Charming the Snake

by MaryJanice Davidson, Camille Anthony, Melissa Schroeder

  He cleared his throat. “I think someone is probably following us.”

  “Hmm.”

  “No comment?”

  “No. I figured we would have someone following us.”

  He cocked an eyebrow. She shrugged and unlocked her seatbelt, standing and leaving the cabin.

  “This is a pretty nice ship.”

  He scrambled out of his seat to follow her. When he found her, she was looking in his food cooler. As she bent at the waist, her pants drew tight across her ass, clearly showing off a definite heart shape.

  “I’m amazed you could afford something so nice.”

  Oh, Jesus. She was swinging it back and forth as she rummaged through his food. It took a second for her comment to register. Through his lust-induced haze, he realized in her usual subtle way, she’d put him down.

  “What the hell you mean by that?”

  She looked back over her shoulder at him. The image of her bending over while he took her from behind was so clear in his mind, he was amazed he didn’t come right then and there. Libby had always liked sex in that position. Used to drive her insane, if he remembered right.

  “I mean that you tend to give things away. I thought you donated everything to museums and the proper authorities.”

  “I... ah...” What the hell were they talking about? Fuck. “Um, well, I did that teaching stint in New York last year to make some extra cash. I didn’t want to depend on hiring a ship.” His smile was self-deprecating as he remembered one really bad job. “I think both of us learned that lesson.”

  She returned the smile. “That excavation in Miradan was a shit job.” For a moment, the memory of shared history shimmered between them. Familiar heat crawled through him -- the dangerous kind, at that. This wasn’t just lust, and never had been. They’d both had their hearts involved before or it wouldn’t have hurt so badly when it fell apart.

  She turned abruptly and started to rummage again. “You have anything edible in here, Brady?”

  The deepening of her voice told him she’d felt it too. That heat, the connection, that no matter how many years they’d been apart, the spark was there. She pretended to keep looking for food, but he knew her well enough. The moment her body flushed with heat, she would be raring to go. No one burned hotter or faster than Libby. The woman might look and act like an uptight pain in the ass, but she had no inhibitions in bed.

  As desire threaded through his veins, he moved behind her. He placed both hands on her ass and smoothed them up to her lower back. She stilled as he stepped closer, pressing his cock against her. She straightened and shivered. He leaned his head over her shoulder, bringing his face even with hers.

  “Ahh, lass.”

  “D-Don’t use that old ploy. I won’t fall for the Irish charm this time, asshole.”

  Her voice shook. His heart jumped at the telltale sign of her arousal. He slid his hands around to her stomach. One descended to cup her sex. Wet heat warmed his hand. His dick twitched against her. Closing his eyes, he hummed. The musky scent of her arousal filled his senses. He moved his other hand to her breast. Gently, slowly, he grazed the tip of her nipple with his fingers.

  “I beg to differ with you. And, darlin’, your body agrees.”

  Chapter Four

  A hunger she hadn’t felt in six years crawled through Liberty, robbing her of logical thought. As Brady’s lips moved over her neck, his tongue darting out over her sensitive skin, he slid his other hand to the buttons on the fly of her pants. Slowly, he popped each one, while he took her nipple between thumb and forefinger. His fingers brushed against her skin.

  Liquid heat poured through her. Brady could always do that with just a touch. A word. The man had some secret skill for seduction. He never had to work hard when it came to her. She tried her best to shake her head, clear her thoughts. But the rising tide of arousal swept over her, through her, and she felt her control slipping. From their history, she knew she was helpless to resist once she started going under. He murmured something against her skin. She couldn’t understand the words, but the sound of his voice, low and unmistakably aroused, danced down her spine.

  Once he had the last button freed, his fingers slid beneath the fabric and caressed her slit. His touch was feather-light, a caress, subtle pressure, and had her moaning his name.

  “Hmm.” His teeth grazed her earlobe, and his heated whisper shook her to her core. “I think I’m right. Never knew a woman who got so wet so fast.”

  He removed his hand and pulled her gently away from the unit. With one fluid motion, he shut the door and backed her against it. The metal was cold, but her shiver had more to do with the dark lust she saw in Brady’s eyes. Without taking his gaze from hers, he slowly unbuttoned her shirt. He was challenging her, daring her to say no. She choked on the denial she wanted to throw in his face. She wanted to tell him that she didn’t want this anymore. Need this anymore. Unfortunately, throughout everything, every problem they’d had, every disagreement, sex had never been a major issue. Most of their fights had been foreplay. Dysfunctional as it was, they’d usually had some of the best sex after those arguments.

  It unnerved her that within hours of meeting up, she was in the same situation she had been years ago. Even knowing it was completely wrong, she felt herself falling. Stupid woman, she thought, even as her blood flowed like molten lava. It had been so long, longer than she’d want to admit to anyone, even herself.

  Pushing the fabric aside, he focused on her breasts. He licked his lips and reached forward, brushing the backs of his fingers against her nipples. She felt the touch all the way down to her toes. Her knees almost buckled.

  “So sensitive.” His voice was a murmur, darker, deeper, more aroused. The deepening of his voice, the way his accent was now threaded with Irish, sent a delicious swirl of heat to the pit of her stomach. Stepping closer, he slid his hands to her waist and bent his head.

  Fire blazed through her as his mouth brushed against her nipple. She looked down. His shaggy dark hair tickled her skin as it slid against her breast. Softer than it looked, it teased her nipple. A moment later, she felt his tongue touch her nipple. As he took the tip into his mouth, his fingers dug into her skin, telling her he wasn’t as in control as he appeared to be. Her senses spun; her body throbbed with need. His teeth grazed her nipple, tension coiled in her stomach, and heat seared her veins. Her pussy dripped with liquid. She shifted her legs, trying to relieve the building pressure, and felt his lips curve against her breast. He knew what he was doing, and what he was doing was driving her insane. And, fool that she was, she didn’t give a damn. The sensations pouring through her must have made her batty, because all she cared about was feeling his skin next to hers.

  He lifted his head. Cool air washed against her breasts, teasing her already sensitive nipples. Before she could react, he was tugging off her boots and pants and was kneeling in front of her. He cupped her ass and pulled her forward, forcing her legs wider.

  “Ahh, Libby, you smell so good.” He licked her cunt. “Hot, aroused, mine.” The last was said with such force, she opened her mouth to argue. But her argument turned into a moan when his slid his tongue between her folds. Over and over he tasted her. He kept one hand braced on her ass while he slid his finger into her. His tongue brushed against her clit, sending another jolt through her. As her muscles tensed, she felt another gush of liquid, and Brady made an appreciative sound in the back of his throat.

  He lifted his head as he added another finger. The heat in his gaze held her almost paralyzed. The next instant, he brushed his thumb against her clit, once, twice... and she closed her eyes as the pressure exploded within her.

  “That’s it, lass, just like that.” His voice was rougher, more aroused.

  “Brady...” As the sensations swept through her, her bones melted.

  Brady removed his hand and came to his feet. She opened her eyes halfway and watched as he tore at the fly on his pants. His hands were shaking so badly, she was amazed he co
uld actually get it done. When he finally popped the last button, his erection sprang free. She reached out and encircled the tip of it with her hand. A drip of pre-cum wet the head, and she licked her lips. Brady let out a strained chuckle.

  “Don’t even think of it, lass. I want to be inside you.”

  She caught the drop and spread it around, then pushed her hand to the base and back up again. Brady planted a hand on either side of her on the unit and groaned. He caught her rhythm, flexing his hips to keep time. She felt herself dampen more, and the pressure within her began to build again.

  Brady growled and removed her hand. He picked her up by her hips and braced her against the unit. Wrapping one arm around her, he took hold of his cock, positioning it at her entrance.

  “Look at me, Libby.” She met his gaze and sucked in a breath at the uncontrolled passion, the fires she had unleashed. As he held her gaze, he entered her, inch by excruciating inch. Her lungs seized at the feelings she saw in his eyes. The passion, the tenderness, the undisguised lust -- all of them scared the hell out of her. She needed to ignore that and lose herself in the sexual release, but he must have seen her panic, her fear.

  “Don’t close your eyes, Libby. Wrap your legs around me, sweetheart.” Without thought, she responded to his commands. Slowly, he began to move. All the delicious warmth built, her muscles began to tense, and she knew she was on the verge of another orgasm. “Aye, that’s it, lass. Oh, damn, you feel so good.”

  She tangled her hands in the hair on the back of his head and brought his mouth to hers. He tasted the same -- decadent, forbidden, delicious. Taking his tongue in her mouth, she mimicked his motions, and felt no small sense of triumph when his eyes slid closed. His thrusts grew faster. He broke from the kiss, her name a shout on his lips as he poured himself into her. One last thrust and he sent her hurtling over the edge again, her body convulsing from the force of her release.

  As every muscle in her body slowly relaxed, Liberty was aware of Brady pulling her close and stumbling to the couch. He lay down, positing her on top, and sighed. The sound of it -- lazy, contented male -- would have normally irritated the hell out of her. Brady was always at his worst when he knew he’d won an argument. But with her body still warm from his lovemaking, she snuggled deeper into his embrace and decided that at the moment, she really didn’t give a damn.

  * * * * *

  Brady awoke some time later, and it took a moment for him to assess the situation. He kept his eyes closed and inhaled deeply. There was a warm woman on top of him, so it couldn’t be that bad. He slid his hand down her spine to her ass and rubbed it. She purred his name. His eyes shot open at the sound of her voice, and the memories of their lovemaking swirled through his head.

  Oh, God, Libby. Licking his lips, he could still taste her there. He knew he shouldn’t have acted on his impulse, but the woman had always pushed his buttons. Didn’t matter what the hell the situation was, he was always ready to slide into her for a nice, long fuck. From the moment she’d let him touch her, he couldn’t be within five miles of her and not have a hard-on.

  The control panel beeped. Libby stirred, her silky hair sliding around his chest. The scent of their lovemaking mixed with her clean fresh scent. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the reality of what they faced. Over six years. Six fucking years, and it took less than twenty-four hours before she made him lose control. And dammit, he couldn’t go through it again. He was enough of a man to admit he’d almost fallen apart when she left last time. He’d hidden it behind women, booze, and extravagant exploits, but he knew deep down that no matter what, she’d taken a piece of him, a piece of his heart, with her.

  “Brady, what the hell is that noise?” He smiled because she sounded like an uptight schoolmarm. She shifted her weight, and he silently cursed his reaction to her.

  “I think we are arriving at the Dranirick docking station.”

  “Oh.” She sounded disappointed, and he couldn’t help the little jump in his pulse at the thought that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. It took every ounce of self-control to focus on what he needed to get done. He sighed, knowing they needed to find her father before they could even think about sorting out what was between them.

  But to make sure he kept her on her toes, he raised his hand and brought it down on her rump. She squealed and wiggled some more.

  “Dammit, Brady, that hurt.” She rubbed her ass and he laughed.

  “Quit being a pansy ass. We’ve arrived, and you’re naked, and I might as well be.”

  She shoved herself to her elbows and looked around. Her eyes widened as what they’d just done hit her.

  “Yeah, don’t want to dock at the station in this condition. We’d be the talk of this side of the zone for months.”

  Chapter Five

  Brady had buttoned his pants, finger-combed his hair, and headed back to the controls. Liberty tried to compose herself as she dressed more slowly. This was the reason she hadn’t wanted to contact Brady for help. They were always like this. She stepped into her pants and then tucked her shirt in. As she fastened the last button on her fly, she noticed her hands shaking. When she finished her task, she scrubbed her hands over her face. Fear, anger, and the lingering heat of their passion rolled through her.

  She had to be better than this, for her father’s sake and for sanity. After leaving Brady six years earlier, she’d buried herself in work, pretending to find happiness in her accomplishments. And that was why she had been such an easy conquest for Tony. She’d needed someone to take her seriously, but in the end it had been a disaster of a marriage. And she was to blame. She never loved Tony the way he deserved to be loved.

  Glancing at Brady, she thought about her time with Tony and the reason she could never really respond to him in bed. They had decent sex, but nothing fun, nothing even passionate. For the most part, it hadn’t bothered Tony. He was from a family where marriages were often made because of connections and not love. Their marriage had been based on shared interests and mutual respect.

  She had been completely bored within a year and held on trying to make it work. But when he had taken over the company, he’d changed, and she couldn’t pretend anymore. Their divorce had been polite and amicable. Tony hadn’t put up much of a fight after she told him there was no way she could stay with him.

  Brady swore when he flipped the wrong switch. He continued to mutter as he fixed the problem, and she felt her lips curve. Brady would never settle for a reserved divorce. He would have fought her to the end.

  “Libby, get your ass up here and sit down.”

  “Oh, be still my heart.” Sarcasm threaded her words, but she followed his orders.

  He glanced at her. She knew in that brief moment he was taking stock of her. “You’re not going to pretend that didn’t happen.”

  Not a question -- a statement of fact. Because, she knew, he meant he wouldn’t let her. She ground her teeth together as anger lit through her.

  “First off, I determine what I want and where I want it.” She kept her gaze on the bluish-red planet of Dranirick. “And secondly, I don’t like the fact that you would even think I would be a coward about it.”

  She could hear the voice of the traffic controller murmuring from his headphones. He answered a few questions and then looked at her again. “We have unfinished business, you and I.”

  She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “Oh, really? I thought we just took care of it.”

  He snorted. “No. I mean from before. And this time you are going to talk about it. About why you felt a need to leave just then.”

  Because I was drowning. But she couldn’t say that. No matter what Brady said in the bedroom, it didn’t matter out in the field. He didn’t wait for her answer but just went on with landing the ship.

  His scruples were just a shade to the right side of the law, but damn if he didn’t get close to stepping over the line. Every time she went along with him, broke another one of her rules, she’d felt a pa
rt of her soul dying. In the end, she knew she had to leave before she grew to hate him... hate herself.

  She knew it was just a matter of time before they would break one of her rules... but this time it mattered. Brady had no problem and would push and prod until she went along with him. And as loath as she was to admit it, she knew it was important. Her father’s life depended on it.

  * * * * *

  Brady pressed his thumb on the identification machine and then stepped back for Libby to do the same. As she brushed past, her scent drifted to him, and he had to resist grabbing her and taking her back on the ship. His nerves were already raw, and being on Dranirick was going to make it worse. Most of the planet was an unmapped rainforest. They’d had many species on the planet, but the most serious threat came from the Funkai. Funkai were actually a group of humans from Earth whose sexual preferences included abduction and rape. When too many of their members had ended up in jail, they moved to Dranirick because it had been wide open for settlers, no laws.

  They pretty much kept to themselves, but rumors were always whispered about people who accidentally crossed their path. And he knew the way Sterling had gone would be right through their damn territory.

  * * * * *

  “Brady. You can stop looking at me that way. I’m going whether you like it or not. He’s my father.”

  He narrowed his eyes and shot her a dirty look but didn’t say anything. “Let’s get going. We have a few hours of good light, and I want to get to the other side of the river before nightfall.”

  He turned on his heel and stalked out of the station, knowing he was behaving like an ass. It was the only defense he had against her at this point.

  “Brady.” He stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. She had her hands fisted on hips, her eyes sparked with anger, and he’d never wanted to jump her bones more than at that moment. Shit.