Page 86

“I love you, too,” she sighed then drifted into blissful oblivion.

Twenty

Under the Table Deal

Aculus

Aculus awoke with a groan. A grin spread across his face recalling the way his evening ended as he rolled and opened his eyes. His smile fell when he found the other side of the bed empty. Last night couldn’t have been just a dream. It felt too real. Then again, he was more inebriated than he’d been in a long time.

“Break me.” He rubbed a hand over his face, his head throbbing too much to think about it.

He glanced around as he pulled on a robe then headed to the replicator and whipped up some juice along with a little something to cut the headache.

“You gonna make some for me, too?” the lyrical voice asked.

He spun and found Nadzia standing deliciously naked in the washroom doorway. He hadn’t been dreaming.

“Of course.” The grin returned to his face.

Quickly he made up some more juice and few other things to feed his ivory beauty. If the night was half as good as he recalled she’d need sustenance to regain her energy.

“Let me help you.” Nadzia grabbed one of the platters.

Unbidden, a wanton growl rumbled in his throat seeing her lush rear sashay toward the table. The creamy squeezable globes bounced, beckoning him.

“Is that so?” She glanced over her shoulder and grinned.

His heart soared, seeing her smile at him, affection dancing in her big green eyes.

Affection. His breath sped up. Did he dare trust the memory of what she’d said?

“So, last night,” he broached the subject as he set things down and sat at the table.

Nadzia draped herself across his lap.

“Yes,” she purred, while running a finger over his chest, his shell melting in its wake.

“My memory is a little hazy.”

“Oh, so you don’t recall this.” She leaned in and kissed him as she wiggled on his lap.

“I remember this part,” he mumbled against her lips, gripped her hips and ground his crotch against her bare ass.

“I can see you do.” She slipped off his lap, knelt on the floor, and stared sweetly up at him. “But you’re asking about the part where I said I love you and am not leaving.”

He tugged in a sharp breath. That was it.I didn’t imagine that part.

“Ivory beauty, I love you, too. Torment, I love you. Anything that makes you happy, it’s yours,” he promised as he cupped her cheeks.

“You tried promising me the world last night, too,” she laughed and squeezed his thigh.

“I mean it, whatever you want, name it. You will never regret this,” he assured her as he stared into her gorgeous eyes, wishing he could relay a fraction of what he felt.

“Handsome, you rescued me and my family, attempted to save my world, and definitely are saving my dad. Through all of the insanity you joked and teased, taking my mind off things. I don’t want anything but you.” She kissed his palm.

He could hardly believe this. Nadzia not only loved him but she loved him for who he was, not his position or prestige. He couldn’t ask for anything more.

“I know I hurt you. Can you forgive me?” Her eyes pleaded with him as she knelt at his feet.