Read The Space Colonel's Woman (Dragonus Chronicles Book 1) for Free Online Page B

contour of Mark’s jaw without touching the screen.  “Much better.”
    It was a head and shoulder shot of them together, eyes giving away their total happiness in each other.  How lucky they were to have found, not only love, but their soulmates as well.
    “Let’s go for a walk.” She got up and gripped his wrist to haul him to his feet.
    The cave would forever be their sanctuary.  But her happiness could not be contained.  She needed wide open space for her heart to soar.
    “Not a good idea.”
    Julia could feel his apprehension in the tightening of his biceps beneath her palms, and the way he kept his eyes from meeting hers.  “Wh-”
    “I can’t protect you out in the open.” Mark tugged her across the inches that separated them. “They’re coming for me; it’s just a matter to time.”
    It took a moment for her to understand he wasn’t referring to his team, but the Arcadians, or even Darvac. 
    “Okay.” Julia sighed, running her fingers through the chaotic tangle of her hair.  This was her world, but to Mark it was an alien planet. “What will it take for you to leave this cave?”
    She could see him thinking, and it was making her edgy. 
    “You’re not a vampire are you?” Amusement rumbled through his chest when she tucked her fingers in the neck of his tee, as if checking for sparkly skin. “No melanomic conditions that’ll be exacerbated by the hole in our ozone layer?”
    He pulled at her wrist, brows drawn together. “There’s a hole in the planet’s ozone?”
    “I have sunscreen, SPF75.  Curse of the redheads, our skin has two colors, pale or lobster.  No tanning for me.  You can use some, though I wonder if you’d be allergic to its contents…” Julia chuckled at herself and her habit of being distracted by random tangents of thought. “I know you’re worried, but I haven’t seen anyone on the beach for days, except you.  You’ve got your weapons; will you please come for a walk with me?”
    Julia wrapped her arms tighter around his hips and batted her lashes at him. Mark huffed out an exasperated snort and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.  “Okay, you win, Beautiful.”
     
    ~*~
     
    They walked from the cave’s cool dim interior out into the dazzling sunshine of late morning and along the sand to the tree-crested island in the middle of the beach.  Julia led the way, climbing up the jagged rocks to the plateau with Mark right behind her.  When they reached the top, he stepped around her to pace the outer rim and survey the seascape from every angle.  Julia had spread the blanket in the sparse shade of a tree and sat with her arms around pulled-up knees, admiring her view.  He stood with his back to her, one booted foot raised on a rock and hands splayed on his hips; a quiet watchfulness in the taut line of his shoulders.
    “It’s a good vantage point.  Can see anything coming.” He said, relief in his tone.  “Beautiful too.”
    Arousal surged beneath the surface of her flushed skin as she called to him with her eyes.  It took a moment for her message to travel the distance between them, but when it did, Mark moved with predatory grace and was crouching at her feet in three long strides.  His momentum carried him forward, pushing her onto her back as he laid his weight over her; all three of his weapons pressing hard against her as he plundered her mouth.  Julia pushed against his chest until Mark realized she wasn’t kissing him back.  His eyelids fluttered open in wary confusion and he lifted his torso, supporting his weight on his forearms.
    “Let’s take this off first.” She suggested, tugging down the vest’s zipper.
    He smirked and took one arm out, then the other, before dropping the vest next to the backpack.
    “Much better.” She murmured, and fisted the front of his tee to pull him down.
    She struggled playfully, thrust her breasts up.  Mark growled deep in his throat and grabbed both of her wrists in one hand, pinning her