Passionate Desire (12 page)

“I should have known it was you two. It makes perfect sense.” He paced. “There were those comments you two made.”

“Of course it does.” Heather sat up and looked at him. Storm was amazed at how easily she spoke about this. Her modesty normally had her blushing like crazy. “Why would it be anyone else?”

“Why bring me along? I don’t need to know what your intimate life is like.”

“It wasn’t on purpose. I don’t know how to stop it right now.”

Storm held her in his embrace, the chair cradling the two of them. He was there for her if her brother pushed a little too hard and upset her.

“Then that will be the first thing we fix. I’d like to be able to feel my orgasms, not anyone else’s.” He stopped pacing for a moment and jammed his hands on his hips. “And just how often do you two do it? It seems like about every two hours when you’re awake.”

“That’s close,” said Storm. He couldn’t help but smile. One of the things he loved about Heather was the fact she could keep up with his sexual appetite. His desire for her was a constant thing. Knowing her brother came along with them had bothered him, although he would never tell Heather that. Knowing they were close to keeping their intimacy to themselves again filled him with happiness.

“I’m amazed you two can still walk.”

Heather placed her hand on his for reassurance. He knew what Kuarto had just said flustered her. “Doctor, our sex life is none of your business.”

“It is when you share it with me. I can’t get any work done. Do you know what it is like to be swept up in that in the middle of a surgery? I had to schedule my life around your sex life.”

“You are upsetting my mate.” Storm wasn’t going to allow him to make another comment if it was going to hurt Heather. She had been through enough.

“I’m sorry, Heather. Sometimes I do forget myself.” He glared at Storm. “This started about two months ago for me. How long have you two been sharing?”

“It’s been about that long. Once the device dissolved my mind seemed to expand.”

“My heart, we actually started sharing before that. Remember?”

“He’s right. We did notice we could feel each other emotions. In fact, I could tell when Storm was looking for me pretty early in our relationship, but it was nothing like it is now.” She leaned her head against his chest.

“Have you tried to link with anyone else? Besides your mate and I.”

“No. It’s not something to take lightly. I didn’t just start picking up thoughts. And even now I’m not sure if I can reach Storm when we’re not intimate.”

“You can. Storm being able to enter your mind a few moments ago proved that. You just have to practice more to control it.”

She looked up at her mate and grinned. “That could be fun.”

He leaned down and captured her lips with his. “Can’t wait.”

“Let’s keep the libido in check shall we?” Kuarto leaned against the console near Storm’s shoulder. “The first thing I think we need to work on is creating a barrier between my mind and yours. That would make my life a little easier.”

“Will you come back to Vespia with us?” Heather asked.

“Why?” He straightened when she asked him.

“Because it would make Storm happy.” She looked up at her mate. “When Ialog kidnapped me it was from Storm’s mother’s home on Vespia. Storm knows I’m not safe anywhere, but he would feel better if he could control some of the situation. Knowing I have markers in my head means he’s still watching me for whatever reason. I know that makes me nervous. I can’t imagine what it is doing to Storm.”

Storm couldn’t have been as honest as she was. His goal was to protect her as much as he could. Something he hadn’t been able to do.

“And if I don’t want to go?”

“Then we’ll go home.” She gave her shoulders a shrug. “We came to get Toki, not force you to go to Vespia. Her ship shouldn’t have crashed and Storm was concerned. That’s why we’re here.”

“Why did she come here anyway?”

“To find you.” Heather said. “She was supposed to ask you if you’d be willing to meet with us. Allow Storm and I a chance to speak to you about what we’ve been dealing with. See if you would help us. That hasn’t changed. I still hope to get your help.”

“Why me?”

“Because you’re my brother.” Her honesty came out so easily. It always amazed Storm. “I knew you were a doctor from the mind melds.”

“How? I felt the orgasms. They were mind blowing. I don’t know how you could do anything more than just feel.”

Heather’s head dipped. Storm bet she was blushing. “Nevertheless, I knew you were a doctor and just about the only person anyone close to me would trust.”

Storm watched Kuarto, wondering if Heather’s words would convince him to help.

Kuarto didn’t say anything as he looked at the three of them who were waiting for an answer. He looked at Toki. “You have been awful quiet.”

“This whole conversation has been pretty much one sided.” She shrugged her shoulders. “My input isn’t important.”

“Don’t mind her. That’s her training speaking,” said Heather. She tilted her head as she looked at him. “Did I hear Ialog call her your bride?”

Storm had wondered the same thing. That was something he had wanted to ask about, but he hadn’t had a chance.

“Um, yes.” He suddenly looked nervous. “There aren’t too many people who come to this planet so a stranger stands out. It was the only thing I could come up with. It was to keep her safe.”

Storm wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth. He looked at his sister to see if she would give anything away but she remained quiet. He knew he would be able to break her later and put it on his list of things to do.

“I see.” Heather turned her head to look at Toki. “And what do you have to say?”

“The same.” She remained still. Storm could tell she was hiding something. “I didn’t remember anything until you two showed up and the doctor freed my mind.”

Storm noticed she kept her answer simple. Had something happened between them? Heather seemed to think so. He wondered what his mate was going to do next.

“So then if you don’t want to come with us we’ll be on our way.” Heather stood but her feet still didn’t want to work properly.

Storm stood as well so he could wrap an arm around her waist to help her move. She hadn’t been able to stand on her own since their run in with Ialog. He didn’t like it.

“We need to get out of here before he realizes I’m here.”

“You need to rest,” Storm said.

“I know and I will, once we’re underway.” She leaned her head against his chest again.

“No arguing.” He eased her back into the chair. “We’ll be home in about twelve hours and the doctor will be the first person you see when we land.”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine long before we land.” She rested her hand on his chest. “It’s only because he’s close.”

“Are you arguing with me?”

“Does that mean you’ll have to punish me?” Her voice held a hopeful note.

“You two are incorrigible.” Kuarto rubbed his head.

Storm knew if he had tried to persuade him into coming to Vespia, Kuarto wouldn’t have believed him, but there was something about Heather that had the opposite effect on people.

“I don’t feel I need to go to Vespia to do what needs to be done, but I do understand your worry about what Ialog can do so I’ll go, but I need to get a few things before we leave. And if it’s not too much I’d like to have your sister help me pack my equipment.”

Storm looked at his sister to see what she wanted. She nodded slightly.

“Of course.” He wasn’t sure if it was the smartest thing to allow, but she was a grown woman and could make her own decisions.

Kuarto nodded and headed off the ship.

“Are you sure about him?” Storm wasn’t sure if he could trust the man the way Heather could.

“He’s my brother, Storm. Of course I’m sure about him.”

****

“You sure didn’t say a whole lot.” Kuarto found her silence through that whole thing strange. It didn’t fit what he had learned about her.

“As you can see when my brother is involved you don’t always get a chance to say a lot.”

“Is he always like that?” He glanced at her profile. “I wanted to give him several injections that might have shut him up forever.”

She laughed. “He comes across kind of strong if you’re not used to him, but he is a good man. Your sister sees through all of his blustering.”

“If you say so.” Kuarto wasn’t so sure.

They got back to his place pretty quickly. He gathered everything he would need and knew he had to destroy any records he had of Heather and what he had learned about her. He also needed to delete information he had on the egg. Once he cleaned the system, he went out into his garage.

“I wish I could take my truck with me.” He rubbed a hand against the banged up fender. He hadn’t had a chance to fix it yet.

“I could speak to Storm.” Toki placed a hand on the same fender. “Ask him to have one of the other ships get it for you.”

“Other ships?”

“He never travels alone. Vespian protocol.”

“I’ll move it into my ship. It will keep it safe and make everyone think I have left for good. Then I can come back for it at another time.” Once that was done he was ready to go. They started walking toward the ship.

“You’ve been very quiet.” He wasn’t sure what was going on with her.

“Happens when I get around family. They have a tendency to stick their noses where I don’t want them to.”

“So you think your brother is going to question you about us.” He watched his step as they worked their way through the woods.

“I’m sure of it.”

“Just tell him the truth.” He lifted a branch that blocked their way. Once she passed him, he walked around it and let it go.

“And what is the truth?” She looked up at him with a touch of concern on her face. “My brother will ask me and if he’s not happy with my answer he’ll come after you and I know I want to avoid that as much as possible. You two don’t play well together.”

“What would he want to know?” He didn’t get what she was hinting at.

“I’m sure the word bride will come up in the conversation.”

“What happened between us is private.” Storm better not try to interfere in his life.

“In case you haven’t noticed, he’s extremely protective of the people he cares about.”

“That I have noticed.” He was quiet for a moment. “What will you tell him?”

“I don’t know. What can I tell him?”

He wasn’t sure about his feelings for her. One of the reasons he was going to their planet was because of her, but did he want to admit that? At the same time, should he keep her in the dark when he wanted to spend more time with her? He must have been quiet a little too long.

“Look, I don’t want you to feel obligated to me.”

“We make a pair, don’t we?” He started laughing. “Neither wants to say how we feel because whatever has happened between us is so new we don’t know what to call it.” He wished he could read her thoughts. It sure would come in handy right now. “I can’t promise anything.”

“I can’t compete.” Her voice was soft.

“Compete?” He looked at her. “What are you talking about?”

“Them, you. The mind sharing thing. You know.”

“Oh, honey. I don’t want you to even try.” He took her hand in his. “I’ve been quite happy with what we shared. I don’t want what they have. I want what we could have.”

She gave him a bright smile and he wondered if he said too much. The ship came into view and he questioned his decision to leave once more. He knew his sister needed him and even in the short time he had spent with her he knew there was a connection between them. He wanted to help her. Her mate on the other hand annoyed the life out of him and he wished he wasn’t part of the picture.

The doors to the ship opened and allowed them to enter. Kuarto found Heather and Storm cuddling on the command chair. He sat against the backrest with Heather using him as her mattress. She was curled up on her side with a happy smile on her face.

“This ship isn’t much on rooms since it’s one of our scout ships. Heather recommended we give you two the one sleeping room since I still have to pilot the ship.” Storm didn’t sound like he was happy with what he was saying.

“Thank you, Storm,” said his sister. She disappeared into the room Storm pointed at kind of fast. It made Him wonder if she was trying to avoid the questions she said her brother would ask.

Kuarto wanted to be sure Heather was okay so he walked up to the chair and crouched down beside her. “You’ve gotten some of your color back. That’s good to see.”

“The ship’s shields are helping with that,” Storm commented.

“Probably. If she bounces back after we leave orbit then it is the close proximity to Al that is causing the problem. Something else we’re going to have to address.”

“I don’t want her anywhere near that man.” Storm started the procedure for takeoff.

“But what if he were to come for her?”

Storm’s face darkened in anger. That was the wrong thing to say. “He had her before and that will never happen again. I’ll die before he touches her again.”

“Storm,” Heather patted the chest she leaned against. “It’s always good to check every angle.”

“You are supposed to be sleeping, and why would you want to argue with me in front of other people.”

“He doesn’t count. Family has never counted.” She stretched in his arms. “And it’s hard to sleep when you’re growling in my ear.”

“You seem to be doing much better.” Kuarto checked her eyes and pressed his hand against her pulse. Her eyes were clear now but her pulse was still off.

“Feeling better, too.”

So that answered one question. “Have we broken orbit?”

“About five seconds ago.”

“Thought so.” He touched her hand. She still felt a little cold. “You taking any vitamins?”

“No, why?” She shifted in her seat.

“It would be a good idea considering you’re pregnant. Your body is feeding three now and that’s going to put a drain on you as time goes on.” He stood up. “I’ll put together something for you to take that will help.”

“Thank you.” Heather snuggled against Storm. “Why don’t you go get some rest and we’ll work on this later.”