Chapter Five

M enace relished the look of utter satisfaction on Naya's beautiful face. A faint flush colored her luscious body. To show her that she was capable of such sensual passion filled him with great joy. When they'd started, he'd sensed that she was uncomfortable with her body and unfulfilled by her past sexual experiences. He hoped that what he'd shown her tonight would convince her that they could be happy together and to give him a chance.

His ears still rang with the sounds of her passion. She'd howled like such a wild thing when she climaxed. Her taste and scent still called to him. He could spend an eternity with his face buried between her thighs and never tire of it. The way she responded to him left him slightly shaken. He'd had good times with women before, especially the pleasure girls who worked in the sky brothels that catered to the land and sky corps, but it hadn't ever been like this. Vicious was right. There was something innately different about making love to one's mate.

"Menace?" Naya sounded breathless and excited.

"Yes?"

"You're squashing me."

"What?" He blinked twice and realized that he was, in fact, squashing her right into the couch. "Shit! Sorry."

She giggled as he quickly rolled off her and onto his side. "It's all right. You're just really big." Her gaze dropped to his waist. "All over."

His rock-hard cock throbbed incessantly. It took all his willpower not to part her thighs and sink into her hot, willing flesh. Naya made him harder and hungrier than any other woman. Though seducing her had proven more difficult than he'd expected, he'd enjoyed the challenge of persuading her to submit to his hands and mouth. What they'd shared eclipsed the rather businesslike transactions of negotiating with a professional girl from a brothel ship.

Menace noticed her interested gaze lingering on his cock. Her fingers moved just the tiniest fraction of an inch toward him before retreating. He snatched her hand and dragged it toward his erection. "It's normal to be curious. Touch me."

Her gaze skipped to his face. "How?"

"However you want," he said, hoping to encourage her sensual discovery.

She hesitated before trailing her fingertips up and down the length of his shaft. A shiver of anticipation coursed through him. Her light touch ignited his need. She grasped his cock and slowly stroked him. His leg muscles flexed as the whisper-soft caress of her fingers sent heat rolling through his stomach. Her hand moved lower and he held his breath. She cupped his sac and brushed her fingertips over his ultrasensitive skin. He swallowed the groan of pleasure threatening to choke him in the fear that any noise might scare her away.

Her hands moved from between his legs to his lower belly and chest. She swept her palms over his torso and traced some of the more gnarly scars dotting his skin. "You've been in a lot of battles?"

He nodded. "It's been a long war."

"But you're an officer now, right? You don't see much combat, I assume."

"I haven't been on the front lines in two years, but I spent twenty-two of them right there in the thick of it. But how did you know I'm an officer?"

"Your uniform." She touched her chest and indicated the spot where his insignia would have been. "I know enough about you sky warriors to know what all those patches and embroidered symbols mean. Was I wrong?"

"I am an officer," he confirmed. Certain she wouldn't understand all the rankings, he added, "I'm the top land corps weapons specialist aboard the Valiant ."

Her fingers went still. "Weapons?"

Knowing her people tended toward the pacifist end of the spectrum, he steeled himself for an argument. "Yes. You dislike weapons?"

"Me? No."

Her clipped reply unsettled him. Her gaze skipped from his face to his chest. What was she hiding? Perhaps she was afraid to tell him just how much she disapproved of weapons. "I keep weapons in my—our—quarters but they're safely secured. You'll never have to see or touch them."

Her expression turned to one of amusement. She touched his jaw. "Menace, I'm not your typical Calyx human, okay? Connor's Run is a tricky place to live, so I owned weapons of my own for protection."

His chest tightened. "That's illegal."

"It's a gray area," she said carefully. "It's illegal to possess any kind of firearm in The City and the smaller villages like Harper's Well and Willow's Tears. Connor's Run has its own set of city ordinances that make possession of weapons legal if they're registered."

"And were yours registered?"

This time she held his gaze. "Most of them."

The startling realization that he knew almost nothing of Naya's history hit him right on the chin. "When we're done here, we're going to have a talk."

"Are we?" She didn't seem very thrilled by that idea. Instead she pushed up on her knees and straddled his leg. Her hand moved to his cock again. She grasped him a bit tighter and stroked him slowly. "I don't think we're close to being done here yet. Do you?"

Clearly she had something in her past that she wanted to hide. He wanted to know what kind of trouble she'd encountered that necessitated owning multiple weapons for protection but he was willing to overlook it for the moment. Her stalling tactic felt too damn good. "No, not even close."

She smiled. He was taken aback by how stunningly beautiful she was when her lips curved and her eyes lit up with amusement. Making her smile just like that would become his new mission—and he never failed a mission.

Placing his hands on her waist, he tried to sit up so he could capture her sweet mouth in a kiss but she pushed on his chest and kept him flat on his back. He frowned up at her. "What?"

"Have you ever been cuffed?"

His eyes widened. "During sex? Absolutely not!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm not submissive."

"Neither am I."

He wasn't so sure about that. The way she'd responded to being under his control couldn't be faked. She'd been highly aroused by his orders. There was also a touch of the masochist about her. The careful application of discomfort and slight pain had enabled her to orgasm so easily. Discovering the depths of her submissive nature would surely provide the two of them with years of pleasure.

But that kind of sensual journey required trust. It was clear Naya's trust was hard to earn. Unless…

"Do you see that second column of drawers? Open the top one and grab the green cuffs. They're the only ones with enough adjustable length to fit me."

She reeled back in surprise. "Are you serious? You're going to let me cuff you?"

Menace caressed her side. "I trust you."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why?"

He laughed at her cynical response. "Is everything a conspiracy to you?" Shaking his head, he explained, "I'm not stupid or naive, Naya. I'm quite aware that you're still unhappy about our circumstances, but I trust you not to hurt me. You're not a malicious person."

Her expression softened. "I would never hurt you."

"I know." He cupped the back of her head and pulled her down for a deep, lingering kiss. "Now get the cuffs before I change my mind."

She grinned again and nuzzled their noses together. "Be right back."

He enjoyed the view of her bare bottom as she climbed off him and took the couple of steps to the cabinets. With her short stature and small arms, she didn't have nearly the range he did. She retrieved the green cuffs and returned to the couch with a bounce in her step. His appreciative gaze moved to her perky breasts. He couldn't wait to get his hands and mouth on them again.

She knelt between his legs on the couch and waved the cuffs. "Now what?"

He took the cuffs from her and showed her how they worked. The hook-and-loop closure strips made a tearing sound as they ripped apart. "You just press these two pieces together." He tapped the shorter straps on the undersides of the cuffs. "Connect these to the loops on the top of the couch."

She nodded. "Got it."

Menace handed her the cuffs and stuck out his hands. She had a wickedly impish smile on her face as she wrapped the first cuff around his arm. There was only just enough length in the cuff to encircle his thick wrist. She fixed the other cuff and then lifted his hands overhead. To get his hands into position, she leaned against him and accidentally pushed her breasts close to his face.

Unable to help himself, Menace flicked his tongue across her nipple. She gasped and pulled back. Annoyed, she glared down at him. He faked a contrite look. "Sorry."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Because you're brilliant?" He latched on to her breast and sucked gently. She inhaled deeply, as if trying to master her arousal, and continued fastening his hands in place. He teasingly bit down on her nipple and made her groan. He chuckled softly.

Naya's fingertips grazed his jaw. She gazed down at him with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Keep on teasing me, Menace, but just remember you're completely at my mercy now."

He decided not to tell her that he could easily bust out of the cuffs if he wanted. Besides, his curiosity raged. What would she do to him now that she thought she had complete control of the situation?

"Do you get a safeword?"

Her question surprised him. "Do I need one?"

She shrugged. "You gave me one."

"You're new to all this. I want you to feel safe and secure when we're trying new things."

"Is that your way of telling me you already feel safe and secure?"

"Yes."

She shook her head. "For a battle-hardened soldier, you are way too trusting."

"I trust my intuition. My intuition tells me I'm perfectly safe in your hands."

She didn't disagree with him but he sensed she thought he was a little crazy or maybe even slightly stupid. His assessment of her stood. She wouldn't hurt him or put him at risk.

Naya's mouth dropped to his chest. She took her time exploring his chest and arms with her fingertips and lips. The ticklish kisses along his collarbone and just below his ear made his heart stutter. She traced his nipples with her tongue and made sure to nip him a few times. He hissed at the brief, sharp bites but had to admit it felt rather good in a strange sort of way.

As Naya kissed her way down his body, Menace tried to control his breathing. Even though he knew he could break out of his restraints at any moment, the vulnerability from having his hands bound heightened the sensations he experienced. White-hot currents streaked through his lower belly and into his chest. His groin tightened with anticipation as she slipped down between his thighs and wrapped her fingers around his dick.

A growling moan escaped his throat. Her wet, soft tongue swiped the head of his cock. Nostrils flaring and arms captured overhead, he stared down at her. The comfortable tilt of the restraint couch made it possible for him to watch her performing oral sex on him. The sight of her pink tongue gliding up and down his pulsing flesh made his heart race.

"Naya," he whispered "That feels so good."

She smiled up at him before sucking him between her lips. She took only the very tip of his erection into her mouth but it was enough to leave him dizzy. Her lips were stretched around his girth, the sight one that would remain forever imprinted in his mind. She eased off his cock and painted his shaft with her tongue.

When she pulled him into her mouth this time, he curled his fingers toward his palms. He needed something to grip but there was nothing. Hands fisted above his head, he drew measured breaths into his lungs and tried to regain some control over his response to her hot mouth moving up and down on his shaft.

His cock popped free from her mouth. She stroked his length with one hand and used the other to push his thighs wider apart. When her tongue touched his balls, he gasped. She licked all around his sensitive sac and sucked on the plump flesh. Every tug of her mouth sent his need skyrocketing.

"Naya!" He wished he could sift his fingers through her dark, silky hair. Instead he lifted his hips in silent urging. She laughed and continued to tease him with her tongue and fingers.

The moment she pulled his cock back into her mouth, he exhaled roughly. Lifting his hips again, he carefully thrust into her willing mouth. He was much too big for her to take completely but she gave it her best try. The crown of his cock nudged the back of her throat. The quick flash of tightening as he pinged her gag reflex left his balls aching and his cock throbbing. Primitive as it was, he couldn't deny his response to her slight gag.

She didn't abandon his cock. Using her fingers to control the depth of his oral penetration, Naya kept her mouth on him. He fought to breathe normally and wondered how much longer he could flirt with danger. Every stroke of her tongue pushed him closer and closer to the edge. As much as he wanted to spill in her mouth, he wanted to come deep inside her, marking her as his much, much more.

"No more," he said finally and let his hips fall back to the couch. Naya continued to lick him lightly and suck the head of his cock gently. "Naya," he said with a moan. "I want to come inside you."

Her gaze jumped to his. "You could get me pregnant."

Cold crept into his chest. "Yes."

"Is that how this works? You seduce me, get me pregnant and then I can't leave?"

The frustration lacing her voice began to deflate his lust. "Are we going to argue about this now?"

She sat back on her heels. "I don't see how we can avoid the conversation."

"Naya, the Grabs exist so soldiers who have earned enough points through skill and bravery can build families."

"But so quickly? We hardly know one another!"

He couldn't argue against that fact. She hugged herself and a slight shiver of panic stabbed his belly. She was pulling away from him emotionally. All the trust he'd built with her was threatening to shatter. "What can I do to make this easier for you?"

"Give me time, Menace." She caressed his naked thigh. After a moment, she finally spoke. "I'm willing to give this thing between us a try, but I can't risk making a child with a man I hardly know. That's not right, Menace. I know what it's like to be unwanted."

His eyes widened. "No child of mine would ever be unwanted."

The look in her eyes told him she wanted to believe him. "You say that now, but I've seen what resentment does to a kid. Being told that you're the reason someone was trapped isn't a good feeling. I lived it for years. I won't—I can't—do that to my child."

It was obvious someone had hurt her deeply. Her mother? Her father? Both? "You would never resent your child." He believed that with every fiber of his being. "Neither will I."

"Menace…"

"I won't come inside you. I'll pull out." He bargained with the only chip he had. "If I could go down to the infirmary and get birth control for you, I would, Naya."

"Why can't you? I thought your society was all about technological and medical advances."

"We have population issues. The war has lowered our birthrate dramatically. A couple can only gain access to birth control after the birth of one child or the presentation of medical issues in the female. Very rarely they'll grant waivers for other reasons. I'm willing to put in the paperwork, but it could be months."

"Months?"

He nodded and tensed his jaw. It killed him to offer, but he refused to force her into a situation she didn't want. "If you would prefer, we can abstain from intercourse until I get an answer on a petition."

She tilted her head. "You're serious?"

"I am."

With a little sigh, she said, "There are other ways."

He frowned. "Other ways?"

She nodded. "I was taught to chart my cycle by a midwife in Connor's Run."

"Chart your cycle?" He had no idea what that meant.

"You keep track of certain signs and your temperature so you can anticipate your fertile window and avoid sex during that risky period."

"And it works?" It seemed too simple to be true.

"Beautifully," she said with a slight smile. "There's a reason Connor's Run and some of the wealthier sections of The City have such low birthrates. When you use charting with a sponge soaked in certain solutions, you have an almost foolproof recipe for family planning."

He jumped on this new bit of information. "I have a thermometer in my med kit."

She laughed and rubbed his stomach. "You only check your temperature in the morning."

"Oh."

"But we're safe tonight."

"You're sure?" He didn't want her to feel pressured tonight. The mistrust and resentment that would breed could kill their fledgling relationship.

She drew a lazy design on his leg. "My cycle is just a few days old. I typically have ten to twelve days in the first half of my cycle where I'm safe, five to six when it's risky and then fifteen to eighteen days before my period begins. But," her gaze skipped to his face, "nature isn't foolproof."

She couldn't have uttered a truer statement. "The choice is yours, Naya. I'll respect whatever decision you make."

She didn't say anything. Instead she slid back down between his thighs and stroked his cock. Their serious discussion had put quite a damper on his lust. With her supple lips and nimble fingers, Naya coaxed his erection back to life. He let his eyelids drift together as he enjoyed the wonderful feelings caused by his woman.

When she released his erection from her mouth, his eyes popped open. His breath arrested in his throat as she climbed up his body and straddled his thighs. Wordlessly she held his gaze and rose up on her knees. Naya reached down between their bodies and grasped his cock. She teased his ruddy, weeping crown through her slick folds. His pre-cum mixed with the shiny nectar seeping from her core. Without saying a word, she'd declared her decision to risk everything with him.

"Release my hands," he ordered, his voice husky with emotion. "I need to touch you. I have to feel you."

Her smoky gaze softened. With his hard shaft trapped between her thighs, she leaned forward and jerked free his bonds. Wrists free, he slid one arm around her waist and tangled the fingers of his other hand in her hair. Menace pulled her sweet mouth down for a kiss. He put every last ounce of emotion he could muster into that kiss. He needed her to know how precious he considered her gift of trust.

Breathing heavily, Naya sat back and moved into a better position. She lifted her ass and clasped the base of his cock. He didn't dare move a muscle as she aligned their bodies. Biting her plump lower lip, Naya pressed down on his shaft. He groaned when he finally breached her wet pussy.

"Oh!" Her eyes widened but she didn't pull away from him. "You're too big."

"I'm not," he assured her, his voice filled with desperation. Sweeping a hand down her back, he whispered, "You can take me."

"I can't." Even as she spoke her denial, Naya braced herself with a hand on his chest and pushed down on his cock. Like him, she seemed aflame with the need to be joined so intimately.

"Easy, sweetheart," he murmured and kissed her mouth. "Take it slow."

Her slick honey coated his shaft. She'd inched down on his erection and then retreated until just the tip of him remained buried in her snug pussy. He'd never felt anything so perfectly tight and wet. In that moment he thought he might actually die from pleasure.

"Ride me, Naya." He gripped her waist, pulled her forward and then pushed her back.

"Menace!" She moaned loudly and placed both hands on his chest. Her lips parted on a long sigh as she followed his urging and rode him. Her lush breasts bounced with each swaying snap of her hips. Unable to help himself, Menace latched on to her nipple and tugged hard. She cried out and clawed at his chest, her short nails digging into his skin. He just laughed and sucked harder.

When her head fell back, he knew she was close. He could feel her slick passage gripping his cock. Wanting her to shatter with ecstasy, Menace licked his thumb and found her clit with the rough pad. She groaned and shuddered. "Please…"

He wanted to tell her that anything she wanted was hers, that all she ever needed to do was ask and he'd do everything in his power to make it happen. Instead of telling her, he showed her. With a few quick flicks of his thumb, he sent her over the edge. She shouted his name again and again while her pussy fluttered around his shaft.

The last spasms of her orgasm rhythmically gripped him. Menace held tight to her waist and planted the soles of his feet against the couch's firm surface. Knees bent against her backside, he pounded into her from below. The well-trained muscles of his abdomen and thighs flexed as he jackhammered her tight pussy.

"Menace! Oh! Oh! Ooohhh! " She came again, her shocked cry music to his ears. "Menace!"

There was no holding back now. He slammed balls-deep in her welcoming pussy and growled. "Naya!"

He shook with each burst of semen that left his body. His head ached from the sheer force of his climax. The muscles of his torso and legs burned from exertion but he didn't care. He'd claimed Naya now. He'd marked her as his own and made her his wife and mate.

Cradling her to his chest, Menace pressed a tender kiss to the crown of her head. Like him, she panted for breath. Her cheek rested against his chest and her warm, soft body felt so right curled up against him. Her silky, fragrant hair tickled his mouth.

Quite unexpectedly she laughed. The raucous, joyful noise infected him and left him grinning from ear to ear. "What in the world is so funny? Not my skills as a lover, I hope."

"Oh, no," she assured him. "That was the best sex I've ever had."

"Then what has you giggling like a fool?"

"I guess I'm not so bad for a consolation prize, huh?"

Even though the words he'd jokingly spoken had wounded her in the forest, he heard the teasing tone in her voice now. "No," he confirmed with a smile and stroked her back. "Not bad at all."