“I won’t presume, but I’ll take whatever you’ll give me, Michael. I’ve missed this.”
“Sex?”
“No. Well, yes. I’ve missed sex, but mostly,” he felt her little fingers tangling in the hair on his chest, “I’ve missed this closeness. This sharing with a man. It’s one of the reasons I’ve loved working with you so much. I was used to my family—my father and brothers. I was the only girl and I spent a lot of time with them, and then later, with my husband. We were friends. I missed having that male perspective, and when I started working for you, I found that again. I value your friendship, Michael. I never told you that, but it’s true.”
His arms stroked over her soft skin as he took in her words. She was saying something important here, though he didn’t like thinking about all she’d lost. She was breaking his heart, but she went on, not realizing how her admissions touched him.
“I loved my husband, but he was never like the other men in my family. He wasn’t military, so he didn’t understand my roots and he let my father and brothers walk all over him.” She laughed softly, but it was a sad sound. He hugged her close. “He wasn’t at all like you, Michael. I think—” She kissed his chest, her voice lowering. “I think if I’d known you back then, I would never have married him. God, that’s a terrible thing to say.”
He held her tight, floored by her admission. “Never fear the truth, Leah. We can’t change the past, but we can decide our future. I want us to continue working together and sleeping together. I want you in my office and in my bed. Even after you get pregnant and the baby comes.”
“But we were only supposed to be making a baby here.”
“I know,” he prayed he was right about her feelings. “But I want more. I’m hoping you do to. I’m hoping you want more than just my baby. Am I right in thinking that maybe you want me—at least a little?”
She lifted up and met his eyes. “Oh, Michael. I
do
want you. I’ve wanted you for a very long time.” She kissed him then and he felt as if he’d been given the world. He felt the truth of her words in her kiss and returned the sentiment. She pulled back far too soon. “I mean…” she smiled sheepishly, “I want a baby too, but I’ve admired you for a long time. If—no,
when
—you move on, I’ll treasure the baby we make together.”
His cock hardened again within her and he began to move. “Right now, I can’t imagine a time I won’t want to be with you, Leah. Let’s take it one step at a time. Tonight we’ll get a start on that baby, and eventually have some dinner.” He grinned at her as she began to move in counterpoint to his thrusts. “Maybe I’ll even show you a little bit of what I like in the way of Domination. If that doesn’t scare you off, we’ll proceed from there.” He reached up and bit her neck lightly. “One thing is sure, though, we can never go back to the way we were.”
“No,” she leaned up and stroked his hair back from his face. “There’s no going back. But I really don’t want to.”
“Good.” Michael lifted her so she sat astride him and put a pillow behind his head so he could view her better. “Then ride me, woman. Do it right and I’ll feed you dinner.” He winked and growled when she responded by squeezing her inner muscles around his cock.
*
Eventually they ate dinner, but it was a strange affair. Michael hand fed her every bite and demanded she suck his cock between dishes. Leah really didn’t mind that at all. Especially when he sat her on the table and declared
she
was desert.
The next morning her nipples were sore from his lips and teeth, her pussy was tender, but her mouth could only grin. She stumbled back to her quarters, which were close by his, early in the morning to shower and change into her uniform. They were going to have to devise some kind of plan if this kept up. She’d almost run into two of her junior officers on her way back and only ducking behind a bulkhead had saved her from speculative looks and being the talk of the station grapevine.
Michael had Dominated her a little last night, though if the rumors she’d heard about some of the bedroom antics he’d gotten up to in the past were to be believed, he’d been very tame indeed. Still, she didn’t mind following his orders as much as she thought she would. In fact, there was something incredibly sexy about a man who knew exactly what he wanted and didn’t mind telling you how to go about pleasing him.
She worried as she entered her office, wondering how they would interact today after the marathon session last night. They never did get around to talking much about their relationship or how they’d deal with her plan to have Michael’s baby. She knew Michael assumed she’d continue working for him even after the baby was born, but she just didn’t know if she wanted to do that.
On the one hand, she couldn’t stand the idea of leaving Michael. Especially now. She’d resigned herself to quitting when she’d made the decision to be impregnated with his sperm, but now that they’d changed the nature of their relationship and Michael knew about the baby, she didn’t think she could go through with that part of her original plan. No, now she was warming to the idea of having Michael know his child and be part of their lives for as long as he could.
She knew she couldn’t keep him, but by the same token, she wanted to give him the chance to know his baby. She didn’t believe it was fair to ask him to father a baby he would never know. He had a right to be involved in her child’s life, if he wanted to. And if his duties allowed.
Thoughts jumbled in her mind as she sat down at her desk and began her day. She was habitually the first person in the office. Michael usually came in right after her or sometimes they arrived together and worked companionably in their respective offices until the rest of the staff arrived.
Other parts of the station had control during the main command staff’s off-shift and Leah’s subordinates officially took Command and Control back an hour after she started her workday. In this way, she got a head start on anything that might’ve happened during her sleep interval and was ready to deal with it.
Luckily nothing of much import awaited her that morning. She didn’t know if she could have dealt with a crisis on top of the nerves churning in her stomach as she prepared to face Michael after their night of passion. She’d left awkwardly this morning, stealing out of his suite while he was in the shower, like a thief in the night. She knew he wouldn’t be happy about it, but she’d needed time to think—and clean up—before facing him again.
She heard his deep voice ring through the outer office as he greeted one of her junior officers who sounded as if she was just arriving herself. The floorplan was set up so that her office was the buffer between Michael’s and the bustling Command and Control area, known as the C&C. Anyone wanting to get to the Commandant had to go through her first and she had enough rank and authority to deal with most matters without having to bother Michael for every little thing.
She had an assistant who sat just outside her door and acted as a further level of screening, also keeping a constant eye on the goings on in C&C, ready to call her if needed. In addition, both Leah and Michael had heads up displays they could monitor to keep track of operations throughout the sector. C&C was the gathering point for information and both Leah and Michael had stations there when needed, but preferred to spend a good portion of their day—barring a crisis—in the quiet of their offices, away from the bustle of C&C.
Leah gathered her wits, trying to be as nonchalant as possible when Michael strode in and shut her door behind him. She knew from long experience that once the door was sealed, the office was sound tight. No one would hear anything they said, which was both a blessing and a curse at the moment.
Michael walked right up to her, not stopping until he’d taken her in his arms and kissed her to within an inch of her life. Her senses spun, her mind overloaded and all she could think of was the feel of his lips on hers, the flavor of him, the strength in his hands holding her tight against his powerful body.
When he drew back, she was dazed.
“Good morning, Leah.” His voice was a husky whisper.
“Good morning, Michael.”
“Now that’s the way I wanted to start my day. Instead, I came out of the shower to an empty room. Why’d you sneak out?”
She could see the disapproval in his eyes. “I…” What could she say that wouldn’t make her sound foolish? “I needed some time alone. To think.”
“All right,” he let go and set her away, stepping back. “Did it help?” His gaze studied her.
“To be honest, not really.”
“I know you wanted to talk last night, but the situation got out of control fast. How about we try again tonight? Bring a change of clothes with you this time and maybe we can shower together tomorrow morning. Start the day off right. And maybe this time we’ll actually get to talk a bit before the fireworks begin. What do you say?”
Relieved, she nodded. “I’d like that.”
“Good.” His smile warmed her as he moved away, heading for his office door. “Now, what have we got on the agenda for today. Lunch with Admiral Watts, right? I’ll need those force reduction figures and the redeployment schedule. And I don’t care what the Admiral’s staff says, I want you at that table with me. No way am I going to sit through another one of her poorly veiled innuendoes or blatant attempts at seduction. With you there, she’ll think twice before putting her foot in it again.”
She laughed. “Poor Commandant. All his subordinates want to seduce him.”
“Maybe so,” he winked at her. “But you’re the only one I’ll actually let do it.”
She knew everything would be all right then. Michael was in a great mood and it carried over to everything they did that day and for the days after. Each night they dined together and she stayed over, being careful not to be seen on her way into or out of his quarters. They made love long into the night and woke together in Michael’s big bed the next day, starting it together before they headed for work. Together.
They never did manage to talk all that much. They were always too hungry for each other by the time they were alone at night. It didn’t seem to matter much until those times when Leah thought about the future. Then she’d worry until Michael caught her eye and winked. He had to know there was something preying on her mind and he probably had a good idea of what it was, but neither of them had the strength to resist the other long enough to discuss the nitty gritty of what would happen in the future.
Three, then four days passed, and they fell into a routine of sorts, until one morning they arrived at work to find a report from Tyron. Michael took it into his office and closed the door. An hour later, an urgent transmission came through and she entered the office, knowing this was important enough to interrupt whatever he was doing.
CHAPTER SIX
“Ty is on tight beam.”
Leah’s voice caressed him as she bustled into Michael’s office, all business. She came around his desk and flicked on the controls that would bring the highly irregular signal to his comm unit. If Ty were contacting them this way, something was definitely up. His brother’s face came up on the unit, a bit grainy, but Mike could read the urgency in Ty’s eyes.
“Brother, things are worse than we suspected. Someone very highly placed is collaborating with the jits, allowing them to capture and transport human women and turning a blind eye as long as the jits pay up. Mike, someone is selling human females to the jit pirates.” Mike’s fist hit the desk as anger rode him. “Look, I don’t have enough proof to nail anyone yet, and I think I’m close to finding out who’s behind this, but my cover is a bit precarious. I may need more help here, Mike. Send a brother.”
“Dammit! I’ll come myself. This is too important.” Mike sent back the immediate, furious reply, knowing he’d have to wait the few moments it took for the tight beam signal to reach Ty. He turned to Leah. “What’ve we got in that region? Can we use a legitimate trip out there to cover our real purpose?”
“There’s Smithson. She’s got jurisdiction. We could always do an inspection tour. It wouldn’t raise many eyebrows after her latest snafu.”
“Good thinking.” Damn, he loved this woman’s quick mind and capable intellect. “Set the wheels in motion, Leah, but I want you to stay here.”
“Like hell.”
“Leah, I don’t want to put you in danger. If Smithson or one of her people is in on this plot, they may try something.”
“All the more reason for me to come along and watch your back. They’ll be gunning for you, if anyone. Not me, Michael. You know that’s the truth. And I can talk to the other women. They won’t talk freely around you, but they’ll do so around me.”
He hated that she was right.
“If I allow this, we’ll have to be all business once we hit Smithson’s domain. I don’t want her to know I’ve broken my famous rule for you, Leah.” He stood and reached out to stroke her hair back from her face. “Smithson already hates me, and all my staff by association. If she makes a move against me I don’t want to give her any added reason to target you specifically.”
“Do you really expect she’ll make a grab for power? I don’t think she has the nerve.”
“She acts stupid, but I’m convinced that’s all it is—an act. That woman has ambition and I’m the one standing in her way. If she sees an opportunity to discredit me or take me out completely, she’ll pounce on it.”
Leah came to him, hugging him close. Mike was astounded and very moved that she would show such open affection. It was one of the few times in his life a woman had sought to comfort him, to hug him in reassurance with nothing sexual about it. It was beautiful. No,
she
was beautiful. This woman was so incredibly special.
“Then we won’t give her an opportunity, Michael.” She snuggled her head into his chest as if it belonged there. Mike brought his hand up and stroked her hair, her back, emotion crowding his senses along with her delicate fragrance. “That woman is a viper.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
Mike just held her for long moments, enjoying the sensation of her in his arms. He’d never forget this moment.