by Lolita Lopez
His words were spoken like vows. He didn’t love her, and she didn’t love him—yet—but he was giving her the promises a man gave to his wife. He meant every word, and she wanted him to know she was taking this as seriously as he was.
Turning to face him, she gazed up at the towering giant of a man who had rescued and claimed her. She took a moment to consider her words. “I will never take you for granted. I will honor you. I will make your life interesting and probably a little frustrating.” His lips twitched with a smile at that. “I will support you and care for you.”
Cipher’s expression softened, and he clasped the back of her neck, tilting her head back to give him access. He was so tall that he had to practically bend in half to capture her mouth, but he didn’t seem to mind. He was tender at first, his lips just brushing against hers, but when she gripped the front of his uniform shirt, he let go of that control. He kissed her as if he had been waiting a lifetime to make those promises to her.
When she whimpered and tried to deepen the kiss, he pulled back and kissed her forehead. “Not here, little one.”
“Yes, sir,” she whispered and licked her lips.
Cipher actually groaned. “You’re going to kill me with that.”
She stared up at him with confusion. “With what?”
“Sir,” he said simply.
“Oh.” She hadn’t considered it was wrong. All her life, she had been taught to show respect to older men. “Should I stop?”
“Hell no,” he said hurriedly. “You have no idea what it does to me.” His gaze darkened, and she trembled with excitement. “But you will soon.”
Taking her hand, Cipher grabbed her small bag of belongings from the hospital bed and tugged her along until she fell into step beside him. She may have imagined it, but she thought some of the medics looked relieve to see her go. In the hallway outside the hospital unit, he led her to the elevator. It was nothing like the rickety, squealing rust buckets that were in some of the deeper mines. She marveled when Cipher used the chip implanted in her wrist to activate the elevator.
“So, what happens now?” She leaned back against the wall of the elevator and smiled up at him.
“We settle into our new quarters and get to know each other a little better.”
“Only a little?” she asked, feeling bold now that they were alone and on their way to their new home.
“Maybe a lot,” he said, moving closer.
The elevator slowed and came to a halt on a floor that wasn’t their own. The doors opened to reveal four hulking men with the strange pilot haircuts. The stripes shaved into the side of their heads was a way of showing their rank, but she hadn’t been that interested in the pilot part of the bride’s guide so she had skipped over it. Uncertain whether these men outranked Cipher or not, she glanced up at him to see how he would react.
He nodded stiffly before dropping her hand and sliding his arm around her shoulders. His forearm rested just below her collar, and he pulled her into his body, her back flush with his front. The men avoided looking at her, keeping their gazes averted, and filed into the elevator. Each one gave Cipher a short, “Sir,” before focusing straight ahead on the closing doors.
The awkward elevator ride ended a few floors later. The men stepped out onto a floor that seemed very busy, and Cipher leaned forward to slap at the touchscreen console, tapping the close button until the doors slid together. He finally relaxed when the elevator started to move again.
As if realizing he had manhandled her, he quickly let go. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She missed the feel of his arm around her, holding her close and safe. Wanting to show him that didn’t mind, she took his hand and lifted his arm back into place. “I liked it.”
He groaned as if in pain, and his arm tightened around her. “The things that come out of your mouth, Brook.”
“Are they good?” she asked uncertainly.
“Yes,” he said, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “So very, very good.”
Happy to have pleased him, she leaned into his warm body and enjoyed the closeness for the rest of their elevator ride. When they reached their floor, he reluctantly let her go and took her hand. They stepped out of the elevator and into a hallway lined with doors. Some of them had wreaths or welcome mats, making the hallway joyful and inviting.
“This is us,” he announced. “Go on.”
Nervous but excited to see her new home, she placed her wrist near the scanner and waited for the chirp and green light. Once it was unlocked, she opened the door and stepped inside an entryway. Immediately, lights flicked on and a friendly female voice welcomed them before giving a rundown of the temperature, humidity and important notifications from their message system. She glanced back at Cipher in awe, and he smiled encouragingly, gesturing for her to keep exploring.
The entryway of their quarters opened into a large living area with more furniture than she had ever seen. A small couch, a large couch, a comfy chair, tables and lamps. The entertainment center looked exactly like the one shown in the guidebook. Right now, it displayed a lifelike image of a fireplace with a roaring fire and all the sounds she would expect, right down to the occasional pop.
Off the living area, there was a kitchen filled with gleaming appliances she couldn’t wait to try. A small round table sat off to the side with just two chairs. The guidebook had mentioned that many of the tables had extra leaves and chairs that were stowed away in a hidden storage compartment along the wall. The idea of hosting a dinner for Cipher’s friends started to come together. She wanted him to be proud of her and her homemaking skills.
As she turned back to face the living area, something familiar and unexpected caught her eye. She hadn’t seen the built-in shelves along the left side of the room on her first look. Seeing them now, she hurriedly crossed the room and gasped. “My things!”
“I called in a favor.” Cipher placed the hospital bag on the chair and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “I wanted this to feel like your home as much as it is mine.”
She lovingly ran her hands over the things she had left behind in her cabin. A lantern, her father’s old mining helmet, faded family photos and mementos. He had arranged them on the shelves like curios in a museum, melding his treasured things with hers.
“I put the maps here.” He crouched down and tugged open a wide, deep drawer filled with rolled maps. “I thought we might pick some of the important ones to frame. They’ll be interesting to have on the walls.”
She started to cry and wiped at her face, embarrassed to show so much emotion over a few old maps. Overwhelmed by his gesture, she wandered away from the shelves and into the room adjacent to the living area. It was a spacious bedroom. Our bedroom. Her gaze drifted to an obscenely big bed and lingered on the metal rings attached to the headboard. Even as inexperienced as she was, she had no trouble imagining how they were used.
But it was the neatly folded quilt draped over the foot of the bed that broke her composure. Her mother had sewn the quilt from scraps late in the evenings after working backbreaking day shifts in the mine. Brook could still remember sitting at her mother’s feet while her mother sang and sewed, her nimble fingers working long strings of thread through the fabric and batting. It had broken her heart to leave it behind, but Cipher had just put the pieces back together for her.
Sobbing now, she felt Cipher approach from the door behind her. She pivoted toward him and threw her arms around his waist, burying her face against his hard chest and crying. He stroked his hand down her braid and rubbed her back with the other. She clung to him, so incredibly grateful he had come into her life.
“I’m so sorry, Brook. I thought you would be happy about the surprise.”
She reared back and stared up at him through the tears. Realizing he thought she was upset, she rolled her eyes and huffed. “No, you big idiot! I’m overwhelmed at how wonderful you are! How romantic this is!”
“Oh.” Clearly relieved, he used his impre
ssive strength to haul her right off the floor and into his arms. He walked them to the bed and sat on the edge of it, placing her on his lap with her legs draped over his. He pressed his lips to her temple and then her cheek before turning her face for a gentle kiss. “I’m glad you’re happy about it, but I’m sorry I made you cry.”
“It’s okay,” she said, sniffling and wiping at her face. “It was a good cry.”
His callused thumbs raked over her cheeks, swiping away the last of her tears. He kissed her forehead and held her close, soothing her with the caress of his hand along her side. A while later, when she was still and relaxed, he said, “I’m letting the idiot remark slide for now, but next time, you’ll have to face the consequences.”
She lifted her head from his shoulder and gazed into his dark eyes. “Such as?”
He shifted her on his lap, drawing her left leg up and around his waist. The other followed naturally, and she found herself scandalously wrapped around him, only her thin panties and his pants separating their private parts. As if amused to have her off-kilter, he smirked playfully and pulled her even tighter against him, rubbing her along the hard length of him that she was staggeringly aware of now.
“Such as this,” he murmured low and then smacked her bottom.
She squealed with shock and indignation, but the hand that had just whacked her smoothed over her stinging bottom. His hand is under my skirt. His hand is on my ass. Oh my...
Overheated and nervous, she asked, “Do you really want to spank me?”
“Yes.” He captured her mouth again, this time shocking her by flicking his tongue insistently between her lips until she surrendered. His tongue swept hers, and she felt so lightheaded she clutched at his shoulders, desperate not to fall.
“Why?” she asked, feeling completely out of control as his hand stroked her bare thigh. No man had ever touched her like this. No man had ever kissed her like this. Gazing at Cipher, she was so glad he would be her teacher.
“Did you read the pamphlet about pain and pleasure?” He dragged his mouth along the curve of her neck, and she started to shake.
“Yes.”
“It’s the way I’m built, Brook. It’s the way I’m wired.” He nipped at her throat, and she whimpered. “I want to be in control. I want to dominate you. I want to own you.”
Trying to keep a level head, she pulled away enough to stare into his eyes. A quiver of fear made her suddenly serious. He was so much bigger and stronger. If he did some of the things she had read about in the guidebook, he could seriously injure her. “Do you want to hurt me?”
“A little,” he admitted, never taking his eyes off her face. “Not in anger and never enough to harm you. Only enough to highlight the extreme pleasure you’re capable of feeling.”
Satisfied with his answer but also afraid of the unknown, she asked, “Do you want to hurt me right now?”
“No,” he answered without hesitation. The hand on her bottom dragged her closer, and he kissed her so sweetly. “Right now, I want to teach you all the things about your body that you don’t know yet.”
Thinking of his hands and mouth on her body, touching all the places she rarely dared, showing her the kind of pleasure she had only imagined, she decided it was time for courage. Knowing what would make him go absolutely feral with desire, she leaned closer. “I’m a very good student, sir.”
Whatever doubts he may have harbored seemed to flee in that moment. Wrapping her braid around his fist, he tugged her head back and licked a slow line up the center of her neck before claiming her mouth in a kiss that left her breathless and aching. With her hair tight in his hand, he had complete control over her movement—and she liked it.
“There it is,” he murmured against her skin. “There’s that submissive spark I want.”
“What else do you want from me, sir?”
“Everything you have to give.” He skimmed his lips along her jaw and squeezed her bottom in his big hand. “I want it all.”
“Take it,” she pleaded, her entire body on fire. “Take me, Cipher.”
He groaned with need and tilted her head until they were eye-to-eye. “Remember you asked for this.”
Chapter Ten
Gentle. Careful. Slow. Gentle. Careful. Slow.
Cipher silently repeated his mantra as he moved Brook into a standing position and rose from the bed. Taking her hand, he led her toward the door she hadn’t asked about yet. He had considered easing her into the things he liked, but her natural curiosity and bravery had him reconsidering that plan. Trusting that she would tell him if things were too uncomfortable or intimidating, he unlocked the door and tugged her along behind him.
The lights immediately turned on at the setting he had chosen when configuring the space, a perfect medium between too bright or dim. He left the door open behind them, making sure Brook had a quick exit. When she stepped in front of him, he suspected the open door was a moot point. With a look of wonder, she glanced around the space as if cataloguing everything. He wished he could hear her thoughts. Was she curious? Afraid? Nervous?
“May I touch your things, sir?”
“Our things,” he corrected. “This is our room to enjoy. You can touch anything in here.”
With a coquettish smile, she asked, “Even you?”
“Definitely me,” he agreed, crossing his arms as she began to explore. He held himself back, giving her time to get comfortable in their space.
“Do all the quarters have these rooms?” She ran her hand along the metal countertop lining one wall. “Or just officers?”
“All quarters in the mated sector have them. The higher your rank, the bigger your space. Each man is allowed to furnish the space however he pleases. Some couples convert them to extra bedroom space if they have more children than their quarters can comfortably house.”
“I’d imagine the couples who spend a lot of time in these rooms have that problem,” she remarked playfully.
“That’s probably true.” He watched as she moved to the swing mounted to the ceiling. She touched the black leather seat and gave it a little push. Her hand slid along the seat to one of the chains. “If you want to try something, you can. With your clothes on,” he added quickly. “We don’t have to do anything in here until you’re ready.”
“I’m ready.” She held his gaze and spoke clearly and steadily. “I want you to teach me everything you know.”
“That might take a while,” he said, taking a step toward her and uncrossing his arms.
“Then I guess it’s a good thing that I’m currently unemployed and have nothing but time to fill.”
For now, he decided to ignore the currently unemployed part of her statement. He was more interested in starting her first lesson. Looking around the room he had spent the last few days arranging, he decided the lounge chair facing the floor to ceiling mirror was the perfect place to begin her lessons. It had a curved shape, almost like a sideways S, that allowed a couple to use it in a variety of different and interesting ways.
He closed the distance between them and held out his hand. She bit her lower lip with anticipation and then smiled as she placed her small hand on his. When they reached the chair, he maneuvered her in front of it and sat down on the steel gray leather. He leaned forward and slipped off her shoes before he tugged at the tie holding her wrap dress closed. His cock throbbed almost painfully in his pants, and he knew that just a few strokes of her soft hand on his shaft would send him over the edge embarrassingly fast.
This isn’t about you. It’s about her.
Ever since she had eagerly taken his collar, he had been aching for her. His entire body hummed with desire and the need to touch and taste her. He had seen her naked body that night in the forest, but his gaze had been more clinical and less appreciative. Today, he planned to take his time and study ever last inch of her. He wanted to learn all the places that made her sigh or gasp.
She wore no bra under the dress, and her breasts were flushed, the nipples taut and
begging to be licked. So he did. When she cried out in surprise, he smiled and did it again. “You’re so sensitive.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he said, using his thumb and forefinger to massage the now slick tip. She whimpered, and he moved his mouth to the other side. Her hands flew to his head, and her short nails scratched through his hair. It was as if she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to push him away or hold him in place. When he pulled free, he flicked his tongue against the little peak and enjoyed her moan. “Sensitive is very good.”
“Oh,” she replied breathlessly.
He dragged the dress the rest of the way down her body and flung it behind him. Her panties were the simplest style carried on the ship. Someday, he might want to see her in wildly erotic strips of fabric, but for now, she would be most comfortable in familiar and modest things. Gripping the sides of them, he pulled them down her slim hips and lean thighs to reveal a sparse thatch of dark hair.
She pressed her knees together, displaying her anxiety at being naked in front of him. Wanting to set her at ease, he caressed her waist and settled his hands on her hips. “You are incredible, Brook.”
She seemed uncertain as she asked, “Are you sure? I know I’m not very big in the right places.”
Hating that she felt unattractive because her body didn’t look a certain way, he placed his palm against her cheek. “I chose you because I like you exactly as you are.”
She seemed to think that over for a few seconds before relaxing. “You’re sure you don’t mind that these aren’t bigger?”
Cipher’s cock throbbed at the sight of her cupping her own breasts. “They’re perfect.” He leaned forward and kissed between them. “You’re perfect.”
She giggled as his mouth moved lower, and he smiled, wondering just how ticklish she was. He grazed his fingertips along her rib cage, and she erupted in a fit of laughter. Loving the sound of her laugh, he dragged his fingernails along her belly. She lost it, laughing so hard she fell forward onto him. He wrapped his arms around her as they dropped back onto the lounger. His heart hammered in his chest as he reveled in the feel of her body on his. He had waited so long for a mate, but it had been worth it.