Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 105936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
“Cass, listen,” I said, trying to find the right words. “I’m not exactly sure what’s happening here but I think it might have to do with your Catamite blood again.”
“Oh, do you think so?” He actually looked relieved and his slim shoulders—which had been up around his ears—finally relaxed.
“Yes, I do,” I said firmly. “I’ve heard it said that those from Cata Prime have…needs. Sexual needs. It sounds a lot like what you were describing when you said you were, uh, ‘thirsty for my cream.’”
“Yes, I guess so.” He hung his head, clearly ashamed of himself. “Still can’t believe I acted like that, though.”
“Hey…” I reached out and lifted his chin so that we were eye-to-eye again. “Don’t do that,” I told him. “Don’t be ashamed. You can’t fight your biology.”
“I can’t? I guess not,” he said slowly, answering his own question. He looked at me hopefully. “So you’re really not mad at me?”
“No, though I do think we should try not to do that again,” I said, letting a note of sternness creep into my voice. “It’s not very fucking proper for the Captain of the ship to be having sexual relations with one of his Crewmembers. In fact, it’s explicitly against the Illyrian’s Code of Conduct.”
“It is?” His eyes widened and he looked worried. “I’m so sorry—I just…couldn’t seem to help myself. But I swear I’ll try from now on.”
“That’s good.” I nodded. We would both have to resist temptation, I admitted to myself. Already I was wishing I could be near him again—touching him—feeling his body pressed to mine. And the image of him kneeling before me with his lips ovaled around my cock seemed to have taken up permanent residence in my brain.
Resolutely, I pushed it away and got up.
“I’m going to put on my sleep trousers and take your uniform down to the steam cleaner,” I told him.
“Oh, you don’t have to! I can do that!” he said quickly.
I frowned.
“And let Jerx have another shot at you? I don’t think so.”
One thing our little encounter in the shower had done was increase the feeling of protective possessiveness I had for the boy. The very idea of sending him somewhere he might be in danger made a low growl rise in my throat.
Mine! I thought, which was ridiculous—I didn’t own him. But the deeply ingrained instincts I had to protect and possess begged to differ. The boy felt like he was mine and I wasn’t going to risk him—not for anything.
“You just get comfortable in bed,” I told him. “It won’t take long.”
“But…” He nibbled his lower lip again. “Should we…do you think we should still keep…keep sleeping together? I mean, in the same bed?”
“Where else are we going to sleep?” I asked reasonably. “On the floor of the Ready Room? I don’t think so. Just get in bed. I’ll be back soon.”
“Yes, Captain,” he said softly and, as I gathered up his wet clothes, he crawled into bed and pulled the cover up to his chin.
“Be back soon,” I told him. And Goddess help me, I was already thinking of holding him and maybe even kissing him again…even though I told myself I absolutely couldn’t do any of that.
I shook my head at my own desires. Who could have guessed that I would suddenly become a lover of men? But I wasn’t really—was I? I was just a lover of one man—of Cass—and he was so slight and pretty he could almost be a girl.
The old feeling that I’d seen him before came back to me for a moment and I studied the lines of his back and shoulders outlined by the covers. But no, it was impossible—I had never met him before. I just felt like I knew him because he looked like Jessina.
Thinking of my little bird made me sigh. I wished I could contact Slade and ask if they had ever found her. I hoped she was safe somewhere, with someone who was taking good care of her.
You mean the way you’re taking care of Cass? whispered a little voice in my head.
I did my best to push it aside and ignore it. I wasn’t going to do anything else with the boy, I promised myself—from now on, our relationship would be strictly professional.
No matter how much I might wish it could be otherwise.
36
JESSINA
Iwaited until Turk left to let out a sigh of relief. He wasn’t mad at me! Even though he still thought I was a man, he wasn’t mad!
I never would have thought I’d have anything to thank Jerx for, but the idea he’d planted that I was from Cata Prime was really working to my benefit. I was able to use it to explain away both my appearance and my odd behavior.
Speaking of which, what had gotten into me? I never would have dreamed of doing what I’d done in the shower before. Yet I couldn’t help replaying it in my head, remembering the half-lidded expression on Turk’s face as he looked down at me…how gently he’d stroked my cheek as he thrust into my mouth and then how he’d gotten fiercer, gripping my hair and holding me in place so he could come down my throat…