A Reluctant Companion (11 page)

He frowned. “What? Why?”

Aidan consulted a paper in front of him. “Reports are sketchy, but the people claim they haven’t been receiving their rations. They’re hungry and desperate, apparently.”

Tiernan leaned forward, steepling his fingers together on the desk. “That can’t be.”

Aidan shrugged. “That’s what the report says.”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose to ward off a pending headache. “Send someone to investigate the distribution center. Let’s make sure no one is skimming the rations to sell on the black market.”

“Yes, sir.” Aidan flipped the page, frowning. “It seems like Lieutenant Gill found the rapist.”

“Which one?” asked Tiernan tiredly, wishing there weren’t so many violent crimes like rape happening that it was difficult to keep track of the victims and perpetrators even in just their province.

Looking a little pallid, Aidan said, “The one who assaulted Lori Becker.”

Tiernan’s mouth tightened. “The tribunal found him guilty?”

“Yes, sir. Should the sentence be carried out publicly or privately?”

Grimly, he said, “Public. I imagine most people will want to know he’s been caught and punished, even if they opt not to view his punishment.”

Aidan nodded, clearly in agreement. “Oh, and one last piece of business.” He handed over an envelope that security screeners had already opened. “You’ll be thrilled,” he said with a glint in his eyes.

Taking the letter, Tiernan scanned it with a scowl. “No.”

His friend chuckled. “It doesn’t work that way, sir. You’re going to have to entertain them like a diplomatic leader.”

Sighing, Tiernan acceded with a nod. “I suppose, but you’d think Germaine would give up. I’m not joining our territories with any sort of treaty, but especially not the kind that includes one of his ugly daughters.”

Aidan clicked his tongue. “If I recall, Pru is quite nice.”

“Very nice personality, but not at all beddable.”

His friend shrugged. “You’d only have to perform once, to consummate the treaty…er, marriage. Or just a few times, perhaps, for an heir.”

Tiernan couldn’t help a small shudder at the thought of Richard “Tex” Germaine’s three daughters. They were sweet, well-mannered young ladies, but they all favored their father rather than their attractive mother. The idea of taking any of them to bed made his stomach churn. “Inconceivable,” he punned.

With a chuckle, Aidan stacked his papers. “It wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Then you do it,” said Tiernan darkly. “I’ll be sure to let Germaine know you’re my right-hand man, and that your wife would certainly have favor with me. There are three women from which to choose. Which will be the lucky bride? Pru, Bea, or May?” He chuckled.

Aidan shook his head. “Laugh it up, man. Your problem is you’re shallow. I’m sure Pru, Bea, and May all have some kind of charms.”

“Will you be finding out?” asked Tiernan with an arched brow.

Aidan cleared his throat. “No, sir. I’m sure the president of the Republic of Texas wants more for his daughters than the captain of your military.”

Tiernan chuckled. “I think you underestimate the importance of being willing to accept one of them. I assume Germaine has already exhausted all the suitable options in his territory, or he wouldn’t keep trying to press one of the daughters on me.”

“Not every woman is a Cleo…or a Madison,” his friend said slyly, with a smirk.

“That is one point we can agree on,” said Tiernan. “Please make sure we send Germaine a letter welcoming his visit.”

“And the Germaine girls?”

He smiled. “I shall be a polite, distant host, as always.” Allowing a moment of seriousness, he said, “I’m not interested in getting married, Aidan, for political gain or any other reason.”

“There isn’t one woman in the world that could tempt you?” asked the captain.

“Absolutely not,” said Tiernan with firm conviction as he squelched the image forming in his head of a woman who could tempt him to do many things he never thought he’d do. Her red-gold hair spread out on his pillow, her hands on his body…

“I’m sure his daughters will be disappointed to find out your position remains negative toward marriage.”

“No doubt,” agreed Tiernan, “Which is why we won’t be telling them. As usual, I shall tap-dance vaguely around the overt suggestions and pretend to be as dense as a brick.”

“Of course. Polite, distant, and evasive as always, and your secret is safe with me. I know my place and when to keep my mouth shut.” Aidan gave him a crisp salute that was part smartass and part etiquette as their meeting came to an end.

“Dismissed, soldier,” said Tiernan with affection that wasn’t proper military form.

*****

It was a long day, and Tiernan gratefully let himself into his suite later in the evening. He’d eaten dinner at his desk as he had discussed the situation in Spokane-Brokenbo with the on-site officer via the radio system. The area was a powder keg and just one spark away from exploding. As far as the soldier Aidan had dispatched to investigate could ascertain, the people in the province had a valid complaint. Their rations had grown steadily lighter over the months until they stopped all together last month. Investigations continued, but Major Tucker had heard credible reports that rebel activity was responsible. Someone was quietly putting together a resistance movement to get rid of Tiernan, and they were stealing supplies from his people to feed their rebel army.

He honestly couldn’t understand what had motivated a rebellion. The Northwest Federation had strict laws, but he thought they were fairly applied to everyone. There were just a few punishments for all crimes, and most were severe to discourage repeat offenses, but the people were safer here than in some territories. Tiernan also tried to make sure everyone who lived in the Federation had basic necessities, even those who did nothing to contribute to the system. Was he so out of touch with his people that he remained unaware of a valid reason for an uprising?

The sight of Madison curled up on the settee, a book open on her lap, made his heart jump and filled him with a sense of calm he’d been missing all day. He shrugged off his jacket, tossing it over a chair instead of hanging it on the hook as he usually did. His boots came next, and he left them where they dropped before walking over to her.

She looked up at him, a warm smile on her lips. “Good evening, Tiernan.”

He groaned. “It’s getting better, but it’s been a terrible day.”

Frowning, she set aside the book and stood up, taking his hand. “You look awful. How about a bath and a massage?”

Such simple pleasures that he had taken for granted in the past, with other companions. “That sounds wonderful.”

Madison led him toward the bath, pausing to ask, “Have you eaten? Cleo brought dinner a couple of hours ago and said you’d be working late.”

He nodded. “I ate something, but I don’t really remember what.”

She clicked her tongue as they came into the bathroom. To his amusement, she stripped his shirt and pants as though he were incapable of undressing himself. The hint of nurturing in the way she performed the task that had him thinking all sorts of strange thoughts, like how gentle she would be with a baby. His baby.

Tiernan blinked to clear that dangerous thought from his mind. When he was eventually ready for an heir, Madison would never be in the running for mother. She was too devoted to her family. She would bond too much with his child and endlessly interfere with the harsher necessities of raising the next commander of the Northwest Federation.

Leaving him in his briefs, she went to turn on the water and then pulled off the robe she wore. As always, the sight of her naked body had him hard and aching in seconds, but she moved with an air of efficient purpose that suggested she was focused on getting him into the bath to relax and wouldn’t be sidetracked by passion.

That was fine. The bath was one of her favorite places to make love anyway. His too, at least with her. When she was slippery and soapy, panting those little breaths that drove him mad, he found her more enticing than ever.

Amusement stirred again when she took his hand to lead him into the tub, making sure he sat on the floor of the tub before sitting on the next step up, so she could comfortably rub his shoulders. Relaxation seeped through him as she worked at the kinks in his muscles.

How had he ever made do without a companion waiting for him at night to give him such attention? He tried to envision any of his other current companions performing the tasks Madison was and couldn’t imagine it would be the same. Any of the girls would have given him a massage or taken a bath with him at his request, but he didn’t know that they would have thought of it on their own. Cleo would have picked up on his tension and heavy thoughts, but her solution would have been much more straightforward and practical—a rousing blowjob followed by a hard fuck to work off all his stress. Before Madison, had anyone asked, he would have definitively chosen Cleo’s solution over hers, but now, he preferred Madison’s technique.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.

He stirred, realizing his eyes were closed, and he had dropped his head back against her shoulder. Her hands still squeezed his shoulders, but she wasn’t really kneading him any longer. “Hmm?” he asked, feeling hazy.

“My momma always asks Papa that after a hard day.”

“Oh.” He sighed as she pressed against his muscles, releasing more tension. In the past, Cleo had been the only companion privy to his confidences, and it had taken a good year or two before he’d trusted her enough. To his surprise, he found himself explaining about the problem that had consumed his day.

“I guess Blaney was telling you the truth.”

“What?”

She patted his shoulders before moving her hands outward, to stroke his upper arms. “You told me he claimed his wine shipments were light because of rebels.”

Slowly, Tiernan nodded. “That’s right. I should contact Nash to see if he’s found anything yet.” He started to get out of the water.

Madison tightened her grip, holding him against her. “Not tonight.”

“What?” Was she really telling him what to do?

“Not tonight,” she said again, more firmly. “You’re stressed out and it’s late. The sergeant might even be asleep already, as you should be. It can wait until tomorrow.”

Torn between consternation that she would dare dictate to him and disconcerting warmth that she apparently cared about his wellbeing, he turned over, sloshing water around as he surged upward to sit beside her, before taking her in his arms. “I’m the commander of the Northwest Federation, Madison, and I don’t take orders.”

She rolled her eyes. “You should when they’re common sense. Get some rest. Let poor Nash get some too.”

Deciding to indulge her, he laughed. “Okay, okay. Just this once, I’ll listen to a little girl.”

Madison glared at him. “I’m not a little girl, Commander. If I were, that would make you quite the pervert.” She reached between his legs to stroke his thickening erection.

“Hmm, good point. I’m many things, but I don’t think pervert fits.” He groaned as she clenched the head in her small fist, applying pressure in a way that made his hips surge.

Madison grinned, and it was clear she was reveling in her feminine power over him. He could easily turn the tables and subdue her, bending her to his will, but he held back. She had never initiated their lovemaking before, and he liked this rarely seen bossy side of her.

Turning himself over to her proved both difficult and easy. It was easy to let his body surrender to the sensations her hands evoked as she touched him, but so hard to let someone else set the pace. He was a bit of a control freak. That was no epiphany. He’d always needed to be the one in charge, and letting his companion take the reins was a strange new adventure.

But so damn good, he conceded, when she straddled him a few minutes later, taking his cock deeply inside her as she rode him in a slow pace that escalated gradually, until they were arching and straining together, their rapid breathing echoing around the bathroom. As he came inside her, she clenched around him, head thrown back and breasts thrust forward. He bent to lick a plump pink nipple as she orgasmed, crying out his name in that heart-stuttering way that made him want to take her over and over. Would he ever get enough of Madison?