execution.”
“You must have been terrified.”
That was a mild way of putting it. She had never felt fear like that, not before and not since. Instead of saying this to Kell, though, she made a dismissive wave of her hand. “Found myself in the Makell System.”
“That’s a rough solar system.” Surprise tightened his words. “Another place ‘liberated’ by PRAXIS, with predictably appalling results.”
“It was definitely different from palace life.” Understatement, again. The anarchy and brutality of the Makell System had burned lessons into her, lessons she could never forget. “I learned, eventually. How to take care of myself. How to…protect myself.”
“Mara—”
But she shook her head, determined to banish the memories of those horrible months, and what she’d had to endure. It had taken years before she could sleep with the lights off. “I talked my way onto a scavenger ship, becoming one of the crew. Eventually, I became owner and pilot of my own ship.” Thoughts of the Arcadia helped push away the memories, and she knew there was pride in her voice when she spoke of the ship. “It’s not a plush life.”
“But it’s yours. It all belongs to you, and only you. Your life, your ship.”
She did look at him then. He stared back, and the understanding in his dark eyes rocked her. No one had ever given her as much. She felt something inside her break and fall away. Leaving her open. Raw. She could only manage a nod.
A wry smile shaped his mouth. “Expectations don’t last, not where we’re concerned.”
Oh, he had the truth of it. Neither of them who they were supposed to be. Exiled royalty turned scavenger and a former street brawler turned 8 th Wing hero.
He rose up from the bed, sleek and strong. Their gazes held as he stripped out of his remaining clothes. She allowed herself the pleasure of looking at his nude body, the shapes and surfaces of his muscles, and the play of jewel-colored light over his skin. He was wondrous to look upon.
When he held out a hand, she could not refuse, and he gently pulled her up to standing.
He kept silent as he slowly, carefully began to remove her clothing. She started to help, but he shooed her hands away, so she could only stand, motionless, as he divested her of everything. He unbuckled her gauntlets and placed them on a nearby table. His long, blunt fingers undid her corset with surprising dexterity, and this, too, he placed on the table. The same for her blouse, her skirt, until she stood before him entirely nude, save for her boots.
She shook with desire.
He knelt before her and undid her boots, taking his time as each buckle slid free, his concentration total. Her heart threatened to tear from her body, to see this powerful warrior kneeling before her, tending to her so carefully, as if she was someone precious. Not a scavenger. Not a pawn. A woman who deserved to be cherished.
It was all an illusion, she knew. The same illusion she’d felt briefly as they’d made love earlier. Their time together was fleeting. If they survived this mission, they would never see each other again. They were too different, their lives completely opposed. But for now, in this place, at this time, he gave her the momentary gift of being treasured.
At last, she was as naked as he. And he was as aroused as she, if the upright, thick stance of his cock was any indicator. Yet he did not take her back to the bed. Instead, he led her into the hygiene chamber, and she watched as he turned on the shower, adjusting the temperature until it met his standards.
He stepped into the shower and drew her in with him. “Let me clean you, princess.”
Water sluiced over their bodies. She did not know if her eyes clouded from the steam or something else, but she gave him a regal nod and he began.
He washed her thoroughly, tenderly, his big hands stroking over her slick body until she moaned. He saw to himself with much more speed, clearly impatient to touch her again.
“You must have been terrified.”
That was a mild way of putting it. She had never felt fear like that, not before and not since. Instead of saying this to Kell, though, she made a dismissive wave of her hand. “Found myself in the Makell System.”
“That’s a rough solar system.” Surprise tightened his words. “Another place ‘liberated’ by PRAXIS, with predictably appalling results.”
“It was definitely different from palace life.” Understatement, again. The anarchy and brutality of the Makell System had burned lessons into her, lessons she could never forget. “I learned, eventually. How to take care of myself. How to…protect myself.”
“Mara—”
But she shook her head, determined to banish the memories of those horrible months, and what she’d had to endure. It had taken years before she could sleep with the lights off. “I talked my way onto a scavenger ship, becoming one of the crew. Eventually, I became owner and pilot of my own ship.” Thoughts of the Arcadia helped push away the memories, and she knew there was pride in her voice when she spoke of the ship. “It’s not a plush life.”
“But it’s yours. It all belongs to you, and only you. Your life, your ship.”
She did look at him then. He stared back, and the understanding in his dark eyes rocked her. No one had ever given her as much. She felt something inside her break and fall away. Leaving her open. Raw. She could only manage a nod.
A wry smile shaped his mouth. “Expectations don’t last, not where we’re concerned.”
Oh, he had the truth of it. Neither of them who they were supposed to be. Exiled royalty turned scavenger and a former street brawler turned 8 th Wing hero.
He rose up from the bed, sleek and strong. Their gazes held as he stripped out of his remaining clothes. She allowed herself the pleasure of looking at his nude body, the shapes and surfaces of his muscles, and the play of jewel-colored light over his skin. He was wondrous to look upon.
When he held out a hand, she could not refuse, and he gently pulled her up to standing.
He kept silent as he slowly, carefully began to remove her clothing. She started to help, but he shooed her hands away, so she could only stand, motionless, as he divested her of everything. He unbuckled her gauntlets and placed them on a nearby table. His long, blunt fingers undid her corset with surprising dexterity, and this, too, he placed on the table. The same for her blouse, her skirt, until she stood before him entirely nude, save for her boots.
She shook with desire.
He knelt before her and undid her boots, taking his time as each buckle slid free, his concentration total. Her heart threatened to tear from her body, to see this powerful warrior kneeling before her, tending to her so carefully, as if she was someone precious. Not a scavenger. Not a pawn. A woman who deserved to be cherished.
It was all an illusion, she knew. The same illusion she’d felt briefly as they’d made love earlier. Their time together was fleeting. If they survived this mission, they would never see each other again. They were too different, their lives completely opposed. But for now, in this place, at this time, he gave her the momentary gift of being treasured.
At last, she was as naked as he. And he was as aroused as she, if the upright, thick stance of his cock was any indicator. Yet he did not take her back to the bed. Instead, he led her into the hygiene chamber, and she watched as he turned on the shower, adjusting the temperature until it met his standards.
He stepped into the shower and drew her in with him. “Let me clean you, princess.”
Water sluiced over their bodies. She did not know if her eyes clouded from the steam or something else, but she gave him a regal nod and he began.
He washed her thoroughly, tenderly, his big hands stroking over her slick body until she moaned. He saw to himself with much more speed, clearly impatient to touch her again.
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