Between Venus & Mars (The Soul Mate Tree Book 3) Page 7

  This time she breathed him in. Brought the palms of her hands to the side of his face. The warmth of his cheeks radiated where her skin met his.

  She brought her lips close, and still he waited for her.

  Then her lips touched his, and he tightened his hold around her, drawing her in, accepting what she gave and giving back tenderly.

  Nice . . . Exciting . . . Yet not fulfilling. She laced her fingers into his hair and drew him closer.

  His hold tightened as well, and his lips parted. His tongue touched her lips lightly, and she opened to allow him inside.

  Warm, wet, deeply he explored, and allowed her access to him.

  A tremor started at her center and swept through her entire body. Pleasurable tingling grew between her legs. She shifted restlessly, then gasping, broke the kiss.

  “Enough?” he asked.

  No, her body cried.

  “More,” she pleaded.

  And more he gave her.

  His teeth nibbled Zana’s lower lip before his lips touched hers once again. Pulling her closer, he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

  She found the embrace comforting and alarming at the same time. She fit so well against his hard bumpiness. Every muscular swell melded with her body to the point she didn’t know where she left off and he began. When his cock pulsed large and erect against her thigh, the ache between her legs increased in intensity.

  When did I move onto his lap?

  Swept into a whirlwind of passionate input, her body reacted in ways she’d never experienced, tingles turning to hot flames. She wanted to cry out, and weep, and climb inside the warmth and stay there forever.

  She trembled and Kyle pulled back.

  “Easy now,” he murmured, loosening his hold, but keeping his arms around her.

  She gasped in a breath. “I don’t know what this is.”

  His hand slid down the back of her hair, a soothing caress that helped center her emotions. “Just think of it as another new adventure. Something to explore. Like space in that starship you found.”

  “But, your, your . . .” She took another stuttering breath, unable to say the word. Cock was a word she’d only shared in whispers with her closest friends.

  He tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. “My what?”

  She drew back and dropped her eyes to his crotch. “It’s so big, so hard.”

  “You know . . .” Kyle gave the tip of her nose a quick kiss. “At times my body has a mind of its own. Particularly when there’s a beautiful woman in the room.”

  He was flirting with her, and it made her stomach flutter in the most amazing way.

  “But we can’t . . .” She closed down, restraining her emotions and yearnings.

  “We can’t what?” His tone stayed calm, restrained.

  Her mother’s words and warnings rippled through her whirling mind. “Babies happen when people do that. I don’t think I’m ready . . . even with you . . . I don’t—”

  “Shh.” He touched his finger to her lips. “I’m not ready to become a father either, and I would never do anything to hurt you or pressure you to do anything you didn’t want to do.”

  Kyle enfolded her in his arms, then pulled her down onto a couch. Just holding her, realizing how much she’d come to mean to him over the past days. Her quirky attitude. She constantly surprised and delighted him.

  And now this new level of comfort and excitement. He’d never felt this close to a woman before. Maybe he’d never taken the time.

  This wasn’t just the wine they’d consumed influencing his feelings. Core Worlds women were different. More sophisticated for sure, yet also so much less interesting.

  He leaned in to kiss the side of Zana’s neck. His nose nestled in her hair and he breathed in her essence. Earthy, slightly floral, and completely intoxicating.

  “I’m curious and interested.” Her tone reflected caution. “But I’m also scared.”

  “With good reason.” He gave her a reassuring hug.

  She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. “I mean, I think you’re the one for me, the tree and all, but I don’t really know if I know you, you know? My mind is muddled.”

  He chuckled. “That might be the wine.”

  She chuckled, her tension loosening as he held her. “That was some good wine.”

  Behind him, the computer terminal beeped. The compound’s inventory had been checked against the needs of their starship. He’d know if they had the parts required to get the craft flying again.

  He was in no hurry.

  Certainly a woman as wonderful as Zana had someone back home waiting for her. When they left, if he took her home, he’d lose her for sure. Would she even consider coming with him back to Thelbous 2? Could she make the transition? Their worlds were so different. Only here, marooned on Old Earth, did everything seem to make sense.

  And they couldn’t stay here.

  She snuggled into him. “Mmm . . . Someday, maybe. I want to have babies, and family . . .” Her speech slurred. “And you.” She relaxed totally in his arms.

  She fit so perfectly, felt so wonderful, right where she was. For just a moment he let himself imagine what it would be like to have this forever.

  No, he was in no hurry to leave.

  Chapter 8

  Kyle woke hours later with Zana nestled in his arms. The most adorable little snore met his ears. Her warm breath whispered across his chest.

  In lazy lethargy, he twirled a lock of her long hair and enjoyed the comfort of her soft body against his. How the hell had he gotten here? A day ago he was ready to arrest her, lock her away for the good of the galaxy. Now all he wanted to do was kiss her, touch her, make love to her.

  Who was this infectious minx he held?

  He wasn’t ready to fully credit a magical tree. Still, something had drawn them together, and she did seem to fit him so perfectly.

  The computer terminal across the room blipped once again and Kyle sighed, slowly extracting himself from Zana and laying her gently on the sofa.

  The readout on the display confirmed everything needed to repair the starship was available in storage at the facility. In fact, upgrades and improvements to the original design would make the craft faster, and improve weapons and stability. There was even a firmware upgrade available for Bixby so the droid could make all the modifications.

  The repair notes also stated there was no way to fly the ship here for repairs, they’d have to be done on-site. Thank goodness they’d stumbled across the half-track. Kyle ordered all the necessary parts to be delivered to the bed of the vehicle for transport.

  It looked like they’d be going home soon after all.

  So why was his heart aching?

  Zana woke with the fog and confusion of a half remembered dream swirling through her mind. In it, she’d been naked in Kyle’s arms. He’d touched her, teased her, kissed her senseless. By the galactic gods, I want that.

  Also in her dream, her mother, arms folded, brow furled. “Is he the one?”

  Her gaze swept across the room to where Kyle sat at the computer terminal, typing. She drank him in.

  His wonderful, warm brown eyes had a wistful cast. One edge of his oh-so-kissable lips tilted up in a heartwarming half-smile.

  He stood then, his open vest inviting her gaze to wander down the broad planes of his chest to his rippling abdominals. What would it feel like to run her fingers across his skin?

  The now-familiar excitement tingled below. She squeezed her thighs together.

  His gaze traveled to her, and she lowered her eyes, calming her breathing. She didn’t want to shatter the erotic thrill of this moment, illicitly watching his incredible physique through her lashes.

  His intense focus lingered on her for long momen
ts. Heat rose to her cheeks. Had her covert spying been discovered?

  He sighed and turned away, striding toward the doorway.

  She tried to imagine his amazing butt, dimples, tattoo, and all, but the pants he wore were far too baggy to fully capture the true roundness of those hemispheres.

  Damn.

  Once the door closed behind him, she yawned and stretched. A pounding ache hit her right between the eyes; a reminder of her overindulgences the night before.

  She knew she’d drunk too much, but it had tasted so good, and the company was so perfect.

  She rubbed her forehead, remembering nursing her father and mother on those mornings after the harvest festivals when the vodka ran like water.

  Memories of her parents brought back thoughts of her dream.

  Her mother’s question. Was Kyle the one?

  The magic of the tree seemed to indicate it, and her comfort with him reinforced the belief. She needed to stop being afraid. Stop fighting the inevitable.

  Maybe she’d even enjoy it.

  “Hey!” Kyle’s voice echoed in the hallway outside the room. A thump, then a thud.

  “Kyle?” A chill swept through the pit of her stomach.

  “They’s another. In here.” The heavy accent betrayed the source before the roo opened the door and stepped over the threshold.

  Zana rose up from the couch, backing away as three more roos followed him in, the hindmost dragging Kyle’s limp form behind.

  “Yous looks good enough to eat,” the lead roo chortled. His companions chuckled.

  The leader held a long tree branch in both hands, swinging it back and forth as he advanced on her.

  The blaster was still holstered at Kyle’s hip on the other side of the room.

  Zana looked around desperately for something she could use as a weapon.

  The wine bottle stood, almost empty, on the table next to the couch.

  She grasped the neck, bringing it up and spilling the remaining contents on the floor as she waved it at the roo. “Don’t you come any closer.”

  The roo paused, cocking its head. “What that?”

  She waved the wine bottle back and forth, watching the roo’s eyes following her motion.

  Easily distracted, aren’t you, you little fucker.

  Kyle had bluffed his way into the good graces of Merng and his gang. This gang had a different, more desperate feel. How naive were these creatures? Could she bluff them as well? “This is the magical nectar of the Old Earth gods.”

  The roo took a hop toward her and she stepped back, colliding with the cabinets against the back wall of the room. Trapped now, she had no further retreat.

  “This?” The roo pointed to the purple puddle on the floor. “This is magic?”

  Gods, if there was ever a time to lie her ass off, it was now. “It makes us wiser, faster, more powerful. It is not for roos.”

  The creature turned to the roo at his side. “Hesz. You will drink this.”

  The second roo nodded. “And me will become wiser, stronger, and faster than yous.”

  The roo eagerly dipped his head toward the floor.

  The leader roo’s eyes went suddenly wide, and he lifted his club. “Stop, Hesz. I am leader. Strongest, fastest. I will drink the magic.” The roo leader kicked aside the other.

  He pointed toward Zana as he dipped his head to slurp up the spilled wine. “Watch her.”

  When he came back up, his eyes were wide. “I feels it. Water like fire inside me. Yet I do not burn.”

  Zana turned and opened the drawer where Kyle had extracted the wine the night before, hoping there was at least one more bottle in there. She found six.

  “I have more. Enough for all of you, if you spare our lives.” She held up two bottles.

  “You give.” The roo leader stretched out his hand.

  She opened it and passed him a bottle.

  “And me.” Hesz, the one the leader had kicked aside, appeared emboldened, though he cast a wary glance at his leader.

  The leader nodded, then indicated the other two with the tip of its club. “All. We become best roo tribe.”

  High aspirations, considering there were only four, and only one appeared to be female. They had to be outcasts from another tribe. Were there more of them outside, or was this it?

  She opened more bottles, handing them out while keeping her distance. The leader, his eyes hooded and shifty, raised the hairs on the back of her neck. Something about him was way off.

  As the roos guzzled their wine, Zana slowly edged her way around the room’s perimeter toward Kyle. Relief washed over her when she noted his shoulders moving with each breath. He was alive.

  She knelt beside Kyle, touching the side of his neck to find a strong pulse.

  A nasty bump on his head was already purpling. Otherwise, he looked sound. No blood and nothing seemed broken.

  She scuttled down to his waist and slid the blaster from its holster. At least now she was armed, though she doubted she could blast all four of the roos in such a confined space before at least one of them closed on her.

  Grappling at close-quarters would be a mistake; the beasts were strong. At least the roos probably had no idea what she was holding in her hand.

  None of them were even looking her way now. The leader was doing a hop-dance, chortling as he tottered. “Strong, wise. We be like the gods.”

  Even less tolerance for alcohol than I have.

  Zana brought the sidearm up, hoping they were too drunk to react with any speed. She needed to take a chance. But before she could decide on her first target, an argument broke out between two of them.

  “Rheena is most beautiful roo,” Hesz said. He’d already drunk a good deal of wine.

  The leader kicked out at him once again. “Rheena my mate. You no look at her.”

  Hesz shoved back. “Maybe Rheena rather mate with me instead.”

  A third roo, the only female of the group, so obviously Rheena, took a hop back, her eyes locked on the two combatants. She took a large gulp from her wine bottle. Then she bared her teeth.

  Is that a smile?

  “Rheena mate with strongest roo.”

  The last roo, the smallest one, stood guarding the door. Its head swung back and forth between Rheena and the two jostling males.

  By the time Zana looked back, the two combatants had moved from shoving each other to punching and kicking.

  The wine bottle slid from the leader’s hand to crash on the floor, spraying wine and glass shards. “No. You give me your bottle now.”

  “I give it to yous.” Hesz swung his bottle at the leader, but had it knocked aside by the club.

  Balancing on his tail, Hezs pushed aside the club as it swung back toward him, and kicked out with both feet, sending the leader flying into the wall. The club dropped from the creature’s hand as it slid down the wall.

  Zana blasted the kicker, then turned the weapon on the female. Both dropped to the floor.

  The smallest roo closed enough to grab her shoulder. Searing pain shot down her arm as it clutched.

  Zana punched the blaster barrel into the creature’s gut and fired, sending him to the floor. As he collapsed, she hurried to the door to check.

  The hallway was empty. She didn’t see any other creatures beyond. “This has to be a splinter gang.”

  She shut the door and locked it just in case.

  Across the room, movement drew her attention. The leader shook his head and lurched to his feet. “I drink the nectar of the gods. I be strong, powerful.” Sharp teeth caught the light as a wicked grin spread across his mouth. His eyes narrowed on her. “Now I eat.”

  Zana squeezed the trigger. “Eat this, bastard.”

  She checked the
blaster setting. Stun.

  The creatures would recover, but not for hours.

  Zana expelled a long breath. “A tribe of four with only one female, they are going to have a few issues.”

  She shook her head. “And, I’m talking to myself again.” She collapsed beside Kyle, and drew his head into her lap. “Come on, Kyle, it’s lonely here without you.”

  She patted his cheek lightly and then ran her hand down the side of his face.

  He groaned. One eye flickered open and he brought his hand up to rub the bump on his head. “Ouch.”

  She sighed. “How ya doin’?”

  Pulling himself to a sitting position, he winced and rubbed his head again. “I’ve been better. What happened?”

  “Roos.” She indicated the four slumped figures. “They must have taken you by surprise.”

  He pushed to his feet. “I saw one of ‘em by the half-track and went to shoo it away. That’s the last thing I remember.”

  “The leader had a club.” Zana pointed at it with the barrel of the pistol. “They’re learning to use tools.”

  “Looks like you took care of things nicely. Thanks. Maybe you should keep the blaster.”

  No way.

  She handed him the gun. “I’m a lousy shot and they were drunk. You keep it.”

  “Drunk?” Kyle noted the empty wine bottles lying by the roos.

  “Did you know wine is the nectar of the gods?” An impish smile played across her lips, and Kyle wanted so badly to kiss her.

  And do other things.

  But they had to move, and move quickly.

  He holstered the gun. “There are probably more roos in the area. I think the droid activity outside is probably what drew these. We should leave.”

  She nodded. “Did we get what we came for?”

  “All of it and more. Everything we need to repair and upgrade your ship.” He moved toward the storage drawers and pulled out the last two bottles of wine he found there. “And the nectar of the gods as well.”