Captain's Choice: A Romance Read online

  Jillian did not want someone to die if she could do something about it and began removing her shoes. She wasn’t doing this to further her career and she wasn’t doing something that grossed her out. She was determined to think of this as purely a clinical act, nothing more. She could do this simple thing and no one need know about it.

  But oddly, she found him attractive in a way. Jillian unzipped and stepped out of her jumpsuit, leaving it on the floor. Then sitting down next to him, naked, she paused taking a deep breath. She knew stimulation and orgasm for him wouldn’t be enough, if the stories were true, contact with another was essential. She didn’t even know if a human female would be what he wanted or needed, and realized in the end she might not be enough.

  Jillian knew well that sex with anyone other than a human was considered taboo, so even if she was okay with this, she was aware that there were few, if any, that would understand the line she was about to cross. But with medical advances, disease was nothing to be concerned about and pregnancy never occurred unless the woman decided she was ready. No one would find out anyway, except Dr. Malloy might have his suspicions, but she trusted his loyalty as an officer.

  She pulled back the sheet. The Antarean had on no clothing and his body, well to be blunt, was gorgeous. His skin a smooth golden color, rock hard abs, muscular thighs, there was a lot to like here. His anatomy looked the same as any human male, so she guessed it would work the same way too.

  Lightly she caressed him and found an immediate reaction. Was it the long absence of sex or did she have the magic touch? Laughing to herself she guessed it was the first one as she continued stroking with both hands. His swift arousal surprised her. “You might just be pretending to be ill big boy, and I mean big, wow.” She straddled his thighs and hesitated just a moment watching his face, wondering how she would explain herself if he woke up in the middle of this. She moved forward and took him inside her.

  It felt - wonderful. Slowly she rose up and down wanting this to last. It had been a very long time for her also. What she thought might be, at best, perfunctory, was exciting and thrilling.

  Jillian leaned forward and took his two massive hands and placed them to her breasts. Erotic, dangerous feelings heightened her pleasure as she tried to imagine how he would use those hands on her, if he’d be rough or a tender lover. Her breath came quicker and she sped up, moving up and down, over and over rapidly. She was afraid she would come before he did and wondered how long do Antarean men last? Experiencing such pleasure made it was hard for her to think straight. When she could no longer hold back she gave in to the shuddering orgasm and felt him explode at the same time. Jillian collapsed on his chest in a sweat and lay there several minutes listening to his heart beat resisting the temptation to say ‘was it good for you?’

  After she caught her breath, Jillian got up, replaced the sheet over him, then took a quick shower and dressed. Funny, her heart felt a longing for this man now, she wanted to curl up and sleep beside him nestled inside his arms. Instead she bent down and meant to kiss his cheek but instead kissed him full on the lips. Then whispered in his ear, “If you can give me such an orgasm asleep imagine what you could do to me awake. Goodbye my friend, sleep well.”

  Walking down the long corridor a smile played about her lips. Too bad alien relationships were frowned upon, she might have just found the perfect man for her, if he lived, of course.

  Doctor Malloy was standing guard at the door as she knew he would be. “Doctor,” she acknowledged in a professional tone. She was not surprised he was unable to meet her gaze and knew he probably wouldn’t be able to for some time, if ever. He was a good doctor and she hated to lose his respect, hopefully once this Antarean was back to his home planet they could put the whole episode behind them

  Despite the doctor’s obvious disapproval, Jillian had no qualms feeling she had done all that she could. Who she didn’t expect to see with his arms crossed and fury blazing from every cell in his body was Damian McCaffrey.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “Did you? Did you do it? Tell me.” He spoke softly, almost a whisper, though his face was hard with anger.

  Jillian turned away and headed for her quarters. She wondered how Damian found out, had he just guessed? “I have nothing to say to you, pilot.” Jillian entered the code to her compartment and the door slid silently open.

  “Well, I have something to say.” Damian pushed his way in.

  “No, you don’t.” Jillian placed her hands on his chest and attempted to push Damian back. “I am your captain, now leave.”

  Damian refused to move. “Just tell me, did you?”

  “I’ll tell you, if you tell me something first.” Jillian stepped back, hands on her hips.

  “Tell you what?”

  “Why do you even care?” He stared back at her looking stunned and speechless, there was a first. “What difference is it to you who I have sex with? I could have sex with every man on this ship if I wanted to or every woman for that matter, what in the hell business is it of yours, McCaffrey?” She stared at him, enraged. He had, as she suspected, no answer. “You harass me and say derogatory and lewd things about me, undermine my command at every opportunity, now you’re in my private chamber and you of all people are going to lecture me on morals?”

  Damian’s face showed a mixture of shock and anger with a touch of hurt thrown in; Jillian didn’t know what to make of it. “Answer my question or get out. Why do you care who I do or don’t sleep with?”

  “Because I’m in love you, damn it.” He crossed the room in two steps and swept her up in his arms and kissed her lips with a familiarity born of a lifetime of longing. His stubble grazed her cheek, warm breath whispered in her ear, “I love you.” He kissed her throat, unzipped her uniform and slipped a hand in to squeeze her breast.

  Jillian felt an immediate heat rise within her and could not hold back her reaction to him. She grabbed onto his jacket, bringing his lips to hers, the two of them melded together passionately kissing.

  Jillian reached down unzipping him as he watched her with wide eyes, then he shrugged out of his jeans quickly. Jillian laughed at his eagerness helping him unbutton his shirt. He whipped off the shirt and jacket at the same time. Jillian unzipped her uniform and stepped out of it. She hesitated then, unsure what to do because Damian stopped, his gaze raking over her body. For a second she feared his old criticizing self would come back but he merely smiled, a very appreciative and sexy smile and embraced her again. Then he lowered her to the floor his kisses meandering down her throat as his hand caressed her breast.

  “I do have a bed.”

  “No time,” he murmured as his lips took the place of one his hands at her breast and his other hand moved down between her legs caressing her there. His fingers sought to stimulate making Jillian arch her back in response. Her hands ran up and down his arms, over to his face and around his back. Damian raised himself above her, she reached down and felt the firmness of him. He became very still as if waiting for something. “Ask me,” he said.

  “Ask you what?”

  “Tell what you want me to do.” He smiled at her wickedly.

  He always had to have the upper hand. Even now. Oh, what the hell, she thought. Smiling she said, “I want you Damian. I want you to make love to me. Please.”

  He shrugged. “You don’t have to beg.”

  She was laughing as she grabbed his ass and pulled him into her. When he entered her she thought she might lose her breath or maybe her mind. Such a glorious feeling as she wrapped her legs around him. A sweet, aching sensation was just too good and with this gorgeous man smiling at her, it was wonderful.

  This was what was missing with the Antarean. Although being with him was a pleasurable experience, it definitely wasn’t the same as being with a man who desired her. Damian’s smile, the twinkle in his eyes, the look of love on his face, all of it heightened her pleasure bringing her quickly up and over the pinnacle.

  Damian collapsed on her and start
ed to roll off. But she held him to stay.

  “I’m too heavy.”

  “No. Don’t go. I like it.”

  “I ain’t goin’ anywhere, sweetheart. Can‘t get rid of me that easily.” Damian rolled onto his back on his back and exhaled, “But you took the wind out of me woman.”

  “Then let’s go to bed.”

  “As long as there’ll be no sleeping.”

  Jillian gave him a sly smile. “Definitely no sleeping.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Eventually though they did fall asleep, if only briefly. In the morning, when she woke, Jillian didn’t mind the lack of sleep or the hand she felt caressing her. She turned to look at Damian, and he said one word to her, “Yes?”

  “Yes,” she murmured.

  Damian, she quickly realized, had awoken ready to go and shifted her to be on top of him. “Told you I like a woman on top.”

  “Yes, you did.” Jillian began moving up and down.

  “By the way you have great tits, Captain.”

  She giggled. “I like your cock, too.”

  Damian gave a bawdy laugh. “Well, that’s direct. There’s a lots of things I like about you.”

  Jillian’s face scrunched up. “Then why were you so mean to me?”

  “You are such a turn on, I’d say things just to stop myself from attacking you right there on the bridge in front of all the crew. But if I knew this was going to happen I‘d have said the hell with it and taken you right there and then. ” Damian stopped moving and held her still; a change came over his face.

  Looking at his serious expression, Jillian’s brow furrowed, “what‘s wrong? “

  “I told you something last night and I never got a response.”

  “Um, can’t this wait a few minutes?” She felt the desire to move, an aching need to bring a completion to their lovemaking.

  “No.” He shook his head, smiling.

  The bastard had her captive. “All right. What did you say last night?”

  “I said I love you. Twice. What do you say to that?”

  “I say … I love you too,” she smiled.

  Damian grabbed her and rolled over to be on top of her. He entered her again and she laughed in delight as he began making love to her with renewed passion bringing her to a scintillatingly crushing orgasm.

  His own climax was as swift and powerful. They lay in an exhausted bundle tangled in the sheets. “She loves me,” Damian whispered bringing a smile to her lips.

  A voice came over the intercom, “Captain you are needed in sickbay. It’s urgent.”

  Jillian pressed a knob above her head and said, “I’ll be right there.” She reluctantly got up, took a quick shower and pulled on a fresh jumpsuit.

  “I’ll come with you,” Damien said rising from the bed.

  “No stay, we both know it’s not good news. I’ve got to handle this on my own. But,” she smiled as she pulled her hair into a ponytail, “don’t go far.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  In the hallway, Jillian paused a moment and tried to prepare herself. She needed to be strong and not give in to emotions. The door to sickbay slid silently open and Jillian took a deep breath. Doctor Malloy’s beaming face met hers and she thought: he’s looking straight at me, that’s good. Then the doctor’s arm swept towards the patient’s bed.

  Jillian stood there stunned. Nothing had prepared her for this. The Antarean was awake. Not only awake, but sitting up. When he caught sight of her, his eyes sparkled in recognition, “There you are,” he said. “I wondered where you were.”

  After several rapid breaths Jillian weakly muttered, “you’re alive.”

  “Oh, is that why you were away from me, were you grieving?”

  Jillian’s face registered confusion, not exactly, she thought.

  The doctor seemed to sneeze or perhaps covering a chuckle. “Yeah, well, he needs to talk to you, Captain,” Doctor Malloy grinned, “he has a real interesting story to tell.”

  Jillian eyed the doctor quizzically and would swear the doctor was trying not to laugh as he exited the sickbay leaving her and the patient alone.

  The Antarean’s smile was bright and genuine as he gestured for her to sit on the bed beside him. He looked - healthy- so much more so than yesterday. And gorgeous sitting up on the side of the bed, those catlike, golden eyes fascinated her.

  “What is your name?” Jillian asked him.

  “Shultae, friends call me Tae, but mere formalities such as names do not separate us, my love.” He reached for her hand, familiar and eager.

  Ut oh, she thought, “I am Captain Jillian Ames. You were found unconscious and we are bringing you to Antares.”

  “I know, the good doctor explained everything, even though he needn’t have.”

  Jillian pulled her hand away. “What exactly did the doctor tell you about me?”

  “Nothing really, but why are you acting so strangely?”

  “Why did you call me ‘my love’? Is that maybe what you call all women on Antares?”

  “Hardly. Antareans mate for life, they have only one partner in a lifetime - and you are mine.”

  Jillian really didn’t know what to say to that.

  Tae leaned in and spoke softly, “are you not the one who made love to me last night? And the same one who kissed me as a tear ran down your cheek and spoke of a love so strong you wished me to be well so we could be together forever?”

  A hand flew to her lips. Okay, those weren’t exactly her words. “How do you know all that? You were unconscious.”

  “All Antareans are aware of what goes on around them at all times. Even though I couldn’t wake because of my head injury, I was aware of everything, how you came and sat with me every day. I could see your worried expression and your urgent wish for me not to die. At first I did not understand why you were so concerned, then last night, what a surprise for me! I never thought as an Antarean my soul mate could be a human, but it is you my love.”

  “Haven’t you had sex with other female Antareans?”

  “No,” he said in a shocked tone. “Antareans only have relations with their one true love. Only one true love per person per lifetime, that’s just the way it is.”

  “But we had heard Antareans need sex to survive.”

  “Oh, well, yes technically, that is correct.”

  “Then how were you surviving without your one true love, err … I mean your mate?”

  “Once fully matured, males have the space of one year to find a mate.”

  “So, you’re like, what - nineteen?” Never mind she had apparently taken his virginity, how close to jailbait was he? Jillian was feeling sicker by the moment.

  He laughed. “I am one hundred years old.”

  “How do you count years?”

  “The same way you do. But time parameters exist differently within Antares, most of its citizens live thousands of years.”

  “With just one mate?”

  “Yes, isn’t it wonderful?” Tae grabbed her hand again.

  “Oh, dandy. I have to go.” Jillian stood up.

  Tae pulled her to sit next to him. “No, we will be together forever. Remember when you placed my hands upon you?” He leaned in. “You knew then I felt it, your desire for me, and your wish for me to wake and be your one true love.”

  He really needed to cut out the one true love bit. Maybe it would have sounded flattering if only last night with Damian hadn’t happened. “So, you have to have sex, but only with your one true love it would work?”

  “Of course, did you think it would work with just anyone?” He could see by her face she did.

  “Things are different with humans. Humans often have several loves in a lifetime.”

  Tae’s face showed his dejection. “Oh, how sad, no one true life mate.”

  “Well, it’s not all that bad.”

  “You have had lovers?” His tone became tremulous.

  “Yes,” Jillian admitted, thinking this will put an end to this nonsense of soul mates
.

  “Oh, well, that is all right,” he said perking up and taking her hand again, “as long as now there is only us two now pledged to each other.”

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can make that commitment.”

  “You have another?”

  She looked down, “yes.”

  Tae lifted her chin, “I do not want you to be sad.” He lightly kissed her lips. “But you must at least give me the chance to fight for your heart, you remember it how it was when we were together, it can be even greater.” He caressed small circles in her palm.

  Even greater for thousands of years? That’s hard to turn down. “Please give me some time to think and please don’t speak of this to anyone.”

  “Of course.”

  Jillian extricated her hand. “Get some rest,” she said.

  “Yes, I will need my strength,” he said with excitement.

  Walking back to her quarters, where she knew Damian lay in her bed waiting for her, Jillian wondered what the hell she was going to do now.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “So, you did sleep with him?” Damian said, hands on his hips looking cross.

  Jillian had returned to her room to find him finishing dressing and felt there was nothing she could do but tell him what had just transpired. “Yes,” she said. She willed herself to keep her hands at her side and not wring them as she was tempted to. On the walk back she had prepared herself for his anger and expected he would no doubt walk out on her without giving her a chance to explain.

  “Your lovemaking is so powerful it brings men back from the brink of death?” Damian’s sarcasm leaked through every syllable.

  “Apparently,” she said weakly.

  “So what’s the problem?”

  “Now it seems he thinks he is my soul mate.”

  “Ouch, tell him there’s someone else.” Damian sat on the bed tying his boots.

  “I did.”

  Damian looked up in surprise, “You did? Did you say you love this other person?”