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.”
“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 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