“We will be sure and keep it straight from now on.” He raised his hand and gently touched her cheek, his fingers warm and slightly rough. “You should go to bed, mishka.”
She nodded but couldn’t quite force herself to move. “What does that mean? Mishka? You called me that earlier.”
“It is a term of… affection amongst my people.”
“Oh. That’s nice.” She couldn’t look away from him, her gaze resting on his mouth. His lips were thin, almost nonexistent. What would they feel like against her own?
He growled suddenly, a low, hungry noise that sent another pulse of desire through her body. Before she could respond, he removed the dishes she was still holding from her hands and somehow maneuvered her back towards the entrance. In the process, their bodies touched, and she almost moaned when her aching nipples rubbed against the firm muscles of his chest.
“Bed,” he repeated. “Before I forget my good intentions.”
“Bed.” She nodded and headed for the stairs, feeling dazed by their close encounter. Just as she reached the bottom step, a pair of strong arms lifted her effortlessly against his chest.
“I apologize. I forgot that you needed assistance.”
“I really don’t,” she protested weakly, but there was something extraordinarily comforting about having him carry her.
“There is no need to take chances.” He climbed the stairs easily, but with no great speed, and when he reached the top and let her slide down his body, he seemed as reluctant to let her go as she felt.
“Um. Thank you. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“I will look forward to it.”
They stared at each other a moment longer, and then she forced herself to turn away.
“Feel free to make use of my clothing if you would like to change,” he called after her.
“Thank you,” she repeated. She didn’t turn back, afraid that if she saw him watching her, she would give into the urge to throw herself back into his arms. What on earth was wrong with her?
“Sleep well, mishka.” The words echoed after her as she closed the cabin door.
Once again, she was drawn to the wide vista of stars surrounding the ship. They shimmered now, flowing past as the ship traveled deeper into the unknown. Everything about this experience was unknown—except the feelings that Mganak aroused, even if she had never encountered that intensity before.
Finally, she sighed and went to explore the small bathroom. The fixtures were very similar to those on the Vedeckian ship but there was one important difference. Here she didn’t feel afraid.
During their time in captivity, she usually showered with her clothes on, both as a way to clean them and because she hated the vulnerability of being naked and a prisoner. Now when she stripped off everything and stepped under the stream of warm water, it hit her with an unexpectedly sensual pleasure.
Soaping her hands, she ran them over her breasts, larger and more sensitive than ever before. She shivered with pleasure but couldn’t help imagining Mganak’s hands holding her instead. Her body ached with frustrated desire, and she slipped her hand between her legs, stroking herself to a rapid climax as she envisioned Mganak watching her and urging her on.
Afterwards, her body felt loose and relaxed, and she sleepily pulled one of his shirts over her head. It smelled like him, as did the sheets when she crawled into his bed. It was almost like being wrapped in his arms and with that thought comforting her, she slipped into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Mganak stood on the landing, fighting the urge to go after Wanda. He was sure she was experiencing the same attraction he felt. The sweet scent of her arousal had made his head swim, and the lingering memory of her hard little nipples rubbing against his chest made his cock jerk. His tail lashed anxiously, trying to reach for the door panel.
Since leaving Ciresia, he’d had a few encounters with females but they had all been unsatisfying. In order to achieve full release, a Cire male needed to knot inside his mated female. Since there were no more Cire females with whom to mate, he had assumed that he would never achieve that release. And yet, lately he had heard rumors that a Cire male could mate with a female from another species.
But even if that were true, Wanda was not for him. She wished to return to her planet to give birth and he could understand her urge to return home. Even if she wished to stay, what did he have to offer her other than a ship and an uncertain future as a salvage operator. His life had suited him, but it was not the life for a mated male.
He had chosen this way of life, and until now, he had never had reason to doubt his choice. He had long ago accepted the loneliness, and after that final argument with Rafalo, he had no bonds to tie him to anything other than the ship. It would be foolish to consider any other future.
Nonetheless, the thought kept intruding as he returned to the galley and finished cleaning. He checked on the children and found Sagat keeping guard over them. He raised his head when Mganak cracked open the door, then settled back down. The young male was pressed against his side, and Mganak knew that no harm would come to either child while Sagat was present.
He didn’t disturb the other two females although he heard restless movements from the medical lab and thought he detected the sound of quiet weeping from the other cabin. He felt sorrow for the two females, but the best he could offer them was to get them to Ayuul and hope that the Patrol would be able to find their homes.
As he started to head for the training room, he hesitated. What if Wanda needed something in the night? He would be too far away to get to her quickly. And what if she attempted the stairs on her own?
That thought decided him. He would spend the night in the pilot’s chair. It might not be the most comfortable sleep he had ever had but he would be nearby in case she needed him and that was far more important.
When he reached the landing, he caught the hint of her arousal in the lingering dampness from her shower. How he wished he had been there to satisfy her. His cock throbbed in urgent agreement. It was going to be a long night.
Chapter Six
Wanda drifted reluctantly awake, snuggling deeper into the warm and deliciously fragrant sheets. She actually felt rested, and she realized that she had slept soundly all night long. Although she was tempted by the idea of going back to sleep, her bladder was making its presence known—definitely one of the downsides of pregnancy.
Her morning needs attended to, she started to pick up her dress and then decided she really couldn’t stand the idea of yet another day in the same clothes. The shirt she had borrowed from Mganak did a more than adequate job of covering her—it reached almost to her knees, and she’d had to roll the sleeves up many times to get her hands free. At least it was something different.
Although she searched the bathroom, there was nothing resembling a comb. She ended up finger combing her hair and fastening it back in a rough braid again. There was also no mirror to check her appearance, but there was no one she needed to impress, she told herself firmly. It was pointless to dream of dazzling Mganak with a fancy hairdo and a sexy outfit.
Not that I want to dazzle him.
Last night must have been a fluke, brought on by tiredness and relief that perhaps she was finally on the way home. Today she would keep her distance from the big, sexy alien.