The Ruins of Karzelek (The Mandrake Company series Book 4) (22 page)

“
Uhm.” He looked at her, then at the stream. “I was thinking about you, actually. What you’ll do after you find... whatever it is we’re looking for.”

Was he trying to ask if she might be available for a date after they finished this mission? Kalish had sensed from the beginning that he was interested in her, but when Commander Thatcher had told him it wouldn’t be appropriate for Sedge to pursue a romantic relationship with her, he had been quick to say that he knew that. No objection.

“
I have a list of relics, wrecks, and lost colonies that I would like to search for. I was actually in the middle of an intriguing hunt when this... situation came up.” Kalish nibbled on her lip, almost tempted to tell him about her father and her problem, but she couldn’t let herself forget that he was a mercenary, someone more likely to have a tie to pirates than to respectable citizens. Not that she could judge, now that men had been killed in her name. She sighed. “What will you do after this mission is over?”

Kalish wondered if things might be different then, if they might meet on a random space station and enjoy some time together. She rested her hand on his shoulder and thought about smoothing his hair. Would that be presumptuous? It was actually cute tousled, and she mostly wanted an excuse to touch it. Her own hair was a frizzy tangle if she didn’t keep it in braids, and she had always liked the feel of soft, straight hair beneath her fingers.

“
I, ah...” His gaze drifted to her hand, then upward, his eyes meeting hers. “As a mercenary, the reward for a job satisfactorily completed is usually another job. But, uhm, I do have some leave accumulated.”

“
What made you choose to become a mercenary? You don’t seem much like Striker, which is more how I imagine mercenaries.”

“
Thank you.” His mouth twisted wryly. “The crew is an interesting mix of thuggery and intelligence, but I’ll agree that there are quite a few Strikers represented, especially among the combat specialists. As to the rest... I am technically part of a family business too. A horticulture business. My parents do a lot of genetic manipulation of plants with food or medicinal purposes. They’re both intelligent and educated people, and I grew up helping with the business, mostly the
indoor
part of the business, computer work that didn’t involve touching the plants or wandering through the greenhouses.” He wrinkled his nose and smiled.

The smile made Kalish want to scoot even closer to him. There was nothing on his face that suggested he minded her touch.

“
How did you go from being a gardener to being in the Fleet? You said you started out there, didn’t you?” She raised her hand to his head and combed his hair into place, pleased that his short dark locks were as soft as she had suspected. She took her time, letting his hair play over her fingers.

Sedge closed his eyes and leaned toward her, resting the side of his face against her stomach. A shiver ran through her belly, and a warm ache bloomed between her thighs. She shifted closer to him, stroking his hair, with little thought toward smoothing it now.

“
I took my first spaceship ride when I was twelve,” Sedge said, and the feel of his jaw moving against her stomach teased her flesh, making her want to have more of him touching her. His hands remained in his lap, clasped politely there. She wished he would lift them up and slide them along her body. “I was on my way to spend a few weeks with grandparents who live on Orion Prime,” he went on. “It was the first time in my life I could breathe through my nose without the assistance of a cocktail of antihistamines. No plants in space, at least not on most transport ships. Hygienic atmospheres carefully regulated by computers. I was in love. My parents are pacifists and weren’t enthused by my decision to join the military—they pointed out that I could become a pilot and run freight if I wanted a life in space, but that sounded boring. I wanted the challenge of working in intelligence, of solving puzzles and... helping people.”

He tilted his head up, looking past the swell of her breasts and meeting her eyes. His face was earnest, as if he was willing her to understand that he wanted to help
her
too. Kalish was not sure why he would find her so worthy of his time, but she was glad he was here with her on this quest. She trailed her fingers down to his ear, tracing its contours, then stroked his cheek.

“
Did that work out how you hoped?” she murmured, still wondering how he had gone from being a Fleet officer, a respected occupation in the system as a whole, to being a mercenary officer, a decidedly less respected occupation. Who ever thought fondly of men who fought not for honor or to protect the citizens of GalCon but purely for coin?

“
Fleet wasn’t quite as noble of an organization as I had thought as a boy looking in from the outside. Oh, there are honorable soldiers, but there are just as many who join solely for their own gain, wanting to leverage their service into political or economic power. And GalCon itself can be a bully at times, as the survivors of Grenavine and Spero will tell you.” Sedge seemed to be enjoying her ministrations, for he closed his eyes and turned his face toward her stomach, tiling his head down as she massaged his scalp.

Kalish could feel his warm breaths through the thin fabric of her pajama shirt. She curled her fingers into his hair, again wishing he would lift his hands from his lap and touch her. Maybe he was remembering his commander’s admonition and believed he shouldn’t?

“
I won’t pretend Mandrake Company is all about nobility and honor either,” Sedge said, “though the captain has more of a virtuous streak than you would expect from a mercenary, but to a man, everyone there is honest about why they’re there. Nobody’s playing games and trying to pretend he is something better than he is.” He took a deep breath, and his hand came up to her waist. He looked up at her again, leaning his head back into her palm. “That feels wonderful, Kalish.”

She smiled at him, inordinately pleased at the acknowledgment.

“
Sit with me?” he whispered.

She looked at the other chair, but was enjoying his closeness and touching him. She had been thinking of letting her hand drift southward, to his shoulder. Maybe he would like having someone slide his shirt aside and check on his wound, just to make sure it had completely healed, of course.

Sedge shifted in the chair and patted his thigh. She flushed with warmth, realizing what he had been asking.

“
All right,” she whispered, feeling oddly shy as she turned to sit in his lap, as always, conscious that she didn’t have the slimmest hips in the world. But he must have strong, muscular legs to match his torso. Maybe he wouldn’t notice much.

His arms came around her waist, guiding her onto his lap, and it was her turn to lean against his torso. She rested a hand on his shoulder while sliding the other around the back of his neck.

“
You smell good,” he murmured, never taking his eyes from hers.

“
I thought we agreed that me and my non-fragrant shampoo didn’t smell like anything.”

His smile broadened. “Exactly.”

His hands had finally found their way out of his lap. One arm curled around her waist, his fingers kneading her back, radiating warmth and pleasure that made her want to squirm closer. She could feel his arousal, prodding at the back of her thigh through her pajama bottoms. That and his lingering smile gave her the courage to lower her lips to his. He wanted her, padded hips and all.

His lips welcomed hers, returning the kiss without hesitation. Warmth curled through her body, the heat that had kindled in her core earlier going from that of a match to a fire. She thought he might be tentative, maybe shy, but his kiss was sure and confident, without being overly aggressive. She parted her lips, inviting him to explore, even as she leaned her breasts against his chest, aware of the hard muscles beneath his shirt. A pert nipple prodded her, and she lowered a hand to stroke his chest, rubbing it through his shirt. As their kiss deepened, she wriggled in his lap, relishing the feel of his erection, wishing there were fewer clothes between them.

He groaned softly, the arm around her waist tightening. The hand that had been massaging her back slipped beneath her top, sliding across her smooth flesh, leaving a trail of gooseflesh wherever it touched. His other hand came up to cup the back of her head, fingers digging gently between her braids, scraping her scalp and sending delicious sensations through her body. Moisture gathered between her legs, and the urge to straddle him crept over her, to pin him against the chair and tear off his clothes.

But they were on the bridge, she reminded herself. It might be late, but if her sister or her mother left their cabins, they would be sure to hear the groans and heavy breathing. Kalish didn’t care that much if her sister walked in on them, but her mother would have vitriolic comments. Better to take this to her cabin, where she could lock the door, and pay attention to nothing more than Sedge until the next morning.

From the way he pulled her more tightly against him and gasped every time she rubbed against his trousers, she was certain he wanted the same thing. She drew back slightly, breaking the kiss. He groaned a protest, and she smiled, pleased by his eagerness.

“
Let’s go to—” she started to say, but his head lowered, his lips finding her nipple through her thin top, and she broke off with a gasp of her own. For a moment, she couldn’t find her voice. Her eyes rolled up toward the ceiling, as he suckled her and stroked her with his tongue. “Sedge,” she moaned, struggling to keep her voice down, but wanting nothing more than to beg him to continue. A draft teased her belly as he unbuttoned her shirt with one hand, and then his mouth was against her hot, bare skin.

“
I want you,” he whispered, his voice muffled with his lips pressed against her body, kissing the curve of her breast, his tongue tracing her areola.

“
I—”

A clang sounded in the corridor, and they both froze, like teenagers caught on a parent’s couch. Kalish might not have been a teenager for a long time, but she rushed to close her shirt. Before she had time to slide off Sedge’s lap, the lights came up to full brightness, and her mother appeared in the hatchway.

Sedge lurched to his feet, steadying Kalish with a hand so she wouldn’t fall, but his face looked as guilty as hers must. Kalish clutched her top closed.

“
Uhm, we were just...” Going to her cabin? Should she still invite him for the night? It wasn’t as if her mother didn’t know she was sexually active from time to time. But Mom had been back at her day job when Kalish had been roaming around the system with Tom Mingus. She had never walked in on
them
kissing on the bridge.

“
I need to talk to you,” Mom said. “
Alone
.” The look she gave Sedge could have formed ice on a sun.

“
I’m sure it can wait until morning,” Kalish said.

“
No. It can’t.” She raised a tablet, though it was folded shut at the moment, revealing nothing.

“
I’ll leave you to your privacy,” Sedge said, avoiding both women’s gazes. He slunk out, as if he had been caught doing something utterly unconscionable.

Kalish frowned. There was nothing wrong with two unattached adults enjoying each other’s company. Sure, there was a greater mission going on, one she needed to focus on so they could get Dad back, but it wasn’t as if there was something else she should be doing in the middle of the night.

Her mother stepped onto the bridge and pulled the hatch shut behind her firmly enough that the clang resonated throughout the entire ship.

“
Did you ever bother to look up your new love interest?” Mom demanded, unfolding her tablet and entering a command.

Before Kalish could confess that she had only researched the mercenary company as a whole, her mother continued on, her voice angry and clipped.

“
After Mingus, I thought you would be more careful. What the hell is the matter with you, Kalish? You’re a pretty girl; you don’t need to be so eager to jump into bed or a chair—” she scowled at the recently vacated pilot’s seat, “—with any man who gives you a friendly smile. Those smiles can hide a lot of despicable truths.”

“
What are you talking about, Mom?”

“
Your mercenary was very vague when I asked him why he left the Fleet at dinner, didn’t you think?” Mom tapped a control, so they could both see the holodisplay that hovered over her tablet.

“
I was just talking to him about that,” Kalish said, stepping forward so she could read the record.

“
Talking. Yes, I saw.”

Kalish flushed, embarrassed, and resentful as well. Maybe she shouldn’t have asked her mother to come along on this trip. She handled the business’s bank accounts, but she could have wired the money to the mercenaries from home, the same as she could from here.