was complimenting her, wooing her, and being nothing like Hysterian.
He chuckled. “You’re welcome.” He tilted her chin, forcing her head back up. “I’ll make this good for you. I’ll make you scream my name.”
Scream? She startled. Hysterian had said the same thing. Her nails bit into Raul’s neck. Hysterian said he would have her screaming and more.
“Kiss me,” she demanded. “Kiss me or leave me alone. But do it now—”
Raul’s mouth slammed against hers.
He pulled her close, grabbed her head, and threaded his fingers into her hair. His lips moved on hers. Alexa pushed against him, forcing her lips to move with his. His mouth was so hard, though, that all she could do was let him maul her. Her nails bit harder into his skin.
When his tongue probed her mouth, she opened it, letting him in. He filled her up, licking her everywhere, pushing his tongue against hers. He was a force all his own, one without any finesse.
She may be a virgin, and may not have kissed a man before, but she had seen her share of lovers on the network, and all that being a lover entails from there. This wasn’t a good kiss. She’d had better back in grade school with boys.
Would Hysterian’s kiss be this forceful?
Alexa moaned with annoyance. Raul laughed into her, pressing his advantage, obviously taking her moan the wrong way. His hands dropped down her back and grabbed her ass, tugging her against him.
He jerked his hips, rubbing his hard cock against her. “You have no idea how badly I want you. This will be good, so good between us, baby.”
She wanted to agree but couldn’t.
Raul groped her ass before grabbing the lapel of her suit jacket, tugging it open and down her arms.
“You’ll see, Dear. You’ll never want another man between your legs after me.” He pulled her shirt over her head. His hands, slightly cold, came up and cupped her breasts over her bra. “I knew you had a rack to die for hiding under all these layers.”
Raul squeezed her breasts again, and Alexa let him, waiting for that spark to hit her. The spark that would make her want to tear into his clothes as well.
“Let’s get these tits out to be kissed, shall we? They’ll feel better lavished in kisses.” He tugged down the cups of her bra.
If Hysterian saw us this way, would he care?
Cold air breezed her nipples.
Alexa grabbed Raul’s hands and stopped him. “Wait!”
She was cold as a fish on the dark side of the moon.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Raul asked.
When he cupped the sides of her breasts, pushing them together, Alexa yanked his hands off her. “I can’t. I’m sorry—I can’t.”
His face fell. “Was it something I said?”
Alexa turned away and rubbed her face. She quickly picked her jacket off the floor and covered herself. “No. I’m…” What to tell him? “I’m not ready. Tonight’s been rough, the last few days too.” She needed to let him down gently enough so they could continue working together in peace.
But he’d felt her up, kissed her now. Was that even going to be possible?
Exhaustion overcame her. She’d fucked up, again. What had she been thinking? Sleeping with a man just to get another man out of her head? Even if she let Raul try and wipe Hysterian from her thoughts for a few hours, he’d only return.
He’d taken up residence long ago. Hysterian wasn’t going anywhere until she finished what she started.
Raul cupped her shoulders and pressed his fingers into her muscles. “I can still make it better without sex.” His fingers rolled and rubbed. “It’s been a shitstorm of days. At least have a drink with me in the lounge tonight?”
A drink did sound good.
“I promise it won’t be anything more than a drink,” Raul continued.
Alexa just wanted to be alone. But a drink may fix things…
She faced him. “A drink then.”
He smiled. “Good. It’s a date.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
Raul backed up and adjusted his cock so it wasn’t tenting his pants. “Great! I’ll go finish up work and get everything stabilized before takeoff. You take some time. I’ll pick you up after shift. The room is yours.”
She mustered a smile. “Okay.” Please go now.
Raul swiped his wristcon to unlock their quarters. The door zipped open. “Until this evening, Dear.”
Alexa rushed to the door and locked it behind her, exhaling. She looked down at herself. Topless, with her hair down and a mess around her shoulders.
Your roots are showing.
She grabbed at her hair anyway and stormed to