Crusader (Battle Born Book 1) (22 page)

She ran her hands down one arm and then the other, fascinated by the contrast between his smooth skin and rock-hard muscles. “You’ve mentioned your nanites. Do you have other integrated technologies?”

“Of course. I have communication implants and munitions relays that allow me to control various external weapon systems. The nanites are new. They’re gradually replacing many larger, more intrusive implants.”

It was hard to concentrate on what he was saying while she washed his remarkable body. She caressed his chest and abdomen, then went back for more soap before moving on to his legs. She bypassed his groin, intending to return to the area after she’d fully explored the rest of him.

Her hands glided along his thighs and she bent from the waist so she could reach lower. Apparently her position was too much of a temptation to ignore because his hand stroked over her hip and squeezed one of her ass cheeks. She flipped her hair out of her face and smiled at him without changing position.

His fingers eased over the curve of her butt and lower, just skimming across her folds before she laughed and twisted away. “It’s still my turn.”

“You better hurry.” He reached for her breast and she moved behind him.

She massaged his shoulders with soap-slicked fingers and he rewarded her with a throaty moan. Making him wait was just as much fun as memorizing his anatomy. Every single inch of him was lean, ripped muscle. He had very little body hair and his skin had a rich golden cast that many humans spent cancer-inducing hours in a tanning bed to achieve.

He held perfectly still as she washed his tightly rounded behind. “You have a really nice ass,” she whispered as she squeezed one firm cheek. “Has anyone ever told you that?”

He laughed and shifted away from her eager fingers. “If anyone else in my acquaintance told me that, I would have punched them in the face.”

Her touch had aroused him and she hadn’t even washed that part of him yet. She licked her lips as she reached for his long, thick shaft. “You know my taste? Do I get to return the favor?”

“Not until I’ve washed you.”

She groaned at the thought then slid her fist up and down the length of his cock, eager for it to be deep inside her again.

His groan echoed hers then he pushed her hand away. “Enough.” His tone growled with impatience. “You no longer have permission to touch me.”

A shivery thrill passed along her spine and reawakened the ache between her thighs. “Do I need permission?”

His gaze locked with hers, his eyes slightly narrowed. “Rodyte males are naturally dominant. We can accept no other role. Is that a problem for you?”

“No.” She dragged her gaze away, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

He lightly caught her chin and drew her face back around. “I’m aware of the rules some humans utilize to enhance their pleasure. Would you feel more secure within such a structure?”

“No.” She took a deep breath and stopped fidgeting. “It’s always been the forbidden nature of BDSM that I find titillating and I think we’ve got that covered already.” It was a bit of an exaggeration. She was also turned on by the thought of a sexually aggressive man who knew exactly what she needed and wasn’t afraid to give it to her, but Bandar appeared to have that covered as well. “I’d rather keep things fluid.”

“As would I.” He spun her around and pulled her back against his chest. His hands were already soapy and he went right to work, matching her exploration caress for caress “I will never tire of touching you.” His erection pressed into her back a constant reminder of where this was leading. “I’m so tempted to bend you over and take you right here, but I promised you tender and slow.”

She splayed her fingers against the wall and rocked onto the balls of her feet. “I don’t mind waiting a little while longer.”

With a sudden growl, he lifted her off her feet and pressed his shaft lengthwise into the crack of her behind. “No.” His voice was so tight he likely had his teeth clenched. “I will not allow you to rush me again.”

“Again?” She laughed rolling her hips suggestively. “Did I rush you last time?”

“You made me wait so long I lost control. I will not do so again.”

One of his arms banded her hips, the other angled across her torso, his hand cupping her breast. He was so damn strong he probably could have held her there for hours if his need for her would let him. “Then let me rinse off so we can get started. I can’t wait any longer to taste you.”

He shuddered so violently his hold slipped and she slid down along his body. She grinned as her feet touched down, thrilled to know she had the power to make him tremble. They rotated, allowing the spray to rinse her completely before he turned off the water. He hadn’t washed her hair, but it didn’t matter. She suspected they’d be back before the night was through.

They dried each other with warm towels then returned to the outer room. She led him this time, their fingers entwined. There was something surreal about the entire situation and Ashley realized it was all too perfect. He said the right things and did the right things and looked as if he’d walked right out of one of her fantasies.

She urged him down onto the side of the bed as she murmured, “If this is a dream, I don’t ever want to wake up.”

He spread his legs and pulled her between them. “It’s not a dream, my love. I’m real.”

She only had to bend slightly to kiss him, but her superior position felt good for a change. His lips parted, yet he let her control the kiss, apparently sensing her need to lead. She pushed her tongue into his mouth as she buried her fingers in his hair. He returned her kiss with equal fervor and soon no one was leading, no one following, they were simply devouring each other.

His hands moved up and down her back, pausing from time to time to squeeze her butt. She pressed against his warm body and reveled in their kiss, so warm and intimate.

Suddenly, he tore his mouth away, his face flushed, eyes softly glowing. “If you want to taste me, do it now. I have to be inside you somewhere.”

Happy to oblige, she slipped to her knees and encircled his shaft with one hand, the other gently cupping his balls. He was hot and heavy, marble-hard yet incredibly soft. She explored with her fingers for a moment then guided him toward her mouth.

He leaned back on his hands, gaze narrowed as he watched every move she made. “Do it.” Then even softer, “Suck me hard.”

She grinned as she bent to obey. Whether he admitted it or not, he liked giving orders. She circled him with her tongue, savoring his scent and learning his taste. A bead of moisture formed on the very tip and she captured it with a slow lick. His taste spread across her tongue and she closed her eyes, savoring the flavor of his desire. She closed her lips around him and slowly sucked, drawing him into the wet heat of her mouth. Tenderness swelled and her pulse sped as she took more and more of him.

His fingers tangled in her hair, his thumbs framing her mouth as she bobbed her head up and down. He let her play, let her hands and her mouth wander at will without trying to control her. She licked him and sucked him and caressed him with her fist. Through it all he moaned and shivered, but let her have her way. Finally, he scooted to the edge of the mattress no longer able to control the rocking motion of his hips.

Like a trickle through a crumbling damn, she sensed his desire. The sensation was faint at first, hard to recognize because it was so similar to the ache deep inside her. Then their link expanded, allowing sensations and emotions to flow more easily. He was fighting back release with all his strength and still losing the battle. His frantic effort only made her more determined to watch him lose control.

“I don’t want to—”

She ignored his protest and took him deep, sucking firmly, until he snapped. He cried out, fingers inadvertently pulling her hair as he came down her throat. He shuddered and shuddered again, and she gloried in his utter abandon and the fact that she’d taken him there.

He untangled his fingers and stroked her face, waiting for her to release him. “That’s not how I wanted this to end.”

She licked her way to his tip before setting him free, only then did she meet his gaze. “Well, it’s what I wanted.”

He pulled her to her feet and kissed her deeply, obviously undeterred by his taste in her mouth. “I hope you enjoyed it,” he whispered against her lips, “because now it’s my turn.”

Before she realized his intention, he lay back across the bed and pulled her up along the length of his body. Soon she straddled his chest and then his neck and finally his face. She’d been in this position before, but usually facing the other direction so she could give as well as receive.

His mouth latched on to her sex, leaving her no doubt that he wanted her to pay attention to what he was doing. His lips moved against her folds as his tongue eased between. Left with nothing to do with her hands, she cupped her breasts and closed her eyes. She felt wild and reckless, and utterly sexual. She’d never felt this free, this desirable.

He teased her with skill and torturous patience, taking her right to the edge then backing off. She wasn’t sure it was intentional the first time, but then he did it again and again. “That’s cruel.” She rotated her hips, rubbing herself against his mouth.

With a wicked chuckle, he grabbed her hips and held her firmly in place. His tongue pushed into her core, leaving her clit throbbing and neglected.

“No more teasing. I need to come.”

He lifted her off his mouth. “I know what you need and I’ll give it to you—when I’m ready.”

“Yes, sir.” She’d meant it sarcastically, but the phrase sent heat spiraling through her body.

Before she could analyze the reaction, he pulled her back down and continued on as if there’d been no interruption. She relaxed into the ache, letting desire wash over her in waves. Their link was still buzzing, transmitting fractured thoughts and bursts of emotion both his and hers. Each time he drove her close to orgasm, the sensations swelled a little higher. He eased one of his hands between her legs and filled her with two long fingers. She tightened her inner muscles, trying to maximize the fullness. He licked all around his fingers, occasionally brushing over her clit. It felt good and yet it was frustrating, so near to but not exactly what she needed.

Then his fingers began to slide in and out of her snug passage. She arched her back, allowing him to reach deeper as his mouth finally settled over her clit. The sensations tightened, becoming a firm knot deep inside her. She moaned, hands helplessly squeezing her breasts.

She hovered on the brink, release just out of reach when he suddenly sat up, taking her with him. Her eyes flew open and she frantically reached for something solid as he positioned her body to his liking. Her knees caught on his shoulders and he managed to find her opening with the tip of his long, hard cock. He lowered her gradually, filling her inch by incredible inch as her legs slowly slid down his arms.

His gaze bore into hers as he did it again and again, lifting her and lowering her as if she weighted nothing. She couldn’t move, could only trust his control and accept what he gave her. Soon the realization, not to mention the thick slide of his length in and out of her core, had her panting and arching in an effort to take him as deeply as possible.

He lowered her completely and claimed her mouth in a reality-blurring kiss. His thumb circled her clit and his voice whispered in her mind.
You are mine and only mine.

Rather than upset her, his possessive tone snapped what little remained of her control. Her sharp cry was muffled by his mouth as pleasure exploded throughout her body. She tightened around him in hard, rippling spasms, which soon had him moving again.

He braced his feet far apart and combined the up and down motion of his arms with sharp thrusts from his hips. She clutched his shoulders and responded with her mouth, her body totally surrendered. He filled her and filled her, each lunge a renewal of his telepathic claim.

Another orgasm built with staggering speed and she tore her mouth away from his. She dropped her head back, hair swishing against her butt as she fought back a scream. His fingers dug into her hips and he thrust his entire length into her. A harsh cry tore from his throat and then he came in powerful spurts. The warm gush of his seed sent her over the edge again, obliterating reality. For one staggering moment, nothing existed but pleasure and Bandar’s strong embrace.

Their surroundings returned by degrees. She was basically folded in half as he clutched her to his chest. Her calves were off to each side, but her thighs pressed against her chest and belly. Gradually his arms relaxed and he lowered her to his lap. She folded her knees beneath her and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Are you all right?” He still sounded breathless. “I have a hard time staying gentle when I’m inside you.”

She looked into his eyes and smiled. “Well, I don’t seem to want gentle when you’re inside me, so it’s probably a good thing.”

He growled and nipped her jaw, his hands stroking her back. “If I’m ever too rough, you’ll tell? You’re such a little thing.”

She laughed. “Maybe compared to you, but compared to the rest of human females—”

“No one else matters,” he stressed. “You are the only female I care about and I don’t ever want to hurt you.”

She ran her fingers along his jawline then pushed her hand into his hair. “I don’t think you could hurt me.” She paused for a naughty smile. “Unless I asked you to.”