Skyport Virgo 1 - Refuge (30 page)

She trembled beneath his loving stare. She wished she could think of something more eloquent to say but let the words slip from her lips anyway. "Me, too."

Pike claimed her mouth. His hand slid down her shoulder and over to her breast. He cupped her, his thumb moving over her nipple before he bent down and sucked it between his lips. He moved from breast to breast, licking and suckling and teething until Laleh writhed underneath him. Her pussy pulsed as her cream flowed from her core. She yearned to have Pike inside her, but he had other plans.

Laleh sighed in bliss as Pike kissed and nipped his way down to her body. His tongue dipped into her navel and traveled lower, leaving a cool stripe of wetness. He grasped her thighs and parted them wide. Laleh whimpered as he nuzzled his nose between her folds. His tongue flicked against her clit and then slid lower, gliding between her lips and prodding her entrance. "Mmmm," he hummed. "I just love the taste of your cunt."

"Pike!" It thrilled her when he talked like that. He made a hungry noise and delved into her sex. She held tight to his head as he traced her lips with his flattened tongue.

When his mouth settled over her clit, she bucked against him. He rolled the nub between lips and circled his tongue over it again and again. Laleh's hips pumped in rhythm with his tonguing. Her belly vibrated with white hot heat.

"Make me come, Pike." As she begged him for release, Laleh ground her pussy against his mouth. His grip tightened as he lapped eagerly at her clit. Laleh shuddered and sucked in shallow breaths. Her thighs quivered as she chased her climax. She pinched her own nipples as she hovered on the edge. Pike sucked hard on her clit and she came, shoulders arching, hips snapping. He kept licking at her until she pleaded for him to stop.

The sensations were too intense.

Pike abandoned her clit, but kept his tongue on her sex. He stabbed his pointed tongue into her slick hole, lapping at her cream like a kitten. Laleh moaned as he continued his sensual assault. Eventually, he licked her labia and placed a soft kiss on her clit. He crawled over her and brushed his lips against hers. Laleh ran her fingers through his hair as she swirled her tongue around his.

Desperate to taste him, she pushed on his shoulders until he rolled on his back. She flicked her tongue against his nipples and grazed her teeth down his torso. She followed the line of dark hair leading right down to his erect cock with her lips. Moving between his legs, she rested on her belly and cupped his balls. She licked the seam there before sucking his sac into her mouth.

Pike groaned low and loud as she laved at his sensitive pouch. When she licked from the bottom of his shaft to the tip of his cock, Pike's hips rose off the bed. She allowed saliva to pool on her tongue and drip onto his flushed skin. Her lips wrapped around his cock. She swallowed him inch by delicious inch until her nose bumped the thatch of crisp hairs.

Ever so slowly, Laleh dragged her slick lips back up his cock and then plunged down again. She clasped his shaft, working him with tight strokes as she bobbed on his penis.

Her other hand fondled his sac. Pike issued little groans and grunts of appreciation. He caressed her face and threaded his fingers through her locks. Every now and then, he lifted his shoulders and watched her sucking him off.

"Stop," Pike said with a strangled groan. He pulled out of her mouth. His eyes burned with arousal. "Come here."

Laleh did as he asked. Pike clutched her to his chest and rolled her onto her back.

With one smooth thrust, he buried his cock inside her slick pussy. His jaw ticked and eyes closed. Laleh held onto his waist as he rocked against her. His strokes were deliberate and leisurely. There was no race to come, no frantic urge to finish. Tonight, they enjoyed the intimacy of their joined bodies.

Grasping his shoulders, she licked and sucked at his neck. He shivered and thrust deeply into her wet depths. She rose up to meet his plunging cock. Her nipples grazed his chest hair, the sensation heightening her excitement. Pike's teeth grazed her collarbone.

He moved to her mouth and flicked his tongue between her lips.

Heat blossomed in Laleh's lower belly. Her clit throbbed as tendrils of pleasure invaded her cunt. Pike's cock stroked just the right spot over and over again. His thrusts grew more forceful, his pace quickening a bit. She clutched at his shoulders. "Touch me."

Pike groaned against her neck. His hands rode the curve of her belly and glided between her slippery folds. He rubbed his thumb over her clit. She bucked against his hand and cried out. Pike's lips settled over hers. His tongue darted into her mouth as he fucked her harder. "Come with me," he whispered against her lips. "Come with me, Laleh."

She squeezed her pussy around his thrusting cock. Pleasure rippled through her core.

Her heels pressed into Pike's backside, urging him closer, deeper. The fingers of his other hand rested against her forehead. Their noses barely touched, their panted breaths mingling, lips sometimes brushing together. They rocked in unison, their bodies united in a shared cause.

Laleh inhaled a shaky breath as the first panicky wave of orgasm bloomed in her belly. "I'm coming!"

Pike swallowed her moans of ecstasy as he drove into her again and again. He strummed her clit, drawing out her orgasm as he plunged into her one final time. Body rigid, he jerked roughly and spilled his seed. She clenched him in her arms, her hips swiveling to wrench every last ounce of pleasure available.

With a groan, Pike collapsed against her chest. He placed his head on her breast, his ear just over her heart. She stroked his hair and reveled in the tenderness of the moment.

She realized in that moment her love for Pike knew no bounds. She ached for him and couldn't imagine ever being parted from him again.

As she cradled him in her arms, Pike spoke, his voice thick from their tryst. "Do you think we'll ever be happier than we are right now?"

Laleh smiled and touched his cheek. "Maybe."

Pike paced impatiently outside the greenhouse on Virgo's science deck. He'd pulled a lot of strings to reserve the lush garden space this evening and couldn't wait to see Laleh's face. He checked his watch for the millionth time. He wondered if she'd been kept late at work. He knew her latest project, an exhibit on the mishmash of cultures aboard Virgo, took up a great deal of her time. Like everything else, Laleh approached her exhibit with tenacity.

Since that fateful day four weeks ago, life had calmed down considerably. Laleh had testified before the Federation panel. An investigation into who exactly knew about Jai's dealings with the Scourge and when they'd learned of it was currently underway. The Hezman Empire remained under intense scrutiny, and it looked as if there might be some small changes coming in the way women were viewed and treated. Dari couldn't afford to piss off the few people still willing to invest in his planet. They were demanding changes to avoid bad publicity within the Federation. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

Pike had thrown himself into his duties, making sure to do things by the book. He knew he'd been cut some slack because of his exemplary record. He doubted he'd receive the same treatment again if he dared stray outside protocols. From now on, Pike lived on the straight and narrow.

Laleh rounded the corner. A grey herringbone dress skimmed her curvaceous figure.

Black heels tapped the polished the floor, punctuating the swing to her saucy hips. Pike's fingers itched to peel away the dress so he could get his hands on her skin. As soon as he got her inside, the clip holding her hair in a loose coil would be snatched away. He wanted her hair around her shoulders and free for tangling his fingers.

As Laleh drew near, Pike noticed the preoccupied expression on her face.

"Something wrong?"

Laleh shook her head and rose up to kiss him. "Just some unexpected news."

"Oh?" Pike's hands found their natural place on her hips.

She waved dismissively. "I'll tell you later. Right now I want to know why you asked me to join you at the greenhouse."

Pike grinned, excitement and nervousness bubbling through him. He slid his arm around her waist and gestured toward the double doors. "Just a little surprise."

"Surprise?" Laleh's eyebrows arched. She gave a giddy little laugh. "Can't wait!"

Chuckling, Pike led her into the greenhouse. The balmy interior was a stark contrast to the dry coolness of Virgo's usual temperature. Heady scents of exotic plants mixed with the refreshing, bright smells of grasses and trees. Pale blue lights lit up the winding pathways. Soft overhead lighting mimicked the night sky, the ceiling dotted with twinkling star-like spots.

Up ahead, the weeping cherry tree came into view. It stood tall, its branches draping toward the manicured lawn. Delicate white and pink blossoms dripped from the branches.

Pike knew nothing of trees, but the moment he'd spotted it he'd known that was the tree for tonight.

Beside him, Laleh inhaled sharply as she spotted the red checkered blanket, picnic basket, and lounging pillows he'd placed under the tree. She squeezed his hand and beamed up at him. "Pike, this is amazing!"

He kissed her temple. "I'm glad you like it."

"What's the occasion?" Laleh raised a hand to touch the branches. White blossoms showered around her fingertips.

"We've been so busy these last weeks and I thought it would be nice to do something special."

Laleh wrapped her arms around his waist and gazed into his eyes. "You're such a romantic."

"Don't tell anyone." He whispered against her lips.

"They wouldn't believe me," Laleh teased and slipped from his arms. She sank down onto the blanket and kicked off her pumps. Pike settled down next to her. He unpacked the picnic basket, placing the various cold dishes and desserts onto the blanket. He handed out the plates, utensils and cloth napkins before twisting the cap on her favorite iced green tea and pouring it into a glass.

"Thank you." Laleh accepted the tea and took a sip. "This must have taken some planning." She motioned to the selection of food and then their surroundings.

He shrugged casually. "You're worth it."

Laleh seemed to glow at his comment. She sat forward and investigated the food containers. She heaped portions of the pasta salad and chicken and veggies onto their plates. She leaned back against the big, comfy pillows and dug into her dinner. "So how was work?"

"Same old, same old." Pike tasted the grilled chicken. The light sauce's flavors, a hint of lime and something spicy, exploded on his tongue. "This is good."

Laleh nodded in agreement. "We should have this again."

"Definitely. And you? How was your day?"

"Busy." She balanced her plate on her outstretched legs. "I'm trying to layout the exhibit space, but it's difficult to focus when I have people running in and out of my office all day wanting me to translate this or consult on that." She kneaded the back of her neck. "It's tiring."

Pike studied her carefully. She did look tired—had looked tired for a while now.

She'd been heading to bed a bit earlier than usual, too. "Maybe you should take a three day weekend, Laleh. Spend Monday resting or hit one of the spas. You look like you could use a few days of relaxation."

"Tempting," she said, lifting her glass to her lips. After she swallowed her tea, she shook her head. "I just have two more weeks until the exhibit. I'll take a few sick days to celebrate."

"Do that." Pike made a mental note to encourage her to take some me-time after the exhibit's debut. "I saw Quinn today."

"Oh?"

"He came by my office for his new orders."

"What kind of orders?"

Pike smiled apologetically. "I can't, Laleh. It's classified."

She frowned and issued a little humph. "I never get to hear anything juicy."

Pike laughed and rolled his eyes. "Please, Laleh. You work in the diplomatic service.

I can only imagine what kind of things you hear day in and day out."

"Fair point."

"Quinn asked after you, said he'd tried to reach you a few days ago."

"I completely forgot to return his message." Laleh seemed aggravated with her forgetfulness. "I hope it wasn't important."

"He just wanted to get together to go bowling. I told him I'd send along the message.

If you're going to get together, it will have to be within the next two weeks," he added, knowing Quinn deployed soon.

"Thanks for the heads up. I'll see if he wants to grab lunch tomorrow. Want to join us?"

Pike shook his head. "That's all right. You two get rather rowdy in public. I'd be in uniform and—well—you know."

"I understand."

"And anyways. I always feel like the third wheel with you two."

"Really?" Laleh looked surprised. "Does it bother you?"

"Not anymore," Pike admitted. "I get the dynamic now. I'm not at all threatened by it like I used to be."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"Let's compromise. Why don't we have him over for dinner before he deploys?"

"Sounds great," Laleh said.

They polished off their dinner and started in on the desserts, two slices of decadent carrot cake and vanilla ice cream. It was the perfect rich end to a light meal. Pike's stomach clenched at the sight of Laleh scooping her finger through a dollop of frosting and licking it clean. Always a coquette, she gathered more frosting on her finger and brought it to his lips. He held her gaze as he sucked the digit between his lips.

Laleh leaned forward and kissed him deeply. When she pulled back, uncertainty colored her face. He cupped her cheek and brushed his lips across hers. "What is it?"

She swallowed hard. "I'm pregnant."

Of all the things he'd expected to hear, that wasn't among them. After the initial shock passed, a thrill of elation seized his chest. A baby, his baby! Until Laleh, he'd all but given up on the possibility of ever being a father. A dam of emotion deep within him broke open, spilling its stream of emotions into his blood. He could see himself with their child, a little boy or girl with Laleh's eyes and smile and his sandy hair. Suddenly he wondered if he'd ever be able to convey to Laleh how grateful he was for this chance.