The Space Colonel's Woman (Dragonus Chronicles Book 1) (27 page)

“Yes.” He answered on a whisper as his fingertips traced the shape of her eyes. “And you, Wings, are you happy?”

“Deliriously.” She tip-toed to touch her lips to his.

Energy restored, they were dancing a quickstep when Julia nodded over his shoulder to where Ange stood apart from a group of laughing scientists and nurses.  Her eyes caressing Hayden’s back as he moved through the crowd to the bar. “Will Hayden make his move sometime this millennium, do you think?”

“He will when he’s ready.”

“I have an idea.”

Mark eyed his new wife as if she were a block of C5 set to go off. “What are you thinking?”

“I’ll ask Hayden to dance.  You ask Ange.  And once they’re out on the floor, you can ask for me back.  Hayden will have to dance with her.  His chivalry won’t allow him to leave her standing without a partner.” She explained, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

“Married to you for just over two hours, Mrs Holden, and I’m already doing your bidding.”

“Be honest, you were doing my bidding long before you married me, Colonel.”

Mark wandered towards Ange, still shaking his head in wonderment, but Julia caught the glint in his eye as he looked back over his shoulder at her.  She wasn’t fooled.  He thought it was a good plan and he was willing to help his friend make the first move, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

Julia watched Mark ask Ange to dance.  What woman would ever decline such an offer?  Even knowing it was planned, she didn’t like the prickle of heat that ran up her arms or the icy chill down her spine.  Hayden’s height made him easy to spot, and holding up the front of her dress to clear the stairs, Julia weaved through her guests to his side.

“Will you dance with me, Hayden?” She asked, taking his hand and stepping back the way she’d come.  He quickly placed his glass on a table as Julia, not waiting for an answer, lead him back to the dancing.

They stayed on the outer edge of the other dancers.  Hayden’s hand rested on her back, careful to avoid contact with her bare skin, while hers curved to his bicep; blue leather soft beneath her palm.  Julia tried to keep the pointed toes of her dainty-heeled boots away from his feet as they shuffled in a small square together.  After five agonizing minutes, she noticed Mark watching them with the same pained expression that had been on her face earlier.  He twirled Ange over to them with such skill the poor woman had no clue what was happening.

“Hey, Coop, can I have my wife back?” Mark offered a shrug of apology at Hayden’s dumbstruck expression. “Ange needs a partner who isn’t thinking of another woman.”

Julia stepped back from Hayden, Mark placed Ange’s hand where Julia’s had been, hauled his wife against the length of his own body and twirled them away.  Leaving Hayden and Ange to stand motionless, staring into each other’s eyes.

“I’m truly impressed with how well you executed my plan, Colonel.”

“I am a master strategist.”

“As you’ve just proven.”

“Coop’s a mate, but I didn’t like seeing you in his arms.  I know it was part of the plan n’all, still didn’t like it.”

“Watching you with Ange was no picnic either.” Julia growled low in her throat, her fingertips digging hard into his bicep. “I may be a bit possessive.”

He raised her chin so she couldn’t avoid meeting his gaze. “No, just beautiful, strong, sexy, and protective of those you love.”

She breathed deep, letting him sooth her ruffled feathers as only he could. 

“Same as you then.”

Mark laughed with abandon, twirling them until the room was nothing but a blur of color and Julia was clinging tighter to him than before.

“Funny too.”

Julia nodded over his shoulder to the couple across the dancefloor. “Something tells me our evil plan is working.”

Mark turned them sideways so they could both see what was happening.  Ange and Hayden were where they had left them.  Her hands squeezing Hayden’s biceps, her right foot raised off the floor behind her.  His big hands splayed across her waist, keeping her close as he devoured her mouth.

“I think you’re right, Mrs Holden.”

Julia turned at the husky tone of her husband’s voice and blushed at the ravenous hunger she found in his eyes.

“You okay, there?” She chuckled, anticipating the warmth of his breath on her skin before he’d lowered his mouth to her ear.

“I was thinking about
your
hands squeezing my arms as I crush you close, and the sound you make in your throat when I kiss you.”

Her breasts were pressing against him; rising and falling with each frantic breath, as his arms tightened.  Hunger burned hot and heavy in her belly as she clung to him, her knees weak with the sudden onslaught of her need.

“Time to go.” He growled.

“Do you think they’ll notice if we sneak away?” She laughed, head flung back to bare her neck as he danced them closer to the doors.

“Only one way to find out.”

He tugged on her hand and she gathered up her skirts with the other; running down the deserted corridor to the relocator and the privacy of their quarters.  Julia’s heart was in her throat as she realized, for as long as the universe permitted, she got to be with this man.  A wonderful insanely gorgeous man, who wanted her and loved her as much as she wanted and loved him.

~*~

The doors to their quarters hissed open and Julia gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in amazement.  Every surface was covered in creamy white candles, each flame offering up a soft glow from its glass vase and crystal holder; carrying the scent of vanilla and sandalwood throughout the room.  New linens of navy, ocean blue, and crisp white adorned their bed; the sheer curtains pulled back to reveal the eggplant ink of Phoenix’s moon-studded night sky.

“Do you like it?” Mark asked, watching her face. “I gave our friends free reign.”

Entranced by the lure of the romantic beauty before her, Julia made to walk in, but he pulled her back. 

“Wait, there’s some traditions that don’t take well to being ignored, even if we’re in a different galaxy to the one that invented them.” Mark scooped her into his arms and strode into their sanctuary, Julia’s peals of laughter bringing forth his trademark smirk.

“If you would be so kind as to wait here, Mrs Holden?” He asked, placing her gently on her feet and gesturing with his hands as he backed up to where his iPod was docked in the speaker bar.

Julia stood in the exact center of their room, her white wedding dress golden in the candlelight, and watched Mark’s back.  He pivoted to face her again and the candle flames caught in the gold-flecked whiskey of his eyes.  The murmur of
Roxy Music’s Avalon
reached her ears as she stepped into his welcoming embrace, the strength of his arms holding her close; her eyelids drifting closed as he swayed them to the sultry sax.

“You looked so handsome today.” She whispered.  Her lips tender against the textured fabric of his jacket. “I had trouble believing you were real, let alone mine.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Wanted to look good, for you.”

“You succeeded.”

She followed the row of silver buttons from his collar out on an angle to his pec and traced her fingertips over the silver pilot’s wings pinned there; before continuing their exploration to his sleeve.  His bicep flexed under her touch as she counted the multi-colored strips sewn with silver thread one above the next from elbow to shoulder.  So many stories of lives lost in battles for things that no longer mattered. 

“When I turned and saw you starting down the stairs toward me…” He swallowed hard around the bottlenecked words, color high on his cheeks. “You looked amazing.  I…felt like the luckiest man in two galaxies.”

Her knees were weak and her mind reeled; heart melting into mush as she looked up to find her husband’s face, his mouth so close. “I love you, Mark Holden.”

“And I you, Julia Holden.” He murmured.  Lowering his mouth and kissing her breath away, fingers in her hair and thumbs stroking at her temples.

Many trailing kisses of hot lips over bared neck and collarbone later and his fingers found the hidden zipper in the side seam of her dress.  He tugged it open until the heavy fabric slid to the floor; a pool of satin and tulle at her feet.  Julia stood motionless, stunned by the look of longing on Mark’s face.  His gaze roamed her scantily clad body, taking in the tight blue corset hugging her ribs and the lace panties riding low on her hips.  A blue ribbon garter, black lace-top stockings, and blue leather knee boots with turned heels were the finishing touch.

“I dressed for you too.”

“I…”

“Thank you.” He croaked, dragging the back of one hand down the stretch from breast to navel and back again.

“You’re welcome.” She whispered back; slipped the silver buttons free from their ranks and shoved blue wool off broad shoulders. 

Mark took over, shrugging the rest of the way out of the sleeves and tossing the jacket on the back of his desk chair.  With the duck of his head, the fitted white undershirt followed in quick succession.

“Oh fuck!” He cursed, lashes sweeping closed over flushed cheeks, as Julia explored the contours and planes of his body; treasure trail rasping beneath her teasing touch. “Woman, what you do to me.”

“No more than you deserve, Husband.”

She felt the heat of his gaze on her as she stepped from the puddle of her dress and pressed her body into the length of his.  Her palms grazed up his flanks, thumbs circling his nipples before she laid her ear over his heart, its beat frantic as she swayed with him.  He cradled her shoulders in a strong arm and leaned her back, pulling her knee up over his thigh.  She felt the hard heat of him, so close, and moaned into his kiss as he plundered her eager mouth.  She startled when Mark scooped her feet out from under her, rested a knee on the bed to lay her on her back.

Wrapped in a hazy cocoon where her only focus was Mark, she luxuriated in the masculine scent of his skin as he made love to her with the rough-smooth of his hands, the soft heat of his mouth, and the hard thrust and flex of his body.  Julia arched into his touch, offered herself up to the dizzying heights of pleasure and bliss he bestowed.

They lay on the rumbled bed, devoid of energy, their limbs entangled.  Mark rolled toward her, supporting his head on his palm, his body pressing against the entire length of hers.  He picked up her hand from where it lay on her stomach and ran his fingers over her rings.

“Still can’t believe you’re mine.”

“Still can’t believe a lot of things.” Julia countered, a smirk twitching at the corner of her kiss-swollen mouth.

Mark arched a brow, affecting a nonchalant demeanor. “Oh yeah, and what things would they be?”

“That I’m here with you.  Gliders.  And that fruit, the one with the aqua skin and succulent purple flesh.” She muffled a squeal into the crook of his shoulder when he rolled her over and hauled her in tight.  Back to chest, knees tucked in close behind her own, a hand cupping her breast.

“Glad I rank higher than spaceships and fruit.”

“A tough choice, nonetheless.”

Julia wriggled her ass back and Mark tweaked her nipple, chuckling at her indignant squeak and murmuring low and close against her ear. “Goodnight, my wife.”

“Goodnight, my husband.” She preened; couldn’t help it, and arched her neck back to reach Mark’s mouth as he dragged the blanket up.  Then drifted into sleep with him heavy at her back.

~*~

The feel of Mark’s lips at her throat and his exploring hand between her thighs woke Julia in the pre-dawn darkness.  She groaned, sleep still clouding the edges of her mind; her body responding to his touch as naturally as breathing.  Julia angled back against him and Mark pushed inside, taking her fierce and urgent; his arm anchored around her hips, the angle tight and sensations heightened.  She shook in his arms and he pulled her onto him, shuddered breath escaping in a sigh of completion.  It was a while before she rolled over and back into his arms, snuggling face to face.  He kissed her sweaty brow and drifted back to sleep.  Julia pressed her own kiss to the base of his throat and followed him into slumber; the sound of their hearts beating in unison beneath her ear.

~*~

The watery sunlight of an overcast day filled the sweep of panoramic windows.  Julia opened one eye just a crack and closed it again, denying her body’s insistence that light meant day and she should wake up.  It was too early.  It was a drab day.  And all her incentive for staying abed sprawled next to her, his breathing slow and even.

“I saw that, sleepyhead.”

Soft lips brushed her brow.

“No, you didn’t.” She mumbled from beneath the blanket tugged up to the top of her nose.  “How long have you been awake?”

“Couple of minutes.”

Her mind continued its morning ignition sequences, stubbornly clearing away the fog clouding it, by reminding Julia she was a married woman in possession of the handsomest husband in two galaxies.

“I had a dream…”