triumph and kissed her again, yanking impatiently at the fasteners on her trousers to get them loose. He couldn’t mark her here, now, on the ship with all of the bears and he probably wouldn’t even have time to properly claim her, but he was going to make her moan his name before they were interrupted.
And she was as ready as she’d been the first night they’d been together. She lifted her leg as they kissed, thigh brushing his hip, and though he wanted to plunge himself into her, he didn’t. Patience was a virtue he had perfected over the course of years. With one hand he gripped her thigh, pressing her back against the wall, and the other he slid between them and down the front of her trousers, to the heat between her legs. Her fingers tightened in his hair and she tried to move against him, but he held her still, pinned there between his body and the wall, as he slid his fingers inside her.
She made a desperate little mewling noise against his lips, trying to buck her hips, but he wouldn’t let her. He just slowly drew his fingers out of her and then sank them back in, teasing another sound from her throat, her breasts heaving against his chest as she inhaled through her nose. Everything about her was delicious and soft, from her smooth, pale skin to her slick, warm cunt. He wanted to taste her, but first he wanted to satisfy her more. There would be time for tasting and languishing later. Now was for haste and quiet. At the third noise, he lowered his head, whispering Shhh , and kissed her throat, her collarbone, her shoulder, as he fucked her with his hand. He inhaled the scent of her golden blond hair, licked at the sweat on her skin. Her thigh began to tremble in his grip, and she tilted her head back against the wall, eyes fluttering shut, and bit down on her bottom lip.
He slid a third finger into her and she gripped at his shoulders, fingers curling tightly into his shirt. He wished awfully that it was his cock driving into her, but knew that he’d not have been able to control himself if it had been. It wasn’t safe. This was safe, and though he was so hard by now that it was painful, he knew it would eventually be worth it. Her pleasure was more important to him now. He curved his fingers inside her, hastening the thrusts, and she arched her back against the wall and bounced a little against his hand, lips parted in desperate ecstasy.
“Oh god,” she gasped as she came, shaking and panting. “Reza…”
He kissed her again as he pulled his fingers from inside her, catching her when her legs wobbled, and drew her into his arms and away from the wall.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured, bundling her close as she breathed. Then he realized she was laughing softly, and felt somewhat at a loss, watching her smile and wrap her arms about his neck. Then he knew, without a doubt and with absolute certainty, that he had fallen in love with this woman. And that he would do anything to keep her.
Chapter 4
Cressida laughed because she didn’t know what else to do. She came with thoughts of both Reza and Kelly in her mind, and there was naught to do but laugh. It seemed even her heart was no longer her own to give away. But as Reza gathered her close, she felt contented and warm and no matter what the future brought, she knew that her strange-eyed tiger would not abandon her, or love her any less. Perhaps that was how it would have been all along. He would have her and she would have him, and Kelly would have…his den, she supposed.
She was spent and satisfied and wanted ever so much to just curl up in Reza’s arms and have a nap, but the sound of footsteps on the stairs drew her from her thoughts with a sigh. Reza lowered her feet to the ground and righted her clothes, pressed a last, lingering kiss to her mouth and then turned to face the pirates who came hurrying into the crew quarters. At their head was Cort, Kelly’s mechanic, and Harry, his boatswain and first mate, and from the looks on