Oath of Challenge Conquering Kate (16 page)

Tair waited impatiently for Kate to return. She would be more difficult now, he felt sure of it. She was panicked and when Kate was scared, she grew fierce. When she walked back into the room freshly groomed and with the light of battle in her eyes, he smiled grimly. And waited.

Kate felt much better. Her heart was thumping like she had run a race, but she was dealing with it. She needed to interject a little reality into this sentimental delusion of Tair’s.

She squared her shoulders. “Tair, it has been a stressful day. Obviously, this has been more difficult for you than I thought.”

 
Staring at him sternly, she said firmly, “I know I’m to blame with my emotional whig-out, but there’s no reason for us to pretend things are anything but what they are. We are having a purely sexual affair due to this Oath business. I don’t need love words and all that sentimental drivel.”

Tair roared with laughter. She was priceless. He shook his head, marveling at her ability to blind herself to what she did not want to see.

Regaining control, he said calmly and emphatically, “I have never met anyone who needs sentimental drivel more than you, Kate.”

Kate felt her heart rate climb, but she wasn’t sure if it was temper or more panic. In an overly patient tone, she said, “You are not in touch with reality and need to seek help.”

Tair grinned. “
Sheka
, you are the biggest fraud on two worlds. That is the reality.”

Kate nearly smiled at his tone, but managed to keep her glare. She said coolly, “I am not a fraud. I don’t know what you mean by that.”

Tair eyed her with open amusement. “You show the world what a hard, dangerous person you are. You disdain anything that will make people think you are soft, or that you need anyone.”

He swept his hand through the air, mimicking pulling back a curtain. He reeled off the list like a lawyer in court presenting evidence, gently mocking her. “Meanwhile, you sneak food to Deva and cuddle her when you think I do not know it. Your eyes grow wet at pledge ceremonies, and you are unbearably touched when I give you the simplest of sincere compliments.”

He leaned forward and looked her squarely in the eyes, as he made the final point. “The slightest tenderness from me, and you are completely undone. That is evidence even a lawyer cannot deny.”

Kate felt a sudden confusion. In defense, she attacked. “Maybe you do love me, but maybe that was part of my plan.”

She searched desperately for the words to distance him. “I’ve been keeping you under control using your emotions. Then, I walk away the winner after two weeks. Have you considered that? I may be soft sometimes, but I’m pure bitch when it counts.”

The smile drained from his face. He said quietly, “I believe you have proven your own words,
sheka
.”

Kate felt regret slice through her. Her words had hurt him. She felt her own heart ache in response. She admitted softly, “I’m sorry. There was no plan.”

He nodded solemnly. “I know.”

Suddenly tired, Kate tried to think of a way to reason with him. She could barely focus. The exhaustion of the day and her emotional storm was catching up with her.

At this point, she was through pretending and plotting. “I need to think and I can’t seem to do it. There’s a spare bedroom. I would appreciate it if you would use it. I need to be away from you for tonight. I need some time alone.”

Tair studied her in silence for a moment. Finally, he agreed. “You are tired, Kate. We will talk again after you have slept. It has been a very long, difficult day.”

She gave him a look of gratitude. Her exhaustion ran bone deep. She was shaky and vulnerable, and her emotions were running too high for her to be able to think rationally. She would figure it all out in the morning. “Thank you.”

He nodded. She walked to the hallway and looked back.

Tair smiled at her and said firmly, “I will be here in the morning, Kate. I will always be here to love you and fight with you. When you finally trust in that, you will find the rest is rather simple.”

Kate gave him a look so tired and defeated that he ached to take her into his arms. Then she turned and walked down the hallway. Tair leaned back and ran his hands over his face. He was exhausted, too.

Love was no easy emotion, and loving Kate was an even more complicated thing. The very traits he loved about her, her strength, her prickly shields and wit, her hidden softness and inner passion, were the same things that made a love relationship difficult with her. He reached down and pulled off his boots.

The wait would be unbearable, but there was nothing he could do. He knew her better than she knew herself. She needed this time, so he would give it to her. But if she woke up tomorrow with the wrong answers, he was not giving up.

She needed him. They needed each other. Shaking his head at the two of them, he muttered, “She issues a sexual challenge and I raise the stakes with an emotional one. I don’t know which of us is the bigger fool.”

Kate thought about Tair’s words as she tossed and turned in bed that night. Despite her exhaustion, she could not sleep. His words kept echoing in her head. Sometimes the truth is too powerful to deny. She had avoided it her whole life, but now it was staring her in the face.

She was afraid to love anyone fully because the risk was so great. She loved Gage and Sharon, but it was the inescapable love formed by siblings. Sharon hadn’t been born her sister, but she had known Sharon since she was eight.

She loved them both with the kind of love that comes in spite of reason or choice. It had taken root over time and grown too deeply to ever be cut out. It was simply a fact.

Her feelings for Tair were more complicated and scary. She was scared spitless at the thought of loving him. She had avoided emotion in her past relationships, quickly cutting off contact at the first stirrings of anything beyond respect and affection. At other times, she drove the person away, like she had with Todd. With new clarity, she realized it was a protection from loss. She turned onto her side.

If she loved Tair, he could abandon her. And the longer they were together, and the more her love grew, the greater that final loss. It was an incredible and awful risk.

With painful honesty, she admitted what she had known for some time. She was already in love with him. He was sexy and funny. She admired his integrity and his intelligence. She might not agree with him all the time, but she believed in him. He was a good man.

The most amazing thing was his ability to see her – not the outer Kate, but the inner Kate. He was psychic and that accounted for a lot of it. But, she had a gut feeling that even if he had no ability to read her mind, he would have seen her. And still loved her.

The real choice was whether to stay with him and risk losing him later, or to cut her losses and deal with the pain now. Just the thought of a life without Tair left her feeling cold and empty inside.

Turning over onto her back, she stared into the darkness. Why was she so convinced it wouldn’t work? Would Tair really just throw up his hands and give up on the two of them at some point? Would she?

That didn’t sound like Tair at all. He was one of the most determined men she had ever encountered. He was very strong-willed and not one to back away when things grew rough. He was a fighter.

With a sudden smile, she realized he was also one of the smartest people she had ever met. Maybe she needed to look at this whole thing from another view.

Turning over onto her side, she hugged her pillow and considered. It boiled down to gambling and guts in the end. Did she trust him and herself enough to take the risk of getting hurt? Did she have the guts to take the chance? Did she want it enough
?
Did she want
him
enough?

Did she love him enough to take the chance? Her breath caught. The answer came in the simplest of ways -- an undeniable voice from deep inside her soul.

Yes. If she was going to gamble it all, it was going to be with Tair. And if anything was worth fighting for, it was their love. In her short time with Tair, she had discovered a happiness that she was not willing to lose.

For the first time in her life, she was happier with someone than alone. She was going to fight to keep it. She would bet on the two of them.

She was Kate Carson, newly honest, mostly confident, pretty powerful, and genuine hell-on-wheels. And she was insanely in love with a sexy psychic alien cop who felt the same way about her. She fought the impulse to laugh with the sheer joy of it.

Really, it
was
simple. Tair had cut through to the heart of it. Her eyes grew heavy as she relaxed, finally. Her last thought was of Tair as she drifted into sleep. She had big plans for him. He was in for a surprise. There was the small matter of a declaration of love to make. Then, she had a Challenge to settle.

The next morning, Kate awakened slowly. Reaching out with one hand, she searched for the warmth of Tair’s body. He was not in bed.

As she opened her eyes, the events of the previous day flashed through her mind. Torn between nerves and elation, she wondered what to say to Tair. She realized he was still blocking her at the same time that the emptiness of the apartment registered. He was not here. She felt sure of it.

Climbing out of bed, she wandered into the living room and found a note on the table by the couch. She studied the large masculine scrawl for a moment. His handwriting was atrocious. He should have been a health engineer, not a cop. She smiled.

By my authority as Guardian, you are under arrest for theft. The punishment for stealing a heart is a lifetime sentence.

 
It is time for our final Challenge. The first one to say the word “please” forfeits. You many resist, but prepare to lose.

You will say it, sheka, and then you will tell me what we both know. I will return soon. I will return always.

 
-- Tair

Kate shook her head. Only Tair could manage to melt her heart, infuriate her with his smugness, and challenge her competitive instincts all at the same time. She laughed. There was no one like him. She stood there grinning.

She thought about it for a moment. She needed a shower and the proper combat attire. Grimacing, she thought about how she looked currently. At the moment she had bed hair. No way was she playing the most important game of her life looking like Medusa on a bad hair day.

With determined, purposeful strides she headed to the bathroom. She knew exactly the outfit to bring Tair to his knees. Inwardly smiling with satisfaction, she felt a thrill of anticipation run through her.

She would tell him she loved him. She would pledge with him and move to Shimeria, too. It was a big step, but she was willing to take it. Shimeria might be male-dominated and very different from her own planet, but she would carve her own path there.

They would find a way to combine their two cultures. She was up to the challenge of creating a new life. She knew what she wanted and she planned to get it. However, first she was going to teach Tair that Kate Carson played to win. Always.

Kate heard the slam of the front door and checked the mirror one last time. With a smile, she stared at her reflection. The woman was Kate, but the image was pure sex.

Her hair cascaded down into artfully arranged waves. She looked sexily mussed. It had taken nearly forty minutes of preparation to look that carefully disarrayed.

She had on just a trace of light makeup to give her some confidence, but to look natural. She smoothed the red silk teddy. It hugged her breasts and hips emphasizing her curves. She wore nothing under it.

Being three snaps away from totally nude made her blood heat a little. Tair was going to be in for a fight. She had taken the time to slather on her favorite cream, so her body under the teddy was soft and smooth. It would drive him crazy. Basically, she was hitting him with the full arsenal from the very beginning. She knew she looked her best.

She studied the mirror with satisfaction. She was no beauty queen, but she knew how to work with the material at hand. In her dealings with males, she had learned a secret. Sex appeal was more about confidence than perfection. It was about enjoying your body and letting that enjoyment show.

Running her hands over her breasts, she watched as her nipples tightened in response. She was ready to enjoy. She was ready to take on Tair.

Feeling her heart rate speed up, she turned just as he entered the bedroom. They both froze, inhaling with surprise.

Tair stopped dead in the doorway, his mind going blank as powerful arousal struck him squarely. Kate was breathtaking. She looked like she had stepped out of one of
his
fantasies.

Her hair was streaming down over her shoulders. The tiny garment barely covered the curves of her body, more of a seductive tease than anything. He felt his blood surge as his cock went rock hard in an instant.

He clenched his hands and fought the urge to take her immediately. The need rose inside him and he struggled for calm. He had expected her to be prepared, but not this prepared.

Suppressing his raging desire, he reached for the iron control that others so often admired. It was not easy, but eventually he was able to get his breathing under control and his brain functioning. He searched her face, shocked anew by the visible love in her eyes.

Kate had found the right answers. His relief was tremendous. Joy and elation fought equally in his chest. He thought about unblocking and scanning her, but decided against it. He wasn’t sure his control would last if he joined with her now or knew the thoughts running through her mind.

Kate had undergone her own struggle for control. When he appeared in the doorway, she was struck by a sense of rightness so great she trembled with it. She had not realized, in all her seductive plotting, what it would feel like to see him now-- knowing and admitting that she loved him.

This big, incredible man belonged to her. Despite being on different planets, despite everything, he had found her. And he loved her. The sheer wonder of it overwhelmed her.

It was not that he looked any different. He had on his Guardian black shirt and black pants, with newly shined boots. What caught and held her attention, though, was the expression on his face when he saw her.

He looked at her as if she was the answer to every question he’d ever had. He looked at her like the world began and ended with her. And he looked at her with a desire so powerful that it bordered on violent.

Her knees went weak in anticipation. For a moment she had been certain he would walk straight to her and unleash the desire driving him. Her mouth went dry and her sex grew wet as she watched him struggle for control. Finally, he seemed to leash his storm of emotion.

He leaned against the doorway. He stared right into her eyes. His voice was husky but utterly sincere. “Never in my lifetime will I forget how beautiful you look at this moment.”

Kate felt her smile widen. “You know what you do to me when you say stuff like that.”

She saw his gaze drift downward again. She tried to focus. The Challenge. His note. “Nice note, by the way. I think it’s time I introduce you to the concept of humility. But don’t worry. It won’t hurt. Much.” She laughed.

Tair grinned. She was a fighter. “Ahh,
sheka
, I must disagree. I think it is time to introduce you to the pleasures of losing.”

He let his gaze roam over her body and watched the flush rise in her face. “Ahhh. Our Challenge. At last. I am eager to begin. Do you know what most of your fantasies have in common, Kate?”

Kate felt the heat rising and strove for a normal, rather disinterested tone. “I’m sure you feel compelled to tell me.”

He didn’t smile. Instead, his eyes grew darker. He spoke in that softer, tempting voice that he used so effectively. “You dream of a man who will overwhelm you. You lie awake, in the dark, touching yourself and yearning for a lover who will push you past control, past reason, past limits.”

He straightened from the doorway. “He would have to be someone as strong as you are, or stronger. Someone you respect and trust. Someone you love enough to allow beyond all of your barriers and defenses.”

Kate slid her eyes away from his as the truth of it struck her. He was right, of course. She was incredibly aroused by and somewhat scared of the idea at the same time. It was the thrill of it. The real challenge. She yearned to truly let go with someone and really trust.

Tair’s ordered in a hard voice. “Look at me, Kate.”

Kate brought her eyes back to his. He reached for the top button of his shirt. “Never doubt, I am that man.”

He unbuttoned his shirt slowly, watching her face. The look in his eyes was intent. She had his full attention. As she watched his deliberate movements, something inside her quaked. At last he reached the last button. “Sit on the bed.”

Kate arched an eyebrow and felt a little spurt of defiance at the tone. “Why?”

He smiled. “Compliance, Kate. You are still under Oath. You will be doing a lot of complying in this bedroom today. I assume you do not wish to argue each time. When one chooses to play, one plays by the rules. You are meeting my Challenge.”

He dared her. “Or am I wrong?”

Kate shot him a hard look, but moved over and sat down on the bed. “Will this do, Mr. I’m-Such-A-Masterful-Hardass?”

Tair laughed. “For now. And,
sheka
, you might re-consider that attitude. I am in the position of power at the moment.”

Kate smiled, running her eyes over his body. The shirt was open and she could see parts of his chest. He looked delicious. Those pants were noticeably tight in the crotch. Oh yes, he was feeling the pressure, too.

She reached up and cupped one of her breasts. Thumbing the nipple, she enjoyed herself for a moment, all the while watching his face. His eyes followed her hand. “Are you?”

Tair’s gaze shot to her face. “Yes, I am.”

Shrugging out of the shirt, he tossed it onto a nearby chair. Then, apparently changing his mind, he walked over to the chair picked up the shirt. He sat down and tossed the shirt to the floor.

Kate watched the muscles rippling in his chest with appreciation. He was so sexy wearing just those pants and boots. Very darkly dangerous and erotic.

She felt her mouth water. He was watching her with such focused intensity. It might have been a little intimidating, but she was aroused nonetheless. Besides, no one intimidated her. She was Kate Carson, after all.

He smiled slowly. “Since you have begun, I think you should continue,
sheka
. Use both hands. I want those nipples hard and very sensitive when I take them into my mouth.”

Kate shuddered a little at the words. She had paused in her teasing while he walked to the chair. Now, reaching up, she cupped her other breast and began toying with both nipples through the delicate fabric. It felt wonderful, but she ached for his mouth. She started to close her eyes instinctively and then struggled to keep them open.

Tair watched her. He reached for the top button of his pants, then leaned down instead and pulled off each boot. “Keep your eyes open. And spread your legs.”

Kate sat back on the bed a little and moved each leg until she was facing him, open and vulnerable. She was extremely conscious of the small swatch of fabric with those three snaps separating her from his gaze. She knew the fabric was wet already.

Tair gave her an approving nod. Leaning back in the chair, he reached for the button on his pants and paused. “Use you right hand and touch your clit. Play with it,
sheka
. You know what feels good. But keep your gaze on me.”

Kate nodded. She was feeling the heat now. She didn’t mind a few suggestions. Bringing her hand down, she ran it over the fabric of the teddy and over her mound. Reaching her clit, she touched herself lightly. Pleasure ran through her at the teasing sensation. She nearly moaned.

Tair unbuttoned his pants and then spread the material apart. His hard cock sprang free. He looked huge and hard and ready. She swallowed. He took one hand and ran it down the length of the shaft. She tore her eyes from his cock and looked at his face. It reflected unself-conscious pleasure.

He gave her a sexy half-smile. “Do you like what you see?”

She smiled, then moaned a little when he took his cock in his hand and stroked slowly up and down, watching her. “Yes.”

His smile widened, although his eyes shifted to her sex. “Can you imagine how it will feel when I fill you, Kate? Are you ready for me yet? We will not stop this time.”

Kate nodded eagerly. She was soaking wet. All those times of stopping just short of intercourse ran through her head. It would be different this time. She would feel his hard cock pumping inside her.

He said softly, “You want it. You need only say one small word. Say it, Kate.”

Kate felt the shock of his statement hit her. She was getting caught up and losing control. She focused. “No.”

He stopped the motion of his hand and laughed, although it was strained. “I did not think you would surrender so easily, but I was giving you the choice. Remember you had the chance,
sheka
.”

He stood up. He pulled his pants down over his hips and then stepped out of them, kicking them out of his way. Striding over to the bed, he said, “On your back. Now.”

She shivered. He looked so aggressive standing there in front of her. With a little start of surprise, she realized this was a side of Tair that she had not fully seen. Even without her compliance oath, she realized he could physically over-power her.

There was just enough doubt to be aroused and yet still feel safe. He would never hurt her no matter the provocation. Still, the sense of danger was strangely thrilling and intoxicating to her.

She scooted back on the bed slowly. He stood there watching her. She was about to lean back when he said, “Wait. Are you fond of this garment?”

She froze, confused. “Fond of it? Well, I have another one in black.”

He grinned. “I look forward to it.”

Climbing on the bed, he crawled until he sat next to her. He reached up and ran his hand along her cheek in a tender gesture. She was caught off guard at the touch.

Would he settle on one mood, for goodness sake? He was making her crazy. She narrowed her eyes. Maybe that was the point. She felt off-balance, unsure what would happen next. Was he going to rip the teddy off?

He reached out with the other hand and stroked her gently along the top of her shoulder. She felt the strap of her teddy moving along with his hand. He moved it downward until it was off her shoulder and hanging loosely on her arm. Moving his other hand from her face, he stroked her neck. Eventually, the strap on that shoulder met the same fate.

She felt her breath catch as the material of the teddy fell downward a little, clinging to the tops of her breasts. He looked into her eyes and said, “Don’t move.”

She saw his head move downward and felt him kiss along her neck. He paused occasionally and sucked, then moved further down. She fought to keep still, aching to feel his mouth on her tight nipples.

He kept moving downward until he was kissing the upper swells of her breasts right above the fabric. She arched a little instinctively. He pulled back and shot her a hard look. “I will not say it again.”

She froze. He leaned down and kissed his way along the fabric, until she was ready to scream in frustration. Finally, he darted his tongue along the edge, narrowly missing her nipple.

She moaned and fought to stay still. This was slow, sensual torture. He knew how sensitive her nipples were and how much she loved his mouth there. He was prolonging her anticipation, and it was working.

She heard him mutter against the top of the fabric. “If your nipples are not hard enough, we will start over again from the beginning.”

He eased his head away, and looked at her. He reached one hand and pulled the teddy downward, baring her breast. With the other hand, he bared the other breast. She inhaled and waited.

He said softly, “You are so beautiful.”

The cool air of the room tightened her nipples even more under his gaze. She bit her lip. Finally, he leaned forward and licked around one hard nipple, carefully avoiding it. She moaned, feeling like grabbing his head and forcing him to take it into his mouth. At the sound he swirled his tongue around the hard tip, as if in reward.