Dating Outside Your DNA (27 page)

am now. I'm damn good." Her forehead wrinkled. "Except at knife

throwing."

"You need to be better than good. There's no room for

mistakes."

"Then I won't make any."

"I'm being serious."

"So am I."

"It's dangerous."

"I knew that coming in. I'm not afraid to face it."

"You should be." He picked up a small rock and rubbed his

thumb over it. "You could get killed."

"I could get run over by a car while I'm walking across the

street.  When it's my time, there's nothing that will stop it."

He dropped the rock and met her gaze. She saw the worry in

his eyes.

"You think I won't worry about you, too?" she asked.

"That's different."

She laughed lightly. "Why? Because you're a man?"

"Of  course not. It's because I have more experience."

"But I have special abilities that will give me an edge." She drew in a deep breath. She understood why he worried about her safety.  She worried about his, too. "This is what I want to do. I know it's the same way for you. I see it in your eyes when you talk about the missions you've been on. They sparkle with excitement. That's the way I feel on the inside. I think I've been ready for this all my life."

He came to his feet and stood looking at the water.  "I know all that. I think you're the best I've ever trained even without your special skills."

She stood, brushing off the seat of her pants. "Then you have to let me spread my wings and fly. You have to trust me."

"It's not fair to throw my words back i n my face."

"Sometimes I don't play fair." She moved closer, snuggling against his back, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Like right

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now. I want to make love with you."

"I didn't bring you out here just so I could make love to you."

She pressed her  lips against his shirt. "But you wouldn't be

opposed to the idea, would you?" She let her hands slide down until

they were against his zipper, then she lightly squeezed and was

happy to hear him groan.

She unfastened his belt, then slipped the metal button through

the buttonhole. He didn't move, in fact, he barely breathed as she

tugged his zipper down.

"I'm going to have my way with you." She smiled, enjoying the

role she was playing.

"I think I'm going to let you."

She slid her hands under the waistband of his briefs, grazing

her fingernails on either side of his erection, but careful not to touch it.

He sucked in his stomach.

"You're killing me." He moaned.

"No, only torturing you a little."

"Turnabout is fair play."

"I'll hold you to that."

She  encircled his penis, rubbing her thumb over the tip. He  thrust his hips forward. Slowly, she brought the skin down, then back  up. "I love the feel of you in my hands. You're thick and hard. When  I'm ready, I'm going to strip out of my clothes and spread my legs  wide. When you plunge deep inside my body, I'm going to wrap my  legs around your waist so you can go even deeper."

"Have you been practicing talking dirty?" His words were raspy  with need.

"Practicing? No, but I've been dreaming of making love agai n.

My body grows warm just being near you." It was easier when she

didn't have to look right at him. Standing behind him, she was bathed

in a cloak of invisibility. It made her braver.

She slid her hands lower, pushing his briefs down before

cupping his balls. She liked the way they fit in her hands. She

continued pushing his clothes downward, scraping fingernails over

the top of his thighs, then running them back up and lightly caressing,

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teasing.

"Enough."

He turned in one movement and took her in his  arms before

she could complain that she wasn't through touching him. But when  his lips brushed hers, all thought of what she'd been doing was gone.  She only wanted to taste him. The cinnamon of his toothpaste, the  heat of his mouth.

She lost herself in th e fierce power of his kiss, then he gentled, becoming tender as his tongue stroked hers. She caressed his as her arms went around his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair.

He pulled back, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

"You're going to be th e death of me. I worry that you'll get hurt if I don't push you hard enough during training. I worry that you'll hate me if I do. You were meant to be an agent. You have the skills, and you have the instincts of a seasoned agent. And every time I look at

you, all I can think about is making love to you."

"Then make love to me now, and don't worry about anything,

because nothing else matters."

He moved away and unlaced his combat boots. She didn't

waste any time stripping out of her boots and clothes. Then they were

standing naked in front of each other.

"You don't think we'll catch the woods on fire, do you?"

"Maybe, but if we start smoking we can always jump in the

river."

He scooped her up in his arms. Laughter bubbled out of her.

She tightened her arms around his neck, afraid he was going to toss her in the river, but he only laid her gently on the ground. He stood above her, staring at her. "You're so damn beautiful."

She could feel the heat rise up her face.

He laughed. "You're lying naked on the  ground, yet you blush when I tell you that you're beautiful." He laid beside her.

"I can't help it. I'm not used to compliments."

"Then I'll have to tell you just how hot and sexy you are more often." He cupped her breast. "Like your breasts. They're just right.

Nice and firm. I love watching the way they bounce just a little when

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you walk. I love how your nipples harden when I brush my fingers

across them."

She drew in a sharp breath.

"You like that?"

"You know I do."

He lowered his mouth and sucked  a nipple, swirling his tongue around it before moving to the other one. Her body arched as a deep ache began to grow inside her.

He moved back to her side. "And that? Did you like that."

She nodded.

"I want to hear you say it." His words were hoarse, his eyes  glazed with passion.

"I love when you suck on my breasts, when you run your  tongue over my nipples."

"And this? Do you like this?" He ran his fingers through the  curls at the juncture between her legs.

"Yes." That one word was all she could manage.

"Spread your legs," he whispered close to her ear.

She did, and he moved between them. She cried out with  pleasure when he ran his tongue over her labia, then sucked her  inside his mouth. Her body began to tremble as heat spread through  her. Before the trembles could overtake her, he quickly slipped on a  condom and entered her.

She wrapped her legs around him as she'd promised, and he sank deeper. The sounds of the water rushing over the rocks filled her mind, the scent of their desire mingled with the heady scent of the woods.

"Oh, God, yes," he cried out as he thrust into her body.

He slid deep, then pulled almost all the way out. In and out, in

and out. Faster and faster.

She clenched her inner muscles, heard him gasp with pleasure.  Heat infused  them both. Bright oranges, deep purples, fiery reds caressed their bodies.

She cried out, her body trembling with the impact of her

orgasm. His body tightened. He moaned, then slowly collapsed

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beside her. The only sounds were the ones in the woods, and their

breathing.

As she caught her breath, Lyraka realized something, she was

falling in love. Damn it, she didn't have time for love. She wanted to

be an agent.

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Chapter 22

B
anyon had wondered all this time what Earth was like. Now

that he  was here, he wasn't that impressed. Rovertia was far

superior.

But he enjoyed playing games, especially the one he played

now. He smiled at the woman and watched as she fluttered her

hands in front of her. Did she actually think he would ever be

interested in someone like her? Apparently.

She revolted him. He was used to perfection and she was far  from perfect. She had wrinkles. Disgusting wrinkles.

Kragen had found where Aasera had been hiding-- in some sort  of colony that his old nemesis had begun for  artists and poets and  other wasteful pursuits. The Nerakians were like that. They meditated  constantly. It was a ridiculous habit.

Long ago, Roverts had been sent to the planet Earth, discreetly  blending in with the population as they learned earthling ways.

When he'd arrived, three men had met him. They had rented a  transport unit called a limo. While two of them stayed on the outskirts  of the artist compound, another acted as his driver. They'd provided  him with luggage to avoid suspicion. He already knew a lot about this  planet and its people's ways. Unlike the Nerakian, he liked knowing  his enemies.

"I bet you're a painter," the woman said. She'd told him her

name was Anna.

"You're very astute." He bowed slightly at the waist.

Her hands fluttered again. It was very annoying. She reminded  him of a pesky Nagem, small creatures that were like an irritating bug  fluttering fast and close to one's face. He hadn't been able to swat

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one yet.

"Let's see what I have." She set a book on the counter between

them, then opened it. She studied it for a moment, then looked up

with a smile that stretched across her face. "We have one cabin

available."

"Good. Can you tell me if Aasera is here?"

Her eyes widened. "You know Aasera?"

"We are old friends from long ago."

Her shoulders slumped. "Oh, that's too bad. She's on an

extended vacation. I don't know when she'll return. I'm in charge until

she does." She suddenly brightened. "Do you plan on staying for a

while?"

He smiled warmly. "Who knows what the wind shall bring."

"Oh, that was very poetic."

"But her daughter is here, correct?"

"Lyraka? Oh, no, she's gone, too."

Anger swept through him. He gripped the counter to keep from lashing out at this hideous creature in front of him. As soon as he felt calm once more, he asked, "Where has she gone?"

"She's...uh...you say you're an old friend?"

The woman wasn't as stupid as she looked. "It doesn't matter. If  I don't see them this time, I'll leave a note and an address where they can reach me."

She relaxed. "Yes,  that will be fine."

He let his gaze linger on her. "Will you dine with me tonight? I don't know the area."

Her face took on an odd, rosy hue, and she began to flutter again. "I'm sure you could find a younger, beautiful woman. Why would you want to have  dinner with me?"

"I think older women have a wisdom that goes far beyond that of youth. Please, don't break my heart." He bowed his head.

"In that case, I would love to."

She giggled when he took her hand and lightly placed his lips against it. She smelled of age, not at all like the young woman he'd been with last night. It had been a shame he'd had to leave her the

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way he had.

"I'll show you to your cabin."

Anna knew she was blushing. She hadn't blushed in years! Not  since she was in her thirties, but here she was sixty years old and  blushing like a school girl.

She cast a glance in his direction again and almost had an  orgasm. She hadn't had one of those in years, either. The man was  sexy as hell with his dark sensuous looks. She'd almost melted when  he'd walked into the office.

When she'd asked his name, he'd told her it was Banyon. Just  Banyon. Like Cher or Madonna. That was it! Maybe he was a star and this was going to be his retreat from the paparazzi. She'd never heard of a Banyon before today, though. He talked kind of strange.  He could be from another country. Maybe Italy. He looked Italian.  She'd heard Italian men couldn't get enough sex.