Treasure Hunters (2 page)

Humming to himself, he quickened his pace. It was going to be a great month.

SAM SLID THE LAST
research text she’d brought with her onto the sloped shelf of the bookcase and nodded her satisfaction. She had everything she needed to translate any foreign writing they came across. Now that she was settled, she could examine the interior of Rick Bronson’s deep-space Starwing at her leisure. He’d said she was the brains and he was the brawn, but that wasn’t entirely true. He obviously had brains, too.

His entire ship, except for the bridge, was decorated like a nineteenth-century mansion. All the chairs, beds and tables were made of simulated wood. The lighting was replicas of candelabras, tapers and chandeliers. All the materials were lush—rich velvets and satins in dark jewel tones. The books that lined the shelves in the library were like hers, ancient paper and threaded bindings instead of electronic editions that would have taken up far less space.

It would take months, perhaps years of research to reach this level of historical accuracy. Sam couldn’t help but wonder at his fascination with this particular time period in Earth’s history. What did it represent to him? Why did he like it so much?

“Are you hungry?”

At the sound of Rick’s voice, Sam spun quickly. “Guh…”

As smart as she was, she couldn’t form one coherent word when he was dressed like he was. Barefooted, with loose-fitting trousers and no shirt, he was a prime example of masculine virility. He looked like he’d just rolled out of bed.

Or was prepared to roll into one.

Her stomach fluttered at the thought.

“Was that a
yes
or a
no
?” His abdomen rippled with muscle as he moved toward her and his lips were curved in a rakish smile.

That was a “damn, you’re gorgeous”.
But she couldn’t say that out loud.

“I’m hungry, if you are,” she said, clearing her throat. That was as close as she could get to flirting. When his face remained politely indifferent, she sighed despondently and asked, “Are we on our way to Simgen?”

“Yes.” Rick caught up her elbow and led her down the hall to the dining room. “Could you tell me why you want to start there first?”

“Well, everyone starts the hunt at Voltaing, right?”

“That’s because Voltaing was the site of the largest distributor of e-books.”

“Yes, that’s true. However, if I had something precious to lose, I would hide it in the least likely place, not the most likely.”

Pulling out a chair for her, he waited until she sat down and then moved to the cooking unit cleverly hidden in the sideboard. “Anything in particular you want for dinner?”

She shrugged. “Whatever you’re having is fine.”

“Good.” He turned away and she watched the muscles of his back flex as he typed the menu into the unit. “So you think Simgen is the least likely place?”

“I wrote a research paper on the e-book treasure and—”

“I read it.”

Sam blinked. “You did?” It had been published in an obscure scholars’ journal. She didn’t think anyone read it.

“I sure did. It was great. I loved how your focus stayed firmly on the benefits of erotic romance and not the actual treasure hunt.”

“Uh…thanks.”

“You did a fantastic job pointing out the physical, emotional and mental benefits of regular orgasms, and how reading erotic stories improved the sex lives between couples. I was most interested in your thoughts on increasing mental acuity with lots of sex.” Rick turned to face her and in the process revealed his dinner choice—chocolate, strawberries and whipped cream. “You and I are both going to need sharp minds if we hope to find that treasure before the end of the month.”

Something warm and fuzzy blossomed in her chest at the look in his blue eyes. “Oh goddess.” She gaped in dawning awareness. “Are you hitting on me? I mean, really. Do you want to fuck me?”

“Yes. Really. I do.”

She stood and began to pace. “Wow. It could get weird though, working together, after we fuck. And—”

“Now see,” he began, grinning, “I wouldn’t have taken you as the type to talk dirty.

But I like it. It’s damn sexy coming from you.”

The mischievous look in his eyes combined with that sexy smile made her heart race.

Reaching the table, Rick set the small platter down on a nearby chair. He caught her as she attempted to walk past him and before she knew what hit her, she was flat on her back on the slick wooden surface. He unclipped her hair and plunged his hands deep into her tresses.

Her eyes widened. “Oh wow, you
are
serious.”

“Oh, yes,” he purred.

“Are we going to do it right here? On the table?”

“Amongst other places.”

She swallowed hard. “That means more than once, right?”

“Definitely more than once. I’m looking forward to finding out all your sexy little secrets.”

“Are you sure you want
me
?” Mortified that she’d blurted that out loud, Sam smacked herself on her forehead. Only she would second-guess the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to screw the hottest man she’d ever seen.

“Yes, I’m sure I want
you
, and don’t worry about things getting weird. We’re both adults. We can indulge in some no-strings, no-commitment sex.”

Afraid to open her mouth again, Sam just nodded. That was the only kind of sex she knew, actually. Besides, she sure as hell wasn’t going to say,
No thanks. My vibrator will do
.

He reached for the catch of her silver bio-suit and tugged it all the way down. Holding the hem of each ankle, he watched with a burning gaze as she pulled her legs free, but when she tried to shrug out of the sleeves, he stopped her. “Leave that part on.”

“Uh… sure.” She didn’t know why he wanted her to keep the suit under her, but she wasn’t going to complain. He might snap out of it and realize she was just a boring librarian.

“By the gods,” he breathed, his calloused fingertips drifting over her stomach. “How did you hide all these curves under your suit?”

She looked down the length of her torso at him and was surprised to find that he looked dead serious. And totally in lust, too.

His fingers brushed between her legs. “You’re hairless.”

“Yeah… Is that okay?”

“Okay? Fuck, that makes me hot as hell.”

“R-really?”

But he couldn’t answer because his face was buried between her thighs.

With a startled cry, she arched into his mouth, the slickness of her suit sliding along the wood and pushing her toward him. Rick growled and gripped her hips, spreading her wide, opening her to the foraging licks of his talented tongue.

“Oh man…” She shivered as he found her clit and teased it out of its hood with soft flutters. He stroked over the bundle of nerves, back and forth, the pad of his tongue moving without haste, as if they had all the time in the world.

Closing her eyes, Sam reveled in the moment, wondering if she was dreaming and hoping that if she was, she didn’t wake up without having an orgasm first.

“Make me come like this,” she begged.

The few times her previous partners had gone down on her, they’d attacked her cunt like ravening beasts, rushing to get past the foreplay and on to the fucking. Rick, however, licked her with remarkable tenderness, moving first in soft laps, using his lips, tongue and teeth to drive her crazy. She writhed beneath him, her skin heating before misting with sweat. Everything ached and burned. Her legs shook as silky strands of his hair brushed along her inner thighs.

Reaching for him, Sam threaded her fingers through the dark locks, pulling him closer, rocking upward to match his leisurely tempo. He hummed softly, his tongue pointed and plunging into the creamy depths of her pussy, in and out, until her heart felt like it would burst.

“Rick!” she cried, near mindless with the need to come.

His groan was low and tormented, the vibration traveling up her body and beading her nipples. They strained upward, aching, and Sam released his head to cup her breasts and squeeze them, trying to ease her torment.

“Let me,” he murmured against her slick flesh, pushing her hands aside. He rolled her nipples between expert fingertips, tugging them in a way that made her womb contract desperately. “You just lie there and come.”

She was going to, she couldn’t stop it, her hips pumping her cunt onto his thrusting tongue, matching his rhythm. “Oh goddess…please…”

Rick surrounded her clit with his lips and sucked firmly. The suction was too much, pulling her into orgasm, racking her body with such stunning force she couldn’t breathe, her pussy grasping desperately for him to fill it. Before she could gasp for air he was in her, his cock so hard and thick she could barely take him.

“Shit,” he gasped, falling forward, caging her to the table with his powerful body. He held still as her cunt rippled along his length with the aftershocks of her release. “You’re so damn tight, Sam. Almost too tight.”

With a whimper, she muttered, “It’s not me, it’s you. You’re too big.” More like huge. Enormous. Gigantic.

One large hand pushed her hair tenderly off her face. “Am I hurting you?”

She thought about that for a moment, wiggling her hips. Pleasure spread outward, making her moan. “No.”

“Can you take a little more?” Sweat broke out on his skin. “There’s
more
?”

He winced. “Please don’t make me stop,” he begged in a gravelly voice.

Sam stared up the gorgeous man who waited above her and felt something melt. His dark hair hung around his handsome face. The crests of his cheekbones were flushed and a tiny muscle in his jaw ticced from his clenching. His pecs and biceps were hard and delineated by the effort he exerted to hold his weight from crushing her. He was absolutely beautiful, a work of art. And he was hers for the next few weeks. She’d be damned if a neglected pussy would prevent her from having him.

Shifting again, she spread her legs wider and tilted her hips. With a deep groan of pleasure, Rick sank in to the hilt.

Grateful kisses rained down on her eyebrows and temples. He managed a pained smile, which made her heart skip. “I can’t remember the last time I was this hard.”

“You’re kidding.” Though she secretly hoped that was true. If he got any bigger, there would be no way he’d fit.

“I wish I was. I’m afraid to move, I think I’ll come.”

“Go ahead,” she encouraged, wanting that desperately. “I already got mine. You can get yours.”

Dropping his head, he captured her mouth. He kissed her softly, sweetly, his tongue brushing along hers, tasting her with deep licks. His lips were firm, his skill apparent. Wanting more, she moaned a protest when he pulled away.

“You’re perfect,” he murmured.

Her skepticism must have shown on her face.

“You don’t believe me?” He pulled his hips back, his heavy cock dragging out of her. She watched, creaming with desire as his stomach muscles laced tight and he worked back inside her.

“No worries,” she whispered, her throat clenched tight by the most erotic sight she’d ever seen. “I’m just glad I was around when you got horny.”

He growled on the next perfect downstroke. “Fine. Think what you like. In a week your cunt will be shaped to my cock, then you’ll believe me.”

Her pussy clenched tight at his words. In response, he gripped her shoulders and shafted her harder, his hips lifting and falling tirelessly.

“You like that idea?” His lips touched her ear. His labored breathing made her ache to come all over again. “I’m going to fuck you every moment I’m awake. I’m going to sleep with my cock inside you. I’m going to soak you with my cum until you’re dripping with it.”

“Rick!”

“Naughty girl,” he growled. “You love a side of dirty talk with your fucking, don’t you?”

Rising slightly, he gripped her waist and pumped her onto his cock, sliding her body up and down, her bio-suit gliding easily over the polished tabletop. Sam could only hold on to his wrists and watch, crying out and writhing with the brutal pleasure. Rick threw his head back and roared as he came, pumping deep into her, his thighs shaking against hers.

The sight of his climax triggered hers, making her cunt grip his cock so that he shuddered and cursed with the pleasure of it.

When it was over, he gathered her up against his chest, their sweat sticking their bare skin together. He chuckled softly, his cheek resting on top of her head.

It was awesome and intimate, and Sam was so grateful for the experience she wanted to cry.

Too bad the month ahead couldn’t last.

“CAN YOU BRING THAT
light closer?” Sam asked, obviously exasperated. “The way you’re holding it makes it difficult to read this.”

Rick stepped nearer and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. He hadn’t been paying attention to the writing on the stone. He’d been angling the light to get a better view of Sam’s ass as she crawled on all fours across the dusty floor. She had a nice butt, rounded and slightly plump, just like the rest of her body. He knew from watching her ration her desserts that she thought she was little too full-figured, but he completely disagreed. He was a big man with a hearty sexual appetite. If she’d been any smaller, he would have been afraid of hurting her. As it was, she was beautifully curved, her thighs pillowing his deep thrusts, her breasts large enough to fill his hands.

By the gods, his dick was so hard it ached something terrible.

Searching for a distraction, he glanced around the narrow stone tunnel they stood in. They’d been on Simgen for a week, but it had taken Sam only a day to find this cave. They were the first visitors this place had seen in a long time and Rick could only admire her skill in getting farther ahead than any other treasure hunter in so short a time.

She had painstakingly explained the thought process that led to this discovery, pulling out books, maps, the key he’d won, and scribbled notes—both hers and those published by others. He loved that she wanted to share her mind with him, as well as her lush body. Because of that, he’d made every effort to pay attention to what she was saying, but then she had bent over the table, her ass swaying from side to side as she reached for items to explain her reasoning.

Unable to help himself, he’d opened his robe, lifted hers and sunk his cock into her. Even now, the memory of her sprawled across her research tools crying out as he fucked her was driving him mad.

“Damn it, Rick!” she complained now. “I can’t see anything.”

Giving up the fight, he sank to his knees and set the lantern on the floor. He caught her around the waist and dragged her atop him. “Oh, Sam.” He groaned as her curves settled into his body. “I want you.”

“You’re crazy.”

“For you, yes.”

She laughed and kissed his mouth. “We never get anything done.”

He rolled, coming over her, coughing at the dust that billowed around them. “We get a lot done.”

“Yeah, well, not much of it has to do with the treasure.”

Reaching between her legs, he stroked her pussy through her bio-suit. “Do you mind?” he murmured, his eyelids drooping when she gasped beneath him.

“Not if you don’t. Do…do you want to go back to the ship?”

“I can’t walk now.”

“Are you going to fuck me right here?” she asked breathlessly, her eyes wide.

By the gods, it drove him nuts when she talked like that. That shy librarian’s exterior hid a sex maniac. And the way she smelled…

“Yeah, right here. Right now.” He couldn’t wait. Nearly desperate to be inside her, he pinched the catch of her suit and tugged it down. In the process, he knocked over the book she’d been using to translate. As always, the reminder of how smart she was made his cock even harder.

In addition to his fascination with her figure, he appreciated her mind. Because he wanted her to know that, Rick tried not to drag her to bed more than once every couple hours. Sam, however, couldn’t go too long without his hands on her. She’d tracked him down a few times and teased him into taking her. It was almost like she was afraid he’d lose interest if he weren’t constantly fucking her. Fact was, he sometimes wished he were a little less interested. He couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Lowering his head, he caught her lips in a deep, searching kiss. Her soft moan and welcoming embrace made him shudder. She was always ready for him, always welcoming.

“
Sam?
”

Rick lifted his head at the foreign voice and scowled. “Who the hell is that?”

“
Sam? Are you in here?
”

She stared up at him, blinking. “It sounds like Curt.”

“Who the fuck is Curt?”

“He’s a professor at Jacian University.”

“Oh.” Slightly appeased at the title of “
professor
”, which meant old and boring, Rick pulled back with a frustrated groan. “What is he doing in our cave?”

“I have no idea,” she said, pushing at his shoulders. “But you should probably get off me.”

“I suppose,” he said reluctantly.

Just then a bright light turned the corner and he got a good look at the man who’d interrupted his fun. “
That’s
the professor?” he bit out.

“Ah,” Curt said with a leer. “Still like to have a little fun with your work, eh, Sam?”

The
professor
was young, trim and handsome, if you liked the golden god-looking type. And if Sam was into that sort of thing, Rick was in trouble, because he was the dark, hulking mercenary-looking type.

“Yeah, she does, and you’re interrupting,” he growled.

Curt held up his free hand in a defensive gesture. “I didn’t mean to get in the way.

Honestly. I just wanted to see if we could discuss a partnership.”

“Listen.” Rick got to his feet and pulled Sam to hers. He refastened her bio-suit all the way to her throat. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re doing in our cave before you start trying to bargain with no leverage?”

“I’ve got plenty of leverage, trust me.” Curt turned his attention to Sam. “One of my anthropology students found part of an internal memo written the week the database went missing. It’s degraded, but with a little elbow grease, we may be able to get something out of it.”

Sam looked up from dusting off her pants. “Why share it with me? Why not just do it yourself?”

“You know why,” he said, in far too intimate a tone of voice. “You’re a lot better at forensic research than I am.”

“And in return?” She arched a brow. “I want thirty-three percent.”

“Fuck no,” Rick barked. Sam’s hand on his arm didn’t make him feel better. It just pissed him off further. She couldn’t be considering this guy’s proposal…

Curt shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’ll see you on Rashier 6 in three weeks. Maybe you’ll have changed your mind by then.”

Rick’s hands clenched into fists. The thought of this guy with Sam after his month was over made his blood boil. “Mind telling me how you found us?”

“Those of us who are experts in literary antiquities comprise a very small group,” Curt said smugly. “Word spreads fast in our community.”

“What he’s trying to say is that he’s been spying on me,” Sam corrected dryly.

“Play nice, Sam,” Curt chastised. “Let me e-mail you a small sample of the recovered text, just enough so you can see I’m not trying to cheat you. If you end up wanting what I’ve got, you’ll know where to find me.”

“All right.” She sighed. “I’ll take a look. But I’m not making any promises. This doesn’t constitute any kind of agreement.”

Nodding his satisfaction, the professor left them.

“Please tell me you didn’t screw him,” Rick muttered, studying her. Sam blushed to the roots of her hair.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” What did she see in a guy like that?

Then his stomach dropped.
Still like to have a little fun with your work, eh, Sam?

She’d written that paper on how orgasms increased mental acuity. Was that all he meant to her? A recharging of her brain?

“Don’t look at me like that.” She crossed her arms. “You weren’t a virgin when I met you.”

“Yeah, well, at least I don’t use people to further my research.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means my cock isn’t a powercell for your brain.”

Sam took a step back, her eyes wide and filled with confusion. His jaw clenched. “Deny it.”

“I don’t know what’s gotten into you.”

“I know what’s gotten into you,” he said lewdly, “but maybe one cock is as good as another as far as mental acuity goes?”

“Fuck you.” She turned on her heel and walked away.

Sam tried not to cry as she packed her bags, but it was a losing battle. Every time she reached for a book, the sight of the case of historical books made her throat ache. She remembered sitting on Rick’s lap, her head resting on his shoulder while she listened to his explanation of his love for such things.

“I like tactile comforts,” he’d said. “The feel of silk and velvet, satins and lace. I like the warmth of wood and the glow of candlelight. Metal is too cold and sterile for my tastes.” He’d kissed her forehead and whispered, “I especially like the feel of your skin. That’s my favorite comfort at the moment.”

Her heart had melted. For such a big tough guy, he could be remarkably sweet and tender.

And a jerk.

She sniffled and took down another volume. She hadn’t spent one night in this room. Every night, she’d slept with Rick—warm and content in his arms.

“You’re leaving?” he asked from the doorway, making her jump in surprise. She didn’t turn around.

“I left some papers for you in the library. They’ll tell you everything you need to know. If you have any trouble, there are quite a few experts who can help you out.”

He was quiet for a long time, watching her. “How are you getting home?” he asked tightly. “With
the professor
?”

“No.” She shoved her book roughly into the duffel. “I told him to use his own elbow grease. That was always my intention anyway, I was just curious about what he had or I would have told him off in the cave.”

“So you’re just going to quit? What about the e-books?”

The fact that the e-books were the only reason they’d been together at all made her throat tight.

“You can send me my share. Just go away now, Rick. Don’t say anything to make me regret what happened between us, okay? Just leave it alone.”

He stepped into her room and the door slid shut behind him. “What did happen between us?”

“I wore out my welcome, apparently.” She shrugged and made every effort to hide her teary face, but her voice cracked a little. She only hoped he would pretend not to notice.

“If that were true,” he said softly, “it wouldn’t be tearing me up that you’re leaving.”

She stilled.

“I shouldn’t have talked to you the way I did, Sam. I freely admit I’m an asshole.”

He came to stand directly behind her, making every nerve ending in her body flare with awareness and sensual heat. She inhaled sharply, and was inundated with the scent of his skin—skin she’d touched and kissed every inch of. She grew hot, her pussy damp.

“I’m coarse and have a tendency to swear,” he murmured in a deep rumble that made her nipples ache. “I’m nowhere near as smart as you are and I lose my temper too easily. There’s absolutely no reason for you to even give me the time of day. But you did more than that and this last week has been the best of my life.”

Sam heard the remorse in Rick’s tone and told herself she really needed to go home, before she sank in any deeper. If she left now, she’d be all right again in a week or two. Or several. If she stayed longer, maybe she wouldn’t ever get over missing him, and she had to get over him.

“I got jealous.”

His grumbled statement startled her enough to spin around.

“Of Curt?” She stared up at the handsomest guy she’d ever seen and saw a wary vulnerability in his blue eyes that made it hard to breathe. “Why the hell would you be jealous of him?”

Rick gave a self-conscious shrug of his broad shoulders. “He’s smart, he specializes in the same thing you do, he’s okay-looking, he’s—”

Sam laughed at “
okay-looking
”. Curt was good-looking, no doubt about it. But… “He never got me off.”

Rick blinked. “Huh?”

“He never gave me an orgasm.” He gaped. “
Never?
”

“Well, we only did it a couple times, but yeah, not ever.” She tapped her chin with her finger and pretended to think about it. “It might be because his dick is awfully small. And honestly, he didn’t know how to use it.”

Snorting back a laugh, Rick caught her face in his large hands. “I’m glad he’s a lousy lover and I’m sorry for being an ass. I’ll make it up to you if you stay.”

“With your big dick and an orgasm?”