For the past three nights Kelsey had waited for Jakkin to return to his cabin. Each night she’d been disappointed. She didn’t know where he spent the time, other than commanding the ship, but she was starting to wish she’d moved from the brig to her original cabin rather than his quarters. It was awkward to spend so much time in his private domain when she no longer had a reason to be there.

She wanted to believe there was still hope, that he just needed time to process his emotions. Unfortunately, the spark grew dimmer with each passing hour as she fixated on what she’d done. She’d lied to and manipulated him every step of the way. And when it came to a final choice, her mate or her career, she’d remained loyal to Shadow Leader. No, she was being unfairly critical of herself. Her choice had nothing to do with ambition. She’d chosen the human race over the Rodytes, but could she ever hope Jakkin would see it that way?

By the time he arrived on night four, Kelsey had convinced herself he had come to sever whatever was left of their fragile relationship.

He looked handsome and authoritative in his black-and-gold uniform. His wavy dark hair could use a trim, but she still lost herself every time she looked into his green-ringed eyes. “I have a few more questions.” He didn’t bother with a greeting or an explanation of why he’d stayed away. Not that he needed one. It was probably the only way he could keep from strangling her.

She sighed, then nodded. “What do you want to know?”

He moved to his usual seat in the tall-backed armchair before he began, or actually continued, his interrogation. She sat on the sofa facing him, also her usual place. Sleeping with him had clearly changed nothing. This still felt adversarial.

“Why did you agree to this mission? Why is Solar Warden so threatened by what we’re trying to accomplish? Every female is a volunteer. We’ve made that clear from the beginning.”

With nothing to do but review their past conversations and anticipate their next, she’d practiced answers for every question she could imagine. All of the questions he’d just rattled off had been among the ones she practiced. It was a relief to be able to defend herself.

“Orientation allowed us to see the situation from your perspective. Have you ever tried to see it from ours?”

“That’s why I’m here.” He sounded a bit defensive and that wasn’t what she’d intended. “Explain it to me.”

“Everything about the battle born is threatening. You’re bigger and stronger, more technologically advanced, and yet you claim to have only our best interests at heart. That’s hard to believe when you’re secret bases are hidden all over our planet.” She paused for a second, not wanting her points to run together. “I’ve been to Outpost LA. It’s even bigger than Lunar Nine.”

He nodded, then lapsed into silence, apparently thinking about what she’d said. “We didn’t have to ask for your cooperation. We could have rounded up compatible females and let the pull take care of the rest. It’s what our fathers’ generation would have done.”

“Which is why we’re afraid you’ll change your mind. Your people have every advantage.”

The statement made him laugh, but there was no humor in the sound. “The battle born have existed under the control of the elite for so long, we would never force our will on another race. It’s unthinkable.”

“Solar Warden doesn’t know that. All they see is an insurmountable enemy threatening their planet and their females. You’ve sworn to protect what’s yours, with your life if necessary. Why do you expect any less from humans?”

“But we are no threat to any of you.” His frustration was starting to show. He finger-combed his hair back from his face as he stared off into the distance. “We’re offering an even trade. It’s mutually beneficial. The female’s lifespan is doubled and she is far less likely to contract any disease. She becomes part of our society, so she has access to Rodyte technology.”

He was avoiding the romantic elements of bonding with a mate, the passion and intensity, the intimacy and security. Saddened by his approach, she did the same. “I know that now because of orientation, and meeting Indigo and Zilor. Talking to a couple who has actually lived through the process is very powerful. Back when I agreed to the mission, all those concepts were just empty words.”

“It still comes down to trust.”

Did he mean Solar Warden and the rebels, or him and her? “When something seems too good to be true, it makes humans nervous. And a nervous human often lashes out.”

He heaved a sigh and pushed to his feet. His gaze focused on her, as if actually seeing her for the first time since he entered the room. “So how do two former enemies hope to build trust with each other?” He crossed the room, his long legs devouring the limited space. “I guess a better question is, do we want to learn to trust each other?”

He’d said “two former enemies”. That was a good sign at least. “I have no reason to doubt you. You’re exactly who and what you always appeared to be. You’re the one who has been misled. Do you want to learn to trust me?”

Joining her on the sofa, he pivoted toward her, but bent one knee, creating a barrier between them. “I probably shouldn’t, but I do. I never expected to find my mate. Males like me don’t have the resources to search. Yet here you are.”

“But I lied and betrayed you.” It was obvious he needed her to make the effort, to offer some sort of penance to prove her regret was genuine. “I didn’t know you then, didn’t understand what all of this really meant.”

“It’s easy to let go of something that doesn’t exist anymore,” he pointed out. “If Shadow Leader hadn’t been captured, would he have arranged for your rescue?”

“It doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t have requested a withdrawal. My faith in Solar Warden was shattered when Vingarra blew up with me and Alyssa inside. They didn’t know we were going to be there that night, but that doesn’t matter either. I will not work with or for terrorists.”

Accepting her answer with a thoughtful nod, he grew silent again. It was too easy for these Rodytes to hide their emotions. Even after all her training and years spent in the field, she often gave herself away with micro-expressions or a telling sound. Jakkin’s features were expressionless. Only his blacker-than-night eyes betrayed any emotion at all. And his phitons, the emerald shimmer had just begun to glow, indicating some sort of conflict raging inside him.

The silence grew uncomfortable, his stare brutal. “You’d be a fool if you believed anything I said. I understand that. I’ve lied to your face too many times. But…” Emotion suddenly closed her throat and she had to look away. If she blew this now, she’d have nothing. She’d failed Solar Warden—if they even existed after this. She’d failed Alyssa—though she and Dakar seemed to have worked things out to their satisfaction. And she’d slammed the door on her best shot at happiness.

He touched her chin, gently turning her head and guiding her gaze back to his. “But?”

“But feelings don’t lie. Feelings can’t lie. Is the transfer link still there?” He nodded. “Search my mind. See for yourself what I want and how I feel.”

He shifted his legs, scooting closer. Her heart fluttered and she was afraid to move, afraid to breathe, to do anything that might disrupt the dream.

“Are you sure?” His voice was low yet intense. “You never wanted me in your mind before.”

“I was afraid.” She’d never admitted it even to herself. “After Daniel, I didn’t believe I’d ever love again.”

His mouth curved into a smile, yet he didn’t touch her, didn’t pull her into his arms or even take her hand. “Do you love me?” He actually sounded surprised.

“Look for yourself. I want this settled between us. One way or the other, we have to move on.”

“Before I do, there’s something you need to know.” He sighed, then said, “My mother was Bilarrian.”

“I know.”

“You didn’t let me finish. She was a powerful psychic and, even though my abilities are mostly latent, I sometimes sense things, know them instinctively.”

She narrowed her gaze, trying not to overreact. “Is this why you were so tenacious about exposing me? You knew instinctively that I was full of crap?”

He nodded. “That was a big part of it.”

“Why are you telling me now? Will it affect what you’re able to sense through the transfer link?”

“It will,” he admitted. “Generally this sort of connection gives one access to emotions without context. Because of my empathic sensitivity, I’ll not only sense your emotions, but I’ll understand why you’re feeling that way.”

“Good. That’s what I want.”

“All right. I just thought you should know. I want no more secrets between us.” He finally touched her, pressing one hand to the side of her face as he looked deep into her eyes. “Relax, hellion. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.”

There was a hint of challenge in the “if” but she didn’t mind. She had nothing to hide, and nothing to lose by offering herself to her mate.

 

Jakkin took several deep breaths as he slowly pushed into Kelsey’s mind. Every word she’d spoken sounded truthful and earnest, yet she’d fooled him before. Her willingness to open up emotionally meant more than weeks of verbal reassurance. Words were easy. Emotions couldn’t lie. Still, she resisted him. That was natural. Humans weren’t used to metaphysical exchanges.

His gaze shifted to her softly parted lips. She needed a distraction, and he needed her taste in his mouth, had craved her unique flavor ever since it faded. He lowered his head slowly, soaking in her reaction. She quickly licked her lips, then her eyes drifted shut. He tilted his head, fitting his mouth over hers. Their lips pressed, just touching at first, reacquainting each with the other’s texture.

She placed her hand on his chest, hesitating as if she were afraid to touch him. Perhaps she was. He’d made his disappointment and frustration obvious. If trust was going to be reestablished, they had a long way to go.

He pulled her into his arms, not stopping until she angled across his lap. One of his arms supported her shoulders and the other caressed her face. She relaxed against his chest, safely cradled in his embrace. The kiss started out slow, more caress than intimate exchange. Then her lips parted, inviting his tongue to explore. He didn’t hesitate, needed her too badly to play hard to get.

As their mouths slid and pressed, tongues softly dueling, he eased deeper into her mind. His empathic receptors activated, effortlessly networking with their link. Her fierce independence hit him first. She was honestly determined to depend on herself for everything. But woven through the self-reliance was pain, grief, and fear. She’d explained where the emotions originated. Losing Daniel had changed her, shaping not only her personality but her goals and aspirations.

He flowed through her past and drifted toward more recent events, trying to bring the current situation into focus. Some psychics could pinpoint a specific moment in time. His abilities didn’t work that way. Mental energy felt like a river to him. He could drift with the current, going wherever the person’s thoughts took him. Or he could stand still and let the river flow around him, quickly sifting through whatever passed by.

I need your help, love. He pushed the thought across the transfer link so he didn’t have to stop kissing her.

She gasped and tore her mouth away from his. “How did you do that?”

He smiled, thumb teasing her kiss-moistened lips. “Apparently, I didn’t tell you. When the link is wide open like it is now, thoughts can be transferred as well as images and emotions.”

“I can send my thoughts directly to your mind? How?”

“Just speak with your inner voice and I’ll hear you.”

So how does it work if the link isn’t open wide?

Very good. He leaned down and continued kissing her. A pulse of energy can be sent through the shield. We call this pinging. It tells the other person you’d like to interact with them.

Is that why I couldn’t sense you for the last few days? You had your end of the link shielded?

Their kisses were so distracting that he struggled to follow her train of thought. Yes. I’ll teach you how to shield after you’ve gotten used to sending and receiving emotions.

All right. She moved restlessly against him, pressing her breasts against his chest. You said you need my help. What do you want me to do?

A flurry of carnal images passed through his mind, an erotic slideshow of possibilities. He forced them all aside. He would not take things farther than kissing until he was sure about her commitment to him. Think of the last few days, how you feel about what’s happened. He needed to know how she felt about him, but coming right out and saying it sounded pathetic.

Her emotions grew stronger, more distinct. He felt her profound regret and the disappointment. Then determination burned off the remorse. Her thoughts were still too broad, too generalized, so he prompted, What are you thinking about right now?

She pulled back with a soft laugh. “I can barely think at all when you kiss me.”

“You were thinking about something. Your emotions were very explicit.”

She nodded. “I was thinking about the explosion. Whoever planted those bombs needs to be held accountable for their actions.”

He’d often wondered how much she knew about that. Apparently, the answer was nothing. “We’re pretty sure it was Royce Marsden, but we also have strong indications that the explosion wasn’t meant to go off in the restaurant. The timing mechanism malfunctioned. They were meant to destroy one of our automated warehouses.”

“It doesn’t matter. People died. Royce needs to go on trial for it.”

“That’s not my decision to make, but I happen to agree with you.” He tucked her hair behind her ear, mesmerized by her beauty. “Close your eyes and think about us.” Unless he wanted to spend all night doing this, he needed to be specific. “Think about me.”

Her lids swept down, concealing her light brown eyes, but her mind opened, offering complete access to her emotions. Desire washed over him first, bathing his senses in tingling heat. Clearly she wanted him, wanted the ultimate joining only mates could experience. The second wave was softer, yet even warmer. Affection and tenderness, she not only wanted to give them to him, she wanted to receive them from him. It was like a hunger, a longing she’d given up on long ago.

The desire didn’t surprise him. She hadn’t attempted to conceal her physical attraction to him. But the depth and intensity of the softer emotions was shocking. She loved him. It wasn’t just a meaningless claim. She actually loved him.

“Oh gods, Kelsey.” He kissed her passionately for a moment, then eased back, needing to see her expression. “I never thought I’d sense these things from any female. I was so worried that I was only a mission to you.”

She laughed, but regret still shadowed her gaze. “You stopped being a mission when I met you for the first time. At first you were a complication, then a horrible distraction, and now you’re my everything.”

Feeling her emotions evolve as she explained her thoughts, sent excitement and hope surging through him. This was happening. His mate was finally responding to his claim. The forces that had brought them together and tried their best to tear them apart had failed. Kelsey was in his arms, looking up at him with love in her eyes. And for the next few hours at least, nothing else mattered.

He covered her mouth with his, unwilling to clutter the perfect moment with needless words. His tongue swept between her lips, savoring her softness and the heat of her breath. But he needed more, so much more. Still, it wasn’t going to happen on a cramped sofa.

Lifting her fully into his arms, he stood and carried her into his bedroom. She looped her arms around his neck and pressed her face against the hollow where his throat met his shoulder. “We’ve even done this before, so why am I so nervous?”

He tensed, but continued toward the bed. “We don’t have to do anything but hold each other, if you’re not ready for more.”

She chuckled and raised her face so she could see his eyes. “I’m more than ready. This just feels different than before.”

“You hadn’t accepted that we were mates before. We were just sharing pleasure.”

“Are you going to claim me?” Her lashes swept down, shielding her gaze.

“Not if you still have doubts. Claiming is forever. Both of us need to be absolutely sure.”

She looked at him again, but her emotions felt muted. “Will you be horribly disappointed if I want to wait? I don’t doubt that you’re my mate. In fact, I’m relatively certain I’ll want you to claim me in the near future, but this is happening really fast. I’ve known you for little over a month.”

He chuckled this time, despite his frustration. “Five weeks is a long courtship for genetically compatible Rodytes, but I understand that’s not true on Earth. This affects the rest of your life. We won’t do it until you’re ready.”

“But we can still—how do you put it, share pleasure?”

“Oh, I have every intention of making love to you.” He switched to the human term as he set her down beside the bed. “That was never in question.”

“Good.” She smiled up at him. “Because the first time was over much too fast.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

 

Jakkin unbuttoned Kelsey’s blouse with a skill that sent shivers down her spine. She knew all the things those dexterous fingers could make her feel and couldn’t wait to experience them again. Their hurried night together seemed like a lifetime ago, and it had ended very differently than she hoped this night would end.

She unfastened her bra and tossed it aside but blocked his hand when he tried to cup her breast. “Not with your shirt on, you don’t.”

A playful growl rumbled in his throat, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he parted the seam in his uniform top and shrugged out of the formfitting garment. His undershirt followed and she let her gaze wander at will over his amazing torso. His shoulders were broad, chest sculpted with well-defined muscles, and his abdomen was just plain breath-stealing.

“You approve of your mate?” His pleased grin stopped just short of smug, so she didn’t have to punch him.

“I’ll let you know when I can see all of him,” she countered.

His brow arched and he parted the front of his pants, yet made no move to take them off. “Lose the skirt first.”

Turnabout was only fair. She lowered the side zipper and wiggled out of the skirt. After taking off her boots and socks, she hooked her thumbs around the sides of her panties, then stopped. “Your turn.”

With almost violent urgency, he tugged off his boots and yanked off his pants. His massive erection was clearly outlined beneath his skintight undergarment, a teasing reminder of the pleasures they’d soon share. “Together?” he proposed.

“Sure.” She took off her panties while her gaze followed his every move. He peeled off his underwear, tossed them aside, then stood before her proud and naked. His legs were thickly muscled, yet his hips remained lean. She only glanced at his sex before taking another visual pass of his sculpted torso. Holy crap, the man was well-built. No, her man was well-built, make that extremely well-built. “I approve,” she whispered. “Boy, do I approve.”

He closed the distance between them and guided her hand to his hardened shaft. “Do I feel like a boy to you?”

She laughed, then groaned. “It’s a figure of speech. There’s nothing about you that’s boyish.”

“Good.” His hands framed her face and he covered her mouth with his. Kissing would have been easier if he wasn’t a foot taller than she was.

Apparently reaching the same conclusion, he picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his hips. She was slightly taller than him like this, but their faces aligned more easily. They kissed as he walked to the bed and sat down. She folded her legs, straddling his lap and rubbing her breasts against his chest.

I want to taste you.

His sensual claim made her shiver. So do I.

Ladies first. He lifted her off his lap as he spread his legs, then placed her on the floor, still on her knees. His gaze bore into hers as he guided himself toward her mouth. “Know my taste, mate.” His smile was downright wicked, and challenge shimmered in his eyes.

She covered his hand with hers and kissed his velvety tip. He moved his hand and she slid her fingers up then down his length, while she teased him with her lips, caressing without taking him inside.

“Everything you deliver to me will be returned in a few short moments.”

She smiled, undeterred by his warning. She circled him with her tongue and he tangled his fingers in the back of her hair. She waited for him to close his fist and control her, but he splayed his fingers against her skull instead, preventing any retreat while still allowing her to explore.

And explore she did. She dragged her tongue tip down one side of his shaft then licked her way up the other. He closed his eyes and arched his neck as she grew bolder. His thighs were tense, his abdomen flexing when she finally slipped him into her mouth. His fingers did tighten then, but he still let her set the pace. She slid her mouth up and down as her tongue swirled, teasing his tip for a moment before she took him deep again.

Over and over she bobbed her head, sliding him into her mouth until she could take no more. His taste, faintly sharp and a bit salty, increased her pulse and intensified the need throbbing between her thighs. Feminine power made her bolder, made her feel lightheaded and exhilarated.

The hot slide of his cock against her tongue thrilled her, but the consuming desire pulsing across their link was even more exciting. He reveled in her attention, was utterly lost in the pleasure she was giving him. His taste grew stronger and his groans louder as she continued the rhythmic caress. She felt strong and eager to watch him lose control.

“Enough!” He twisted his hips suddenly, dragging himself out of her mouth. “I want to come inside you.”

“You were inside me.” She tried to capture him again, but he wouldn’t relent.

“Not tonight. I need to fully join with you too badly.”

He pulled her to her feet as he stood, then turned and urged her down onto the bed. She knew what he intended, but didn’t want to make it too easy for him. He knelt, then pushed her legs apart so he could move closer.

“Lie back.” Demand snapped through his tone.

“Maybe I want to watch.” She arched her brow and smiled, but the impulse had been sheer rebellion.

“Whatever pleases you.” He spread her legs wider and inhaled her scent. “As long as I can do this.” His dark head dipped and he covered her slit with his mouth.

She groaned, unprepared for the surge of desire he unleashed with the first stroke of his tongue. It felt incredible, but again it was more exciting to feel how he reacted to the exchange. His tongue stroked and his lips caressed, while his desire for her built.

He reached beneath her legs and covered her breasts with his hands. She lifted her feet and crossed her ankles on his upper back, opening herself for his torrid kiss. She wasn’t sure why, but he seemed soothed by her taste. It clearly excited him, but it comforted him more. Fascinated by his reaction, she relaxed and let him feast.

His teasing became more focused, more purposeful. He wanted her to lose control, to surrender to him in the same way he’d refused to surrender for her. Her stubbornness flared and she tried to wiggle away from his questing mouth.

Grasping her hips with both hands, he held her still while his swirling tongue, focused on her clit. Come for me.

No. You wouldn’t come for me.

His only response was his lips closing around the ultra-sensitive nub and gently sucking. She cried out, arching clear off the bed. The intensity became painful and he switched back to a gentle swirling motion with the tip of his tongue. She started to relax and he sucked again.

That’s cheating!

No, this is cheating. So fast she didn’t realize what he intended, he eased one of his hands between her thighs and pushed two fingers into her core. The combination of persistent caress and teasing fullness snapped her control. She cried out in defeat, as pleasure throbbed in her pelvis and her inner muscles rippled around his fingers.

He slid his hand forth and back, drawing his fingers nearly out before thrusting them into her again. The wicked slide kept the tingling pulses surging until she was breathless and trembling. She raised her arms over her head, panting harshly as the pleasure began to fade.

“Don’t get too relaxed, hellion. We’re just getting started.” He shifted her to the middle of the bed, moving her around as if she weighed nothing. Then he joined her on the mattress. He opened her legs and knelt between her thighs, hungry gaze focused on his target.

She ran her gaze from his handsome face, to his broad chest, rippling abdomen, and finally to his sex, just in time to see him position himself at her entrance.

He glanced up, concern flickering in his gaze. “You still with me?”

“Yes.”

“You want this as much as I do?”

“Definitely.”

“Good, because I’m not sure I could stop.” He pushed into her slowly, filling her inch by amazing inch. She bent her knees, taking him deeper as he arched over her. He took most of his weight on his knees and forearms, which made his chest barely graze her nipples. “That’s better.” His voice sounded rough and his gaze bore into hers as her core stretched tight around his thick length. He held still, savoring the union of their bodies.

“Move.” She groaned. “Please move.”

“I thought you wanted this to take longer.”

She tightened her inner muscles and tried to pull back, but he had her lower body pinned against the bed.

He leaned down and nipped her neck. “Be still, love. Take what I give you.”

The dark command sent desire cascading through her body, but she fought against the sensations, frightened by what it implied. She was ex-FBI, for God’s sake. How could such a chauvinistic attitude excite her? She shoved against his shoulders. He wouldn’t budge.

Warning flashed in his eyes, but she ignored it. She planted both feet on the bed and tried to buck him off. He laughed and pulled her arms above her head, easily pinning them there with one hand. “I’m bigger and stronger than you, mate. You might as well accept it.”

“I won’t be bullied,” she snapped, more vehemently than she’d intended.

He stilled, his gaze searching hers. “I wasn’t trying to bully you. Why are you struggling—again? I thought we both wanted this.”

“I do. But that ‘take what I give you’ crap isn’t going to fly with me.”

Rather than replying immediately, he paused for a slow, deep kiss. “Surrendering to your mate does not make you weak.”

“Just weaker than you,” she grumbled.

He let go of her hands and ran the back of his fingers along the side of her face. “How can I protect you if I’m not stronger than you?”

“I can protect myself.” Even in her ears the argument sounded childish. She didn’t want to argue, wanted to lose herself in the pleasure. So why had she started this?

“I know you can protect yourself, but you don’t need to anymore. I’m here, and I’m not leaving, no matter how hard you try to push me away.”

Was that what she was doing, holding back, pushing him away? She was still afraid, still convinced this would lead to heartache. “Can we please stop talking?”

He kissed her as he pulled his hips back, then watched her as he drove in deep again. “We’ll wait until after to speak again, but the conversation is not finished.”

The compromise was clearly the only offer she’d get, so she pulled his head down and guided his mouth to hers. He started moving, finally, so she concentrated on the sensual slide of his body in and out of hers.

Emotions flowed into her mind, the intensity gradually building. She rocked her hips and arched her back, rubbing against his chest as he filled her, and filled her. She didn’t want to analyze his feelings, wanted to lose herself in the joining. But his emotions were too distinct and too intense. He was holding back now, afraid of angering or frightening her.

“Don’t hold back,” she whispered against his lips. “I need your intensity.”

He laughed and confusion rippled through their meld. She knew she was sending mixed messages, but she was still sorting this out for herself.

He didn’t argue verbally or emotionally. He released the full scope of his passion and inundated her with burning desire. She gasped, then groaned as her body responded to the sensory deluge. His pace sped, each stroke becoming strong and decisive. He’d promised not to claim her, but each thrust was possessiveness, establishing his right to her body, if not her mind.

One of his hands slipped in between their bodies and his long middle finger covered her clit. She gasped as he paired his next thrust with a tantalizing caress. “Don’t do that, or I’ll come.” She formed the words against his lips when he refused to pull back.

“I know.” And he did it again and again, quickly building her need to a fever pitch.

She tossed her head as he drove her crazy, not wanting to come without him, but unable to resist the duel stimulation. She bit down on her lower lip as pleasure burst inside her, but a cry tore past her lips. The rhythmic spasms of her core were even more distinct with her stretched around his thrusting cock.

“Your turn,” she whispered as the tingling pulses began to drift away.

He growled and nipped the side of her neck again. When I’m ready. Frustration surged into her mind along with the words. She was still struggling against their natural roles, trying to shed a lifetime of societal expectations.

She watched his face and soaked in his emotions. He wasn’t human. She couldn’t expect him to think like one. He was trying to please her, trying to give her what she wanted, what she needed to be completely satisfied. But he couldn’t change his fundamental nature. He was a dominant male. He was strong and capable. She took it a step farther. He was stronger than she was, and more capable of protecting her. His strength didn’t diminish her.

She framed his face with her hands and waited for him to open his eyes. When he gazed down at her, phitons burning with emerald fire. “I understand now.” She raised her arms above her head and unhooked her ankles, open, surrendered to her mate.

He made a sound, part growl, part groan, and finally released the stranglehold on his nature. His hips thrust fast and hard, making their joining almost violent. She wasn’t afraid, knew he’d never hurt her. His back arched, dragging his chest off her breasts. The motion of her breasts drew his attention and he bent to suck on her nipple without stopping the frantic motion of his hips.

Her smoldering desire reignited as his new angle dragged his shaft against her clit. She gasped, pulling her legs up high on his sides. His hands moved to her hips, drawing her up into each forceful thrust. Their bodies collided, the impact sending pleasure ricocheting through both of them.

She cried out as an especially sharp sensation detonated, making her core clench around his thickness. He echoed her cry and thrust even faster. The end raced toward them, as inevitable as it was intense. She bit back a scream as another orgasm unfurled inside her. The pulses were strong, and oddly slow, given the frenzy that created them. She tightened over and over, each spasm pushing the pleasure higher.

He cried out sharply as he buried his entire length inside her. Then he shuddered against her, cock bucking as he finally released his seed. His pleasure slammed into her mind, launching aftershocks all through her still-tingling body.

His arms wrapped around her and he rolled them to their sides, bodies still joined.

He didn’t bombard her with questions, just held her and stroked the back of her hair. But his curiosity, and frustration, was there in his mind and it trickled into hers.

“With Daniel everything was simple,” she began. He tensed, but she placed her fingers against his lips. “Hear me out.” He nodded, so she moved her hand. “Our backgrounds were similar. We both joined the military out of necessity and found security in the structure. We knew what to expect. Our roles were clearly defined and he saw me as his equal.”

“I see you as my equal,” he objected and she felt him withdraw from the link, hiding his emotions from her.

“I’m weaker and slower, in need of protection. Does that sound like an equal to you?”

His brow wrinkled and his nostrils flared. “Those are physical characteristics that cannot be changed. Even human males are bigger and stronger than females. Why does this fact lessen your self-worth?”

“It didn’t until you started the caveman crap.”

He stared past her for a moment, then dragged his gaze back to hers. “What did I do or say that upset you? I don’t understand.”

“You told me to lie still and take what you gave me.” She was really starting to wish she’d never brought this up. As usual, he hadn’t really done anything wrong. She needed to adjust her perspective.

“I was fighting for control.” He still sounded frustrated, and their link was so silent it was as if it weren’t there. “Your movements excite me. I was trying to make it last longer than last time.”

She sighed. “I didn’t say it was entirely rational. We come from very different worlds. That’s why I brought up Daniel. We never had to deal with a culture clash. I’m still trying to understand how you think.”

“Sweetheart, you don’t have to try and figure things out on your own. Ask me anything, or better yet, look into my mind and see for yourself. You are my equal in every way that matters. You’re the other half of my soul. No one is more important to me than you.” Their link opened again and tenderness flowed into her mind. “You’ve said the word, but I’ve yet to reciprocate.” He pressed his palm against her cheek and stroked her lips with his thumb. “I love you, Kelsey. More than anything in this universe, I love you. The rest will work itself out given time.”

His mouth covered hers and another wave of affection surged across their link, dissolving the doubt lingering in the back of her mind.