28. Chapter 28
They did eventually make it to the bed. Coopers legs were trembling from exhaustion and Marissa had already fallen asleep against his chest. She moaned gently when he lifted her and his only slightly sated cock slipped out of her. He had to push down on his desire to slip it back inside, wake her up by gently rocking inside her until she came.
She needed sleep, though, and he didn”t think he”d stay awake long enough to watch her face. He loved watching her find her peak. He could watch it for hours, had, if the clock was right, and never be satisfied.
He laid her beneath the covers then crawled in after her. Whatever doubt he”d had in his heart was soothed by the way she rolled into his arms. Satisfied purrs filled his mind when he reached for hers.
Marissa woke before he did and he came to full wakefulness as he slid inside her, his hands gripping her hips, while she rode him. The smug pleasure she sent told him this was exactly her plan and he let her set the pace, using his fingers and thumbs to heighten her pleasure as he plucked her desires out of her mind.
They exploded together and she collapsed against his chest, her muscles clenching to keep him seated inside while she changed position. His hips bucked and pushed him deep inside her which inspired a delighted gasp.
”Good morning,” he said with a chuckle. Then he gasped when she wiggled on him.
”Oh, I like that,” she said and he could feel the wicked grin against his chest.
”Keep it up, and I”ll make you get off.”
”But I just got off!”
He smacked her ass and they both moaned.
”Behave, I haven”t eaten yet.”
”I have something you can eat,” she said, and flexed around him.
”Right, that”s it,” he said, and buried himself deep inside her, then flipped them over.
Marissa laughed, then gasped, as he started moving inside her. Obviously, this was what she had wanted and he was happy to oblige.
Round two rolled naturally into round three before they were both sated enough to talk.
”How did the lunch meeting go yesterday?” she asked. ”I caught bits of some of it but I didn”t think Ae-cha was going to let go of your ship short of an invasion.”
”I didn”t either. And I suppose I have you to thank for that, in a way.”
”Oh?”
Cooper smiled and rested his chin against the top of her head. Her breath against his chest was warm and pleasant.
”Well, not on purpose, but I discovered something when I was channeling your emotions. My face changed to look like yours.”
”Oh, I didn”t know you could do that.”
”I didn”t either,” he admitted. ”Or, I knew I could change, but I didn”t realize I could do it without thinking about it. And the others had never seen that before.”
”What do you mean?” Marissa asked. She leaned back and looked up at him, her eyes crossing briefly while she tried to focus on his face.
”I mean that neither Zoric nor Ae-cha had seen a Chelion change before. They think it”s an ability exclusive to the Dragor.”
”You”re not a Dragor,” Marissa stated. ”I saw a picture of the one Zoric used to work for.”
”No, I”m not,” Cooper said. ”So there are more mysteries than our tales and the history lessons we”ve all learned.”
”So she”s bringing your ship back to get to the bottom of them?”
”No, she”s bringing my ship back because she”s so nosy, she couldn”t help but try and keep a connection after she helped me break out of our sympathetic emotional state.”
”She did what?” Marissa demanded, her anger swirling through him.
But he knew what the anger was and met it with laughter. ”She shocked me enough to break our connection so I could get control of myself and tried to hitch a ride. And got more than she bargained for at the meeting.”
Anger turned to embarrassment then amusement.
”Well, I suppose that”s one way to make sure she minds her business. I wondered why she was uncomfortable yesterday.”
”As loathe as I would ever be to share your affection with another, I cannot regret that she got a glimpse of the joy and pleasure you bring me.”
”Do you think it will help?” Marissa asked.
”If she lets it,” Cooper said. ”If she doesn”t let it eat her up with jealousy.”
Marissa nodded. She knew she could see the danger in the other woman but she also suspected there was an aching loneliness.
They were making noises about getting food when there was a knock on the door.
”Major Ozark,” John called through the door. ”Are you decent?”
She raised an eyebrow at the question then called back. ”No!”
”Are you dressed?”
The second question made them both snort and Cooper answered this time.
”The Commander wants you in his office,” John said. ”He said not to rush you if you were, ah, busy but since the noise has stopped, I figured it was safe to interrupt.”
”Oh god,” Marissa said, and buried her face against Cooper”s chest.
”We”ll be dressed and ready momentarily,” Cooper called. ”Is there time for a shower?”
”A quick one,” John said. ”And we”d all appreciate it if you both took one. This whole hallway is making people lonely.”
”Oh god,” Marissa repeated, and pulled the blanket over her head.
Cooper chuckled and pulled it back. His beautiful mate was blushing and it was one of the cutest things he”d ever seen her do.
”Give us fifteen, uh, I mean twenty minutes to get ready,” he called. ”And a little privacy.”
”I swear, I”m not waiting in the hallway for you to have a quickie.”
”Then go wait somewhere else,” Cooper told him.
Marissa protested but Cooper silenced them with a kiss, then a quick trip down her body to taste her pleasure. He moaned into her, making sure she knew how much he enjoyed this, then set about pushing her over the edge one more time. She was so sensitive, it didn”t take more than a couple minutes, then he was licking at the juices coating his lips while he helped her stand.
They were ready in fifteen minutes and John returned looking pleased with himself.
”What are you so happy about?” Marissa asked as they followed him down the hall.
”I know something you don”t,” John said. ”And I”m enjoying that for a little bit.”
”Are you going to tell me what it is?” Marissa asked.
”Nope,” John said. ”You”ll find out in a few minutes. And it”s good. You”re going to like it. But I get to know about it first.”
Marissa humphed at him and Cooper enjoyed the banter. He missed the camaraderie he”d had with his unit before being sent out as a scout.
John opened the door to the Commander”s office and saluted, then winked when they walked in. The door closed behind them and the Commander gestured to the chairs by his desk.
”Marissa, I”m going to cut around a lot of bullshit and let you know that Mintonar sent in an official statement about your ability to return to duty.”
Cooper could feel Marissa”s shock and disappointment with the news but also her intent to remain impassive while listening to it.
”He says that while you are physically and mentally fit to return to duty, your bond with Cooper has given you additional skills that are going to take time and practice to use. As you have also agreed to help him with his medical research, decisions have been made to kill two birds with one stone, and you”re being reassigned. Along with the rest of your team.”
”I”m what?” Marissa asked.
”The official orders will be here tomorrow but you”re being attached to the aliens. You”re authorized to bring any dependents with you as long as the Orvax agree to their presence.”
”Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. It”s an honor, sir.”
”And as for you,” the Commander said, turning to Cooper. ”We asked about being able to put a trace on the message you sent with the Orvax device. Apparently, the Orvax were already working on that. Your message never left the solar system and there is some evidence that it was sent back to Earth.”
It was Cooper”s turn to be shocked. He was certain he”d set it to be able to get a message to his command.
”I don”t pretend to understand the few details they sent with their findings but I suspect the Orvax are going to want to talk to you about the message. At length.”
”Thank you, sir,” Cooper said. ”I appreciate the information and look forward to working with the Orvax.”
The Commander snorted. ”I”m sure you do. Especially since the recommendation I have from the Orvax doctor is to let the two of you rest and, I quote, make sure they”re fed and left alone to do what comes naturally.”
”Oh god,” Marissa said, and brought a hand up to cover her eyes.
”I should probably see to getting both of us fed, then,” Cooper said. ”If you”ll excuse us?”
”Yeah, yeah, get out,” he said.
Marissa jumped out of her chair to follow instructions and Cooper wasn”t far behind her. John was waiting outside the door with a grin.
”Want some lunch?” he asked.