Chapter 19 #2
She scanned the common area, wiping her wet cheeks. “This’ll take some time. Who knows what secrets lie amid their things?”
“We will start on one room. Cleanse it, then move on.”
She drew in a deep breath, and a faint smile toyed with her lips. “Doable.”
Hours later, sweat coated his skin despite the suit’s temperature regulation. He leaned against the wall and studied Ziamee folding garments and stacking them in the crates Ulta had ported down. She glistened, and that only heightened her attractiveness.
The quiet between them made him realize that she didn’t fill the companionable silence with chatter like Macy did.
“I feel…dirty,” she said, scrunching her nose, then she stilled, gesturing to the stacked crates. “These things meant something to them, and we just…killed them.” She patted the air as if to say, ‘don’t worry.’ “In self-defense, yes; still, they had hopes, family, a life outside this place.”
“They were here for a while… Abandoned.” Reminded of their attempts to contact Maloid, he frowned and tapped his O.D.I. “Brac, where did their signals go?”
“My thoughts exactly,” the male grumbled. “Comm stations speed communication between battleships and planets. Maloid has their own grid, as do the Yithians.”
Illan had learned that, repeating from memory, “And the merging of the grid, though considered, never came to fruition.” He grunted. “Too many secrets.”
“The first station they sent the signal to is two parsecs away. We could investigate.” Brac’s suggestion sparked interest in Illan.
“Yes, port us.” He drew Ziamee into his arms and pressed a kiss to her temple.
They materialized in the comm room.
“I will inform Amet and Faerar of our plans.” Ulta swiveled, facing the vids. “If you wish to cleanse, the trip will take a few hours.”
Illan grinned. For an Etterian, their combined sweat had to be pungent.
Ziamee grimaced. “I didn’t even think to tell my—”
“All taken care of,” Illan said, leading her to the barracks.
As soon as the door closed behind them, he held out his hand.
She didn’t hesitate, sliding her palm over his.
The instant they touched, images flashed across his mind.
He exhaled a shuddering breath, ignoring his palpitating heart as he led her to the cleansing room.
Keeping their hands meshed while stripping off her garments was slow-going.
He nudged her chest armor off, his gaze flying to her breasts, her nipples taut.
It took a second to stroke her, to swirl a fingertip around a nipple until it puckered.
Her moan shot through him, like a focused beam of energy, vibrating and stimulating each nerve it passed.
She mimicked his movements, thumping his chest to release his armor, then dragging it off his shoulders.
On her tiptoes, she brushed against him, bringing with her a wealth of pleasure and scents.
He inhaled until his lungs swelled, cherishing her unique smell. A wet heat engulfing his nipple snapped him back to the moment. As did the caress of her fingers at the band of his pants.
Cool air confirmed she’d breached the fastening, then she squeezed her hand between fabric and skin and gripped him. All while bombarding him with visions of her lips wrapped around his kok.
A growl slipped past his defenses.
“Boots,” she whispered, pulling away to do more than remove her footwear. Off went her pants, too, exposing her legs to his rapt attention.
She stepped into the cubicle and gazed at him as the water sprayed over her.
Rivulets flowed over her curves, dripped from her nipples, ran between her thighs, and swirled at her toes.
Droplets clung to her lashes and darkened her hair.
She’d never looked more beautiful, enticing, and more so, now that he’d tasted every inch of her.
He doubted he’d ever forget those moments, nor did he want to.
Exploding into action, he stripped until he was bare. A shiver skittered across his sensitive skin, adding to his feverish breathing. With a sweep of his foot, he shoved aside their discarded items and joined her.
He caught her hands, laced their fingers, and swooped in for a kiss.
Her lips, the smell of her drenched skin, the warmth pouring off her only heightened the taste of her when her tongue dueled with his.
Everything within him stilled as if time slowed.
She mattered. She was what he’d been searching for.
All those months spent in the Etterian archives had led to this female.
With their lips locked, he nudged her back until her backside hit the wall. It was too much: their joined hands, their shared fantasies, the way she hooked her legs around him, exposing her most vulnerable part, the sensations when he thrust into her, her cries and whimpers as she clung to him.
He bit his lip, trying to stem the words his soul chanted… I love you, Ziamee.
“Illan,” she crooned just as heat rose and washed over his kok.
Blinding light consumed his mind in sheer ecstasy. The memory of words lingered on his tongue. He knew not what he said, whether he spoke or not. And at this precise time in his life, he didn’t care. He cupped her face, holding her still for a sweet kiss.
She tightened her arms around him, not moving as if she, too, cherished what they’d shared.
“Hungry?” he asked.
She chuckled, lowering her legs the very second he pulled out. “Starving.”
“Same,” he said, not meeting her gaze.
If he did, he’d reveal to her what she meant to him. He’d beg her to let him claim her… And he wanted that, more than she could know. He just wanted her to have no distractions, to choose a life with him without hesitation.
Which meant everything had to be resolved with nothing trapping her on Vora.
“Do you think Brac knows how Seba’s doing?” she asked, raising her face to the spray before stepping out.
With the blast of the air dryer, Illan didn’t speak; only when he, too, was dry and wearing a robe did he answer. “Yes. I am curious as to his meanderings. Perhaps he already knows where females of his kind can be found.”
She grinned. “I hope so. Now, come choose. What are you in the mood for?” She tapped the rehydrator, not glancing at him when he looped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder.
“You choose,” he said, buried his face in the curve of her neck, and hummed in contentment.