Star Mate Matched, Margo Collins [the unexpected everything .TXT] 📗

should never wear one of those again.” Cupping my breasts in his hands, he leaned down to kiss first one nipple, then the other. “You are too beautiful to be covered in so many constricting layers.”

All my usual internal denials—my stomach is too big, my thighs wobble too much, I’m too fat—died away. For possibly the first time in my life, I actually believed in my own beauty, because I could feel it through the mate-bond. I could sense Dax’s awe and desire for me.

When I was completely naked, Dax swept me into his arms, one hand under my knees, the other supporting my back, and stepped into the tub. Hot water swirled around me as he set me on a molded seat, and I sank back against the edge in pure enjoyment.

“May I wash you?” Dax asked.

“Am I that dirty?” I teased.

“I like the idea of touching every part of you in this way.” Golden flecks in his deep green eyes began to churn as a heated longing slid through the mate-bond.

“Yes. Please.” My eyes fluttered shut as he dipped his hand into a dish holding a thick, purple liquid and began rubbing it on my legs.

He moved slowly, soaping up every part of me, beginning with my legs, then moving to my arms and hands. When he’d finished there, I pulled the remaining pins out of my updo, letting my hair cascade down around my shoulders.

He made small appreciative noises as he washed my hair, and I suddenly realized he was actually purring. His contentedness flowed through his touch, the mate-bond reflecting our feelings back and forth between us.

By the time he cupped water in his hands to rinse the soapy substance from my hair, I ached to feel him touch me more intimately. He moved around to sit behind me, his muscular legs stretched out to either side of mine.

As if he’d read my mind—or at least the mate-bond—Dax gathered more soap and began rubbing it across my chest, circling my breasts, brushing his thumbs over my nipples.

A tiny moan escaped me.

“You like that, my entandi?” he asked.

“Yes.” The word hissed out of me, and Dax’s hand, slick with soap, slipped down my stomach to my sex.

“What about this?” His breath fanned against my cheek as he whispered in my ear.

“God, yes.”

With one finger, he began caressing my clit. My legs started to squeeze together, and Dax hooked his own legs over them, pulling them apart to give him better access to me. I dropped my head back to lean against his chest, and Dax placed his other hand against my stomach, pulling me tight against him.

His erection pressed against my back, hard and hot and throbbing.

“More,” I whimpered, and he increased the pressure against my clit.

My orgasm began swirling like a pool at the center of my being. Dax moved his hand down farther, slipping a single finger into me, the heel of his hand continuing to press against my clit.

“Come for me, entandi,” Dax breathed into my ear, and as if following his command, the heat centered at my clit spiked and crested, rolling through my body, leaving me shattered in a million pieces—and, at the same time, still resting against Dax, whole and complete.

Chapter Twenty

Dax

“General Galatov, a pleasure to see you again, sir.”

“Good to see you, as well, Commander.” The general gave a perfunctory salute in return. “I understand you and another one of your officers both brought back mates from this newly discovered planet?”

“Yes, sir,” I confirmed as I waved him into the conference room. “At last report, Captain Jalek is very happy with his mate—as I am with mine.” I gestured for Braxen to join us in the room, as well.

“I would like to speak with your officer and his mate. And your mate, as well, if that’s all right with you.”

“Of course, General. Braxen, will you please arrange to have all three brought in?” When Braxen left, I turned to the general. “Before they return, I have some disturbing news, I’m afraid. While I was retrieving my mate, the Karlaxons sabotaged the scout ship I was in by hacking into our computer core.”

The general frowned. “How did that happen?”

“No idea, sir. I have my engineering team working on it now.”

The ruff of fur around his shoulders rippled as his hackles rose, and the blue spots of his fur seemed to grow even darker in his agitation. “Keep me apprised of the situation.”

“I will, sir.” As I finished speaking, the door opened with a hiss and Braxen ushered in Nora, Jalek, and another human woman I assumed was Lucy.

The modified uniform Braxton had tracked down for Nora fit her snugly. The way it clung to her curves made me want to pull her into a kiss and take her back to my quarters—both so I could strip the uniform right back off of her, and so no other males would see her looking quite so delectable.

Beside me, the general sat up straighter, the scent of his interest suddenly drifting through the room. My own protective instincts rose to the surface, and it was all I could do to keep from hissing a warning his direction.

Nora is mine. My inner beast scratched at the surface of my mind, wanting to be let out, wanting to make sure no other male got too close to my mate.

The general glanced at me and grinned. “No worries, Commander. I simply want to talk to the females.”

My beast subsided, and I managed a civil nod to the general. “General Galatov, may I present my…” I started to introduce her as my mate, but we had not completed the mating ceremony, and she had not yet agreed to stay with me, so in the end, I simply ended with, “Nora.”

The general stood and executed a flourishing bow. “It is an honor to meet you, my dear,” he said.

“Nice to meet you, too, General,” Nora replied before moving to stand on the other side of me.

My inner beast approved of her choice