It's not that I mind danger. It's never bothered me before. But Jade's safety has never been on the line in the past. I've got her to think about now, and I know that if that splice was freed, he'd just try to kill me. What worries me is that he wouldn't try to kill Jade. At least, not right away. And that just wrecks me.
Tonight, I think I'll sleep with my weapon within reach. And when my brothers send back a message, I have to figure out a way to let them know the problem we have on board. Part of me wants to catch up with Straik and dump Crulden the Ruiner onto his nice, pretty ship…but Dopekh and the other clones were good guys. They don't deserve that shit.
A small wooden stick taps on the back of my hand. Jade. "I've lost you again," she teases. "Come back, Adiron."
I swallow the last of my noodles and wipe my face on my sleeve. "Just thinking…and finishing dinner. You did a great job on the noodles."
She arches a brow at my compliment. "Which part did you like best?" she teases. "The part where I added water, or the part where I put them in the bowl?"
I laugh, because she's got a point. Noodles don't require much skill to prepare. "Just take the compliment, love."
Maybe it's because I'm leering at those fantastic breasts of hers that it takes me a moment to realize she's getting to her feet. Jade rises from the table, crosses the distance between us, and then turns my chair so I'm no longer facing the table, but her instead.
"Is it time for dessert?" I ask, making the most tired joke in the entire universe.
She moves onto my lap, lifting one leg and sliding it over my hip before her arms go around my neck and then she straddles me. "I have a better idea," Jade says in a light, soft voice.
"I don't know if 'better' is a thing. My idea was pretty keffing amazing."
Her smile is full of promise. "Oh, trust me. I think you'll like what I've got in mind."
"Does it involve your breasts?" I reach between us to touch her.
She flicks my hand away. "Maybe if you play your cards right. I thought it'd involve my mouth first, though."
Kissing, then? I'm down for kissing. And when she leans forward and lightly presses her mouth to mine, I know I've guessed correctly. Pleased with myself, I kiss her back, loving the warmth of her smaller body against mine, the taste of her on my lips. My beautiful, sexy mate. She nips on my lower lip and then sucks on it, and I groan, my hands sliding to squeeze that plump ass of hers.
"Mmm," Jade purrs. "Your lips taste good."
"All of me does," I joke automatically.
"Do you, now?" She lifts a hand and moves it to my collar. "I wouldn't mind finding out."
I blink, absorbing that. "Oh?"
She nods, a sultry little smile curving those gorgeous lips. "In fact, I thought I might taste all of you. Unless you feel that violates some hygiene law of yours."
Does she mean…my mouth goes dry when she rocks her hips against me, dragging her cunt against my cock, and her hands manually ease the auto-fastener down my chest. Yes, I realize. She absolutely means that.
"Violate away," I murmur. "I'm all yours."
55
ADIRON
Jade is all confidence as she leans in and kisses me again, deliberately brushing her breasts against my chest. She peels back the front of my uniform, then runs her hands up my bared skin. "See, I was thinking about you and me all day today," she whispers. "You were hard at work, and I was thinking dirty, dirty thoughts."
I groan. "I'd love to hear some of those thoughts. Or all of them. Actually, yeah, all of them sounds better. Hit me with it."
She smiles, the look full of promise. "Actually, I thought I might show you what I had in mind."
"I'm equally good with showing and telling." I run my knuckles lightly along the curve of her cheek. "If you want to dirty talk, I'm good with that."
"I think you'll like what I have in mind—"
"I know I will."
Her fingers graze my lips, and Jade gives me an amused look. "Do you ever stop talking?"
"When my mouth is on your cunt, yes. Then I'm licking. Actually, if you want me to shut up, I think that's the new requirement. You have to sit on my face—"
She pinches my lips shut with her fingers. Not hard, just enough to silence me. I bite back a chuckle, because I love this sassy side of her. Confident and playful Jade? Hell, yeah. I give her a goofy grin of approval as she finishes undoing my tunic and then rocks her hips over mine. "I'm going to get up now," she tells me. "You don't get to move, though."