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  “I’ve told you that’s freaky strange. You’ve got a mouth. Use it.” Her finger twisted, digging her nail in even through the fabric of his shirt.

  He laughed. “Ada, this is Ivar. He’s going to start taking people up to the Vigilant.”

  “It’s nice to meet you. It’ll be great to get back on a ship.” Ada held out a hand to Ivar.

  “It’s good to meet you, Ada.” Ivar shook her hand.

  “You’ll be waiting a little while to get back on a ship. You’re going to stay here with me. You’ll be helping.” Jagger drew her close in a hug before turning his attention back to Ivar.

  “I thought you said that you and the others could do this without any help.” She scowled at him.

  “I’ll go round the others up while you answer that.” Ivar walked away chuckling.

  “You’ll be doing this at one point or another anyway. I might as well show you how to do this now so there’s no delay later.” Jagger smiled and began leading her to one of the tents the trade ship crew had used.

  “I’m supposed to believe that?” She shook her head. “I’m not that naïve. You don’t want me out of your sight. Don’t you trust your friends and crewmates on the ship?”

  “I trust them with my life, but they won’t watch you like I will. I want to be with you.” Jagger didn’t bother to try to deny the truth of part of her statement. He didn’t want her away from him.

  “Watch me as in not let me have much privacy at all.” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “All right, where do you want to start?”

  “The bedding first. Fold it, but it doesn’t have to be especially neat. They’ll be going for washing. We simply need it to fit in the box.” Jagger nodded to the blankets.

  She went to work. With the large crate between them, they silently put away the bedding. Jagger moved another crate into place for the thin mattresses. They folded the pads in half. When they finished with the last of those, Jagger showed her how to collapse the camping beds. Her hands were nimble and she managed to collapse and put away more of the cots than he did.

  “We’re finished in here. What next?” She folded her arms across her chest and tapped her foot in impatience.

  “Not quite finished. We have to take these out of here. The one with the blankets goes to the next tent to begin working on clearing that out. You take the blankets. I’ll take the box of mattresses and meet you there with a new crate.” Jagger picked up the crate, gave a nod in the direction of the tent where he’d meet her.

  It didn’t take long to finish packing up the last of the tents. The tables had already been put into place when the last crate was loaded onto the shuttles. The other craft had returned so there were enough ships now to take everyone back to Vigilant. He took her hand and led her to the shuttle and urged her into one of the seats directly behind the copilot’s chair. He took the copilot’s chair and waited as everyone boarded and buckled into their seats.

  The routine of the flight occupied him until the shuttle settled onto the floor of the docking bay. As he waited for the other shuttles to settle before opening the hatch, he glanced back at Ada. She smiled at him.

  Her mood seemed to have improved upon leaving the planet. “It will be just another moment or two. They’ll give the all clear when the last of the shuttles is on the deck and it’s not so dangerous to be moving around out there.”

  Even if the bay doors weren’t fully closed, the bay’s shield would hold the atmosphere inside the ship. The magnetic bubble shield would remain in place until the doors were completely sealed. The danger came from someone accidentally being hit by a moving shuttle. A voice came over the com telling them that the shuttle bay was safe. He glanced back and nodded.

  The shuttle doors opened and the men began filing out into the bay. He and the pilot were last out the door, but he was right behind Ada. He let his hand rest on her back just below her shoulder. He could grab her if she tripped and slip his arm around her as soon as they were into the shuttle bay.

  Jagger stepped out of the shuttle, keeping his hand on Ada. As he looked around the massive gray bay, he saw the activity as the crews moved in to check the shuttles and prep them for next use. He found his Achan waiting for them near the back of the shuttle. Jagger smiled as he urged Ada toward the tall, brown-haired man. Achan Rav Caseain stepped forward with a wide smile on his face.

  “Jagger, you did well. Your men informed me about the one man still uncaught among the people of the trade ship.” Rav stopped in front of them.

  “Thank you, Achan, keeping the crew safe until someone arrived was my only goal. This is Adalyn Jameson, my mate.” Jagger gestured to Ada. “Ada, this is Achan Rav Caseain. He’s captain of this ship and the leader of our group of Zarain.”

  “Hello, Ada, it’s good to meet you.” Rav offered his hand to her. “I’d take you both for a drink, but Jagger’s probably a little territorial right now.”

  “Hello, Achan Caseain, it’s very nice to meet you too.” Ada glanced toward Jagger. “I realized that when he kept me down on the planet and put me to work rather than send me up with the other people. I was fairly sure that it wasn’t because he didn’t trust the people up here to take care of me.”

  “Call me Rav.” The Achan grinned. “He’s a little possessive and protective and will be until he’s sure that you are safe and acknowledge him as your mate.”

  Ada frowned and turned a glare on Jagger.

  “He didn’t tell me about the relationship between you, if that’s what you think. It’s fairly normal when a human mates with a Zarain for the acceptance to take a little time.” Rav held up his hands. “Jagger, I’ll send a new schedule for your duty in the next few days, but you’ll be off-duty officially for the next three at least. I might need to talk to you a few times.”

  “Thank you. This is definitely something I’ve been looking forward to over the last few days. Privacy was the one thing we didn’t have too much of while we were down there.”

  Jagger watched as a red blush rolled over Ada’s cheeks. Her eyes glittered with hunger. He could imagine what ideas swirled through her mind. Hopefully, some of them were the same as his. At this moment, he’d love to read her mind completely, but it wasn’t possible. There was a connection between them and they could sense feelings, sometimes catch a strong thought or emotion. To communicate, though, they had to focus. The tie between their thoughts was only surface-deep. While it would deepen with time, neither of them would ever be able to read the other’s mind completely.

  The scent of her desire rose, and he pulled her a little tighter to him. He could picture her sprawled across a bed, naked. He’d like to ride her hard and reinforce his claim of her, but almost as enticing was the thought of exploring her body in detail. They’d hardly ever had time to be with each other and kiss and touch.

  “You both can go now.” Rav waved them away.

  Jagger didn’t hesitate or wait for any further orders. With an arm curled around Ada’s waist, he urged her out of the docking bay. He headed for his quarters. He saw her eyes darting around taking in the ship as they passed. He’d need to show her around the ship later, but now, he wondered what she thought of it. The walls were a light gray. A strip of green carpet ran down the center of the corridor. As they went through the ship, they passed murals painted on a few of the walls. Mostly forest scenes with animals to soothe the longing an extended trip away from their home could instill.

  He opened the door to his quarters with his palm print. It was also voice activated, but if both of those failed, he could always peel the panel out. Although it would be an expensive way to get in or out of the room.

  He let her go in first. “Welcome to my quarters. We’ll make them yours, too. We’ll just need a little time to get what you want.”

  She turned as she took in the main room. “Big. This is huge. You could fit almost three of the Setona’s quarters in here. Maybe two of the captain’s room, but still.”

  He’d done the room in blue
s, greens and yellows to give a little life to the gray room. The blanket on the bed was a swirling mix of the colors. In the small sitting area, he’d used a blue cover for the couch and a green for the chair. On the wall, there was another mural similar to those along the hallway. A grassy plain stretched out beyond a lake and in the distance a forest and a light green sky.

  “The living quarters on shifter ships are all a bit bigger than normal. Being cramped can make the stress of not being able to shift and run in the wild even more taxing.” He scooped her off her feet, giving her a little bounce in his arms.

  She laughed and her arms slipped around his shoulders, holding on to him. He carried her over to the bed and gently put her on the blanket. He watched as she took off her shoes and dropped them onto the side of the bed. He toed off his own footwear and climbed onto the bed. Easing up beside where she sat, he brushed her hair back from her face. The red curls wrapped around his fingers.

  “What would you like to do?” He braced himself on his arm. He tilted his arm and watched her.

  “I want to take our clothes off and then we’ll see what comes naturally. A couple of options sound really good to me.” Her hand cupped the side of his face before her fingers traced his lips in a fleeting touch.

  “All right.” He nodded and his eyes swept down her body. “One piece at a time, my choice. Give me your shirt.”

  She raised her eyebrows but slowly pulled her shirt over her head. She let the garment drop to the floor. “I will need more clothes. I’d need some anyway. While these are serviceable, they’re not really my style.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “You’d need some anyway? I’m not giving up on you, Ada. We’ll get you more clothes. How about we change this game a little? I’ll take off anything you want and let you touch me. You tell me what’s giving you problems. I know you want me and I know you can feel the connection between us.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Ada took a deep breath. Deciding what to have him take off was hard. She wanted to see all of him. “I want to see your chest first. Take off your shirt.”

  “Now talk to me.” He dropped the shirt beside her.

  “I thought this would be a light, maybe teasing loving.” She frowned at him and straightened. He made it sound so easy. She didn’t want to seem like a coward.

  “It can be as soon as we talk. Now get to it. I want to see more of you, but not before you open yourself and your past up to me.” He folded his arms across his chest.

  “I’ve told you before though. I don’t know how to do relationships. No one in my family does. My parents barely stayed together long enough to have three girls. After that, it’s been one failed relationship after another for both of them.” She shrugged.

  “Don’t hide what you feel. I can smell the anxiety and stress as well as see it.” He reached over and took her hand into his.

  “Someone always gets hurt. It starts out like this. We’ll be together forever, but someone leaves. Then there are times when the two people involved aren’t the only people hurt when it goes wrong.” She brought her knees up to her chest. “I don’t want to hurt you any more than I want to be hurt.”

  “Don’t hide those breasts. I want to see them since I can’t touch them yet.” His fingers trailed over the exposed slope of one breast. “The connection between us isn’t a choice as it would be if you were picking a date.”

  “Maybe, but it doesn’t mean we can’t make ourselves and anyone around us miserable.” She bit her lip. Maybe it was because she wanted to believe it so much, but she was afraid of trusting it. It would be worse if she thought it could last and then they ended up hating each other.

  “No, it doesn’t. We’ll both change, but as long as we respect each other and nurture the love and caring between us, we’ll be able to work through the rough patches. Like I said before, I don’t give up. I don’t think you’re a quitter either, and I know you care.” He stroked his fingers over her knuckles.

  “But it’s not you I’m worried about. What if we start this and suddenly I want someone else or see something else that appeals to me more?” She asked. She’d seen it happen, and that way of ending a relationship was especially ugly and hurtful.

  He growled low in his throat but then took a deep breath and seemed to be gathering his thoughts. “Think of me touching another woman.”

  She frowned. A spike of anger and possessiveness slammed through her at the mere phrase. That wasn’t what she expected. “But why?”

  “It doesn’t matter why or who you picture. Just think of me touching and kissing another woman.” Jagger’s tone was steady and even now, as if they were talking about the weather.

  She did as he asked. She pictured him with Lauren. Fury rose. He was hers. Her mate. No one would take him from her. She wanted to go rip him away from her, and it was only an image in her mind. Her hand turned underneath his and she tugged on his hand, pulling him a little closer.

  “You’re mine.” The desire to push him down and show him just how much she meant that pulsed through her.

  “Yes, I am your mate. Now, you should understand. It’s not the physical side that will give us problems. We won’t wander off to someone else because of lust. The connection will always be between us. It’s the emotional issues we’ll have to work through. Now, pants.” He returned to his position and his eyes locked on her lower body.

  “Right back to the clothes exchange? Nothing more?” She grinned and lifted her hips as she pushed her pants down over her hips. It wasn’t the most graceful or seductive way to strip them off, but she didn’t want to leave him.

  “That’s the more important part now that you are beginning to see I have claimed you and I’m going to keep you.” His smile was wide as he ran his eyes over her from head to toe. His eyes lingered on the silky scrap of panties she’d salvaged from her own clothing.

  “You’re going to keep me? I’m not a pet. Pants.” She waited for him to take of those offending slacks.

  He stood and unsealed the closure before pushing them down over his thighs. He slowed as he neared the knees and it seemed to take forever for those pants to hit the floor. She hadn’t even gotten to admire his butt because when he’d bent, he’d faced her.

  “Tease.” She shook her head at him. She knew he liked her ass and guessed that he realized she felt the same.

  “Not a tease, just drawing it out a little. Anticipation makes it sweeter.” He climbed back into bed with her, completely naked. “And by the way, you’re my mate. I’m well aware you’re not a pet.”

  “That’s just another way of saying it’s a tease.

  “Well, someone here still has clothing on, so if there’s any kind of teasing going on, it wouldn’t be me.” He glanced down at that white silky underwear.

  “These?” She ran her fingers along the top of the thin band near her waist. “I like them. I can be all business on the outside and underneath, all woman.”

  “Really? You seem all woman to me regardless of what you’re wearing.” He trailed his fingers over her thigh. “This curve, definitely woman and that mouth, all female as well.”

  She laughed. “The all-woman thing is from the advertising for the underwear.”

  “I’ve never heard or seen it, but I’m not interested in it right now. I want that pretty scrap gone.” He slipped his fingers under the band at her hip. “I could get rid of it.”

  Shaking her head, she hurriedly pushed the panties down her hips and legs. “No, these are the only ones I have that I really like. Everything else is lost with the Setona.”

  “We’ll find some clothes more in your style. It’s not skin tight and baring most of your chest, is it? I’ve mentioned that I’m possessive.” He waggled his eyebrows.

  She didn’t even try to hold back her smile. He was such a tease. “I don’t wear skin-tight shirts, or those that leave my breasts hanging out. I do prefer pants that fit and shirts that show some of my body, but I do like to leave something hidden.”

&n
bsp; “Now that sounds interesting. I look forward to seeing you in something that is your style.” He drew his hand up her thigh. “Now, what comes naturally to you?”

  She hadn’t expected that. She’d thought he’d take the lead, but she didn’t mind. She definitely had some plans. Now what did she want to do first? She swept her eyes over him. A kiss would do for a start. Leaning close to him, she brushed her lips across his, a soft hello. He slipped his hand behind her head.

  “That’s not a kiss. I call that a definite tease from the woman who’s accused me of teasing her.” His hand kept her close and his eyes sparkled with good humor.

  “It’s only a beginning. We haven’t had much time to simply be with each other.” She nipped at his lips. He was one to talk when he’d said that it was simply anticipation. Now he wanted to rush?

  “I want a full kiss, not some light touch of your lips.” His finger touched her chin.

  Closing the small space between them, she opened her lips over his and gently flicked her tongue over the lower lip. His tongue thrust against hers. She hummed in enjoyment. His arm swept around her, pulling her close as he rolled onto his back. She continued kissing him as she was draped partially over him. His hand stroked up and down her back. Her hands eased over his chest and shoulders. She wanted to touch more than a kiss. She wanted to explore his large body since they finally had somewhere comfortable and all the time they needed.

  She pulled back and stared down at him. The sight of his tanned skin drew her. Running her hands over the hard muscles on his chest, she savored the warm, supple skin running over his defined chest. Leaning down, she ran her tongue across his chest just above the flat dark nipple.

  “I want the chance to explore too.” He tugged on her hair to get her attention.

  “Then get started. I’m sure one of us will be demanding the other hurry up at some point.” She smiled up at him before kissing the flat disc