Not the Man She Thought Read online

  Rade chuckled. “That was over two weeks ago. I’m sure you’ve done something to earn yourself a spanking since then. Besides giving you a spanking makes your pussy wet.”

  Laken felt her face color. After all the times he had put her over his knee, she still blushed hotly whenever Rade said something like that. Which he did on a daily basis since making her his wife. Her lips curved into a smile at the word. If someone had told her that first day on board Rade’s ship she would end up marrying him, she would have told them they were crazy, but she couldn’t be happier. She loved Rade more than anything. Even if he did like to put her over his knee and spank her at every opportunity. Then again, she thought as he began to caress her bare bottom, maybe the reason she loved him so much was because he did put her over his knee. One of the reasons, anyway.

  She was so busy enjoying the massage Rade was giving her that she didn’t realize he had even stopped until he lifted his hand and brought it down on her bottom with a loud smack.

  “Owwww!” She lifted her head to look over her shoulder at him. “Aren’t you at least going to give me a warm up first?”

  His mouth quirked. “Your bottom will be warm by the time I’m done. Trust me.”

  Laken stuck out her tongue at him, but turned back around to rest her head on her arms again. As much as she might like to protest, she loved getting spanked, and Rade knew it.

  No sooner had she settled back into a comfortable position again than she felt Rade deliver a sharp slap to her other cheek. She bit her lip to stifle a little yelp, but still squirmed on his lap. That earned her another smack, and another. He moved back and forth from one side to the other until her bottom felt warm and tingly all over.

  Between her thighs, her pussy purred, and she let out a little moan as Rade stopped to gently caress her cheeks. While his hand felt wonderful on her stinging skin, she knew from experience that it would feel even more exquisite on her red-hot ass after he had spanked her good and hard.

  As if reading her mind, Rade lifted his hand and brought it down sharply on her upturned ass. Her squeal of protest barely escaped her lips before her husband’s hand connected with her bottom again. He applied firm smacks to both cheeks with a slow, steady rhythm that had her gasping for breath. Even though she loved every minute of it, Laken couldn’t help but squirm and kick her feet all the same. The spanks stung.

  Then all at once, he stopped. Laken held her breath, waiting for Rade to caress her burning cheeks like he’d done before, but he surprised her by leaning over to press a kiss to her freshly spanked ass instead. His mouth felt deliciously cool on her hot skin, and she let out a moan of pleasure when she felt the stubble on his jaw scrape against her tender skin as he kissed and nibbled his way up and down her bottom. She could have him do that all night.

  Rade clearly had other ideas. Lifting his head, he went back to spanking her again. Laken moaned and squirmed around on his lap even more in an attempt to grind her pussy against his muscular thigh.

  She lifted her head to look at him over her shoulder. “Touch me,” she begged. “Please.”

  He obeyed, immediately sliding his hand between her thighs and running his finger along the slick folds of her pussy. Laken let out a moan and spread her legs.

  “I guess you liked that spanking,” he said softly. “Despite your protests.”

  “You know I always do.”

  He found her clit among the downy curls and began to make lazy, little circles around the plump nub. She let out a sigh and ground against his hand.

  “Would you like me to make you come like this?” he asked, his voice husky.

  Her clit throbbed under his finger. She nodded her head.

  “Say it.”

  She blushed, hesitating for a moment. When she finally did manage to get the words out, it was in a soft, breathless voice. “Make me come, Rade. Please!”

  At her words, Rade’s finger immediately began to move faster. She wiggled on his lap, undulating her hips as he made quick little circles on her clit. He brought her to orgasm faster than she would have thought possible, and she let out one long, continuous moan as ripples of pleasure coursed through her body, making her tremble.

  When her climax finally subsided, all Laken could do was lay there draped over his knee. Her pussy still throbbed with need, though, and after a moment, she could no longer ignore it. She had to have him inside her.

  Getting to her feet, she pushed her long hair back and looked down to find Rade gazing at her with hunger in his dark eyes. Her own gaze moved lower, and she caught her breath at the sight of his hard cock standing at attention. She caught her lower lip between her teeth, torn between taking him in her pussy and taking him in her mouth, then decided she could do both.

  Kneeling down between his spread legs, she wrapped her hand around the base of his cock, then leaned forward and wrapped her lips around him. Rade groaned and slid his hand in her hair, gently guiding her as she moved her mouth up and down on his shaft. She took him a little deeper each time until the tip of his cock finally touched the back of her throat. Rade groaned again, this time long and low.

  She slid her mouth back up his length, intending to do it again, but Rade tightened his fingers in her hair, stopping her.

  “I’m already close,” he said hoarsely. “I want to be inside you when I come.”

  Giving her a little tug, he pulled her to her feet. Placing her hands on his shoulders, Laken straddled his legs and slowly lowered herself onto his hard shaft. Her gasp quickly turned into a moan when Rade reached around to grab her freshly spanked ass cheeks in both hands.

  “Ride me,” he ordered softly.

  She obeyed, slowly sliding up and down on his cock. As she moved, Rade lifted his hand and gave her ass a smack.

  “Mmm,” she breathed. “Do that again.”

  He did, this time on the other cheek, even harder. Laken jumped, almost coming all the way off his cock, then sliding back down.

  “Ride me,” Rade commanded, spanking her again.

  Laken squealed, but did as he ordered, bouncing up and down in rhythm with the spanks. Rade went back and forth from one cheek to the other, delivering smack after stinging smack until her bottom felt like it was on fire. Grabbing her ass in both hands, he gave it a squeeze, then picked her up in his strong arms without sliding out of her. She automatically wrapped her legs around him, holding onto him tightly as he stood up.

  She was just about to ask where he was going when he eased them both down onto the bed. She let out a gasp as her tender bottom came into contact with the sheets, but the sound was muffled as Rade covered her mouth with his.

  Laken wrapped her legs more rightly around him, pulling him even deeper as he slowly pumped into her. She moaned against his mouth and lifted her hips to meet his. Every time they made love, his cock seemed to find another secret place deep inside her and this time was no different.

  Rade made love to her slowly, deliberately sliding his cock all the way out of her pussy, then back in again. She got closer and closer to orgasm with each thrust of his hips, but she needed it harder. She tried to urge him to move faster, but he continued his slow, steady rhythm.

  She dragged her mouth away from his. “Harder!” she demanded. “Fuck me harder!”

  He obeyed her command, thrusting into her hard and fast, sending her so far into orbit that Laken was dizzy with ecstasy. Rade buried his face in her neck, pumping into her even more fiercely, a hoarse groan escaping him as he found his release.

  Breathing ragged, he lifted his head and gave her a long, drugging kiss, then slid out of her to roll onto his back, taking her with him. Laken snuggled up against his chest with a sigh.

  “That was amazing,” she said softly.

  He ran his fingers up and down her bare arm. “You’re the one who’s amazing, Mrs. Karsten.”

  Her lips curved into a smile at his use of her married name. She lifted her head to gaze down at him. “I love you, do you know that?”

  �
��I love you, too.”

  Rade slid his hand in her long hair and pulled her down for a kiss. Laken melted against him, eager for another round of lovemaking, when the ship’s intercom abruptly beeped.

  “Captain?”

  Rade pulled away with a groan. “What is it, Kam?”

  “Just wanted to let you know that we’ll be docking on Tellune in about fifteen minutes.”

  “Copy that,” Rade said. “Thanks, Kam.”

  Laken let out a sigh as Kam closed the ship’s com channel. When Rade suggested they visit her parents, she had agreed, but now she wasn’t so sure about it. While she wanted to see her mother, she wasn’t looking forward to facing her father. The meeting was bound to be confrontational.

  “Are you sure about this?” she asked Rade. “We could just have Kam turn the ship around and take us to some exotic planet for a second honeymoon instead.”

  “We don’t have to go see you parents if you don’t want to, but they deserve to know you’re okay. And that you’re married.” He reached out to gently brush her hair back from her face. “It’s up to you, though. If you’d feel more comfortable sending them a communiqué, then we’ll only stay on Tellune long enough to grab some supplies. You don’t even have to get off the ship.”

  She chewed on her lower lip. As much as she would have liked to take Rade up on the offer, he was right. Her parents did deserve to know what had become of her, especially her mother. She had the feeling her father wouldn’t be too pleased when he found out she was married to a man who had cost the Federation billions of credits, though.

  * * * * *

  Though Laken had only been gone a little over a month, it felt strange to be back on Tellune. So much had happened since she’d left that the bustling planet that had once been her home now seemed foreign to her. After seeing firsthand the atrocities the merchants who lived there had done to obtain such riches, she found herself looking at the beautiful architecture and elegant people in a different light. It wasn’t a very flattering one.

  When she and Rade arrived at her parents’ home, Laken considered walking right in just like she had when she used to live there, but decided to ring the doorbell instead. If Rade thought it was odd, he made no comment. He simply tightened his hold on her waist and gave her a reassuring smile.

  Since neither of her parents ever answered the door, Laken wasn’t surprised when one of the maids did so. The gray-haired woman stared at her in astonishment for a moment, but then a smile lit her lined face.

  “Miss Laken!” she exclaimed. “As I live and breathe. It is you.”

  Hurrying forward, the older woman wrapped her in a tight hug. Laken returned the embrace, smiling at the maid’s show of affection. Una had been with her family since Laken was a little girl, and of all the serving staff, the woman was her favorite. She’d probably missed the old woman more than she had her family.

  “It’s so good to see you, Una,” Laken said.

  “It’s even better to see you,” the maid said. She took a step back to gaze at Laken. “We’ve all been so worried about you, child. When you disappeared, we didn’t know what to think.” She glanced at Rade, as if just noticing him. “And who is this you’ve brought with you?”

  Laken reached out to take Rade’s hand. “This is my husband, Rade.”

  “Husband?” The woman blinked. “Oh dear!”

  Oh dear, indeed. “Is my mother at home, Una?”

  The maid nodded. “Yes, yes, of course. Come in,” she said, ushering them into the foyer. “Why don’t you wait in the salon, dear? I’ll tell your mother you’re here.”

  Una didn’t wait for a reply, but hurried off toward the back of the house, muttering something Laken couldn’t hear. Then again, with all the music and laughter coming from the direction of the patio, Laken couldn’t hear much of anything. Except for her wildly beating heart, of course.

  “It sounds like your parents are having a party,” Rade said.

  Laken nodded. “It’s not a party, really. It’s a business meeting disguised as a party. They hold a lot of those.” She took his hand. “Come on. The salon is this way.”

  No sooner had Laken and Rade stepped into the expensively decorated room than her mother walked in. An older version of Laken, Raina Andara stood in the doorway for a moment, staring at Laken as if unable to believe what she saw. All at once, tears filled her mother’s eyes and she ran across the room to wrap Laken in her arms. Laken felt tears well in her own eyes as she hugged her mother back.

  “I can’t believe you’re back,” her mother said. “Your father and I were so worried about you, dear.” She pulled back to give Laken a questioning look. “Where have you been?”

  Laken wiped a tear from her cheek. “I went to New Ashanti.”

  Her mother’s brow furrowed. “Whatever for?”

  “To find Mallin,” Laken explained. “Or at least that was my intention when I left.”

  Her mother’s frown deepened. “Mallin? I don’t understand.”

  Laken was a little surprised by her mother’s confusion, especially since Laken hadn’t made a secret of her affections. But it would take too long to explain everything to her mother right now. Laken had other, more important things to tell her mother. Like the fact that she was a married woman.

  “I’ll explain everything later, Mother. Right now, I want to introduce you to someone.” Taking Rade’s hand, she gave her mother a smile. “This is my husband, Rade Karsten.”

  Her mother’s eyes went wide. “Your husband?”

  Laken nodded. “Yes.”

  Rade held out his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Andara. Laken speaks very highly of you.”

  Her mother stared at Rade’s hand for so long that Laken thought she would refuse to take it, but to her relief, the older woman reached out and clasped it.

  “It’s nice to meet you, too,” her mother said. She smoothed her perfectly upswept hair with a hand, then gave Rade a smile. “You’ll have to forgive me, Mr. Karsten. It’s just that seeing my daughter after so many weeks without a word from her, then learning she’s married, well, you can imagine how surprised I am.”

  He smiled. “I understand. And please call me Rade.”

  “Rade.” She looked at Laken. “You married Rade Karsten. Of course, you did.”

  Laken waited for her mother to explain what she meant by that, but to her dismay, the older woman just smiled as if she were waiting for Laken to say something. Laken glanced at Rade to find him regarding her expectantly, too. Giving him a small smile, she turned back to her mother. She supposed she should explain the whole run-in with the Federation and all. That would probably be the best place to start.

  Before Laken could say anything, however, the door to the living room burst open and her father strode into the room. A big man with graying hair, Edrick Andara seemed to fill the salon with his mere presence.

  “It’s about damn time you’re home,” he bellowed. “You had your mother sick with worry, young lady. Just where the hell were you?” He glanced at Rade. “And who the hell is he?”

  Laken stiffened at her father’s tone. She lifted her chin. “This is my husband, Rade Karsten.”

  “Rade Karsten?” Her father’s eyes narrowed. “I know that name. You’re that pirate captain who had a hand in that debacle on Marlon Prime.”

  Rade inclined his head. “I prefer to think of myself as a simple cargo ship captain. But yes, I’m the same Rade Karsten who helped make a complete fool of the mighty Federation fleet.”

  Laken was never so proud of the fact that she had married a bold, sometimes arrogant man who never backed down in front of anyone. Edrick Andara had just met his match.

  Her father turned to fix her with a hard look. “How dare you marry a man like him? And how dare you bring him into my house?”

  “Rade is my husband and I love him,” Laken said. “Aren’t you happy for me, Father? You always wanted me to marry a strong, independent man.”

  Her father
’s face reddened. “Why you ungrateful...”

  Beside her father, Laken’s mother reached out to put a hand on his arm. “Edrick, please. Let’s be civilized about this.”

  He shook her hand off. “I will not be civilized about this, Raina. What Karsten did on Marlon Prime has cost the merchants in this galaxy billions in credits, and his actions only encourage others to do the same. There are already other planets talking about seceding from the Federation. This man is a traitor to the Federation and I will not have him in my house.”