“Well that would be you, wouldn’t it?”
“Do you really think I’m like the other men you’ve known?”
“Aren’t you?”
“If I were, you’d be permanently chained to my bed and I wouldn’t worry about
your satisfaction. I’d be fucking you senseless without any regard for your feelings,”
Gage retorted. “And you know that.”
Tamara stared at the viewport.
“Tamara, I can’t do this without you. It’s your chance to clean your record. Will you help me?”
Tamara frowned. “I’m afraid of Randall and Simon. I don’t want to be captured by
either of them again. How can I trust you to keep me safe?”
“It won’t go that far. You’re the lure, not the prize.”
“Things go wrong despite the best planning. You know that.”
Gage sighed. “Tamara, take a chance on me. I won’t let you down.” He ran a hand
through his hair. “Look, I know this has been a shock for you. Take the night to think about my proposal. I don’t have time to find all the tools I’m sure you’ve hidden in the prison room and elsewhere since you obviously have figured out how to escape. You’re free to move around here. Fakzi, do not let Tamara leave my cabin. Do you understand?
Fakzi stared at Gage.
Are you sure you want to do this?
Yes I am sure, Fakzi. If she escapes this ship, she will not be safe. Too many powerful men
are seeking her.
The liock nodded.
Tamara will stay here.
Gage nodded and left the room.
The vid connection between them was fuzzy and indistinct but that didn’t matter.
All that mattered was the information Randall had for Simon. It was a risk calling the pirate from a Space Command connection but that couldn’t be helped either. He’d just gotten vital information and there wasn’t time to find a more secure connection.
“I know where they’re going next. You need to get there first,” Randall said.
“I think I’ll take a pass on this one. It’s already gotten out of hand. I can’t afford another screwup. There are other holovas.”
“If you ever want my help again, you’ll do what I tell you now.”
*
Tamara stared at the closed door. She knew she could defeat it but what was the
point? She could already feel the thrum of the engines ramping up for an exit from the planet’s orbit. If she left now only cold space would await her. She paced. What should she do?
She felt a sharp pain in her heart. Gage had shown her that sex didn’t have to hurt.
Sex could be a glorious exploration of sensation that overwhelmed all rational thought.
What did she owe him for that knowledge? He’d swamped her demons in pleasure
until she now slept with no nightmares. He’d given her freedom in a way she’d never considered before.
Tamara stilled. Did she love him? She couldn’t tell. She had no measure to define
love. Even if she wasn’t sure about love, she was sure about one thing. Gage turned her on. No other man had aroused her the way he did. Even now, as angry as she was, she could feel his magic hands and his hard body. Was that love? Who cared?
She wanted to have sex with him whether or not she loved him. No wonder men
had so many problems. She now understood why they led with their cocks and did
illogical things. She yanked her awareness back to her current dilemma. Should she
give in to him and let him use her. Would she gain her freedom at the end? Despite
every thought that shrieked at her, she did trust him. He would keep his word and if he didn’t, she’d still gain sex with him. How pathetic. Hadn’t she learned that she could only trust herself? All men lied. Why did she think that Gage was the exception?
“Too many misunderstandings between you two.”
“Not now, Fakzi.”
He stared at her for a long moment before turning and padding into the prison
room. She shook her head. She didn’t understand anyone who would chose to spend
time there but it seemed to be one of Fakzi’s favorite spots. She dismissed thoughts of Fakzi and turned her attention to her problem. What was she going to do?
*
“Did she agree?”
Gage threw David a stormy glance.
“Guess not. Guess she didn’t like the fact that you used her before and that you
omitted information.”
“She managed to escape the cage and the prison room. She also managed to access
the ship’s computer system and find out quite a bit of information. Where were you
when she was doing all that?”
David laughed. “Quite the resourceful lassie, isn’t she? And I was doing as you
ordered—keeping an eye on the planet comm systems. Where was Fakzi? I thought you
set the liock to watch her?”
I did watch her,
came the thought from the liock.
I watched her break out of her cage and
the room and access the system. She is very good. She needed to do this and she is right, you
should have told her your purpose long ago.
“Fakzi seems to have adopted Tamara. He’s defending her.”
“Should I do the same?” David asked.
“Keep your opinions to yourself,” Gage growled.
“We can’t do this without her.”
“Is it right to use her? She accused me of using her as every other man in her life has done. David, we may have to do this without her.”
David had never seen Gage look so defeated. He’d been right when he’d said
Tamara was his one weakness.
“Let me talk to her.”
“Do you really think you’ll get further than I did?”
“Do we have any other options?”
Gage shrugged and waved a hand. “Go ahead and watch out for flying objects.”
David chuckled as he walked the corridor to Gage’s cabin. Tamara certainly made
life interesting.
Tamara was still debating her next move when David walked into Gage’s cabin.
“Och, lassie, what are you doing? Gage has gotten Space Command to agree to a
pardon if you only help us. What Gage probably didn’t tell you is that he staked his career on his belief in you.”
Tamara glared at David.
He sat down and said, “We’ve been here before. You can trust him.”
“So you and Fakzi tell me.”
David cast a sideways glance at the liock. Fakzi ignored him and continued
grooming himself. Their relationship had always been a little testy. They were both protective of Gage. Both grew concerned when Gage was wild or had risky plans.
“Oh,” Tamara said, a shocked look crossing her face. “That means you’re a cop too.
I hadn’t considered that.”
“Every man and woman on this ship is a military cop. We all agreed to take on this
mission to capture pirates. And we’re all fiercely loyal to Gage. You won’t find anyone who will help you go against Gage’s wishes. Ah, lassie, you know what he’s like. You know he’s honorable and loyal. He—we—need your help. For some reason, the pirate wants you back. The deal won’t work without your help. Don’t you want to nail this
bastard?”
“Much as I’d like that, I don’t want to nail him if I also nail myself.”
“Gage explained, didn’t he? You’ll be pardoned if you help us.”
Tamara looked at David with a sad expression on her face. “Then what will I do?
The only thing I know is how to scam marks. I can’t support myself. So I’d be free to starve? That’s not much of an incentive.”
David stood. “Better than being hunted, isn’t it? Besides I don’t think Gage is going to let you starve.”
Tamara shrugged.
“Think hard, lassie. We need you. Gage needs you. You are being offered a very
generous opportunity here and don’t forget that Gage put his career on the line to get you this opportunity,” David said before he walked out.
*
Two hours later Gage entered the cabin. Tamara looked at him. He looked defeated.
Where was the proud, confident man Tamara knew?
“Tamara I’m sorry I didn’t tell you everything right from the beginning,” he said in a soft, conciliatory voice, “but I need an answer. Will you be part of this?”
Tamara wanted to refuse. She wanted to tell Gage to throw her in jail. He was a cop!
The revelation still battered her mind. How could she have missed the signs? The
knowledge seemed to twist in her mind and stun her into inaction. How could he be a cop?
She thought back and reluctantly accepted that it made sense now that she knew
the truth. When they’d pulled jobs together, Gage had never hurt any innocents. That fact alone set him apart from other pirates she’d known. She had to trust him. What else could she do? She wouldn’t give in easily though.
“I have some conditions. First, I don’t ever want to enter that room again,” she said pointing to Gage’s jail room. “Second, you will not chain or rope or otherwise use any restraints on me.” She nearly stumbled as a vivid image of how Gage saw Tamara when she was tied up flashed into her mind. Where had that come from? She dismissed it and shook off the effects.
Gage agreed with qualifications. “I won’t lock you up unless you agree. We really
don’t want to cut ourselves off from sexual exploration do we? I know you don’t believe me right now but a touch of pain can greatly enhance your pleasure. Now it’s my turn,”
Gage said as he walked close to her and cradled her face. “Remember what I said?”
“You’ve said a lot of things.”
“On the luxury cruiser. I told you that you were mine. I was serious. We belong
together. I’m not going to let you leave. I’m not going to let Space Command throw you into jail.”
Tamara stilled at the intensity of Gage’s words. He was serious. The realization
should have sent her fleeing, instead she felt a smile growing. “That works both ways. If I’m yours, you’re mine,” she said.
“Always, darling.”
About time.
Gage laughed. “We’d like a little privacy, Fakzi.”
Tamara felt as if some giant hand had released its grip on her emotions. She went to Gage and circled his waist. She laid her head on his back. He was so strong. Yet in the past few days he’d shown her a side of himself she’d never seen before. No matter that he’d withheld his identity. She understood his reasons for doing so even if she didn’t
agree with them. She felt freed from her distrust of Gage. She wanted this man and she needed to help him, to prove that she cared about him.
Gage swung her around so they faced each other.
Tamara placed her palms on Gage’s chest. She kneaded his muscles like a contented
cat. Her cunt was damp and she felt empty and achy. Sexual desire. So that’s what it felt like. Gage tipped her face and leaned down to kiss her. His hands moved to her butt and he lifted her up so he could deepen the kiss. She wrapped her legs around his waist and felt his cock leap toward her. They had way too many clothes on.
She broke the kiss enough to whisper into his mouth. “Bedroom.”
“My thoughts exactly,” he said and he carried her to the bed.
He laid her down and flipped her onto her belly. “Stay there,” he said.
She raised her head and looked back over her shoulder, tracking his movements.
With a swift motion, he stood and stripped off his tunic and pants. He stood at the edge of the bed for a long moment, starring down at her while her eyes roamed his naked body. He was more beautiful than she’d ever imagined a man could be.
Gage’s hair was ruffled and a day-old beard shadowed his perfect mouth. Well—
defined muscles lined his shoulders, arms and chest, his perfect abdomen. She knew
how hard his muscles felt. His cock stood proudly away from his body making his
desire for her clear and unambiguous.
She finally raised her eyes back to his. Her face flamed when she realized he’d been watching her gaze at him.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen desire in your eyes. Do you have any idea how erotic that is, to know that you want me?” He climbed into bed next to her and proceeded to undress her. When she tried to touch him, he said, “No. Stay still.”
Once they were both naked, he lay on top of her. She felt his cock at her entrance.
She arched back but he stayed just out of range. Then the kisses started. His first kiss was at the base of her neck. He worked his way down her spine. Each kiss light and
quick, barely touching her skin. She shivered. Again she tried to reach back to touch him.
“No, darling. Keep your hands here,” he said as he placed her hands near her head.
“If you can’t keep them there, the chains are still around here somewhere.”
The words made her consider deliberately disobeying him. His games never hurt.
She finally accepted that fact and was ready for more.
Gage went back to kissing her. At the bottom of her spine, he paused to massage
her buttocks. His hands were large enough to cup them, one side in each hand. He
pressed with his fingertips and circled as he stroked. By that time, Tamara was
dripping. She needed him. She needed his cock buried deeply inside. “Gage, fuck me,”
she demanded.
“Oh, darling, so impatient. I’m not done playing.” He lay between her legs so he
could kiss one side of her inner thigh and then the other—trailing kisses, interspersed with quick licks. Tamara’s muscles twitched under his talented mouth. At her ankles, he again interrupted the kisses so he could massage her feet. His touch was on the edge of being too hard. It felt wonderful. Where was he going to go when he finished her feet?
She wasn’t prepared for him to flip her onto her back. And the kisses started again.
This time he went up her legs until he reached the vee of her thighs. “Yes,” she moaned.
“Please kiss me.”
Gage chuckled. “Not yet. You made me wait for years. You can wait now.”
Tamara reached down and threaded her fingers through his hair. She tightened her
grip. “Please, Gage, now.”
“Such a greedy thing you’ve turned into. I’m not ready yet.” He reached under the