The Space Cougar's Cadet

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Cassandra Pierce

THE SPACE COUGAR’S CADET

Cassandra Pierce

EROTIC ROMANCE

Secret Cravings Publishing www.secretcravingspublishing.com

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A Secret Cravings Publishing Book Erotic Romance

THE SPACE COUGAR‟S CADET Copyright © 2012 by Cassandra Pierce E-book ISBN: 978-1-61885-201-4

First E-book Publication: March 2012

Cover design by Dawne Dominique Edited by Kyle Lewis Proof read by Kesia Burrell All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Secret Cravings Publishing

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Secret Cravings Publishing www.secretcravingspublishing.com

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Dedication Special thanks to Daisy Dunn for keeping me in my chair with my fingers twinkling over the keyboard until this one was finally done, and many thanks also to Kyle for some wonderfully sensitive editing.

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The Cravings e-book Club The Cravings Paranormal e-book Club Have you heard about the newest idea in ebooks, the ebook club? Secret Cravings Publishing has started two ebook clubs and we invite you to become a member of either The Cravings e-book Club or the Cravings Paranormal e-book Club. Join now and get two books absolutely free! As a member, you will receive Taming The Cougar* by Sandy Sullivan and Hunting Jaguar** by D. McEntire FREE, just for joining! You‟ll also receive 4 BRAND-NEW EBOOKS, specially selected by our Editorial Director, every month for a total price of only $9.99 for all 4. This comes out to barely $2.50 per book, much less than the retail price and you‟ll be able to enjoy your books even before they hit Amazon or Barnes & Noble. We send your books before they are uploaded to the popular sales sites. One of several privileges of club membership.

*Taming the Cougar, a western, erotic romance: Marla isn't looking for love or anything else from a man. Can Marla put aside her distrust of men for a younger man? Can Chris convince her he's not like other guys? **Hunting Jaguar, paranormal erotic romance: Rachel Hayes' Father set out to prove the existence of the Miloni temple and the Jaguar people. Tumi is a descendant of the Miloni race and is sworn to protect their secret with his life. Will he be forced to uphold his vow at the cost of his heart and Rachel's life?

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As a member of the Cravings Club, you‟ll receive 4 books in a variety of genres every month. We will try to match your books to your preferences, however, if you‟re a major paranormal fan, I suggest you join the Cravings Paranormal Club. Everything is the same, 4 books every month for $9.99 except that 3 of your 4 books will be paranormal. The remaining book will be of a different genre. As a club member, you will also receive:  our monthly newsletter  sneak previews of new books  exclusive interviews with your favorite authors  special offers not available to the general public To join and tell us your favorite genres and heat levels plus which format works best for you, go to the Secret Cravings Publishing website (www.secretcravingspublishing.com) At the bottom of the page you‟ll see a button for the club. You can sign up there and share your preferences for genre, format and heat level with us. You will be charged, automatically, through PayPal, only $9.99 every month. Your books will be shipped within 1 day after PayPal payment has cleared. You may cancel at any time by clicking on the “unsubscribe” button located on the Cravings Club tab at the bottom of our website and keep the FREE BOOKS as our gift. We hope our Secret Cravings books will delight you each and every month. Best wishes, Beth Walker

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THE SPACE COUGAR’S CADET Cassandra Pierce Copyright © 2012

Chapter One Layla Kosajh stood on the catwalk, looking through the transparent dome at the dozen or so young men and women practicing their routines. With final exams only twenty-three solar hours away, the gravity gym was filled with cadets practicing for their physical certification tests or simply working off tension and stress. Of them all, only one cadet held her attention. His lean body split the air like a hypersonic missile as he vaulted off the training bar, executed a perfect double flip and landed with his feet on the underside of the dome‟s ceiling. He stood upside down for a few moments, his arms extended as if to embrace all that lay below him, his face composed and his eyes half-closed in concentration. Then he became airborne again, reversing his direction and flipping his way back to the floor. The crisp precision of his moves stretched his blue bodysuit taut, outlining the sleek curves of his chest and hips and emphasizing the swell of his muscles. Absorbed in his performance, Layla failed to notice her friend, Provost Xath, coming up behind her on the catwalk. His catlike eyes followed hers and settled on the same cadet who had returned to the high bar and begun a series of rigorous circular moves. Sweat streamed from his close-cropped hair and darkened the front of his bodysuit as he shifted his balance from one hand to the other. “Magnificent, isn‟t he?” Xath observed with interest. “Is he one of your students?” “I taught him last term,” Layla said, nodding. “Interplanetary Diplomatic History. I probably don‟t have to tell you that his mind is as extraordinary as his body.”

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Xath bent closer to the rail, squinting. “Indeed. Who is he?” “Jaret Thek.” Her voice caught when she said his name and Layla‟s cheeks grew warm with embarrassment. “Ah, the Emperor Zoeg‟s seventh son. I suppose his superiority comes as no surprise, given the royal blood flowing through him. The Zaraxians are most particular about the genetics of their ruling class. I realize you Earth people are philosophically opposed to such things, but when I look at him I am inclined to respect their elitist principles.” “We have plenty of common-born cadets who are excellent students, too,” Layla shot back. Xath laughed and she realized her old friend had been teasing her. “Perhaps, but I notice you are not watching any of them. Are you quite sure he prefers women? If not, I wouldn‟t mind getting to know him myself after all these tedious graduation formalities are done with.” Reaching up, Xath rubbed the bulbous, flesh-covered horns that adorned his wide forehead. “Would he find these attractive? I wonder. On my planet, you know, firm, thick horns are a sign of—” “I feel confident that he does—prefer women, I mean,” Layla interrupted, her blush deepening. Actually, she did not. She had no right even to think about such things. Perhaps Prince Jaret did desire men. What of it? Still, for some irrational reason, she hoped he did not. She hoped he dreamed of women—perhaps even women who resembled her. In either case, as long as they were both at the prestigious Starforce Institute, there could be nothing more between them save the formal relationship of cadet and instructor. Below them, Jaret‟s movements on the bars were slowing as the heavy pull of the gym‟s specially engineered gravitational fields began to take its toll. As his narrow hips turned in their final circle atop the bar, he looked up at her and their eyes met. The directness of his silvery-blue gaze startled Layla. He seemed only an arm‟s length in front of her, though in reality the distance had to be thirty times that. The Provost noticed, too. He pushed back from the rail and turned to look at her with interest. “Well, well. This may turn out to be an interesting week after all. In any case, I must run

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along. Another dreary curriculum meeting. We‟re back to the old debate about war games again, though I think our esteemed Chancellor might not have heard the „games‟ part. Mark my words, two or more members of the committee will come to blows over this.” “Wouldn‟t surprise me.” Layla didn‟t bother to suppress a scowl. In the past year, Earth and its allied planets had begun to suffer increasingly serious raids from space brigands. Political debates centered on the role of Starforce, with their Chancellor favoring the switch to a more militaristic approach to teaching the students. The Institute would transition away from a peacebased curriculum focused on exploration and tolerance if the Chancellor had his way. Layla‟s own courses in diplomacy, not to mention the years she‟d spent in the Coalition‟s diplomatic corps, made the Chancellor distrustful of her influence. She supposed there would be no consensus anytime soon. Xath patted her on the arm. “I‟ll leave you to your gazing, then.” She watched him walk away, his voluminous robes swinging behind him. She couldn‟t help but smile. No matter what the crisis at hand, Xath always had a way of reducing it to a manageable proportion. Knowing he didn‟t judge her for lusting after one of the cadets made her feel much better. Besides, it wasn‟t something she would ever act on. With her position at the Institute suddenly more tenuous, she had to walk a tighter line than ever. When she turned back to the dome, Jaret Thek had gone. A slim, blue-skinned female cadet had taken his place on the bars. Somewhat relieved, Layla continued along the catwalk to the lounge, where she ordered a large cup of jiwa tea and seated herself behind some bright red plants that formed an effective screen from the other diners. She wasn‟t in the mood for idle chitchat with passing colleagues, and good jiwa tended to exert a mild and temporary narcotic effect that was best savored alone. She let the spicy tea warm her lips and invade her senses. Leaning back in her chair, Layla was mesmerized by the swaying tendrils of the exotic Ochi plant in front of her. She imagined them wrapping around her body, the fingerlike stems stroking her breasts. Slowly, the rest of the world faded from her consciousness, leaving her alone with her tea, the plant and her deliciously naughty thoughts.

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Soon her fantasy, like the plant, grew bolder. The wispy tendrils crept inside her clothes, skated across her swelling nipples, and poked between her thighs. Surrendering to pure physical sensation, she closed her eyes and opened her mind to the real sweetness of imagined pleasure. At some point, the plant‟s undulating stalks morphed into Jaret Thek‟s hands. Layla felt her body yield to his slow, yet urgent caresses. His fingers moved deeper, slipping inside her to caress her throbbing flesh. A hot flash of arousal streaked through her core as her dream-self drew closer to orgasm. “Professor Kosajh?” At first, she didn‟t respond. Layla assumed the voice she heard came from inside her head as part of her whole irrational forbidden-fruit scenario. But no. Gradually she realized that someone really had spoken to her. Surely she had mistaken the voice though. Her eyes snapped open and widened. Jaret Thek stood in front of her. He had showered and changed since leaving the gravity gym. His short dark hair looked damp and smelled of scented soap. He wore his daily uniform, the three silver stripes on his shoulder denoting his senior status at the Institute. “Cadet Thek. How nice to see you.” Her voice sounded choked and tight. She wondered if he could guess the reason for her feverish blush. “Thank you, though you saw me earlier as well.” Layla swallowed and nodded. “I did happen to notice you in the gravity gym. I must say, your performance was most impressive.” He averted his silvery eyes, clearly uncomfortable with her direct praise. She found his modesty both touching and appealing. “In any case,” he went on after clearing his throat, “I am grateful we ran into each other. For some time I have been meaning to tell you in person how valuable your course last term proved to me. During Intersession, I traveled home and was able to advise my father on several key diplomatic issues that arose with respect to our own world. He was pleased with the direction of my education here. He was also impressed that an Earth-born specialist had such a firm grasp of interplanetary matters.”

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She raised her brows, but decided to accept the compliment and reject the subtle slight toward Earthers. “I‟m glad to hear it.” Jaret winced, hearing the note of sarcasm in her reply. “I apologize for the ethnocentric implications. As you know, my people are genetically linked to Earth‟s earliest space colonists. My father knows this, but he continues to believe that our own culture has far surpassed its origins in the intervening centuries. His attitudes are somewhat difficult to excuse, I admit. I am always on guard that I do not subconsciously absorb them.” “No need to apologize. I understand.” An awkward silence stretched between them. “So I assume you‟ll be graduating soon,” she finally said. “Will you take a seat on your father‟s council, since he finds your advice so sound?” He shook his head. “Doubtful, I‟m afraid. I have six brothers in line ahead of me.” “I see. Ah…will you join me in some jiwa tea? They seem to have concocted a particularly strong brew today.” “Unfortunately, I am due to meet my study group for a rather crucial review session. Perhaps another time?” “Of course. A narrow escape, she thought as he walked off. She‟d almost made a complete fool of herself. Hopefully he‟d noticed nothing beyond her distracted air. That, at least, he could blame on the jiwa. She couldn‟t allow herself to dream about him. The entire exercise was worse than pointless—it was madness. Soon he would graduate, take a position with a military vessel and she would most likely never see him again. Instead, she would return to her teaching duties and her research, thinking about sex only in terms of automated pleasure-giving devices and the leisure planets where she could get her physical needs attended to without strings. For the rest of the workday, she busied herself in her office putting the finishing touches on her exams, reading the messages on her communication device and ordering a set of digital textbooks for the following term. Later, back at her quarters, she removed her white-and-silver instructor‟s uniform and changed into a wispy, smock-type house garment. She had just

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programmed an evening‟s worth of soft music and chosen her entertainment files when her door buzzed. She turned toward the one-way glass that made up her door. Jaret stood there. “Come in,” she said. She noticed that the jacket front of his uniform hung half-open, an odd breach of etiquette for a fastidious student like him and his cheeks looked a bit flushed. He was young, she reminded herself, so young. Though his people measured years differently than they did on Earth, he was still half her age. Yet, no matter how hard she tried to control it, each time he came near her, her desire returned in full force. “I must be completely honest,” he blurted out, not meeting her gaze as he stepped into her room. “I did not distinguish myself at my review session this afternoon. I was of no help whatsoever to my study group. Eventually, I had to plead illness and excuse myself.” “I‟m sorry to hear that,” she said, surprised at his confiding such a personal matter to her. “Perhaps you‟re just nervous. I‟m sure it won‟t matter in the end.” “Perhaps not, yet I prefer to maintain a clear head at all times. Today I could not. I found the experience most disconcerting.” “I wouldn‟t dwell on it. Things like that happen to everyone.” “Yet not everyone is as certain of the reason as I am.” He turned and gazed directly in her eyes, his expression so intense that it startled her. “I am not suffering from the ordinary anxieties surrounding exams.” He leaned closer. “I have felt for some time that an unresolved issue lies between us.” “Yes. I‟ve felt it, too,” she admitted, regretting her frankness the moment the words left her mouth. Hastily she tried to redirect the conversation. “You are a brilliant student, Jaret. I have no doubt you will be one of Starforce‟s finest officers. What you‟re experiencing right now is simply the effect of nerves.” He shook his head. “Seeing you this afternoon brought back many feelings. I experienced them in your class last term as well. At the time, I remained unconcerned, as my desire to please you motivated me to excel in your course. Now the distraction is more problematic.”

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He shifted a little, his thoughts apparently disturbing his usually perfect balance, his expression growing haggard. Layla glanced down and saw his uniform pants tent with the evidence of his desire. Her own nipples hardened in an immediate response. He noticed it too. His tongue darted out and circled his lips. “I‟m glad you brought this to my attention,” she said, feigning control over the situation. “My experience and training suggests that directly confronting a problem yields the best results. Perhaps that is what we should do in this case, as well.” “Yes,” he said, his voice rasping. “I agree. Physical attraction…should be no cause for shame.” Privately, she felt a thrill at his admission. She was careful not to betray her feelings, however. She had to maintain at least the semblance of professional restraint. “That‟s true. We are all subject to normal biological imperatives, however intellectually driven our societies have become over the aeons. Living in an isolated mini-society like the Institute only amplifies those urges.” His throat quivered. She stepped closer, lifting his hand and holding it between both her palms. What she was doing was nothing short of madness, she knew, but her body seemed to move without seeking permission from her mind. Slowly, she guided his outstretched fingers toward her left breast. “Touch me,” she whispered.

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Chapter Two Her frankness shocked Jaret. His hand, still clasped between hers, shook. “Are you certain?” “Yes. I want you to.” She heard him take a deep, calming breath. She let her own hands drop to her sides as Jaret reached up and rested both palms on the swell of her breasts. He began to massage her, sliding his fingers over her fleshy curves and outlining the shapes of her rigid nipples. Murmuring her enjoyment, Layla leaned into his touch and let him explore. Soon he bent his head and brushed his lips against her neck, sucking her skin. He then moved lower, dropping his mouth to her nipples. His tongue flicked her tender flesh through the sheer fabric of her dress. Arousal seared her verves and wet heat pooled between her legs. “Let‟s move this to my bedroom,” she suggested breathlessly. Jaret didn‟t resist when she led him through her living area and into the next room. “I…um…take it you‟ve never done this before,” she asked as they stood face to face beside the bed. “Indeed I have not,” he answered, his voice shaking. “Well, you let go of all that test anxiety for now. You won‟t be graded on this particular performance. And you‟ll know the results of our efforts right away—instantly, in fact.” “I will keep that in mind.” She paused in the act of reaching for the top button of his trousers. “I suppose we should have discussed this earlier. You…ah…you have observed standard protocol, I assume?” Jaret blushed and nodded. “My contraceptive injections are in order,” he replied. “As are mine.” Layla let out a nervous sigh. She hadn‟t had that particular conversation since she‟d been his age. “All right, then. I suppose we can move forward.”

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They undressed each other slowly. Layla had never felt sexier than she did when his gaze roved hungrily over every inch of her newly bared flesh. He seemed to admire every part of her equally. She enjoyed the sight of him just as much, pausing to appreciate his graceful limbs, narrow chest and hips, and silky, ivory-pale skin. Like all Zaraxians, he was hairless everywhere below the shoulders, though she was delighted to see a delicate fringe of dark curls framing the base of his cock. As for that feature of his anatomy, which she had spent more time visualizing than she cared to admit, she found it every bit as appealing as the rest of him. Long and smooth, it reared up against a set of rocky abs honed to perfection in the gravity gym. Jaret did little more than stare, unsure what to do next. Layla stretched out on top of the covers, extending a hand. “Come to me,” she whispered. Hesitant, he rested one knee on the edge of the bed and began to crawl toward her. His cock, so hard she imagined she could see its dark veins throbbing under the tight skin, slapped against his thighs as he moved. Layla assisted him by sliding both hands around his waist and guiding him into position between her open legs. His eyes were wide with anxiety, and his breath came in shallow rasps. He looked down at their bodies pressed together and tilted his hips so that the tip of his cock brushed the wet folds of her pussy. “Go ahead,” she coaxed him, opening her legs wider. “It‟s what we both want—need. And don‟t worry. You won‟t hurt me.” He squinted, his expression becoming one of intense concentration. Bracing his arms on either side of the bed, he drove his body forward and pushed himself inside her. Layla clutched his shoulders, squeezing his flesh as he pumped his hips in quick, staccato thrusts. Bursts of heat filled her while the rigid swell of his thick base stimulated her swelling clit. The excitement generated by her earlier fantasies about him faded to insignificance compared to the real sensations flooding her body. Every lunge forced her closer to the edge. Just before she got there, Jaret‟s body went rigid above her, and he moaned as sudden climax gripped him. Worried that he would pull away and leave her stranded, Layla slid her hands to his buttocks and forced him deeper inside.

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“Don‟t—stop—” she managed to gasp, arching her hips and grinding her clit against him. At last, their friction triggered her own implosion. The sweet pull of orgasm clutched at her and turned their entwined bodies into a single flash of white-hot light. Her head spun a little as she floated down, her fingers still pressed into his sweat-slicked skin and her thighs still clasping his narrow hips. Gradually, he slowed his thrusts and soon eased himself out of her. His face flushed with a mixture of triumph and self-consciousness she found endearing. “Did you find that pleasurable?” he asked as he stretched out beside her. “I did.” She traced path down the center of his chest. “And you?” “I found it one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life,” he said, a touch of wonder in his voice. “I understand now what you meant about seeing immediate results.” Layla nodded. “Giving the other person pleasure should be every bit as rewarding as experiencing it for oneself.” “I shall remember that.” To her surprise, Jaret shifted away from her and sat up. “And now I am afraid I must take my leave. The study group has been gracious enough to reschedule the review session I embarrassed myself at earlier today. I trust I will be able to concentrate more effectively this time. I will not, of course, elaborate on the reasons for my recovery.” “Of course not.” Layla watched with some amusement as he got up and gathered his clothing. Did he think a brief sexual interlude could fortify his academic abilities, like a gulp of caffeine or a stimulant tablet? She could predict what would happen at his study group, where he would no doubt squirm in pain as his body continued to remember what his mind tried to push aside. He had so much to learn—briefly she wished she could be the one to guide him through the exciting labyrinth of claiming his sexual identity just as she had taught him the basics of alien diplomacy. However, his approach seemed sensible and certainly the safest as far as her career was concerned. They could part somewhat formally, their respective roles at the Institute intact. He would find someone else with whom to continue his more personal studies and she would return to her impeccably professional life. She sighed.

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manner carefully composed and respectful. She paused, caught off guard by the question. “Maybe you should kiss me. After all, we haven‟t tried that yet.” “Very well. I suppose that is the most suitable expression of thanks in this case.” Without hesitation, he bent down and kissed her. His lips were warm and supple, his taste warm and spicy. She wished he would stay long enough to place his mouth on other parts of her body and practice a more exotic form of kissing with her. But she‟d gone too far already; to do anything more with him would be insane. Jaret drew back, pursing his lips for a moment as if savoring her flavor, too. He opened his mouth to say something, but apparently thought better of it. Then he turned and was gone. **** Layla spent the morning conducting formal review sessions for her current students, energized by the memory of her delightful transgression. Her dreams had been filled with hazy, but nonetheless exciting, images of other passionate moments she and Jaret might steal together—behind the data racks in the library, on the desk in her office, even in the of the gravity gym with the atmosphere adjusted to simulate pure weightlessness. Though she knew none of these scenarios would ever come to pass, at least not with Jaret, she now had a rich store of fantasies she could call up whenever she wanted one. Stepping outside the boundaries of proper behavior once in a while was, she believed, both psychologically and physically healthy. As she walked from her last class of the day toward her office, she heard someone run up behind her. “Professor!” She turned to see Jaret fall into step beside her. “I trust you‟re feeling more engaged with your classes today,” she joked.

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He looked distressed. “Indeed I am not. I am afraid my most recent review session proved an even greater disaster than the first. I considered returning to your quarters to discuss the problem further, but I didn‟t want to impose.” Layla knew the proper response would be to express some noncommittal sympathy and encouragement and send him on his way. Instead, she smiled at him in a way he could not possibly misinterpret. So she‟d gone insane. What choice did she have but to enjoy it? She wanted, more than anything, to see him again. “You‟re right. We should talk. Why don‟t you come back tonight?” “I fear I would be interrupting your work.” “I‟d already planned to get everything done this afternoon since I have to attend a faculty dinner. Come afterward. I would be happy to devote the entire rest of my evening to you.” The hint of a smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “I have no right to expect that, but I am grateful just the same.” “Not at all. I look forward to more…conversation.” “Very well. Until then.” Jaret gave a short bow and rushed off. Layla returned to her office, hurried through her work for the next few hours and got back to her quarters with time to spare. She changed into her dress uniform and sat through a rather flavorless meal, capped with a lecture by the current military commander in charge of containing the space brigands. She spent the entire evening in a state of physical and mental torture aching for Jareth‟s body. Every moment seemed to last a solar hour and every pause in the commander‟s speech made her hope the talk was ending. Each time, her hopes were brutally dashed. Provost Xath, seated beside her, leaned down and flashed her a knowing smile. “You‟re looking rather flushed, my dear. Too much wine?” Layla pressed her fingers to her cheek. Sure enough, her skin was burning up. “Yes, that must be it.” Xath sighed. “Personally, I can‟t wait for this to end. I‟m looking forward to a pleasant evening with just myself and a book. You too?”

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it anyway. “I mean, I have some…some student evaluations to complete.” “Oh, how tedious.” Xath winked. “On the other hand, I suspect you have ways of making the process both creative and personally satisfying.” “I…ah…I do my best,” she said. Her blush deepened. Fortunately, just as she started to worry that she might faint in the stuffy banquet room, the lecture ended and she and Xath started moving toward the exit. The night air felt cool and refreshing as Xath walked her across the courtyard to her residence unit and left her at the doors of the lift with a small bow. She knew he was dying to follow her up and see what secret had left her so nervous, but he would always be too much of a gentleman to insist. Through the one-way glass panes of the lift, she saw him glance back over his shoulder and then continue walking along the campus path. When she stepped out on her floor, she found Jaret standing in front of her quarters, looking harried and fidgety. She wondered how long he‟d been waiting. “I see the Provost made sure you arrived home safely,” he observed in a tight voice. “Yes. We attended the faculty dinner together.” Amused by his vexed expression, she added, “He and I have been very close friends for a long time. Nothing more.” Relief crossed his face. “I see.” “Come in. We can talk inside.” “Thank you.” He followed her in and took a seat on the couch when she motioned to it. He sat slumped over at the shoulders, a perfect portrait of misery. “So I understand you are still having some trouble concentrating on your studies?” He nodded. “I am beginning to grow concerned. Final exams start in two days. I feel woefully unprepared for the time in my academic career.” “You‟re not unprepared. You‟re simply experiencing a form of anxiety that‟s blocking you from accessing your long-term memory. All the information you've learned over the past four years is there. It‟s just hidden behind a kind of screen your emotions have put up.”

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“That‟s it exactly,” he said, straightening up on the couch. “I thought so.” She took a seat beside him. “I have to admit, I‟m experiencing the same thing myself.” Her lack of attention to the after-dinner speech was a perfect example. Even now, she could hardly remember a word of it. Before all this happened, she would have listened to every word and perhaps even taken notes to peruse later. “Well, I‟ve been giving it some thought since we talked this afternoon and I think I know what the problem is. You know how sometimes you have a project you know you could have completed much better if only you‟d had more time?” “Yes. Of course. A constant problem for a cadet, though I do try to manage my time wisely.” “I‟m sure you do. Still, I believe the reason you felt distracted again today was that we didn‟t succeed in driving away all of those…urges that were distracting us. Tonight I suggest we go much slower and pay attention to every part of our bodies, not just the more…ah, obvious areas. That way, we will both feel as though we have completed the job in a more satisfactory way. We‟ll probably both feel an immense burden lift from our minds.” He listened with the same attention he might have given a classroom lesson on sub quantum physics. A flush crept up his neck, though his expression betrayed his attempt to contain it. The crotch of his uniform pants was rising, too. “Agreed,” he said and then swallowed. “Very well. We can start right now. The truth is, I‟d like to rinse off after that long and tedious dinner. I think I‟d like you to help. Follow me.” Jaret followed her into the washroom. She stopped at the control panel on the wall and punched in the specifications for her shower—very hot, at the highest pressure setting. While the water gushed, filling the bathroom with steam, she turned back to Jaret. “Take off your clothes,” she told him.

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Chapter Three Layla shucked off her dress uniform and watched while he peeled out of his tunic and crisp blue trousers. He moved slowly, his arousal obvious and most likely painful. When at last he had completed the task, she held out her hand and drew him with her under the hot, soothing spray. “Now why don‟t you wash me?” she asked, handing him a dispenser full of sparkly shower gel. “Everywhere.” “Very well.” Stepping back so he would have room to maneuver, he tilted the gel bottle and squeezed a dollop into his hand. The steam soon took on a sweet smell as Layla turned and fitted her back against his chest. His soap-coated fingers slid over her nipples and settled between her legs. She moaned as his touch became more familiar still, massaging the wet curls and spreading the scented suds around her most intimate folds. She gasped when he dipped a fingertip inside her, the brief stimulation making her long for something much thicker. “Now it‟s my turn,” she said when he eased his hand away, a hungry look on his face. Layla gently took the gel from him and smeared a generous helping over his cock, making him groan with need. Her hand roved over him, teasing and tugging, even encircling his balls under the pretext of applying the scented lather. Before long, his distended erection jutted up against her thighs. Her nerves were on fire. She reached out and touched the control panel, switching the shower spray off. Without a word, she turned on the “dry” function instead, and a balmy breeze fluttered over them, instantly drying their skin. The whispery feel reminded her of his hands sliding gently up and down her bare back. She couldn‟t wait to experience the real thing.

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Grasping both his hands, she pulled him through the room and onto the bed with her. She pushed him onto his back and straddled his knees, drinking in the sight of his pale, supple flesh and straining cock. His abdomen fluttered with each ragged intake of his breath. “Let‟s try something,” she suggested. “I‟m going to go slowly and build up to release. I want us to experience it together. Hold back and don‟t give in until I tell you to.” “Very well. I shall do my best…though you do make it difficult to maintain self-control at times.” She smiled and licked her lips. “Yes. That‟s the idea. Trust me, you‟ll like it. A lot.” Jaret looked skeptical, but he didn‟t object as she lay down between his legs and cupped his balls. Her fingers rubbed the plump orbs as she used her other hand to tilt his shaft toward her lips. Slowly, she traced his dome-shaped cockhead with the tip of her tongue. Overcome with excitement, Jaret moaned and fell back onto the mattress. His legs opened wider. Whether he had done that deliberately she couldn‟t tell. Layla found that she loved the taste of his skin—fresh and exotic, scented with her own soap. She bore down on him with enthusiasm, licking and sucking while he writhed. His lungs dragged back a deep and excited breath, and she knew he was getting close. Lifting her lips away from his cock for only a moment, Layla pivoted around and gripped his shoulders with her ankles. “Use your tongue,” she urged him. “Get me ready for more.” Murmuring his agreement, he inclined his head until his lips came to rest on the still-damp patch of hair between her open thighs. Cautiously, he slithered his tongue up her slick flesh, easing his way into her center. When he found her clit, he dabbed at it a few times, almost as though he were afraid of causing her discomfort. When she made it clear that he would not, he started with more gusto and gradually with more skill. He‟d always been a fast learner, she remembered—that had made him successful in her course and no doubt in many others. Luckily for her, he carried that same dedication and enthusiasm into the bedroom.

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Cassandra Pierce He went on teasing and tasting her until she felt full and ripe…and close to bursting.

Suddenly, she raised up and spun around again. This time she scooted down and gripped his hips between her thighs while she lowered herself onto him. Just like before, he filled her perfectly, as though they were two halves of some exotic being that had temporarily separated, but had now made itself whole once again. Sweat streamed down her shoulders and beaded on her breasts as she moved up and down on him, lifting herself almost completely off his cock and then slamming back down on him. It only took a few deep strokes until her entire body seized up in a massive spasm of pure pleasure. “Now,” she said, the word coming out as a half-moan. “Now, now!” His own groan answered hers. She was sure she felt his balls swell and then deflate as he released a bolt of liquid heat up into her. As his passion melted away inside her, Layla reflected on a historical account she had once read about ancient sexual habits on Earth. In the old days, she‟d learned, the partners sometimes had to encase themselves in primitive materials like rubber and latex to prevent unwanted pregnancy and disease. Though she admired their practicality, she felt sorry for her ancestors. Thank goodness modern technology, in the form of a brief and painless injection for both genders once a month, had solved those problems in her own time. She couldn‟t imagine giving up the delight of him coming inside her. She arched her back, bucking and rocking on top of him until the final shudders passed through her body. By then he was holding onto her thighs, meeting her movements by thrusting up into her. Eventually he dropped in exhaustion, and she reluctantly slid off him. More satisfied than she had ever felt in her life, Layla drifted off into a relaxing sleep, her head resting against his chest. Some time later, exactly how long she wasn‟t sure, she stirred awake and noticed he had gotten up. She spotted him on the other side of the room, leaning against the one-way glass that provided a dazzling view of the brightly lit campus. The room was too dark to reveal his expression.

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Stealing up behind him, she slid her arms around his waist and drew herself to him. One of her hands brushed idly over his cock, which stirred to life against her fingers. “I must return to my quarters soon,” he said sadly. “My roommate will wonder what has become of me and it wouldn‟t do for anyone to see me leaving this structure at daybreak.” “I understand,” she said, letting her hand drop away. “I wish you could stay the night, though.” It was impossible, they both knew. A melancholy silence stretched between them. Suddenly Layla brightened. “I have an idea. Tomorrow. I can sign out a short-distance travelcraft and take a one-day personal leave. You can tell your friends you need to study privately. There‟s a recreation and training station an hour from here. No one is using it during finals.” He turned to look at her, nodding. “I know the place. I took part in a survival exercise there in my first year.” “We can be alone there, and out of uniform…in more ways than one. I‟ll bet getting away for a while will help you concentrate on your finals again, too. I can even help you study, if you like.” “Your suggestion has merit. I would be grateful for your assistance…academic or otherwise.” “All right, then. Meet me at the Transport Bay after breakfast.” “I look forward to it,” he said. Then he leaned over and kissed her hard…only on the mouth, for now, but she knew that was just the beginning. **** They flew the travelcraft to the other side of the planet, where various types of landscapes had been terraformed and domed for use as training environments. When the cadets had no use of them, Institute officials could reserve the areas for private recreation and even meditation. Making no mention of Jaret, Layla had signed out one for the day, citing her purpose as spiritual

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rejuvenation. That wasn‟t a total lie, she rationalized. She expected both of them to come back in a fully refreshed state. Jaret insisted on piloting the craft and Layla didn‟t object. “I enjoy it,” he explained as they hovered near the marked landing spot. “This way, I can focus only on the task at hand and free my mind for a while.” “You seem to have a real gift for it,” Layla observed. His skills at the controls didn‟t surprise her in the least. Jaret seemed to reveal a gift any new thing he tried, most certainly including sex. She could hardly wait to see what delights they would discover today in a state of total freedom from prying eyes and Institute responsibilities. They left their craft on the landing strip and entered the dome she‟d reserved. Once they passed through the opening and resealed it, they found themselves standing in a perfect patch of subtropical forest. The lagoon, surrounded by engineered plants bearing succulent fruit and colorful flowers, beckoned them with its sparkling surface. “Come with me,” she said, pulling him along by the hand. Moments later, their clothes lay on the shore while they waded into the balmy water. Since the circular shape of the lagoon prevented actual swimming, they settled for floating together, their limbs entwined among the bobbing lily pads. Eventually they climbed out and gathered a few wild fruits to take back to their blanket. “This is nice,” Layla said, stretching out beside him and turning her bare skin toward the sky, well, the top of the dome anyway, without shame. “Only the two of us. No uniforms. No exams. No sneaking around.” “No worrying about what comes after graduation,” Jaret added grimly. “Why are you worried?” she stroked her fingers down the middle of his chest and kept going until her hand rested on his velvety ballsac. “As I‟ve often told you, you‟re a brilliant student. Every commander in the fleet will be fighting to get you as part of his or her crew.” His troubled expression returned and Layla frowned as well. Most cadets would be buoyed, or even thrilled, by such praise. Still, she let it go when Jaret peeled open one of the thick, pulpy

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fruits they had picked and stroked it over her nipples. The juice left a sticky residue that tingled against her skin until he bent to lick it off. She gasped when his mouth swept lower, coming to rest between her legs. His lips opened and his tongue boldly teased her. At the same time, he squeezed the fruit over her and let the juices drip down to mix with her own. The combination of his probing mouth and the tang of the nectar soon had her shivering with need despite the warm air. Closing her eyes, she opened her arms to him as he moved into position on top of her. He entered her with no of the hesitant fumbling or worries about causing her discomfort. He seemed to know now that he fit inside her perfectly, his cock sliding against just the right spots to arouse her fully and swiftly. Layla moaned, arching her back against him, her inner muscles squeezing him deeper inside. A strange idea flashed through her mind, telling her that she could have loved him in another life. Maybe a life where the two of them were wandering space brigands or just regular colonists on some distant world. Or maybe she loved him already. Before she had a chance to analyze that startling thought, orgasm gripped her with a powerful, flooding warmth. Instead of the quick, hot bursts she usually enjoyed, this one spread slowly through her, wrapping around her bones, attacking each sensitive nerve ending with a pure and intense pleasure she hoped would never end. Jaret joined her in her moment of bliss, burying himself inside her warmth and crying out with the force of his release. All too soon it did, though it left a peaceful feeling in its wake. Once again they lay side by side on the blanket. Layla rested her hand against his. “Have you ever been in love?” she asked him suddenly. “On your home world, maybe, or at the Institute?” Jaret‟s face tightened in confusion. “No. At least, I don‟t believe I have.” “I think you‟d know if you had,” she told him, amused. “It‟s not hard to figure out. First, you would think about the person all the time. You wouldn‟t be able to eat or sleep.” Or study, she suddenly realized. “It sounds uncomfortable,” he said, “and possibly harmful to one‟s health.”

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Cassandra Pierce “Oh, it isn‟t. It‟s wonderful…even if the other person doesn‟t return it, or even know. If the

feeling is returned…well, Jaret, it‟s the most addicting emotion Earth people can experience.” He fell silent for a while, considering her words. “Most of the marriages on my world are arranged,” he said at last. “Genetic engineering often plays a role. Emotional excesses would impede the work of our scientists. No wonder it is not encouraged.” “Will you have that sort of marriage?” He shrugged. “Not necessarily. My oldest brother, yes, for the good of the Thek dynasty. Since I am a younger son, I have more freedom.” “That‟s good.” “Yes. I think so.” His mouth hardened. Perhaps some family drama lay behind his reaction. She didn‟t pry. Presently, they dressed and returned to the Institute. They spoke little on the way back. Something had changed, but Layla suspected it wasn‟t because they had begun to lose interest and drift apart. Quite the reverse. If only things were different, she mused, hating herself for her weakness. If only he had been older, or she younger. If she were free to leave the Institute and run off with him. But such things could never be. Each of them had different destinies to fulfill. “Thank you for inviting me,” Jaret said as they stepped out of the craft in the Institute‟s docking bay. “I shall return to my work now. I have indeed conquered my fear of the exams.” “I know you‟ll do wonderfully.” Discreetly, she reached out and squeezed his hand. “As to what happens after graduation. I shall remind myself not to worry about unknown quantities.” “Good. Things have a way of working out. You‟ll have to trust me on that.” “I do.” He gave a brief, formal half-bow that charmed her and broke her heart all at once. “I have enjoyed our time together. You are a wonderful teacher.” He walked away. Layla headed back for her office to pick up some work. She didn‟t think she could face her empty quarters just yet.

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She had barely entered the administrative building when she saw Xath walking toward her. He looked stressed. “What‟s wrong?” she asked, hoping she wouldn‟t hear that rumors had begun circulating about a professor and student running off together for the day. “A conflict has broken out,” he said. “Another brigand attack, this one much worse than the others. We will be mobilizing for war games soon.”

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Chapter Four Layla spent the next several hours in emergency faculty meetings. While she and Jaret had been enjoying one another in their private paradise, a fresh wave of brigands had breached an important security net and entered a quadrant rich in resources and settlers. The assembled faculty members drew in a collective gasp when the Chancellor announced that some of the colonized planets had already been plundered, while the rest were bracing themselves for violent raids. “Earth‟s Central Command informs me that we will be stepping up our military presence all over the quadrant,” the Chancellor continued when the auditorium quieted again. His stern brow wrinkled and his chilly eyes swept the room. Though he was in late middle age now, his tall, lean frame still exuded tightly controlled physical strength and authority. “Our new graduates can expect to be put on patrol ships right away. The Institute is temporarily suspending all applications for post graduate research fellowships and tutorial posts.” The words made Layla‟s pulse speed up. Once Jaret was assigned to a ship, she would most likely never see him again. He would segue into a distinguished military career, while she welcomed a new class of students to the Institute, and the younger cadets would move into their natural roles as upperclassmen. At least she knew that she would never get involved with one of her students again, no matter how close he was to graduating. She couldn‟t think of her time with Jaret as a mistake, but she didn‟t care for the ache he‟d left in her heart, either. After the assembly, she and Xath walked together across the campus arm in arm. Layla couldn‟t hide her sadness from him. He‟d always known her better than anyone. “I won‟t ask for any specifics,” he said, reaching up to pat the hand resting on his bent elbow. “I assume it ended badly, though.”

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Layla sighed. “No…I wouldn‟t say that, not exactly. The truth is, my first responsibility is to the Institute. That hasn‟t changed. I don‟t suppose it ever will.” They stopped walking. Xath bowed his head and touched his thick, fleshy horns to her forehead in a gesture of affection. “Loyalty and responsibility are admirable traits, to be sure. Yet in some cases it is no crime to put your own happiness first. If this young man has made you feel something you long to feel again, you must reach out and grasp the opportunity with both hands.” The tenderness of his gesture, and the sincerity of his words, brought tears to her eyes. “That would be a bit like grasping at air, I‟m afraid.” “Isn‟t air a bit like love, though? You can never see or weigh it, at least not without specialized instruments and years of training in atmospheric simulation—you just have to have faith that our engineers have put it there.” Love? Funny how that word kept coming up lately—but yes. She did love Jaret. Loving him also meant respecting the future he had with Starforce, and she would not take that from him. When Xath dropped her off at the lift to her quarters, Layla went directly to her room, threw her uniform on the floor and crawled naked into her empty bed. She forced herself to go to sleep, her cheek resting on a pillowcase already damp with tears. **** She saw nothing of Jaret for the next two solar days, though his name came up several times in conversations with faculty members who praised his nearly perfect exam scores. She also heard more talk of the cadets mobilizing as soon as the graduation ceremony was complete. Rumor had it that within an hour after the last exam, each would receive orders. Jaret would get an excellent assignment befitting his skills and bravery. Of that, she felt certain. As she left her office on the second day, she spotted Jaret himself across the courtyard. He stood among a group of fellow seniors, male and female, all of whom had presumably just come from an exam. The cadets discussed and debated the answers they had given with animated

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gestures and earnest expressions she found endearing and yet tragic. In a few short days, academic conundrums and philosophical debates would be the least of their worries. They would be girding themselves for battle. Layla drew out of sight behind the side of the building until he and his friends had walked on. She was about to continue on her own way when someone loomed up behind her, startling her. “I‟m glad to see you, Layla.” She whirled to find the Chancellor watching her, his hands clasped behind his back, his uniform crisp and buttoned up to the throat, as always. “I have been hoping we might speak privately. Will you accompany me to my office?” “Of course,” she said, struggling not to betray the dread she felt. Had the news of her affair with Jaret somehow reached the administration? Surely Xath wouldn‟t have shared his suspicions, but rumors had a way of gaining momentum in such an insular community as theirs. Anyone might have let the wrong word slip—someone in the travelcraft bay, perhaps, or one of Jaret‟s friends? The chancellor said nothing until they reached his office, where he motioned her into a seat opposite his desk. He sat twisting his fingers for a few moments. “This new wrinkle, with the brigand invasions….” he began. “To call it a worrisome situation is, I am sure you can appreciate, a serious understatement.” So this wasn‟t about Jaret, after all. Layla was so relieved she almost wept. “Oh, yes,” she blurted. “Yes, I quite see that.” “We will need everyone to pull together in this time of great stress.” Layla nodded, wondering where in the galaxy this conversation could be going. “I suppose that‟s true enough.” The chancellor‟s eyes narrowed, jolting her pulse rate again. “It‟s no secret you have opposed some of my policies with respect to the Institute taking a new direction in the face of this crisis.” “I don‟t think we should become a training ground for warriors and mercenaries, no. This Institute has always promoted peaceful exploration and diplomacy first. I understand the need for a strong defense of our colonists, but what you‟re proposing seems to go further.”

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“I‟m sorry you feel that way.” A muscle in the chancellor‟s clean-shaven jaw twitched and the veins throbbed visibly in his wide forehead. “I am doing what must be done to save lives, nothing more and nothing less. Sometimes, drastic measures prevent greater tragedies. The men and women who train with us understand that. I would hope our instructors do, too.” She sighed, wanting nothing more than to leave his office and forget about the whole depressing topic for a while. “I am loyal to the Institute and the Institute must follow the dictates of Central Command. Whatever my personal misgivings, I will go along with what is asked of me.” “I‟m glad to hear it.” The chancellor looked relieved. “I also want to advise you that this new direction for the Institute will necessitate some curriculum changes.” “Curriculum changes? You mean, as in my classes on diplomacy?” “Some adjustments must be made, of course, to ensure that all the courses at the Institute present a unified philosophy.” Meaning a militaristic one, she thought grimly. The very thing she‟d fought against since she‟d given her first Institute lecture nearly twenty Earth years earlier. Though she felt as though the chancellor had leaned over and punched her square in the gut, she knew better than to betray anything beyond a resigned half-smile. “I suppose some changes are inevitable. We‟ll have to do our best to both advance a practical approach and maintain our individual integrity.” The moment she said it, she felt shocked at her own hypocrisy. Over the last few days, her own definition of „integrity,‟ at least as far as students were concerned, had undergone a few adjustments. Luckily, the Chancellor remained oblivious to her inner distress. His expression grew smug. “I‟m glad you‟re beginning to see things my way,” he said. ****

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Cassandra Pierce Later that night, after she‟d changed into a loose-fitting leisure garment, someone buzzed

her door. She got up and pressed the “admit” button, expecting to see Xath. Instead, she found herself staring at Jaret. “I finished my last exam today,” he announced. “A few hours ago, I received word that I had passed all of them with distinction.” “Congratulations,” she said with genuine pride in his accomplishment. He blushed so deeply that the tips of his ears turned red. “Thank you,” he said. “An hour after that, I received the following communication.” Jaret reached into the pocket of his uniform jacket and pulled out a chip. Layla took it from him and walked over to slip it into her desk reader. “Jaret, this is amazing! You‟ve been offered a junior officer‟s position on a flagship! The Trailblazer is one of our finest vessels. You will be on the fast track to a command of your own. This is wonderful.” “I suppose it could be considered a fitting cap to my education here.” “You‟ll have a place in Starforce for the rest of your life. I know you will be one of its finest officers. Your name will be in the history tapes one day. I‟m sure of that.” “If what you suggest ever does come to pass, I shall owe much of my success to you.” “Nonsense. I only helped shape what was already there. You owe me nothing.” He pursed his lips, obviously ready to protest further, but ultimately deciding against it. “Technically, now that I have finished my exams, I am no longer a cadet. May I suggest we restart our relationship on a different footing?” “In what sense?” “Our lives will soon take us on separate paths. By tomorrow evening, when the graduation ceremony is complete, everything will be different.” “Yes…that‟s true.” One thing would still be the same, she knew. Her body burned for him now, and it would still burn tomorrow. That would never change. She knew that as surely as she knew her own name.

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“Yet I believe we will always share a connection,” he went on. “Perhaps we should celebrate that tonight, before circumstances force us to move on.” She knew what he was asking. Every gram of common sense she possessed told her to refuse, to preserve whatever shreds of her heart her relationship with him had left intact. Yet, in the end, she could only answer one way. “I agree. We should.” He slipped his arms around her waist. His lips nuzzled her neck and then moved lower. She gripped the mound between his legs and felt his hardness stir against her fingers. Slowly and deliberately, she undid his fly and eased his cock out into the open. She stroked its thick, hard length with the ball of her thumb and the tips of her fingernails, alternating a light touch with insistent pressure. Jaret‟s breath caught in his throat, his chest heaving with desire. His own hands moved up to cup her breasts, massaging their fullness through the thin fabric of her evening garment. He lifted it over her head and let it flutter to the floor while she opened his uniform jacket and shirt. He shed the rest of his clothes on the way to her bedroom. Layla stretched out on the bed, opening her legs to him. He crawled on top of her, threading his fingers into the tuft of dark hair between her thighs, planting kisses everywhere except the place she needed him most. “Please,” she urged, raking her fingers along his back. The word came out in a half-moan. “Please, Jaret. I need you.” He raised his head, his smoldering gaze traveling across her flushed abdomen and between her breasts. Their gazes met in a moment of perfect understanding and raw, mutual craving. Then, without the slightest hint of hurry, he dropped his attention back to her pussy, cupped one hand beneath the curve of her buttocks for leverage, and gently nestled his mouth against her hot pussy. Layla clutched at his shoulders as his tongue probed her moist folds, each flick urging her to greater heights of excitement. Soon he added a finger, sliding it inside her so that she felt equal pressure both from within and without. Meanwhile, his thumb moved upward and sought her

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swollen bud. He rubbed it gently, as if polishing a delicate and precious pearl, firing sparks of pleasure all the way up to her nipples. Layla marveled at how well he‟d come to know her body in the relatively short time since they‟d first enjoyed each other. Apparently, he‟d taken her advice to heart about serving his partner. Every motion he made seemed specially orchestrated to meet her needs. Some were needs she hadn‟t even been aware of. She began to breathe faster, her pulse thrumming in her ears as he dragged her closer to the edge. As she crested the pinnacle of arousal, she imagined herself standing on a very high precipice, a winged creature preparing to dive into open air and float to the ground. Just as she unfurled herself and started forward, Jaret pulled away. Without a word, he replaced his mouth with his cock and pushed deep inside her. The room closed in around her, every sound and image contracting in her head until all that remained was a thick, red haze that pulsed in time to their mingled heartbeats. They‟d become part of each other, their pleasure mutual and shared, the boundaries between their bodies dissolved. He waited until he had worked his way inside her, nestled himself as snugly as he could and then came long and hard, her body coasting along with him. Their problems seemed very far away as they curled together to sleep. It was the first time he dared to spend the entire night with her, she realized. And it would most likely be the last time they would ever be together. She saw the pain in his face when he rose in the morning. Already the distancing had begun. Inevitable as it was, it felt like a fresh stab in the heart for her, too. “My parents will be arriving soon to attend the ceremony,” he said as he dressed. Layla watched him from the bed. “I am quite certain they would enjoy meeting you.” “I‟d be delighted to meet them,” she told him. “I mean that. I want to thank them personally for bringing a fine man like you into the universe. You‟ve changed my life, perhaps even more than I‟ve changed yours. Remember that when you‟re drifting far away on the Trailblazer, will you? I won‟t ask anything else of you.” “As if I could forget.” His dark silver eyes glistened. Then he was gone.

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Chapter Five Despite the threat hanging over the proceedings like a noctilucent cloud, graduation day rolled out with great fanfare and ceremony. Layla took her place among her colleagues, all of them smartly attired and a bit uncomfortable in their crisp dress uniforms. From her middle-row seat, she alternated between watching the procession of cadets being transformed into Starforce officers and scanning the crowd of spectators. It didn‟t take much effort to spot Jaret‟s parents. The emperor, a tall and imposing man with an elaborate headdress and a flowing gold robe, had claimed a seat in one of the boxes reserved for visiting dignitaries and was surrounded by an entire retinue of bodyguards and advisors. On one side of him sat a young man who was clearly one of Jaret‟s brothers, and on the other, she saw a strikingly beautiful woman Layla assumed was Jaret‟s mother. Every so often, she would rest her hand on the emperor‟s arm and lean over to say something, her lips touching his ear as she spoke into it. As Layla watched the obvious devotion between the parents, she couldn‟t help but long for such closeness in her own life. She had a good idea whose arm she would like to lean on as well. Before she was emotionally prepared, Jaret‟s turn came to accept his new status. Her heart squeezed as she watched him shake the Chancellor‟s hand and receive the ceremonial officer‟s sash to drape over his shoulder. When she looked over at his parents and saw their hands touch briefly, but with great meaning, her eyes burned with unshed tears. Later, at the lavish reception in the courtyard, Xath sought her out and led her to a private spot under an agwu tree. “Now that the ceremony is over, I have something I must tell you,” he said. Once again, Layla braced herself for a report of the scandal her behavior had caused. Yet Xath‟s words left her even more astounded. “I am leaving the Institute,” he told her without a trace of sadness in

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his voice. “Word travels quickly around here and though I have weathered many changes in my long and occasionally illustrious career, I have no desire to drift with our esteemed leader‟s proposed new direction.” “But what will you do?” Layla asked in shock. “Nothing, my dear—that is the point. Retirement beckons. Though I do have memoirs to write, and perhaps I‟ll even find a relationship. Your own endearing impudence has inspired me. In fact, I have a date tonight.” He nodded toward a tall, blue-skinned man wandering between the rows of refreshment tables. As if sensing that he was being watched, the man looked up at Xath and smiled. “He‟s the guest of one of our graduates,” Xath explained, turning back to Layla. “I forget which one. Still, he‟s an excellent conversationalist, owns his own spacecraft, and is unattached. What more could an old dilettante like me ask for?” Layla couldn‟t help but smile too, genuinely happy for her friend. “Have fun,” she told him as he winked at the blue-skinned man. “I certainly plan to. And may I suggest the same to you?” Her expression darkened. “I‟m afraid it‟s a bit too late for me.” “Nonsense. Remember what I said about grasping air—of the synthetic sort or otherwise.” Lifting one hand, Xath made a clutching motion and pulled his fist back against his chest. “There‟s something in here,” he said, wriggling his fingers. “I believe that.” “Perhaps you‟re right,” she said, neither looking nor sounding convinced. “You‟ll never know unless you reach out, too.” Xath spread his fingers as if to let something fly away. “The choice is yours, my dear.” She watched, smiling in spite of herself as Xath headed toward the buffet table, joined arms with his new friend, and walked off into the crowd with him. While she stared after them, a man in a shimmering green robe approached her and bowed. “Professor Kosajh? Forgive my intrusion. I would like to present you to the Emperor Zoeg.”

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So Jaret had remembered her promise to meet them. The timing of the request, following upon Xath‟s admonishment, struck her as either a bizarre coincidence. Or perhaps it was an indication that Fate was finally taking an interest in her future. “I would be honored,” she said. The man bowed again and gestured for her to follow. During her years at the Institute, Layla had met many famous people and powerful dignitaries, but never before had she felt so nervous. By the time she stepped into the Zaraxians‟ private box, her palms were cold and damp. Her escort motioned her to step in front of the emperor and his wife, whose hand still rested atop his. Layla found herself touched by their obvious closeness all over again. Jaret‟s brother, who had occupied the third seat of honor, had apparently left to partake in the public festivities. “Professor Kosajh, Excellence,” the aide said. The emperor surveyed her with a piercing, but not unfriendly, gaze. Jaret had inherited his father‟s dark silver eyes, she thought, not to mention a trace of his supercilious manner. “My son has mentioned you many times,” the emperor said after looking her over. “He claims to have found your method of instruction most satisfying. I must confess, his understanding of the complexities of interspecies diplomacy surprised me. I must also attribute that to your proficiency.” “I‟m glad, Excellence.” She found herself blushing the way she used to as a naïve young student. “However, I cannot take full credit. Your son is a gifted scholar with a quick mind.” “True enough. Even when he was a child, my wife and I often lamented his ingenuity, which made disciplining him a challenge.” The emperor paused to flash a loving smile at his wife, who inclined her head in agreement. “I assume you have been apprised of the current crisis facing my world and the others around it,” Zoeg went on, redirecting his attention to Layla. “If you mean the brigands, yes, Excellence. I am aware of the situation, though I cannot claim expertise just yet.”

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show of force Earth‟s Central Command is proposing… some factions, I understand, are not in favor. Are you?” Layla paused, realizing how much might depend on her response. A careless answer—or the wrong one, in the emperor‟s view—would not be easily forgotten or quickly overcome. Once before, she had allowed the Chancellor to intimidate her into going against her personal beliefs, as well as her better judgment. Whatever consequences awaited her this time, she would not allow that to happen again. “As a matter of fact, I am not in favor,” she stated. “I find the entire proposal misguided and possibly dangerous. Your son will be at risk, but so will many other lives, not to mention the very principles the Institute was founded on. I must do what Central Command orders me to, but in no way do I support their actions in this case.” She fell silent, as did the group standing around her. The emperor‟s aides glanced at one another, eyebrows lifted in silent inquiry. The emperor himself stared at Layla for a long, tense moment, turned briefly to his wife, and then back again. “You have spoken wisely,” he said. “As it happens, the Empress and I agree with you. In fact, we favor a program involving intense political outreach to many quadrants. That brings me to a somewhat delicate matter. Our people are not, on the whole, skilled in diplomatic methods. We will require some assistance in these matters. Given your obvious skill in the classroom, we hesitate to approach you, but we would be grateful if you would at least consider joining us in our quest to restore peace through nonviolent methods. It has always been the way of our people…and our son informs us you are one of us in spirit.” It took a few moments for the full significance of his words to register. Though she feared his Excellence would find it rude, she couldn‟t stop her jaw from dropping. “You‟re asking me to leave the Institute?” she asked in astonishment, still not convinced she‟d heard correctly. “To join you on your home planet?”

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“Please think it over. The Empress and I ask no more than that. For now, though, we must take our leave. We hope to speak with our son before the festivities conclude.” “Of course,” Layla said. The aides around her bowed, so she did the same. Zoeg rose, and his wife followed him to his feet. They were both tall and slim, she noticed, much like Jaret. Their movements were as fluid and graceful as his were. No doubt the Zaraxians as a whole were beautiful, as well as highly intellectual, people. Layla thought she could live among them quite comfortably…because she had no doubt that she would accept the Emperor‟s offer. How ironic that she would be on Jaret‟s world while he was in the middle of space on the Trailblazer. Surely he would come home for leave now and again. She would simply have to wait…and trust what she held in her hands and her heart. **** Back in her office, she surveyed her collections of databooks, exotic art, and various gifts from students and their families over the years. Packing it up would be no easy task, but suddenly she felt ready for the challenge. Leaving felt right. It felt like Fate. The buzzing at her door didn‟t surprise her. She had been certain he would come, though she wasn‟t quite sure what he would say to her. He wasn‟t wearing his officer‟s sash, she noticed as she flipped open her door and motioned him inside. She found that curious, though she couldn‟t tell exactly what its absence meant. “Did you enjoy the ceremony?” she asked him. “Yes,” Jaret said, locking his hands behind his back. “My parents did, too. They enjoyed meeting you.” “I liked them very much. They‟re both charming and obviously in love. I admit that surprised me, given what you told me about Zaraxian marriages.”

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Cassandra Pierce He nodded. “Their arranged marriage blossomed into great love. It happens sometimes,

though not always. They are fortunate to have found each other, as I am fortunate to have them as my parents.” “I‟m glad for them...though I admit I was a bit taken aback at your mother‟s subservience.” He looked astonished. “Subservience?” “Well, yes. She merely looks at your father while he speaks for both of them. I‟m not passing judgment, of course, but I never got the impression that your culture was so…er, maledominated. You don‟t seem to think that way at all.” His eyes widened as she spoke. “Indeed I do not. In fact, Professor, your impression is quite mistaken. Our world is not male-dominated in the least, but is in fact a matriarchy. My father speaks for my mother, true, but only because she is the Empress and gives him dispensation to do so. He rules on her behalf, and only with her permission.” “Oh—oh, I see.” Layla felt her face turn red. She had completely misinterpreted who was giving whom permission for what. Her assumptions, based on her own raw emotions, had led her astray. “Please forgive me. What an embarrassing mistake.” He shrugged, and she saw that he was biting back a smile. “Well, no matter. My father was quite taken with you. He even suggested that if I were interested in taking a mistress, I should ask you to be mine.” “Mistress?” Layla gaped, but some secret part of her was flattered, as well. “I suppose he meant that as a compliment?” “Indeed he did. I might add that on my world, unions between younger men and older woman are both common and respected. However, I informed him that such an arrangement was impossible.” “Impossible…yes.” His matter-of-fact answer disappointed her, but she refused to let it show. “It is. Even if I do decide to leave the Institute and join your father‟s—er, your mother‟s— diplomatic corps, you‟re going off on the Trailblazer. You‟ll be gone for years, perhaps.”

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Jaret paused, averting his gaze and chewing on his lower lip for a moment. “Actually, that will not be the case. Though the Trailblazer is no doubt a fine vessel, I am not inclined to accept. In fact, I have already resigned my commission. Despite all predictions to the contrary, mine may be the shortest Starforce career on record.” “But why?” she asked, dazed by his admission. “You would have been the finest officer on board. You could have gained a command of your own in a few years.” He shook his head. “Commanding a warship is not the future I envision for myself. I have come to realize that no matter what the circumstances, I cannot and will not learn to kill. After talking the issue over with my parents, I have decided that I would be happier working for peace. At your side.” “You mean…you‟re interested in a diplomatic career?” “Yes. My parents told me of their offer to you, and I have come to inquire whether there might be an opening on your staff…assuming you are inclined to accept.” Tears sprang to her eyes before she could stop them. All her plans for biding her time and planning her every move around him faded with the rush of emotion that gripped her. “I do plan to accept,” she blurted as they moved toward each other and wound their bodies together. “Both their offer and yours.” “I have not finished making my own offer yet,” he said. “I told Father that you could not become my mistress—because I wanted to make you my wife. However long it takes, I intend to persuade you.” While he spoke, he opened the front of her uniform jacket and pushed it down her shoulders, sliding his lips along the curve of her neck. In response, Layla smoothed a hand down his thigh and across to the front of his trousers. “Persuade me then,” she whispered. Their lips met in a deep, soul-searing kiss. Years seemed to have passed since they had last been together. Without moving his lips from hers, Jaret lifted her into his arms and seated her on the edge of her desk. Suddenly starved for his sweet masculine taste, Layla stretched out

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lengthwise on the surface of the desk so that his waist was at eye level. Quickly she opened the front of his trousers and guided his cock toward her mouth. His flesh, velvety and hot, slid along her tongue, the plump head coming to rest against the back of her throat. Reveling in his shape, his spicy flavor, and everything about him, she sucked and teased and rubbed the length of rigid shaft. His deepening moans told her that he was already well on his way to peaking. Just as she readied herself to take him farther, he reached down and grasped her shoulders. His fingers trembled as he gently pushed her back and extracted his cock. Layla could only stare in wonder at the way it proudly jutted between them, swollen with need and streaked with thick, pulsating veins. Hastily he moved her into an upright position and parted her thighs with a single nudge of his hips. Then he stepped between her open legs and entered her in a single thrust. Now it was her turn to moan as his slick flesh slid against hers. The fullness was almost too much to bear. Layla wrapped her legs around his waist and hoisted herself against his body. In that moment, she realized that he was no longer a boy. In that raw, young cadet‟s place was a strong, assured man—a prince—who commandeered her body as no one else could, and yet he allowed her to command his, as well. She controlled the depth and rate of his strokes into her, speeding up only when orgasm became inevitable. They came together on the desk, knocking over a stone ornament in the process. Layla watched it crack against the floor and roll away just as an incredible climax swept over her. Afterward, he looked up at her inquiringly. “Our marriage would not be like that of my parents, you know,” he said, almost shyly, still basking in the glow of their intense mutual orgasm. “What do you mean?” “As I mentioned earlier, it took some time for genuine love to blossom between them. I daresay we will not have to wait so long. On my part, at least, such feelings are already present.” An entirely too giddy smile parted her lips before she had time to bite it back. “I must admit that I am experiencing them, too,” she admitted as a look of relief and happiness spread across

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his own face. “I do love you, Jaret. I should warn you, though—it might take a while to convince me to marry you. I‟m quite independent, you know.” “I can accept that,” he said. “In fact, I cannot imagine you any other way.”

*THE END*

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Cassandra Pierce

About The Author Cassandra Pierce has been writing erotica since the early 1990s, first for magazines and now for ebooks. She has published novels with Siren, Aspen Mountain, and now Secret Cravings. She is always happy to hear from readers!

Other Books by Cassandra Tropical Treats (Short Stories of Men In Love 1) Forest Flings (Short Stories of Men In Love 2) Electronic Encounters(Short Stories of Men In Love 3)

The Space Cougar‟s Cadet

Secret Cravings Publishing www.secretcravingspublishing.com

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