“Enhances?” Allie really didn’t like how much ambiguity there was in that word.
“If you were wide-awake, it would make you feel a little sluggish, nothing more. You fell asleep the way you did because you’re exhausted.”
“We’re criminals on the run. Yeah, I’m a little worn-out.”
Shank leaned in and kissed her shoulder. “My mother is searching for some way to prove that you couldn’t have balanced the equations manually the way you told Cetan.”
“What? Why?”
He chuckled as he let his fingers slide down her side and under her shirt. “Because that would make you a coolheaded nav genius, and she doesn’t want to like you yet. Luckily Cetan adores you.”
Allie could barely remember the man. Other than squinting at him with some vague fear that he was calling her a liar, all her memories were blotted out by the migraine she’d had after they docked. “Tell me that machine is off now. I don’t want something forcing me to sleep when I don’t want to.”
“It’s off,” Shank promised. His fingers touched her temple, and then he was pressing something cool in place. She touched the circuitry embedded into the circular pad. “Even if it was on, it doesn’t force you to sleep.”
“That’s not what it felt like to me,” Allie disagreed. “I barely remember touching the mattress.”
“That’s because you’re worn down with worry. You need to relax.” He tickled up her side to her breast.
She arched her back and tried to control an urge to squirm under his hands.
“Let me take care of you this time?” he asked, his breath warm against her ear. “Let me.” Then he was pulling her shirt up.
Allie grabbed his wrist, and he stopped. “I’m not breakable. I just had a migraine from piloting that thing.”
“Then let me make you feel good,” Shank said. “Tell me one thing you want, and if I have it in my power, I’ll give it to you.”
Allie looked at him in shock. Okay, this was a new game, and part of her wanted to tease him, to ask him for a newly released hologame or fresh strawberries. Maybe if he offered again, she’d let her claws out a little, but right now there was only one thing she wanted. “I want to see you dance,” she said. She slid her hand up his arm to his strong shoulder. He had such power in his body. When he sparred, he had a grace and beauty she didn’t. Now, that didn’t mean he was better. She cheated more, and Jacqs had taught her a couple of dirty tricks she suspected would take Shank out, but she wanted to appreciate his body without having to think about battle strategy.
“Dance?” Both his eyebrows went up.
“Are you saying no?” Allie pushed herself onto one elbow and looked down at him as he lay on the bed next to her.
“No. No, I wouldn’t do that. Really? You want me to dance?” Shank looked at her as though she’d lost her mind.
She caressed his cheek. “I would love to watch you. I love watching you spar, but when you do that, I spend a lot of time flinching when you get hit.”
“Okay, but this feels silly.” He sat up and stripped off his shirt. She was hoping for more nudity, but he got off the bed and started humming to himself as he moved from side to side. He stomped out a rhythm, and let his body slump forward as his upper body slowly joined the dance. His braids swayed with his movement, and he started working in a circle.
Allie shifted to the edge of the bed and watched him. His muscles gathered and bunched under his skin as he started pounding the floor harder, and now he crouched over as though hunting something. Predatory. Predatory and beautiful. He worked the room and came back around. Now he made eye contact with her, and his stalking turned personal. He worked his way closer to her, his arms moving miming the action of carrying a spear, but then he turned away at the last moment, the twists of his body becoming more stylized.
The next time he circled back around, Allie slipped her foot out from under the covers, intent on blocking him. He danced around to her, this time stalking her foot. Without warning, he pounced on her and gave her pants a hard yank. Allie laughed and grabbed the edge of the mattress while Shank danced away, her pants in hand. He raised them up like a trophy, and she could see his wide back, the lines of muscle and the soft curve of his shoulder. He was a beautiful man, and she wanted him so much she ached.
He came around again, and Allie watched. If she knew Shank, he was after her shirt. He reached for her, and this time, she caught his wrist with one hand and reached for his pants with the other. He danced backward, still keeping the rhythm, but she had his waist. She had started to pull him closer, and he unbuttoned his pants and slipped out of them with a smile.
Allie could feel herself get wet as she watched him dance, his cock now on display. He kept right on stomping, and each movement made it sway. When she caught his eye, she could see the amusement there. He dropped down to the floor in a crouch, his legs wide and his cock framed by his spread thighs. Now his toes stayed on the floor, but he kept time with his heels, rocking forward and inching toward her.
When he got to the edge of the bed, she ran her fingers over his chest. He stopped and looked at her. Moving slowly, he captured her hand and brought it up to kiss the inside of her wrist.
“Let me take care of you, this time,” Shank asked.
Allie leaned in and brushed her lips across his.
Shank slipped his hands under her shirt again, pushing the bottom up, and Allie raised her arms to allow him to strip it off. As soon as he tossed the shirt to the side, he swept his fingers across her hard nipple. It was such a simple touch. Yet electricity ran through her body. She arched her back as a small moan escaped. He leaned forward and sucked on the nipple, and Allie started panting. She wanted to grab his hair so badly she could taste the need, but she kept her hands on his shoulders. Eventually he pulled back and blew across the damp nipple.
“Fuck,” Allie cursed, her back bowing so hard it hurt, but that was the only way to ease the ache in her body. She needed him.
He lovingly stroked her legs and used his thumbs to hook her panties and slide them off. She wanted to press her fingers to her own clit and come before her whole body caught on fire, but she didn’t. She petted Shank’s braid and then started slowly unwinding the hair. It was cool and silky against her skin, and she tried hard to keep herself focused there and not on the hot need between her legs. She tightened her muscles and rocked slightly, but Shank was still focused on torturing her. He let his warm hands drift up her sides and gently cupped her breasts before moving up to trace the line of her collarbone. Need. Raw need. She moaned as she started pressing her legs together.
