Lunar Exposure (On the Hunt) (10 page)

“Would that have made you happy?” It wouldn’t have made him happy, and now that he’d tasted it, he wasn’t about to let it go.

“No, but I’ll be alive.” She placed a soft kiss on his lips.

It tasted like goodbye. She was right, he didn’t fit into her carefully constructed life, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to fit. “We could find a way.”

She laughed, but it was hollow. “What do you want to do? Meet up for scalps and sex?”

“That would be a start.” He paused and tried to think how to sell it to her, to himself. It wouldn’t be enough, but if that was all they could have… “I’ve got a few
trics
to waste; you’ve got this nice room, let’s make the most of it and work out the rest later.”

“You really do only think of two things.”

He shrugged and grinned. “I’m a guy.”

Then before she could argue, he kissed her, his fingers pushing through her short hair and cradling her head. He had a couple of
trics
to convince her to give them a chance. And he was going to make use of every
milli-tric
.

His touch made her skin tingle with anticipation. She didn’t want to be pushing him away, even though she knew she should. He wasn’t a rich businessman looking for a charity to improve his standing and give him a fat tax deduction.

Callen was far more dangerous. He’d slid into her heart—something which she’d thought she’d hardened and hidden long ago. She’d believed for so long she could trust no one, that no one would want her if they knew the truth, and in less than one Allied Standard Day, he’d melted her arguments and made them lies.

He was leaving in a few
trics
, so this was it. Why should she deny herself one last chance to feel truly alive? Her lips parted and she kissed him back, letting her tongue taste his lips. He nipped at her lip, and desire shimmered through her blood and pooled in her belly. The idea that maybe they could meet up on occasion, that maybe this wasn’t totally over, gave her heart reason to beat.

Her hands skimmed over the plane of his chest, then under his shirt. She was tugging it off before she could think things through.
Just live in the moment.
It was how she lived her life and yet somehow the moment had never included simple pleasure. It had taken a trip to Decadent Moon to make her realize that sex was more than just a tool to get men to part with their chits.

His fingers worked open her jacket and pushed it off. Lips met and hands got in the way as they tried to remove each other’s clothing as quickly as possible. She had nothing to hide and no reason to keep her clothes on and rush. They were alone. She slid off her shoes and shimmied out of her pants as she shoved his down over his hips. He toed off his shoes and kicked his pants out of the way.

For a moment, the only sound was their breathing as they quietly took in the sight of the other, both naked for the first time. He was far leaner and more muscled than her usual conquests, but then he had to be. His body wouldn’t have been out of place on stage on the Moon—although he probably wouldn’t take that as a compliment.

Her fingers traced the rough line of an old scar on his stomach. “You’ve got scars.” She hadn’t noticed before. But then she’d never paused to study him before.

“I’ve been shot as a cop. Barely made it off the
Solar Bird
. Had a few resist arrest. Goes with the jobs.” He kissed down her neck, breathing her in, tasting her pulse with a flick of his tongue as his hands slid over her skin and drew her close.

While he was away from her, she’d be wondering if he was still alive. The heat of his hard cock pressed against her belly, tempting her, but she wanted more than a rushed fuck. She ran her hands down his back, her fingers brushing the base of his spines. “Turn around.”

He did. What she saw shocked her. His spines had been cut at some point, the longest were barely the length of her little finger. “What happened?”

“The APM insists they be trimmed. Wouldn’t want them arcing up in battle and getting caught.”

Yet he’d joined anyway, sacrificing his spines, knowing it would take years for them to regrow. She ran her fingers down the edge of the row of spines. They lifted as her fingertips brushed the sensitive nerves. The spines had the power to cause pleasure and pain. “Did it hurt?”

He glanced over his shoulder at her. “I was unconscious at the time.”

But the agony upon waking must have been terrible. She placed a kiss on his shoulder blade, her fingers tracing around the base of his spines in an endless pattern. The spines flexed and stood fully upright and his scent grew stronger, making her core slick and her belly ache with a need usually suppressed by blockers. Because she could, she ran her tongue over his skin and licked the base of a spine.

He shuddered but didn’t stop her slow exploration of his body. She smoothed her hands down his back, her thumbs brushing the spines. She noted the scar below his shoulder and one on the back of his hip that looked as if someone had taken a bite. And while she wanted to know, now wasn’t the time.

She placed her thumbs in the dimple above his buttocks and let her hands splay across his skin before sliding them around his waist and easing them lower, over the soft hair that led down to his cock. She wanted to press herself against his back, but that couldn’t happen.

While she’d wished she’d been born a male a few times, she was glad she hadn’t been. Spines and cocks that had a mind of their own—at least she could hide what she was feeling to a better degree, even if she wasn’t on blockers.

Although right now she was aware of their pheromones lacing the air like a drug designed to ensure they relaxed and had fun. She moved around him, her fingers trailing over his flesh. He caught her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm and her wrist. Her stomach tightened. He worked his way up her arm, lapping at her skin, teasing and tasting. His fingers brushed over a nipple. It was already peaked and aching, he teased the hard flesh, circling and pinching, each touch sending jolts to her clit until she was sure her slit was swollen and wet.

He dropped to his knees and gripped her butt. She gasped as his tongue flicked over her slit and then dipped in, past the lips and over the slick, swollen skin. He nudged her legs farther apart and she grabbed his shoulders as he found her clit and sucked. Her eyes closed as a wash of pleasure consumed her, not enough to take her over the edge, but close.

Her belly tightened with each stroke of his tongue, then he eased a finger into her core. Her nails dug into his shoulders and she couldn’t hold in the whimper of delight as a shudder raced through her body. She enjoyed what he did to her and the way she felt in his hands. The way he took the time to give her pleasure. Her blood heated. She wanted more than just his finger fucking her. Yet his mouth was doing such good things to her clit that she didn’t want it to stop. The tension pulled, but when she thought she was about to spiral out of control and melt into a puddle on the floor, he stopped. She drew in a shaky breath that tasted like sex. She needed him now.

Callen stood and she stepped back toward the bed. He followed, his eyes dark with lust. That she was about to have sex with him for the third time was a bit of a record for her. Usually it was once, maybe twice if they were nice. But she never went back for thirds, as that would’ve meant sharing too much about herself and she’d never wanted to give even a hint of the truth away before Callen. Yet she’d be quite happy to have him again and again.

Her calves hit the bed and she sat. His cock jutted toward her, thick and hard. Before she could second-guess herself, she reached out and ran her hand along the length of his shaft. Her tongue darted over her lip. She wanted to taste him the way he tasted her, but it wasn’t something she’d ever done out of pleasure. She glanced up at Callen—what was he expecting?

She fisted her hand around his cock and gave a firmer stroke, enjoying the silky hardness of his flesh.

He drew in a sharp breath. “You don’t have to.”

“I want to.”
Just a little.
If she changed her mind, it wouldn’t matter. She flicked her tongue over the dark, smooth head of his cock, tasting the pre-cum that slicked his skin. Salty and musky, only this time as she licked around the crown, more formed. She lapped it up, her hand working over his cock. Aware that her touch was affecting him, his scent grew stronger, and with every breath, it filled her lungs and blood. The desire to have more of him consumed her. She ran her tongue along the length of his cock.

Callen groaned. “You’re killing me.”

She gave the head a final slow lick, her gaze locked with his as she did. Her slit was already slick from his attention. She needed to feel him in her, taking her over the edge she’d glimpsed but never crossed before him. Maybe next time she’d take him in her mouth. She caught herself. Would there be a next time?

She wanted to believe yes. But the galaxy was a vast place and the odds that their paths would cross again were slim. Plus it would be safer for both of them to walk away. The idea of never seeing him again almost crushed her heart.

Sweeping aside the idea, she moved back onto the bed. Callen followed as if he were stalking her. He caught her mouth and kissed her. Did he taste himself on her tongue? His cock brushed her inner thigh as he moved closer, her legs spreading for him. She needed him. Slowly, he sank into her slick, tight core. She trembled as the edge of climax crept closer.

But she didn’t want it like this. She wanted more, something that she’d never do with another person, just Callen. She broke the kiss and pushed him back. She didn’t have to use any force, just the touch of her palms on his chest was enough and he rocked back on his heels. Before he could speak, she turned around onto her hands and knees.

Nervous excitement fluttered in her chest. Never had she let a man take her from behind. Amongst the
Phrials
, it was a sign of submission and trust and…well…you only did that with someone you really liked or even loved. She might never get another chance with a man of her kind. Callen would understand the significance—but would he want her like this?

His hands traced her sides, over her hips and the curve of her butt. The skin down her back prickled as the tension spread. She couldn’t see him, her slit was exposed. For a moment, she almost changed her mind, she was too vulnerable. She’d gone too far.

“Are you sure?” His fingers brushed the slick lips of her slit before pressing into her core.

“Mmm.” It was all she could manage as her body arched toward his teasing touch. Yes, she was sure. If she only ever did this once, it was going to be with the only man who knew her secrets.

He withdrew his fingers and the head of his cock nudged at her slit and into her core, but he didn’t rush. He eased in slowly, a little deeper with each thrust until he filled her. He curved his body over hers, his chest against her back, one of his hands by hers while the other slid over her belly to her clit.

She wanted to move, to buck and feel him thrusting deeper, instead it was slow and deliberate. Her breathing shallowed as his fingers circled her clit. Her core tightened around his cock and he made each thrust slow and deep, never fully leaving her. Every nerve ending was sensitive. Pleasure shimmered through her body. She knew his spines would be erect, she could feel his breath on her skin. And they moved as one. Her eyes squeezed closed as the edge grew sharper. The pants and cries were hers, as she wanted more, needed more.

She needed to feel his cock thickening as he spilled inside her. Her hips jerked as she came, her body locked hard against his. All thoughts scattered as the release pulled her apart and she was only aware of his skin on hers and groan of pleasure as he came.

This time, as the pheromone-induced sleep crept up, she didn’t fight it. She let him drag her onto her side and into his arms, her back against his chest as they had just been.
Safe
. The thought echoed in her mind as she closed her eyes and went under.

It wasn’t even a quarter of a
tric
later when she opened her eyes. Instead of jerking awake and wondering what had happened or what nightmare had pushed her out of sleep, she drew in a breath and relaxed.

Callen kissed her neck. “I was wondering when you’d stir.”

“I’m not used to it.” The sleep, or little death, that happened when pheromones really got going was why blockers had been created—so men wouldn’t need to rest after sex. Soon everyone who could afford them was using them and the rest was history that ended in a hundred-year war.

She snuggled closer. As much as she liked blockers, why would anyone want to kill half the pleasure? How would one ever find someone that really made them come hard when blockers masked the effect? What had she been missing out on?

“Neither am I.”

“As in I’ve never experienced that.” If she hadn’t walked out the first time, she would have. But back then, she wouldn’t have trusted herself to sleep in his bed.

“Apparently it lessens when you’re with someone a lot.”

She liked that idea. Having him in her bed on a regular basis. She smiled, knowing he could see it. As much as she tried to tell herself it was just the pheromones mixing and drugging her, it was more than that. He was the first person she’d trusted since…since she was a child.

She knew he wasn’t going to betray her. He wanted to protect her, however, there was only one way she would ever be truly safe. She bit back a sigh, knowing there was no way she could ask him to risk his life when she wasn’t ready to do it herself.