A look of sublime pleasure consumed his features, tempered only by amus.e.m.e.nt and satisfaction. "Then get ready, baby, because you're about to."

"Enough talking." I jerked his head to mine, claiming his lips in a kiss that branded my very bones. My hands were everywhere. All over him. His nipples speared my palms; the muscles of his back jumped under my a.s.sault, and his a.s.s tightened. I bent my knees...and felt the weapons that were strapped to his thighs. Another barrier. I cursed under my breath.

"Take them off," I whispered fiercely. "Hurry."

I'd never seen a man bolt up and discard his weapons so quickly in my life. He watched me while he did it, his gaze so hot it scorched me. My blood flowed through my veins in a rush of need and eagerness as I allowed my own gaze to slide down his body. The long length of his p.e.n.i.s strained thick, so thick, and hard. I bit my bottom lip to keep from panting; I clenched the sheets to keep from reaching for him.

I ached. I felt the moisture pooling between my legs. I wanted him all over me, inside me, stretching me, slamming deep.

Finally, he was completely naked. No weapons on him. The next thing I knew, he was on top of me, between my thighs. Guns and knives bounced around us with the swiftness of his movements. Without a word, he pushed his way inside me.

I gasped at the extreme pleasure of it, at the heady sensuality. He was long and thick and stretched me to the point of pain-pain that soon vanished into pleasure. I'd been with other men, of course. Hadn't I? I suddenly couldn't recall the image of any other man. Only Lucius existed. Only the feel of his hands, his mouth, his c.o.c.k.

"Eden, Eden, Eden." He chanted my name with every inch he sank deeper. Finally, he was in to the hilt. But he didn't move. He remained utterly still. He stared down at me, his hands by my temples. "I didn't use any G.o.dd.a.m.n birth control."

"Humans and aliens can't conceive." At least, to my knowledge it had never been done successfully before. Though that did raise the question of why the government had issued a law against it if it wasn't possible. I didn't voice that little gem, however.

Still he didn't move. Didn't answer.

Desperation sparked to life inside me, strengthening all of my desires. My body screamed for completion. I needed it, would disintegrate without it. I twined my legs around his waist; I gripped his a.s.s and tried to force him to move.

"What are you waiting for?" I growled softly. "Finish this."

One of his rough hands coasted over the sheet, then covered my knee and gently caressed upward. That was the only movement he made. "You're impatient, compet.i.tive, spoiled, and so d.a.m.n hot I think about you all the time."

If he wouldn't move, I sure the h.e.l.l would. I arched my back, rolled my hips. Ah, there. Yes, just like that. I did it again. My eyes closed of their own accord, and I ran my tongue over my lips.

I heard him drag in a tortured breath. He gripped both my hips to still me. "Always determined to go it alone I see."

"f.u.c.k me, Lucius, or I'll f.u.c.k you. Either way, we're both going to come."

Fire exploded in his ice-blue eyes. "Some of us are going to come more than others," he muttered darkly, but he slowly withdrew, then surged forward.

I gasped. "I bet I win."

"I bet you do, too. I liked it when you talked dirty. Do it again."

"Again?" The word emerged as a blissful moan.

"Again." Once more, he withdrew.

"f.u.c.k me."

His lips edged in a wicked grin as he slid forward. "My pleasure." He clamped both of my knees and pushed them apart, wider and wider, sending him so deep inside me that I felt him everywhere. Not one inch of me was untouched by him.

That was all I needed to send me over the edge.

I shattered completely, and a scream of fulfillment burst from my throat. Spasms consumed my body, and I clenched him tightly to me. Luc barked.

"Shh, girl," I said, still flying through the stars.

Lucius chuckled, and the sound emerged strained. "Told you," he said. He stilled again with a muttered curse. "d.a.m.n it. Do you think we'll have to do damage control?" He pulled out of me and rolled one of my nipples through his fingers. A drop of sweat trickled down his temple and onto my cheek.

I expected the pitter-patter of feet, and waited several moments. When I heard nothing, I said, "I think we're good to go." I bit back a blissful moan as Lucius replaced his fingers with his mouth, sucking hard on my nipple. "I'll be careful next time."

He moved his attention upward and licked my collarbone. I closed my eyes for a moment as I savored the silkiness of his tongue. Reaching up, I traced my hands over the ropes of muscles that comprised his stomach. G.o.d, he felt good. Like velvet over iron.

He bit my earlobe, and I gasped. "Want more?" he rumbled menacingly. "Cause I'm dying here."

"More, more, more."

Once more Lucius pounded into me. Yes. Yes! As I met him stroke for stroke, arching into him, I would have sworn a blood oath at that moment that I'd never felt anything so right. My pleasure was already building steadily again, preparing me for another mind-shattering o.r.g.a.s.m.

Surely I had experienced such pleasure with someone else. Surely Lucius did not mean more to me than any other. I tried to close my eyes, to resurrect a face that had given me comparable pleasure.

"Don't you f.u.c.king dare look away," he uttered gutturally, having realized my intent. "Watch me. See me. Knowme. "

I almost experienced my second o.r.g.a.s.m right then because, as he spoke, he stroked in and out of me with determination, slipping and sliding, our bodies slick with sweat and desire. The scent of cinnamon and honey intensified. My knees squeezed his waist.

"Can you handle a harder ride?" he demanded.

"Harder. Rougher."

That was all the encouragement he needed. He rocked into me deep, deeper still, harder still. Rougher still. As he did, he bit down on the sensitive cord in my neck. I came right then. My body shuddered with the force of it, and I silenced another scream that demanded release.

Lucius meshed our lips in a brutal kiss of warring tongues. He continued to hammer into me, riding the waves of my o.r.g.a.s.m. Then his body stiffened, bowed, and spasmed, and I swallowed his roar of satisfaction.

A long while of shallow breathing pa.s.sed. When both of our heartbeats at last calmed, he collapsed on top of me. I didn't mind his weight; I welcomed it. We stayed like we were, weak in the aftermath, every ounce of our bodies sated, afraid to shatter the lethargic spell.

"I told you," he breathed against my ear.

"What?" I barely had the strength to get that one word out.

"That you'd come more than me."

I smiled into his chest. "That means I won."

"Compet.i.tive," he tsked.

We settled into a comfortable silence for several minutes. "Speaking of compet.i.tions," I said, "have you learned anything about solar flares?"

"Not much. You?"

"No." Colin hadn't contacted me, and I hadn't had time to do the research I wanted.

"Guess we'll have to wait to crown the winner, hmm. Iwill beat you." He paused and pushed out a breath. "You're not the spoiled princess I thought you were," he said. "Not at all."

Another admission from him.Two in one day. This one weakened me as much as the other. "I was at one time," I admitted. I traced my finger around his nipple. "Michael spoiled me rotten. Whatever I wanted, he bought me. If he didn't buy it fast enough, I threw a tantrum the likes of which you've never seen."

His breath fanned my cheek as he chuckled. "What about your parents? Do you remember them?"

"Not really." Maybe I should keep my past to myself, but he'd shared with me. And for the first time, I had someone Icould talk to about my parents, people I had loved and still missed. I couldn't with Michael. "I have a vague image of my mother's face, pretty and golden, but that's all. Sometimes, in the quiet of the night, I can still hear her voice singing me to sleep."

"She sounds like a good mom."

"She was. I wish I had a memento of her, something, anything, but the day after she and my dad died, our house was burned to the ground, destroying everything inside. Michael had moved me to a hotel, so I wasn't hurt at least."

"Why did they leave Raka and come here?"

"They wanted something better, I think. To escape the dictator who ruled them. I've always wanted to ask them, but..."

Lucius kissed the top of my head. I realized, then, that this kind of bonding was propelling us into another realm of awareness. A dangerous realm. We both knew the drawbacks of becoming s.e.xually involved with an agent. But emotionally...did we have any clue about the ramifications?

I forced myself to get back to business. Keep it light; keep it casual. "Tell me what you and Parker argued about at the party, after I left."

He rolled off me, then off the bed entirely. Cool air immediately ghosted over me. A muscle ticked in his jaw as he began strapping his weapons onto his bronze chest and thighs.

"Lucius?" As I watched him, I noticed the bite marks and scratches I'd left all over him. I liked it. I liked seeing my brand on him.

"Jonathan wants me to leave you alone for a while," he said, the words rough and raw, "to give you a chance to settle in before I pursue you."

What was wrong with him? "Why does he even care? I highly doubt he's afraid of Claudia's wrath."

His shrugged, the action stiff. "Why else? I told you it might happen. He got a good look at you, and he wanted to f.u.c.k you himself." Lucius ran his tongue over his teeth, his eyes glinting like pressurized steel, but he said nothing more on the subject.

"Will he continue to help you?" Luc appeared at the side of the bed, silently requesting rea.s.surance. I patted the bed and she jumped up beside me, all the while watching Lucius warily. I ruffled her fur, and that seemed to be enough for her because she relaxed.

"I think so," he answered. "Even if it's merely to helphimself to you." Lucius pushed out a long stream of air. "I know I told you before, but it bears mentioning again. You did good today."

"I know. You roared your satisfaction."

"I don't mean the s.e.x, smart-a.s.s."

I snorted and jerked upright. Stiffly I pulled on my ripped tank and shimmed into my panties. "All I did was turn you down. I didn't do a d.a.m.n thing to truly help this case." I tried to keep the bitterness from my tone. "I haven't since the day I started."

He whipped around, leveling me with a hard stare. The fierce scowl he wore had enough power to kill anyone in its path. "Who got Sahara Rose to talk? Who got closer to EenLi than any other agent ever has? Who got us the lead about solar flares? Who got inside Jonathan's room undetected and knew to look for a hidden door?" Before I could respond, he added, "You want so badly to prove yourself that you're forgetting to stop and acknowledge what youhave done."

His intense gaze held me immobile. Only Michael had ever praised me like that. It was astonishing-and wonderful-that Lucius kept doing so.

As if he hadn't just rocked my entire world, he turned away and casually resumed dressing. "I put one of my men in this house," he said. "He'll let me know which parties you're going to attend, so I can make sure I'm there."

I forced my mind on his latest words. "Who is this man?"

"He's now the main driver for Claudia. White hair, violet eyes. Six feet. A human pretending to be an Arcadian. Go to him if you need immediate a.s.sistance. Also, I left a cell unit in your bag. It's programmed to dial my number the moment you open it."

Expelling a breath, I shoved my hair out of my face. "You could have given it to me before I flew here. Why did you come here tonight, Lucius?"

He shrugged, didn't turn to me.

"You risked a lot," I persisted.

"I risked nothing."

"You could have been spotted."

"I wasn't."

"How can you be so sure?"

His motions clipped, he shoved a blade into the scabbard on his thigh. "Because I'm d.a.m.n good at breaking and entering."

"Well, I'm good at getting answers, and you haven't answered me. Why did you come here? Tell me the real reason." I wanted to hear him say it.

"Maybe I wanted to tell you to make sure Claudia Chow brings you to see Jonathan and me tomorrow. I want us all to have a heart-to-heart so you can rebuff me again."

"You didn't have to come here to tell me that."

He bent over and jerked on his boots-I didn't remember him ever removing them-giving me a glimpse of his taut, pant-clad a.s.s. He straightened and paused; his fists clenched. "I wanted to see you. Is that a good enough reason to risk everything?" Without waiting for my answer, he stalked to the bay window and disappeared into the night.

More than enough, my mind foolishly supplied.

The thought made me stiffen. Made me panic. It hinted at deeper feelings, hinted at...caring. No. No, no, no. I dropped my head into my hands and forced myself to breathe. He was an agent and my partner. We'd had s.e.x, but it couldn't be more than that. I wouldn't allow it to be more than that. Too much was at stake.

"Nothing matters but the mission," I whispered, then said with more force, "Nothing matters but the mission."

Chapter.

16.

The next morning my body thrummed with sensual remembrance, mocking my resolve. Sunlight poured past the wispy yellow-and-white curtains as I lay in the bed. For a long while, I soaked up Lucius's lingering scent and let the softness of the sheets caress me. My skin felt oversensitized, my thighs bruised, and I still emitted the telltale fragrance of honey.

"You're an agent, Eden Black. Don't forget again. Last night doesn't matter. Remember?" I'd give myself the reminder a thousand times if necessary.

Agents who become emotionally involved were easily distracted (case in point) and constantly put their missions at risk. Michael didn't have a rule against it because he knew the forbidden often became the obsession. Still, we all knew the reality of agent relationships.

I forced myself from the bed. I took Luc for a walk, fed her, then quickly showered in the dry enzyme spray. I strapped on my a.r.s.enal and dressed in slim black slacks and a white silk top. Steps clipped, I strode to my laptop, which was perched atop the marble vanity in the sitting area of my bedroom.

As I booted up the blue, jelly-like holoscreen, Luc padded to me and I rubbed her head. A message from Colin popped up within seconds, and I nearly jumped up and down in eagerness as the words crystallized. Finally!

"Sorry for the delay. Was out of town. Small solar flares usually have no effect and are basically undetectable," I read. "Large solar flares, however, create auroras. At the right angle, these can reach down and create a geomagnetic storm, which can distort the earth's magnetic field. If that happens, radios, TVs, cell units, airplane communications, basically anything that reacts to magnetism, can be affected. I suppose, in theory, a being or object could be molecularly transported into the belly of another solar flare-ifthey were wearing some sort of magnetic device. To my knowledge, that's never been done. Does this help, or do you need more? Colin. P.S. Let's do dinner soon. I miss you."

A thrill of satisfaction danced through me. I'd been right. My lips curled in a smile. I'd been right! Laughing, I replied, "This helps. Thank you. Can you give me an example of a magnetic device that would work best? Eden. P.S. No dinner. You're a good friend, but an awful boyfriend."