Page 41 of Stealing Mercury
“They’re close.” He hesitated, rubbing his chin against the crown of her head. “If you can’t sleep, I can pleasure you instead.” He rocked his hips for emphasis and Samantha’s heart sped at the impossible to miss press of his hard cock against her ass. His hand drifted lower on her belly and she grabbed his wrist to try to stop him. His hand didn’t even slow. He stroked downward to slide across her briefs and cup her mound. She groaned and arched into his touch against her better judgment.
“Mercury, no.”
He froze. “Are you injured?”
“No, I’m fine, but—” She struggled for words, then huffed out her exasperation. “Where are my clothes?”
With a sigh, he released her and twisted to reach for her things. The blanket stretched across his hips, but it was easy to see he was still sporting an erection.
He followed her gaze as he pressed her clothes into her hand. He stroked one hand along her leg. “I want to pleasure you again.”
Her stomach did a traitorous flip at his directness. She pulled her shirt on over her under-tank, then flipped her hair free from her collar. Mercury relented, letting her move away. She scooted to the edge of the pallet and tugged on her pants and boots, then twisted her hair into a quick braid while he dug through one of the packs.
Lo and Carn appeared out of the trees as she got to her feet.
Fatigue had smudged dark half-moons below Carn’s eyes and his hands hung limp at his sides as if he no longer had the strength to resist gravity. He lumbered into the camp, exhaustion weighing down every step.
“Stars,” she swore. She strode toward him but stopped short, remembering his distress at her last attempt to touch him. “You need to rest and get some food.” She pointed to the circle of crates where they’d eaten their evening meal. “Sit. I’ll get you a ration bar.”
Carn sat with all the grace of a mining platform trying to dock with an orbital tug. “They show no signs of coming after us.”
Lo frowned. “That’s not like the whip-master.”
“You destroyed their weapons,” Samantha pointed out, “and you re-injured Resler.”
Mercury turned thoughtful. “They might believe they’re better off waiting until help comes.”
“True,” said Carn, propping his arms on his thighs and leaning forward to let his head hang low.
Mercury brushed past her, the casual touch of skin like a secret caress that refocused her attention squarely on him. The whisper of touch reignited all her nerve endings.
She strained to focus. “It will probably be a couple of weeks before anyone makes it to this system and comes down to look for survivors.”
Samantha dug through a crate and handed Carn his meal. He took it, but she thought his wince and the lines etched in his face were less an aversion to her and more... evidence of pain. “Are you okay?”
He nodded unconvincingly, then took a bite from the bar. Samantha sat down on the crate beside him, careful not to touch. “There’s a med-kit in my pack. If you’re hurt, please let me help you.”
He stared back at her, head titled to the side as if she were a strange bug who’d crawled into the middle of his dinner. The lines carved into his prominent forehead were deeper than she remembered. The ring of gold around his black eyes, wider than she’d seen. His ears, more rounded than Mercury’s or Lo’s, lay flat back against his head.
She forced a careful smile. “We’re going to be here a while, but wewilleventually get out of here. You need to stay strong.”
His head swung back toward Mercury and his gaze landed heavily.
Mercury frowned. “The low-noise.”
Carn’s head dipped to hang down from his shoulders. “It never stops.”
She’d been right. Pain. “I’ll get a pain blocker—”
Before she could get to her feet, Mercury appeared in front of her. He crouched next to where she sat. His knees brushed hers and his broad shoulders dominated her field of vision.
“No drugs.” His face was tight, leaving no room for discussion.
“Okay.” She touched his thigh, some instinct driving her to reassure him—and nodded through her frown. “Is there something else?”
His face softened. “No,courra. We’re used to pain. He’ll be okay.”
She scowled. “He doesn’t look okay.” Mercury’s thigh muscle hardened under her hand as he slipped one of his knees between hers. A move guaranteed to focus all her attention on him.
