A Viking's Peace: Futuristic Science Fiction Romance (Vikings in Space Book 1) (9 page)

“Reinn,” she gasped, then grabbed his face. “Stop thinking about making it perfect for me.”

He froze. “It’s my duty to pleasure you.”

“Trust me, fucking me like a stallion will bring me all sorts of pleasure.”

He grinned down at her, her sweet face all flushed and bright-eyed. “You want me to be your stallion?”

“Damn straight.”

He swept his arm under her hips and rolled them in one fluid motion. “Then ride,
min elskede
.”

Like a sphinx, she rolled up and away from his body. He thought he was already as turned on as he could possibly be, but the long, graceful stretch of her torso made him even harder inside her. She looked down at him through half-shut eyes and licked her lips as if to say,
yes, I feel it, too
.
 

He stroked his hands up her lean thighs, gripped snug to his body, and anchored his hands on the swell of her hips. She lifted up, as if
she
was going to fuck
him
, but he had other plans. She might be on top, but he was in charge. He thrust into her, intent on finding the spot that made her gasp before. She wobbled in place but stayed up right, and he started again, lifting her and driving deep in a strange and perfectly haphazard fashion. Form took a back seat to the function of driving her out of her beautiful mind.

Over and over again, he slid his cock into her, fast and hard. He didn’t need to tell her to touch herself, her hands were everywhere. He watched, devouring the sight of her pinching her nipples and stroking down her stomach. Holding herself open with one hand as she found and circled her clit with the other.

He watched, but he didn’t stop. He was a machine with a single purpose: keep his woman moaning. Even as his own climax thundered closer, he kept filling her, stretching her. He loved that look of wonder on her face as they joined over and over again, and he’d count the gods backwards and upside down if he needed to. But she was close, really close, and when she tipped forward and he took one pebbled peak in his mouth, she spasmed around him in bliss and he surged one last time, filling her with his seed.
 

He cupped her ass, loving the way her flesh filled his hands, then trailed his fingers up her spine as she lay on his chest.

“That was fun,” he murmured wryly. “You’re bossy.”

She buried her face in his neck.

“I can’t hear you.” He laughed as she mumbled the same thing again.

Her eyes slowly slid into view. “I can’t believe I said that,” she said. When he slid a knuckle under her chin and lifted her face all the way up to his, he saw she was blushing.

“I liked it.” He rubbed his hand along her jaw and into her hair, bringing her in for a slow, sweet kiss. “I had a whole night planned for you back at my farm. Oil, hot springs bath, gifts. A formal pledge of betrothal.”

She giggled. “And instead you got a fight, a chase, and crude demands.”

“It was perfect.” He hesitated before picking up their quarrel again, but they needed to know where they stood.
He
needed to know. “Are you still scared?”

She settled her head on his chest and laid her hand on his stomach. “Petrified. Mostly because I’m going to get yelled at by my CO and I’d prefer if you didn’t try to kill him.”

He grunted. “Perhaps I shouldn’t be there when that happens.”

She smiled against his skin. “Perhaps.”

“And us?”

“I wanted an adventure. This isn’t quite how I envisioned it, but…yes. I want
us
. I…I love you.” The hesitation wasn’t borne from doubt, but care, and it warmed his soul.
 

“I will make you happy, Ashleigh. For your entire life.” He said the words gravely, but as he did, a lightness floated into his voice. He could picture them on his farm together in their old age, with children and grandchildren and a legacy that would make her proud. It wouldn’t be hard to devote himself to pleasing this woman. Even if she was bossy. “And next week I’ll stand by you as we deal with the fall out. I can make a significant morning-gift.”

“That won’t be necessary, Reinn. It’s the twenty-third century.”

He didn’t follow. “Well, on the twenty-third century on
this
planet, a husband proves he can provide for his wife.”

She made a noncommittal hum. “Do you have a data link at your farm?” She had a determined look on her face, one he’d already come to recognize. “There’s no reason to wait. I’ll call my CO tomorrow.”

8

“No.”

Ashleigh bit back a smile at Reinn’s stern look. “Yes.”

“This conversation is better held in person. And after we’ve had a few days—”

“Of wild monkey sex? Yeah, I bet that would be better for you.” She propped her hands under her chin and gave him her best
don’t bother
look, even as he scowled. “The sooner I tell him, the better it will be. My career, my decision.”

“I don’t like that.”

She winked. “Get used to it.”

He gave her a long look. “And if they send you back to Earth? If you wait until we’re betrothed, then the trade agreements should protect you more.”

“If they want to send me back, I’ll go. But I’ll come back. The more I think about it, though, the less likely that seems. I’m not abdicating my responsibilities here. Just…complicating them.” She pushed herself up, pulling the sheet with her. “Now, I need to have a quick wash up, and then we’ll go back to the celebrations, yes?”

She left him sputtering and slipped down the hall to the common bath. Energy conservation was a big deal on the Flats, so the bathing water came from a solar heater attached to the outside of the home. She turned that knob, waiting for the basin to fill with the sun-warmed liquid. It wasn’t quite as amazing as the hot springs water that supplied her bath at the inn in Ny København, but it still had that special Midgard tingle that she’d quickly come to love.

When she was finished, she carried a small bowl and a clean washcloth back to Reinn. She handed it to him, then went to her bag. “I have a gift for you,” she admitted.

“When did you buy that?” He sat up.

“A couple of days ago.”

“When you were mad at me for not calling?”

“The heart wants what the heart wants.”

“And your heart wants me.” He grinned and reached for her. “I like the sound of that.”

She brought the small leather pouch with her, holding it out for him as she settled on her knees between his legs. Inside was a comb, and she hoped she’d correctly interpreted the significance of the gift. She’d been in the market and had overheard a conversation between two vendors. As she couldn’t very well come out and say that she had a special love herself, she’d waited until the end of the day, then gone back and picked out a comb that made her think of him. The edge was decorated with a sword, which she had yet to see him use, but she’d heard he was quite skilled. And trailing up the hilt were vines, for the farmer in him.
 

He held it in his hands, not saying anything, long enough to make her worried.

“If it’s not to your liking…” She shrugged. “I’m sure I could use it.”

“It’s wonderful.” He looked up at her, surprise written on his face. “It’s just that for us, a comb is a—”

“A special gift for a lover. For a husband.” She smiled. “I know.”

He set the bowl and the comb on the floor beside the bed and rolled her underneath him.

It took them until dusk to rejoin the party and they walked back to the square holding hands.
 
Ashleigh felt like she was floating on air, and every time her shoulder brushed Reinn’s bicep, a little thrill fluttered through her chest.

The joy of their private afternoon fled when she saw the shuttlecraft sitting in the middle of the square, however. The visitors must have just arrived, because Bern was hustling up the lane toward them, all out of breath.

“Reinn, come quickly,” the older man called.

Before they rounded the shuttlecraft, she knew who she’d find. Captain Reynolds stood toe-to-toe with Navena, who was politely repeating that she didn’t know where Lt. Tavistock was.

“I’m right here,” she said, forcing her voice to be clear and without concern. She hadn’t done anything wrong.
Selfish, maybe, but not wrong
.

Reynolds turned on his heel. “A word in private, Lieutenant?”

“Yes, sir.” She nodded toward the shuttlecraft and stepped inside. He followed, hitting the button to close the hatch behind them. She didn’t look back at Reinn, not needing the fury that would surely be on his face etched in her mind.

Her commanding officer had just crashed their summer solstice celebration. Literally. With a fucking shuttlecraft. It was beyond offensive, and she was the reason for it. A sick feeling flooded her gut. So much for pledging to always be on his side. She’d gone about this all the wrong ways.

Her boss stared at her for a minute before raising an eyebrow. “Well?”

“Yes, sir?” She stood at attention despite the fact she wasn’t in uniform. Maybe he wouldn’t notice her post-sex glow and her crazy Viking hair.

“Nice hair.” He didn’t say it like he actually liked it.

“Yes, sir.”

“You’ve done a good job of connecting with the locals.” And he didn’t say
that
like it was a good thing.

“Sir?”

“Don’t play dumb, Lieutenant.”

“My apologies, sir.”

“For being dumb or for sleeping with a fucking Viking? Because that was pretty dumb as well. I knew you were too young for this mission. Too green. I didn’t realize you were fucking stupid as well.”

She held his gaze as he blustered. The cursing was a good thing. When he got scary quiet and failed to find any appropriate words, that was when one needed to really worry.

“Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”

“I have started a relationship with Reinn Ragnarson, it’s true. It’s still quite new. I was planning to contact you tomorrow, as soon as I could get to a data link.”

“Convenient, that you were planning to tell me
tomorrow
. His father told me
this morning
. That was fucking embarrassing, Tavistock.”

Ah. It all made sense now. “Again, I apologize, sir, but technically speaking, I was not in a relationship with Ragnarson this morning.”

“Are you calling the King of Midgard a liar?”

“Not at all. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding. Or misinformation shared. I’m not sure.”

“You know he told me about this over a beer? Like it wasn’t a big deal?” He started pacing back and forth. “He told me in front of fucking Jacoby.”

“I regret that embarrassment, sir. But flying a shuttlecraft here. Landing it in the middle of the square. Sir, I realize that you are upset with me, but that was surely upsetting for this community.”

“I don’t give two flying fucks if they’re upset!” She waited for him to realize what he’d just said, and when he did, he scowled. “Damnit.”

“Yes, sir. Might I suggest that we move the craft somewhere else?”

“No, you may not. What are your intentions with this Viking?”
 

“May I speak freely?”

“Sure, why the hell not?”

“It’s more his intentions that are the issue, sir. He’s asked for my hand in marriage.”

“Jesus Christ.”

Ashleigh maintained a neutral face, although it was hard. Sure, Reinn was kind of crazy. But he was her kind of crazy.

“And let me guess, you’re going to accept.”

“Love makes us do crazy things, sir. Will that be a problem?”

“I don’t know. Maybe not. Does his father know yet?”

“No.”

“Excellent.” He stalked over to the door, tapping the release button, and the hatch swung open. She followed him off. Reinn was nowhere in sight, and her stomach lurched.

The captain barked an order to the private standing beside the craft, and the sentry scurried inside. Ashleigh had stopped listening.
Where are you
? Her heart ached. She’d just laid it all out on the line for her boss, he better not be having second thoughts about her, even if she was unfortunately attached to some bumpkins.

And then he was there, with Bern, who was carrying a tray laden down with mugs and bottles of mead, and her heart soared.
 

He stepped forward, eyes steely, hand extended. “Welcome to Aulbjerg. We weren’t expecting you.”

Her boss shook Reinn’s hand and stepped closer, dropping his own voice as he said…something. Reinn flicked his eyes in her direction, then back at the man in front of him. He nodded and muttered a response.
 

She scowled. She’d been handling it. Why did men always feel the need to have private conversations, like a wink and a nod was somehow better than a group discussion, clearing the air?

Her boss stepped back and lifted his voice. “People of Aulbjerg, I apologize for interrupting your celebration. It was rash and uncalled for. If we could add a little something to the festivities, I’ll have this monstrosity moved and we’d like to stay.” He waved his hand and the private brought forward a large box labelled with the name of a pastry shop from the city. “I understand this shop is a bit of a national treasure. We’ve been lucky enough to have some of their tarts over our time in Ny København.”

Cake. Ashleigh bit back a laugh. He had the growl of a pitbull, but the captain could be a true diplomat when needed. Who didn’t like sugar?

No one in Aulbjerg, it turned out. A great cheer went up, and as the shuttlecraft fired up, the partying resumed.
 

For everyone except Ashleigh and Reinn. He watched her carefully as everyone moved away and she returned his steady, guarded gaze.

“
Min elskede
,” he started, his tender words confirming he wasn’t pissed. But maybe she still was. Sort of. “You’re such a hothead. Do you think I made a secret deal for your hand in marriage?”

“Did you?”

He laughed. “No. I would, except then I’d fear we wouldn’t get back to all that wild monkey sex you promised me.”

“I don’t recall that being a promise.” She let a small smile slip through. “More of a caution.”

He shrugged that off as if he’d take it either way. “What did you say to him?”