by Shona Husk
“Nothing. I need to work out what I’m going to do.” She bit a berry in half, enjoying one tiny piece before eating the second half. “Mmm. These almost taste like home.”
She fed him another one, and this time he deliberately licked her finger. This was the first time they’d been alone in a while.
Sienna raised both eyebrows and leaned a little closer. “You do know they had to stitch a major vein and top you up? If they hadn’t, you would’ve bled to death.”
Alex shrugged, but the movement was cut short by the cuffs and the pain in his chest. “I feel okay.” That might have been a small lie, but that part of him felt fine. He obviously hadn’t lost that much blood.
“Men.” She shook her head. “You’re under ob for another twenty-four hours, then you’re back to your quarters. You’ll need to see me for a check-up, though …” Her hand closed over his.
He curled his fingers toward her, but wasn’t able to hold her hand. She was always just out of his reach. “What are we doing?”
Sienna looked away. “Do we have to name it?”
“I got stabbed because of it.” If he hadn’t been fucking Sienna, Zane wouldn’t have arranged for him to be stabbed. What the hell had Zane promised the guy who had stabbed him?
“Do you want to stop?” She looked at him, her blue eyes like the skies he’d seen in books and old pictures, not the murky gray-brown haze he’d grown up under.
He should say yes. She was never part of his plan … but he couldn’t, because he wanted her to be part of his plan. He wanted to earn his freedom and have a tiny little house on Solitaire with her. He wanted to know if their kids would have her blue eyes or his brown ones.
He’d never wanted kids on Earth, simply because he couldn’t offer them anything better than what he had. Now, though … “No. I want to keep seeing you.”
“Of course you do. You’re getting laid.” She pulled her hand away, and he couldn’t move to reach for her.
“It’s not that.” Not entirely, anyway, although he had to admit it was nice, even if it was on her terms. “With you I’m not a number.” He didn’t want to be admitting this stuff. He barely knew her. “I like the way you look at me, like you see past the yellow.”
There it was. If she laughed now or walked away, he was going to take a vow of celibacy.
Her fingers touched the blueberries still lying on the bed. “I can’t make you my ship husband, if that’s what you’re asking. My commanding officer would have to approve it, and that will never happen.” Sienna gave him a pointed look that implied he should fill in the blanks.
That was when Alex realized Zane was her commanding officer. He knew enough about the military to know that she couldn’t go to the person above.
“Plus, I don’t think any enlisted females have had that approved.”
“But men have.” He’d heard a few of the female prisoners had scored themselves a partner, either Army or civilian. Of course, the women on board were going to look for a sure thing, instead of at a con. Yet here Sienna was, sitting by his bedside.
“Of course they have.” There was a hint of bitterness in her words, and she looked away.
Did he want to be her ship husband? There would be extra privileges, he had no doubt of that, but he wasn’t sure he wanted them that way. “I wasn’t expecting that. I just wanted to know if we’d keep seeing each other, since it’s causing … issues.” He should be stopping this. It had almost gotten him killed.
She nodded. “I’d like to, but I can’t give you danger pay.” She smiled at him. “You’re not what I expected.”
“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
“It was meant as one.” She offered him the last of the berries, and he ate them without any teasing. “If we were still on Earth—”
“We aren’t, and we never will be again,” he cut her off. He wasn’t going to think about how things could’ve been. They were here now, and it was too late to second-guess their choices. “But I would’ve asked you out.”
“And I would’ve said yes.” She leaned over and kissed him. Her lips were soft and sweet and when her tongue swept over his lip and touched his, his fingers curled with the need to touch her.
Slowly she drew back; her hand brushed over his shoulder, down his arm and clasped his fingers briefly. “Come and see me when you get out.”
Chapter Six
Over the next two days Sienna had plenty of time to think about Alex and what they were doing. And what she wanted. She also had plenty of time to think about all the ways Lieutenant Zane would try to make sure it didn’t work out. And about how vulnerable Alex was, as a con.
If he hadn’t been a prisoner, their relationship would’ve been much simpler.
Did they even have a relationship?
Not really. They’d jumped straight to sex. The only time they saw each other was for sex. And even that was hard to coordinate. They didn’t have the luxury of being able to sit down in the mess together and talk, as they ate in different parts of the ship. Lived in different parts of the ship. They might as well live on different planets. The odds were against them—she should walk away. She should never have started this. And yet, if they had been on Earth he was the kind of guy she’d have enjoyed dating. He’d had a good solid job on the towers, he wasn’t mixed up with crime, and he seemed like a nice guy.
Not that she was a very good judge of character—she’d once thought the same of Zane. Well, not exactly. She’d always been aware she was trading off something because he was wealthy and there was a chance of getting into the towers.
Her lips twisted as she pulled a face. She’d rather live in the slums with Alex than the towers with Zane.
There was a buzz at the med station door. Alex. He put his hands behind his back, ready to be cuffed.
She hesitated for a moment, not wanting to activate the cuffs. However, regulations said all prisoners had to be cuffed, or accompanied by a guard, to enter. She activated his cuffs, then opened the door.
“How are you going?” The door hissed closed behind him. She made the glass opaque so if anyone came they’d know she was busy. At least Alex had a legitimate reason for being here.
“Standing like this is really pulling the stitches.”
Her gaze skimmed over the broad expanse of his chest. “And what would you do if I released your hands?”
He thought about it for a heartbeat too long before answering. “I’d wrap them around you, before kissing you and running my fingers through your hair.”
Her breath hitched as the memory of hands around her throat took hold. She counted to five and willed the anxiety away. She wasn’t sure she could let Alex touch her like that, even though she wanted to feel his touch. It had been a while since anyone had held her with care.
“You’re supposed to let me go so I can do that.”
“I know … I just … You’re the first person I’ve been with since …” She drew in a breath—Zane was still controlling her with fear. And even though she recognized it, it was hard to fight.
“Oh. How about, I’ll put my hands in front and you can re-magnetize the cuffs?”
“Is it pulling that badly?”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
She released the cuffs and, as promised, Alex put his hands in front of him. She hesitated.
He watched her. “I won’t hurt you. I’m not him.”
“I know.” And she had to get past that. She let her hand fall away. Her heart was beating fast and she couldn’t calm it. She was alone with a man—a man who was stronger than Zane. A man who’d never once tried to control her or hurt her. Considering where his mouth had been, he’d certainly had the chance. Warmth crept over her cheeks. Those thoughts didn’t calm her, either.
Alex slowly lowered his hands to his sides. “I’ll take off my shirt and singlet so you can check the wound.”
She nodded, and watched as he undressed. His light brown skin was smooth. Muscles swelled in all the right places
and the dark hair on his chest narrowed and drew her gaze down his stomach. His pants didn’t hide what he was thinking.
The silver of the cuffs gleamed in the light. “Where would you have taken me out?”
“Mama Frieda runs a nice kitchen.” Kitchen, not restaurant—neither of them could’ve afforded that. Kitchens were run by people who knew how to make a good meal out of not much, and gave the people who lived in the slums somewhere nice to go. Going to a restaurant in the towers would’ve cost a week’s wage. “Then I’d have taken you to a place down the block called the Blue Room. Lots of good musicians play there. My brother is one of them.”
It sounded like a typical date. It had been so long since she’d gone on one. She knew some people had brought musical instruments, and a band had formed in one of the civvie bars. But Alex would never get in there. There would be no dates for them. “You have a brother?”
“Just one. You?”
“Two sisters. I’m in the middle. My elder sister is a mistress to a tower lawyer, and my younger sister is still in school. My mother was disappointed I joined the Army.” Her mother had expected her to follow in her sister’s footsteps, but she couldn’t.
“Would you have talked me out of stealing water?”
“Probably. If we’d been married we could’ve petitioned for you to join the ship because you have construction skills.” There were married couples on board. Some of the highly qualified civvies had brought their equally qualified spouses. Why people with that much money would join the first settlement fleet on Solitaire, she couldn’t imagine.
“Or you could’ve stayed on Earth,” he said.
She shook her head. She owed him the whole story. “I brought charges against Zane. Because his family is rich and well-connected, the case fell apart. I was labeled a troublemaker and given a choice: join the fleet or get out. Please don’t make that public.”
“I won’t.” He frowned and looked at her. “Then why is he here?”
“I have no idea. Maybe he was given the same choice? Either way, we’ve ended up on the same ship.” She took a step closer and placed her hand on his chest under the pretext of looking at the wound. It was tiny really—it looked as though someone had merely dug their nail into him—but she knew the damage went much deeper. “Aside from the wound pulling when you’re cuffed, are you okay?”
“I have an excuse to see you—that makes me better than okay. I’m going to put my hands on you now. You have about two seconds to step back and cuff me.” His lips curved as he spoke, then he was lowering his mouth to hers as his hands slid over her hips. He tugged her closer.
She resisted for a second, then let herself be drawn into his embrace. If she closed her eyes, maybe she could forget where she was for just a moment. His mouth claimed hers, his scruffy beard tickling her skin as his lips moved over her mouth, tasting and teasing.
Her hands smoothed up his chest and over his shoulders, the ends of his hair brushing her hands. Desire thrummed in her body. His hands slid lower to cup her butt. It had been so long since a man had touched her. She shut the memories away just as fast as they surfaced. He untucked her shirt and spread his hand over her lower back, then slid it slowly over her skin to her ribs. His palms were rough from years of hard labor.
“You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to do that,” he murmured against her lips.
A shiver of longing raced through her and settled in her belly. “Is that all?” She smiled against his lips. She’d wanted to feel his touch, but hadn’t been brave enough. Gradually, she was learning to trust him … and in doing so, she’d made what they had better, stronger.
“No, that’s not all.” He glanced at the door. “But I don’t think we have enough time for me to do everything I want to do.”
He was right. In the med station they had limited time. And as much as she’d like to take off her clothes and feel him against her, skin to skin, his hands on her body, keeping her clothes on meant that there was still a barrier between them. A last bridge to be crossed. Today wasn’t the day to cross it. She needed to take small steps.
She started undoing his pants, and her fingers brushed the ridge of his erection. This time he didn’t stand there passively as he’d had to before. His hands were under her shirt, caressing her breasts and teasing the hard peaks of her nipples. He kissed down her throat and she tilted her head, enjoying the contrast between the heat and softness of his lips and the scratch of his beard.
“You’ll tell me to stop before you activate the cuffs, right?”
“Mmm,” she managed. Her hand was already inside his pants, grasping his cock and stroking.
Alex undid her pants and pushed them down over her hips. Cold air touched her butt, then his hand was there, caressing, gripping and squeezing. Fluid seeped from the slit of his cock. She swiped her thumb over the head, spreading it across his skin. His fingers pressed against her mound and then into her core. She was already wet, his fingers pumping easily into her before gliding over her clit. Her breath caught, but she wasn’t that close, even though lust was tumbling through her body unchecked.
A tiny part of her mind reminded her that she was vulnerable, that this was dangerous. The rest of her reveled in the thrill.
“You want to lean against the counter?” he whispered in her ear. “Or shall I take your pants and boots off?”
Yes, take my clothes off!
But she was at work. She turned around to face the counter and rested her elbows on the cool white surface. She expected the feel the head of his shaft pressing into her; instead, his lips brushed across the back of her thigh. His tongue traced the crease where her leg met her butt, and a tremor ran through her legs.
His touch was intimate and surprising. She hadn’t expected him to take the time to touch her there, since she hadn’t asked. His warm breath caressed her skin, then his tongue dipped into her as his fingers spread her labia.
She swallowed hard. The only thing keeping her upright was the counter. But he didn’t stop with one lick. His fingers teased her clit before pressing back into her core. It wasn’t enough. She wanted to feel his cock inside her. Her eyes closed as she gave in to the sensation and her breathing became a rapid series of pants as the tension built. She was close, but before she could come, he stood.
She glanced over her shoulder. Alex was licking his fingers, a smile on his face that was pure male seduction. She melted a little more. He had no idea what he did to her. With his hands free he was infinitely more dangerous … and she liked it.
He ran his hands over her hips and butt, the head of his cock nudging at her entrance before he slid in. She bit back on a groan as he filled her in one smooth stroke. He kept his hands on her hips as he thrust slowly, dragging out each sensation as he almost left her body before filling her again. She pressed her teeth into her lower lip. When his fingers slid around to touch her clit it was too much.
Sienna’s body jerked as she came, but Alex had a firm hold on her, driving in harder as the climax rippled through her. She gasped, her back arching as she shoved her hips back, meeting his every thrust. Her core clenched around him. He gave another hard thrust and groaned, his cock twitching inside her as he came. He leaned over her and placed a kiss on the back of her neck, resting for a moment.
She didn’t want him to move, not yet. There was no way she could lie to herself and say that had been just sex. She had given no orders and yet he’d done everything right, as though he actually cared about her. She knew she cared about him. That had been clear the moment she’d gone to see him in hospital. He kept touching her, his fingertips making small circles on her skin as if he didn’t want this to end. Her skin began to cool and her breathing settled. They couldn’t stay like this. She lifted her head and that slight movement was enough to break the bond that had formed. He pulled away slowly, then grabbed some tissues and handed them to her. She cleaned up and pulled her underwear and pants up.
By the time she was done, he was also dressed.
/> She wasn’t sure what to say for a moment—nothing seemed quite right.
“So … did your stitches survive?”
“Yes.” He took her hands. “But that would have been worth tearing my stitches for.”
“It would’ve been hard to explain, though.” She kissed him, aware that they had been alone together for too long now, no matter how much she wanted to stall.
He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and let his fingers trail over her cheek. There was something about the way he was looking at her. A softness in his touch that went beyond need and lust. For a moment she thought he was going to say something. Her heart was still beating too fast and too hard, her underwear damp and her skin tingly. She was almost holding her breath, waiting for him to speak.
His hand dropped and he looked away. The moment was gone. Their stolen time was over. This wasn’t a date—they didn’t have that luxury.
She looked at him and wondered if he’d sign the paperwork that would give them more freedom. But she knew she wasn’t ready to expose what they had by making it official. “Come back in two days.”
“Not tomorrow?”
Sienna shook her head. Something like that would be noticed by all the wrong people.
Nothing could dampen Sienna’s mood as she ran on the treadmill. Around her, other machines whirred as crew put themselves through their paces. She wondered if Alex would be at the prison gym, or if he was taking the warning to rest seriously.
They could sneak a little bit of time every second day or so. It seemed like a good plan. Nothing formal, but a chance to get to know each other better. Her body remembered the feel of his hands on her skin. The care with which he’d touched her. He hadn’t asked anything of her, or expected anything. She didn’t know when, but she’d started to fall for him. Started to trust him. He knew her secret and why she was here. She hoped she hadn’t made a mistake.
After thirty minutes she let the machine come to a stop, then she wiped it down and walked over to the fountain. As she drank she was aware of someone coming up behind her. Her skin tingled—and not in a good way. She straightened, curling her hand into a fist, ready for trouble.