Pet's Pleasure (29 page)

**No. Everyone leaves us alone. He closes the door and it stays closed. People have also learned to chime the arm cuffs and knock rather than barging in.** She sighed. **I’m always initiating everything though. It’s like he won’t touch me unless I go to him. It makes me wonder if he changed his mind but guilt is making him keep up our relationship.**

**Does he act like he doesn’t want you?**

**No.**

**Then quit bitching. At least yours puts out. Mine has his head so far up his ass about your attack there’s no room for my dick.**

Rois started laughing loudly. He clapped the back of the man nearest him, who looked a little put out over the abuse.

Bekion snapped, “You’re too loud, Rois.”

Nausic grumbled something under his breath and then stabbed his fork into the table near his plate.

Rois’ laughter died down but he didn’t stop.

Starling decided not to ask. Someone had probably told a joke Nausic didn’t appreciate. She asked, **Is there anything I can do to help? I could talk to him for you. It wasn’t his fault.**

**Yeah, he believed you the first time. He’s not buying it now. He’s gone all super soldier, trying to be the best of the best of the best, sir.** Webber gave her a mock salute then rolled his eyes with a sneer.

She giggled. **I’m sorry. I shouldn’t laugh.** She cleared her throat, tamping down her amusement. **Here I am complaining about mine when your troubles are much worse.**

**Don’t I know it? I’d beat his ass if he wouldn’t take it and ask for more…in a nonsexual way, so don’t look at me like that.**

Starling couldn’t help her mischievous grin at his words. The image of Nausic trussed up in bondage gear with Webber stepping on Nausic’s back wearing spiked heels popped into her head. She had to choke down the laughter so she didn’t make Webber angry.

He heaved an annoyed sigh. **Whatever. Not like a dry spell will kill me. It might kill him if it lasts too much longer but that’s a different issue. How are you sleeping?**

**Huh? What do you mean?**

**I know what a woman plagued by nightmares looks like. My cousin had night terrors after escaping her abusive husband and coming to live with Mom and me. During the day, she would act like everything was wonderful in the world. At night was a different matter. You’re doing to same thing.**

**I’m fine.** She couldn’t hold Webber’s gaze after uttering the words.

**Bullshit. Stop it, Star.**

**I just… I keep thinking I’ll wake up and he’ll be gone again.**

**So you can’t sleep, right?**

**I take micronaps. I keep waking up to make sure he’s still there.**

**That’s the only thing that’s keeping you up?** Webber’s voice had an urging quality.

She gave him a rueful look. **If that’s your way of asking if I’m having nightmares about my capture, don’t bother. I thought it would haunt me too but my separation anxiety seems to be taking precedence. Besides, I don’t sleep long enough to dream.**

**Huh? That’s a little good and bad all wrapped into one.**

**Yeah, like not being able to catch malaria because you have sickle cell anemia, and vice versa. Six of one or a half dozen of the other.**

Webber laughed. **Oh man, you use that too? My mom says that all the time. I thought that was something from her generation.**

**I picked it up from a friend in college.**

**Where did you go to college?**

Starling was happy for the change in topic. Talking about her current relationship with Bekion made her admit things aloud she hadn’t come to terms with.

Dinner ended and everyone went their separate ways. Bekion retired to his makeshift study to do work. Starling and Webber returned to the viewing area. The technician let them see the locales they indicated.

Vieve joined them at the screen. “Your world is beautiful. If Supreme Emperor Udo saw this, he would never call humans beasts again. Your culture is so rich and varied.”

Starling nodded.

Webber snapped, “Damn.”

His outburst startled Starling. She clutched her chest and looked at him with wide eyes. “What was that?”

**We should have gotten some party favors while they were porting stuff up. I would love to see these guys getting baked. Might help with my relationship issues too.**

Starling wagged her finger at him. **Shame on you, suggesting drugs to get sex. I think I’ll have to lower my opinion of you.**

**Say what you want, Star. I’m ready to get lit, toasted and a little crispy around the edges. Hell, if I could manage it, I wouldn’t mind fried.**

**Well, we didn’t get it during the food roundup earlier, so you might as well give up that dream. I doubt they have the same drugs on Panagiota.**

**We could ask.**

Vieve said, **If you mean recreational drugs then yes we do. The nanites can be programmed to allow you to feel the drugs in safe levels and to determine the duration of the effects.**

Webber said, **I’m good for all night.**

Starling didn’t add to the conversation. She wouldn’t ruin Webber’s fun musings but she had enough of drugs. They had helped her relationship with Bekion to a certain extent but the cost had been high.

The technician said, “You speak so well with them, Lady Vieve. I guess the minimum required for the translation program was reached. I will have to petition to receive a copy. It will make the study of Earth that much easier, to be able to read the signs.”

Starling looked back at the technician, stunned at the woman’s words. She turned to Webber and said, “Speak so well?”

Webber said, “Minimum required?”

They both looked at Vieve, who wore a panicked expression

Starling and Webber yelled in unison while pointing at Vieve, “You were speaking English!”

Vieve cringed before she nodded.

Webber whipped around and looked back at Nausic. Starling followed his gaze. The man wore the same guilty expression as Vieve.

Nausic said, **I can explain, Webber.**

Webber yelled, **I’m going to kick your ass.**

Starling didn’t stay to see how their fight would turn out. She had one of her own to pick. She ran to Bekion’s study and threw open the doors.

Everyone within stopped and looked at her.

She only had eyes for Bekion.

“Starling?” He stood, concern creasing his brow.

She said, “Everybody, get out. Now.”

“What are you doing, Starling?”

“I said now,” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

The people filed out quickly. She had to glare Rois out of the room. He closed the door and she turned her anger on Bekion.

He rounded the desk and went to one knee before her. “What upset you, pretty pet?”

His words made her react before she could think about her actions. She slapped him.

His head snapped to the side. A red handprint appeared on his cheek but faded quickly as the nanites rushed to the site. “I’ve upset you,” he whispered.

She asked through her teeth, **How long have you understood what I’m saying?**

Bekion dropped his head with a defeated sigh. He stood and then fell back onto one of the chairs.

**How long, Bekion? Answer me.**

**Since your attack.**

Starling stared at him. He didn’t act guilty or apologetic. He looked resigned. She shook her head at him. “That’s not fair, Bekion. You know it’s not fair. You should have told me you could understand.”

“I wanted to know what you truly think.”

“About what?”

“Everything. I thought if I asked, you would tell me pretty lies to spare my feelings and then relay your frustrations to Webber. You speak to him more than me.”

She waved that away. “That’s only because we’re both from Earth. He understands me without having to explain myself.”

Since the attack
.

She tried to remember every word she had spoken in English in Bekion’s presence. An impossible task.

Rois’ laughter at dinner now made sense. He had started laughing after Webber’s comment about his sexual frustration with Nausic.

She asked, “Rois can understand us too, can’t he?”

“Yes. Rois, Nausic, Vieve, Furielle and I all have the translation. No one else.”

She gasped then and covered her mouth. “You know about Webber and Nausic.”

He nodded.

“Wait. You
know
about Webber and Nausic. Then why do you keep treating Webber the way you do? You know he isn’t interested in me and yet you still get jealous when he touches me.”

“I become jealous no matter who touches you, Starling. I hate when Furielle touches you.” He stood and went to one knee in front of her. “You are the only person who can make me this crazy. I want you all to myself. It is tempting to lock you away and yet I don’t want to do anything that will hinder your smile.” He reached out to her.

Starling let him caress her cheek. She even turned into his hand, enjoying his touch.

He said, “I do feel guilty for my part in your attack, my love. If not for my stubbornness and stupidity, it would have never happened.”

“Agreed.”

He slipped his hand around the back of her neck and urged her forward until she stood pressed against his chest. “Do not think that means I do not want you. I have waited for you to come to me because I did not want to burden you with my lust.”

She wrapped her hands around his waist. “Burden me. I don’t care. These past few days have made me feel like I was forcing you. That hurt.”

“Forgive me. That wasn’t my intention.”

“Bekion, you think too much. You rationalize things so they make sense only to you. Talk to me. You know my language but you used it to spy on me instead of understanding me. We cannot have a relationship like—what are you doing?”

Bekion slid his hand up her leg, under her dress, until he cupped her behind. He smiled as he pulled her against him and said against her lips, “Burdening you.”

“We haven’t finished talking.” She tried pushing at him but her struggles lacked force. She wanted him. “Bekion.”

“Right here, my love.”

He lifted her dress over her head and cast it away. Next he helped her step out of her panties. All the while, he rained kisses over her body.

She let Bekion lead the encounter. She welcomed the change from their usual. He sat back on his chair and lifted her so she sat astride his lap. She unbuttoned his shirt and ran her tongue over his skin.

He rubbed a single finger between her legs, teasing her sensitive nub.

She said in a husky voice, “We shouldn’t do it like this.”

“Why is that?”

She rubbed her cheek under his chin when she felt herself getting close to climax. She held it back. He needed to come with her, inside of her.

She said, “You’ll think of it every time I sit on your lap. You won’t be able to concentrate. I’ll have to start sitting on the floor.”

“You’re right. We can’t have that.” He stood with her held against his chest, kicked the chair out of the way and then lowered himself so he sat on his knees.

Starling smiled at him.

“Better?”

“Almost.” She reached between their bodies and freed his hard flesh. With a tiny shift on her part, she guided him home. They both sighed at the contact.

Bekion gripped Starling’s thighs and moved her against his arousal. He started to tilt his head back, an expression of ecstasy on his face, but Starling captured his head between her hands and brought him to her waiting lips.

His tongue slid over hers as they tasted each other. For some reason, the kiss seemed sweeter than usual. His sex was buried deeper inside of her than he had ever reached. She felt every bit of him to the very depths of her soul. It felt wonderful. Starling wondered if Bekion felt the same.

She pulled her mouth from his to ask, only to have him start nibbling her neck. Coherent thought became overrated.

He shifted beneath her, moving his legs so they extended in front of him, and then sprawled back.

Starling stared down at him when he released her hips and stopped moving. “Bekion?”

“We haven’t used this position since…” He lowered his eyes from her gaze. “I want to help you get over that time, Starling. Truly get over it. I think this is one way.” He met her gaze again. “Move for me.”

As much as she wanted to argue, she didn’t. Bekion was right. Since the attack, she had avoided being on top of him because it reminded her of the frantic sex she’d endured to negate the aphrodisiac.

Even now, waves of self-loathing as she remembered that time made her want to demand Bekion choose a new position.

Instead, she moved.

Slowly. Oh so slowly. Up then back down.

Bekion brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips.

She held his gaze as she moved. There was only longing there. He’d worn the same look that day as well. No revulsion. He didn’t think her disgusting for the way she had acted.