Operation: Marauder

Chapter 18

Rowan couldn't get enough of her. Every inch of her was as soft as the next. He felt like he was bathing in silk. Every time she shuddered, a triumphant spark urged him onwards. He never thought it would be so easy, so satisfying, to please a female.

Because of their thick skin, it took significantly more coaxing to make an Arthonian woman writhe in pure pleasure beneath him, and sometimes it could be more of a chore than a journey of carnal desire. But Zoey? She loved everything he did to her. His body burned to finish quickly, to take what he had been deprived of for so long. Yet he also wanted to savour this, every touch, every taste, every noise she made. He wanted it all.

But then he heard the ramp disengage and he was suddenly reminded his crew was returning. Furious at their bad timing, he stepped in front of the table, blocking their view of her, and growled.

"What is it?" Zoey scampered to her feet, frowning at the scraps of her sweater. "Shit. Stop growling and help me find something to cover up."

He snapped out of his fury and hurried to his room, found a tee shirt, and handed it to her. She managed to slip it over her head in time for the others to meet them in the kitchen.

"Zoey Valery Adams!" Jack pushed through Cas and Knox, face redder than an Oxavian. "I'm going to wring your neck!"

After a glass of Arthonian Delight and finally giving in to his Fever, Rowan wasn't in the right frame of mind for. . . anything really. Especially threats aimed at Zoey. He stepped in front of her and growled a warning to Jack.

Jack stopped in his tracks and looked up at him. It had to be the first time Jack had seen his eyes glow; it didn't happen often, only when an Arthonian felt intense emotion. "Rowan?"

"Shit," Cas muttered from the back.

Jack glanced back at them then to Zoey.  "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Cas assured him, taking a step to Jack's side. "But maybe don't go threatening the only female on this ship while he's in Fever. We're very protective over our females, even more so during this time."

Jack looked past Rowan to Zoey, concerned. "Are you okay, Zoe?"

Her hand slipped up Rowan's back, sending a wave of calm over him. It gave him enough control to step away and remind himself Jack was her brother and would never hurt her. "I'm okay," she told the human. "We're a little buzzed, is all."

Rowan couldn't help overhearing the lust in her voice, still left over from their tryst. It was the sexiest thing he ever heard. All he wanted to do was whirl around and take her into his arms.

Maliki shook his head at them, the first to move, and plucked the bottle of Delight from the precarious edge of the table. "Tsk, tsk. You should know better, Rowan."

The funny thing was, Rowan wasn't sure if he was talking about almost wasting a good bottle or nearly getting caught with Zoey.

Clearing his throat, he reluctantly moved away from her. He wasn't ashamed of his actions--but maybe he could be a little more tactful about it. He turned to the pilot that got him into this mess to begin with. "Mave, let's go have a little chat."

He had wisely been standing quietly in Knox's shadow and now muttered a curse under his breath when he realised his attempt was futile. "What about the pre-flight check? Once the Marauder is up in the air, we can talk."

"I can do it," Zoey volunteered freely. "That's the easiest part."

Rowan fought a smile, pleased she was helping him get his crew back in order--even though he shouldn't have to get them in order to start. Mave was the first, but their time would come soon if this was how they were going to behave with Zoey around.