—
According to Liam, Tandra gave him a RAC as additional payment for his trouble delivering the box. Not only was this carrier larger than the one he had before, it was much nicer too.
The surfaces gleamed with an undisturbed shine. Even the scent of its newness permeated the air. Holy hell, it must cost a fortune in credits.
What the hell had been in that stupid box to warrant a payment like this? It really bothered Astrid to the core she would never find out. After all, she’d almost lost her life today for the damn thing.
What a way to spend her day-off from work. Nothing but absolute insanity. Kanon wouldn’t believe a single word when she told her why she missed her party.
Once Liam had them steady in the open air, Astrid headed for the roomy shower and took advantage of the hot, soothing water on her skin. She sighed in contentment. Most RAC showers were tiny rectangles with a stream of frigid water hosing you in the face.
While Liam showered, Astrid grabbed a soup tube at the bar and drank it. Soon, Liam joined her wearing a similar robe as she, water droplets clinging to his dark hair.
She felt a little disappointed he was more covered up this time around. That disappointment vanished when he plucked the soup tube from her hand, guzzled the remaining contents, and set the empty container down on the bar top.
“Hey!” she said, indignant. “There’s more, you know.”
“Yeah, but I took yours in revenge for stealing my soup tubes earlier.”
“This is the last time I’m going to say this: I saw them first.”
“That’s something we’re going to have to agree to disagree on, sweetstuff,” he said.
Wait a minute. He was smiling again and teasing her, too.
“Did you ever find out what was in that box?”
“I did,” he said, surprising her. “The recipe for Bonnie Blotko’s Banana Bread.”
“Are you kidding me?” Astrid squawked. “All that trouble for a recipe?”
“Apparently, one worth a fortune. But Tandra got it at a steal from Blotko’s grandson, Teva, who ran the company into the ground. Teva thought he could get the money from Tandra, and then steal back the recipe before she got it.”
“He literally wanted to have his cake and eat it too, huh?”
Liam chuckled. “Yep.”
Now that he was in a better mood, the guilt overpowered her, forcing her to speak in the amiable silence.
“I’m sorry, Liam,” she blurted out. “I know jumping off the cliff was really stupid. You could have gotten hurt trying to save me too.”
“Yeah, what you did was dangerous, but it was pretty badass too. I overreacted because I…”
His smile dimmed and he looked a little unsure.
“What?” she prompted.
He didn’t respond, but his gaze darkened becoming intense, sliding to her mouth. All of a sudden the room felt way too small. Astrid became hyper-aware of how close they stood beside each other.
The memory of their hot kiss just after capturing the goats returned to Astrid at the same time Liam leaned toward her, his lips hovering over hers.
“Because I like you a lot, Astrid,” he said, the deepness of his voice making her shiver.
He followed his confession with a kiss, trapping her body between the wall and his warm, firm body. Astrid wrapped her arms around his neck, raising up onto her toes, eager to taste him fully. But Liam broke the kiss before it deepened.
“Remember when I said there was a boss level in this game we’ll have to beat?”
“Yeah,” Astrid said. Playing a game was the furthest thing from her mind when Liam’s kiss still branded her lips, but the gamer inside her couldn’t resist. “What is it?”
“It’s called, ‘How Long Will Astrid Last Before She Begs Me To Fuck Her,’” he said, a curve on his lips. “Want to play?”
She snorted. “Who’s the boss I have to beat?”
“Me.”
“And what do I get if I win, boss?”
“Fucked by yours truly.”
The way he said it sent heat straight between her legs.
“What if you win?”
“Do I need to repeat myself?”
She licked her lips. “Fine. I’ll play.”
His smile was slow and sexy as fuck.
“Good girl.”
He led her to the lone bed located on the RAC, dragging her down to the soft surface as he kissed her. His hands roved down her sides as their tongues met and curled. Her fingers buried in his soft hair, Astrid held his hard body close desperate to feel every inch of him.
As they kissed, Liam slipped his hand between them, tugging free the tie on her robe. A moment of insecurity gripped Astrid as he pushed her robe open. After all, she hadn’t been naked in front of a guy since Vonn.
He broke their kiss, sliding his hand over her stomach to cup her breast. The hungry desire in his gaze convinced her that her worry was in vain. His touch pulled a moan from her, especially when he pinched and twirled her nipple between his fingers.
“I want to fuck you,” he said. God, if his voice alone could make her this wet, she didn’t even want to think what would happen when he finally touched her.
Astrid smirked. “The game hasn’t even started yet and you’re already losing, boss? For shame.”
“Know what?” he said, standing. “Just for that, I’m going to put that snarky mouth of yours to good use begging for my cock.”
He removed his robe, his toned, bronze body completely naked. He was nothing but defined muscle that made Astrid’s fingers itch to caress. Her gaze fell past his navel. Holy fuck. He hadn’t been joking when he’d said he had something huge below.
Huge and hard and pointing straight at her, beckoning her to touch it, taste it, demand it buried deep inside her.
“Close your mouth, Astrid, or I might get ideas.”
He climbed onto the bed again, looming over her.
“You’re such an arrogant ass—”
He cut her off with another kiss, weighing her down with his body so she they pressed intimately, skin to skin. His length pressed against her stomach. As his lips dragged down to lap at the sensitive spot on her neck, Astrid squirmed in quiet desperation for his cock.
She was competitive as hell and liked to win.
She wasn’t going to beg.
Not one bit.
No way.
But Liam continued to test her resolve as he dragged kisses across his chest. The damp heat of his mouth surrounded one of her breasts as his fingers trailed up her thigh then clenched onto her hip in a possessive grip.
His tongue teased her flesh, circling and flicking her nipple before he followed that torture up with a firm suck that pulled pleasured gasps from her. Astrid arched her back and clenched her teeth together, trapping his name in her mouth as he shifted his attention to her other breast.
When he released her breast, he pressed a wet kiss to her sternum, and met her gaze.
“I know you’re stubborn, but you’re not gonna win this one, sweetstuff.”
“Speak for yourself,” she said, her voice breathy.
Liam shimmied down her body, pressing lazy kisses on his way down. Her body jerked when he lapped along her hipbones. Sliding his hands slowly up her thighs, he dragged his lips achingly slow along the inside too.
A tremble went through Astrid, knowing his intentions. His fingers found her first, parting her and circling her tight, swollen nub. It had been a long time since anybody else but herself had touched her there. Vonn had barely known that part of her existed. But of course Liam did because he was her tormentor.
He pushed her thighs wider, baring her to him.
“You’re so fucking wet,” he said, his hot breath fanning her between her legs. “I think you want me inside you.”
Yes. Please. Now. What the fuck are you waiting for?
She bit her lips together, trapping the words.
“Back to keeping me silent, huh?”
He thrust his fingers inside her channel, a triumphant look on his face when she finally gasped his name. Astrid dug her fingernails into the bed sheet, her hips lifting when Liam’s hot, wet mouth covered her.
Her hand flew to back of his head as he sucked on her gently while his tongue lapped her. She rocked her body in rhythm with the thrust of his fingers, her moans growing louder as a familiar pressure built inside her.
“Liam…” she whimpered.
Each insistent lap of his sinuous tongue made her toes squeeze together tighter, and made her body jolt. She grew rigid as the tightening inside her rapidly unfurled in a sweet, pleasurable heat. Then she trembled for what felt like ages, crying his name again as she came.
Liam crawled up her body as she recovered, claiming her mouth in a deep kiss that made her even more desperate to have him.
“Fuck me,” she said against his lips. She no longer cared who was the winner in their silly game. She just wanted him. “I want you to fuck me, Liam.”
He didn’t have any teasing retort for her, neither did he hesitate. Clearly, he was just as desperate as she. He groaned and pressed his forehead to hers as he thrust into her wet heat.
“You feel so good on me,” he groaned. “You’re perfect.”
His words made her warm with pleasure, her walls clamping down on his hard length invading her as her body tried to adapt. At last, her plight of cocklessness was over. Cured by Liam whose flesh was like hot steel stretching and filling her.
She curved her hands around him and moaned as he began to move. He sped up, his mouth finding hers, their kiss hungry and demanding.
He pounded into her, and Astrid wrapped her legs around his hips, enjoying every single hard thrust. Heat spread throughout her body, fierce and consuming.
“Oh god… Liam…” Astrid moaned, shivering in his arms, and squeezing him to her tight.
His groan reverberated through her as she constricted him and pulled him to release too. He grunted, twitching inside her, lengthening the sweet sensation coursing through her.
“Who won the boss level?” she asked after her breathing had regulated.
Liam rolled off of her, pulling her up against him.
“I think we both did,” he said. “And we’re gonna win a few more times before we get to Gamazan City.”
He kissed her until she broke it and smiled at him.
“Liam?”
“Yeah?”
“I like you a lot too.”
—
Thank you for reading! Please take a moment to leave an opinion about this book! Readers rely on reviews and your opinion can help others decide on future purchases. Make your vote count!
For future releases from Shea Malloy, .
—
Preview: Out of this World (Celestial Mates)
Call me crazy but waking up to a green-haired woman grinning in your face is not the best start to the morning.
“What the f—”
“Greetings, Rosalind Fry! I’ve brought great news! You’ve been matched!”
She claps her hands together and glitter falls from out of nowhere all over my face.
“Ow, ow, ow!” I sit up and spit out glitter, rubbing the rest of it out of my eyes. “Who the hell are you? Get out of my room! Get out of my apartment!”
She doesn’t move, her grin does not waver. Her eyes are wide and sparkling. There’s a disturbing unhinged look lurking in their jade depths.
“I’m Leeka, your matchmaker in love. I’m here to congratulate you on your extraordinary match!” She snaps her fingers together and a translucent tablet appears in her hand.
She attempts to show me the tablet’s screen. I glimpse a man’s face as I bat her hand away and push to my feet. Even though my older brother, Paul, calls me ‘little Fry’ because I’m short, I’ve got at least a head on this pixie.
I muster up the toughest voice I can summon. “Look, lady. Get outta my place right now or I’m calling the Enforcers.”
When she still doesn’t move, I make a run for it. There’s only one distress button in my apartment than the mandated three. As expected when you live in the shittiest quadrant on Zenovas 9. It’s literally the shittiest since Quadrant 4—or Poopapalooza Plaza as Paul calls it—is home base for the garbage dumps and sewer relief from Quadrants 1 to 3. Not to mention, the Overseer of this rust bucket complex is a cheap ass.
The distress button is supposed to be located in a place you won’t accidentally press it. Usually some place inconvenient and hard to get to. Which, in my opinion, defeats the purpose of a distress button in the first place. After all, you only ever need it in moments of emergency. Therefore, the absolute last thing you want to be doing in an emergency is squeezing yourself into your tiny kitchen cupboard for a button tucked under the sink.
Because you know what can happen? You can get yanked out of that cupboard by the back of your shirt by a demon pixie with supernatural strength.
“Eughgh!” comes out of my mouth as the front of my shirt tightens around my throat. My bare thighs squeak against the floor as I’m dragged backward. I put up a fight by squirming and slapping my hands behind me. But, like I said, green-haired girl has some major galactic weight champion strength in her slim arms.
“You’re coming with me!” Leeka shouts just before a bright light envelops us. I scream but I can’t hear myself. For a few moments I’m weightless and can’t see squat. Then I’m falling and I’m screaming, flapping my arms in a futile effort to grab onto something. I’ve always wanted the ability to fly, but this is not what I had in mind! Oh shit, I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die! I’m gonna…
“…diiiieeee—”
“Oh, shut up and stop being so dramatic. You’re already here.”
My eyes spring open. I’m face down and spread-eagled on a black marble floor. It’s so shiny, I can see the extra frizz my auburn hair has acquired and my crazed, terrified reflection staring right back at me.
I snap my head up to find a scowl on Leeka’s face, her arms folded across her chest. I’m about to let loose a ton of expletives at her when a man marches into the room.
What. The. Shit.
It’s Garan Dross. One of the wealthiest men in the galaxy. Also the creator of the Vis S215 series—the fastest ships in the universe and, grudgingly, my ultimate wet dream made real in sexy, reinforced Rurium steel. Most importantly, he’s at the top of Rosie Fry’s, ‘Aliens I’d Like to Murder In Their Sleep’ Shit List.
Rich and fricking hot as the sun on Venus, Garan Dross is every bipedal female’s—and also those with extra limbs—fantasy come alive. Well, except mine. Especially not after what he did to me. Articles all over the InterGalNet wax poetic on his stunning amber eyes, his gorgeous dark hair streaked with gold and how the small black horns protruding from his forehead not only reminds us of his impressive Rur dragon ancestry, but adds to his dangerous yet sexy charm.
Wanna know what I see whenever I look at his—admittedly handsome—mug? A thieving ass.
—
More by Shea Malloy