Authors: L.A. Day
“The female becomes very aroused and wet…to ease the joining.” Strong arms hauled her to his frame. “Are you wet, Rebecca?”
Opening her eyes, she met his gaze. Her breath seemed to freeze in her lungs and she had to mentally shake herself in order to respond. His blue eyes had darkened a shade. “I’m always wet for you.” She winked before she could stop herself. She’d spent so long building the aggressive persona she needed in order to work for the Federation that she had trouble shutting it off.
Holt chuckled roughly. “You joke now but it will be different when you’re naked in my arms and we have an instructor watching us. They’ll know I’m
Cragon
, and if they think you are my
lifemate
, they’ll expect you to submit to anything I want. A
Cragon
female never refuses her mate’s sexual requests.” He leaned closer. “Never refuses
anything
,” he said with emphasis.
“How will they know you are
Cragon
?”
“I have
Cragon
traits.” He hesitated.
“A tattoo on my back and
frissions
on my cock and tongue.”
“
Frissions
?”
She arched a brow.
His head lowered and his mouth slanted over hers, parting her lips with his tongue. She shivered as his raspy tongue licked the inside of her mouth. Meeting his thrust with her own, she felt the hard, rough protrusions that lined the center of his tongue. Leaving her mouth, he licked down the side of her neck and she grasped his shoulders as her knees weakened. “
Jesper’s
Galaxy,” Rebecca moaned.
“Like that?” he rasped against her ear.
“Damn, Holt. That tongue is wicked.”
“Just imagine how it will feel if I part your other set of lips.”
White-hot desire shot down her spine. “Holt.” She shivered.
“The head and underside of my cock are lined with
frissions
as well. I’m not a saint. If you’re willing, I’ll take everything you offer and more. Do you think you can handle it? Do you think you can handle me?”
Wrapping a hand in his shoulder-length hair she tugged his face away from her ear, to meet her gaze. “Sweetie, I’ll be more than happy to wiggle on that hot tongue of yours until I feed you the sweetest cream you’ve ever had. You’ll be so addicted, you’ll beg me to part my legs for you again and again.”
“A
Cragon
wife never makes her husband beg.”
“But I’m not
Cragon
or your wife.”
Holt sighed. “No you’re not but you will be playing the part.”
She chewed the inside of her lip. “They’ll know I’m not
Cragon
. They’ll know I’m not your mate.”
“They’ll know I have not converted you yet.”
“Converted me?” She trembled.
“A
Cragon
male can convert a female during a mating ritual. It involves total submission.”
Her panties dampened at the thought of submitting to Holt’s
every desire but she couldn’t admit that to him. “Oh! We…uh, we wouldn’t have to go that far.”
His eyes closed, hiding his emotions from her curious gaze. Cupping the back of her head, he brought her face to rest against his chest. “If I did that, you would belong to me and
I
to you.
Cragons
mate for life.” He didn’t tell her that the ritual had already begun because he did not intend to finish it. Against his will, his
frissions
had emitted
faragon
, the transition fluid, into her body. It had taken him by surprise since it had never happened to him before. He knew that the process would continue every time he touched her but he wouldn’t complete the final act that would make her his mate. He wouldn’t force the conversion on her, which meant he could never take her anally. If he did, there would be no going back.
Her hands ran over his back and fire trailed in their wake. When she cupped his ass, he felt like howling in frustration. He wanted Rebecca. He wanted her now but he had to give her time to change her mind. She didn’t really know what she was getting into.
“Nice ass, big boy.”
Yanking her arms from around him, he held her at arms length, trying to avoid something they both might regret.
“Tomorrow!”
“
Hmmm?”she
muttered as she looked at him with a dazed expression. The
faragon
shouldn’t have much effect so soon, but he wondered.
“Tomorrow I’ll come back here and if you haven’t changed your mind—”
She cut his words off. “I won’t.”
“You need to watch the disc on Sexual Healing and you might want to read about the
Cragon
and our customs before this goes any further.” The international database didn’t have all the facts about the
Cragon
but they contained enough to scare her.
“Okay! Tomorrow it is.”
“Where’s the pleasure droid?” He glanced toward her bedroom.
“Why?”
“Maybe I want to short out its circuits so you don’t turn to it the minute I leave.”
Rebecca’s eyes narrowed but she didn’t comment.
Turning, Holt started down the hall. “Does it just sit in your bedroom, waiting to please you?” He headed that way.
“Holt,” she called after him.
The first door was a bathroom but the second opened to a feminine boudoir. Holt whistled under his breath. Pastel colors, lace and satin dominated the room. He hadn’t expected her room to have such an old-fashioned, traditional look.
“I didn’t invite you into my bedroom.”
Crossing to the bed, he ran his fingertips over the pale-blue satin. “It’s very pretty.”
“What were you expecting—whips, chains, and simulator devices?”
“I’m not sure what I expected.” That wasn’t a lie. His instincts told him one thing about Rebecca while his observations told him another.
“Where’s the droid?”
“I was joking. I don’t have a droid.” Her cheeks colored. It was the first time he’d seen her blush.
She’d lied to provoke him. He wondered, not for the first time, how much of her outrageous personality
was bravado
. “No droid?”
“No.” She shook her head and his gaze followed the bounce of her curly red hair. Damn, she looked hot. Biting her lower lip, she watched him through wary eyes and he’d never found her more appealing.
“But you’re not inexperienced?”
“I’ve had lovers, Holt.”
He was surprised how much that confession bothered him.
“A current lover?”
“No,” she replied in a breathy whisper.
He released a pent-up breath. “This assignment won’t change anything. When it’s over, I walk away.”
“I’m sure you’ll limp away.” A wicked grin stole across her face.
“Limp?”
“Sure.” She winked. “I’ll have worn you out.”
Holt narrowed his eyes. He often didn’t know how to take Rebecca. Most of the men loved her. They didn’t take her seriously and thought she was fun—one of the guys. He was never sure whether she was kidding or not. “You can give it your best shot.”
“I intend to.”
* * * * *
Hot water streamed over his body but it didn’t ease the torment of his flesh. He had no idea how he would manage to live through the next few days. He shouldn’t have kissed Rebecca. It was a mistake. If he’d had any idea she would trigger his mating hormones, he wouldn’t have.
“Fuck,” he groaned as his hand slid across his abs to encircle his cock. He was hard and aching. His hand loosened as it slid along his ultrasensitive
frissions
. His body had chosen his mate and there was no reversing it. Unfortunately for him, Rebecca would never willingly submit to the
Cragon
conversion and he couldn’t force her.
Closing his eyes, he pictured Rebecca’s smiling face, her twinkling eyes. He pumped harder as he visualized licking her full, rosy lips. Her dark eyes softened as her hands reached for him.
He rocked to the balls of his feet as pleasure washed over him. He tugged twice more before leaning heavily against the shower wall. His balls still ached with a need he was unable to satisfy.
Turning off the water, he opened the door and grabbed a towel. He would take this assignment because he had no choice. He would revel in every moment he had with Rebecca for it would have to last him a lifetime. Once the assignment was complete, he would ask for a transfer. He wasn’t a fool. He knew that if he had to work with Rebecca every day, eventually he’d snap and force the conversion on her. Once converted, she’d submit to his every sexual whim but Rebecca wasn’t submissive by nature and she’d hate him for it. Her hatred was not something he could bear.
* * * * *
Rebecca’s foot tapped nervously as she watched the
vid
screen. She gulped her cold
nutrish
-shake as the action on the screen heated up. “
Jesper’s
Galaxy, what have I agreed to?” Could she really go through with this? Sexing it up with Holt wasn’t a problem but doing it in front of an instructor wasn’t really her thing.
She shivered as she remembered the rough texture of his tongue. Lord! She could get used to that tongue laving all her body parts. Looking up info on
Cragons
and
frissions
was next on her agenda.
Chapter Two
“Have you made a decision?” The words left his mouth as soon as he entered her high-rise box. Holt hadn’t slept all night and now that he was here, he couldn’t wait any longer. It didn’t help that Rebecca was wearing a low-cut, clingy blouse that showed off the pale perfection of her breasts.
A smile curled her lips. “You cut right to the chase, don’t you?”
He shrugged. “Maverick needs to know about the assignment.”
“Is that all you care about—the assignment?”
Relaxing his stance, he allowed his gaze to travel over her. His blood heated. “No,” he admitted.
“Good.” She held out her hand. “Let’s talk.”
He grasped her fingers and felt a shock of sensation. He’d always avoided touching Rebecca, subconsciously he must have known how he’d react to her. She led him to a seating area and he sat on the couch, pulling her down next to him. She sprawled awkwardly and her short skirt rose, revealing tempting glances of her upper thighs. Her legs weren’t long but they were shapely. The scent of female arousal flavored the air. He couldn’t wait to discover if she tasted as sweet as she smelled. “Did you watch the clip on Sexual Healing?”
“Yes. I also looked up your ancestry.”
He swallowed hard.
“And?”
“It changes nothing. I still want the assignment.”
Flaring his nostrils, he allowed her scent to overwhelm his senses. “This is more than an assignment.”
Her brown eyes softened. She was different from the Rebecca he was used to in the office. “I know.”
“Do you want me, Rebecca?”
She bit her bottom lip. The confident, assertive Rebecca seemed to be in hiding. “Yes.”
A thought nagged at him. Could her aggressive flirting be a cover for something else? “You know I’ll want submission?”
“Yes.” Her cheeks reddened.
“You can submit to me even in front of an audience?”
She nodded.
His heart jumped in his chest. “You want to submit to me?”
She shrugged. “It should be interesting.”
His mind spun her words around. Was this a sexual game to her?
A lark?
“I’m going to take you today in every way that I can.” Unfortunately, there was one way he couldn’t take her. Reaching out, he unfastened her blouse. “I’ll find every freckle, every hot spot on your body.”
She nodded.
“You want my hands and tongue all over you? You want my cock inside you?”
She trembled. “Yes.”
His hands shook as he finished undoing her blouse and parted it to reveal her perfection. “
Jesper’s
Galaxy, you’ll be the end of me.”
“Holt.” Her plea was whisper soft.
“I’m going to make you enjoy submitting to me.”
Rebecca gasped as a big, warm hand closed on her breast. His touch was an assault on her senses. His golden skin contrasted with her pale flesh, stirring her desires on a deeper level. She wanted to see her hands on his naked flesh too. Her gaze traveled up his arm, his body, to his face. His eyes were transfixed on her body and his blue irises had darkened with need. She melted under his stare. Her pussy liquefied until she could smell her own need.
His fingers tweaked her nipple and she jumped. “Do you like that? Do you like my hands on your body?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He grinned wickedly. “Do you want my mouth?”
“Please.” She fought the urge to beg him to take her now.
His thumbnail strummed slowly over her aroused nipple. “Take me to your bedroom. I want you naked and spread beneath me like a banquet.”
Sliding to her feet, she didn’t bother closing her blouse as she started toward her room. She knew he followed because the heat he exuded trailed close behind her. Pushing open the bedroom door, she stepped inside and waited for him to follow.
“Drop the blouse and turn around.”
She brushed the material off her shoulders and let it flutter to the floor. Turning on trembling legs, she faced him. His eyes glimmered with heat and his hand unconsciously brushed against the thick bulge pressing against the front of his pants.
“Very nice.
Now, unfasten the skirt and let it fall.”
Rebecca started toward the bed.
“No. Stay where you are.”
“Okay.” She had to wiggle to get the tight skirt over her hips. “Are you just going to watch?”
“For now.”
Finally, the garment fell to the floor. His stare was like a physical caress and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other in anticipation. “Holt.” Her voice was lower, huskier than she’d ever heard it.
“You’re beautiful.”
She lifted her gaze to meet his intense stare. “Thank you.” Her nervous fingers slid along the edge of her high-cut, lace panty.
“Don’t remove those.” He took a step toward her. “I want to peel those off you.”