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“Where did you get that tuxedo you wore last night?”
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“Someone reminded me yesterday that it was Retro-bration here on Rashier 6. I picked that costume up at a shop in town. Just in case.” He smiled with lascivious intent. “You looked stunning last night in the slinky dress you wore. We’ll have to keep that around for some off-duty use.”
She tweaked his nipple again and blood rushed to his groin. “We may get that downtime you wanted a little earlier than I anticipated.”
He shoved a pillow under his head to look into her eyes. “How so?”
“I spoke with my captain last night. He’s going to assign another agent to partner with me on this case. He’ll divide the remaining agents from your field office between us and hopefully, we’ll get done twice as fast.”
“While the news is good to my ears, I want to know how you feel about that.” He brushed his fingertips along the side of her face. “I wouldn’t think you’d like having to share a case you worked so hard on.”
She gave a little shrug that strove to be nonchalant and almost succeeded. “I’m okay with it. Work doesn’t hold the same appeal that it used to. Maybe I’m just a little burnt out.”
Or maybe I’d rather be with you.
Derek kept his face impassive as her thought entered his head as clearly as if she’d spoken it. She was still so new to calling, she didn’t know how to shield herself yet. And he didn’t mind. His heart leapt at the simple declaration and he held her tighter. “So what’s the plan for this evening, baby?”
“Tonight we leave Rashier 6.” She rested her chin on his chest. “How much time did you take off from work? Do you need to go back yet?” Please say no.
As he felt the twinge of sadness that colored her thoughts, he kissed the tip of her nose. She still had doubts about his interest in her. He, however, no longer had any. “I have all the time in the world. It’s only been a couple of days. I can stay with you.”
“A couple of days. Is that all? I feel like I’ve known you forever.”
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“It’s been a week since I first took you to my ship, but we had two years of foreplay before that.”
Most people would consider them to be strangers, but Derek knew Sable from the inside out. They were connected so completely, he could sense her thoughts and emotions.
“Umm, foreplay,” she purred.
“Not that you gave me a chance for any of that this morning.” His hands drifted to the tempting curve of her ass. He pressed her into his growing erection.
“You loved it.” Her mouth curved in a provoking smile. Bet you’d love me to do it again too.
“I’d love for you to do it again.” He bit the lobe of her ear and hid his smile.
She wiggled her hips into position and pushed down onto his thick cock easily, her passage lubricated with her cream and his come. He watched her eyes darken as he filled her. Then her voice came husky and warm.
“Derek, darling, you read my mind.”
* * * * *
Sable hung the last of Derek’s new clothes next to hers in the closet of her quarters on the Starwing. In a way, it was comforting to see his belongings nestled so intimately with hers. In another way, it was like an invasion. He was merging himself into her life so completely, she wondered if it would ever be the same when he left.
Maybe he won’t leave, whispered a little flare of hope. But she squelched the thought.
It wasn’t a good idea to get her hopes up so soon. Everything was still too new.
Sighing, she exited her ship through the cargo door and searched the bustling crowds of passengers for Derek.
“Hello, Sable love.”
She stiffened at the familiar voice and turned. Marius stood just inches away at the 80
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end of the ramp. Wary, she rose up on her tiptoes and glanced over his shoulder, searching for Derek.
“Your toy is still in the concourse,” he assured her.
“What do you want, Marius?” she asked coldly.
He grinned and the light in his emerald eyes chilled her to the bone. “You need to ask yourself what you want—do you want to keep your boyfriend? Or do you care enough for him to let him go?”
Sable felt her stomach tighten into a knot of dread. They’d spent decades together and she knew Marius so well. He wouldn’t be such a successful politician if he didn’t know how to play dirty. “What are you talking about?”
“Your friend.”
“What have you done?”
Marius shrugged, his shoulder-length blond hair drifting around his handsome face. “Nothing. Yet. The choice is yours to make.”
How had she ever imagined that she loved this man? “Let’s not speak in riddles.
Tell me what you want and how much I’ll have to bleed to give it to you.”
He stepped closer, curling his palm around her cheek. “If you want to stay with Atkinson, I can’t stop you, but I can get you drummed off the Force. And I will.”
She offered a grim smile. “Go ahead and try it. I’ve already proven myself to be an excellent agent. You’ll have a hell of a time proving otherwise.”
“I don’t need to prove otherwise. You’re a vamp. Since the popular opinion right now says that a predator shouldn’t be guarding the prey, it won’t take much to get you pensioned.”
Knocking his hand away, she snapped, “Do your worst, then. But stay the hell out of my life afterwards.”
“If you don’t care about yourself, do you care about Atkinson?” His lips hardened into a harsh line. “I think he appreciates his job a little more than you do. Do you have 81
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any idea what he went through to get into the force? The academy was full when he applied and Captain Hoff had already begun his lobbying to keep vamps out. Atkinson slipped in when I got you in.”
“You what?” Her face drained of color.
“Did you really think you got in on your own merit?” he asked softly. “Oh, you did well in the academy and Captain Donnie wanted you
for IAB, but you should’ve gone through years on patrol with a partner and then more at a desk on the Force before moving into Internal Affairs. But I knew how badly you wanted the job and I pulled a couple of strings. You think I don’t care for you, Sable, but I do. I would do anything to see you happy.”
Sable recoiled, her mind in a near daze. How long had Marius been watching her? “If you truly wanted me to be happy, you’d let me have Derek.” She lifted her gaze to meet his. “I love him.”
Marius shook his head. “He’s not for you. Can’t you see that? He won’t stay faithful to you or cherish you like I will. He’s never been a one-woman kind of man and he never will be.”
“Maybe you’re wrong,” she whispered.
“Are you willing to take that chance?” he asked, exploiting her greatest fear—losing Derek. “You’ve seen how much he loves his job,” he pressed. “Atkinson may not care at first if he’s kicked out of the STF, but eventually he’ll resent you. And you’ll lose him anyway. I’m a very powerful man, Sable, and I’ll do whatever is necessary to keep you from being hurt.”
Marius would follow through on his threat, she had no doubt. “What do you want in return for leaving him alone?”
“Break it off with him. Now. And come back to me. I want you back in my house, back in my bed. If you do that, not only will I leave him alone, I’ll help him get promoted.”
She snorted. “I won’t share your bed. You make me sick.”
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“But you’ll come home?” he asked with obvious excitement.
“It’s not home to me anymore, Marius. I’ll have my own room and I want it in writing that you’ll assist Derek with his career. You give me those assurances and I’ll move back in.” He’d lose interest eventually. She’d make sure of it. In the meantime, it wasn’t fair to Derek to drag him into her mistakes. She had to protect him and she would. Whatever the cost.
Marius grinned with triumph. “Of course,” he agreed in the soothing tone of voice one would use with a petulant child. “I don’t want you unwilling. I’ll change your mind, love. You’ll see. You’ll forget about Atkinson and remember how much you love me, how right we are together. You’re mine, Sable, and soon you’ll remember that.
