CATRIN

“Approaching Saitalian Station,” Sentorr’s calm voice calls over the intercom. “Docking soon.”

I thumb a comm over to the bridge, curious. “How soon is soon?”

“Er, a few minutes. Why?” Sentorr’s voice is full of confusion.

“Just wondering. Don’t come to med-bay for the next fifteen to twenty.” I adjust my jumper—a new, sexy-feeling one made of a slinky fabric that changes colors in the light and has a belt that hangs against my hips in a way that accentuates them. Tarekh’s gonna love it.

“TMI,” Fran pipes up over the intercom.

Oh shit. Was that not a direct comm? I guess my surprise is spoiled. “None of you guys come to med-bay for the next fifteen minutes,” I bellow out over the intercom again and then shut it off. I leave my room—our room—and head down the hall to med-bay, where my love is probably trying to find the scanner I keep putting back in the right place. It’s like if things are out of place, Tarekh can find them. In the right home? He’ll look for hours.

It’s a fun game.

Alyvos passes me in the hallway and just gives a small shake of his head. I grin at him. They might think our antics are a little over the top, but they’re fun. Besides, he doesn’t realize what a turn-on it is to see Tarekh’s horns blush at the base. When he gets his own female, he’ll understand.

I head to med-bay and the door slides open. Sure enough, Tarekh’s on the floor, digging through the cabinet of medi-parts and spares that I’ve thoughtfully organized for him. He glances up at me briefly. “What was that on the comm all about? And have you seen my scanner? I’d swear it was just here.”

I move to the table and hop onto it, crossing my legs. “I need a moment with the medic of this ship,” I tell him, making my voice as grave as possible.

He jerks upright, looking over at me. “Are you all right? What’s wrong?” His eyes widen. “Are you pregnant?”

“Not yet, silly. We don’t see the baby doc for another six months, remember?” We’re saving money up for a nice little place on a distant planet where we can hide out and raise a family. Maybe. We haven’t decided yet, mostly because we’re having too much fun pirating right now. I’m pretty sure I gave Tarekh a few white hairs when we had to raid that ship in the Zstyri system, but later on, he admitted it was a good plan. No one saw a human female coming, and then it was too late. I told him I was a perfect Trojan horse…and then I had to explain what a Trojan horse was.

“Right.” He gives me a sheepish look. “Just we have a lot of sex.”

Boy, do we. And boy, do I love it. Which is why I’m here. I bite my lip and put my hand on my zipper at my throat. “We need to talk, doctor. I have an ache.”

He approaches me, eyes narrowed with concern. “What aches? And why are you calling me doctor? And where’s my scanner?”

Good lord, this man is bad at playing pretend. “What aches?”

“Yes.” Real worry is in his eyes and he runs his knuckles over my cheek. “Was I too rough with you last night?”

“God, no,” I breathe. Last night was pretty amazing…which might be why I’m horny and showing up at med-bay for a quickie before we dock. “But I do ache. So badly.” I add a sultry note to my voice.

“Show me where.”

I pull down the zipper of my jumper and expose my breasts, squeezing them together. “Right here, doctor.”

His horns flush. Tarekh tears his gaze away from my cleavage and then shoots me an incredulous look. “This is a game?”

“A sexy game.”

Relief moves over his face and he rubs a big hand down his jaw. “You’ll be the death of me, Cat. Little tease.”

“Shhh,” I tell him, nudging his leg with my boot. “Play along.”

He schools his features and clears his throat. “Sorry. Of course. What can this lowly medic do to help you, female?”

I bite my lip and push my heaving, naked breasts at him. “I’m pretty sure a nice tissue massage would help the ache.”

He gets a speculative gleam in his eyes and leans in. “I’ve heard if you rub lower, it can alleviate a host of symptoms in the body. Would you like for me to try?”

Oh, now my nipples are really tight and I’m throbbing with anticipation. “That’s a great idea,” I say, breathless. “Because I just started aching between my thighs, too.”

“I’ve got the perfect solution for that,” he murmurs, and licks his lips. “Lie back on the table and let this medic help you.” One hand presses me back even as he holds my legs and pulls them apart. “I won’t stop until I’ve eased your pain.”

My little moan is one of excitement. “We’ve got fifteen minutes before the others are expecting us,” I tell him even as he begins to undo the auto-zips on the pants leg of my jumper.

“You can’t rush a good tonguing,” my lover tells me. “Not when it’s a matter of life or death.”

God, do I love this man.