direction. They hadn't so much as exchanged a single unnecessary word since their sensual encounter in the gym. She knew he was angry with her; his frigid glances had made that clear. But he'd kept his word. She felt unaccountably bereft at the loss.
He acknowledged her nod of greeting with a brief tilt of his own head. Lelia was so distracted by the meeting that she almost walked into the open door of the ready room. Her face heated further when she heard his chuckle of amusement at her discomfiture.
A short time later, her task completed, she exited the ready room. As she walked down the now-empty hallway, a door suddenly came open, and she found herself pulled into what appeared to be a broom closet.
She automatically struck out to defend herself, only pulling her punch when she recognized Patrick's distinctive smoky scent. She knew he didn't smoke, but for some reason he always smelled like really good pipe tobacco. Fortunately, he blocked the blow a split second before it landed on his head. He grabbed both her hands to prevent her from striking out again.
“Sorry for the caveman tactics, but I'd prefer not to land on my ass again if I can help it.”
They stood staring at one another for a breathless moment, their hands clasped together. Lelia was pretty sure what was going to happen next. Even so, she wasn't prepared for his words.
“I'm going to kiss you. With tongue. I'm going to lick the inside of your mouth like an ice cream. Then I'm going to suck your tongue. I've been dying to suck your tongue. Do you have a problem with that?” The sensuality of his words was belied by the deep, angry cadence with which he spoke them.
Lelia stared back at him, so aroused by what he'd said that she was unable to form words, even if she had had any objections.
“You got that?” he asked a bit impatiently at her nonresponse.
She nodded. “Yes. It seems you're obsessed with my tongue.”
He growled in response to her smart-assed comment, barely giving her time to catch her breath as he lowered his mouth to hers and did just what he'd told her he would. The feel of his tongue stroking the confines of her mouth set off an explosion of need in her body. She shivered, pulling him closer as she returned the kiss, with interest.
He groaned against her mouth as his hands slipped down to grip her bottom, lifting her against him and grinding her clit against his heavy erection. The kiss went on for what seemed like forever until finally they had to break for air.
“Woman, you're driving me out of my mind.”
Lelia shook her head in denial. “I haven't done anything.”
“That's the problem. Look, I know you said we can't have a relationship or anything, but why can't we just hang out? Get to know one another. You've been here for a couple of weeks now, and I bet you haven't had any fun. I know some of your Guard have gone into town, but I'll bet anything you haven't.”
Lelia shook her head. “I've been very busy. I have a lot of responsibility—”
“So do I,” he interrupted. “But that's no excuse for not going out sometime. Go out with me. I promise you a good time. And I even promise to keep my hands to myself.”
Lelia pointedly glanced down to where their bodies were barely paper-width apart.
Patrick gave her a self-deprecating smile. “Hey, I'm a marine. I can be trusted to keep my hands to myself.”
I believe you can keep your hands to yourself, Patrick. The problem is, do I want you to? This was absolutely insane; yet she couldn't deny herself the pleasure of a day in his company. “What should I wear?” she asked.
Patrick grinned back, satisfied with his success. “Plan on an adventure. I promise you'll be very wet,” he replied cryptically.
Chapter Four
Heat shimmered up from the pavement like waves on a distant shore. Lelia watched it in rapt fascination. Though she was from North Africa and
He acknowledged her nod of greeting with a brief tilt of his own head. Lelia was so distracted by the meeting that she almost walked into the open door of the ready room. Her face heated further when she heard his chuckle of amusement at her discomfiture.
A short time later, her task completed, she exited the ready room. As she walked down the now-empty hallway, a door suddenly came open, and she found herself pulled into what appeared to be a broom closet.
She automatically struck out to defend herself, only pulling her punch when she recognized Patrick's distinctive smoky scent. She knew he didn't smoke, but for some reason he always smelled like really good pipe tobacco. Fortunately, he blocked the blow a split second before it landed on his head. He grabbed both her hands to prevent her from striking out again.
“Sorry for the caveman tactics, but I'd prefer not to land on my ass again if I can help it.”
They stood staring at one another for a breathless moment, their hands clasped together. Lelia was pretty sure what was going to happen next. Even so, she wasn't prepared for his words.
“I'm going to kiss you. With tongue. I'm going to lick the inside of your mouth like an ice cream. Then I'm going to suck your tongue. I've been dying to suck your tongue. Do you have a problem with that?” The sensuality of his words was belied by the deep, angry cadence with which he spoke them.
Lelia stared back at him, so aroused by what he'd said that she was unable to form words, even if she had had any objections.
“You got that?” he asked a bit impatiently at her nonresponse.
She nodded. “Yes. It seems you're obsessed with my tongue.”
He growled in response to her smart-assed comment, barely giving her time to catch her breath as he lowered his mouth to hers and did just what he'd told her he would. The feel of his tongue stroking the confines of her mouth set off an explosion of need in her body. She shivered, pulling him closer as she returned the kiss, with interest.
He groaned against her mouth as his hands slipped down to grip her bottom, lifting her against him and grinding her clit against his heavy erection. The kiss went on for what seemed like forever until finally they had to break for air.
“Woman, you're driving me out of my mind.”
Lelia shook her head in denial. “I haven't done anything.”
“That's the problem. Look, I know you said we can't have a relationship or anything, but why can't we just hang out? Get to know one another. You've been here for a couple of weeks now, and I bet you haven't had any fun. I know some of your Guard have gone into town, but I'll bet anything you haven't.”
Lelia shook her head. “I've been very busy. I have a lot of responsibility—”
“So do I,” he interrupted. “But that's no excuse for not going out sometime. Go out with me. I promise you a good time. And I even promise to keep my hands to myself.”
Lelia pointedly glanced down to where their bodies were barely paper-width apart.
Patrick gave her a self-deprecating smile. “Hey, I'm a marine. I can be trusted to keep my hands to myself.”
I believe you can keep your hands to yourself, Patrick. The problem is, do I want you to? This was absolutely insane; yet she couldn't deny herself the pleasure of a day in his company. “What should I wear?” she asked.
Patrick grinned back, satisfied with his success. “Plan on an adventure. I promise you'll be very wet,” he replied cryptically.
Chapter Four
Heat shimmered up from the pavement like waves on a distant shore. Lelia watched it in rapt fascination. Though she was from North Africa and
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