Future Prospect (21 page)

“Not like she needed me to. I didn’t know.” He spoke into her shirt. She felt his warm breath on the skin of her belly, and everything inside shivered. Oh, she wanted him. Despite the awful circumstances and exhaustion, she wanted him again. It didn’t even matter he’d probably be annoyed with her in the morning; she wanted him with her tonight.

“Come on. Let’s go and get some rest.”

After a momentary tightening of his grip around her which made her exhale, Colan rose and started for the door. Lia followed behind as they threaded their way past busy security personnel who barely glanced at them as they passed.

* * * *

Colan woke up in a strange bed, diffused light visible through a bank of windows on the wall. The sheets were soft and smelled clean, the mattress was firm, and he had no idea where he was. Closing his eyes again, he tried to piece together the previous evening; supper, hammock, Lia in the alley, Lia in his house, and stars, his hands on her, and her shivers and groans. How could he have forgotten that? Then other memories poured in, and he wished he was still asleep; Zashi’s interruption, the stand-off with Riva, her injury, and Lia again, taking him back to her rooms, putting him in the shower and insisting he take her bed where he’d fallen into a deep sleep. Lia.

He turned and looked for her, but she wasn’t there. The bed coverings hadn’t been disturbed next to him. Where was she and why wasn’t she here? Craning his head the other way, he saw a mug resting on the table next to the bed and he touched it with one finger. Warm. Rising up on an elbow, he grabbed the handle and took a sniff. Mint tea, fresh and waiting for him. Everything was quiet.

Pushing himself up against the padded headboard, he took a sip, and then another as he contemplated Riva Estep and the tragedy she’d unleashed. Had she died in the night? Glancing back at the table, he saw his datpad just waiting for him to access it. Trust Liliane Frei to make sure his data was immediately available. After another swallow of tea, he picked up the device and checked his messages quickly. No notice of any change with Riva’s condition, and it seemed Zashi had issued an all clear several hours ago. Life should be returning to normal for residents and newcomers this morning. This late morning. Colan groaned when he saw the time. He’d been out for at least six hours. Sleeping in Lia’s bed, alone. Where was she?

A panel shifted in the wall, and Lia entered, wrapped up in her familiar soft robe, hair twisted away from her face. She was beautiful and standing there as if she’d never let him touch her. Sucking in a breath, he waited a beat and then sat down the mug and wondered who was going to speak first.

It wasn’t going to be him. She was the one who’d run away last night.

“Morning.” Damnit, he’d caved already. “How are you?”

She took a step farther in and shot a quick glance at the mug and the displaced datpad. Her gaze held his, and he felt heat flare in his stomach that had nothing to do with warm tea. “I’m all right. You checked the updates? Everything seems calm at this point. No word on your friend’s condition.”

Colan considered explaining his past association with Riva, but the words died in his mouth before he could speak them. None of it mattered at this moment. Lia looked as cautious and tense as she always did, and he didn’t want to argue with her. “Where did you sleep last night?”

“On the sofa. It’s very comfortable.” Another step closer, another assessing glance from her brown eyes as she surveyed his bare chest. Right, no extra clothes last night after the shower. He’d borrowed some sleep pants that had to be incredibly loose on her. They weren’t loose on him and in fact, were confining part of him in an increasingly restrictive way. “Did you like the tea?”

“Yes. Thank you.” Colan would have picked up the mug for another sip to prove it, but his hand was shaky and he didn’t want to spill it.

She took another step his way, and if he leaned forward and stretched, he’d be able to touch her. But, again, his hand was shaky so he stayed still and hoped she’d keep up her slow advance. She’d end up right next to him in a few minutes at this pace. “Did you sleep well?”

“I did. This bed is very comfortable.”
And why weren’t you in it with me?

Nodding and pressing her lips together, she walked closer, two steps now, and she leaned over to brush her hands against the coverlet over his legs. Her robe gaped open a little. He held his breath as she straightened and met his gaze again. Thank the stars he’d averted his eyes from her cleavage just in time. Right, he was hot, awake, and in the grip of the normal male morning physiological reactions. “Welti doesn’t quite have the environmental settings adjusted yet, and this room always seems cold to me. You had enough blankets? You stayed warm enough?”

Swallowing, he shook his head. “No. I was cold.”

Lia made a small sound of acknowledgement and was finally close enough to touch. But he didn’t. After her quick exit last night, he wasn’t sure how she felt about him, and he needed her to make some indication of interest. Some sort of sign she wanted him even half as much as he wanted her.

“I’m sorry about that.” She leaned over him and pulled the blanket up over his chest. “I should have checked on you.”

“Yes, you should have.” Colan brought his face close to hers and peered at her. Had their far too hurried encounter the night before made zero impact on her? Was she regretting it or not even remembering it?

“Are you cold now? What can I do?” Lia took a shallow breath and looked at his mouth, and he wanted to grab her, pull her down against him, and start kissing her again so they wouldn’t have to continue this inane conversation. “Should I get in there with you?”

Unable to stop himself, Colan reached for her as she moved over him, their limbs tangling with the sheets and cover as he finally had her in his arms again. He stared into her eyes as she shifted against him. “You should have been here all night.” One quick kiss, which she returned, and he was busy pulling at the fabric bunched between them; her slippery robe, the coverlet, a stray pillow, all of it needed to move away
now
.

“You needed to rest; I didn’t want to disturb—”

He cut her off with another kiss as he slid his hand past the opening of her robe and stroked his palm along her shoulder and collarbone. Her skin was warm and smooth, and a hint of her musky scent teased him into burying his face into the skin he’d uncovered. Stars, she was amazing.

“Too late, you already disturb me. Constantly. I find you incredibly disturbing.”

“And disruptive? You are very disruptive to
my
focus.” Lia gasped as he licked farther down, her breast swelling near his cheek. One more shift and he found her nipple already hard, before he fastened his mouth on it with a gentle suck. Her whole body tensed under him, a vivid echo of how she’d moved when he’d made her orgasm before. Oh, they were going to do that again.

“I’m not going to apologize for that. You’re too tense.” Speaking against her skin, he felt the vibrations of her rapid breathing through his lips.

“I know. I feel like I might break apart.” Lia gasped out as he shifted his mouth to her other breast, his hand sliding along her side to shift the robe away. There she was, beautiful, soft, and made for touching. So he did.

* * * *

“I won’t break you.”

Colan growled against her belly as his hands stroked her hips. Lia automatically moved her legs farther apart and groaned when he moved to lie between them. Every nerve ending in her body begged for his attention, and he seemed to hear them as licked and nuzzled his way down her torso. She reached down and clenched her fingers in his unruly hair as she’d wanted to since she’d first seen him on the landing deck. He bunched his shoulders and frowned up at her. Had she hurt him?

“Why did you just leave last night?”

“Because I was scared.”

“Of being blown up again. Makes sense”

“And of you.”

“Are you scared now?” He looked up at her from between her thighs, his black velvet eyes intent, and she shivered with anticipation.

She shook her head. “Not anymore. I want this.”

“I do, too.”

Nodding, she watched him for a second longer and then lay back when he narrowed his eyes. His nose and lips swooped along her skin, and she groaned and tightened when he first tried to lick her.

“Let me,” he whispered as his fingers pressed against her inner thighs, encouraging her to sprawl open for him.

Sucking in a breath, Lia complied and cried out in surprised pleasure as he found her—first with his lips and then with the tip of his tongue. Kissing her sex as he had her mouth, Colan stroked and pressed, making an exploratory survey of her most tender parts. She waited for every touch he gave her, shifting her hips, unable to quiet her little sounds of entreaty the hotter and wetter she became. A different kind of tension filled her; tight, localized, and so different she couldn’t control it as it lifted her up with every caress. Without warning, Colan stopped kissing and shifted away. Lia rose in protest as her hands slipped from his hair.

“Where are you going?”

“Be right there.”

Colan lifted himself up and lowered his body next to hers, twisting her so she rolled to her side to face him as he pulled her leg over his hip and tucked her closer. Panting, she wasn’t sure where to look until his fingertips caught her face, and he snagged her gaze.

“Yesterday was too fast. Just watch me,” he urged her in a quiet voice, and she relented, giving him a slight nod. A smile worked across his lips, and he slid his hand down between them to position himself, guide her, do whatever he wanted, because those calloused fingertips felt good as they slid and twisted against her. She pressed her hands against the hair and hard muscles of his chest, needing to hold onto something.

“Colan, please,” she whispered, eyes narrowed as he smiled again; his own breathing finally as strained as hers. His face tightened as he pressed his erection
there,
and she arched in to him, anxious for more, wanting him to fill her and strain against her. He might have moaned her name, but her ears weren’t working correctly because so much blood thundered through her body. She held his gaze and watched as he pushed deeper, pulled tighter, and began to make slow, shallow thrusts. It wasn’t enough; she cried out and tried to thrust her hips to encourage him. His hand clamped her hip, and he held her still.

“Easy. Slow.” Lia might have lost her temper with his return to terse communication, but she was too far gone to care. She was so hot and tense she wasn’t sure how she hadn’t reached an orgasm yet. Panting, she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself, but how could she when he was right there deep inside and pulling her with him?

“Look, Lia. Watch.” His soft, strained voice interrupted her struggle, and she tightened her fingers into his hard shoulder. His skin was beaded with perspiration, just as hers was, and for a split second, she was in awe of his self-control. As soon as she opened her eyes, he began to move again, stronger, tilting her to her back and driving deeper, all while watching her. She’d never felt a willingness for such intimacy from anyone. His face tightened, and as she recognized his faltering control, her orgasm tore through her body in a volley of contractions. Everything fizzed silver, and Lia arched back, reveling in her pleasure and Colan’s answering growl.

Now, that was better. Colan let one self-satisfied thought drift through his head before he pulled away from Lia’s limp body. He shivered with post-orgasm endorphins, and she was inert, so he guessed it had worked for both of them that time. With his last bit of strength and concentration he pulled a blanket up over their bodies and then collapsed into her pillows, sucking in deep breaths as his heart hammered. That had been
much
better.

She stirred, and he reached out for her, ready to touch her now that she seemed conscious again. Rolling on to his stomach, he slid his arm up her thighs and settled it around her waist as she wriggled. Her fingertips skittered along his shoulder and plunged into his hair where she stroked his scalp in a mesmerizing way, reminding him of how she’d pulled when he’d licked her to near-release. She’d tasted like a delicious fruit, and he couldn’t wait to please her again. In a little while. After some nourishment and perhaps an early morning nap.

“That was…” Lia trailed off, and he grinned. Indescribably good? Earthquake intense?

“Was what?” he prompted, and she pushed at his head weakly. She hadn’t recovered her strength yet, how gratifying.

“You tell me, man of few words. I’m drawing from void space over here.” Her voice was low and throaty and filled with good humor, overlaid with a glaze of irritation.

“I think—” Colan raised his head to catch her gaze. He sank into those beautiful brown eyes which had stared at him with such anticipation when he’d pressed into her welcoming heat. It had been as amazing as he’d imagined it would be. “I think we should have done this the day you arrived. It would have made negotiations much more pleasant.”

Her soft, full lips curled into a scowl. “What? I should have propositioned you right there in the mud at the edge of the landing deck? Right in front of everyone?”

“No, you could have waited until we were indoors. But you should have definitely propositioned me as soon as possible.”

“How could I when you could barely stomach talking to me?”

“Oh, so you wanted to have relations as soon as you saw me?”

“No!” She tried to draw away, widening her eyes with outrage, and he tugged her down along his body, tucking her in tight and relishing how she bent her leg over his and pressed her breasts to his chest, belying her aggravated tone. “I didn’t. You were gruff and grumpy and ran away as quick as you could.”

“I’m just poorly socialized. You startled me with your sophisticated ways.” Colan nuzzled along her neck as he talked. “If you’d have kissed me and wrapped your legs around me, I would have calmed right down. Despite my common sense telling me to stay away from you.”

“No, you wouldn’t have. You didn’t like me.” Her voice was soft, and he stopped his kisses to meet her gaze. Caution glimmered in her eyes, and she pushed at his arms as she twisted away.