Orion couldn’t believe he finally had Juanita in his arms, naked and wet and all his. The shower water formed droplets on her warm brown skin and ran down her lush body, following the curves and dripping off. He let his own hands explore those curves, enjoying how she pressed back into him, occasionally squirming as he brushed a sensitive spot. She kept kissing him, hard and hungry, and he regretted that he wasn’t yet ready to take her, but he had no regrets about the steamy way she’d pleasured him.

It filled him with warmth to know that she’d wanted to pleasure him. To make him happy. To support him.

He hadn’t quite realized how few people in his life offered him support. Admittedly, he had a tendency to push others away, especially these days, so he didn’t make it easy for them to want to get close and support him, but it had come so easily with Juanita from the beginning. As if being anything other than supportive would be foreign to her.

He pressed his fingers against the soap tile, then rubbed the rich liquid over her rich skin, running his hands over her hips and around to her butt, enjoying the physical exploration as he mused about the unique person he’d found on a planet he hadn’t believed existed until a few weeks ago.

She closed her eyes and made contented noises, so she must have been enjoying his explorations, but from the way she shifted and even writhed against him, he could tell she was antsy for more.

He trailed his fingers along her waist and to the damp curls of her groin, rubbing lightly, creating a lather with the soap. Her breath hitched, and she squirmed closer to him, looking up, her cheeks flushed. She pulled his head down again for another hungry kiss.

He shifted so that he stood behind her, and she made a sound of protest when their lips parted. But he cupped her breast with one hand and slid the other lower, slipping through her curls and parting her lower lips. He found hot, sensitive flesh and rubbed gently. She gripped his arm and pushed into his hand, her head falling back against his shoulder as he slid his fingers back and forth.

“Orion,” she said, half gasp, half groan.

“Yes?” he murmured, pleased at the way she strove toward his touch and at the way her bare ass shifted and ground against him. At the way her breasts shivered, wet and gleaming under the shower’s light. At the way her fingers curled around his forearm, tight and tense with the same kind of aching need he’d felt earlier. He wanted her to be aroused by his touch, to want nothing but him here with her, rubbing her, teasing her, pleasing her. The fact that she was so enthusiastically showing how hot she was for him made him feel potent and powerful. She did nothing to hide her feelings, her desire. Her eagerness made him want to please her. No, it did more than that. It excited him, and he felt his cock starting to stiffen again as she squirmed against him.

“Orion,” she groaned again.

“I’m glad you know my name,” he murmured in her ear, then sucked on her lobe as he continued to rub her, moving his fingers a little faster between her legs.

She panted, her squirming increasing. He lowered his mouth to her throat, nipping and kissing her warm, wet skin as she pushed back into him. His erection grew thick and full, and it crossed his mind to lift her slightly so he could drive into her right there.

“I want my gift,” she gasped, fingers digging into his arm. She ground against his hand as she turned her face toward him, “Please,” she whispered, the aching need clear in her voice.

“You deserve it,” he said.

And she did. He could have brought her over the edge with his fingers, but he ought to give as much of himself as she’d given of herself. He turned her and pushed her against the shower wall, the spray spattering against her chest.

“Orion,” she said, reaching for him, her voice a protest at the space between them. Then she spotted his hard cock, upright and eager for her again, and she whispered an, “Oh,” and spread her legs, meeting his eyes with a silent demand.

He smiled and dropped slowly to his knees as he stroked her breasts and then her hips, finally cupping her ass as he brought his face close to her. He rubbed his chin in her curly hair and smiled up at her, past her full breasts to her eyes. She gazed down at him, her lips parted, her chest rising and falling with her quick breaths. He smiled and slipped his tongue between her lower lips.

Hot and primed, she gasped at his first light touch, almost startling him when she arched toward him. His cock twitched in response, and that image returned to his mind, of leaping to his feet and ramming into her like a wild animal only thinking of satisfying its own lust.

Instead, he ran his tongue between her lips, pausing at her clitoris to explore the sensitive flesh around it. Her groans echoed in the shower cubicle, as he licked her long and languorously. Soon, her entire body grew rigid, almost shaking as she strained toward him. She rocked into him, and he quickened his pace for her sake. And maybe for his. A part of him wanted to draw it out, to make her arousal last and last, but with the blood rushing to his cock again, he struggled to focus on her pleasure instead of obsessing with slaking his own.

He parted her more fully so he could bring his lips in and take her clitoris in his mouth. He tasted the warm water of the shower, but he tasted her, too, heady and delicious.

Her fingers found his hair, gripping him hard as she panted above him. The sounds, the scents, her eagerness… Everything fueled his own desire, and he found himself trembling with such intense need that he almost had to back away. He’d only meant to give her pleasure, not to be aroused by it, but he was the one who couldn’t take much more of this. Gods, she tasted so good.

“Come for me,” he murmured, his mouth still against her. He gripped her ass hard and sucked on her clitoris.

She obeyed instantly, crying out as her fingers tightened in his hair. Waves of ecstasy seemed to go over her, and then her legs weakened, and she might have collapsed on the floor of the shower with him.

But he kept her pinned against the wall. He still needed her. Badly. Would she be ready for him after that?

He stood, slapping the controls to turn off the water so it wouldn’t wash away her own moisture, then he pressed his body against hers, capturing her mouth for a kiss. She seemed startled, eyes flying open when his tongue thrust into her mouth as his hard penis pushed against her groin. It wanted to push into her. Damn it, how had he grown so hard and demanding again so quickly?

He started to back off, sensing that she hadn’t expected him to be ready again so soon, but she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gripped the back of his head, pulling him close.

“I’m here for you,” she whispered and kissed him. More than that, she lifted one leg, hooking it around his hip, opening herself to him in invitation.

Heat and emotion surged through him as she once again showed her willingness to support him.

“I’m falling in love with you, woman,” he growled against her lips, his voice hoarse with lust and other less familiar emotions.

He gripped her leg with one hand and shifted his cock to find the right spot, so eager to thrust into her that he could barely control himself. He tried to go slowly, to make sure she was comfortable, but he wanted her so badly. His lower half took charge, diving into her slick, tight passage.

She welcomed him, taking him in fully, just as she’d done before. When he rocked in and out, his pace frenzied from the start, she matched him and even drove them faster. She gripped his shoulders, her fingers digging into his muscles, and they shared hard and demanding kisses even as they thrust, their damp bodies crashing together, fitting each other perfectly. So eager for him, so pleased to be with him, she came first, crying out her pleasure as an expression of ecstasy took over her face. Seeing her pleasure, seeing her gazing at him with adoration, brought him to his own climax, and for the second time that night, he poured himself into her.

He collapsed against her, holding her ass with his hands to keep her from sliding off him and down the wall. Not that she would have. At some point, she had lifted her other leg so that they were both wrapped around him, claiming him. It felt amazing to have someone that wanted to claim him.

“Are we sufficiently clean yet?” Juanita asked, her arms linked behind his neck.

She grinned, her cheeks wildly flushed.

“I think so,” he said, but reached back and turned on the water again, then carefully pulled out of her and set her down.

“I want to do that a lot more.”

He found himself returning her grin, her honest enthusiasm filling him with warm emotions again. “Well, I probably need a few minutes to recover first, but then I’m game.”

“I didn’t mean tonight. Well, I wouldn’t object to tonight, but I also want…” She bit her lower lip in a gesture that was becoming familiar to him, one he took for uncertainty.

“Yes?” He pulled her into his arms, then shifted around, so the spray of water would hit her back instead of getting in her eyes.

“I don’t want to go home yet.”

His breath caught. He didn’t want to assume she meant she wanted to stay with him forever, but her words kindled intense hope.

“It’ll be a couple of weeks before we get you back to your world,” he said slowly, touching the controls to turn off the water and dry them with the heat jets, “but did you mean… you want to stay for longer than that?”

“I want to see my family, so they know I’m all right, but I’d love to see more of the galaxy after that.” She met his eyes. “With you.”

He opened his mouth to enthusiastically agree, but she rushed to speak again, as if she was worried about his response.

“I mean, I know I don’t have any galactic money, whatever it is, and I’m just a writer, and not even a published one, but I know all about culinary stuff if someone needs a cook, and I don’t mind doing other work too.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that.” Orion picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. “I have a ship of my own, and there’s plenty of room for you. I make pretty good money catching criminals.”

Her nose wrinkled, and he thought she objected to the idea of running around the galaxy, hunting for criminals.

“Not that you have to help me bounty hunt,” he said. “I could take an extended vacation and do some traveling. I would love to show you my universe.” And he meant that. He would enjoy seeing her reactions to everything new. She would no doubt see all that he considered mundane as an adventure.

“I’m glad, but I don’t want to be a mooch. I want to pay my way.”

“Ah, I understand. I’m sure we can figure something out. Zeus knows the Star Guardians need a cook, but you’ve obviously got some other talents too. I’m sure we could work on developing those.” He kissed her as he laid her down on the bed and tugged a blanket over their naked bodies.

“That sounds promising.”

“Yes.” He slid a hand down her body, thinking that he might not need that long after all before he’d be up for doing “a lot more” with her.

“Just to be clear,” Juanita said, quirking an eyebrow, “we’re not talking about talents related to sex, right? I’m not looking to work for a galactic pimp.”

“Uh, I was thinking of your knack for shooting people and leading them into sinkholes.” He remembered how a couple of the Star Guardians had jokingly implied she could be chosen to join them, and wondered if it might be true, once she had some training. Would he be able to accept that if she was offered such a job and he wasn’t? Yes, he decided. He could handle supporting her.

“There are jobs for people with such knacks?”

“I’m sure we could find something. As for your bedroom talents…” He kissed her again. “I agree they’re vast, but I’m a possessive and jealous man, so I don’t want to share them with anyone else.”

She hooked a leg around his waist again. “Good.”

Some hours later, a beep came from the deck beside the bunk.

Orion and Juanita had dozed earlier, but were up again, enjoying each other’s company, half the sheets and the blanket now on the carpet with their clothes. That was where the beep had come from.

Orion glared and broke the kiss they had been sharing. “I knew it had to come eventually.”

Juanita smiled, pushing her fingers through his hair and rubbing his scalp.

“That feels so good,” he murmured, leaning his head into her hand.

The beep came again, and he reluctantly patted around on the deck, pushing aside the blanket and their clothing to find his discarded logostec. His shoulders slumped. It was Sage. Oh, well. Whatever lecture he received, this had been worth it. And—he blinked when he noticed how much time had passed—they’d had more time together than he had anticipated.

“Yes, Sage?” he answered.

“In an hour, we’ll be entering the first of the four jumps that will take us home.”

“That’s good,” Orion said, not certain what response his brother wanted. That couldn’t be the only reason he’d commed.

“We checked on the women in the rec room, and Miss Juanita is missing. Treyjon assures me she wasn’t left on the planet,” Sage said, his cool tone hard to read, as always. When he wasn’t angry enough to openly lose his temper, which was rare, it was always a mystery as to what he was thinking.

Orion waited for the inevitable question about where the missing Juanita was, but Sage didn’t ask it. He simply waited. Expecting his little brother to do the right thing and confess? This wasn’t a crime, damn it.

“She’s with me,” Orion said.

“I see.”

“I’m sure you do,” Orion muttered.

Juanita rubbed his scalp again, the gesture soothing rather than arousing this time.

“Miss Juanita, I assume you are there of your own accord?” Sage asked.

“Yes, Captain.” Juanita’s eyes glinted with mischievousness, and she added, “Your brother is a most talented, conscientious, and passionate lover.”

Orion felt his eyes fly open, and he imagined Sage’s doing the same. Indeed, long seconds passed while Sage seemed to be trying to find a response. Orion almost had to slap a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing. Juanita’s eyes twinkled. She came across as innocent, but he always had the feeling her words were more calculating than they seemed. He stroked the side of her face with his free hand.

“I’m sure our mother will be proud,” Sage finally managed. “Orion, the other women were expressing concern about Miss Juanita’s absence. Please return her to the rec room for the duration of the journey.”

Orion sighed. The inevitable mandate had come. He supposed he shouldn’t be disappointed. He and Juanita had spent an enjoyable time together, and Sage’s order was surprisingly polite. Almost a request. He neither seemed surprised nor openly disappointed that Orion had brought Juanita to his cabin.

“I will,” he said.

“Good.” It seemed like Sage should have ended the call then, but after a moment, he spoke again. “In regard to the research scientist’s death on the slaver ship…”

Orion winced. The last thing he wanted to be reminded of now was that—or the fate that might await him when they returned home and Sage reported that he’d been responsible. Those plans he’d been making with Juanita… they could only come to pass if he wasn’t thrown into prison. Or worse.

Juanita pulled him down, wrapping her arms around him in a supportive hug. By the gods, he loved that. He truly was falling in love with her. How could he give her up? How could he let himself be incarcerated for murder? Should he find a way to flee before they reached home? Would she go with him? And was it right to ask that? He had his ship, but he’d be marked as a criminal, and bounty hunters would be after him for the rest of his life. And if she were at his side, she would be in danger too.

He returned her hug, unable to imagine putting her in such a situation, but painfully reluctant to let her go.

“In reviewing the video footage that we were able to retrieve from the ship,” Sage went on, “the darkness makes it impossible to see what actually happened. With no evidence proving how the man died, I can only report with regrets to High Command that he was found dead on the slaver ship.”

Orion blinked a few times before he fully grasped what his brother was saying.

“I see,” he finally managed, not sure if he was supposed to thank Sage, or if they were silently agreeing to pretend they both didn’t know what had happened to the man.

“I appreciate your assistance on J-45782,” Sage said. “The DX-4800 could have destroyed the ship if they had succeeded in deploying it.” His tone, which had been on the grim and grave side, lightened and grew slightly dry. “Please inform Miss Juanita that I also appreciate her assistance. It took some work to retrieve those three slavers from the sinkhole, but they and the rest of their cronies are now packed in our brig cells. To capture three ships full of criminals is quite the achievement. High Command will be pleased.”

“Do we get a medal?” Juanita asked.

Orion snorted. He doubted Sage would actually include her or any of the other kidnapped women in his official report, but it didn’t matter. His brother wasn’t reporting him. That was enough.

“With luck,” Sage said, “your reward will be a swift return to your home world. I’m sure your families are worried about you. If High Command wills it, I will be happy to fly you all there.”

Juanita didn’t look as relieved as Orion would have expected at the announcement. Was she worried that the government would override Sage’s suggestions? That the Gaian women wouldn’t be allowed to return to their planet with what they knew? That High Command would order their gate closed again, so no more slavers could get in? Something that would once again cut them off from the rest of the galaxy?

“Sage,” Orion asked, “did you ever figure out how all those slavers came to be in the system and thought it would be a good idea to fly down and attack your ship?”

“Yes, the first officer explained his hopes under the truth drug’s influence. Before we ever showed up, he’d set into motion a plan to overthrow Cutty, take that ship, and claim that first batch of women for himself. He also wanted to milk Gaia for more slaves. But he needed help for the mutiny. That’s why he enticed three other captains to join in against Cutty in exchange for the directions to Gaia and also for a cut of the slaves they’d already acquired. Those ships were already waiting in the system to ambush Cutty when we showed up on his ass. The three other captains couldn’t get in touch with the first officer, since he was in our brig, but when they saw Falcon 8, seemingly damaged and helpless on the planet…”

“They swooped down to take advantage,” Orion said.

“Yes. Some underworld thugs have apparently placed a large bounty on my head, and it’s been known for a long time that people will pay for verified kills of Star Guardians too. They thought they’d get rich on our deaths.”

“Comforting.”

“Indeed. It’s good that we thwarted so many criminals at one time. As I said, the government should be pleased. Sagitta, out.”

Juanita was gazing toward the porthole, still looking worried.

“Whatever happens with the government,” Orion said, “we’ll get you home to tell your family that you’re safe. And then, you’re welcome to come back and explore the galaxy with me. If that’s what you wish.”

Her expression lightened. “Good. I want so much to see everything. Just think of all the material this will give me for my novels! And I do want to stay with you.” She touched the side of his face fondly.

“Because I’m a most talented, conscientious, and passionate lover?”

She grinned. “You quoted it verbatim.”

“I don’t get complimented that often. I make note of it when I do.”

“Maybe you can get the words silkscreened on a T-shirt.”

“I could, but I don’t need the rest of the galaxy to know.” He dropped his mouth to hers for a kiss. “That might not be good for my reputation when it comes to dealing with criminals and underworld lowlifes. Everyone else needs to see me as a fierce and deadly bounty hunter.”

“So, I shouldn’t have told your brother the truth?” she asked.

“No, that was perfect. You should tell him that every time he gives me a cross look. And then throw your arms around me for a passionate kiss.” He grinned, imagining the disturbed expression that might take over Sage’s face if he had to endure that.

“Gladly. Maybe we should practice.”

“We do have almost an hour until the gate jump.”

She pulled him down fully and wriggled her body against his. “Good.”