built. He moved between her legs, slipped inside and, for a moment, didn’t move. He wanted to savor everything about her. The way her body automatically tightened around him, enclosing him in the liquid fire that was her body. He almost lost it when she wrapped her legs around his waist, sucking him deeper inside her heat.
“More,” she whispered.
He growled, rose above her, then plunged deeper.
“Yes, harder.”
He watched her face in the throes of her passion. The way she bit her bottom lip, strained toward that first quiver that would overtake her body.
She rose to meet each thrust, her breath coming out in little pants. Straining, drawing nearer.
“More,” she cried out.
He plunged deeper, faster, harder.
Her body tightened. She gasped. A tear slid from the corner of her eye.
The fire built inside him. He drew almost all the way out of her body, then sank back inside. Fire licked at his erection as her heat stroked down his length, then back up.
And then he came. Explosions of light went off around him as intense pleasure filled his mind and body. He sank into her softness with a moan of deep satisfaction before rolling to his side, taking her with him, pulling her against him.
“Don’t ever leave me again,” she murmured.
He barely heard her words. Didn’t answer. He wasn’t sure it was a promise he could keep. At least, not without causing her pain.
They clung to each other, as though they knew their future was uncertain at best. Would they even have one together?
She sighed, her breathing even. He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes as the familiar burning pain gripped him. He used to welcome the shift after sex so he wouldn’t have to answer a lot of questions. But now he only wanted to feel Ria’s body pressed against his, grasping every moment as if it might be their last.
Chapter 24
Ria woke to the sound of her shower running. She grumbled as she rolled over in the bed. Then it hit her. Kristor was back, and all was right in her world. Butterflies fluttered inside her stomach.
She stretched and yawned. There was a thump under the bed. She leaned over the side and raised the dust ruffle. “Hello,” she told her cat.
“Meow.”
Ria smiled. Ruffles looked pretty satisfied. The cat closed its eyes and visions of chasing a mouse filled Ria’s head.
She stilled.
Why would she imagine that? She looked at the cat again. Ruffles had gone back to snoozing.
Okay, no more concentrating. She didn’t even want to see Ruffles catching the stupid mouse or what she would do with it when she did.
Ria rolled out of bed, grabbing her fluffy white robe, and slipping her arms inside. She was tying the belt when Kristor stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a towel knotted at the waist.
Good Lord, did he realize what he did to her? She wanted to pounce. Who wouldn’t? All that tanned exposed skin, sinewy muscles, broad chest, rock-hard abs…
“If you keep looking at me like that, I don’t think we’ll leave the house today.”
And that would be bad because…?
Her stomach rumbled. She had only picked at her lunch today and suddenly she was starved. She glanced at the clock. It was already four. Too early for dinner, but she had plenty of munchies. Cheese, crackers, fruit, and wine…then more sex. Oh, baby, that sounded good to her.
“I’ll shower and then see what I can hunt up for us to eat.”
“Hunt? I am a warrior. I will do the hunting.”
She chuckled. “Well, everything is in the pantry in the kitchen. Go for it.”
She watched as understanding dawned.
His smile was a little sheepish. “I thought you meant you would kill our food.”
“I know. Sorry, I couldn’t resist teasing you.”
“Teasing me?” He nodded. “I have a sister like that.”
It was difficult for her to wrap her mind around the fact he had a family on another planet far away. And that he would be joining them soon.
She cleared her mind of those thoughts. Not today. They would spend the day together and not worry about the future.
“I won’t be long.” She started past him, but he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Her arms entwined around his neck as she pressed her body closer.
They were both panting when he ended the kiss. For a moment, they held each other. She knew if she didn’t take her shower, it might be a while before she got that chance, and besides being hungry, she wanted to know everything about Kristor.
“I’ll join you in a few minutes.” She hurried inside the bathroom, closing the door behind her. He mumbled something about needing a cold shower. She grinned.
When she joined him in the kitchen, he was bending over looking at something on one of the lower shelves in the pantry. She stopped, staring at his nicely formed ass that was only covered by a bit of towel.
Now who needed the cold shower?
“Find anything?” she asked.
He jumped, bumping his head on the shelf above the one he was looking at. When he turned, she saw the smear of chocolate at the corner of his mouth.
“Ah, I see you found my stash of chocolate bars.”
He held up a half empty bag. It had been full! So maybe their relationship wouldn’t work. He’d eaten most of her chocolate, and you just didn’t mess with a lady’s chocolate. She cocked an eyebrow and planted her hands on her hips.
He held up the bag. “I’ll share.”
Okay, maybe it would work out. She sauntered over and grabbed the bag from him. “Of course, you will. It’s my chocolate.”
He leaned forward until their lips touched. The kiss was light. He tasted of chocolate. Chocolate and Kristor—a heady combination.
“I have ice cream in the freezer,” she said as she put a little distance between them.
“I don’t know this food.”
“Oh, it’s a major food group. Milk. Eggs.” When he still looked confused, she continued. “Trust me.” She tossed the chocolate on the table and grabbed the gallon of strawberry-shortcake ice cream out of the freezer. Rather than getting bowls, she just got two spoons. It would save on dishes.
“And orange drink?” he asked.
It was a good thing she’d bought more. The guy had a serious addiction. Hmm, apparently they didn’t have any of this on New Symtaria. Maybe she could get him hooked on junk food and he’d stay. It was an idea.
“Did you see the moon pies?” she casually asked. A good addictive food. She was so evil.
He stopped in the process of removing the lid from the ice cream and stared at her. “You have pies from the moon?”
“No, they’re just called that.” Her forehead puckered. “Do you?”
“Of course not. It’s a barren wasteland filled with craters. No one lives there.”
“We sent men to the moon.” She went to the pantry and grabbed the moon pies.
“Were they being punished?”
“No, they were explorers.”
