Ten
Alina leaned her shoulder against the bulkhead, watching her son and Ualtar play some alien board game the Tevan had produced to kill time on their trip back to Vardon.
His little face lighting with triumph, Galar moved his stone piece and clicked it against the reptile’s. “Hah! Got your behrooz!”
The big alien sat back with a grunt of disgust. “Kid, you’re a menace. You sure you’ve never played this game?”
“I learn fast. Gimme.”
Ualtar shook his horned head and reached into a pocket of his unisuit to pull out a credit chip. As he handed it over to her crowing offspring, he said, “You’ve raised a hustler, Alina.”
Baird stepped up behind her and slid his arms around her waist. “It’s like I keep telling you, partner—if they’ve got a battlecomp, don’t play strategy games with ’em.”
“That wasn’t just computer. He’s definitely your kid.”
Baird grinned. “Thank you.”
“It wasn’t a compliment.” To Galar he added, “Set the board up again, brat. I want my credits back.”
Baird cleared his throat. “If you two are going to be busy for a while, we’re going to go in the back and…check the prisoners.”
The boy looked up at his new friend, his expression mischievous. “They want to get gooey again, don’t they?”
Ualtar reached over and ruffled his hair. “Get used to it.”
With a laugh, Baird tugged Alina back out of the wardroom and into the hall. “Man knows me too well.”
She threaded an arm around his waist. “I can’t believe you had me convinced that scaly teddy bear was a killer data thief.”
Baird shrugged. “Ualtar’s a good actor. We’ve been running scams like that for years.” He slanted her a look. “Though that particular fight got a little rougher than I intended. I’m sorry about that, by the way.”
“Considering you thought I was selling the plans for the next Vardonese warship to the Xer, I wouldn’t have blamed you for shooting me on the spot.”
“Well, we did need you to lead us to your contact.” They started down the corridor of the little ship together. “And as I said, I couldn’t believe you knew what was happening.”
“I didn’t, but I certainly should have. I did know Rajin had been stealing from Kasi House.”
“It’s quite a jump from there to treason.”
“Maybe, but the Kasi board of executives will probably bring me up on charges anyway. I knew what I was doing when I transported those gems for Rajin.”
Baird laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Given the threat to Galar, I doubt they’ll charge you. Particularly when you’ve got excellent grounds for a lawsuit. According to the evidence we’ve collected, our source at Kasi House wasn’t the only one who knew Rajin was dirty. The others cooperated because she paid them off in advancements and incentives. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them even knew about what she’d done to Galar. Somebody definitely helped her poison his implants. When we find out who they are, they’ll be charged as an accessory to attempted murder.”
“I only wish I could get to them first.” Alina gave him a wicked grin. “Hey, there’s an idea. How about looking the other way while I slip off to the brig and beat the bitch out of Rajin?”
Baird grinned back. “No. First, I need her in a large enough piece to stand trial, and two, you’re about to be much too busy to worry about her.” A corridor door slid open, and he waltzed her into his quarters, a room scarcely big enough for both of them and his bed.
“Does this mean we’re about to get gooey?” She wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Oh, yeah.” He leaned down to take her mouth with his.
His lips were just as warm and clever as she remembered, and she sighed in pleasure. “You know, you’re very good with that mouth,” she told him when he let her come up for air.
“Want to find out what else I’m good at?” He slid his hands under the hem of her tunic.
Alina smiled as his long fingers caressed and explored their way up her ribs. “I’ve already got a…” He reached a nipple, and she caught her breath. “Ah!…Pretty good idea.”
Baird withdrew his hands and started to turn away. “Well, if you’re not interested…”
“Wait one minute! Where do you think you’re going?” She bent, caught him behind the thighs, and hefted him off his feet. He made an awkward armful even with her enhanced strength, so before she could lose her grip, she turned and tossed him lightly onto the bed.
Flat on his back, Baird smirked at her. “Now, is that any way to treat a Warlord?”
“Yep.” She pulled her tunic off over her head and popped open her breastband. Her breasts bounced free and bare.
“Okay, you’ve got me there.” He sat up to watch with lecherous interest as she bent and started wiggling her way out of her tight pants. “Why don’t you bring those pretty little nipples over here, and I’ll show you all my favorite tricks.”
She propped her fists on her hips. “Take off your pants, and I’ll show you mine.”
Laughing, Baird started stripping off his uniform. Alina took advantage of his distraction to pounce just as he got his boots off, knocking him back so she could straddle his broad, brawny chest. “Got you.”
“Possibly.” He caught her thighs in his big, warm hands, high up, right at the groin. His thumbs stroked her labia. She gasped at the sweet rise of pleasure. His golden eyes glinted up at her. “Then again, maybe I’ve got you.”
Alina settled back on his muscled belly, gazing down into his handsome, angular face. The joy that swelled in her heart was almost giddy. Finally, she was free to touch him, love him as she chose. “Or maybe we’ve got each other.” She sobered and touched his tattooed cheek. “I’m sorry.”
He lifted a dark brow. “Sorry you’ve got me?”
“Sorry I hurt you.”
He gave her a tight smile. “I got you back. I sicced the three-hundred-kilo Tevan on you.”
“Mmm.” Alina bent low over him and licked one of his nipples, her gaze on his. “And yet, I feel the need to atone.”
Baird drew in a breath as she gently nibbled. “Well, if you insist.”
She smiled, spreading her hands over the warm, muscled ridges of his chest. Licking, suckling, she stroked her way gently downward, exploring the tight line of his abdominals. They flexed as he gasped. Tenderly, she raked her nails through the thick ruff of hair on his chest. She inhaled, drinking in his scent.
One of his hands slipped between their bodies to cup her breast. He squeezed gently, then rolled her nipple between his fingers, sending sweet pleasure radiating through the peak.
But this was for him, so Alina drew away and moved lower down his body. His cock curved over his belly, thick and silken, more of that thick hair covering his balls. She cupped him with one hand, and the big shaft leaped in anticipation. “Hi, there,” she purred, bending over the silken head.
“Hi, yourself.” His voice sounded hoarse with need. A bead of pre-come gathered on the tip of his cock, silent testimony to his hunger.
She flicked it off with her tongue, enjoying his moan, then circled the thick rod with her fingers. Angling him upward, she took him into her mouth, slowly, taking her time. His skin felt slightly nubby against her tongue as she swirled it back and forth. Tightening her lips, she began to suck in deep, slow pulls.
“Goddess, Alina!” Baird gasped. One hand came up catch the back of her head, fingers tunneling through her hair.
Smiling around his width, she slid him deeper, slowly, a centimeter at a time, spinning out the pleasure as long as she could. At the same time, she cupped him, stroking his heavy balls through the velvet skin of his sac.
He twisted under her. There was something so delicious in his arousal that she felt her own cream gathering. Baird wasn’t a passive lover; she knew it wouldn’t be long before his control snapped.
He lasted longer than she expected under her slow, delightful torment. But when he finally broke, there was no doubt about it.
“Enough!” Baird sat up, grabbed her around the hips, and rolled her under him. She spread her thighs eagerly as he settled between them, wrapping them around his backside as he lifted himself just enough to aim his cock for her slick core.
He entered in a single hard, deep thrust that took him all the way to the balls. “Goddess!” When he threw his head back, the cords stood high and stark on his powerful throat.
“Oh, more!” Alina writhed in mingled pleasure and joy as he began to shaft her in long, hard strokes. Each deep entry raked her clit with sweet friction, while every withdrawal pulled her inner flesh.
Her climax began to gather like a hot offshore storm, building every time his hips slapped hers. In the instant before they blew into pleasure, Baird’s golden gaze met hers. “I love you.”
“Yes! Goddess, Baird, I love you!”
The fire poured over them, blinding and hot, slinging them into sweet, dizzying heights. When the pleasure faded, he collapsed panting beside her, then promptly pulled her into his arms.
She lay across his hard chest, listening to his heart pound a fierce rhythm her own echoed. Her mouth drew into a sleepy curl. “It took me twenty years, but I’m back where I belong.”
Baird’s strong arms tightened, drawing her even closer. “We both are.”