins to fully realize what it means to belong to him completely. He will explore her body thoroughly, punishing and pleasuring her as he wishes until she is left blushing crimson with shame yet still aching with need and longing for him to take her in any way he pleases.
Adena soon discovers that Lor’s plans for her extend beyond their bedchamber, and as part of her training she is brought to a doctor for an intimate, humiliating examination as often as her husband feels it necessary. Any defiance merely earns her a hard, bare-bottom spanking, yet though his firm-handed dominance often leaves her with flaming cheeks and a sore bottom, as Lor’s mastery of her body deepens Adena’s passion for him burns hotter every day. But can she truly learn to embrace life as a warrior’s mate?
His Captive Mate
When her ship crashes on a foreign planet during her first hunting trip, Dazea shudders at the thought of being captured by the barbarians who inhabit this wild, primitive world, and her fears are soon realized when she is caught and taken captive by the ruggedly handsome Captain Hawk Agnon. His civilization turns out to be more technologically sophisticated than she had expected, but this only increases her shock when she finds out that Hawk plans to take her as his mate.
Among Hawk’s people, women obey or face the consequences, and Dazea soon learns the hard way that defying her future mate will result in a long, hard spanking on her bare bottom. To make matters worse, she discovers that a sore bottom is far from the most humiliating experience in her future, because when the time comes for Hawk to claim her, it will be done in public.
After a thorough, intimate examination proves her ready to be mated, her training begins. In spite of everything, with each firm punishment and each helpless climax the intense need Hawk’s dominance has kindled within her burns ever hotter. Soon enough she will be on display, naked and blushing, as her handsome, dominant mate publicly demonstrates his complete mastery of her body. But when that day comes, will she be able to resist the shame of begging for more?
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
More Stormy Night Books by Samantha Madisen
Hunted and Caught Page 12