He slid a hand away from her breast, across her flat belly, and through that small shock of black hair that he had explored in depth the night before. She was wet.
So he slipped inside her and cupped her against him, gently rocking them both. She moaned as she came awake—literally coming and waking up at the same time. Which made him come too—faster than he ever had in his life.
He hadn’t thought he had anything left in him, but apparently he did.
She shifted, then pulled away from him, startling him. She hadn’t done that before.
Was she angry? Did she dislike being awakened like this? Did she feel taken advantage of?
He hadn’t meant to make her feel bad.
She rolled over and faced him. The pillow had creased one cheek, making her look just a little dangerous. Her black hair was tousled, her lips swollen.
She smiled at him, and to his relief, the smile reached her eyes. She put a hand on his jaw, holding him in place, as she kissed him thoroughly.
“Good morning to you too,” she said and leaned back. “Although I’m not sure it’s morning.”
“Me, either,” he said.
She ran a hand through his hair, finger-combing it. “This room has its own water shower,” she said.
He felt a shock run through him. Something in her tone made that comment dismissive, not suggestive. He couldn’t tell what it was, since she still looked soft and kissable.
“Do I need one?” he asked.
Her eyes became distant, even though her expression didn’t change. “I just figured you’d appreciate the luxury, especially here on Krell.”
“I worry what the water’s got in it,” he said, “especially here on Krell.”
Her smile widened, and she came back to those eyes. “I’ve used it for two days and I haven’t melted yet.”
He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. Maybe he could spend more time with her. Maybe he could meet her somewhere else, just for a day. (A night.) Or just a few hours. (Or another evening in bed.)
“You haven’t told me who you are yet, either,” he said in the most unthreatening tone he could muster.
Her smile changed. Her lips moved ever so slightly, so that the smile didn’t seem pleased, it seemed like it was tinged with an apology. He’d never seen anyone whose smallest expressions conveyed so much.
Or maybe he never noticed such things before.
“You know who I am,” she said. “I’m the woman you spent the night with.”
“I’d love to spend another night,” he said, stroking her hair.
“Me, too,” she said, and his heart actually leaped.
Then she rolled away from him, and got out of bed, all in one quick movement.
“Unfortunately, we agreed this was a one-time thing.”
And she, clearly, was going to enforce it.
He sighed. “We did. I enjoyed myself so much”—which was a hell of an understatement—“that I was hoping we could renegotiate.”
“Maybe,” she said, and that leaping feeling returned. “If we meet again on some other crappy space station.”
And the feeling fell away. He was more than disappointed. He felt… well, he didn’t want to think about how he felt. He would have to use words he never used, like
“Would you like the shower first?” she asked.
Normally, he would let her have it. After all, she was already out of bed. But he needed to get out of here. He couldn’t spend any more time with her, not if she hadn’t felt the way he had.
And she clearly hadn’t.
“Yes, I’ll experiment with that shower first,” he said, getting up slowly. He was sore, but in unexpected places. His elbows were scraped. The muscles on his thighs complained, probably from that unexpected joining near the couch, where his legs finally gave out.
He smiled at her, hoping the smile didn’t look as fake as it felt. Then he walked, back straight, to the bathroom, amazed at the effort it took not to grab her and hold her against him one last time.
Chapter 6
Skye watched Jack walk around the bed. The top of his head brushed against the ceiling here as well, yet he was in perfect proportion. She wouldn’t have thought tall would be so appealing, and it was.
A shiver ran through her. She had been alone for her entire life, and she had just guaranteed that she would remain alone.
What would it cost to meet him occasionally on some space resort somewhere or in some hotel in an out- of-the-way city on some distant planet?
But she knew the answer to that. She had stayed awake most of the night thinking about it, and had finally dozed off maybe an hour or two before he woke her up again. Pleasantly. Sex had never been exciting and pleasant and addictive all at the same time.
The answer, she thought, forcing herself to concentrate, was that she had too many obligations to the Assassins Guild and had made too many enemies. She didn’t know who Jack was or who he worked for. He might actually be someone she should have avoided.
She hadn’t checked, and she wouldn’t. She would do her best to forget him when she left Krell later today.
It would take a hell of an effort, but she’d made hellish efforts before.
She could do it again.
The shower squealed on. He was more trusting than she was. She had actually tested that water for contaminants before stepping into it naked. The water had been remarkably clean, probably something else she was paying for in this hugely expensive suite.
She shivered again, then yanked a sheet off the bed and wrapped it around herself. The problem wasn’t with the environmental controls. It was with her decision, and she knew it.
She wanted to stay with him. She wanted to see if she could make him as addicted to her as she already was to him.
And maybe he was. He had asked exactly what she had been thinking: he had asked to meet her again.
She had to say no. Maybe she would find him when she was no longer part of the Guild, but right now, she didn’t dare involve anyone else in it.
Especially someone she didn’t know.
She needed armor. She trailed around the bed and found the clothes she barely remembered discarding. She slipped them on, leaving the sheet crumpled on the floor.
Then she picked up his clothes and cradled them against her. They smelled like him, all warm and safe and sexy. She hadn’t realized just how erotic scents could be. Yet his was.
She made herself set the clothing on the side of the bed, then went into the living room so she wouldn’t see him naked again. She would say the coldest good-bye she could, and hope he wouldn’t give her that look again— the one that mixed desire with sadness. She had barely been able to stand up to it the first time.
She doubted she could stand up to it again.
Chapter 7
