Amorous Overnight Read Free Page B

a lifetime of using your probe?”
    “I am, sir.”
    “Even if she’s involved in the Narthani conspiracy?”
    Still looking him in the eye, Hastion said flatly, “She isn’t, sir.”
    “I hope for her sake that you’re right. Her life on Garathan would be infinitely more difficult if she were knowingly involved with Narthani spies.”
    “Yes, sir.” Hastion gave a deferential nod, his gaze once more respectfully averted.
    Cecine considered him for another moment. He hadn’t intended to inflict the unfortunate female on an ancillary mate, but the idea held merit. If he had thought to take a second, he would probably have named Milnon out of hand, but Hastion might be a better choice. He was a warrior, after all, and he clearly wasn’t the fool he made himself out to be. His reasoning was sound, he had the courage of his convictions and his boldness recommended him. Perhaps protecting the little Terran and her young was the impetus he needed to elevate himself as a warrior.
    “All right, Ensign,” he said, “if Ms. Bonham does indeed deliver aboard ship, I’ll take your request into consideration.”
    Hastion released a quiet breath. “Yes, sir. Thank you for allowing me to speak.”
    “And Ensign…”
    “Yes, sir?”
    “No more sexual demonstrations.”
    A wave of red washed over the ensign’s face. “Understood, sir.”
     
     
    Portia had yet to make an appearance when Cecine walked out of his bathing chamber, toweling his wet flanks. “Empran, where is Portia Mitchell?”
    “Ms. Mitchell is in her bathing chamber.”
    He scowled, leaning over to swipe up the water still creating trails in his leg hair. “Tell her she has one minute to get here,” he said, knowing she’d take at least five.
    “Affirmative.”
    She took eight.
    “I believe I said ‘with all due haste,’” he growled when she emerged from a flare bubble just inside the door of his bedchamber. Yanking her against his naked body, he stripped off her pale-yellow silk robe and dropped it carelessly to the floor.
    “I’m sorry,” she said in a teasing tone as her hands somehow pushed at his chest and pulled him closer at the same time. “Did I keep you waiting?”
    “You know damn well you did.” Cecine seized her plump buttocks and drew her up until he could reach her breasts with his mouth. He devoured one soft, pale mound, sucking the nipple deep and tonguing it firmly against his palate until she gasped, squirming in his hold. Then he slid his lips across her sternum to her other breast and latched on, inhaling the delicious scent of newly washed flesh.
    “You’ll have to be a little more specific next time, Your Horniness,” she said breathlessly.
    “Ms. Mitchell,” he rumbled against her nipple, “is that any way to address the minister of the high council?”
    “If the boner fits…”
    She squealed when he spun around and let her fall backward onto the bed. Unable to wait another moment, he tugged her hips to the edge of the mattress and dropped to his knees on the blue biologic pad, burying his face in the tangle of blonde hair between her legs. His cock surged to aching attention as he breathed in her hot, spiced fragrance and ran his palms up and down her silken thighs. Peserin, but she was addictive.
    Opening his mouth, he gave the glistening split of her sex the same treatment he’d given her breasts, feasting on it like a starved male who’d stumbled upon a royal banquet.
    Or like a condemned prisoner consuming his last meal.
    Spurred by the reminder that this might be his final encounter with her, he redoubled his efforts, spreading open the deep-pink folds with his thumbs to expose more of her secrets to his tongue. Her clitoris, vulnerable now in its prominence, was a source of endless fascination for him—he’d never even seen, much less tasted, his mate’s clitoris, which had been buried deep in her narrow nook and accessible only by his mating spur.
    Thrusting away all thoughts of Antani, he