Save for Shardae (8 page)

“Of course, as does Lieutenant Stein,” Dr. Raja said patiently. “None too soon. The lieutenant has been burning the candle at both ends. Sergeant Simmons will be fit to return to her duties by commencement of her morning shift.”

She’d have roughly seven hours of rest before she had to report. He didn’t like it. Shardae needed a few days to recover.

He looked at the pile of clothes, a folded ebony tank top and uniform bottoms. A smile tugged at his lips as he thought about how he’d gone to her quarters three days ago and retrieved her clothing…

* * *

“You know, I’ve never been in her quarters.” Lieutenant Stein grunted. “I don’t feel right about going through her things.”

“She isn’t going to leave medical in a thin paper wrap, so I’m going to snag her a fresh set of unis.”

Stein nodded, but his eyes revealed his disbelief and just a touch of censure. Frankly, Zander didn’t give a damn what the older man thought. He was going to get Shardae’s clothing and that was that.

“I’ll stay out here,” Stein said. “When she gets better and finds out you went in there…”

Zander ignored him and went inside, after Stein finally gave up the access code. The doors hushed closed behind him. Shardae’s scent hit him hard, slamming into his nostrils, lodging itself into his blood. He stood for a moment, not moving, not daring to disturb the quiet thrill, but his heart pumped ferociously in his chest. Red hot need swamped him with a ferocity he was having trouble handling.

Entering her personal space was like walking into some new dimension. He was overcome by a sort of slow erotic drug that dipped into his veins. Each breath tasted of lust and longing. A sheen of sweat surfaced on his body. The air was thick and heady and sultry.

His piercing green eyes raced around the room. His ears strained to hear the little imaginary mewls that had for a brief second thundered in his ears. Forcing the air from his lungs in a long hiss, Zander took one slow step after another until he was standing directly in front of the doors to her bedroom. He knew it was wrong but he couldn’t help but think this was the place she slept, probably touching herself, cupping those luscious breasts in her own hands, maybe even tweaking diamond hard nipples. She would spread those perfectly shaped thighs and --

Nope. He didn’t need to think about that now. He’d come in for Shardae’s clothes, he might as well get them. The doors slid back with a soft
oooohhhh
causing him to shiver. Why did every damn thing here bring to mind Shardae in some sexual form or another? The rush of cold air roused more than just goose bumps. He squinted against the frigid air. How the hell did Shardae sleep in here? Her twin-sized standard-issue bed had nothing standard about it. Three layers of blankets sat folded at the end of the bed. He couldn’t help but think if he shared that bed she’d have no need for any of them. He would keep her so damn hot she wouldn’t want anything covering her but him. His hands twitched, the muscles flexing in eagerness to touch her warm skin. Damn it, just the thought had him hard and aching. He grabbed a fistful of one of the blankets, brought it to his nose and inhaled it deep. He could smell her, her light scent engulfing him almost as if he could be closer to her, have her inside him, like he so desperately wanted to be inside her. He sat down, leaving the blanket tossed across his thigh. The sensations were too much; he wanted her so bad, and this was as close as he’d ever gotten. The media center, three embedded panels, glowed in the soft hush.

“Hurry up, Reyes! I’ve got duties and so do you, pilot!” Stein bellowed.

“Keep your pants on! I’m coming.”

Well, not yet. He lay back on her bed, picturing her curvy body tossing one sexy item off at a time. The seductive striptease ratcheted his hunger higher. Her chestnut brown hair spilled down to smooth, nude shoulders. She leaned in to kiss him deeply. He breathed her in and his cock rose. His hand became hers gliding over his rock hard ache. He drank her in again as she put both hands on her hips -- hips meant for riding. He could already see his hands locked on that waist as his stone hard cock plunged into her again and again.

Zander closed his eyes and saw Shardae, naked and sprawled across his lap. Seeing her this way made him feel powerful, but blessed. His cock, already hardened steel, seemed to grow harder still. He couldn’t help himself. He raised his hand and whacked the wonderful curve of her ass. Zander adjusted his position a bit, gliding his hands over her flushed buttocks.

He swatted her again, and Shardae purred in pleasure, taking her lower lip between her teeth. She tugged on it and looked over her shoulder to him.

“Oh, oh!” She moaned and again her body quivered against his thighs.

Watching her delightful breasts swing back and forth with each whack of his hand, feeling her squirm against his cock and witnessing how damn sexy she looked all caught up in the rapture of desire, Zander released his swollen and already leaking phallus into his hand. He wrapped his fist around his thick tool and glided it over the purple sensitive head. He used his leaking lust to lubricate his cock.

He could see the wet slickness between Shardae’s legs growing glossier with each whack. The ripe hardening and elongating of the cinnamon rose tips of her breasts as the sound, the very crack of his hand across her ass…

When he thought he couldn’t grow any harder, he asked, “Are you ready for me, Sergeant?”

“Yes!” Shardae shrieked, quivering with need. “Yes!”

Her buttocks, flushed scarlet as his hair despite her mocha with cream coloring, set his cock to dripping droplets of anticipation. He couldn’t pass up the chance to pinch the tiny scarlet welts dotting her ass. They made her shudder and his cock stiffen all the more. She crawled up the bed, casting heated glances over her shoulder. The looks called him hither and he didn’t delay.

His fist pumped harder, faster as he mentally played out Shardae climbing onto him. She sank her hot wet pussy onto him and he fought to control himself. So deliciously tight, she hugged him inside her. She began to move against his cock, slowly riding him. Zander grabbed both her fabulous buttocks, anchoring her to him.

“Hurry up, Reyes!” came Stein’s coarse voice.

Zander didn’t even bother to respond. At least not vocally. Shardae increased her speed and kept slamming faster, harder, riding him until he couldn’t hold back. Not now, not anymore. The orgasm tore through him, forcing him to grunt and clench his teeth to keep from shouting out.

It took him a few minutes to gather himself. He cleaned himself up in the head and grabbed a uniform pair, tank and bottoms. He also grabbed a sexy bra and pair of panties for her. He tucked them between the uniform so Stein wouldn’t see what he’d grabbed.

He exited Shardae’s quarters with his breathing rough, and his heart excited to experience the real thing…

* * *

When Zander looked up again, he found Dr. Raja staring at him. The way the light fell, his glasses looked opaque and hid his eyes. “Does Sergeant Simmons know?” the doctor asked, his mouth twitching in a smile. He tapped the vitals screen and leaned in closer to read the text. He glanced back at Zander.

“Know what?” Zander pinned the doctor with a shrewd glare. He didn’t like the doctor’s amused tone. Nothing about Shardae’s injuries spoke to humor -- nothing at all.

“That you’re in love with her,” Dr. Raja said plainly. He shot Zander a broader smile, one he probably gave before slicing up a patient for surgery or before shooting medicine into someone’s arm. Most likely, Raja meant to reassure but Zander only found it annoying. “It’s obvious to everyone.”

Zander scowled harder. Being easy to read had only come up recently, since his transfer to
The Explorer
. First Mackerel and now the doctor. “Is everybody on this vessel a walking psychiatrist?”

Dr. Raja snorted in laughter. “No, but you’re an unprotected file. Might as well proclaim it via the craft’s monitors. The way you stare at her, and whenever another male approaches you growl deep in your throat like a loyal pet.”

Despite how lighthearted he sounded, the doctor’s observations had a harsh realism. “Is it that apparent? I thought my poker face had more merit.”

“Yes, well, you’d better upgrade it,” the doctor chuckled. The monitor beside her bed broke into blue swirls before clearing to present menu options for IGO medical. He turned back to the screen, but continued to talk to Zander. “She’s a lovely woman. You’re not the first one to fall for her.”

Zander expected that -- after all he had been reared on several spacecrafts -- and he had met several of Shardae’s suitors in the last few days.

“Ah, there,” Dr. Raja said with a sharp clearing of his throat. “The toxin has been flushed from her system. Her sutures have been removed. The sergeant’s fit to go. She’ll be a little hungry when she comes around. The stasis Mackerel placed her in actually saved her from serious paralysis.”

“It’s a good thing I didn’t kill him, then.” Zander wiped his face with his hands.

“Ah, the look on your face, Pilot Reyes.” The doctor chuckled and adjusted his glasses. He hesitated. “It isn’t my place to say, but since your father and I are old pieces in this very new game, I’d like to give you some advice.”

Yeah, well, here it was. He’d heard all the discouraging talk about pursuing Shardae -- mostly from the very men who wanted her for themselves. The uncomfortable feeling of discussing Shardae with a complete stranger made him pace a little faster beside her bed. “Look,” Zander said, holding up his hand to stop the doctor. “I’ve heard all the rumors. The warnings about dating her. I don’t care that she’s tough, that she’s jaded, that Ashe will have me demoted. I don’t care. The only thing I care about -- is her. She’s worth the risk.”

“Agreed,” Dr. Raja said firmly. “I was only going to say that when she wakes, you should make sure she eats a big meal. Keep her from any strenuous physical activity. Her neck is still very tender. After seventy-two hours of intense antibiotic treatment, she might be nauseous if she doesn’t eat something to steady her stomach.”

“Oh.” Zander wrapped his hand around Shardae’s. She felt warm and her breathing came in a regular cadence. “Sure.”

A groan snagged his attention. There, eyes creaking open, Shardae stifled a yawn. He squeezed her hand. His tension slid away. She really would be all right. The last few days knitted together in something akin to emotional hell -- and it burned through his calm, usually laidback demeanor. But now, now he could start calming the angry sea inside him.

“Hello, sunshine,” he said, and nearly choked on the swell of emotions in his throat. He cleared his throat. “I’m glad you’re awake. Dr. Raja says you can leave today.”

She licked her lips and attempted to talk. Nothing came out the first three or four tries, but he fetched her water. When he handed her the cup, she gulped it down in big swallows, draining it of its contents.

“Good,” she said.

“The water or the news?” he asked with a short laugh. She cast him a warning glance. He laughed harder. “Yes, you’re better.”

So feisty and self-assured -- traits he found intoxicating. The combination made her both volatile and strangely fun. He never knew what Shardae would do next. He liked that a lot about her.

“Ah, Sergeant Simmons,” Dr. Raja said, “you’re good to go.”

She pushed herself up to a sitting position. Rubbing her face, she swooned a bit to the right. She shook off Zander’s hand from hers and struggled to get herself together. He knew she didn’t want to appear weak in front of the doctor, well, in front of anyone. At least that’s what he told himself as he tried not to grab her hand and force the touching.

He’d been so worried about her. In that moment, he recalled how Mackerel’s face tightened in anxious worry before they moved her from the hologram floor. He’d roared at Mackerel, at the two young medics, at everything and everyone to get Shardae to medical because if she died, he would slay all of them.

Beneath the paper thin blanket, Shardae had on a black tank top and her uniform bottoms. The tank top revealed her strong arms, muscular but not masculine. He wanted to kiss the sculpted arcs of her biceps, down her firm forearms. His cock twitched in agreement. Only kissing her wouldn’t do. He wanted much more than that -- he wanted to consume all of her until Sergeant Shardae Simmons became a part of him.

He took her in again, allowing his eyes to sweep over her. The tank top clung to the full swell of her breasts. Tight diamond-tipped nipples poked through the fabric. They taunted him, begging to be free of the cloth, to be in between his wet lips, feeling his tongue flick them into pleasure, suckle them in passion.

“It’s good to see you awake,” he said, his voice husky with emotions.

“Thank you.” She took a deep breath. She reached for her earpiece from the shelf beside her bed. She slung it over her right ear and met his eyes at last. “You stayed with me.”

“Yes.”

“How long have I been here?” she asked, her eyes sliding back to Dr. Raja.

Zander couldn’t tell her how pissed and furious he’d been when they finally got her into the medical bay. “Long enough.”

Chapter 12

Dr. Raja gave a little shrug. “You’re cleared to start the morning shift at 0600.”

Shardae nodded, but she didn’t want to walk out of there blind. She’d lost too much time already. Her body felt disjointed and surreal, like it didn’t belong to her. Her mouth tasted like dirt and gravel-encrusted paste. What had happened to her?

Something wiggled in the rear of her brain, something she had thought moments before she passed out. It escaped her attempts to bring it to the forefront.

“The good pilot will escort you to your quarters,” he said, mischief in his grin. “Listen to me, little stubborn sergeant. Food. Eat lots of it.”

Zander held out his hand. “You ready, ma’am? This sliver of foam can’t be comfortable.”

They seemed very eager to get her out of medical. Warnings came alive in her mind. So many questions; she needed answers like right now. “Wait, Dr. Raja,” she said, her voice still rusty from disuse. “What day it is? What happened?”