Reed's Armory -- A Malcolm Reed Fanfiction Archive ..

Title: Direct Hit

Author: Taryn Eve

Author's e-mail: [email protected]

Fandom: Enterprise

Pairing: Reed/Sato

Rating: NC-17

Category: Het

Summary: A whole new side to Reed emerges as he discovers the danger of trusting someone--himself.

Comments: This story is the follow up to my most popular Enterprise Write Brigade lectures: How to Write Porn and How to Write Science Fiction Comedy. Warning: This ain't my usual Reed, but he's bisexual and a thoughtful man. Indeed. He must get tired from all that thinking he does.

Beta reader(s): Ozchick and Stexgirl2000

Archived to Reed's Armory on 10/15/2003.

Reed's hands flew over the console. "Direct hit, sir."

Ah, the satisfaction of a job well done-the discus-shaped Godarim ship was dead in space.

Captain Archer gave him a satisfied look. "I guess I'll let you keep your day job, Malcolm, since the next Olympics aren't coming up for a few years. Maybe by then you'll have T'Pol trained to be your partner."

"I rather doubt it, sir."

T'Pol gave Reed the Eyebrow but he shook his head at her, not wanting to explain. He should have known that he'd regret the confession Archer had wrung out of him at breakfast. A long time ago, Reed had been an ice dancer and a damn good one. He'd made it to the Olympic trials, but had blown out his knee during a rather busy tete-a-tete with a few Polish skiiers. Twist and shout indeed, he thought wryly, checking his monitor. However, his mind detoured to wonder what the science officer would look like in pink marabou and sequins...

"We're being hailed, Captain," Hoshi Sato said.

Archer tilted his head. "Put 'em on."

Before the brief shootout, T'Pol described the Godarim as similar to the Klingons and for Reed, the statement conjured up the image of a group of loud, brutish, walking apes who could unfortunately kick his arse from here to Sunday. The woman before them, Reed mused, was the opposite--a slim woman with huge...eyes, yes, eyes--stared at them on the viewscreen. She had a nasty cut on her forehead and bruises on her right cheek. Her clothing, what little there was of it, was torn.

Reed felt a hostile gaze hit him with the force of a phase pistol. He knew that look-he'd become its target quite a bit over the last month and Hoshi was usually set on 'kill' most days. He tore his eyes away from the viewscreen and gave the comm officer a weak smile. According to his calculations, she shouldn't have her period for another week, but maybe all this time in space had made her cycle irregular. He shuddered, the thought of all that blood making him sick. His face turned hot and he stared down at his console.

"I'm Captain Archer of the starship Enterprise from Earth. Why did you open fire on us?"

The woman cleared her throat and Reed looked back up at her. She had the creamiest skin he'd ever seen outside of England. Too bad her hair was so awful, it looked like it had been hacked off with a knife.

"I beg you to forgive the spirits of my master and his crew," the woman said in a husky voice. "They will atone for their crimes in the afterlife."

Startled, Reed looked down at his console. To his shock, the woman was the only person whose biosign was registering. He hadn't meant to kill them all!

Oh, the administrative paperwork would be incredible...

Archer paced in front of his chair for a long moment. "Let's bring you over here, Miss--?"

The woman bowed her head, and Reed shuddered at the sight; it was a truly bad haircut, even worse than that time he'd snipped Madeline's hair off while she slept. Of course, the little bitch had retaliated by shaving him bald...

"This one's name is Kyndine. I served on Her Majesty's Glorious Warship as its dezaka."

Archer and Reed looked at Hoshi for an explanation of the untranslated word, but the comm officer shook her head.

"I'll send Mr. Reed in Shuttlepod One to bring you over to our ship," Archer said in a soothing voice.

Kyndine's eyes widened.

Oh yes, Reed thought. You've bloody killed all my crewmates and now you're after me. Very soothing.

The woman started to breathe hard. Reed tried to ignore what the activity was doing to her chest and after a moment just gave in and stared. Her chest was truly one of the more spectacular wonders of the galaxy he'd seen so far.

She must get terrible backaches.

"Mr. Reed?" Archer asked, leaning over the tactical station. "Shuttlepod One. Now. T'Pol, you should go with him."

"Yes, Captain."

As he went into the turbolift, Reed stifled an internal sigh. The Vulcan woman was an absolute master at killing off his libido. His past dreams about her had started turning into nightmares about a month ago. Instead of staring at her at the science station, he'd tried to stare off into space whenever T'Pol had appeared on the bridge.

He'd overdone his attempt to repress his inappropriate and utterly sexual thoughts, though. Travis, in a moment of unexpected candor, had asked Reed last night if he were in love with him. In his efforts to avert his gaze from the Vulcan Wonder, he'd taken to staring long and hard at the young helmsman's firm-console.

Travis was relieved to find out that he wouldn't be seduced by a superior officer. Still, perhaps someday there would be a promotion of some sort or another-judging from the way that Travis spent time with Ensign Riley, the helmsman didn't mind quality time with equals. Travis had such a lovely...smile. Quite unlike T'Pol. A nice, firm...smile.

The turbolift didn't seem as crowded as it had back in the days of his crush when T'Pol had seemed to loom over him. The stately science officer gave him a brief look as she punched the lift button to take them to the shuttlebay.

"Kyndine seems like a nice young woman."

Damn. Shit. Fuck his mouth. It really said far too much sometimes.

T'Pol gave him The Look. The electron microscope/bug look. "Do not underestimate her because of her appearance."

No, of course not, Reed thought. "She could be the Godarim Albert Einstein."

Ever so slowly, T'Pol raised her eyebrow.

Reed stared at her in disbelief. Surely she knew that he was one of the greatest humans who had ever lived?

"I believe Einstein preferred to be judged apart from his looks," she said in a prim voice.

Reed sighed. Someday T'Pol would pull his leg straight off and start beating him with it.

They entered the bay and T'Pol opened the hatch of the shuttlepod. Reed automatically admired the view before he caught himself. She can ignore her looks, he thought, twitching uncomfortably. Lord, I wish I could.

"Would you prefer to take the helm, Lieutenant?" T'Pol asked sharply, turning to look at him.

Bloody hell. Don't. Look. Down. He wondered if the telepathy thing really worked, because she sniffed and stared at the top of his head.

"Yes," he said in a strained voice.

She moved to let him enter the pod first. A thought struck him as he bent over. Did human physiology ever thrill her? A nice firm bum was hardly a point of logic, after all. Buried somewhere in that body was a full set of biological instincts, complete with raging hormones. Vulcans couldn't be that different from humans, he considered. Desire is a universal language. Translators need not apply.

Behind him, T'Pol sniffed again. "I am adjusting environmental controls, Mr. Reed."

"Are you cold?" he asked, moving into the pilot's seat.

"No," T"Pol said in a chilly voice. "My sense of smell is somewhat acute this morning."

Oh dear God, she smells me, Reed thought. His face felt as hot as a slow volcano.

Work work work. Somehow, he managed to push the right buttons and the pod dropped out of Enterprise like a limp...

Malcolm Reed, he said to himself in his mother's stern voice. Keep your mind and your hands clean, young man.

He overshot the course to the round, drifting alien ship and had to turn around to meet it. After a few more tense minutes, he docked the pod with the ship's airlock.

"They do have a breathable atmosphere in there?" he asked T'Pol. Sometimes he forgot to check on things like that. Air was very important, even if it did get hot sometimes.

"Yes."

T'Pol bolted to the hatch as if her life depended on it. In mental apology, Reed made plans for a shower for later. A long, hot shower, perhaps with some of that lube he'd hidden in his wardrobe, too. On some nights, the bachelor's life was rather damn inconvenient--on the other hand, he didn't have to be nice to himself or buy himself stupid flowers or recite poetry.

Not that T'Pol would care for any of that rubbish either. She was as sentimental as most of the men he'd dated in San Francisco. The women, too, come to think of it. He didn't miss San Francisco.

Reed took a deep breath and brought his focus back to the task ahead of them. They pushed their way through the small airlock and narrow corridors of the alien ship. The architecture made Reed a bit dizzy, it was like walking on the inside of a doughnut.

A few bodies were thrown over the thresholds of the different compartments. Reed stared at the wounds. "Did they actually stab themselves in the back?"

T'Pol made no comment as she muddled her way through an oil slick of black blood. Not for the first time, Reed caught himself on the verge of warning her to watch it in those damn catheeled boots. They were sexy as hell, but impractical. At least he wouldn't be caught dead wearing any in his line of work.

"We are approaching the bridge," T'Pol said, eyeing her tricorder. "You should arm yourself."

Oh. Right.

Reed pulled out his phase pistol. Nothing gave him self-confidence quicker than the warm feel of a weapon in his hand...well, a weapon and one other thing.

Reed shook his head as they entered the bridge. Sex on the brain was no good for the job.

As he inhaled the floral scent of perfume in the air, he dizzily wondered if sex on the job was no good for the brain. Confused? Him? No...

He got a glimpse of heaving breasts a moment before Kyndine leaped upon him, knocking him flat on his back.

He didn't struggle, but he wanted to. Really.

He couldn't breathe.

God, those backaches of hers must be TERRIBLE.

Kyndine pushed herself off of him. Gasping, he started to breathe again.

"I have symbolically restored my honor by attacking you," she said in a grave voice. "My name is Kyndine and you are supposed to acknowledge me, alien."

Reed was acknowledging her, but maybe not in a way she'd care to recognize.

T'Pol offered a hand to help him, but he shot up and scrambled away from her.

"I'm Lieutenant Reed," he said to Kyndine. "This is Sub-commander T'Pol. We're here to take you to our ship."

Kyndine gave him a small nod. "It is done. I am your dezaka."

Alien mumbo jumbo. Perhaps Hoshi should have come with him.

Reed sighed at the mental fireworks of Hoshi coming. He was sure the pretty linguist would be absolutely incoherent in bed.

T'Pol made a slight gagging sound. Looking down, he noticed the bodies all around them. The stench of their blood was overwhelming.

"Ritual suicide," Kyndine said, kicking one of them on the boot. "I'm property, so I wasn't expected to die, but they took locks of my hair with them to the afterlife."

"Good for you," Reed said, trying to smile and failing.

Kyndine bowed her head. "I wish to leave now."

"Er, of course."

He led the way back to the airlock. Kyndine wasn't much taller than him. He noticed bruises on other parts of her body.

"We'll get the doctor to take care of your injuries when we get back," he said. "Do you have any belongings you'd like to bring?"

The alien woman-who didn't look very alien, aside from the frightening hair--looked away from him. "I have my hands, my heart, and my head. They are all I've ever needed."

Reed stared at her, speechless. What, really, was there to say?

They made the journey back to Enterprise in silence. After they emerged from the pod, the comm opened up to the cheery voice of Phlox ordering them to Decon.

Would these torments from Hell itself never end? Reed asked himself as he followed the two shapely women to the chamber.

He was usually adept at hiding his throbbing hormones, all of T'Pol's sniffing notwithstanding, but he was absolutely percolating thanks to their alien guest. Reed had sailed on a tall ship once-the main mast had nothing on him right now. He tried to hide his huge erection by moving to the corner and turning his back on the other two.

He couldn't help peeking, though. The Vulcan woman showed Kyndine where to put her clothing and then turned and glared at Reed.

No emotions, my blue bollocks, he said to himself as he stripped down to his briefs.

He resolutely turned away as the two women began squirting decon goo into their hands. The chain of command was awfully damn lonely sometimes.

In a futile gesture, he swiped at his back.

"Let me help you," Kyndine said in a low, husky voice right in his ear.

Kyndine had long, hot fingers. Reed closed his eyes at her gentle touch and he bit his tongue to keep from moaning. How long had it been since a woman had touched him, made him writhe and come all over her? Six hundred forty-eight days, at least.

"I believe the lieutenant is finished."

"No, he's not," Reed protested.

"Do go on," Phlox's sunny voice called out over the comm. "This is most intriguing."

"No, it is not, Doctor," T'Pol said.

"You may go now," Phlox said in a tone of mild disappointment.

T'Pol dragged the alien woman to hastily rigged guest quarters which turned out to be Hoshi's cabin. The science officer gave Reed a hard stare as he tried to follow them inside. He smiled sheepishly and made a hasty retreat all the way to the bridge.

Trip and Travis stared at him with envious looks on their faces. Hoshi merely glared.

"What's she like?" Trip asked, leering a little.

"Commander," Reed said in a shocked voice. "She's a lovely and frightened young woman and she's our guest."

Trip looked at Travis. "That translates into 'She's really damn hot and I'd love to date her, but T'Pol is going to watch her like a hawk'."

Reed ignored their laughter as he resumed his station. Home sweet home.

Hoshi cleared her throat and walked over to his side of the bridge. "I tapped into the other ship's computer and found out what dezaka means."

Reed shrugged. As long as it didn't mean 'weapons master' he didn't really care.

The communications officer leaned forward, glaring at him. "Dezaka means courtesan."

Courtesan? Reed bent his mind around the concept.

"You mean she's a prostitute?" Trip asked in a voice that seemed as loud as the man's shore leave attire usually did to Reed.

"Not exactly," Hoshi said. "The dezaka is more of a servant who takes on the obligation of sleeping with her master. It's more than service, it's a point of honor in their culture."

Oh, I do love the differently cultured, Reed thought, his mouth watering.

"I told the captain," Hoshi said, her voice absolutely icy.

At that moment, Archer emerged from the ready room. The scent of an overpowering pine cologne overwhelmed the room.

"I'm going to go talk to our new friend," the captain said, flashing Hoshi and Reed a wide smile.

The turbolift door whooshed open and T'Pol entered the bridge. She turned green and violent coughs racked her. Archer pounded her back, but she shoved him away.

"I think I should take you back to sickbay," Archer said in a worried voice.

He strong-armed T'Pol back into the lift before she could stop coughing to protest.

"That cologne is bloody biological warfare," Reed observed.

Trip slapped his hands together. "Well, I'll go check on our guest, then. Malcolm, you have the bridge, big guy."

Reed rolled his eyes and shot an appealing look at Hoshi.

"Ooh, sir, I think there's a call for you from engineering," she said.

Trip gave her a confused look. "How do you know? You're at the tactical station."

Hoshi scooted back across the bridge. "Oh yeah, you better go to engineering right away, sir."

"Well, okay," the commander said doubtfully. "But Malcolm still has the bridge."

Reed waved him away. "Mine. All mine."

It was damn unprofessional of him, but he felt entitled to a bit of giddiness. They'd been in battle for two hours and breakfast with Archer was a disaster again.

The engineer took the lift as soon as it came back up. The bridge fell quiet and Hoshi resumed glaring at Reed, who spent a quarter of an hour checking and rechecking the weapons systems. He didn't care what Trip said, he was NOT obsessive-compulsive about them.

"Lieutenant Malcolm Reed!"

Reed jumped at the sound of his name. How in the hell had Kyndine figured out the comm system on her own?

"Reed here. What is it, Kyndine?"

"I wish you to join me so I may fulfill my obligation to you."

Yes!

"I'll be right with you, ma'am. Reed out."

"I'm going with you," Hoshi said, her voice overly sweet.

Damn. "Mr. Mayweather, you have the bridge."

"Aye, sir."

Good boy, that Travis.

"See you later, Hoshi?" asked Travis innocently.

Hoshi gave him a guarded nod. "Thanks for offering to share your quarters since I got kicked out of mine."

"No problem."

Reed blinked. He could polish a halo with the innocence of the Boomer's smile. Still, his grandfather had passed on a valuable piece of advice regarding sex: trust no one.

Advice which apparently Hoshi had also heard, judging by the nervous glances she gave the other ensign.

They stepped into the turbolift. As the door closed, Hoshi dived against him and shoved him into the bulkhead. "No touching."

He stared into her eyes. She was really furious. "Are you jealous?" he asked, surprised.

She backed away from him and straightened her uniform. "Not exactly. You aren't really my type. But this is a woman who's been a slave, really. Wouldn't you like to give her a life of freedom?"

Yes, Hoshi was definitely jealous. The more a woman spouted idealism, the tighter they wanted to sink their claws into a fellow.

"I'll be careful," he said, hoping he didn't sound too smug.

She gave him another glare as they exited the lift. They walked to her quarters and she keyed in the code. The door opened.

Reed looked in and gasped. His jaw dropped. He gasped again.

Kydine was sprawled upon the bed, naked.

Naked. Really a blonde, really naked.

He blinked. Still naked. Surreptitiously, he pinched his thigh. Yes, he was awake.

Hoshi gasped and fled the room.

"Er, are you feeling all right?" Reed asked, loosening his collar and looking away.

The lines of an old song ran through his head in a continuous loop. 'Look away look away look away, Dixie land. Oh I wish I was in Dixie, hooray hooray...'

"My service is my life," Kyndine said, her voice coming closer.

She stopped in front of Reed. He decided it would be rude not to look at her and gulped. A blush crept over him.

"Are you afraid of me?" she asked, her voice husky with surprise.

Reed rubbed his face. "Not really. You're very lovely, but my duty requires me to keep my distance from you. I shouldn't want to take advantage of you, you see."

She blinked several times and huge teardrops started falling down her face. "You are refusing my honorable service? You will not let me pay my debt?"

Memories of the dishonored dead back on the alien ship raced through Reed's mind. "Good Lord, no! Don't kill yourself over me."

The waterfall stopped and she took his hand. Her skin felt hot against his as she led him to the bed.

She touched his cheek and undressed him silently. She had a serious, heart-shaped face and the darkness in her eyes revealed no joy to him.

"I don't want to do this," he said, lightly touching her bare shoulder. "You don't have to 'service' me if you don't enjoy it."

She ran her fingers down his nude body, exploring him. "It is my pleasure to serve the Temple of Love, Malcolm Reed. It is necessary to study you aliens. My people must learn to be your neighbors or we will destroy ourselves trying to eradicate you."

The slender alien woman slithered down and sheathed him with her mouth. He gasped and struggled against her, but she grasped his hips and forced him back against the bed.

"Kyndine," he sobbed, "God, don't stop."

Her tongue whirled over him, probing and licking every secret nerve that he had. Heaven. His eyes flew open and he reached for her hand. He pulled her up to him and they slowly melted together. She was tight and wet and felt better than any human he'd ever been with, male or female.

His hands wandered over her body as she silently rode him.

"What do you like?" he asked.

She shook her head. He tenderly cupped her large breasts and fingered the hard, dark nipples. Lovely. With a smile, he ran his hands down to her hairless cleft and searched carefully within the moist folds.

"Oh!" she gasped in surprise.

Reed grinned at his hunting skills and quickly licked his fingers, tasting her spiciness. He rubbed his wet fingers against her and she writhed against him.

"Yes," she said, squeezing his thighs.

"I want to taste you," he said, panting hard.

Her eyes widened in surprise as he rolled her onto the narrow bed. He spread her legs apart, knelt in front of her, and gave her a few tentative licks before she started gasping again.

Kyndine was so juicy that he was drowning in honey. He was incredibly hard and he felt like he was dying, but he loved the sound of her moans and screams so much that he kept doing his duty.

She pulled his hair, hard. "I want you in me, now," she growled.

"Yes," he said, taking hold of his cock and slipping it into her.

She dug her nails into his back and pushed him into her. He groaned, loving the feel of her tightness and her breasts. Beautiful. Fucking beautiful.

Kyndine screamed his name as her climax crashed over her. Reed grinned and came to a halt.

"You're not finished," Kyndine said, shaking her head. She rolled over onto her knees, offering herself to him. He cupped her firm roundness, loving her warmth as he slipped into her.

Oh, God, she was spectacularly tight back there. He wanted to pump into her forever. She grabbed her breast and came again as he poured his come into her.

I have died, he thought, reaching for Kyndine and wrapping her in his arms.

"I owe you a debt of love," she murmured against his chest.

He closed his eyes. "No one owes me anything. I'm my own man."

They kept each other company for a week as they waited for her people to pick her up. He wandered through his duty shifts, impatient to recover his place in her bed. Once Kyndine had made it clear that she would tolerate no one but Reed, Archer and the others had backed away.

Hoshi hadn't said a word about his presence in her quarters night after night. In resignation, she had taken his quarters.

Earlier in the week, T'Pol had attempted to engage him in discourse about why Kyndine's people were incompatible with humans physiologically. He had reassured her that he wouldn't leave Enterprise to follow Kyndine. He just wanted Kyndine in his arms for the few days they had left together. He knew he'd be a lonely man again once she left, but he was married to his duty. He'd be faithful to his ship.

Finally, they received word that the courier ship was within a few minutes of Enterprise's position. Archer had dismissed him from the bridge without further comment.

With a heavy heart, Reed entered Hoshi's quarters for the last time.

Kyndine looked up from the padd she was holding. She had asked for the instrument days ago.

"The ship is almost here," he said, folding his arms. His stomach hurt and the circulation in his hands was cold. It must be love, he realized bleakly. I love her and now she is leaving forever.

She nodded and rose from the bed. "Thank you, Malcolm." She rose from the bed. "You've been an interesting study."

Study?! His heart started cracking with the sizzle of a phase cannon.

"Study?" he asked in a cracked voice.

She shrugged. Since she was confined within the borrowed Starfleet uniform, the view wasn't very impressive.

"You humans have less endurance and a smaller lung capacity than my people," she said in a detached voice. "You are very emotional and you tend to cry for your mother in your sleep. I'm going to recommend that we avoid contact with humans in the future."

Malcolm held out a hand. "I'm only one human," he said. "You can't judge my people based on me."

Kyndine gave him a sad look. "We would kill you in loving you, Malcolm Reed. It is best for us to part now. Goodbye."

She opened the door, revealing Hoshi in the corridor outside.

"Um, hi," Hoshi said lamely.

The taller woman leaned down and whispered something in Hoshi's ear. Malcolm watched in detached interest as the comm officer's eyes widened.

"Make sure you serve the Temple of Love well," Kyndine said, her voice full of thunder.

"I'll give it my best shot," Hoshi said, staring at Reed.

Kyndine nodded and left.

Reed stared at his feet. So, love's gentle arrows had ripped his heart out yet again.

"I should go after her," he said. "I'm supposed to be escorting her to the airlock or shoving her out of it or something."

Hoshi patted his arm. "It's going to be all right, Malcolm."

He snorted. "Everytime I think I've got you damn women figured out, you kick me in the arse."

"You deserve only the best, Malcolm," Hoshi said, sounding distracted.

Reed stared at her fingers. She was fiddling with the zipper to his uniform.

"What are you doing?" he asked, batting at her hand.

She stared into his eyes. Over the months of the mission, she'd said with more than words that he wasn't her type. Yet her she was, kissing him.

Hoshi slid the zipper down. "You said once that I was good with my hands during target practice."

He nodded, letting her tug on his sleeves. Give her a phase pistol and in time and she'd conquer worlds--no coyness for this woman.

Hoshi stared into his eyes again. She had warm brown eyes and beautiful hair when she set it free. In a gesture he knew was defensive, he folded his arms.

"What did Kyndine say to you about me?"

"I've been talking to her the whole time she was here," Hoshi confessed. "She told me that your biggest fear is dying alone, Malcolm."

He closed his eyes. There had been times when Death had been so close that Reed had sharpened his scythe for him.

He hadn't dared entrust his heart to anyone back home knowing that the path he'd chosen would probably end in his dying in space.

However, Hoshi was here, on the same path.

As if sensing his thoughts, she wriggled into his arms. "Trust me."

A woman who was warm and willing to be naked in his arms.

Actually, he could think of all sorts of objections to this scenario...The chain of command, he seemed to make her angry quite easily, she probably didn't like screamers with that sensitive hearing of hers...

Hoshi kissed him, then moved away slightly. "Are you afraid of me?"

Reed closed his eyes. "No. I'm afraid of myself. I'm quite the monster sometimes."

"Did you love her?" Hoshi asked, taking his hand.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I hardly know what to think, though. It was more of a hormonal tidal wave, really."

She brushed her hand against his forehead. "You're going to be fine, Malcolm."

He closed his eyes. Fine was his normal state. The Reed who ate whatever he was served instead of drowning in alien honey, the man who loved his weapons more than he loved the people in his life. For the first time, he'd had more, and now he realized that the frantic sex hadn't been love.

God, he wanted to cry.

He looked up at Hoshi. Her expectant expression said she clearly wasn't interested in tears.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled up a smile from his arsenal.

"What else did Kyndine say to you when she left?" he asked.

"She said you're a screamer."

Reed winced. Direct hit to the heart. He'd been nothing but a test subject to the woman who had walked all over him.

He looked up at Hoshi, who gave him an eager smile.

"It's been a long time since I've been with a guy who was a challenge," she said in a sultry voice.

Maybe, just maybe they could make things work out.

He took her hand. "Well, Hoshi, my darling, I will die trying if it makes you happy."

"Good," she said, kneeling before him. "Ooh, is that for me?"

He snorted as she rubbed his erection through his briefs. "Have I ever told you that you have a positive talent for rapidly acquiring targets?"

She rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Oh God," he said, pulling her up into his arms. "That's what was missing. Kyndine couldn't make me laugh."

He kissed Hoshi. She teased his mouth open and her tongue darted against his. He moaned.

"You're in danger of making all my linguist fantasies come true," he said, leaning over to pull off his boots.

She grinned. "I like the sound of that. Tell me more."

Naked, Reed took her fingers and kissed her fingertips. Hoshi smiled and touched his cheek. Slowly, he undressed her, kissing her neck, her belly, and her cleft as he exposed her skin. He put his hands on her shoulders, then walked behind her and freed her hair from the clip confining it. He slid the clip down her back, making her shiver.

They kissed again and they guided each other to the bed as he slid his tongue into her mouth. She wrapped her legs around him and sighed deeply.

Wary, he pulled away from her. "I can leave if you prefer. This is all happening so fast."

She caught hold of his hand. "If you leave now, you wouldn't have the courage to come back."

Reed sighed. "Truer words were never spoken, my lady."

Hoshi put her hand over his mouth. "Stop talking, Malcolm, and make love to me. I can't promise that it will be spectacular every time, or that we'll even get along at the end of the week, but I can promise you that you won't spend the night alone. Can you promise me the same thing?"

He took hold of her thighs and eased them apart. "Reed men always keep their promises."

She caught his throbbing cock and guided it into her wetness. "Now, Malcolm."

Her fingers dug into his back as he pumped into her. Soon they were both slick with sweat and gasping.

"Yes, there," Hoshi said, panting. "Oh God, oh...you're so good, so hard..."

She screamed his name as she came. It drove Reed to his own sudden, heart-stopping climax. "Hoshi!"

After a breathless minute, she tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him close for a hug. "Never would have guessed you were so good at that."

"I'm a classic overachiever," he said, feeling smug.

Hoshi laughed. "Are you now?"

He tickled her clit. She jumped.

"Got you," he said, laughing.

Hoshi took his shoulder and pushed him down and he obediently started licking her.

She groaned. "Somehow I like you more and more everyday. Oh, where did you learn that?"

Looking up, he smiled at her once again. She wasn't Kyndine and perhaps Hoshi wasn't the love of his life. Their affair might not last, but this naked, warm woman was his friend and he enjoyed being in her arms. Malcolm Reed could live with that burden.

"Oh GOD!"

Yes, indeed.

~the end~