Sons of Amber: Michael (3 page)

    That made him sit back. At least she hadn’t scheduled time with one of his brothers. She was highly-ranked enough she could request time with a Son of Amber on pretty short notice, though she wouldn’t be guaranteed who she might get.

    “But why quit? We still need you here, Leah, and many women work right up ‘til their eighth or ninth month.”

    She cleared her throat, seeming a little uncomfortable, shuffling items unnecessarily on her desk. “I wanted to avoid any possible conflict of interest.”

    Mike sensed a victory, but he didn’t quite understand it yet—at least he didn’t dare hope the odd thought he had might be true. “And just why would being pregnant create a conflict of interest?”

    “Look, Michael, I’ll come clean here. I respect you enough to give you the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it makes my last few days here.” She took a deep breath, meeting his gaze with resignation, a becoming flush highlighting her high cheekbones. “When I made the clinic appointment, I requested…” She looked away, clearly flustered. “Damn, this is harder than I thought it would be, but you’ve a right to know.”

    “Tell me.” His voice was low, commanding. He was all Dom in that moment, and she responded.

    “When I made that appointment, I specifically requested your…um…semen be used for the implantation. I want you to father my baby. I admire your intellect, your decisive nature—all your abilities and attributes, really—and I couldn’t think of a better candidate to father my little boy.”

    Mike just watched her. She grew nervous under his stare, but he needed time to regroup. She’d just pulled the rug out from under him, but in the best possible way. He took a moment to consider his options.

    “I’m flattered,” he said finally. “And honored.” He lifted the resignation in his hands and quite deliberately tore it to shreds, placing them neatly on her desk. “I don’t accept this.” He enjoyed the dismay on her face as he stood and leaned over the desk, so close, he could smell her unique perfume.

    “I—”

    “Cancel the appointment.” His tone was soft, but the order in his words was clear. “If you want to have my child, I’ll give him to you personally. No other way, Leah. I’ve wanted you for the past two years. I’m not going to wait any longer.” As he spoke the words, he realized their absolute truth.

    “Now just a minute!” She stood, outrage in her eyes, but he wouldn’t allow it. He rounded the desk and caught her by the arms, dragging her against his body. His lips came down on hers and time ceased to exist. He’d wanted to kiss her from the moment he’d first laid eyes on her, but she never indicated even the remotest interest. Now, however, all bets were off. He could see the very real desire as she spoke, and taste the heated excitement in her kiss. She wanted him. Probably as much as he’d always wanted her.

    “You’re mine, Leah.” He pulled away enough to whisper. “You have been since the moment I first saw you.”

    “Michael—”

    He covered her lips with a light, chastising kiss. Everything had clicked into place when his lips first touched hers. All was right with the universe—at least the microcosm of the two of them, together. Now that he’d tasted her, he would never go back to the old, arms-length relationship. She was his. The sooner she came to terms with that—and with him—the better.

    “You know I’m a Dom, Leah, but I’ve never dominated you in our working relationship, and I never will. I’ll freely admit though, I’ve wanted to dominate you in pleasure for as long as I’ve known you. I want to feel you come around me and I want to give you the greatest climaxes of your life. I want to imprint myself on you so you’ll never, ever forget me.”

    She sighed, a small, defeated sound. “That’s what I’m afraid of, Michael. I like you too much. I’m afraid…”

    “Afraid of what, Leah? You’re the bravest woman I know.” His hand cupped her chin, raising her beautiful eyes to his.

    She smiled softly and his heart clenched. “I don’t want to fall in love with you, Michael. I want your baby, but I don’t want a broken heart.”

    “Would it help you to know that by resigning, you’re already breaking my heart? I honestly don’t think I can continue without you at my side, Leah. We’re a team.” He rubbed circles on her back as she relaxed in his arms. She felt like heaven against him. “There’s no reason you can’t stay with me for a while yet. We can work together during the day and work on the baby at night.” He winked, making her smile. He took her response as a good sign. “When you get pregnant, you can continue to work as long as you like and even after the baby is born, I have no objection to your bringing him to work. In fact,” his head quirked to the side as he thought of it, “I think I’d like that. I don’t know any of my children. The chance to see one as it grows would be welcome, if you don’t mind my taking an interest.”

    “Are you kidding?” She seemed surprised by his candor. “You’re the father. Of course you can take and interest in him.”

    Mike sighed. “That’s not the way it’s been ‘til now.”

    She shocked him by reaching up to stroke his cheek, offering comfort. No woman had ever offered to comfort him before and he found the very idea of it intriguing, the feel of her soft hand, more special than anything he’d ever felt before. Leah was such a miracle to him.

    “I’ve never said anything, but I think it’s wrong the way they expect you to father all these babies, but never have a chance to raise any of them. I mean, I know it’d be impossible for you to know all your children, but why not at least a few? You could be such a good influence on a young boy.”

    He covered her hand with his own, loving the feel of her soft skin against his. “I’m glad you think so.”

    “I wouldn’t have chosen you to be my baby’s father if I didn’t admire you, Michael. I just don’t know if I—”

    “What?” He had to coax her. She was blushing again and it charmed him.

    “I don’t know if I can be submissive. I’m not exactly a shrinking violet. Or hadn’t you noticed?” She laughed at herself, charming him even more.

    “You’re a strong-willed, capable woman, but being sexually submissive doesn’t require a weakling personality. In fact, I gain very little satisfaction from a meek woman’s obedience. I can all too easily trample over a weaker personality. I know that much about myself, at least.” He shrugged. “Which is why I’ve enjoyed your company for so long. You’re the first woman who hasn’t bored me to tears after a week or two, Leah. That’s something unique in my experience.” He pulled her closer, pressing his hardness against the soft V of her thighs. “I know I can make you want to follow my orders in the bedroom—or wherever we take our pleasure—and it will be pleasure, Leah. The greatest pleasure you’ve ever known, or will ever know. I can guarantee that.”

    Her breathless sigh thrilled him. He was getting to her. He knew it.

    “I don’t know, Michael.” He loved the sound of his name on her lips. “I’m still concerned I won’t be able to do what you want and I don’t want to fight you.”

    He hugged her close. “I’ll never force you, Leah. There’s no satisfaction in overpowering a woman. What I want from you is your willing compliance with my desires.” He pulled back to look into her eyes. “I know you want me. I can make you want my dominance too. Give it a try, Leah. Have dinner with me tonight. Let’s see where it leads.”

    “Michael—”

    “Come on, Leah. We’ve shared a thousand meals together.”

    “But this is different.”

    Mike cupped her ass audaciously with one hand as he grinned down at her. “Very different. I dare you, Leah. Take a chance.”

    Michael Amber always could talk her into doing things against her better judgment. Well, to be fair, he never wanted her to do anything that was dangerous or could be harmful. He just had a way of getting what he wanted. She guessed it was part of his Dominant personality, and to be truthful, it didn’t bother her much. In a way, it was sort of endearing.

    That was the truly dangerous thing. This man was all too appealing. She knew it wouldn’t take much to turn her admiration for him into something much more intimate. Everyone knew it was impossible to keep a Son of Amber for longer than it took to get pregnant, but so many women tried. Tried and failed.

    Although there were a few stories making the rounds of gossip lately, and she knew for a fact that Ezekiel had been reassigned permanently to the newly discovered uninfected colony of Espians. It was rumored he had married and was living monogamously with one of the colony women. Oh, he still made the required sperm deposits so his DNA could go further in repopulating the human race, but he didn’t make personal calls anymore and had been taken permanently off the reservation lists.

    “I don’t know, Michael.” She’d never dared call him by name to his face, though it had crept into her mind more and more often.

    His lips nipped at hers playfully. This side of him was new, and very exciting. She’d seen him in full Dom mode as he ruled most of the human fighting forces in this sector. She’d seen him weighted down by the burdens of his position and role. Her heart had gone out to him as time and again he sacrificed his own desires for the greater good of humanity, and she’d admired him for his steadfast determination to defeat their enemies.

    This coaxing, cajoling, teasing hunk was something altogether new. His lips teased hers, his breath hot and sweet, mingling with her own. This man was born a Dom, but he was patient and kind in ways she never expected.

    “Do it, Leah. You know you want to.” He cuddled into her his chest, his cheek seeking her neck as he rubbed against her in the most delicious way. “Dinner. With me. What happens after that is wide open.”

    “But what about your rule? No fraternizing, remember?”

    “Rules are made to be broken. Besides, you’re the only woman under my command I’ve ever wanted to break that little unofficial rule with. No one else, Leah. Just you.” He punctuated his words with small kisses to her face, teasing her until she smiled.

    “All right,” she answered, finally. He wanted to pound the air with his fist in triumph, but refrained. “I’ll have dinner with you tonight, Michael, but we’ll discuss this. I won’t be rushed into anything.”

    “No rushing.” He nodded. “Gotcha.” Pulling her closer, he kissed her, wanting to feel her response again and again. She was his. He knew it deep in his soul, though he didn’t understand it at all. Now he just had to make sure she knew it too. She would have his baby and he’d enjoy every moment of putting it in her womb and watching it grow. The very idea made something soft and fragile blossom in his sheltered heart. He didn’t know quite what it was, but he definitely had his suspicions.

    Chapter Four

    Mike had a plan. He’d spent time breaking her in to his ways when she’d started as his XO two years ago. She’d been skittish at first and it took him a few weeks to get her used to being around him and his manner of speaking and sometimes barking orders when he was in full Dom mode. Eventually, she’d come to anticipate his wants and needs and turned out to be the best XO he’d ever had.

    That was only part of the reason he didn’t want to lose her.

    The rest had to do with little things. The way she moved. The way she spoke. The way she could talk him down from a Dominant rage with just a few well-placed words of caution and sense. The way her mind worked. The way she smelled of clean woman and daffodils. The way her hair swayed on the rare occasions she wore it down, and the way she smiled at him every so often as if he personally hung all the moons of Jupiter.

    He couldn’t lose her. Especially not after she’d conceived his child. He’d fathered many children, but this one would be special. This one in particular, he wanted to see gestate and be born, grow and change. He wanted to know and love this child as he knew and…loved…its mother.

    The thought stopped him.

    Did he love her?

    Mike wasn’t sure. He didn’t really know what love was all about. It wasn’t something he’d ever come across before personally. He’d seen a few of his brothers succumb, and longed to learn what it was that made one woman preferable to all the others. If there was such a woman for him, he hoped she was like Leah.

    Hell, perhaps she was Leah. He’d be damned if he’d let her leave him now. First he had to know for sure whether these odd new feelings could really be love. That question had to be answered first, before anyone left or retired or resigned. Mike knew from his research, and from watching his brothers, that love was too important to let go.

    So he had a plan.

    Like he’d done when she’d first signed on as his assistant, he would gentle her to his ways little by little. He knew the demands of a Dominant could be difficult on the uninitiated, but he couldn’t change what he was born to be. His only hope lay in the idea that she could adapt to not only accept but revel in the kind of pleasure he could give her.

    He’d start slow. He’d start with the basics. Never had he looked so forward to just kissing a woman for hours on end.

    And that’s just what he’d do. He’d train her to hunger for his kiss, to want it more than her next breath, and then he’d move the next level. He’d break her in gently. Unlike the way he’d been introduced to sex and what it meant to be a Dominant.