Grady's Awakening

Chapter Eleven

They got underway again, the pod speeding up as Jim tried to wrap his head around what had just happened. He’d lost control. Completely and utterly. He’d taken her like a savage, pushed up on a railing, leaning over certain death.

He should have been more careful with her. He should have at least waited for a safer place to screw her into the wall.

Jim was disgusted with himself.

Gina Hanson had always been a special girl, and he’d treated her worse than a low-rent prostitute. He’d been a barbarian.

Yet she smiled at him.

Every time he turned toward her as he checked over the equipment and settings, she gave him one of those sexy little grins that made his knees weak. She’d been a hellcat while he was fucking her, hotter than he ever would have suspected. She’d blown his mind, and he was already hard again just thinking about it.

Down boy.

The next time, he’d find a safer spot to have her. There was no going back now. Once he’d been inside her, he knew he wasn’t strong enough to resist the delicious temptation of her body anymore. He’d take her as often as she’d let him over the next few days while they traveled north. What would happen after that? He had no idea.

The future worried him, but not enough to deny himself the intense pleasure of making love to Gina Hanson. He’d wanted her for a long time and had even mourned her supposed death. During the upheaval of the cataclysm and after, Jim had dwelled for a long time on all he’d lost. He’d thought about the people he hadn’t been able to protect from something larger than politics, larger than international terrorism, larger than the planet itself. He and all the others who’d dedicated their lives to keeping the rest of the population safe hadn’t stood a chance against the crystal bombardment.

His helplessness in the face of that had caused deep depression. The utter devastation that followed brought grief the likes of which he hoped never to feel again. But it was the thought of all those people special to him that had been lost that had almost tipped him over the edge into insanity.

Jim had spent days—or maybe it had been weeks—thinking about the people who’d died. He’d found a church—one of the few structures still standing in the small mid-western town he’d sheltered in—and prayed for the first time in years for the souls of those killed in the cataclysm.

He’d remembered little Gina Hanson and her family. Sensei Hanson had been a father figure with incredible skill and the ability—the gift—of being able to pass it on. He’d been a teacher of martial arts, but also of life. Jim had learned much from the man both in class and from his example and the way he interacted with his children.

Jim had prayed for all the Hansons. He’d admired the sensei, but he was friends with Paolo, Peter, Bryan and Christopher Hanson, Gina’s brothers.

Now that he knew Gina had survived, there was a chance at least some of the other Hansons had too. The fact that they had psychic abilities in the family increased the likelihood that they’d been able to adapt to the changed world. Gina had gotten word to them to take cover, so more than likely they’d taken steps to protect themselves even before the bombardment started.

But they’d lived on the East Coast. Millions had died up and down every coastline in the world as the oceans stormed ashore. The big coastal cities had been decimated. Jim hoped the Hanson family homestead had been far enough inland to avoid the tsunami damage that had wiped out the cities, but he hadn’t heard anything from further east than Indiana in years. If anyone survived on what was left of the coast, he didn’t know about it.

Of course, human communication was severely limited. Telepathy only worked over short distances for most people. A few stronger telepaths could reach people farther away, but there weren’t many of them. Messengers passing over land the old-fashioned way were hampered by aliens who would chase and capture any humans they saw. So movement on the surface was limited and covert. No Pony Express could get messages from one place to another like in the Old West. No, nowadays, messages had to pass clandestinely and as slow as molasses while messengers avoided patrols and hid out as best they could.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Gina ventured, gazing at him from under her lashes. She was truly the most innocently sexy woman he’d ever known.

“They’re probably not worth even that much.” He put the controls on automatic now that they were coasting at speed and turned to face her. Leaning forward, he touched her face, unable to help himself. The feel of her skin under his hands was addictive.

Her smile lit his insides, firing up a reawakened libido that didn’t need the extra pressure. He shifted in his seat as he drew back.

“Did you notice the seats swivel?” A devilish gleam had entered her eyes.

She reached forward, sliding her hand under his legs to a small lever he hadn’t noticed before. A second later his chair turned to face hers, his legs sliding along the slick, molded plastic surface to keep pace with it. The result was him facing her, his legs spread and her hand still dangerously close. He sat up a little straighter when her palm shifted to his thigh, creeping slowly upward.

“Now how could I have missed that?” His voice got noticeably deeper as her hand settled over his cock through the fabric of his pants.

“It’s okay. I checked everything out while you were making your farewells. These seats also recline. And the ones in back fit together into a nice-sized bed of sorts. Maybe we can make use of that…later.”

“Nothing would please me more,” he agreed, licking his lips when her other hand went to the buttons at his waist. She undid the closure and his cock sprang out. “Yeah, baby. That feels good.”

She slid to her knees in the small space between the two front seats, her luscious mouth coming closer to where he most wanted it.

“I bet I can make it feel even better.”

“I know you can, vixen.” He winked at her when she smiled coyly up at him. All the while, her little fingers stroked over his hardened flesh, applying just the right pressure, but he wanted more. He wanted it all. “Put it in your mouth, baby. Let me watch you lick it.”

“Ah, I see it’s my turn to grant your wish…master.”

She did a fair imitation of the genie on that old TV show, he thought. She was every bit as sexy and even more desirable, and most importantly, she was here—the woman he’d dreamed of for years whom he thought at first unattainable and later, lost forever. She was here, taking him in her enveloping mouth, licking him for all she was worth, her gaze meeting his with genuine warmth and the sexiest expression he’d ever seen.

She moved right up onto him, her head nestled in the bend of his lap, her mouth opening wide as she took him right to the back of her throat. She gagged a little and he immediately eased back, but her hands on his hips urged him forward once more as she got the hang of how much she could take. She wasn’t used to this kind of thing. That much was clear.

The idea that he was getting something she didn’t normally give made him feel special. He didn’t know what he was to her, but at the moment he didn’t really care. All he could focus on was the feel of his cock sliding against her tongue, the feel of suction around the head while her delicate fingers played with his balls. He’d never seen anything even remotely as enticing as watching gorgeous Gina Hanson sucking his dick.

He wanted to see more of it in the future. And he wanted inside of her.

But he was too close to losing it, and when she touched him just…so…

He came in a rush, pleased when she swallowed, licking her lips like the siren she was.

She pet him until he could breathe somewhat normally again and then sat back in her chair, still facing him, smiling like a cat who’d just dined on the canary. He felt like he should go down on his knees and thank her for the incredible orgasm, but the sultry look on her face distracted him.

“How long did Wally say we had on this section of rail?”

“About six hours, give or take. It’s clear sailing to the end of this section, then we have to slow down and watch our path for obstructions.”

“Hmm.” She glanced back at the two seats they’d stowed in the rear of the small pod. “Don’t you think we should take advantage of the clear road while we can?”

“Damn, baby.” Jim shook his head. “Come to think of it, I do owe you one and this is probably the last stretch of safe road we’ll have on this trip.” Her grin widened as he stood in the gently swaying vehicle. “You want to show me how to put these seats together into a bed?”

“Oh, yeah.” She practically purred as she stood and moved toward the stowed seats.

He intercepted her with an arm around her waist, pulling her into him for a long, hard kiss. The way she melted in his arms was gratifying to say the least. When he let her up for air, they were both breathing hard and his dick was starting to revive. The way she gazed up at him helped the process along considerably.

“Gina, I have to thank you.” He wanted to get the words out, no matter how stupid they sounded. “You’re a giving, generous woman and I count myself a lucky man to have this time with you.”

He was glad he’d spoken when her smile widened and her eyes filled with wonder.

“I feel the same about you, Jim. It’s like recapturing a tiny part of my past to be with you. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

He shouldn’t have been surprised to know they were on the same wavelength, but it still touched something deep inside himself he’d thought long dead. He cared about all the people under his protection, but Gina Hanson was burrowing even deeper into his soul, coming dangerously close to his heart. He’d have to guard against it, but he knew it would be all too easy to fall deeply, madly, hopelessly in love with this woman.

Hell, she’d already owned a little piece of his heart when she was a girl. Now that she was a woman, and in his bed, all bets were well and truly off. He would have to tread lightly and keep reminding himself this was only temporary. As soon as their journey together was over, so would their affair. He had a duty to his people. She had a duty to her adopted tribe of aliens. Even if Ronin was on the level, Jim doubted Gina would choose to give up her work for the aliens to come live with Jim and his group, and they needed him too much for Jim to leave. They’d turned to him for leadership, and he’d made too many promises to leave them in the lurch. Likely, Gina had too.

He didn’t have to like it. That was the way it just had to be. Unless something changed drastically, they’d be parting sooner rather than later.

Pushing the gloomy thoughts aside, he went to help her set up the bed where he planned to spend the next few hours learning every inch of her body. If this was the only time they’d really have together, he was just scoundrel enough to take full advantage. He had to make memories enough to last well into the future.

Their sexual marathon was interrupted only by short bouts of sleep. By the time the pod decelerated to a stop at the second platform, they’d fucked each other nearly into oblivion. They worked together to move the pod onto the new set of tracks, then put the inside of the pod to rights, airing it out and cleaning it up as best they could.

They decided to leave the bed in place. The journey would be much slower now and they weren’t even halfway there. One would keep watch while the other slept, so they could keep rolling and make the most of their time. Moving was also safer than trying to stop somewhere and camp out. A moving target was less likely to be hit by whatever might be out there waiting.

Jim got them going with just a very little pulse of acceleration. They had to go slow now and watch every yard of track for possible obstructions.

“I can see this is going to take a while.” Jim kept his attention on the path in front of them but spared a quick glance for her. “Why don’t you go in back and get some shut eye? I can keep watch here and then we’ll switch off later.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Gina allowed. She was worn out from all the unaccustomed activity of the past few hours. It had been delicious, but also deliciously tiring. She could use a few minutes of sleep to help recharge her internal batteries. “Wake me if you need me.”

“Baby, it feels like I always need you.”

The devilish smile made her tummy clench almost as much as her heart did at his words. But he meant them in a purely sexual way. What she wouldn’t give to have a man like Jim need more than just sex from her. It was a dream she’d thought long lost when the world changed, but Jim was making her yearn for things she couldn’t have.

She went to sleep with a heavy heart, trying her best to put thoughts of the future that could never be to rest. But thoughts of Jim followed her, even into her dreams.

“Where are we?” Her jaw cracked as she yawned. The gently swaying sensation of motion had ceased.

“We just hit the end of the line on this track. I was going to wake you in a minute to help me move us onto the new set of rails, but I wanted to finish up my notes for Wally. I promised him we’d make some observations of the sections of rail they hadn’t yet seen.”

“I can help with that, if you like.” She pushed up off the makeshift bed and stretched. She felt Jim’s eyes on her and liked the way his attention made her feel—feminine and attractive. It had been a long time since a man she was also attracted to looked at her that way.

“Yeah, I figured we’d take turns taking notes as well as driving.”

“Sounds good to me.” She headed for the pod door. “Shall we?”

She was down the ramp and on the small station platform when she felt the unmistakable heat of him come up behind her. He crowded her against the powered-down console, letting her feel the hard ridge of his arousal against the soft flesh of her ass through their combined layers of clothing.

Just like that, her libido raged. This man could get her going faster than anyone ever had. All he had to do was touch her and she went up in flames.

“Do you think it’s safe?”

“Honey, when I get you in my arms it’s never safe.” His mouth nuzzled the side of her throat, sending shivers of awareness down her spine. “But if you’re asking if the tunnel is safe, I think so. I haven’t seen any evidence that anyone else has been down here since the cataclysm. I think it’d be okay to take a little break here and indulge ourselves. Now take off your clothes and chuck them into the pod. I want to hoist your little ass up on this console and fuck you into next week.”

“Only if you get naked too.” She wanted to see him in the worst way but there was precious little room to maneuver in the pod. She’d been able to see him bits at a time, but not all at once. It was something she craved.

“What’s this?” He turned her in his arms to smile down at her. “You’re making demands now?”

“Yeah.” She stroked his chest with her fingers, loving the feel of him under her hands. “I figured I should get my way once in a while here and right now, I want to see you naked too.”

He seemed to consider her request for a moment before stepping back. “All right. Together.”

And with grins on both their faces, they began to strip for each other. Gina’s mouth watered as each piece of Jim’s clothing was pitched into the open pod door. Hers followed close after.

Jim was all lean muscle and sexy rippling abs, just as she’d thought. His body was perfect symmetry of the male form. His eyes—always so serious at other times—smoldered at her. She’d bet only his past lovers had ever seen that look on his face and it thrilled her to know that she was part of a select group. Only a woman could bring about such a drastic change in this man who had lived the life of a protector, a guardian who could seldom let down his guard for the sake of his people. That she had the power to make him drop his façade in favor of pure passion was a heady thought.

Of course, he did the same thing to her. She, who had prided herself on her control of almost any situation, was powerless in the face of his fire. All he had to do was look at her and her composure shattered—her body became his for the taking.

They came together in a rush, meeting each other halfway on the platform. It was about the size of a good old-fashioned king-sized bed, probably designed for a few people to stand comfortably while waiting for the pod to be redirected onto its new path. Jim and she put the open space to an altogether different use as they twined together, mouths seeking, lips blending.

Jim walked her backward toward the wide console. A large master switch had to be thrown in order to power up the old electronics. So far, neither of them had tried to light up to the console—at least not with electricity. No, they had voltage of a different kind running through their systems as Jim hoisted her upward, so her bare bottom rested on the edge of the console.

Luckily, there was a small, flat desktop workspace right before the buttons and levers started their march up the surface of the console. She could feel them against her skin when she inadvertently leaned too far back. Jim shifted her closer and the distracting sensation disappeared to be replaced by a much more alluring one—the feel of Jim’s hairy chest against her breasts, teasing her nipples as he kissed her breathless.

Within minutes she could no longer stand being separated from him. She reached down and pulled at his hips, silently communicating what she wanted most. Him, inside her.

Jim complied with a low growl as he pushed into her in one long, stretching slide. He felt glorious. And even after all the times they’d come together in the past hours, she still couldn’t get over the rightness of this feeling, the wonder of it all. It felt like she was made for him and after this was all over, she’d be ruined for any other man. She knew it, and accepted it. There was no other way for them. No hope for a future together. He had his duty, and she had hers. Both were too important to their people, their planet, to put aside.

Jim rocked her with bone-shattering intensity, saying so much without any words at all. He looked deep into her eyes as he thrust deep into her body, the expression on his rugged face speaking of the power of his attraction, the force of his desperation, the very real desire that sparked so uncontrollably between them. She knew her face probably mirrored the same feelings.

His touch also fired her empathic sense. For some reason she was able to read Jim better than most people she’d just met. Sure, she’d known him before but only from afar. The stark truth of their relationship—such as it was—was that they were reacquainted strangers with a shared memory of the past but little intimate knowledge of each other. God willing, they’d have time to really get to know each other on this journey. They’d already started, sharing long hours talking about their past, their hopes for the present and their dreams for the future. She hungered for that knowledge. She wanted to know him—really know him—and to understand what made him tick.

She sensed an answering need in him. He yearned for something from her as he searched her eyes. She couldn’t put it into words but she felt the emotion coming from him in waves as he rocked them both toward the pinnacle they’d visited together before. The pleasure was addictive. Given a few more rounds of this, she’d readily agree to anything he proposed. He’d made her his slave.

That was saying a lot for a woman who prided herself on her independence and ability to handle almost anything life threw at her. He was a strong man who didn’t throw his strength around. He led by making people want to follow him, not by fear or intimidation. She’d seen that back at his base. He was so strong, so powerful, so steadfast, the men who followed his lead did so out of deference to the force of his personality, the strength of his convictions and the fairness in his heart.

She’d follow his lead for all those reasons, but also because her body had gained an intrinsic understanding of his dominance over the past hours. It was instinctive in humans, as in many animals, to stand back and allow the alpha male to lead. Gina was quickly learning how easy it would be to give over all control to an alpha male like Jim.

“You’re killing me, baby, with that look on your face.”

His words penetrated directly into her mind. It was the first time he had initiated telepathic communication during an intimate moment. The rumble of his thoughts through her mind brought an even deeper level of intensity to what they were doing.

“What look is that?” She strained against him as he drove deeper, higher.

“It has heartbreak written all over it, Gina.”

Gina blinked, knowing instantly she’d been too unguarded. She, who’d been taught since early childhood to never telegraph her next move or allow her thoughts to show on her face, had crossed that line with him. Only with him. Jim Brown was the only man to ever make her forget her training—to make her forget herself.

The plateau of pleasure they’d reached stretched on as he looked into her eyes. She was shocked by how easily she’d forgotten everything she’d been taught. It was time to regroup, but first, it was time to make him come.

Turnabout was fair play, and her new goal was to make him as crazy as he’d made her. Wresting control from him would be difficult and had an added flavor of danger, but ultimately she thought it could be a lot of fun.

“I love the sound of your thoughts in my head.” She sent her thoughts into his mind, lowering her eyelashes so she regarded him through pleasure-soaked slits. “Almost as much as I love the feel of you in my pussy.”

Jim growled at her changed tone and moved more decisively within her.

“I can feel your excitement, you know. This close, my empathic senses are nearly drowning in your need for completion, your need to come.”

“Two can play this game, baby.” The growl in his tone made her shiver all the way down to her toes. “Your body is like warm velvet fisting around me, slick and hot. I know you can feel how much I want to shoot into you. Almost as much as you want to shimmy in climax around me. Don’t you, honey?”

She sent him a wicked smile. “You must be a mindreader.”

“Not quite, but I do recognize when a woman wants to come. Do it now, baby. Come on me, and I’ll come in you.”

His words were accompanied by yet another increase in pace and a slight shifting that brought him into her on a slightly different angle. That slight change was enough to send her to the moon. She cried out both vocally and telepathically as she orgasmed hard in his arms. The peak was so high, she was only dimly aware of him following right behind her, spurting in warm waves that prolonged her pleasure.

They were both sweaty and breathing hard as they came down from the highest peak they’d yet achieved together—and that was saying something. Gina had never had a better lover. He’d shown her things about her own body that she never would have imagined just a few days ago. She could read his satisfaction with what they did together—a sort of masculine pride and something that felt almost like a claim of ownership, or perhaps a desire to command and dominate.

Rather than objecting, the taste of his thoughts and emotions made her yearn for something that could never be. The two of them together was just a temporary thing. Both of them knew it was highly unlikely it could ever be more. They were resigned to it. Or so she believed. But it was clear from what she could read of his emotions that he wished for more.

Just like she did.