CHAPTER NINE
Reva woke with her lover leaning over her in the bed, his arms braced on both sides, flattening the covers over her. He was smiling down at her, his gaze alight with something that her body recognized even when her mind was slow to catch up—desire.
She smiled sleepily up at him, drinking in his nearness like cool water.
His gaze changed, sharpened, and he leaned down, so close she could feel his warm breath on her face, and smell the warm, clean scent of his body. Hers reacted helplessly, yearning arching her up to him, her hips tilting, her breasts tightening as heat and need twined through her.
And now, her need was very specific, because finally, she knew how it felt to find pleasure in his arms, instead of at her own hand.
Van leaned closer, brushing his nose and lips over hers in a teasing caress. "Time to get up, sleepy."
Reva lifted her head, the only part of her she could move with the covers trapping her, and kissed him back eagerly. He tasted of coffee and himself, an irresistible combination. Of course, she suspected that the equation of Van plus any ingestible substance would be irresistible.
For one breathless moment he kissed her back, and the only sound in the quiet room was her own uneven breath and the creak of the bed under her as she strained up to him. His warm mouth was everything she needed, craved.
But all too soon, he drew back again. He drew his lower lip into his teeth and shook his head regretfully, his gaze flicking from her mouth to her eyes and back. "Oh, little Reva, when you look at me like that..."
She opened her mouth to tell him to shut up and kiss her, but he shook his head and then stood abruptly, backing away from the bed, his big hands in fists as if to resist reaching for her. "Nope. We have things to do. It's nearly eight o'clock by Earth time. Lacey and Frost promised to return by nine.
Memory flooded back, and Reva bolted upright in the bed, shoving her tousled hair from her face. Right—they were on a strange planet, they'd nearly died at the hands of a giant plant, and now they were going to confer with Lacey and Frost about what to do next.
The other couple had returned to their home to, as they put it, get ready for the day. Waiting, she'd dozed off at the galley counter, so Van had sent her back to bed to rest.
"And Lacey will help us," she remembered. "She's a witch, and she said there are others like her here. They can help us get back to Hamor!"
"Or at least somewhere," Van answered.
But before she could ask what he meant by that, he gave her a last, regretful look and turned his back. "I'll be in the other room. Come out when you're ready."
Reva pouted. She'd been ready a sec ago. His bad luck he hadn't kissed her again.
She hopped out of bed, wincing as her head swam at the sudden motion. Was the jump still affecting her?
Wait... last night she'd had two, or possibly three of the local ales. That must be it. And then... oh, my! She put both hands to her head as hot, graphic memories assailed her.
No wonder Van had behaved so strangely this morning.
Last night, under the influence of the ale, she'd thrown herself at him. And he'd been sweet and tender, and then they'd done a lot more.
They'd had the sex. The real thing, with his thick, hard penis inside her, and his mouth and hands all over her... she shivered, remembering. The first time had been good, except for the painful part.
But the second time... oh, my. The sex manuals were correct, that disappeared after the first time, especially with gesics. And he'd been so sweet, reminding her to use that.
But... had it all been only because they were trapped here together?
Reva lowered her hands and scowled at the doorway through which he'd just disappeared.
Van had ignored all her overtures back on Hamor. Only now did he want her. Was it because the witch Lacey had toyed with him, using her powers on him to make a point?
His attraction to her was probably no more real than one of T'Bele's smiles. Sure, he said he finally saw that T’Bele was not for him, but would this new attitude last, or would his ambition get in the way once again?
In a thoroughly bad humor, Reva stomped over to the room's lone bureau and yanked open the top drawer.
Lacey had left her another ensemble to wear.
Reva pulled the clothing out and examined it with consternation. The top was gauzy, cream with tiny green flowers. The neckline was loosely gathered with a string, the waist with a stretchy band. The sleeves were nearly non-existent, merely intersecting loops of fabric meant to show off the arms, ending in deep ruffles at the elbow. The lower half was a skirt—a very short skirt of green that matched the flowers on the top.
There was also a bra and panty set, the like of which Reva had seen only on the holovids. They hung from her hands in wisps of cream lace. Clearly meant to entice, not protect.
She looked to the doorway through which Van had disappeared, then back at the clothing. Did the local females appear in public dressed this briefly? They must.
Then she shook her head at herself. Why in the universe was she worrying about whether an ensemble displayed more skin than she was accustomed to?
She'd dared to jump, hadn't she, following trained warriors into the great unknown of space.
And now, she and Van were either going to be stuck on this planet in this time forever, or they might die trying to get home.
So, seven hells yes, she would enjoy the friendly witch's gift! And if she gave Van a bit of his own back... well, he wasn't the only one who could tease.
When she walked into the dwelling's galley a short time later, Van's response made every bit of self-consciousness worthwhile. He stood leaning against the counter, drinking a mug of what smelled like coffee. The brew must truly be universal.
When he saw her, he paused with the mug to his lips and stared at her over the top. Then with a curse, he jerked the mug away from his mouth, splashing hot liquid over his fingers.
"Quark it," he groaned, setting the mug down with a thump and wiping his hand on his shirt to dry it. He was still staring at her, his gaze tracing her body through the gauzy top.
Reva smiled to herself as she walked him, choosing another mug and lifting the carafe out to pour her own coffee. "Having trouble with these archaic tools, commander?"
He grunted, and when she turned, his gaze was on her legs. Hiding the way this made them tremble, she leaned against the counter opposite him and took a sip of the coffee. She grimaced at its bitterness. "Ugh. I think this requires more water to make it palatable."
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. There's creamer in the refrigeration unit there. It looks about the same the universe over." He jerked his head toward a tall metallic box with handles on the front.
The creamer helped. Reva sighed as she took another, larger drink of the coffee.
It almost quelled her urge to preen herself before his gaze. She wasn't used to being the cynosure of his frank, lusty appreciation.
On Hamor, even dressed in cast-offs and surplus military garb, she'd been approached by plenty of warriors hoping for a dalliance, and rebuffed them all, because none of them were Van. She regretted that now—if she was as experienced as he was, she'd know exactly how to torment him, how far she could draw him in before she pushed him away.
As it was, she'd best keep a wary distance at least for now.
Her stomach growled, reminding her of a more pressing need. "Do you think it is all right if we eat the food?" she asked.
The refrigeration unit held a few containers of foods, and there was a bowl of curving, yellow fruits on the counter that smelled tasty. Beside them stood a rectangular container brightly decorated with a funny creature holding a spoon.
"They left the food here," Van said. "And I was hungry, so I ate some of this." He held out the open box to her.
She sniffed the contents, which appeared to be small crispy balls of something. “Is it breakfast, or a sweet?”
“It tastes like a sweet,” he admitted, grinning crookedly. “But the box says it is a breakfast food. And it is delicious.”
Reva shook her head. Setting her mug down, she reached for the yellow fruit, pulling one from the bunch. She examined it curiously. It smelled delicious, but the outside was leathery. She took an experimental bite of the end, and recoiled in disgust at the tough skin and pithy flavor.
Van chuckled at the face she made. "I think you peel them first." He pulled a folding tool from his pocket and flipped out a blade. Slicing the peel of his fruit from one end to the other, he held it out to Reva.
"I can do it." His knife had sunk through the peeling easily, so she used her thumbnails to score hers, and found soft, creamy flesh inside. She pulled the peel open further to reveal the rounded end. Putting it tentatively in her mouth, she licked it and then drew back to consider the taste. "Mm-mm." She put the fruit back in her mouth.
Van made a low noise, and she looked up to see him watching her raptly, his own fruit forgotten in his hand. His eyes had that sleepy look again, and his nostrils were flared. Glancing down, she saw a long, hard shape pushing against the confines of his long knit shorts.
She gave him a look of disgust. Really, it took so little to rev him up? She chose to ignore her own body's instinctive response to his arousal.
Van smirked. "What? I can't help it. You, dressed like that, looking like you're sucking on a man's... you know."
Reva bared her teeth at him, and snapped a large bite off the end of her fruit.
He winced. "Whoa." But his eyes laughed at her as he took large bites and chewed his own fruit.
"Good," he mumbled, his mouth full.
She nodded. It was good, sweet and creamy. It reminded her of fruit chews she'd had, but those had been dark brown. "I think these are called ba-na-na-bas," she said. "Or something like that. They also grow on Pangaea."
He chewed, eying her with interest. "How'd you know that?"
She shrugged, self-conscious under his gaze. "I like to know things about other planets. I study... well, I mean I watch the travel and history vids."
"That's great. You know how many of my warriors aren't even sure which way Aurellon is from Hamor?" he asked.
He straightened, and tossed his fruit peel into the sink.
"I like that you're curious," he said, taking the few steps to stand close before her. His eyes had that look again, intensified, and he was smiling down at her, his big hands on the counter on either side of her. "I'm curious too."
She'd just taken a bite of fruit. Now it sat on her tongue, a gooey mass too big to swallow. Yet chewing seemed beyond her capabilities, with him looming over her this way. "'bout what?" she mumbled.
He bent his head, his nose grazing hers, his warmth reaching out to her tangle her senses and rezz her nerve endings. "About how you'll taste with the bana-whatever on your tongue."
Reva swallowed, hard, nearly choking on the fruit.
But his hands were on her waist, lifting her up. He moved forward so she had no option but to part her bare legs and let him move between them.
And so it was she found herself sitting on the galley counter. The stone was cool and slick beneath her bare thighs. Van was hard and hot between them, and when he leaned in to kiss her, heat blazed everywhere their bodies met.
But this was a sweet burn, as addictive as the press of his lips to hers, and his tongue teasing into her mouth to taste hers. He hmmed his pleasure and deepened the kiss, sliding one arm around her back to pull her tight against him. The other hand strayed up into her hair, his fingers spearing into the silky mass as he kissed her.
And Reva kissed him back. How could she help it, when he was so... so Van. So big, and powerful and right in her arms, his taste edged with coffee and banana fruit and himself.
And when his blunt, skillful fingers slipped between her open thighs to trace the thin lace covering her mound, she shuddered with need. He repeated the motion, grazing her clitoris again.
"Can you take me again?" he asked, kissing her between words. "Or, will it be too soon?"
"I'm fine," she breathed. Oh, she was more than fine, she was on fire for more of his touch. When he pushed aside her panties and stroked a blunt finger into her, she whimpered and pushed against his touch, begging for more.
"Oh, my Reva," he groaned, shoving at his pants to free his cock. "God, you're so sweet. Need you again."
In a few deft motions, he'd guided himself to her, and slid carefully inside, pausing even though he was breathing harshly, his big body quivering with need.
"Okay?" he gritted.
"Okay," she urged, lifting her feet to wrap her legs around him and draw him to her. "More, Van."
He grunted as he slid home, deep within her. And this time, every nerve ending she possessed came alive and demanded more. More of his cock raking delicate nerve endings, more of the plump head striking a magical place deep inside her. More.
All the blood in Reva's veins thrummed and pulsed in time with Van's thrusts deep inside her, so loudly that when her body tightened around his, and it all imploded in sheer ecstasy, she swore the house thudded with her heart.
She buried her face in his throat and screamed softly.
Van stiffened in her arms, his muscles hard as cerametal. He turned his face into her hair and groaned, heat pulsing deep inside her where they were joined.
The thudding sounded again.
Which was when they both realized someone was outside, knocking on the front hatch.