* Extracted from anthology Jingle My Bell *

CLEOPATRA�S LEGACY

Rae Monet

Dedication

To my Yahoo group and my own Rick Masters

Chapter One

�Dragon Twenty, requesting clearance for landing.�

Jordan Fare opened her visual portal as she approached the station. Ships of all shapes and sizes greeted her; it was a montage of confusion. Oh man, could I have hit a busier spaceport?

�Stand by, Dragon Twenty, you are not cleared. I repeat you are not cleared. Port traffic requires you to circle for a five-quarter click before landing. �

Jordan slammed her fist on t he control panel. �Zephyr, I hate Christmas.�

She should have known better than trying to land on Earth in the height of the Christmas season. The planet was famous for the best thrift bargains and the spaceport was jam-packed with holiday shoppers. But she wasn�t here to shop for Christmas, she was here to claim a relic from history, one that would pay for the release of thousands of slaves, maybe more and finish the upgrades to her ship so she could hold more passengers. Hers was purely a mission of greed. Or at least she kept telling herself that. Never mind the whole �freeing the slaves� part.

The jeweled dagger of Cleopatra. Given to her by Marc Anthony on the eve of their first anniversary as lovers. The hilt of the dagger was said to be encrusted with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. And the piece de resistance, right in the center of those precious stones was an opal, small, about the size of a kable coin that could, of all things, show the holder of that little dagger the future. She rubbed her hands together in glee. She couldn�t wait.

The artifact would bring over twenty million rubles on the black market and she needed that money. All she had to do was find the dagger at the site she had researched, and it was all hers.

She had been studying the legend of Cleopatra for over a year, when she stumbled upon a clue, a huge clue. The journal of a treasure hunter named Rex St. James and the possible location for that treasure: Earth, Egypt to be specific and the Temple of Osiris. Only problem was, the stupid Temple was a museum now, but she had a plan, a way to get to where she needed and lift that little baby.

�Dragon Twenty, acknowledge our instructions.�

Jordan growled. �Acknowledged.�

She was impatient, she wanted to claim her treasure, because that�s what space pirates and thieves do, they steal.

She hit the auto pilot button and set her short-range scanner and security sweep, then unstrapped from the Captain�s chair. If she had to wait so damned long to land, she had some basic repairs to do.

Rick Masters had her now. He�d been trailing Jordan for over three months, wondering what she was up to. It was always fruitful to keep tabs on her. Although, he wasn�t sure he could ever really turn her over to the Intergalactic Police. In his position as an undercover enforcer he usually pulled in good Intergalactic smuggling cases, but he

was following Jordan Fare for purely personal reasons. He met her in the seediest bar on Eikes to exchange illegal cargo data, and a month later he made her his in the most expensive penthouse suite on Reim.

God that night had been incredible, until, when he was sleeping, she discovered his undercover chip, and ran. He never thought anyone would notice the small biochip implanted behind his ear. Leave it to her to spot the damned thing. He�d been chasing her ever since, and it was time to stop pursuing and start catching. Positioning his ship besides hers, he prepared to beam aboard. He was able to bypass her security system with his universal enforcer code. He smiled as he programmed in his destination coordinates. She was in for a surprise.

Chapter Two

Jordan hit the metal hydroponic pipe with a resounding �clunk�.

�Damn it.�

The thing wasn�t budging. She repositioned her body under the wrench and set all her weight into breaking the clamp seal. She needed to fix that crack just inside the pipe.

�Need some help with that?�

Jordan screamed, sat up, and promptly hit her head on the top of the hydro tube.

�Ouch.� She fingered her forehead as she reached for her gun, coming up empty when she realized she had removed all her tactical gear to crawl into the tube.

�Looking for this?� Her laser gun dangled from his fingers, in two pieces. He had dismantled the thing.

�Rick.� She spat out his name like a swear word.

�Hey, baby.� He leaned forward, clamped onto her ankles and pulled her out of the tube. She landed with her back against the wall, her feet anchored to the ground. He tossed her gun aside and caged her in with his arms. She glanced up at his face. She would never forget it. Light blond hair was tied in a ponytail, falling down his back. His green eyes flared with interest and another emotion she could easily identify; anger. His arms were bare, veined and muscled as he locked her to the wall. She remembered running her fingers over those hard muscles, exploring every inch of his skin, taking his cock deep into her mouth and worshipping it.

He was the most beautiful man�soft in some places, hard in others.

He�d caught her off guard from the first moment she had seen him on Eikes. He gave her the most predictable pick up line. What�s a beautiful woman like you, doing on a crappy planet like this? She had taken one look at him, his sexy leather armor leaving bulging, tattooed arms visible, his ice green eyes, the face of a god, and made a decision; she wanted him, and any way she could have him. Laughing, she had made a place next to her at the bar. That was when it started, the heat of attraction, the fire of want. She discovered he was her smuggling contact. On that trip, she was trying to gather data on stealing a high-capacity fuel cell and Rick gave her the data. It had been a worthwhile theft. She had sold that fuel for three times what it was worth and freed over three hundred slaves.

They didn�t actually act on their attraction until Reim, after a month of meetings, the closest thing to dating a man she had ever had. Wow, what a night that had been. He was supposed to find a contact for an Intergalactic transaction to purchase some slaves, and instead had seduced her into the most memorable night of her life, full of lots of naked skin and even hotter sex. Just looking at him now was making her cream. Discovering the enforcer chip behind his ear really ruined a beautiful night. She couldn�t afford to be taken into custody.

�I�m not going to jail.�

�I�m not here to take you to jail.� He leaned closer, his scent wafted over her. God, she loved his smell, manly, spicy, unique to only him.

�Why are you here, then?� She brought up her hands and placed them on his chest to keep him from getting any closer. She could feel the pounding of his heart. He wasn�t

totally oblivious to her.

�You shouldn�t have run out on me. You should have let me explain, given me a chance.�

�Rick, you�re an enforcer, you work for the Intergalactic Police. What�s to explain? You were running a sting operation, that much was clear, and I have my doubts you were on vacation. You were supplying me with illegal information. By the time we met in Reim, you would have had a pretty good Intergalactic smuggling case against me. What did you expect me to do? I can�t go to jail.� Her voice trailed off as he ran his finger along her jaw.

�I do have a good case against you. Solid, without question. But I don�t want to take you to jail.� He pushed against her hands and leaned in, his mouth just a hair�s breadth away from hers. Oh, oh man did she want to kiss him. She craved him so bad. He had been the only light in a lengthy list of dark deeds, a long night of pure passion she could easily repeat, over and over.

�I want to take you, all right, anyway I can get you.� He quickly spun her around, forced her against the wall, and raised her arms. He kicked her legs apart and laid his hands on her formfitting spacesuit.

�Before I take you anywhere, I need to do a thorough body search,� he whispered against her ear as his fingers began traveling.

It was strangely arousing, having him take control of her. He pressed his body against hers, blocking her in so she couldn�t move, his arms bracketing her against the wall. She could feel his erection against the small of her back. He wasn�t the only one on fire.

�That wasn�t a nice thing to do to me, just up and leave.�

�I�m not nice. So how�d you locate me?�

She could only see him out of the corner of her eye. He was intent on his purpose, but a small line of perspiration blanketed his forehead.

�I placed a tracker on your ship on Eikes. Didn�t expect me to lose you did you, babe?�

She shook her head. He betrayed her and she was having a hard time drumming up anger about it. If she had to get caught, at least it was by him. He seemed fair.

�So you always intended to take me in, from the beginning?�

�This isn�t about me or my job; this is about you leaving without telling me, Jordan.� In his anger, he nearly flattened her against the wall with his body. She knew him; she was familiar with every bone in his body. He was an enforcer, and he would never harm her. She counted on it.

�It is for me, Rick.�

�Why do you have to do that, make this about something other than the two of us?� He struck the wall next to her head. She flinched. �Give me a chance.� Her gut clenched in fear. She couldn�t deny him.

�Why, so you can explain, then cart me off to jail?�

He unzipped her uniform and pushed his hand into it, the coolness of his palms warmed from her body heat. Running his hands up her stomach, he crowded in on her, bending to lean his head beside hers. She loved the scent of him. She would remember it long after he was gone from her life. He moved as if he hadn�t heard her.

�Do you have any idea how angry I was, waking up without you beside me? Do you

even care?� His voice broke; the tenseness in his tone made her wince. She did care. That was the problem�she cared too much. She felt defeated, like his words stabbed her in the heart.

�I care, Rick.�

�Are you sure?� He asked as his hands traveled, cupping her breasts and gently tweaking her nipples. She sucked in a breath. She was getting hot, so hot. She was wet in excitement. Slowly, Rick dipped his knees and thrust his hard cock against her, she moaned, sighed and dropped her head in shame at her own reaction.

�I�m sure.�

�Want me to show you, babe, how good it is between us? Again?� His hands moved. He peeled her suit down her body. His hand dipped into her heat, his fingers separating, massaging her clit. She arched against him, the weight of his body against hers preventing her from moving away. God, he was so big, he surrounded her with his body, his essence. She was lost in him, in the moment; it felt so damned good, he was so good.

�Yessss,� she cried out to no one in particular. As his fingers delved into her wet channel, she rode them and moaned in pleasure. His other hand left her, she could feel him fumbling behind her, then he was there, his shaft replacing his finger, easing in from behind. He leaned forward and thrust.

�Ahhhh, � Jordan moaned, so full, so wonderful, so right.

�See,� he said as he moved, again and again his hips slid forward. She could feel him, every hard inch of him, push in and out of her. The danger he posed made her climb higher than she ever had. She was going over, fast. He must have felt it; he moved quickly, hard, grabbing her hips to steady her.

�Jordan,� he groaned. She recognized his tone of voice. He was close.

�So good,� he said, his hands tightening on her hips to the point of pain.

�God,� her head fell back onto his shoulder. She was panting, her heart racing, need clawing at her. With him it had been this way from the beginning, a want so hard it hurt, an excitement so thick it nearly stopped her dead every time he was inside her, with her. Two more quick thrusts, and their cries mingled. She went with him, climaxing hard.

He buried his head in her shoulder, panting against her neck. Sometimes she was so tired of the fight, of playing the outlaw for her people, but she didn�t have a choice. She didn�t want to push him away, and she didn�t want to see him hurt.

�Don�t make me take you in, Jordan. Talk to me, tell me what�s going on. � He was pleading now, his earlier threat gone. He turned her, took her into his arms and cradled her close, his hands soothing her hair. She tried not to let his affectionate words get to her, but they did. She wasn�t going to cry, then felt the wetness on her cheek. He pulled back and framed her face with his hands. �Babe,� he said as he wiped the tears away with his thumbs.

Could she afford to trust him? She desperately wanted to. He kicked his shoes and pants away and lifted her into his arms.

�Your quarters?�

�Around the corridor to the right.�

He moved like a panther, all sinew and muscles, a relaxed, powerful gait that was so arousing. He was tall, nearly two heads over her�she liked that about him. He made her feel feminine. She loved to watch him. His hair had come loose and it fell into his face. She smoothed it back. His light green eyes made contact with hers.

�I missed you,� she said as she ran her hand behind his head and released his hair. She combed her fingers through it; it was so soft, so different from the hard planes of his body. His expression widened, his brows rising in question.

�Really?� He smiled. He had the most gorgeous smile, softening the serious lines of his face.

She sighed and rubbed her thumb along his bottom lip. �Yes, really.�

�Despite my job, despite what I represent, you missed me?� He grinned like a cat who had eaten all the cream. She shook her head.

�Yes, wise guy, I missed you. �

�Well hold on, babe, I�m about to give you a Christmas present you won�t forget.�

He paused at her door.

�Open� The door glided open on her voice recognition. He carried her into her quarters and laid her on her bed. She had purchased a large, comfortable bed from the planet Nigel. She never expected to share it, but now she was glad she paid the extra rubles for the biggest size.

�Nice bed.�

�Thanks.�

He removed her boots and finished peeling off her flight suit; he spread her legs wide, leaving her naked and totally open to him.

�Don�t move,� he ordered as he quickly divested himself of his remaining clothing, his leather vest, and sleek, sleeveless shirt underneath it. She smiled and rose to her elbows to watch him.

This should be an interesting show.

Chapter Three

Rick finished undressing. Jordan watching him like he was dinner didn�t help. He was hard and ready again, ready to take her.

�Thank you for not moving.� He threw the last of his clothes in the corner and crawled up her body. He closed his mouth over her nipple, laved, and licked. Her breath caught and her hands buried in his hair as she clutched his head to her breast.

�Oh God.� She bowed into his body. He enjoyed her clear pleasure. Taking his time, he gave equal attention to each breast until she panted his name.

He lifted his head and took in the entire package. God, she was something, long auburn hair curled wildly around her incredible face, alabaster skin, the dark beauty mark above her right lip contrasting with the white. Her light blue eyes completed the striking package. Her body was luscious, curved in all the right places, breasts large and full, nipples peaked in arousal, hips curvy and smooth. Her pink lips were well kissed, wet, and trembling. He saw the glow of desire in her half- lidded eyes, and his entire body throbbed with need. He had been lost from the first moment he laid eyes on her.

Suddenly, he couldn�t go slowly. His control had eroded with the touch of his lips to her skin. Now all he wanted to do was take.

He went back to tasting, her belly, her hipbone. He had her where he wanted, naked, spread out before him like a feast.

He wanted to taste her.

He lifted her legs over his shoulders and proceeded to do just that. She tasted incredible. He licked, sucked, nibbled, their combined juices arousing beyond belief. Using teeth and tongue, he worked on taking her up to the first level.

She gasped, her head falling back against the bed. He ran his hands under her ass and brought her closer and teased, sampled. He wanted everything she had to give. She was going to come; he could feel her tightening against him, pushing her mound into his mouth.

Good, he wanted her mindless, thinking of nothing but him, his body, his cock buried deep inside her. She cried out and climaxed. He worked her until the last spasm died. Then he released her legs, letting them slide down his arms.

�Do you want me?� He wanted her consent and some acknowledgement he wasn�t the only seducer on this ship, that it wasn�t just him hot with need.

�Yes.� She reached forward and touched him.

His cock dipped in acknowledgement. He gritted his teeth and tried to hold onto his control as she stroked him. She ran her hand up and down, pumping him, making him harder then he�d thought he could get. He overlapped her hands with his and stopped her. She looked at him.

�I think you better stop or this show is going to end, real quick.�

�Real quick would not be good.�

He leaned forward and plunged his hands into her hair. It was like the softest saly fur, so incredible. He tilted her back against the blanket and followed her down. His mouth mated with hers, his kiss almost feral. He was desperate now, desperate to have her.

�Open your legs wide for me.� He ran his hands down her sides and back up to her breasts. Kneading her, arousing her, he slid into her. She sucked in air.

He filled her completely; she was tight, and he was big. He edged into her inch by inch until he was fully seated. Then, he buried his face into her neck, took in her smell, enjoyed the moment in her body. It was heaven. She caressed his ass, and he reveled in her touch.

�So good, Rick.� She sighed out his name. Against his chest, he felt her heart trip in excitement.

�Yes.� He took charge and began moving inside her, his lips nibbling on hers. Such pleasure.

�Rick,� she cried out as she climbed close to her release, her muscles tightening on his cock. He married their palms as they moved together in unison. Their bodies gleamed with sweat; the breath he was holding puffed out and fanned her neck. She leaned forward and licked his throat, tasting him, and he felt his balls draw up in arousal. She clutched at his hands. He stayed with her, until she was so close, a whisper away from her climax, small wordless cries coming out of her mouth.

�Come with me, babe.� His voice was rough with need, yet he held back. He wanted them to come together again.

�Yes.� She bowed against him, her body clenching, her heat milking him. His hips strained toward hers, his back arching him closer. He could feel the veins in his neck pumping in unison with his pounding heart as he emptied himself in one final, hard thrust.

They both collapsed. She released his hands and ran her fingers up his chest, and slid them into his hair. Cupping the back of his neck, she brought his lips to hers. She took them like he wanted to take her, completely. Lifting her head, she panted against his cheek.

�Wow.� She smiled. He adored the cute tilt of her mouth, the dimples in her cheeks.

�Wow, was right. You want thirds?� He hardened inside of her. He couldn�t believe she could arouse him again so quickly, but she did.

She arched an eyebrow. �Thirds?�

With a tilt of his hips he started to stir again, showing her what he meant. She moaned and moved with him. He ground his teeth in need.

�Oh, thirds�� She released the sentence on the tail of a whimper. His heart sped, tapping against his chest. He wanted to dance like this with her all night. She ran her hands down his body and cupped his ass as he plunged into her. He liked having her hands on him. Heck, he loved it.

�Yeah, let�s do thirds�� Sweat dripped down his cheek and onto her collarbone. He grinned as he slid in. Then he flipped around and pulled her on top of him.

She laughed. �That was something.� He grinned and squeezed her ass. �Stick around and I�ll keep showing you something.�

She smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. The feel of her body covering his was nearly his undoing. She was perfect. He reached up and fingered her nipples, taking pleasure in the flare in her eyes. Her skin was a beautifully light color; it made her seem vulnerable. He ran his hand along the softness of her waist.

�Keep showing me, huh?� She rotated her hips. He growled as she raised herself off him, then slid back down. He wasn�t going to last long. The position was so right.

She moaned and closed her eyes when she rotated her hips, and he gasped.

�Ahhh huh.� That was his only response, as she got serious about riding him. He couldn�t think with anything but his cock anymore. She kissed his jaw, his cheek, then latched onto his lips. He groaned into her mouth, her aggressive lovemaking turned him inside out. It didn�t take long for both of them to fall. He thrust his hips off the blanket and they flew.

Jordan draped herself over his body. His thumping heart slowed. He ran his hands up and down her back. He could get used to this, he thought, her body over his, touching her at leisure. It was the strangest feeling. Like he wasn�t in control of his life anymore. He didn�t care about his job right now.

Her breathing evened as she snuggled her chin under his. He shifted her body next to his, then he flipped the blanket over them and cuddled her close. He buried his hand into her wild hair and held her against his chest. She yawned.

�I might end up regretting bedding the enemy.�

He laughed. She swatted his shoulder. He captured her hand and kissed her palm.

�I�m not your enemy.� He kissed her cheek. He could feel her smiling against his face.

�Yeah, whatever you say.� She kissed his jaw, then slid toward his lips. He took what she gave, a long, sleepy kiss. He opened his mouth and offered more. She accepted, her tongue mating with his. His heart kicked back into gear, speeding up. He broke the kiss, panting, and laid his forehead against hers.

�Get some sleep.� He wrapped his arms around her and tangled their legs. He wanted her again�God, this woman made him insatiable. He was content to hold her for a couple of hours.

�Sounds good.�

�Okay, Jordan. �

�Need to talk about this.�

He laughed. She was talking in her sleep now.

�We�ll talk in a couple hours, shut it down for a click. Everything is going to be okay. �

His assurance seemed to calm her. She sank deeper into sleep, her breath puffing in and out against his neck.

�Okay,� was her last remark. He frowned. He had to think of some way to save her.

Chapter Four

�Program notification�Planet Earth landing clearance has been approved.� The mechanical chime of the ship�s computer woke him. Moaning, Rick threw an arm over his eyes.

�Program notification�Planet Earth landing clearance has been approved,� the voice said again.

The groan next to him made him smile.

�Computer voice recognition, Captain Jordan Fare. Notification acknowledged, disengage warning. �

�Acknowledged, Captain Fare, warning disengaged.�

Rick rolled over, pinning Jordan under him. She smiled around a yawn.

�Hey, sexy.�

�Hey, beautiful.�

Taking advantage of her drowsiness, he ran his hand down her leg, anchoring it behind him. He entered her slowly, taking his sweet time with the first initial thrust.

�Ahhh, Rick.� Gasping, she curved into his body.

He loved her responsiveness. The need to have her hadn�t lessened in the three months he chased her. They had an incredibly passionate connection.

Her vaginal walls clenched his erection. His heart kicked up a beat and began racing. His body on fire, he nuzzled her neck as he rode her. He licked the corner of her mouth when she panted.

�Marry me,� he said, driving in.

She rotated her hips against his. �Huh? �

�Marry me.� God, he loved the feel of her. She made him crave everything. From her smell, her skin�so soft and smooth�to those arousing mewing noises she made. She drove him crazy. After she left him, he�d yearned for her every minute of the day.

Her hands clutched his biceps. �Rick,� she cried out.

He pulled out almost all the way, teetering on the edge, waiting for her to join him. Slipping in, he felt as if he was home.

He groaned when she tightened her legs around him.

�Come for me, join me.�

Pushing her hips into him, she changed the angle, taking him deeper. His breath hitched, a tingle starting at the base of his spine and crawling its way up. He slid his hands under her, lifting her into his thrusts, trying to hold back until she reached her peak.

Sweat dripped down his temple.

Kissing her, he tangled his tongue with hers, sliding in and out, mimicking the movements of his hips. She came with a long moan, tightening around him. Only then did he let the fire take him.

�Jordan! � he cried. Panting, he sank into her body one final time.

He sprawled on top of her, his racing heart slowing, his breath deepening. She wrapped her legs around his thighs and her arms around his back, as if wanting to hold him forever.

He lifted his head an inch. �Hello,� he said.

She smiled and rubbed her chin against his cheek. �Hello.�

�Marry me?�

She sighed and slid her hand down his back.

�Stop it,� she said. She didn�t think he was serious.

He rolled them over so she lay on top of him. He ran his hands over her ass, caressing, kneading.

�Come on.� This was the right thing to do.

She caressed his face. �Are you serious?�

He puffed out a breath of annoyance.

�Marrying me will provide you immunity from prosecution.�

She stiffened.

He tucked a hair behind her ear. �It�s the only way. �

She frowned and kissed him. �It�s not the only way, Rick. I can simply run again.�

He buried his hand in her hair and took the kiss deeper, mingling their breaths. When he finally lifted his head, she was panting and he was ready to spend the day in bed.

�Running means we�re separated.�

�I know, � she whispered as she lined her lips with his tongue.

�Separated is not acceptable to me, is it to you? � He furrowed his brow and waited for her response

What was it going to take to make this woman stop running?

Chapter Five

Jordan gave Rick one final kiss then got up out of bed. She slipped on her robe and took a seat in the lounger across from him.

He was so incredible, naked and sprawled out, his body covered with an array of intricate tattoos. Obviously part of his cover. He was all muscle, lean and large, particularly his� Her thoughts trailed off as she watched his cock rise. The man had a greedy hunger for her. She had never made love as many times as she had with Rick or climaxed as much. She thoroughly enjoyed her time with him and didn�t want to be separated, but she had a job to do here.

It was time to talk to him.

She needed a cigarette for this discussion. Grabbing her pack off the table, she lit one of her specially made brands and sucked in a deep, deep breath. The nicotine helped; calmed her. In those first few seconds after that initial drag, she was almost problemless.

�There�s a method to my madness,� she said. He shifted, propping his head on twined hands and stretched out his body. She wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed, take that cock into her mouth and suck him until he lost control, arched up, growled and came.

�Tell me, babe. I might be able to help.�

She rolled her eyes and laid her head against the back of the chair. He was such a do-gooder. Would he really understand why she did the things she did? Screw it.

�I buy slaves.� She took another drag of her cigarette and tried to stop her rapidly beating heart at her admission.

He pulled out of his casual stance and sat up in the bed.

�Excuse me?� He scooted to the end of the bed and plopped his feet on the ground. His legs spread, he leaned forward. She tried not to look at that bobbing cock, so large and ready�she really wanted to have her way with him. He didn�t miss her perusal.

�Jordan, tell me.� As his voice rose, his cock began to shrivel. Damn.

�I buy slaves, Rick, then I free them.� She shrugged as if it didn�t mean anything.

�Why do you do this?� Her manner wasn�t fooling him.

�Because I was a slave as a child a nd I don�t abide by the practice. So I steal, rob, and lie to raise money.� She felt her eyes water with the horrible memories. She was trying to keep it matter of a fact, but it was difficult to talk about her past.

�The marks on your back��

�From a slaver.� She crushed out her cigarette and met his gaze. She hated the pity she saw there.

�Babe��

�I won�t marry you Rick, because I don�t want to involve you in my fight. I�m not going to stop, this is what I do, so you can forget trying to reform me.� She stood and walked away from him.

�Jordan.� The anger in his voice stopped her. He rose and approached her. Wrapping his arms around her, he leaned her back against his chest.

�I would never try to change you. I love you just the way you are.�

She groaned and dropped her head back against his chest. He would have to say that.

It made it really hard to refuse him. But she didn�t want him caught up in what she had to do. This last theft could free so many slaves. She needed to do this.

�You don�t understand.�

�The n make me,� he said as he unknotted the sash of her robe and pushed it off her shoulders until it pooled at her feet.

�Let�s go shower,� she moaned when he leaned forward and sucked on her neck.

�I have the wet shower, with actual water.� She grabbed his hand and led him into the opaque enclosure.

She barely turned on the water before Rick had her back flush against the wall. He knelt between her legs. Steam floated around them and drops of water glistened on his skin. He began loving her.

�Rick.� He sipped from her, taking her up and up again, loving her heat with his mouth and tongue.

�Ahhh! � She climbed. The contrast of his mouth and hands on her body made her shift against the wet wall. �Please.� She was frantic with the need for relief.

He gave it to he r, sucking her clit into his mouth. Arching, she screamed and went over the top.

She still shook with the aftereffects of the orgasm when he got to his feet and turned her against the wetness. With her back to him, he began touching her. His hands were eve rywhere, almost desperate. He kneaded, kissed, then bit her shoulder. She jerked, so aroused she couldn�t think in sentences. He cupped her breasts, tweaking her nipples. She moaned his name. Her body was on fire for him.

�I can�t get enough of you.� His erection pressed into the curve of her back. Strong and proud, he rubbed against her and she couldn�t take it anymore.

�I want you. � She needed him so bad.

Running his hands up her arms, he raised them above her head, positioning her palms onto the wall. He stretched her onto her toes, bent his knees and entered her from behind.

The position took him deep, so deep. She cried out. His lovemaking awakened something sleeping inside her, a passion that consumed her. A passion he reciprocated. She was almost happy she could reduce him to such primitive levels.

�Rick, God!�

�Yessss.� He clutched her hands, moving, slipping in and out. His chest pressed against her back, his heart pounded, his breathing ragged in her ear.

It was so good. Together they were so good.

�Babe, come for me. Come again.� He drew back and slipped in, over and over, the sensation building, her control slipping, near gone. She moaned.

�Yeah, moan for me.� He sucked on her neck, traveled along her shoulder, then, using his tongue, he dipped down and lined her ear. The feeling was incredible, shattering her, and she came, hard.

�Yes!� He pumped in faster and faster then jerked against her. Reaching his own orgasm, he groaned, panting against her neck.

�Damn, that was��

�Fantastic.�

�It�s always fantastic.�

He turned her around and began washing her body. She returned the favor, their

hands tangling as they tried to rinse each other.

She laughed at their battle. But her laughter fled when he picked her up, set her back against the wall and wrapped her legs around his ass.

�Are you always like this?� She was amazed by his stamina; he seemed ready to go again.

�Only with you, � he said, claiming her lips, mating them.

Jordan wrapped her arms around his shoulders and took what he offered.

�The water.�

Reaching over, he shut off the spray.

Smiling, she caressed his shoulders and ran her lips down his jaw to his collarbone. He sucked in a breath when she tongued the area.

�Take me to bed, Rick. I want to worship you, every inch of you. �

He moaned. With her legs wrapped around him, he stepped out of the shower.

Setting her on the bed, he followed her down. She pushed him onto his back and straddled him. Her wet hair fell around her shoulders and onto his stomach.

�I care, Rick, I care too much. I just don�t want you to get hurt.� She kissed his chest, running her tongue around his nipple. He fisted a hand in her hair.

�Don�t worry about me; I can take care of myself.�

Smiling, she kissed the corner of his mouth, rubbing her body against his.

�You�re not thinking straight,� she said against his skin. She licked her way down his chest to his stomach. He tensed against her hands as she trailed her fingers to follow her tongue. His erection was hard and veined against his stomach, standing straight and straining toward her mouth. She slowly ran her tongue down him, then back up.

�God, Jordan.�

�Can you think when I do this?� she asked as she worked around his head, then took him full into her mouth. She sucked, bobbed down and up. God she loved this, loved hearing his moan, his pleasure. She raised her head and watched him, poised to take him into her mouth again.

�I can�t hear you. � His eyes were half- mast with a sexy, slumberous look and she smiled. She ran her tongue over him and watched him stare at her. His eyes flared, his arousal clear as he moved himself against her tongue, following her.

�Huh? � she said as she took him in again for a deep suck.

�You�re right; I�m not thinking straight right now.� He hissed as she pulled him in and out. She placed her hands on him and went to work on his hardness, sucking, licking, her hands pumping while working together with her mouth. He arched into her.

�Jordan, I�m going to come, stop.� At his command she lifted her head, then ignored him and went back to work; she wanted to taste him.

�Ahhhh. � His voice was rough with need.

�Yessss.� She pulled him in and sucked hard. He pushed into her in final release. She took all he had to offer. Licking her lips, she looked at him.

�Thinking better?� she asked. He smiled.

�Yeah. �

�Good.�

�Go to sleep, I�ll wake you after we land.� He nodded and closed his eyes.

She shook her head. She had no intention of taking him with her on this mission.

Chapter Six

Rick woke with a start. When he tried to move, he thought his arm was going to pull out of its socket. He glanced up. His own immobilizer cuff was fastened to the bed at his wrist.

�Jordan! �

He pulled on his arm and winced. Swearing, he fell back against the bed.

Great, just great. He should have known she�d pull this crap. Her admission about being a slave affirmed his own thoughts that he was never going to haul her in.

He wanted to help.

He too had felt the sting of a slaver�s whip. That�s why he had become an enforcer. He wanted to stop the smuggling of people like commodities as much as she obviously did. Unfortunately, he had gotten so wrapped up in her; he hadn�t revealed his own dark past, didn�t like talking about it.

And right now, he knew something she didn�t; he had placed a tracker on more than just her ship. Once he was released, he would know exactly where she had gone.

Reaching with his free hand he touched the chip behind his ear.

�Riker, acknowledge transmission, Captain Masters.�

�Riker acknowledging communication, Captain Masters, please transmit.� The answer of the pre-programmed voice of his ship made him sigh in relief.

�I need you to beam a droid to my current location. And make sure he has an immobilizer release key. Oh, and also bring my tracking device�

�Understood Captain, complying.�

Thank God he had one of the most sophisticated ships in the galaxy. He�d be out of here in no time and in pursuit of one hot woman who wouldn�t stop running.

Jordan gritted her teeth as sweat dripped in her eye. She was dangling right over the entrance to the tomb. All she had to do was � she released her floating cable and dropped straight down, landing in a crouch. The light beams around her didn�t stir; no alarms went off. She had done it. It was late, maybe three a.m., Earth time. The guards only rounded this entrance every seven minutes. She had already cyber-cracked the key codes on the door before she left her ship. Reaching up, she punched the code into the fingerpad.

�M E R Y X M A S�

Leave it up to the idiots at the Museum to have such an easy to crack code. It had taken her password program about sixty seconds to spit it out.

A mechanic hiss followed by the slow sliding of the metal door made her smile.

Yes.

She�d done it.

Entering the tomb, she waited as the door slid closed. Pulling out her light and a piece of paper from her suit, she studied the hand-drawn map from Rex�s journal. According to it, if she went down this hall, left, then left again, she should be at the actual

worshipping area of the temple. That was where she would find the dagger.

Running, she followed Rex�s drawing until she came into a large, open area�it was surely the place. In the middle of the room was a tomb with a carving of a woman, her hands folded around a curved object, arms crossed in front of her. It had the markings of ancient Egypt. It had to be Cleopatra. Unfolding her map again, she searched for the X; he had marked the location of the dagger with an X. Finding it, she followed the tomb around until she found where she thought it might be, then started digging.

It didn�t take long.

Wrapped in what appeared to be an ancient cloth was exactly what she had been praying for; opening the cloth, she sighed in relief.

There it was, just as Rex had described it. Slowly, she lifted the dagger, fingering the stones. It was stunning. She wrapped her hand around the hilt as she fingered the opaled center. Suddenly, a mist swept up and surrounded her. She glanced from left to right in confusion. What in the hell was happening? Then the opal lit up, and the picture of a child strapped to a bed, face down, appeared. The child was crying as he was whipped. She cringed as he screamed. A woman materialized in front of her. Jordan dropped the dagger and her light.

�Hello, Jordan. � The mist swirled around the woman as she spoke.

Jordan replied, her heart tripping in her chest in fear. �Ummm, hello ghost lady. � What the heck was she supposed to say to an apparition?

�Please, look into the dagger.� The woman swept her hand to the ground, the dagger rose on its own and reseated itself in her hand. The opal lit back up, showing her the same child, the same scene.

�Sometimes the dagger can show the past as well as the future.�

Her hands trembling, Jordan stared at the woman.

�I don�t understand.�

The woman made a formal bow then faded. Her voice tapered off. �You will,� was all she said. As soon as she disappeared, alarms rang so loud Jordan released the knife. Immediately, the ground came up and swallowed the dagger. It simply disappeared. She started digging, her fingers nearly bloody with the effort to find the dagger in the hard dirt.

�Jordan.� A voice stopped her.

�Jordan! � Startled, she turned her head to the left. Rick was there, in full enforcer gear, the glint of his gold badge nearly blinding her. She raised her hand to her eyes to ward off the glare.

�Jordan, there�s no time, I have to take you into custody. You have to trust me now. � He rushed forward and jammed her hands behind her back, clamping them together with the same immobilizer she had used on him.

�Ouch. Damn it.� She struggled, the clamps tightening on her wrists. They did exactly what they were designed to do.

�Shut up and stop struggling,� he growled in her ear. Then a dozen local enforcement officers poured into the room, in full riot gear they pointed their blasters straight at her, multiple red laser lights landing on her heart.

�Stand down. Intergalactic Police. She�s in my custody.�

The red lights disappeared; the men nodded and began to file out. Rick grabbed her arm and roughly dragged her after them.

�Your time is up, Jordan Fare, you�re going where all the Intergalactic smugglers I capture end up.�

As they trailed back to the front of the tomb, a couple of the locals snickered. Jordan swore, kicked, and tried to make it generally hard on Rick to take her.

�Your struggles will get you knocked out.�

Why was he being this way? He said he wanted to help her.

�Screw you, � she screamed when they stepped into the museum. She immediately drew a crowd. Rick pushed her onto the ground, his knee in her back, his hand grinding her face into the shiny floor.

�Shit.� She tried to catch her breath.

He leaned very close. �This is for your own good, babe.�

Then she heard the puff of a hydraulic needle, felt an initial sting. Everything went black.

Chapter Seven

Rick cringed when Jordan moaned. Her eyes blinked open, then immediately closed. He set his hand on her forehead. No fever from the drug, she was fine.

�Jordan, can you hear me?�

�Rick?�

�Yeah. � He sat on the edge of her bunk. She laid a hand over her eyes and groaned. She was going to feel like shit for several hours.

�I�m sorry babe, I had to make it look good.�

She raised her hand and bared her teeth. �Where am I?�

When she tried to sit up, he pressed her back down.

�Just lay there for a while. You�re head is going to hurt, bad.�

�Why did you do that?� She placed both thumbs against her temples and pressed.

�I did that because you wouldn�t come peacefully. I did that because I had to show the locals I was legitimately taking you into custody. �

Despite his warnings, she sat up.

�How did you find me?�

�I placed a tracking chip, a very small one, under your skin when we were last together.�

�Great.�

�That chip might have very well saved your ass. Why��

He stood and went over to the med cabinet. Putting together a tamer drink that would soothe her headache. He tried to stamp down his frustration and disappointment.

�Why won�t you trust me?� He handed her the drink. She gulped it down, then sighed and lay back on the bed.

�Damn, I needed that dagger.� She punched her fist onto the sheet.

He picked up her hand. What was it going to take to get her to trust me? He really hated talking about his past.

�Jordan,� he willed her to meet his stare. She opened her eyes and made contact with his.

�I wasn�t going to arrest you; I was just making it look good. I want to help you. Do you understand what I�m trying to say? �

Her expression went wary.

�What do you mean?�

�I mean I want to help your cause. I want to team with you. I want you to marry me and be my partner in everyway. I love you. What do I need to do to prove it to you? �

�You want to help me steal, then free slaves?�

�Well, I�d like to try a few legitimate trades, I have my own business, you know? But yes, if we have to steal, lie and cheat, then yes, I�m with you. �

�Rick, that�s crazy, you�re an enforcer.�

�I�ll give up my job for this, for you. �

She narrowed her eyes and studied him.

�You were a slave, weren�t you?� The amazement in her question had him dropping her hand and walking back to the sink.

�That�s what she was trying to show me. It was you. You were beaten as a child too. You were a slave. That�s why you have all those tattoos.�

He nodded, not wanting to voice the horrors of what he had been through.

�That�s why I became an enforcer, mainly to stop the intergalactic slavery rings.�

�Christ, I�m an idiot.�

He spun around. The blue of her gaze met his. He shook his head and approached her. She sat on the edge of the bed. Moving in, he stood between her legs. She caressed his face. He leaned into her hand.

�I�m sorry, Rick. I�ve been so blind. I should have known.�

�Yeah, you should have.� He smiled. �I should have told you earlier. It�s not something I like to talk about.�

She leaned forward and kissed him, a soft touch of her lips to his cheek. He shivered in response. He wanted her; just the simple touch of her kiss on his cheek nearly drove him crazy. He hardened in response.

�I understand.�

He moved his head and took her mouth. The aggressive meeting of their lips told him how desperate he was. He pulled back.

�Now, will you stop being an idiot and marry me?�

She laughed and nodded.

�I�ll marry you, I�ll partner with you, I�ll even try to go legit so you don�t have to quit your job. For a while anyway. I love you, too.�

He rolled his eyes and lowered her to the bed. Following her, he worked on getting off her spacesuit.

�What more can an enforcer ask for? Merry Christmas, by the way. �

She moaned when he took her breast into his mouth.

�Merry Christmas, Rick.� He lifted his mouth and moved to her lips. He was done talking; it was time to start celebrating.

The End

About the Author:

Rae Monet writes sensual romance novels for Liquid Silver Books. See her site at www.RaeMonet.com