For daring to hope. But then, I was nothing if not stubborn. It was how I’d survived this long.
I should have chosen the sure thing. I saw that now. Not this wild-card, Rogue 5 rebel, or smuggler. Criminal. Whatever. He was hot. I should have chosen with my head and not my raging hormones. “No? I pushed against his chest. You’re right. This isn’t going to work. I’m sorry.”
“I will not.” He pressed his body to mine, his rock-hard length obvious where it pressed into my belly. I squirmed as his scent washed over me. Through me. Got inside my head and made me forget what the fuck we were talking about.
Fucking. Mating. Sex. Hot, wet, messy, sweaty sex.
“Makarios.” His name was a plea for mercy from my lips. It was all I had at the moment.
“I want you, Gwendolyn. I want to fill you with my cock. Give you pleasure.” His lips closed on mine until they brushed against me with every heated word.
“Yes.” Yes. Yes. Yes. That was what I wanted, too. “But you said no. Why are you kissing me if you don’t want me?”
“Oh, I want you. We both agree to fucking, but I cannot bite you, Gwen. It is not possible. Do not ask it of me.” Mak pulled his lips from mine and stared down into my eyes. I saw something there that made my heart skip a beat. Regret? Hurt? It was gone in an instant, but I couldn’t forget it, vowed to discover the why behind his pain.
Thank god for stubborn pride, because it was the only thing capable of saving me at the moment. So, he didn’t want to bite me. I mentally shrugged. Fine. I was obviously not his first choice for a mate. Fine. I’d been a fool for expecting more. For wanting more. A silly little girl with silly little dreams. And I’d thought the Hive had tortured them all out of me.
Surprise.
“Okay. You don’t want to bite me. Whatever. But we both want to get off this planet. We can help each other, Mak. But my body needs…” My voice trailed off as his gaze darkened even further, the animalistic lust I saw there feeding my hunger once more. My heart still ached, but I told her to grow the fuck up, put on her big girl panties and deal. I was not walking away from multiple orgasms with the most virile, sexy, beast of a male I’d ever met. One who smelled like my every dark fantasy come to life.
“I will take care of you, female. You will scream my name so many times all other words will be forgotten.” His gaze burned into mine. “You did not want a mate, Gwendolyn of Earth. I have not been tested by the Brides Program for the same reason. I respect your choice of me as your mate, even as the others here have not. We will both get what our bodies need, and then we will both be free.”
“Free?”
“You heard the governor. Your bargain with him. You choose a mate and you can go on missions again. You chose me and now he will allow you to go fight once more.”
“But I have to be… marked or whatever.” I waved my hand between us.
He smiled… actually smiled. “Do not worry. Before this night is through, you will be well and truly marked. No male on this planet—or any other—will question that you belong to me.”
I hated that term. Belong to me. As if. But, if it got me, like he said, back on missions, then I’d grit my teeth every time I heard those alpha male words.
I studied him. “And you? There has to be more to this than just wanting to get laid.”
“I assume that term means fucking.”
I nodded, remembering not everything translated with the NPUs in our brains.
“I wish to get off this planet as much as you. I need to be free. And I won’t return.”
I frowned. “Ever?”
His eyes narrowed and I saw the seriousness there. He was still aroused, but a deep need greater than getting off appeared.
“Ever.”
I’d forced him into this. He was hot as hell and ready to fuck. I should be thrilled. A no-strings-attached kind of deal. One night and then we’d both get what we wanted.
I just had to wonder, when it came to fucking Mak, would one night be enough?