“Shush.” She waved him off. “When I started the orphanage, I could only take in a few kids.” The woman’s smile dimmed for a second, but then it returned full force. “Then Justyn here heard what I was doing, and he started giving me money. I’ve expanded, got more staff, taken in more kids. Not just from Hydrae but from the surrounding planets. And Justyn has a real soft spot for the teenaged boys, and helps me with them whenever he’s on-planet. Without this man, there’d be a lot of kids without anyone to look out for them.” Her gaze shiftedbetween Justyn and Nissa. “Well, I’m going to find my husband. Bye, Nissa. Have a wonderful evening.”
Justyn stood there, grinning at Nissa. “Hey.”
“Hi.” She flowed into his arms. “An orphanage, huh?”
“I do what I can to help.”
“You give all the money you make from smuggling to Arlessa and her kids.”
He leaned down and nipped her ear lobe. “Of course not.”
“Right, just most of it.” Would she ever discover all the facets of Justyn Phoenix?
“Like you said, I’m not a saint—” he nipped at her again “—and I’ve never been arrested for smuggling.”
The music changed, the cheerful beat giving way to something slower, with a heavy drum beat. Like a primal heartbeat.
Nissa looked over his shoulder and saw Arlessa sitting with a tall Hydraen man, her head resting on his shoulder. “I like Arlessa.”
“She’s a good friend.” He nuzzled Nissa’s neck, mouth hot against her skin. “But I don’t want to talk about anyone else now.”
She arched into those clever lips. “Okay.”
“Just you and me now, Nissa.”
Finally. As they moved to the beat, their bodies plastered against each other, she felt something click inside her. Like some missing piece had finally been found.
The music, that addictive beat, drummed deeper inside her. It fired her blood, pounding alongside the need she already felt for the man pressed against her.
“This is a Hydraen mating song.” Justyn wedged a thigh between hers and she barely swallowed a moan. His hands stroked over her bare back. “I love this top.” His hands dipped lower, cupping her buttocks.
Goddess, they must be putting on quite a show for the crowd, but she didn’t care. All that filled her mind was Justyn and the desire making her damp and needy.
His mouth traveled up her neck, nipped at her ear. “I have to be inside you. Now. We’ve waited long enough.” He dragged her off the dance floor and into the darkness.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Where are we going?” The shadows wrapped around them as Justyn pulled her down a narrow path through the trees. Desire was a hot, insistent thump under her skin.
“I have a cottage down here by the lake.”
She spotted a white-washed, domed building close by.
He paused a second to tug at the strings on her top. “This scrap has been driving me fucking crazy since I saw it.” Another tug and the halter top dropped to her waist.
As the cool night air brushed over her already hard nipples, the vague thought of being embarrassed flitted through Nissa’s head. Anyone could walk by and see them. But the hunger burning in Justyn’s steel-gray eyes obliterated it.
“Are you cold or turned on?” he asked.
“Do you really need to ask?” She grabbed his T-shirt, bunching it in her hands and yanking it up. He helped her pull it off. They stumbled along the path, tearing at each other’s clothes.
He tweaked one of her nipples and she moaned.
“With that cool blood of yours, I don’t want you getting cold. I’ll have to find a way to keep you warm.” He palmed her breasts.“Fuck. These are so perfect. High and firm.” He lowered his head and sucked one nipple into his mouth.
She moaned, her hands tangling in his hair. His hot lips were so good. Desire raced through her, pooling between her legs and soaking her panties. His cock was pressed against her belly, hard and insistent.
His lips slipped down her neck, teasing, his teeth nipping her flesh, and she dropped her hands. She found the zipper on his cargo pants and worked it down. His long, thick cock sprang into her hands.
