Bonded Read online

  Taimi thought she knew what he wanted. What he expected. She started to kneel before him and reached for the front of his trousers, but he stopped her. Drew her back up to a standing position and kissed her.

  He shifted until her back pressed against the alley wall, and he dropped to his knees.

  Not what she expected. “What are you doing?”

  “This skirt has been driving me crazy. So large and shapeless.” He fisted his hands in the fabric. “But there might be one good thing about it.”

  “Oh?”

  He gave her a quick, hot look from under his long lashes, the expression in his eyes full of wicked intent. “I bet I could fit under it with you, and no one would even know I was there.”

  “Why would you want to—” She broke off as he pushed her thighs apart, opening her body to his hands. His mouth. He teased at her sensitive nub with the tip of his tongue, and she shuddered, her legs quivering until she could barely stand. Jaren disappeared more completely under the cloth.

  “I love the way you respond. How you get so wet, just for me.” His voice was muffled by the layer of fabric, but she could almost feel every word. He parted her folds. Lapped at the moisture pooling there. “And you taste so good.”

  In the distance, she heard the noise of the crowd—a reminder of their public location—but it didn’t matter now. All focus locked on Jaren and what he was doing to her. He alternated between licking her pussy and teasing her clit, sending jolts of nearly unbearable heat and pleasure racing through her veins.

  It felt like her heart would pound right out of her chest, the crazed beat matching the heavy contractions between her legs.

  “You like this, don’t you?”

  He didn’t really expect an answer, did he? She bit back the needy cries that threatened to give them away. “Jaren…”

  “Come for me, sweet. That’s it. Let go.”

  As wave after wave of pleasure began to wash over her, there was a loud crash. A tower of crates, just a few feet away, toppled to the ground. Followed by the sound of footsteps, of someone running out of the alley.

  Jaren slipped out from under her skirt and smoothed it back into place. His mouth was slick with her moisture, but he made no move to take their encounter further. “We should go.”

  “I’m not sure I can walk.”

  “I’m not sure I can either.” He drew her hand to the front of his trousers, and the feel of the large, hard shape outlined by the taut cloth sent a fresh surge of need through her. “But if we want to get back to the privacy of the inn…”

  “Maybe I could—”

  “No. Don’t tempt me.” Jaren softened the harsh words with another of those quick, fleeting grins. He pulled her away from the wall and tucked her arm back into the crook of his elbow. “Come on.”

  * * * *

  Ethlinda pulled the hood more securely around her face. Though she’d used magic to alter her appearance, it never hurt to be cautious.

  Anger coiled deep in the pit of her stomach as she watched the couple emerge from the alley. Even if she had not watched them, the looks on their silly faces would have given them away. The girl was flushed and flustered. Jaren wore a particularly smug expression, almost strutting with the knowledge of the pleasure he’d given his partner.

  How nice for them.

  She should have known they would find each other. Perhaps their involvement had begun years ago. It would explain her slave’s betrayal. Such an innocent girl would do many things for the first man who condescended to bed her.

  Ethlinda immediately dismissed the notion.

  Impossible. During their marriage, he had been wholly and completely hers. She was sure of it, and if there was one thing she knew best, it was men.

  Captain Caradoc, as her fourth husband, would have been the biggest prize of her life. His assets, though mainly off-world, were enough to rival even the wealthiest nobles of Lorus. And he’d fallen for her charms more than easily enough, giving every indication of being completely besotted by her. Like a schoolboy, almost.

  Of course, no man could resist Ethlinda when she chose to pursue him.

  Her beauty had always been both a blessing and a curse, raising her from relatively obscure, merchant-class roots to Lorus nobility, though it also brought her more attention than she cared for. Like the amorous aggression of her former jailor.

  In the past, however… Pair her appearance with a willingness to do anything a man wanted in bed, and her lack of high birth became irrelevant, though society still deemed each union the worst of scandals.

  Especially her first.

  He had been a lower-ranking noble. One of her father’s debtors—Ethlinda had been the final payment of what was owed to the man.

  Her first husband taught her the power of her appearance, and how to satisfy a man she didn’t want and didn’t care for. She blamed him for her father’s death, and even if she had not, he had been more than forty years her senior. Ancient and repulsive. An old woman working in his kitchens had taught her about poisons. Once he was out of the way, she’d taken the lessons learned in his household to continue climbing up the ranks of Lorus society.

  Each husband, each prize, had given her a little more of the reward she knew she deserved. Ethlinda had never imagined her hunt would be stopped by a mere girl more pathetic than she herself had once been.

  The treacherous little body slave had been a gift from her second husband. A wedding present. The lecher had his eye on the girl then, though she was barely thirteen. Fortunately, the appropriate opportunity to get rid of him had arisen before he had done anything in that direction. The humiliation would have been unthinkable.

  Ethlinda trailed behind the couple.

  Jaren Caradoc was easy to follow, even in the crowd, standing head and shoulders taller than most native Lorians. He paused from time to time, a quick, intimate smile crossing his rugged features as he bent down to listen to whatever it was the little girl was saying to him. How very chivalrous of him to feign interest.

  Once that smile had been for her and only her. Too bad it was being wasted on someone who wouldn’t know how to take full advantage of it.

  Captain Caradoc would not be as easy to catch this time. He was just smart enough to be on his guard against her, whether she kept her disguise or not. But according to the extensive gossip among servants and commoners, he was here with an all-male crew.

  Which would work to her advantage. Very. Nicely.

  Chapter Seven

  “That’s it. That’s the last one.” Jaren finished off his signature with more flourish than usual and handed the parchment sheets to the Head of Inspections. “This means we’re clear to leave, right?”

  The Lorian official gave a haughty sniff. “There are no launch coordinators on duty this evening. It’s the final night of the festival.” Before Jaren could say anything, he added: “Our guards will remain posted throughout the night. You and your crew may take possession at your leisure. The guards will be fully informed about who is and who is not allowed on board.”

  Interesting. Some of the old suspicions still lingered, and would continue to linger until Ethlinda was back in Lorian prison.

  Dev nudged him in the ribs. “Ready to move back on ship, Captain?”

  Odd question. The Marama had been Jaren’s main home since leaving his ex-wife. He’d let go of his small apartment on his home system when he first married and never bothered to find a new one. “Not immediately. I need to clear things back at the inn.”

  His friend raised a brow. “Enjoying yourself too much to leave?”

  “I didn’t say that.” The hesitation he felt surprised him. He certainly wasn’t going to explain it to Dev, even if he could. “What about you? Going on board tonight?”

  “Not a chance.” Dev puffed up his already massive chest a little more and plastered on a mockingly lecherous grin. Waggling his eyebrows made the expression more ridiculous than disturbing. “The festival’s been everything it’s adverti
sed to be.”

  Tension knotted the back of Jaren’s neck as unwanted memories forced their way front and center. “I hope you’re not taking any foolish risks, old friend.”

  “You know me better than that.” His first mate hesitated. “Too bad you can’t remember how to have fun.”

  “Dev.”

  “Thought little Taimi might be able to teach you how.”

  “I’m not going to discuss her with you.” Not now. Not ever. His friend expected far too much. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  * * * *

  “Now this is a nice sight to come back to.”

  Taimi was deliciously naked, just as he had left her. His cock immediately hardened. The pants they’d acquired from one of the crew members draped across her lap but hid little. The shirt hung from one of the bedposts, visibly reduced from its earlier size.

  She glanced up, needle and thread poised in her small hand. Her dark eyes lit up, and she smiled. “I’m glad you’re back. I missed you.”

  His breath caught at the simple intimacy of those words. He wanted to believe them. Some small part of him seemed to have escaped the damage wrought by Ethlinda’s treachery and did believe her, yet he could not return the words. “The inspection is complete. We have clearance to return to the ship.”

  A flicker of tension passed over her lovely face, so brief he thought he imagined it. Her voice hitched for a moment before resuming her usual sweet serenity. “W-we’ll be returning tonight?”

  The same odd reluctance he’d felt earlier returned, stronger than before. He must be going mad, and not just from the potent air of the Lorus system.

  He stared at the lovely young woman who had given her virginity, and so much more, with little hesitation. Every part of her body open. His for the taking.

  They needed to stop this once they returned to the ship. This time in the inn was a moment outside reality, a fantasy of sex and closeness where the usual rules against fraternization did not apply. Or so he told himself. “No. There’s no need. Apparently all the launch personnel are out enjoying the last night of the festival. As are my crew.”

  “I see.”

  “This is the last night for us too,” he said, feeling the need to remind them both. He stroked her cheek, her skin as soft as satin despite her harsh background. Jaren feathered a kiss on her lips.

  Taimi drew back slightly, scanning his face as if searching for…something. She frowned. “It doesn’t have to be.”

  “Impossible. I won’t ruin your reputation with my crew.”

  “They’ll think me your concubine.” Her expression was open and earnest. “That’s not a bad thing. A position of honor.”

  He cringed. Her words implied a continuation of her old slave status, as if she still belonged to him. “Things are different in the Alliance.” Despite several explanations, Taimi was not able or perhaps not willing to comprehend the difference. “They’ll think you’re using sex to improve your position.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “You should.” He sighed. “I don’t want to argue with you about this. Not now.”

  “As you wish.”

  He bit back another reminder. Taimi had spent her entire life suppressing her free will to the authority of others. He could hardly expect her to change over just these few days. “Is there anything you would like to do tonight? I know it’s the festival, but perhaps we could find a place to dine or take in a show?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t need any of that. I just want to be with you.”

  “Good idea.” He nodded toward the fabric in her lap. “Did you finish?”

  She tied a knot and cut the thread. “It should fit now, but it feels strange. Almost indecent.”

  “It’s just different from what you’re used to.” And it would be easier for the crew to accept her if she dressed like one of them. Or so he hoped. “You’ll need it when we go back to the ship. It will be easier to move about in trousers instead of skirts. Let me see how you look.”

  She hesitated for a moment, staring at the cloth. Her hair fell forward and obscured her features. Finally, she unfolded her slender, graceful limbs and stood beside the bed, still avoiding his gaze.

  She reached for the shirt first and furled it around her naked form without doing the buttons. She pulled on the trousers. The waist fit, and the legs now matched her height, but the overall sizing remained baggy, hiding the slender curves of her hips and sweet little bottom.

  Jaren stepped forward. Buttoned the shirt, starting at her waist and working back up, careful not to touch the soft skin beneath the fabric. Her breasts rose and fell rapidly, and the fabric over her heart quivered with the sudden acceleration of her heartbeat.

  Her breath rasped, quick and harsh. “I must look ridiculous.”

  “You look great. Beautiful.”

  She shook her head.

  He caught her by the arm and dragged her up against his body so she could feel the truth in his words. Let her feel the way his body responded to hers. Her soft breasts were pressed into his chest, and she tilted her head back, parting her lips in invitation.

  All the unsettled emotions he’d experienced faded away, the feel of her in his arms overriding everything else.

  She felt right there.

  More right than he wanted to admit. A perfect fit.

  He kissed her hard, letting his hands roam over her slender body. He needed to touch her. All of her. Her clothing became an annoying barrier, the bagginess making it difficult to feel her.

  Taimi made a soft sound deep in her throat and moved closer.

  One definite downside to putting her in pants, rather than letting her remain in skirts. Her sweet pussy would be open to him right now, if she wore the latter. Just open his trousers, and he could be inside her almost immediately.

  He tugged at the fastening, and her pants slid down her slender legs to pool around her feet.

  Perhaps they were not so restricting, after all.

  The shirt also proved to be no barrier, easily lifted off her body without opening a single button.

  She was naked again, and wrapped in his arms. One of life’s perfect moments.

  He carried her to the bed and eased her onto her back. He wanted to plunge deep inside her, to pound hard and fast until they were both mindless with release.

  Control, Jaren. Take it slow. She was still a novice in bed, despite the training she’d received from the auction house. Take. It. Slow.

  He followed her down. Cupped his hands around her face and kissed her again. She opened her mouth beneath his. He thrust his tongue between her lips, plundering her taste. They began to rock together, in perfect time. She wrapped her legs around his waist, squeezing him tight and holding him close. The front of his trousers grew damp from her moisture.

  Damn, she felt so good beneath him.

  His cock throbbed. His balls tightened. He wanted her so very much.

  She nipped at his lower lip, and he drew back. Mischief danced in her dark eyes. “Sorry, Captain. Don’t know what came over me.”

  Instead of correcting her, he responded to her sudden playfulness in kind. Returned an answering nip to the tip of her ear. She squealed and squirmed beneath him. “Jaren!”

  “Two can play that game, sweet.”

  Taimi giggled. Entwined as she was around him, she didn’t have much leverage but still lunged upward. She snapped her teeth around empty air just inches away from his nose. Then growled.

  Jaren laughed.

  She uncurled her limbs from around his body and twisted out from under him. Scurried across the room. Her soft giggle pierced the heavy locks he’d forced around his heart.

  He wasn’t going to think about that now.

  Jaren gave chase.

  She danced just beyond his reach, more nimble than he’d anticipated. He paused for a moment to watch her. Though she was slender and petite, her legs were surprisingly long and carried her about with a nearly feline grace. She was completely unself
-conscious about her nudity. Yet at the same time, she wasn’t flaunting her beautiful curves for flattery or praise.

  The sound of her laughter was intoxicating. It made him forget…so many things.

  Taimi darted in for another mock snap, then slipped behind him. Something soft hit the back of his neck and shoulders.

  He turned.

  It was a pillow. Jaren let out a shout of laughter. Scooped her soft weapon from the floor before she could retrieve it. “You’re not going to get away with that.” He managed a quick bat against the top of her head as she tried to retreat.

  Taimi scrambled away. Snatched up the other pillow from the bed and whirled, darting around the edges of the room. She managed another good hit on his arm and one on his stomach before he tapped another soft pat on the top of her head.

  “No fair!” She was breathing hard, her pretty little breasts rising and falling in a particularly enticing way. Her nipples were tight and hard. “You’re taking advantage of being taller than me.”

  “Maybe.” He took advantage of having longer arms than her too, and thumped the pillow on her shoulder when she clearly thought she was out of range. “What are you going to do about it?”

  She bounced onto the bed, staggering a bit as the soft bedding yielded under her weight. The bed was a raised platform, with high posts at each corner and a double layer of thick mattresses stacked on the wood. It brought her into a very interesting position, with her breasts at just the perfect level for his mouth.

  He lunged, absorbing another blow from her pillow. Snaked one arm behind Taimi’s knees and clamped his lips around one tight nipple, briefly grazing the sensitive nub with his teeth. She let out a high squeal and pushed against his shoulders.

  He tightened his grip, pushing her back onto the mattress, and followed her down. He plucked the pillow out of her hands and pinned her wrists against the bed.

  Taimi’s dark eyes turned nearly black as she gave another halfhearted squirm beneath him. Her movements allowed him to settle between her parted thighs, but he wasn’t ready to stop their play. Not yet.

  Jaren held her still, keeping her wrists imprisoned with one hand. He let his fingers dance lightly along her ribs and watched her dig her white teeth deep into her lower lip. Her wriggling intensified.