Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
It was the cool night air on her bare skin that woke Ria.
She blinked in the darkness. Her back was cozy warm, but her front was chilly. She realized Zayn was curled around her, one palm pressed possessively to her lower belly. His fingers lay just above the juncture of her thighs. She remembered their fiery, intense loving and shivered.
They’d collapsed on their pile of discarded clothes, exhausted from the adventures of the day and their own very private adventure. He’d been stroking her as they fell asleep. Which hadn’t made it easy for either of them to sleep.
But they had. And now the deepest part of night had fallen, and the desert air was damned cold.
“Okay?” He moved behind her, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.
“Cold.”
He moved and stood, and before she could speak, he scooped her into his arms.
Ria slipped her arms around his neck. No assassin or modern woman would ever admit it, but she really liked the way he carried her. So strong and self-assured.
When he stepped into the water and it lapped at her bottom, she squeaked.
He strode in waist deep, then sank into the warmth. The water wasn’t hot, but it was warmer than the outside air.
“How’s that?” he asked.
“Better.” She shifted, wrapping her legs around his waist and letting go of her arms. She drifted on her back, the warm water lapping at her skin. She watched him, watching her.
His gaze was like hot coals as it skated over her breasts. Their peaks bobbed above the water and hardened to points from the cold air and the way he looked at her. She definitely wasn’t feeling cold anymore.
“You are so damned delectable.” His fingers dug into her hips. He unhooked her legs but held her thighs in a tight grip as he floated her out on the water.
He shoved her legs apart, and she felt her stomach tighten. He looked wild, intent on devouring.
Leaning forward, he lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her belly. Oh, God. She let her head fall back in the water, her hair drifting out around her. His tongue dipped into her navel, lapping at the water pooled there. Then his mouth traveled down her body, his teeth scraping over her hipbone.
He pressed a hot kiss to her mound, right between her thighs but a whisper away from where she really wanted it.
“Do you remove your hair to drive men crazy?”
She shook her head, the water rippling. She licked her lips. “My race doesn’t have hair there.”
With a groan, he lowered his mouth again, shoving her thighs farther apart. This time there was no gentle exploration. His hot, hard mouth was a shock to her system. He sucked on her clit, then lapped at her with his tongue.
Ria’s hands flailed in the water. The sensations rocking through her were stronger than anything she’d experienced before. When had she ever trusted a man enough to give up her control and just enjoy the pleasure? When had she ever just let herself go?
She stared blindly above. The stars in the sky became a blur, like she was traveling at interstellar speed, hurtling higher and higher.
Then there was no room for thoughts, only space for all the raging emotions inside her to coalesce before they exploded. She cried out, a strangled sound.
Zayn grabbed her, yanking her body into his. He thrust inside her and she felt her body grip him, her spasms milking him. He hammered into her in a frenzy.
“Can’t. Get. Enough. Of. You.” His words came through gritted teeth. Another thrust and his body juddered. He buried his face in her hair, and they both hurtled over the dark edge of pleasure together.
Ria didn’t know how much time had passed before she could think again. They were both tangled together, floating in the water, her head resting on his strong shoulder. “We’re lucky we didn’t drown.”
“Would have been worth it.”
His deep voice rumbled through her and she smiled. It’d be nice if they could just stay here, the two of them. No Guild, no ghosts, no dangerous missions. She pressed a kiss to his skin. “Maybe we could find a little mountain cabin and live here on Diablo.”
He chuckled. “You want to turn permanent cowgirl?”
No. She wanted to have this man by her side, in her bed, in her life. She forced herself to laugh. “Of course not. We have a Guild to outsmart, and then the galaxy is my oyster.”
He didn’t say anything, but one of his hands clenched in her hair. “After that, you can do whatever you want.” A beat of silence. “We both need some sleep, and a fire will help keep us warm. Oh, and I did bring a lizard home for dinner. Might have to be a midnight snack.”
“We’ll need to dig a fire pit. It helps hide the flames,” she said. “Old assassin trick to avoid detection.”
“I look forward to learning more of your tricks.”
They dug the pit, started a fire, and dined on roasted lizard. Then they made love in the firelight, Ria moving above him, watching every flicker of pleasure on his face.
Zayn’s hands slid up to cup her breasts, his hips thrusting upward every time she thrust down, lodging him deep inside her. “You’re a damn fine rider after all, cowgirl.”
She came again with laughter on her lips, wishing the dawn would never arrive.
Zayn pulled the horse to a stop at the peak of the hill. “There’s Bedlam. Tweedle-dee and Dumb didn’t take us too far away.”
Down below, Ria studied the small town that lay nestled on the plain. A small cloud of dust rose above it and the metal roofs of the buildings glinted in the morning sun.
“Let’s go find Lala,” she said from in front of him. “And get off this horse.” She shifted for about the hundredth time. She was so sore.
He smiled. “I’m trying to have sympathy for you.” He leaned down and nuzzled her neck. “But since we both had such a damned good time making you ache, I’m having trouble drumming up more than a twinge of guilt.”
“Yeah, well, you owe me a massage, flyboy.”
He tugged her back against him. “Whatever the lady wants. It’ll be no trouble for me to strip your clothes off, lay you back on my bunk on the Infinitas, and caress you all over.”
The image was so clear in her head and had desire curling in her belly. She turned her head, battling a smile. “Such sacrifice.”
“For you, anything.”
Her smile slipped and she just watched him. She saw discomfort crawl across his face.
“I mean, since I helped make you sore, it’s the least I can do.”
“Of course.” She cleared her throat. “Now, let’s find Lala, and avoid any more cowboys who want to kidnap us, sell us to miners, or blow us up.”
They left the horse tethered at the edge of town. “The saloon’ll be the best place for information.” He flashed her a grin. “And I wouldn’t mind a cold ale.”
She rolled her eyes. “Men are all the same, no matter where they’re from.” She took a step in the direction of the saloon.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm and spun her around, sending her bouncing up against his hard chest. He dipped his head, his lips tickling her ear. “We aren’t the same. Us space jocks, we have that little something that makes us different.” He nipped her ear. “You haven’t ever met a man like me.”
Ria shivered. They’d had each other three times during the night, and still desire fired inside her like a supernova. “We’ll see, Phoenix. We’ll see.”
He let her go with a predatory grin that lit up his face. “I like a challenge.”
She just bet he did. She wondered, if she did manage to escape the Guild with her life, would she also escape Zayn Phoenix with her heart and body unscathed.
They walked side-by-side to the large building that housed the saloon. Sloe-eyed girls lounged on the upstairs balcony smoking long thin cigarettes, watching them with heavy-lidded curiosity.
Zayn pushed open the swinging doors, and Ria followed him inside.
An honest-to-God Pianola sat against the wall, playing a cheerful, tinny tune.
It was made of wood, and she suspected there wasn’t a computer inside but old-fashioned pneumatics.
The jaunty music filled a room that was crowded with cowboys of all shapes and sizes.
A long, wooden bar ran the length of one wall and two bartenders—one bear of a man with a bright-red bow tie and the other a tiny flame-haired woman—worked hard serving frothing ales and amber liquid in glasses of questionable cleanliness.
A few women circled the room, pausing here and there to laugh with customers and lean over a shoulder to offer unobstructed views of generous cleavage.
There was no doubt what their occupation was.
Their outfits consisted of dresses in gaudy, bright colors, long in back and cut high in front to display bare legs or silk stockings.
Tight corsets cinched in tiny waists and accentuated clearly enhanced breasts.
Ria felt a stab of pity for them. She studied one girl, who looked so incredibly young, sporting too much makeup, artificially-blonde hair piled high on her head, and jaded eyes. How sad to have no other options but to sell your body.
Ria followed Zayn to the bar, taking the opportunity to admire the back view of him in his jeans. The man was built long and lean, and she liked it far too much.
He leaned against the bar and waved a hand at the bartender. The huge man lumbered over. “Whisky or ale? We take gold or silver, no e-creds.”
“We’ll take two ales.” Zayn slapped two gold coins on the scarred bar. “And if you can tell the location of a certain young explosives expert, there’s more coin for you.”
The man slid the other coins off the bar, filled two glasses from the pump, and set them on the bar with a clunk.
“I wouldn’t have much business if I was known for opening my mouth when I shouldn’t.
” He nodded his head toward the center of the room.
“Plenty of others here happy to take your coin for opening their traps.”
Zayn nodded and took a sip of his ale. Ria watched his throat work and hastily picked up her own drink. Alcohol wasn’t something she indulged in often.
“Damn, that’s good.” He took another sip.
She followed suit, then coughed. “It’s horrible.”