Shifting Priorities 3: Mating Call Read online

  She gasped at the sudden loss, her dazed eyes following his magnificent body as he positioned himself between her thighs. His massive chest towered over her, supported by his muscular forearms. The swollen tip of his cock pressed against the moist entrance to her channel and she bucked her hips upward in instinctive need.

  She wanted his hard shaft buried deep within her. Now.

  Darien gave her a sinfully sexy smile and proceeded to work that gorgeous cock into her sex, inch by slow, agonizingly erotic inch. Cali whimpered and writhed beneath him, unable to hold still as he stretched and filled her, making her forget all about her larcenous schemes. All she could think about was how good it felt to be on the receiving end of this superb cock.

  He settled into a steady rhythm, shafting her with long, deep strokes that sent liquid heat racing through her, driving her wild with a desperate need for more.

  She met him thrust for thrust, arching her back to make sure he buried that glorious shaft all the way to the balls. Fiery flames of desire licked their way down her spine. She could no longer think, only feel as the world spiraled upward out of control.

  “Yes. Just like that. Take it all.” Darien’s shout of triumph echoed in the small cube as his cock jerked, spurting his hot seed into her.

  The muscles lining her channel convulsed, clenching, holding him deep while she careened over the edge, the world shattering beneath her as she rode the crest of the wildest orgasm she’d ever experienced. She dug her heels into his naked butt, shuddering as wave after wave of pure pleasure swept through her.

  Darien collapsed, turning so that he lay beside her, still holding her wrapped in his arms. His grip gentled and he stroked her hair, murmuring soft sounds as tiny waves of aftershocks ran through her. When she finally managed to drag herself back to sanity, she opened her eyes to find him staring down at her with an indecipherable look. He brushed his lips across her forehead in a tender gesture that shook her already fragile composure.

  Gentle wasn’t something she associated with males.

  Shifting Priorities 3: Mating Call

  Chapter Three

  “Of course I’m aware she has a hidden motive. I’m not conceited enough to think she fell into my bed because of my good looks.” Darien shot Jakeb an exasperated look that would have felled a lesser man. “Why do you think I asked you to get me some background on her before I invite her to join me on the tour of my contracts in the sector? So spill it. Does she know what we are?”

  Jakeb shook his head, a reluctant smile crossing his lips. “No, nothing that sinister. She’s a minor con artist. Wiggles those hips, flashes the big blue eyes and takes the men for whatever she can get out of them. She’s got a light rap sheet, mostly complaints lodged with the Earth-based Enforcers by irate marks. She got a stiff rap on the knuckles from a Martian tribunal last year, barely managed to escape doing time on a penal colony.”

  He paused to check his notes. “Wife got miffed when the enchanting Ms. Cali charmed a diamond bracelet out of hubby’s safe. The Martian contingents are rather stuck on monogamy and had to be satisfied the only thing she got from Mr. Martian was the bracelet.” He chuckled softly. “Compared to a scaly Martian, you just might be irresistible. After that, she moved back to working the bars at Earth base.”

  He regarded Darien thoughtfully. “So what’s your interest in her? Other than as a very decorative bed warmer. Because I’m sure you could find one that’d be a lot less trouble.”

  Darien grinned at his friend. “I’m not getting any younger, and Cali damn near had me shifting in mid-fuck. I’ve never reacted that strongly to a female. I’m thinking it’s about time I settled down and started a family.”

  Jakeb’s eyebrows raised and he let out a low whistle. “Like that, is it? You couldn’t just find yourself a nice, law-abiding citizen? Good luck, then. Calidar Ta Nokis could lead you a merry chase. I’d be willing to bet good cred-chips that she’s after your security codes to sell on the black market. Just one could set her up for years.” He reached out to pat his long-time friend on the back. “She’s a tough little kit, with a larcenous streak a mile wide. I hope you know what you’re doing.” He held out the report he’d compiled on Cali. “You know I’ll be at your back if things start to go sideways.”

  “Thanks.” Darien took the sheaf of papers. “I plan to have her tamed and purring contentedly under my hand by the time we return to Earth.”

  Jakeb snorted and shot him a look of pure disbelief. “We’ll see. If there’s one thing I’ve learned since I hooked up with Kaitlyn, it’s that females are dangerous. They can wrap you around their little finger with the bat of an eyelash and you won’t even see it coming.”

  * * *

  “Wow, this place is huge!”

  Darien watched Cali as she explored his stateroom. Her eyes sparkled with wonder as she wandered around the huge space, picking up the odd items he’d collected from all over the galaxy, running her hands over each one curiously before she moved on to the next. Her hair cascaded down her back in unrestrained splendor and her hips tempted him with every move they made, her tight black uni-suit outlining them in mouthwatering detail. He felt a rueful smile cross his lips. He’d had a semi-permanent hard-on since he’d first set eyes on her in Jack’s place.

  He spent a great deal of his time on his company’s interplanetary shuttle and he’d put serious thought into the design and furnishing of his quarters. The lounge area contained every techno toy he’d found over the last few years, including a ceiling-mounted holo-vid system and all the latest in gaming equipment. A low-slung sleeping platform sported an overstuffed mattress and mounds of soft pillows. On the opposite side of the room, his work area featured the newest in techno gadgets as well as a wall-mounted vid screen. The whole system interfaced with the mainframe system back on Earth so he’d be able to stay in touch from any sector of the galaxy. He even had a fully functional food dispenser.

  “I don’t believe it!” Cali held up a gaming vid-cube. “You’ve got Janik’s Raid III. I didn’t even know it had been released yet.”

  Darien had to smile. She looked like a little kid on her first trip to the space platform. “It’s not. I designed the security system for their testing facility. I mentioned I was a fan of Janik’s Raid and they insisted on giving me an advance copy.”

  “Can I play it?” She ran over to throw her arms around his neck, batting those long lashes at him, and he felt his cock swell uncomfortably in its spandex prison.

  “Maybe.” He plucked the vid-cube out of her hand and held it up out of her reach. “If you ask real nice.”

  He watched the mischief dance in her eyes before she reached up to pull his face down to her level and run her tongue across his lips in a tantalizing invitation. He opened his mouth and extended his tongue to duel with hers. Her eyes drifted closed and her arms tightened around his neck as he deepened the kiss, nostrils flaring at the sweet smell of her arousal.

  He could feel the need pooling heavy in his groin as she arched herself against him, devouring his lips with her hot little mouth. She might be a con artist, but the heavy scent of her creaming pussy told him she wasn’t acting. She wanted him every bit as much as he wanted her. And once they left Earth Station, he’d have lots of time to make sure they both got everything they wanted.

  Cali broke the kiss off to nibble on his bottom lip with her sharp little teeth. He felt his cock swelling to even larger proportions, and it took all his resolve not to strip the clothing off her right there and bury himself deep inside her tempting flesh.

  “Okay.” He brought his arm down, letting his hands sit lightly on her shoulders. “I have to go do some pre-flight checks before we lift off, and I prefer to be on the bridge when we enter hyperspace. Janik III should keep you occupied till I get back.”

  “Oh, thank you!” Cali gave him a quick peck on the lips and reached for the cube. “I promise I’ll take good care of her.”

  “Not quite that easy.” Darien walked over to
the gaming console and palmed the controls. “We need to set you up to access the system. It’s keyed to recognize palm and fingerprints so we just need to get yours into its database.”

  Cali’s smile slipped a bit, and he could just imagine the thoughts running through her mind. Was it a trap? Would her prints trigger some kind of alarm? He gave her an easy smile that he hoped would calm her fears. She needed to learn to trust him, and this would be a starting point.

  His fingers danced across the panel as he keyed access to the security codes, opening them up to the addition of a new user. “Put your right hand over the blue panel and press down lightly.”

  Cali walked over to stand beside him and held her hand over the panel, hesitating slightly before she pressed it firmly in place. A light humming sound came from the console as it acknowledged the input. A few seconds passed before a green light flashed on the display, indicating the process had completed.

  “There, didn’t even hurt, did it?” he teased. “You’ll be able to access all of the stored games or you can use the cubes to play new ones.” His hand flashed over the access panel and a list of games scrolled up the vid-screen. “I’ve got one of the most complete game collections in this sector of the galaxy.”

  Cali stared at the list. “I haven’t even heard of half of these.” She flashed him a happy smile. “I could stay here forever and not get bored.”

  He reached out a finger to lift her chin and stared into those incredible blue eyes of hers. He wondered if she had any idea how she affected him. It was going to take all of his self-control to court her slowly. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips before he let her go, turning away before she read the truth in his eyes.

  “I’ll be back as soon as I can. The food synthesizer is coded to the same comp so it’ll respond to your voice.” He strode out the doorway, her happy “thank you” echoing in his ears.

  Shifting Priorities 3: Mating Call

  Chapter Four

  Cali glanced up from the game. The shuttle had launched half an hour ago, and she’d dutifully stayed at the vid console, playing the new version of Janik. No point in snooping around until she had a better idea of what to look for. She also needed to make sure Darien didn’t plan to monitor her actions. Besides, she might never get another chance to use a system of this caliber. She gave him top marks for knowing how to set up a game vid.

  He strode through the doorway and her heart did a flip. The man really should come with a warning. He radiated sex appeal from every pore and she could feel a rush of liquid warmth between her thighs at the sight of him.

  “Enjoying yourself?” He gave her an easy smile.

  “Definitely!” She returned his smile. “I could spend the next ten solar cycles working my way through your collection.” She swiped her hand across the access panel to shut down the game before she bounced over to greet him. He bent down toward her, and she placed a quick kiss on his cheek. “I’ve never had access to such a high-tech system. Thanks.”

  Darien snaked an arm out to catch her around the shoulders, drawing her in close to his warm body. “That the best you can do?” He proceeded to take her lips in a kiss that sent warm tendrils of lust creeping along every nerve. When he finally released her, the smirk on his face told her he knew exactly what type of effect he had on her.

  She wanted to trot out some witty quip, but all she could manage was a dazed “Wow.” If she didn’t learn to control her raging libido around him, she might consider abandoning her con and just enjoying his attention for however long it lasted. She imagined herself relaxing in this luxurious stateroom, wallowing in the attentions of the sexiest man this side of the nebula. She wished it were truly an option.

  “I thought I’d take you on a tour of the shuttle, introduce you to some of the crew.” He put his hand on her waist in a casually possessive manner. “I won’t be available to entertain you all the time, so you need to feel comfortable roaming the ship on your own.”

  “Where will you be?” Cali looked up, not liking the whining note that crept into her voice.

  A smile curved the corner of his mouth. “This is a working trip for me. I’ll be here, I just won’t be able to keep you company as much as I’d like.” He leaned closer, his breath tickling her ear. “Maybe after this round of security checks, we can take a trip somewhere more interesting. Ever been to Orion’s Belt?”

  Excitement flared through her. Orion’s Belt had fascinated her ever since she’d read about it in a purloined star chart a few years before. The thought of actually going there had never crossed her mind. “You mean it?”

  “Of course I mean it.” He led her down the corridor, holding her close as they stepped into the deck access chute together.

  Cali gave him her most brilliant smile as the ground dropped out from beneath their feet and they descended toward the main deck. A scant second later, the artificial gravity field kicked in to slow their descent. They stepped onto the main deck, Darien’s arm still wrapped firmly around her. She rather liked it there. It made her feel like she belonged with him and the sensation was surprisingly enjoyable.

  The bridge boasted the largest forward viewing screen Cali had ever seen. The full height of the deck, it covered a third of the outer wall. The stars of the Milky Way twinkled merrily against the velvety soft blackness of space.

  “Gord and Yanik, I’d like you to meet Cali.” Darien directed her attention to the two men seated at the command console. “Cali, this is Gord.” He turned to the stocky, dark-skinned man sitting in the pilot’s chair. “And this is Yanik. They make sure we stay on course and don’t run into anything nasty like an asteroid or stray space junk.”

  “Pleased to meet you.” Gord unfolded his lanky frame from the console and offered his hand. “I’d give you a welcome kiss, but I have the feeling I’d be out looking for a new job at the first port we put into.”

  Cali glanced up at Darien and laughed at the pained expression on his face. She took Gord’s hand and shook it. “I doubt that. A good pilot is a lot harder to find than a new girl.”

  She looked over at the other man. His back was to her as his fingers flew over the input board, causing the display lights to flash cheerful colors across it.

  “Yanik’s new this trip.” Gord poked the other man. “Say hi to the pretty lady.”

  “Sure.” The slighter man stood and turned toward her. “Nice to meet you. I get caught up in my work sometimes. Didn’t mean to be rude.”

  He looked familiar, but Cali couldn’t quite place him. She returned his smile, extending her hand and making eye contact.

  She froze for a split second as those cold eyes bored into her. Yanik Del Mylar. Point man for the most successful pirate crew this sector had ever seen. She’d met him in the Detention Center on Mars. They’d both managed to get off with a slap on the wrist: her for the bracelet caper and him for suspected espionage. He hadn’t been spying, he confided. He was scouting the sector for rich targets for his pirate mates. He used his smooth talk to join a crew, assessed its worth, then fed the pirates the info they needed to capture the ship and strip it of everything of value. If the crew resisted, they were brutally murdered.

  Yanik took her hand, squeezing a little tighter than necessary. He’d obviously recognized her. Damn! If he told Darien what she was up to, she’d be in big trouble. She shuddered to think of how he’d react. And she wouldn’t be able to escape; they were deep in hyperspace.

  Realization hit her with staggering force. Yanik must be scouting the ship for the pirates. Darien and his crew were in mortal danger. But she couldn’t warn him without revealing her own agenda. Double damn! She dropped Yanik’s hand and turned back to the viewing screen. She needed time to think.

  “It’s awesome, isn’t it?” Darien came up behind her, wrapping his brawny arms around her. “It humbles me, makes me realize how small I am in the scheme of things.”

  Cali crossed her arms over his hands, leaning back. She looked at the twinkling display of stars sprea
d out in front of her. They really were awesome. She wished life were simple, and she could let go and let Darien look after her, trusting him to keep her safe. “Yes, they are.”

  Darien let his chin rest on top of her head. “Do you see that bright star over to the left? The one that looks like it’s wobbling?”

  Cali turned. “Yes, I see it.”

  “That’s where we’re heading.”

  He straightened up, letting her go, and Cali felt suddenly bereft. She gave herself a quick mental shake. She was letting herself feel way too comfortable with the sexy Mr. Darien Talzar. She needed to keep her priorities straight. He was just another mark that she needed to finesse. Nothing more.

  “So do I get to see the rest of the ship?” She purposely ignored Yanik as Darien led her off the bridge.

  He leaned toward her and warm breath feathered across her ear. “If you really want to. I can think of so many more interesting things to do than tour this bucket of bolts.” He nibbled on the lobe of her ear and she jumped. He laughed. “Nervous?”

  “No.” Not nervous, she thought. More like over-sexed, and having a hard time not showing it. She slipped out of his grasp and skipped down the hall, turning to force out a laugh. “I just want to see the sights!”

  Darien raised his brows and gave her a crooked grin. “I suppose I can wait a bit.” He waggled his brow. “After all, it’s going to take us the best part of the moon cycle to get to that star system.”

  He turned out to be an excellent host, introducing her to the rest of the crew and pointing out all of the different parts of the shuttle. She had to admit he certainly knew his ship and the crew. He addressed each of the men by name, inquiring after their families and generally treating everyone as equals. They reciprocated and she realized they regarded their boss with genuine affection.