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  Slowing his strokes, he shifted higher and began circling her clit in a steady, rhythmic pattern. The pressure was light yet perfect. As if he knew exactly the right amount of stimulation she needed.

  “Linc,” she breathed out his name.

  His fingers on her inner thighs tightened and he lightly increased his teasing. When his tongue swirled inside her once again, she lost it. The ecstasy that had been building crested as she went into a freefall.

  Her orgasm slammed into her with wild abandon. All her muscles tightened as it ripped through her until she was panting and lying practically boneless against the bed.

  Linc looked up at her and a small smile played across his face. “Do you know what you taste like?”

  The unexpected question made her blush. Her face heated up but she didn’t respond. He didn’t seem to expect a response though. He climbed up her body and covered her mouth in a heated claiming.

  It seemed so intimate considering what he’d just been doing. Before she had time to dwell on it, his big palms slid down her sides and gripped her hips.

  He pulled his head back a fraction. “Turn over,” he murmured.

  She loved the note of command in his voice. It sent shivers of pleasure racing through her. She’d barely attempted to move before he’d flipped her on her knees. The man had such raw strength, it stunned her.

  One of his hands slid down her spine in a slow, sensuous move until he ran it across her behind. She looked over her shoulder at him only to find him staring at her body worshipfully.

  Her pussy clenched at the sight. Part of her wondered if she should feel guilt in embracing Linc like this but it was hard to do so when she’d never loved his brother. What they’d shared had been sweet and easy.

  There was nothing sweet or soft about Linc. His dark gaze met hers and the dim light from the hallway bounced off his expression, highlighting his scar. Staring at her now, he looked one hundred percent the warrior.

  And he wanted to claim her. The knowledge made her pussy ache even more. She wanted him to fill her completely.

  As if he read her mind, he plunged into her in a long, hard thrust. Her head fell forward at the intrusion. Her inner walls expanded around his cock. She savored his thickness and length.

  When he took her this way, he hit her so deeply she knew it wouldn’t be long until she came again. Digging her fingers into the bed, she couldn’t hold back the groans that tore from her.

  “Do you know how long I’ve fantasized about this?” His unexpected words rolled over her like a warm caress. His hands tightened on her hips and his thrusts increased.

  Each time he slammed into her she cried out. Her vagina was already sensitized from her first orgasm and this only intensified her experience.

  “You’re mine, Saroya,” he growled low in his throat.

  Her body certainly agreed.

  “Say it,” he murmured behind her, his words a command.

  When she didn’t respond fast enough, he stilled inside her. He palmed her stomach and pulled her upright against him. His muscular chest was rigid against her back. She tried to think straight but his cock felt so deep in her in this position, it was difficult.

  “Say you’re mine, Saroya.” His voice rumbled close to her ear and his hot breath on her neck sent shivers skittering over her skin. She was his.

  “I’m yours, Linc.” It was like her words set off an explosion.

  He took her rough and hard as he pummeled into her and she gladly welcomed him. As a sharper, more intense climax curled through her, he shouted out her name. The guttural sound mixed with her own cry of ecstasy.

  Linc emptied himself into her and even when she was sure he’d finished, his hips still rocked against hers until finally they collapsed against the bed. After she caught her breath, she rolled over so that she faced him.

  Idly, she traced her finger along the lines of chest.

  “I love it when you touch me,” he murmured.

  She smiled at his words. “The feeling is mutual.”

  He didn’t return her smile. Just stared at her with that intensity that sometimes made her nervous.

  “What?” Self-consciously she tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.

  With a tight jaw, he shook his head. She didn’t care that he didn’t want to talk so she scooted closer and wrapped her arm around his waist. When she did, he mirrored the action and pulled her tight.

  He was hard again but he didn’t make a move to do anything about it. Just gently stroked his hand down her spine.

  “Did you ever think about coming to my bedroom before?” he asked.

  The sudden question sucked all the air out of the room.

  Her eyes widened, but she slowly nodded. “Sort of. I mean, I fantasized about it, but I never would have done it. I didn’t think you even really liked me until recently.”

  He snorted lightly. “I liked you all right,” he murmured before kissing her again, this time softer.

  Saroya slid closer into his embrace and all coherent thought fled. All Linc had to do was touch her, and she was a goner.

  Chapter Four

  Saroya walked out of her bedroom, freshly showered. She’d dried her hair so she slipped on a clean, comfortable green shift. After she’d come home from her classes she’d assumed Linc would be home not long after. She’d tried contacting him at the Samio but he’d been unavailable. All day.

  As she passed through the living room the transport platform blinked and beeped asking for permission to allow someone access inside their home. When she read her friend Brianna’s name on the screen, she pressed accept.

  Seconds later her redheaded friend stood in the middle of the transport platform. And she looked pissed. Her dark eyes blazed. “Thanks for letting me come over. Do you have any villana?”

  Saroya nodded, trying not to smile. “Bad day?”

  “You could say that. Aeron had the nerve to show up at my office today. He cornered me in front of everyone and asked me to lunch.”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “And?”

  “Can I get a glass of villana first?” she muttered, suddenly losing all her steam.

  While Saroya poured them two glasses, she motioned to the back porch. “Let’s talk outside.” Unlike her friend she lived on the outskirts of the city and they had land for miles surrounding them.

  Brianna sat ramrod straight on one of the padded chairs, looking tense and uncomfortable.

  Saroya handed her a glass as she sat next to her. It was clear tonight and instead of just one moon, they could see three of their twelve. “So what happened?”

  With the bright illumination, it was easy to see her friend’s face redden. “I sort of slept with him.”

  She definitely hadn’t been expecting that. For the past twelve moon cycles Brianna had been adamant about not giving in to the Luminet way of life and especially staying away from Aeron. “Sort of?”

  “Okay, there was no sort of.” She covered her face with her hands for a moment then looked back at her. “I’m so embarrassed. I called the office and canceled all my appointments because lunch was not long enough to…well, you know. That man is a machine.”

  “So why are you upset? I can’t imagine it was bad, was it? That man has been after you for a long time.” Since practically the moment they’d landed on Lumineta.

  “Well, now he seems to think that I’m going to mate with him and Hauk.” She took a long swig of her drink.

  “Ah, and you have no intention of doing that?”

  Brianna shook her head. “No way. I mean, I know you mated with Linc and Gage but I can’t wrap my head around the whole thing.”

  Saroya swallowed hard. No one, not even her best friend, knew the truth about her relationship with Linc and Gage. Technically she’d always been mated to the two of them but until very recently she and Linc hadn’t officially consummated things. But she wasn’t about to touch that subject now. “So what did you tell him?”

  “It all happened so fas
t. I was enjoying being with him. Then he started talking about the bonding process and how if I wasn’t comfortable with Hauk at first they could work out a system and alternate nights. Like I’m some piece of meat! I can’t believe he just assumed I’d mate with them. I was still enjoying my post-coital bliss and he starts making all these ludicrous plans. I told him what I thought of his asshole plan and then I told him never to contact me again.”

  Saroya looked at her over her glass but stayed silent.

  “I’ve never seen him so angry, but he didn’t say a word. He just left and now I feel like shit.” Brianna finished her villana then held her glass out.

  Smiling, Saroya poured her another one. She’d brought the bottle outside because she’d known it was going to be one of those nights. “So you don’t want to mate with him and his brother?”

  “Today was incredible but…I had enough trouble keeping up with Aeron. I don’t think I could handle both of them. Besides, I’m not cut out to be…” She trailed off and shook her head. “Forget it. Thanks for letting me come over. I really needed to see you, but enough about me. What’s going on with you?”

  For the next couple hours they talked and caught up on each other’s lives but Saroya couldn’t help but wonder where Linc was. And she hated that feeling. Things between them had always been awkward but she’d never worried or wondered about him. Well, not too much. He’d always been in the back of her head but now she felt crazy thinking about where he was and why he hadn’t contacted her all day.

  After Brianna left Saroya couldn’t even think about sleeping so she went back to her studio. Painting was the only thing that kept her sane when she got upset. When Linc got home tonight they were definitely going to talk. She wasn’t sure what kind of relationship he thought they were going to have, but this wasn’t it.

  * * * * *

  Saroya opened her eyes to find Linc staring down at her. She blinked a couple times trying to figure out what was going on and realized he was carrying her through their house. “What are you doing?” she murmured.

  “You must have fallen asleep in your studio.” His expression and voice were soft.

  She started to snuggle against his chest when she remembered how mad she was at him. Jerking in his arms she struggled against his hold.

  Linc tried to manage her but she didn’t let him. She kept wiggling around until finally he set her down. “Saroya, what the devil are you doing?”

  When her feet touched the cold stone floor of the hallway, she took a step back from him. “Why didn’t you call all day?”

  His breathing was ragged and for the first time she realized he didn’t have his tunic on. Her gaze traveled over his bare, muscular chest and she hated the way her stomach muscles clenched in hunger. Why was he half naked? For a moment her eyes glazed over until he spoke, breaking her lustful gaze.

  “We had an induction ceremony and it ran late.” He said it so matter-of-fact, and for a brief moment she doubted herself.

  But she knew she wasn’t overreacting. He’d been keeping himself distant from her even though they’d already crossed an invisible boundary. “So you don’t think you should have contacted me so I wouldn’t worry?”

  “I’m not used to this whole being mated thing,” he finally muttered.

  She narrowed her gaze at him. Linc wasn’t stupid and from what she knew of him, he wasn’t insensitive. “Don’t hand me that. What is going on with you? It’s like you’re purposefully keeping me at arm’s length.”

  He scrubbed a hand over his buzz cut. Finally he met her gaze with his searing dark eyes. “When I came home tonight I thought you’d left. I couldn’t find you anywhere and just barely remembered to check the studio. I thought you’d…left me,” he repeated in a ragged voice.

  She wanted to reach out and comfort him but held back because she wasn’t sure where he was going with his line of thought. “Why did you think that?”

  He shrugged, the action jerky. “I don’t know. I keep thinking that if I let you into my life you’ll be taken from me. Or you’ll leave. I’m not like my brother and—”

  “I didn’t love Gage,” she blurted before she could stop herself.

  Linc stared at her in surprise. “What?”

  Her face heated at the admission, feeling as if she’d shamed Gage’s memory, but it was true. “When they rescued us, we didn’t understand your culture at first. I thought we’d be forced into mating with any two males so I…aligned myself with Gage because he was nonthreatening. I knew he’d never hurt me. Only too late I realized we had a choice but by then I’d already agreed to mate with him…and you.” She hated admitting that out loud, especially to Linc, but she knew she needed to. “He assured me you would treat me with respect but I was still scared until I met you.”

  “What about after you met me?” His expression was almost unreadable.

  “I was excited but you never touched me.” He’d told her that he didn’t share but he’d never expanded or explained.

  In that moment, Linc’s face softened. “I was afraid if I did I’d do something I’d regret. I’ve never felt territorial until I met you and seeing you two together was difficult. It’s why I stayed away from the house, even after Gage died.”

  His words put a lump in her throat but she worked past it. “I’m not going anywhere, but you have to let me into your life and treat me like a mate, not a roommate.” Her voice was low but full of authority.

  A shudder snaked through him at her words. When he’d come home tonight and found the house empty, he’d felt his entire world shift. Being able to touch and kiss her the way he’d fantasized about the past few days felt surreal. He’d half convinced himself it was all a dream. It shouldn’t please him to learn she hadn’t loved Gage but it did on his most primal level. “I don’t want you as my roommate, Saroya. I just want you to be mine.” He swallowed hard. “And only mine.”

  Her blue eyes darkened and he knew he’d said the right thing. When she smiled softly, he knew things would be okay between them. It would take time for him to get used to the idea that she wasn’t going anywhere, but he’d work past his own bullshit if it meant keeping her in his bed and his life.

  “Why are you half naked?” she asked quietly.

  Her question surprised him. “I’d planned to check on you before showering but then I couldn’t find you.”

  “So you haven’t showered yet?” Her voice dropped an octave, taking on a sensuous quality.

  His throat thick, he shook his head.

  The smile disappeared from her face as she bent down and lifted her shift over her head. She wore nothing underneath. The sight of her pink nipples and soft thatch of dark hair between her legs had his entire body tensing. Before he could completely enjoy the soft lines and curves of her body she turned on her heel and headed toward his room.

  Watching the way her bare ass swayed made his cock swell to the point of pain. Trailing after her, he followed as she continued toward his bathroom.

  The large room was all stone and tile and mirrors. It was cold but with her there, the room was on fire. He felt as if he’d combust any second just staring at her.

  She turned the water on with voice command then stepped into the stone enclave. Unlike in her washroom there was no door to pull back. Just a wall of stone and glass blocking off the tiled shower area.

  Saroya stepped under the streaming jets and let the water cascade over her lithe body. With her bright gaze on him, she lathered shower gel in her hands and began rubbing it over her arms then chest. He was frozen to the spot as he watched her slow, seductive movements.

  Watching her hands moving over her soft breasts and taut, pink nipples made his entire body tense. He wanted to jump her so bad he ached, but held back. Days before when he’d walked in on her touching herself it had been the most erotic thing he’d experienced. Seeing her now felt somehow forbidden even though she was completely aware of his presence.

  As she cupped one of her breasts and began slowly tea
sing her nipple with her thumb his cock jutted forward. Like a guided missile, it wanted inside her tight sheath.

  Quickly he shucked his trousers and let them fall soundlessly to the floor. With even, purposeful movements he stalked toward her.

  It was almost imperceptible but Saroya shuddered as he came at her. He loved that he drew that reaction from her. The heat and need he saw in her eyes was so raw and real it floored him. She’d always been so quiet around him before. Not now. Now she let him know exactly what was on her mind. The knowledge relieved him because on her most primal level, she trusted him.

  When he neared her, splashes of the hot water ricocheted off her, spraying him, but he was barely aware of the sensation. All he could focus on was Saroya.

  She reached for him but he grabbed her wrists and held them above her head as he backed her up against the wall. As her back made contact with the tile she instantly arched it. The motion pushed her breasts out and he couldn’t resist bending and taking one in his mouth.

  As he ran his tongue over her slick, wet skin she groaned. The sound reverberated around the small enclosure, driving him crazy. Moving against her, his cock rubbed over her lower abdomen. He wanted to slam into her but first he wanted to tease her. Enjoy their time together.

  She lifted one of her legs and wrapped it around him. The action opened her thighs wider. When her folds rubbed against his hard length he moaned against her nipple.

  He let her arms go and Saroya dug her fingers into his shoulders, gripping him hard. “Fuck me, Linc.”

  Coming from her, the abrupt words made his head snap back. The fire in her eyes was enough to set him off. Without responding he plunged deep into her.

  When he did, her mouth parted and almost instantaneously she pushed up and wrapped her other leg around his waist. The action let him sink deeper inside her.

  Her inner walls molded around him with a frightening familiarity. Getting used to her, to this, could kill him. But he didn’t care. He had to take the chance on them. Hell, she was already under his skin in a way no one else ever would be. The woman had gotten past all his defenses with her quiet grace.