“I get the appeal now.” I really, really did. A whip of pleasure lashed me, and I jerked.
Shade’s eyes flicked to my face. We stared at each other. I could still see his arm and shoulder moving, the muscles flexing and working. A rush of moisture hit my hand. I pinched my clitoris, and my mouth fell open on a quiet moan. I rocked my hips, chasing the sparks I’d found. The ember glowed brighter but wouldn’t ignite like the firework I wanted,needednow.
“It’s not enough,” I gasped out. “I can’t do it.”
Shade spread my legs wider. “Try a finger inside yourself.”
I flushed violently, mostly with desire. Dipping lower, I penetrated myself, learning my body in a way I never had before. Shade groaned low in his throat, clasping my hip almost hard enough to hurt. He pumped his cock harder.
“Now move,” Shade said. “In and out.”
I did, and my head dropped back. This was better. So good. I finally understood what I’d been doing wrong in the past. I hadn’t been owning my own pleasure. I’d gone at it occasionally like a half-assed project. Not anymore. With Shade, this felt totally different. Utterly absorbing. I inserted another finger, twisting my hand to go deeper.
Shade made a choking sound. “I could come just watching you.”
Gasping, I kept going, the sudden crack of orgasm hovering just out of reach. My legs twitched. My heels dug into the floor. Jolts shot through me, but it wasn’t enough. “Shade! I need more. Kiss me.”
He pushed my hand aside with his face. “Kiss you? I’m going to eat you alive.” His words hit me right before his tongue did, all gritty promise and slick wet heat.
I sprawled on my back as Shade gave me the scorching licks I’d been craving. He sucked, and I writhed like a live wire, barreling toward climax. He gripped my bottom and lifted with both hands, bringing me up to his mouth and feasting. Our gazes crashed together over my bowed body, and I suddenly knew what I wanted more than this.
I reached for his shoulders. “You. Now. Inside me. Don’t wait.”
Shade rose over me as I drew up my knees. I’d never forget the look on his face in a million years or with brainwashing. He pushed inside me, and I almost shattered. I tried to pull him in deeper, angling my hips up and dragging at his back with my heels. He started to rock, slowly at first and then fast and hard, catapulting me into instant orgasm. Relief hurtled through me. I shouted hoarsely, clinging to him and pulsing in mind-numbing pleasure. Shade shuddered, his breath battering my neck. He gripped me hard, thrusting almost too deep, and then the tension ebbed from his body along with a deep, groaning rasp of sound. He dropped in a boneless heap. Within seconds, he must have realized how heavy he was and rose up enough to kiss me. I kissed him back, a long, euphoric, tender kiss, thinking that breathing was overrated when balanced against Shade’s delicious weight.
“Hmmm.” The drawn-out, satisfied sigh was all I could manage in terms of speech.
“I wish there was a word for you,” Shade murmured against my lips.
I threaded my fingers through his short hair, running them over his scalp to his nape and then back again. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know how to describe you. Or what we just did. It’s all just…feelings.” He rolled onto his back, gazing up at the ceiling and absently rubbing his chest.
I turned to face him. “Is that a bad thing?” He seemed to be frowning.
“No.” Looking at me again, he looped his arm around my shoulders and tugged me flush against him. “Nothing with you is bad.”
I grinned, snuggling into him.
A few minutes later, Shade lifted his head and looked at the door. “Did someone feed Bonk? I don’t remember seeing much food in his bowl in the kitchen.”
“I don’t know.” I sat up and reached for my shirt, even though it felt as if a lead weight were pinning me to the soft bed and to Shade’s warm body. I’d never be able to sleep without making sure Bonk had what he needed.
“Stay here. Relax.” Shade got up, pressed a kiss to my forehead, and started to dress. “I’ll make sure he’s all set for the night.”
I sank back down. “Thank you.”
He smiled at me as I slid under the covers, helping to tug them up and make me comfortable. Then he turned and slipped out to go check on Bonk. The door closed behind him, and a flash flood of happiness rose inside me, filling me to the brim. My heart tugged, and that was when I knew for sure I was in love with Shade Ganavan. There were men who fell mindlessly into a sex stupor. And there were men who got up and took care of the things that mattered to them.
Chapter 12
SHADE
The next morning, the crew of theEndeavoreventually started wandering into the kitchen, Bonk included. Tess got breakfast going while Jax made the coffee. Merrick and I both scanned the news on our tablets, reading titles and snippets out loud if they seemed interesting or pertinent. The GIN Project was everywhere. Logistically, it would be nearly impossible to process everyone in the galaxy in less than the six months the Overseer had given, but he was obviously doing everything he could to scare people into getting their chip and number as quickly as possible.
They’d been fine living their lives yesterday and the day before that, and before then also. Now, suddenly if they didn’t get shot up with a GIN, some vague catastrophe was going to befall them, their family, maybe their entire Sector? And people actually bought into this shit. It didn’t seem possible.
At the same time, how much would I have questioned the GIN Project a month ago? If I were truly honest with myself, I wasn’t sure I liked the answer.
