Free Temporal Shift (Entangled Select Otherworld) by Nina Croft Page A

he need to be? She wanted him. He was sure of that. But time was running out.
    He’d decided on a short-range, two-seater shuttle, which would get them down from orbit, but at the last moment, he veered to his right, where a larger model stood. Still a two-person craft but with a slightly greater range. It occurred to him that Saffira might come along as far as the Trakis One and maybe they could spend a little quality time together—get his rocks off—before they parted forever.
    “Open.”
    The door slid open and he climbed the ramp and entered. The shuttle consisted of a single space about ten feet by ten feet, with two seats facing a bank of consoles.
    Saffira brushed past him and jumped into one of the seats, bouncing a little. She looked so young, he felt a flicker of guilt for even thinking about seducing her. But who was he to defy fate? And besides, at twenty-one, she was hardly likely to be innocent.
    “What are you thinking?” she asked.
    “Just that here we are alone again and if we want to make those visions of yours come true, maybe this is our last chance.”
    She shook her head. “It doesn’t work like that.”
    “Then how does it work, sweetheart?” He stepped in closer, leaned down, and placed his hands on the arms of the chair, caging her in. Her purple eyes were huge, unblinking, and the pulse in her throat was clearly visible beneath her thin skin. He wanted to lick that point. Taste her. His gaze dropped to where her nipples poked at the material. He shifted one hand and laid it over her breast, felt the hammering of her heart.
    “You want me, sweetheart?”
    She gave a quick nod of her head.
    “Well, you can have me. But it’s going to have to be short and sweet.”
    Lowering his head, he stroked his tongue across her throat, nipping the skin with his teeth, and she gave a little jump. He tugged the fastener, slowly, not wanting to frighten her. His whole body was tense with need, his dick once again rock hard, his balls aching. But he needed her to enjoy this—maybe the whole dream-lover thing was a challenge.
    He parted the material, baring her breasts, the nipples tight and swollen, dark red, and he took one in his mouth and suckled. She was with him all the way, moaning low in her throat as a small hand slipped behind his neck to hold him tight. She was making little pants of excitement now, which made his own breath come faster and the blood throb in his cock. He kissed her other nipple and then licked his way up her throat as his hand slid beneath the jumpsuit and lower, to tangle in the silky curls at the junction of her thighs.
    She went still. And he delved a little farther, wanting to make sure she enjoyed herself before he got inside, because he was pretty sure he wasn’t going to last long. Hell, she’d been dreaming about him for years. He didn’t want to come off as a disappointment.
    He nudged her legs wider with his knee, bending over her and kissing her gently as he pushed one finger into the slick wet heat between her thighs. It was official—she wanted him. Hot and tight, her muscles clenched around him. A shudder ran through him, settling in his cock, as he imagined sinking himself inside, giving himself up to the need.
    He stroked his tongue along her lips but backed away slightly as her mouth remained firmly clamped. Her eyes were closed as well, tightly closed. He withdrew his finger and pushed it in again, watching her response. Her lashes fluttered but otherwise she remained immobile.
    “Sweetheart.”
    She blinked, her eyes dazed.
    “You are allowed to move,” he murmured.
    “I was concentrating.”
    “And open your mouth. You kiss like you’ve never been kissed before.”
    “That’s because I haven’t,” she said, sounding cross. “Well, only in my visions, and this is much different.”
    He didn’t want to talk about her visions. Any second now, he expected the captain to comm him and ask if they were ready to go. And he wanted to go. But