Stealing Coal Read online

  He gently placed the tool he gripped on the casing of the unit. His mouth was grim. “Why would you come to that incorrect conclusion?”

  “You won’t listen to me when I tell you I know what I want to do. Every time I try to tell you, you cut me off or walk away. If you didn’t mean it, if you asked in haste, and you’ve decided it wasn’t such a hot idea now that we’re not all hot and sweaty after sex, just say it. I’m getting really frustrated with you shutting me down.”

  Coal rose to his feet and stepped around the obstacle between them. He crouched down next to her side, the black leather outfit he wore now made a slight squeaking noise. He nearly touched her but kept a few inches separating their bodies. His gaze held hers.

  “I’m afraid you will say no and I am not ready to hear it if that is your answer. Every moment we spend together gives me hope I can convince you I’m worthy of you giving up the way of life you’ve become accustomed to. You won’t be able to continue to trade if you decide to join a family unit with me. I’m a cyborg and, as you once told me, traders would get a high price for me and it would put you at high risk every time you came into contact with them because they’d attempt to take me from the Jenny. The only thing I’ve changed my mind about is offering to remain in space with you. We need to live on a planet where you’re safe. ”

  Her eyebrows rose. She didn’t care where they lived as long as they were together. The only thing he’d said that had her reeling were three words. “A family unit?”

  He scowled suddenly. “Of course. I am that serious about you. Did you believe I’d ask you to give up everything and offer you nothing in return? It’s the equivalence of marriage, to my people. It’s a deep commitment we would make to one another.”

  Tears blinded her. “You’re asking me to marry you?”

  He closed his eyes. “This is why I wish to delay your answer. I’ve upset you.”

  She turned and her knee bumped his inner thigh as she gripped his leather shirt. She didn’t like the outfit all the cyborgs wore. She preferred him walking around shirtless in ill-fitting pants. She wanted to touch his hot, bare skin rather than the thick leather her fingers clutched.

  “Yes.”

  Dark eyes snapped open to stare at her uncomprehendingly.

  “Yes. I’ll marry you or be a family unit with you, whatever you want to call it, but yes!”

  A grin slowly spread across his handsome face. “Yes?”

  She nodded, grinning back. “Hell yes. Is that better?”

  He sucked in air, his chest expanding. “Are you sure? It is a lot for you to give up for me.”

  “It’s not. You said I could keep the Jenny and my guys. Trading?” She snorted. “I hated that job and I sure won’t miss dealing with all the lowlife creeps I’ve had to put up with. I have no idea what I’ll do now to help support us on your planet but a year ago I never saw myself in this line of work. I’ll adjust and we’ll have each other. That’s all that matters to me.”

  Coal’s body slid forward until his knees hit the deck. “You’re one hundred percent certain? I don’t want to feel this happiness only to have it torn away if you change your mind.”

  Jill lifted her boot over one of his thighs and scooted off her seat, right onto his lap, her legs wrapping around his hips. His hands gripped her ass, holding her in place, and she grinned at him.

  “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.”

  “I’ll fill out the paperwork immediately and transmit it to Garden.” His grin widened even more. “They won’t refuse my request to form a family unit with you. Because of my history of abuse at the hands of the cyborg females I am permitted special consideration.”

  “I don’t know what that means but as long as they allow it, great.”

  He chuckled. “They will allow it.”

  “So do we have a ceremony?”

  “We could if you wish but it just involves putting in a request, being approved, and then I need to sign the agreement. There’s no need for you to worry about a job. I will take care of you and your way of thinking in terms of financial issues is irrelevant with my people. We don’t have a monetary system on Garden.”

  “Coal, I have something to tell you.”

  His features froze and the smile died. “What is it?”

  He braced for bad news. It was so obvious that Jill had to resist grinning at the humor of the situation, considering what she wanted to share with him hopefully would be the exact opposite.

  “I’m in love with you.”

  He gaped at her and then, to her utter surprise, tears filled his eyes, slid down both cheeks, and his hands slid from her ass. If it wasn’t for her fingers gripping his shirt and her legs secured around his hips she would have hit the deck. His body seemed to totally go lax until he swayed where he crouched on his knees.

  “Coal?” Alarm gripped her. “Are you all right? Did I say something wrong? Speak to me.”

  He suddenly moved, his arms wrapping around her, and she gasped when her body ended up smashed tightly against his when he roughly jerked her against him. He clutched her so firmly she could barely breathe, his face pressing tightly into the cradle of her shoulder and neck. His hot tears wet her shirt.

  She clung to him, had to fight to free her hands, trapped between their chests, to wrap them around his ribs to his back. Her arms held him as hard as she could, hugging him.

  “Coal?”

  He just held her for a good minute until some of the tension left in his body and his fierce hold on her eased slightly. He lifted his head, his dark eyes still swimming with tears when she met his gaze.

  “I didn’t mean to upset you, honey.”

  He slowly smiled. “You love me.”

  Jill studied him closely, seeing happiness through his tears, and nodded. “I really do love you. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

  One of his arms released her and he tentatively touched his face, wiping at the wetness that he discovered there, seeming shocked at the tears. His cheeks seemed to darken slightly and then his smile widened.

  “I’m happy.”

  Jill blinked rapidly. “I’m so glad to hear that.”

  “I believe I’m in love with you too. I’m not sure exactly what love is but you are everything to me, Jill. My chest hurts right now and I can’t stop the tears. I feel that much joy.”

  “Oh hell,” she muttered, letting her own tears fall. “That’s love, honey. We’re in love with each other.”

  “I’m never going to let you go.” He leaned closer until his nose touched hers, staring into her eyes deeply. “I am going to make you as happy as you make me. I will die to protect you.”

  “What the hell?” A familiar male voice interrupted. “Is everything cool here? What happened? Is someone hurt?”

  Coal turned his head and grinned at Sky, who had entered the cargo hold from the Star without them hearing him. “She loves me and I love her.”

  Jill blinked back more tears, turning her head to grin at the gray-haired cyborg who gaped at the both of them. He put his hands on his hips and then flashed them an amused smile.

  “I’m glad to hear it. You’re a cute couple though a little wet at the moment. It’s a good thing I didn’t wait another minute from the way you’re wrapped around each other.” He chuckled. “I came to tell you that Flint is on his way. We’re approaching the edge of the solar system and Jill’s contact has been hailing the Jenny for the past few minutes. Onyx tried to reach you but you weren’t answering your com, Coal. You may want to break it up before Flint thinks he’s interrupting you two about to nail each other on the deck there.”

  Coal frowned. “Why would we do something painful and unusual? I’d never harm Jill.”

  Jill suddenly laughed. “He means having sex on the floor. Nailing each other is slang for that.”

  “Yeah. What she said.” Sky shook his head. “I swear, I’m going to give a damn class to teach them how to understand Earth lingo.”

  A chuckle esc