Page 60 of Savage Union

When I closed my eyes for a moment, I saw him looking up at me, the water droplets sparkling like jewels in his long eyelashes and his soft lips wrapped around my aching shaft. Goddess ofthe Four Faces,whydid he have to be so fucking beautiful? Almost as pretty as a girl…

“Captain?” Cass’s soft voice made me open my eyes and I saw that he had changed into his night clothes—which for some reason were frilly and feminine with pink flowers on them. I had never remarked on them before, thinking they were just part of his culture, but now I wished he had something more masculine to put on. He was crossing his arms over his chest and nibbling his lower lip, like he did when he got nervous.

“Come on,” I told him. “Let’s sit on the bed and talk.”

“Okay.” Still looking at me like I might bite him, he settled on the bed beside me, making sure to put plenty of distance between us.

I had the sudden urge to reach for him and pull him close to my side…but I crushed it quickly. We had to maintainsomelevel of decorum, especially considering what had just happened between us.

“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’rereallynot mad at me?”

“No, though I do think we should trynotto 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 wouldbothhave 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’townhim. But the deeply ingrained instincts I had to protect and possess begged to differ. The boyfeltlike 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 absolutelycouldn’tdo 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.

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