Free Ride the Stars/once Bitten by Autumn Dawn Page B

bed, abrading her tender nipples against the sheets. Only when she was pleading for it did he ease into her, mindful of her lingering tenderness.
    She liked it. Needed it. Begged for it as he rode her slowly, forcing her to buck, to impale herself in a desperate search for release. With a growl, he leaned over her and gave her what she needed, driving into her so swiftly that she climaxed in tortured pleasure.
    Curiously, when he climaxed this time, he didn’t bite her. Maybe that came later, after....
    Minutes later, she was lying in his arms clad in only her panties. It was delicious, naughty, and lingering shyness kept her from meeting his eyes as he pulled her against his chest. Unfortunately, the contact made her squirm with renewed heat.
    Common sense made one last gasp for speech. "I’m not your wife. I’m...."
    He rolled her on top of him, raised her up so he could suckle her nipples. He let her squirm at bit, then pulled her down and kissed her with drugging intent. "Why do you say that? Haven’t you shared first rights with me? Don’t I pleasure you?" He moved against her, making her gasp. "Why should it be more complicated than that?"
    His hardness against her damp panties was making her breathless with lust. "I can’t love you. I have to leave."
    He laughed, oozing confidence. "You’ll love me. Until then, let me give you what you need." He gathered her panties in one hand, pulling it tight in the back until it pulled hard against her tender front parts. As she sat up, her eyes wide, he eased them aside just enough to slide inside.
    She couldn’t get enough. It was too much. She begged him to stop but rode him with wild intensity.
    He’d proved his point, if he’d wanted to prove she was a slave to the feelings he inspired. The man had power, he was beautiful, and she was as helpless in his arms as a sultan’s favorite pet. She needed him.
    In her heart, she knew she was already lost.
    The pleasure left them too sated to move, and they lay there for a long time afterward, dozing. If they had begun as they meant to go on, their lives would never be the same.

    * * * *

    "You must have had lots of lovers."
    Domino blinked at Bali’s tentative comment. He snuggled her closer and considered thoughtfully.
    "Why?"
    She sighed. "You’re ... this wasn’t your first time."
    He considered her statement and the emotion behind it. "I had a lover once, when I first joined the space force. I’d joined to spite my father, and I thought I could ignore thousands of years of culture and conviction while I was at it. We weren’t married. At first I thought it wouldn’t matter to me. When I found it did, she did everything in her power to drive me away. She finally took another lover to prove her point.
    "After that, I let my father choose a Draconian bride for me. We got on well enough, though there was no love between us. She died a few years ago of a blood disease. As advanced as our medicine is, there are some things we can’t cure."
    "I’m sorry," she said, clearly shocked.
    He sighed. "As I said, we weren’t in love. I regret her passing, but there was no substance to our marriage."
    She was silent for long seconds. "Then why would you tie yourself to me? Whatever’s between us--I don’t know what it is--but you’ll grow to regret this."
    He rolled over and looked at her. "Give us a chance. We did this backward. It was a risk, one we had to take, but I regret the necessity. You needed more time to get to know me, to let our relationship grow.
    We can still do that. I’m willing." He let his question hang in the air.
    Bali let out a slow breath, then gestured helplessly. "I guess we can try. I don’t know what you expect, what I expect, but we can see what happens."
    "Not good enough. I want us both to actively try. There’s a huge difference. It means investing time into problem solving, being willing to forgive and change. Walking away is easy. A good marriage is the work of a lifetime."
    "Are you