Romance: Menage Romance: The French Quarter Hostages (Paranormal Action Shapeshifter MFM Bear Shifter Romance) (Fantasy BBW Taboo Interracial Love Triangle Werebear Mates Short Stories) (71 page)

When we reach his apartment and step inside, I almost don’t trust myself to act normally around him.

I try as best I can when he offers me a glass of water and we both sit on the couch.

I see him sipping out of his water glass out of the corner of my eye and I can’t help but imagine crawling into his lap, kissing him and continuing right from where we left off in his office three days ago.

“You know it is a shame,” he says finally.

“What’s a shame?” I ask trying to keep my voice as steady as possible.

“You did all that work for the wedding,” he answers. “The church is booked, so is the reception venue. The flowers, the invitations. We’re going to have to cancel the cake, the silverware, the catering. Everything.”

“It’s okay,” I answer. “Like I said, I’d rather you be here and alive than pull off a perfect wedding.”

“I know,” Gus says. “But, I’ve been thinking about it the past couple of days and I thought...well...if you want...we could still have a wedding.”

“What do you mean?” I ask my heart beginning to hammer in my chest as I pray he’s talking about what I think he’s talking about.

“I mean,” Gus says, “I love you, Emma.”

My heart stops beating and my breath catches in my throat.

“I...I think I have for a long time,” he says. “I just tried to ignore it because I thought it would be too weird. I think that’s why I proposed to Ramona in the first place. I thought if I was with someone else, I could get you out of my head. But, it didn’t work. Even before I found out about...you know...I still couldn’t stop thinking about you and—”

He never gets a chance to finish. In one move I reach over, wrap my arms around his neck and press his lips desperately to mine.

It’s not long before he kisses me back, pulling my body once again into his lap so that I’m flush against him.

He pulls back gently and whispers.

“Does this mean you’ll marry me?”

“Yes.”

He smirks and pulls me back against him.

He kisses me desperately, passionately. I can feel his member growing beneath his pants as his hand travels to my knee once again.

This time, he doesn’t stop.

His hand moves over my panties and I adjust my waist to help him slide them off me. Soon, I’m pressing against his fingers, writhing in pleasure, shaking and moaning against him.

He moves his hand out from beneath my skirt and I gasp in protest before he picks me up, like a bride on her way to the honeymoon suite.

“Aren’t we supposed to wait until after we’re married to go across the threshold?” I ask teasingly as he opens the door and moves me to the bed. He places me on it gently and, with the sexiest smirk I’ve ever seen from him says.

“Well, we’ve never exactly done things the proper way. Have we Emma?”

I smile and shake my head ‘no’.

It’s not long before we’re completely naked in front of each other. I stare at him as he traces my body lightly with his fingers before placing a kiss on each of my breasts in turn.

He kisses his way down my body as though he’s paying it homage. Under his hands, I don’t feel like I did with Jake. I don’t feel like an object to be had.

I feel like a goddess, I feel like something to be cherished, adored, and loved.

When he slides into me, I cry out in pleasure and keep my eyes locked on him. He looks at me with a desperate, hungry expression as he pushes into my body in an ancient rhythm. He wants me. I can feel his want. He thrusts hotly and heavily inside me.

I feel pressure building inside of me as I feel Gus above me, moving faster. Just before he loses control completely, he leans down and whispers into my ear.

“I love you so much.”

That one phrase sends me over the edge. Gus joins me and soon, we are lying together in a tangle of messy and exhausted limbs.

He moves aside and opens his arms to me. I move into them willingly. He presses a soft kiss on my hair and snuggles against me. I smile to myself.

In that moment, I remember what I told Gus that night in his office. If you can’t imagine life without a person, that’s when you know it’s right.

I can’t imagine my life without Gus.

And now, finally, I know that I won’t have to.

THE END

Bonus Story 18 of 20

“So do you think the Captain is right about the activity here on the Rim, Jayne?” Lieutenant Tara Talkner asked me.

I glanced at her as we walked down a corridor of the space cruiser
Star Light
to our assigned cabins. Tara was a thin, athletic woman who was the best navigator in the fleet as well as my best friend. Her short, dark hair and eyes were striking with her pale skin. She was definitely a contrast to me. 

“I do,” I answered. “It just seems a little weird that there are signs of encroachment all along this section of space, yet the Mucusto deny being anywhere near here. There is no one else in the quadrant.” She nodded thoughtfully.

“I agree it is a good theory, but according to the diplomats and negotiators, the Mucusto can be trusted,” said Tara. I sighed. Any discussion about the Mucusto always came back to that.

“I know, I know, but there are several terraformed planets that would suit their needs as well as supply them with the much-needed minerals they lack, right there for the taking. Never mind the strategic location for both of us,” I said.

“True, but then again they could get what they need simply by asking. I suppose that’s why we have Ambassador what’s-his-name on board, to negotiate it peacefully.” I nodded at the argument. It made sense. There was still something nagging at me about it. Probably the same thing that was bothering the Captain, I thought. We came up to the entrance to my cabin.

“Well in any case Jayne, you can not complain about a two-day stint flying this ship can you?” said Tara. “You have not left the bridge since we departed space dock!” I grinned; she had me there.

“Got me. This new Ranger class is amazing. We made it to the Rim in record time. I hope we get to keep her. I am getting tired of becoming used to a ship and then having to move to another. I have a good feeling about the
Star Light
.” I paused and patted the wall of the corridor. “Besides, you certainly are not complaining about the astro-lab are you?” Her navigator’s soul lit up the same way my pilot’s one did with the equipment on the
Star Light
. She laughed.

“Ok, we got each other,” said Tara. “Since we both have orders to stand down for a day to rest, we’d better get to it or Captain Merlock will not let us back on duty.”

She was right. After the afternoon staff meeting, several of the higher-ranking members who had been on extended duty were given specific orders to stand down.

“How about dinner, an hour in the lounge?” I asked her.

She grinned and saluted. “Yes, Lieutenant Loneway.”

I laughed and keyed the lock to my cabin. She waved and headed down two doors to her cabin. I entered and the doors slid shut behind me as the lights came up. One of the side perks of the new Ranger class ships was the accommodations. By Fleet standards, they were considered luxurious and looking around I agreed and smiled wide.

“This is what I am talking about,” I said to myself. I walked around the larger living space approvingly. Muted colors, plenty of storage space, a small bar and food dispenser. Comfortable furniture. Nice, I thought. I went through the archway into the sleeping room, which was only slightly smaller in size. There was a large bed, which got a pleased sigh out of me. I had been sleeping on the standard thin Fleet bunks for years and this was going to make taking a nap pure heaven. I saw one of my few vices sitting on the bed and immediately checked the closet space. It might be enough, I thought.

I like my clothes. When I am off duty I want to shed the uniform and be a normal person for a little while. I knew my collection of clothes was impressive by anyone’s standards. There were five suitcases on the bed, one was small and contained my few knickknacks and toiletries. The rest contained clothes inside. I did not have time to go through everything then though, so I found something to wear for dinner and headed into the bathing room.

“I can live with this,” I told myself happily. There was a tub and vibrational shower for if you were in a hurry. This class Ranger was set up with Waterfiers, meaning we did not have to store water on board, so a bath was not out of line. Especially since the ship was designed for deep space journeys. A comfortable crew can function better, and whoever had finally figured that out deserved a medal as far as I am concerned. Unfortunately, I had no time for a bath yet, so I stripped down for a shower, taking my hair out of the bun I wore it in on duty. I checked myself out in the mirror before getting cleaned up. Not bad I told myself. Even after a long duty.

My figure has been my pride, and it has held me back. I was proud at being voluptuous yet still being a hard ass on the training floor and the best pilot in the feet. A naturally tan body, large breasts and wide hips with a nice butt. It meant I had to work harder than most to prove myself to those who assumed I got my rank by looking good. I proved those idiots wrong and I still look good. I fluffed out my blond curls and grimaced. Yep, I needed a shower.

These were new showers with a slot to put your clothes in and the shower would dress you afterward. It seemed strange but I programmed it and went into the vibra-shower. I sometimes wondered who came up with these ideas. It seemed a bit much even to someone like me, who enjoyed luxury on my time off. I stepped in and the door shut behind me and the shower started.

I was one of the four percent of people that had a slight reaction to the vibra-shower. The vibrations that cleaned your body and hair vibrated something inside me, and I became a little aroused in the process. Nothing out of control, just heightened feelings for about five minutes afterward. As the shower finished I felt a whooshing and tingling. I then realized I was being dressed before the doors opened so I could walk out. I had to admit to being impressed. Everything was where it was supposed to be.

I had chosen retro clothes as was my preference and so I wore a white tank top over my breasts’ support with suspenders and what we called jeans, but were actually a kind of form-fitting pants. My hair was loose and wild as I liked it too. I had no idea how the dressing process worked, but I could live with it. The after effects from the vibra-shower were fading too, so I grabbed a jacket that matched the jeans and headed out for dinner. The walk to the lounge was a few minutes and I wondered how the Captain was doing.

Captain Jake Merlock was the hardest working captain in the Fleet. While half of his staff had been running on quick naps and low food the past few days he had been doing the same, without the naps if I had to guess. I always had to make sure I was analytical about my Captain because I had something of a crush on him.

He was a tall, lean man with a strong intelligent face, and his brown hair always in a ponytail. His piercing green eyes could have penetrated a Martian shield wall with a glance. I also had enough respect for his abilities and rank never to mention my feelings to him. I was a subordinate and it would not be right, so I always tried to ignore it. I did not have a problem during duty hours; it was off duty when my thoughts would wander. As I entered the lounge I found myself a little relieved he was not there. It was tough for me to relax around him. There were a few people at the bar and Tara was at a table by the large viewing pane. She had drinks for us already, which was nice of her. Chief Engineer Labrowski was one of the people at the bar and waved.

“Looking good Loneway, will you need any help getting out of those,” he joked, probably about my tight pants.

“Bite me Labrowski, you wouldn't know where to start. Stick to engines.” That got a laugh and he grinned appreciatively at the insult. I said hi to the bartender Dugan and made my way to Tara. Tara had picked up my love of clothes to a lesser degree and was wearing a strange wraparound of red silk that left part of her white skin bare. I had to admit it looked good on her, but would probably look ridiculous on me.

“Hey, thanks for ordering. I didn't think I was late,” I said. She smiled relaxed in her chair looking out the viewing pane at the stars.

“You’re not, I am early. No worries, Jayne. I am just loving the view.” I had to agree and sat back sipping my drink. We had agreed that one of the wonderful things about this view was the possibilities it hinted at. They were endless out here on the Rim and the spectacular expanse of stars proved that. Dugan came over and asked us what we needed. We were about to order something to eat that wasn't a protein bar when the lights dimmed and a flashing green light went off.

“What the hell?!” I growled, getting to my feet. The light meant that silent running had been ordered. It was an extreme maneuver making me wonder if it was a drill. That did not feel right though, so Tara, Labrowski and I headed for the door. We almost ran down the Captain going out.

“There you are. Get to the bridge. The invasion is happening. Right now we are out of sight and hopefully out of mind. I will join you shortly!” The Captain turned and ran off. We began running to the bridge. Any questions from crew members were answered with a barked order.

“Stations! Now!”

We slid into our places on the bridge and as I looked over my board. I could see on the long-range scanner up on the main screen a massive force of unknown ships in the distance. To far to see us, but close enough to notice if we did anything stupid. I reached down and pressed a red button. A security drawer slid out and I pulled out my weapons belt. Strapping it on, I saw everyone else following suit. I was beginning to wish I had indulged in a bath. Or at least been able to eat. It was going to be a long night.

*****

“Status!” barked the Captain as he came through the bridge doors. He was in civilian clothes like the rest of us and looking highly irritated as he sat in his center command chair.

“Communications silent. I have runners positioned for any essential messages,” Katake snapped out. He was the communications specialist.

“Engineering silent. It is set for me to rev the Star Light up from here sir. If need be,” Labrowski said.

“Science department is silent, sir,” Jewel stated from her station. I was next in line.

“Silent, position holding so far sir,” I reported. Natural currents of space would slowly cause us to start drifting, without thrusters to correct us. The Captain knew that of course. I saw him nod to himself as I reported.

“Running multiple course projections, nothing locked in sir,” Tara reported.

“Weapons off line, security patrolling the corridors. Set silent running security level 2 sir!” Johnson reported.

“Ok then what do we know? Jewel, anything?” said the Captain.

Jewel nodded slightly. She was very dedicated to her job and providing information for the rest of us to use was her passion.

“Well sir, we cannot do any scans because they might be noticed. But the basic standard magnification can tell us a lot. I had the computer take a still from the images on the screen and enlarge it.” The Captain gestured towards the screen and the live shot of the enemy was replaced with a close-up of one of the ships.

“Firstly, these are not Mucusto ships. This is something new. Now, from the design, my guess is the whole back half is engine. I have not seen something like this before but it speaks to a waste of space, thus a lower technology engineering wise than the
Star Light
,” said Jewel.

I almost snorted. Of course it was not as good as the
Star Light
.

“Look at these shadows here, and here, on the hull,” said Jewel. She continued highlighting the sections she meant. Commander Johnson Tello spoke up.

“Am I getting old or are those weapons ports?” he said. “I have never seen them so economical.”

Jewel nodded in response to the engineer.

“That is the analysis I have so far,” she said. “The design of it and these other spots here and here, look like smaller versions of weapons ports. So if we are correct and those are weapons ports, they have a lot of them.”

Great, I thought sarcastically. Tara and I exchanged a nervous look.

“Thank you for your work Jewel,” said the Captain. “I know with everything on silent running we have very little information to go on. Let’s look at what we have: Their ships have cheap engines, but expensive weapons. Risky idea to us, but what could that mean?”

There was silence as we considered. I considered it stupid to have such uneven capabilities in a ship’s design. Katake cleared his throat.

“I see it a couple of ways Captain. They are either uninterested in how bumpy the ride as long as they can do some damage when they get to their destination; or they have had bad experiences with other races and have become paranoid enough to go around armed to the teeth. Neither is a comforting prospect.”

The Captain looked at him a long moment.

“Like those ranchers on the Rim planets?” he said. “The ones who have been raided so many times they have built up armories for self defense?”

Katake nodded. It was an interesting thought. Unfortunately without more information we could not be sure.

“Katake I want you to prepare an information capsule back to the nearest star dock. Include everything we know and the packet I gave you,” said the Captain. Katake nodded.

“Of course sir. I already have it ready to go as soon as—”

Suddenly, a loud voice interrupted over the speakers.