Chapter Thirteen
Hitching up her skirts, Lucy waded around the pool of gloriously purple water. The hot Taar-Breckian sun shone down on her and with no sounds to disturb the peace, she could almost fool herself into believing that everything was perfect. If it wasn’t for the brooding male who stood ten feet away, scrutinizing her as though trying to read her innermost thoughts, she could have pretended that all was well in her world. Sadly, it wasn’t, but she’d finally done something she hoped would make it better. She just didn’t know how to broach the subject with Taryn. She suspected he would not be pleased with what she had to say.
“Come out of the water,” Taryn instructed. “You need to find shelter from the sun.”
Lucy sighed. She was enjoying the feeling of the cool water on her feet, but Taryn was probably right. Her pale skin could scarcely withstand the summer heat back in New Cambridge. She hated to think how badly she might burn if she stayed out in the glare of the sun for much longer. She paddled back toward Taryn and took his outstretched hand, allowing him to help her from the water.
She slipped her shoes back onto her still wet feet and Taryn began to lead her back to the waiting vehicle. He’d taken his friend Bryn’s cruiser as Victoria was currently in possession of his. With Bryn still back on Earth, looking for her friend Lottie, he need never know, Taryn had said, his eyes glinting with mischief that had made him seem younger, less severe. It was a side of him she hadn’t seen and she found that she liked it.
As Taryn opened the door of the cruiser for her, Lucy’s heart sank. It couldn’t be more than an hour since they’d left the apartment and she wasn’t ready to go back yet. There were things she needed to say to Taryn and she wanted to hold off having that conversation for as long as possible.
“We aren’t going back to the apartment.” Taryn had clearly seen the disappointment on her face. “There’s a place not far from here that I want to show you.”
“Is it close enough to walk?” Lucy asked. Despite the risk of sunburn, she was enjoying being out in air so fresh it felt as though it was cleansing her entire body with each breath she took.
“We could,” Taryn said, “but the terrain is rough and in this heat, you would struggle.”
Lucy nodded and decided to defer to his greater wisdom and obediently climbed into the vehicle. Taryn got into the driver’s seat and glanced at her, an inscrutable expression on his face, before firing up the engine and moving off. The journey passed in silence but, thankfully, it was short, and Taryn was soon pulling up in a forest clearing at the base of a mountain.
He got out of the vehicle and paused for a moment, his head cocked as though he was looking for something. Apparently finding what he was searching for, he nodded his head and came around to open Lucy’s door for her. She was surprised, as she stepped out of the cruiser, to find a cooler breeze lapping over her skin despite the relentless glare of the sun overhead.
“What is this place?” she asked as she twirled around, taking in the mountains, the trees and the intense purple sky.
“It was my sanctuary when I was a boy,” Taryn said. “Few know of its existence.”
Lucy smiled. It felt a bit like being taken on an adventure. Setting foot in a secret place reminded her of the some of the stories she’d read. She was sure they’d been intended for children when they were written, but she’d liked them all the same. There was a romance to them that she saw reflected in Taryn’s uncharacteristic decision to bring her here. He’d never let her glimpse anything of himself and now that he seemed on the verge of sharing something private with her, she wasn’t sure what to make of it. Perhaps she was reading too much into it.
He led her over to a place where the rock jutted out and smiled at her like an eager boy about to reveal a huge secret. She could scarcely believe how different he seemed all of a sudden. He was by no means carefree, but there was a definite dialing down of the intensity he exuded. He took several steps to the side, bringing her along with him, and pointed to where he wanted her to look. There, behind the rock, was a concealed entrance. Anyone passing by would be hard pressed to notice it. Not that she imagined this remote spot attracted much footfall.
Her heart beat a little faster as Taryn led her forward. She felt a tingle of anticipation going through her as she wondered if she was on the verge of a great discovery. He took her along a narrow corridor in the rock that was tricky, even for someone as slight as her, to negotiate. It seemed like an impossibly tight squeeze for a man of Taryn’s stature but, somehow, he kept moving forward.
Lucy felt disoriented in the darkened space and, for a moment, she worried that she might fall into a panic. Her breathing became more rapid and her body started to shake. Seeming to sense her growing distress, Taryn squeezed her hand in reassurance. It helped calm her a little, but she couldn’t wait to be out in the open again.
Eventually, she began to see light up ahead. They emerged from the dark passageway, into an enormous cave flooded with sunlight. Lucy couldn’t see how it was possible that it was so bright, considering they must be deep inside the mountain. The mystery was solved as Taryn indicated a small opening in the rock above him. She looked around and realized that the sunlight streaming in was being reflected off shimmering white walls and a huge silvery lake that stretched far back into the cave, beyond her field of vision.
“This is…” Lucy’s voice trailed off. She had no words to describe the sheer beauty of the place or the tranquility it evoked. It was as close to paradise as anything she’d ever imagined.
“Would you like to swim?” Taryn asked. He studied her face as she bit her lip. “Do you know how?”
Lucy shook her head. Clearly, Taryn wasn’t aware of how valuable a commodity water was back in New Cambridge. The city was landlocked, and it was unsafe to travel out through the wilder-lands to the sea. It wasn’t as though there were artificial bathing spots either. Having a bathtub in your home was a luxury few could afford; having a place to swim was unheard of.
“I could show you how,” Taryn offered as he started to strip off his clothes.
“No, that’s alright.” Lucy’s eyes widened as they always did when he got naked. No matter how many times she saw that beautifully sculpted body, she knew she would never get sick of seeing it.
“Very well,” Taryn said, before turning and running into the lake. When he was up to his waist in water, he plunged forward.
Lucy gasped as he disappeared under the surface. She moved closer to the water, her eyes scanning for a sign that he was alright. For several torturously long minutes, she could see nothing. She bit her bottom lip and tried to quell the anxiety blooming inside of her. How long could he hold his breath underwater? Just as she was beginning to really worry, he reappeared and swam toward her, taking broad strokes with his arms that made his muscles ripple.
“The water is nice and cool.” If he could see the concern on Lucy’s face, he didn’t address it. “Come in. I will not let anything happen to you.”
Lucy hesitated, but the water—and the naked Taar-Breckian warrior in it—was pretty enticing. Trusting that Taryn would look after her, she quickly stripped off her dress. She folded it neatly and left it on a rock where it would not get splashed. Then she took off her shoes and carefully tiptoed into the lake. She was instantly struck by how silky the water felt. It seemed to caress her skin. Beneath her feet was a soft, grainy substance that she thought might be sand.
As she got closer to Taryn, he reached out and pulled her to him for a kiss. Her lips were soft on hers as his tongue swept into her mouth. His touch as he ran his hands over her shoulders was surprisingly gentle. He showed her a reverence he hadn’t before. When he pulled back, he looked deep into her eyes and smiled with genuine warmth.
“This isn’t so bad, is it?” he asked.
Lucy shook her head. Although her feet weren’t touching the ground anymore, she felt surprisingly at ease.
“Lie back and relax.” He gave a nod of reassurance as panic flared in Lucy’s eyes. “It’s okay, I’ll hold you.”
“Okay.”
Despite her trepidation, Lucy let Taryn help her to lie back in the water. He put a hand beneath her shoulders as she dipped backwards, allowing her legs to float up in front of her at the same time. She let out a panicked squeal as she found herself in a horizontal position and then relaxed, knowing that Taryn was not about to let her drown.
“You are okay?” Taryn checked.
“Yes.” Lucy actually meant it. Even if Taryn hadn’t moved his hand to the small of her back where he could give her better support, she got the sense that the water would have held her up. There was a strange density to it that allowed her to float quite easily.
“Good girl,” Taryn praised. “Now, hold still.”
Lucy didn’t have a chance to question his command before she felt his hand move down over her bottom and in between her legs. She gasped as his fingers found her clitoris and began to rub it gently. Her legs kicked out reflexively, and she would have slipped under the water if Taryn had not steadied her.
“Hold still,” he told her once more, his tone a little firmer now.
Lucy took a deep breath and steeled herself to remain still as Taryn resumed his sensual assault. He trailed his finger along her feminine slit with such a light touch, it almost drove her wild. Her jaw clenched as she fought the urge to press herself against him. As he circled the tiny bud of her clitoris with his thumb, it began to pulse to the beat of her increasingly desperate desire. Lucy whimpered as the need to be fucked began to build inside her. Hips straining against her own determination to remain in position, she almost wept as the intense arousal threatened to overwhelm her.
“Please,” she begged. “Please, fuck me, Master.”
The word slipped more easily from her tongue than it had before and in that moment, she meant it. When it came to the needs of her body, he was her master. Smiling, Taryn shifted, pulling her upright.
“Wrap your legs around me.”
Lucy didn’t need to be told twice. Putting her hands on his shoulders, she straddled his waist and ground her hips against him, trying to get as close as possible. Taryn took her mouth with his, plunging his tongue deep. She groaned as he drove his thick cock into her eager pussy. Painfully aroused, she clamped down on him immediately, the waves of desire propelling her into a state of sheer bliss. As she slowly regained her senses, she looked into Taryn’s eyes and knew he wasn’t done with her.
Without withdrawing from her quivering body, he strode toward the edge of the lake. Each step he took made her shudder with renewed pleasure as his cock moved inside her. As they reached dry land, Taryn dropped to his knees and laid her out flat before him. He started to thrust his hips more forcefully now, his steely length grazing her engorged clitoris as he hit that special spot inside her again and again.
His hand skimmed the curve of her breast and he dipped his head to take her nipple into his mouth. Lucy’s hands tangled in his golden hair as he sucked gently, creating another assault on her senses. Every part of her body was alive in that moment. Each nerve tingled with anticipation of the pleasures still to come. As his tongue lapped over the silken skin of her breast, Lucy’s breathing became erratic. She panted and moaned as her body was assailed by sensation. All thought fled from her mind. Nothing existed outside of this moment. As Taryn released her nipple, he rose up on his forearms and looked down at her with such intense longing, Lucy almost came apart on the spot. She had never seen this expression on his face before. It conveyed something desperate inside him, a need that was almost painful.
He drove into her, his cock stretching her. His face contorted as he slammed into her again and again.
“So perfect,” he ground out.
Lucy could only whimper in response. As Taryn’s fingers slipped between their bodies and he found her clitoris once more, the dam finally broke. Lucy’s heart pounded, her body convulsed, and she screamed as she achieved a release so powerful she almost blacked out. She barely noticed, a moment later, her narrow channel being flooded with hot spurts of Taryn’s seed. Sighing contentedly, she allowed him to pull her into his arms as he rolled onto his back. Laying her head against his chest, she could hear his heart beating out a steady, reassuring rhythm. As she stared up at the iridescent ceiling of the cave, she contemplated the perfection of the moment. For the first time, she felt what she suspected was love welling inside her. Closing her eyes, she tried not to cry. She did love him but, sadly, it just wasn’t enough.
* * *
His pet was quiet the whole way back to the apartment, even more detached from him than she’d been over the past few days. Taryn couldn’t figure out what the problem was. She’d spent the better part of the afternoon asleep in his arms and they’d shared a closeness they hadn’t before now. He’d lain there beside her and listened to her breathing softly, smiling as she gave the occasional little sigh of contentment.
When she’d woken, warm and pliant in his arms, they’d shared a deep, sensuous kiss. Things had felt right but, by the time she was pulling her clothing back on, something had shifted. She’d withdrawn back into that protective shell she’d built around herself and now the gulf between them felt wider than ever. The constant changes in Lucy’s mood were confusing him and he had no idea how to deal with it. As tempted as he was to spank the reticence right out of her, he knew that would ultimately do more harm than good. He was not adept at dealing with human emotions, but he realized they were going to have to talk about how things were between them.
As they emerged from the elevator onto his floor, Taryn was surprised to find his superior officer, Andrew Rossingham, standing in the hallway. That he was here at all was unusual, but it was the fact that he was alone that really struck Taryn as odd. Normally, on official business, the commander would be accompanied by at least one member of his personal staff. Perhaps that meant this was a social call, but Taryn couldn’t imagine what would have prompted it.
“Sir,” he said as he stood to attention. “I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long.”
“You weren’t expecting me,” the other man pointed out, “and we’re off duty, so less of the sir.”
That might have told Taryn that his friend was not here on military business, but the reasons for Andrew’s visit eluded him.
“Do you have news of Allik?” Taryn asked as he placed his palm flat against the scanner to open the apartment door.
“He’s been released,” Andrew replied. “I had no doubt he was innocent, but the High Council insisted on pressing their case against him. He didn’t help matters by trying to take the blame for things that were not his fault, of course.”
“He wanted to protect his mate,” Taryn said.
“Yes, he did. Luckily, she turned up to disrupt proceedings and the High Council’s case fell apart.”
Taryn smiled. He wasn’t in the least bit surprised that Victoria had succeeded in her quest to help Allik and he was relieved that his friend was safe.
“But, I believe you know something about that,” Andrew continued, “since they rode off into the sunset in your cruiser. I’m amazed you lent your vehicle to Miss Walton.”
The smirk on Andrew’s face told Taryn he was not angry that he had assisted Victoria in her bid to help Allik.
“She overpowered me,” he joked.
“She overpowered all of us,” Andrew replied drily. “The members of my wife’s little circle are proving to be quite unpredictable.”
He looked pointedly in Lucy’s direction. Taryn noted the way her cheeks stained with color. She averted her gaze and stared down at the floor. He had no idea what she had to feel guilty about, but something was clearly playing on her conscience.
“Caroline, for example, is always up to something.” Andrew kept his eye fixed on Lucy. “She’s currently at home nursing a sore bottom for interfering in matters that don’t concern her. That’s why I’ve come instead of her. You were expecting my wife, weren’t you?”
Taryn was about to deny it but then he realized the question had actually been directed at Lucy. He turned to see her shrink before his eyes. It occurred to him in that moment that she’d been in contact with someone at the Citadel earlier, while he was out of the apartment with Victoria. He hadn’t got around to questioning her about it but now it seemed he had the answers. She’d spoken with Caroline Rossingham. His eyes narrowed as he studied her defensive posture. Just what had she told the other woman?
“Lucy, is there something you wish to tell me?” he asked.
She looked up at him, her eyes watery and her bottom lip wobbling. He took a step toward her, intending to offer her reassurance that she could speak, but she retreated from him. Taryn stopped where he was and looked at her in dismay. Surely, she had not thought he was about to hurt her? She looked scared and he didn’t like it. Not one hour ago, they’d been lying entangled in each other’s arms and now she was cowering away from him like he was some sort of monster. Her mouth opened as though she was about to say something, but no words came out.
“Miss Bainbridge has asked my wife for sanctuary,” Andrew said, breaking the silence.
“Sanctuary?” Taryn repeated. He looked for answers, but she just stood there, slowly shaking her head. “I…”
Andrew held a hand up to stop him speaking.
“There is no question of wrongdoing here, my friend. Your conduct is not in doubt,” Andrew assured him. “It seems that Miss Bainbridge desires some time to think and my wife offered our hospitality.”
“For how long?” Taryn asked.
“I don’t know.” It was Lucy who spoke, her voice quiet, her uncertainty betrayed by the wobble of her lip. “Maybe for a few days, maybe forever.”
Taryn scrubbed a hand over his face. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He’d realized that Lucy wasn’t content with the way things were between them. She’d been restless from the moment they’d arrived on Taar-Breck.
“Unless, of course, you object,” Andrew said, “since I believe you have already claimed her.”
A refusal to allow her to leave sat on the tip of Taryn’s tongue. Under Taar-Breckian law, he could compel Lucy to stay if he wanted to, unless she made an allegation of abuse against him. He didn’t think she would go that far but, then again, he hadn’t foreseen her going behind his back to contact Caroline Rossingham either.
“I have no objection,” he said with great reluctance.
“In that case, Miss Bainbridge, go and pack what you need. I have been away from my wife for long enough. Who knows what she might be getting up to?”
Lucy nodded and scurried from the room. Her apparent eagerness to get away from him struck another blow to Taryn’s heart.
“It is probably for the best that you have some time apart,” Andrew told him. “You have an important meeting with the Bylanthians and Lucy’s unhappiness would serve only as a distraction.”
The words were, no doubt, meant to contain some reassurance, but Taryn knew they were also a reminder of the importance of his mission. In less than a day, he would head off for peace talks with an unpredictable enemy and he needed to be at the top of his game. He would leave Lucy behind and hope he could banish her from his thoughts for long enough to achieve his mission. As pain twisted his guts at the idea of being apart from her, it seemed an impossible task.