Love at First Bight

Chapter Seventeen

They arrived at their first planet, dubbed XP-3 by the DSMC, three days later. Emi stared in wonder as the vid screens showed the purple and orange planet beneath them. Twice the size of Earth, it had a similar climate, atmosphere, and gravity, but more studies were needed before a detailed pre-settlement team would be dispatched.

One of Emi’s jobs was to man the scanners on the drones sent to explore the planet’s surface. The water appeared purple, taking up approximately half of the planet’s surface, and the orange land mass was due to the overall color of the vegetation on the surface. Instead of Earth’s greens, oranges, reds, and umber tones defined most of the local plants.

Animal species abounded, many quadrupedal like on Earth, but looking like nothing they’d ever seen before. There weren’t many reptiles, at least not large ones, and the temperatures, even at the equator, were slightly cooler than Earth averages.

They spent three weeks orbiting the planet, making detailed maps, studying different areas, gathering readings of water, polar ice, and air in various regions.

“Why aren’t we using the rover here?” Aaron shook his head. “No orders. We can only use it on planets where we’re the tertiary exploration, meaning they’ve already done what we’ve done here and deemed it safe enough to explore. Don’t worry, you’ll have a few chances to go four-wheeling,” he teased with a playful grin.

Working with the men was far from a chore. One time, the boys had to walk around naked for three days after losing a particularly aggressive game of strip poker to Emi.

She loved playing poker and suspected they might have lost that game on purpose.

Another time, she ended up cooking dinner for a week when she lost. That one she did lose on purpose, because she had grown tired of Caph’s soup entrees, not that she would ever admit it to him.

Disaster struck one morning when Ford was on watch. She awoke before Aaron and Caph, pulled on a pair of sweats, and went to the galley to start coffee.

The Java Max wouldn’t run.

“Nooo!” she screamed, nearly panicked. Aaron and Caph ran into the galley, both scared and still naked, at the sound of her desperate wails.

“What? What is it?” Aaron asked.

Near tears, Emi slapped at the side of the coffee machine. “I can’t get it to work! It won’t work!”

Caph bit back his laughter while Aaron pulled her away from the coffee machine. They’d learned early on not to get between her and her first cup of coffee in the morning under risk of serious bodily injury.

“It’s not funny, Caph!” she yelled, fuming. “What are we going to do?”

He lost his battle to stay silent and roared with laughter. “Sweetie, it is funny. You’re the lady who thought nothing about parading around naked on a strange space station, and you’re about to have a nervous breakdown over the coffee machine?” He wasn’t as dedicated a java drinker as she was. She shoved him, hard.

“It’s not funny!” she screamed. Emi wheeled on Aaron, who was bent over it. “Fix it! You have to fix it!”

“I will, sweetie, just give me a minute. Calm down, Em.” Ford, drawn by her anguished cries, ran into the galley. “What’s wrong? What’s the matter?”

Caph clamped his lips closed, trying to quiet his laughter.

Emi cried. Maybe it wasn’t just coffee, maybe it was a tangible link to a normal life being taken away from her that had unnerved her, a wrinkle in her familiar routine that helped keep her sane and focused. Until now, she could almost imagine being able to walk outside and get what she wanted from New Phoenix. Living in the ship in space wasn’t much different than living in the ship in dry dock, as long as she didn’t look at the bridge vid screens.

She burst into tears and headed for the hydro lab, her other source of peace and comfort. The large room was now a virtual jungle, overflowing with fresh fruits and vegetables. She sat on the floor between two of the tanks and looked up, the ceiling nearly obscured by climbing squash and bean vines trellising on wires she’d run all over.

Ford found her twenty minutes later, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. He sat next to her and she cried, relieved, as he handed it to her.

“You fixed it!”

“Sweetie, it wasn’t broken. If you hadn’t run off like that, you’d have known. I cleaned it last night and forgot to plug it back in.” Embarrassment flowed through her. Ford’s amused smile set her off into another bout of tears.

“I feel like I’m losing my mind,” she admitted. “I thought I was handling this so well. I don’t understand.”

“I think you need a couple days off. We all do from time to time—it’s normal. We’ll change the watch schedule and let you get some rest.” He stroked her cheek. “You spend all your time trying to shrink our heads, baby girl, but the truth is, you need some TLC too.” She sipped her coffee and settled against his firm shoulder. “How stupid am I? I mean, I thought crap, no more coffee for years, and I panicked.”

“I would have panicked too, except for one thing.”

“What?”

He kissed the nape of her neck. “We have another Java Max down in the cargo hold, and plenty of spare parts for them both. If you think I’m going without coffee, you’re fucking nuts.” Emi froze, then burst out laughing. Ford joined her, and eventually she calmed down enough to let him lead her back to the galley. Caph sat at the table, eating.

“I scrambled you some eggs, sweetie.”

“Thank you.”

Ford made her sit while he fixed a plate for her. “We did a little talking. We agreed you and Caph should spend the day together.

Tomorrow it can be me and you, and then the day after you and Aar.

Is that okay with you?”

Emi nodded. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

Caph reached across the table and touched her hand. “Hey, babe, it’s okay. We all have meltdowns occasionally. It means you’re normal, not that you’re cracking up. If someone’s totally calm all the time, that’s when you worry about them.”

“So what are we doing today?” she asked.

He smiled. “Sim room.”

He’d even turned up the temperature a little. Not uncomfortably so, but she didn’t feel the slightest bit chilly when she stretched out on the blanket he spread on the floor.

“Where are we going today?” As if she couldn’t guess.

“You’ll see.” He programmed the room. The walls disappeared, changing to their private oasis by the stream. He knelt beside her on the blanket. “Roll over, sweetie. You need a backrub.” Her sweats made her hot. She stripped off her shirt and rolled onto her stomach, moaning with satisfaction as he straddled her body, his strong hands working every ounce of stress out of her muscles. They could have been there ten minutes or ten hours, she didn’t know.

Didn’t care.

When he eventually worked his way south she raised her hips as he slipped her sweatpants and underwear off her legs, leaving her comfortably naked on the blanket. And still he didn’t make any sexual overtures, his fingers kneading her legs and feet, nearly putting her to sleep again.

Emi thought he would try to make love to her, but he didn’t. He stretched out next to her, pulling her against his side, his arm around her.

“You feel better, babe?”

“Yeah. Mellow.”

He laughed. “Good, because you were pretty stressed.”

“Don’t you want to do anything?”

He shrugged. “Talk. Nap.”

Emi playfully poked him. “Not what I meant.” He was still dressed in a T-shirt and shorts.

“We’ve got all day, babe.” And they took it. Talking, napping, relaxing. Being with the men was so comfortable, she’d long since gotten past feeling self-conscious if they were dressed and she wasn’t.

“They won’t come in here with us?” she asked.

“No. We wanted you to have some down time. If you want some alone-alone time, we’ll be happy to give you that, too.”

“No. I spent more than enough years alone-alone to last me a lifetime.” She rolled on top of him, feeling him harden through his shorts. “What I want right now is you.” She kissed him, and he wasted no time rolling her onto her back and ridding himself of his clothes. With the simulated scene around them, the sounds and even the temperature, it was easy to pretend they were back in New Phoenix at their picnic.

Caph took his time experimenting with positions, finding that with one of her legs hooked around his, his strokes rubbed her clit just right. From the change in her moans, he knew he had her.

“Is that good for you, baby?”

“Yeah,” she whispered, working her hips against his.

This was her special connection with Caph, her gentle giant, so to speak, his every move, every breath speaking of his dedication to her.

Emi laid back and enjoyed it, the feeling of his turgid cock slick with her juices hitting just the right spot with every stroke.

“I love you so much, Emi,” he breathed, brushing his lips against hers. “I love that I can do this for you.” She tangled her hands in his shaggy hair, pulled his face to hers, her tongue stroking in time with his cock.

It caught her by surprise, like being tossed off her feet by an ocean wave. She cried out against him as her muscles spasmed, trying to keep him inside her.

He lifted her thighs and fucked her, fast and hard, trying to climax with her and just barely making it. Still sheathed deep inside her he rolled to his side as she softly wept against him.

“Shh, it’s okay,” he whispered. This still unnerved him, she knew, that something that felt so good could make her cry.

Emi drifted to sleep with the feel of his fingers brushing along her spine, soothing her, comforting her.

Her day with Ford started out sleeping late, then curling up on the large sofa in the rec room and watching several old movies, talking, snuggled under a blanket and playfully petting.

They did a lot of talking, Ford somehow seeing deep inside her in a way the other two men didn’t. “Feeling better?” he asked as his fingers playfully slipped inside her sweats.

Emi shifted position. “I have a feeling you’re going to make sure I feel better.”

His finger dipped inside her, then trailed a slow, teasing circle around her clit. “Absolutely,” he softly growled in her ear.

Ford knew what buttons to push, physically and emotionally, to bring her to the edge of release and keep her there. He slipped two fingers into her, and she moaned with disappointment when he stilled his hands.

“Don’t rush me, sweetheart.” He nipped her earlobe, making her arch her back and press her body against his. “I want to spend all day keeping you begging for it.”

Her soft gasp of disappointment made him laugh. “You love it, and you know it. You can’t lie to me, baby.” No, she couldn’t. He knew her too well that way.

He shifted position on the couch and pulled her sweats off. She kicked them out of the way and felt him shed his shorts, his stiff cock throbbing against her cheeks.

The movie played on without them noticing. His free arm circled her, his fingers gently plucking at her nipples, back and forth, just hard enough to make her sex tingle around the fingers he had comfortably buried there.

Emi rocked her hips against him. “Please,” she gasped.

“I will, but not yet.”

Nudging against him, she tried to coax him into replacing his fingers with his cock, but he wouldn’t. Then his hand settled over her right breast, gently massaging it, his thumb rubbing her rock-hard nipple, keeping it pebbled beneath his finger.

Torture. The sweetest torture in the known universe. The slightest movement of her hips or his hand brushed against her clit in a tantalizing way, but without enough pressure to get her off. After an hour of this he took a little mercy on her.

“Do you trust me, sweetheart?”

“Yes,” she gasped. Anything, she wanted him to do anything to bring her relief.

He pulled his hands away, leaving her agonizingly empty, making her moan. He chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll be taking care of that for you.”

He pushed her onto her stomach. She closed her eyes, wiggling her ass at him, anything to have his touch against her flesh again.

Then she felt a familiar, cool wetness against her puckered rim. She froze.

“You okay, sweetie?”

“Yes,” Emi whispered.

“You sure?”

She nodded. “Please don’t stop.”

He placed his cock against her dark hole and slowly pressed forward, giving her time to adjust. When he was fully inside her, he carefully rolled to his side again, holding still, returning his hands to their previous positions.

Emi gasped. What would it be like if it was one of the other men inside her instead of Ford’s fingers? That was something she’d thought about but not tried, still a little too chicken to ask for that in real life.

“You okay, sweetie?” he murmured in her ear as he took a slow stroke inside her.

“Yes!”

“You like this?”

She pressed against him, turning her head so she could kiss him.

He took his time, reading her body, never letting her get close enough to release to send her over the edge. He tormented her, switching between slow strokes of his fingers in her slick sex and slow thrusts in her ass, alternately playing with her nipples. She lost all track of time in his arms, knowing he could do this to her all day.

And he would, if she didn’t come first.

“One of these days, baby,” he whispered, “I would love to take you like this while you’re fucking one of the others.” He punctuated the words with another deep thrust. “I’d love to feel their cock sliding into you, feel them having you at the same time.

Emi whimpered, beyond rational thought.

He withdrew his hand, making her moan with disappointment.

He laughed, sucking his fingers. “Dammit, you taste so good, baby. That’s something else I love. I enjoy going down on you while one of them’s fucking you, baby. I love making you scream.” He made her scream, all right.

With a hand on her hip he took several strokes into her, his shaft never softening. This wasn’t something she did all the time with them, but it was always easiest and felt most natural with Ford for some reason.

“What’s the matter?” he whispered against her neck.

She wiggled her hips against him in response, making him laugh.

“Aw, did you want my hand back there?”

“Uh huh.”

Slowly, teasing, he slipped two fingers into her, sheathing them deep inside her and she sighed. Still no release, but the feeling was amazing.

She rocked her hips, but he pulled her tight against him, holding her captive.

“No, babe. You’re mine for right now, and I’m having fun. Is that okay with you?”

She groaned, but didn’t protest. Spending all day with Ford like this was definitely not something to complain about.

“Unless…” He didn’t finish.

“Unless what?” she gasped.

Seductive lips pressed against the nape of her neck, in the sensitive spot that always made her shiver. “Unless you want me to call Aaron in here to help us play a little.” He slowly fucked her with his fingers, and she knew what he wanted, that he did really want it.

“Okay.”

He froze. “Really?”

“Only if it’s what you want. This is your day alone with me.” He throbbed inside her ass. “Oh, damn, baby, you mean it? I’ve been fantasizing about this.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “Then let’s take care of that, because if I don’t come soon, someone’s going to get hurt.” Emi knew Aaron was in the galley and Caph was on the bridge. She called out to him.

“Hey, Captain, got a minute?”

“Hold on,” he called back.

Ford snickered against her shoulder. Thank the gods the sofa was huge, more than big enough for the three of them.

Aaron walked in, pausing in the doorway. “What’s up?” She stuck her arm out from under the blanket and hooked her thumb at Ford. “Him. And he’s got an indecent proposal for you.” Amused but curious, Aaron walked over. “What?” Emi pulled him down to her and kissed him. “Drop your pants and we’ll show you.” She pulled the blanket back, and it didn’t take him long to catch on. He was stiff by the time his pants hit the floor. Ford moved his hand out of the way as Aaron carefully nudged into position, his cock pressing at her wet entrance.

“You okay, Em?” Aaron asked. She nodded, kissing him.

He slowly slipped into her wet sex, drawing moans from all three.

Having both men inside her stretched her in an erotic way, and Ford shifted position, allowing Aaron to get a better angle for thrusting.

“Jesus,” Ford gasped. “That’s better than I ever imagined!” Emi laid back and let them take her. She had to remember to breathe. Both of Ford’s hands stroked her nipples, sending shockwaves through her.

Aaron stopped and slipped a hand between their bodies, his thumb rubbing her clit. “How long has he been torturing you, baby?” All she could do was nod, and the men laughed. It was good, sooo good, having them both. Why had she waited to do this?

Her world ended outside of what they did to her, their arms and lips and cocks owning her body, deciding when¯if¯she’d climax.

They took their time, stopping frequently to cool down, not wanting their release to come too soon.

“You’re so tight, sweetheart,” Aaron whispered, his lips parting hers.

Ford moaned in agreement.

She hovered on the edge, Aaron not letting her come. When she tried to rock her hips against them, he thrust deep and held her, impaled on their shafts. “No, baby girl,” he whispered, “we’re not through with you yet.”

She couldn’t take much more of this. Her body screamed for release, every touch of their flesh against hers trying to push her over the edge. “Please make me come!”

“What was that?” Ford asked, teasing. “What did you want?”

“Please,” she begged. “Fuck me! Make me come!”

“Do you think she wants it bad enough, Aar?” He shook his head, smiling. “I don’t think so.” His long, slow strokes were well-timed with Ford’s; as one man stroked in, the other withdrew, keeping her on the edge.

“Aw, she’s been so good, maybe we should let her come,” Ford teased.

Emi whimpered again, helpless against the combined strength of their bodies controlling her.

Aaron hesitated, then leaned over and kissed Ford. “Thank you for this. For letting me cut into your time.” He kissed her. “And you.”

“Shut up and fuck me!”

The men laughed. “She sounds pretty adamant there, Aaron,” Ford quipped. “I dunno. What do you think?” Aaron sighed and stroked her clit again, thrusting as he did. “I think we should give her what she wants. She does take good care of us.” With the pad of his thumb circling her clit, he brushed his lips against hers. “Come for us, Em. Show us what we do to you¯” It hit her like a searing hot tidal wave, raking through her body and tearing a passionate scream from her lips, her body squeezing both cocks inside her, milking them, the pressure intensifying the strength of her climax.

“That’s it,” Ford said, his hands sliding down to her hips, giving him better leverage. “Give it all to us.” Beyond reason, beyond control, she tried to thrust against them and finally gave up, letting them set the pace.

“Look at me,” Aaron whispered.

She did, losing herself in his eyes.

“Watch me, watch what you do to me.” She held his shoulders while Ford grunted behind her, “I’m close, man.”

Her eyes locked onto Aaron’s. He took another stroke, and both men cried out at the same time, plunging deep into her, taking her.

Emi tangled her fingers in Aaron’s hair and pulled his lips to hers as he breathed her name. Then in a collective sigh, they relaxed, spent, content.

When they’d caught their breath, they carefully untangled legs and arms and soft cocks from each other. Emi winced a little, and Aaron noticed.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded. “I’ll be walking bow-legged for a few days, I think.

But it was worth it.” She turned to Ford. “Ready for a shower?”

“Yeah.”

Aaron joined them, and then Emi curled in bed for a few minutes, meaning to take a short nap. When she awoke two hours later, Ford was smiling at her.

“How do you feel?”

Quick inventory. “Actually, not as bad as I thought I would.” She wasn’t a bit sore. How the men ever managed that, she had no clue. It never failed to baffle her.

“Good. Dinner’s almost ready. Want me to bring it in?”

“Where’s the others?”

“Aaron’s taking night watch tonight. He said he’d eat on the bridge.”

“I feel bad Caph got left out.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. He can have extra cuddle time with you tonight.”

“How about the three of us eat in here then?”

That’s what they did, and she snuggled between the twins as they watched a movie. The next thing she knew, it was morning and Aaron was bringing her coffee.

“Jeez, how long did I sleep?” She rarely awoke at night and could count on both hands with fingers to spare how many bad dreams she’d had since hooking up with the boys.

His playful smirk warmed her. “Not that long. You were exhausted. Not just playing yesterday, but accumulated stress. And frankly, since I had watch last night, I could use a nap. So how about we just stay in bed today?”

“Do you really think I’m going to say no to that?”

“I didn’t think you would.”