Warm, sure lips moved firmly over hers. The tip of his tongue teased her lips before parting them. Their tongues slipped easily along one another as he explored her mouth. His kiss was fruity from the wine they had with dinner.
Her hands ran over his broad shoulders before her arms wrapped around his neck. Her fingers ran over the back of his neck before running through his closely cropped hair.
His hands caressed the length of her back before running down over her hips.
Her back pressed against the wall as his body pressed into hers.
The door sliding open broke the sensual fog that was beginning to surround them.
"Hey," Kindred's voice broke through Terra's haze as her partner's tongue slipped from between her lips. His mouth continued the slow kiss for a moment before he pulled slowly away from her.
"Didn't expect to find you leaving," Kindred looked from the man standing just inside the doorway to their suite who just had his tongue down his sister's throat. These days is was more common to find Terra's dates leaving in the early morning hours than this late at night.
"Good evening," Lex added as she moved by Kindred and headed toward their room.
"What was your name again?" Kindred looked from the man to Terra then back to him again. "Milo? Matt? Marc?"
"Mace," Terra informed Kindred as she shot him a baleful look. Her brother's repetitive interference and comments about her social life and her dates were becoming more and more annoying. "His name is Mace."
"Mace?" Kindred looked the man over once more before shrugging. "I could have sworn it was Milo. You all look alike these days."
"Mace was on his way out," Terra patted the man lightly on the chest. He leaned and gave her a lingering kiss.
"Are we still on for tomorrow?" Mace's focus was totally on Terra.
"I have a study session until 1730," Terra nodded with a smile. "I will meet you out front at 1845."
"1845 it is," Mace kissed her again before looking over at Kindred. "Good night."
"The guard is waiting for you inside the palace corridor," Kindred pointed in the direction Mace should go when he exited their suite into the courtyard. They were deep in the winter months on Arktos. These days the guards waited inside the palace to escort Terra's friends to and from their suite instead on standing point outside in the cold. "Good night."
"What the hell was that?" Terra's irritated gaze fixed on her brother when the door slipped shut behind Mace. "You all look alike?"
"There has been a parade of men through here these days. All with similar features and short dark hair. I barely see them when they are scurrying out in the morning. Forgive me from not being able to tell them apart or remember their names. Surprised you can and do. Maybe I should be the one asking - what the hell is up with you these days?" Kindred asked as Terra pushed herself away from the wall. She walked over to the sofa area and picked up the pillows and tossed them back on the sofa before straightening the cushions.
"I have no idea what you are talking about," Terra shrugged before picking up the wine glasses and heading back into the kitchen with them. She rinsed them and placed them in the cleaner before looking at the dinner meal mess she needed to clean up.
"Mace?" Kindred said as he walked over and sat down on one of the stools on the other side of the island counter. He watched as Terra started cleaning up from her dinner date. "He's what … the third new guy I've seen this week."
"He and I have class together," Terra shrugged as she picked up items and started to empty them into the recycler before putting them dishes in the cleaner.
Terra had decided to stay on Arktos for the time being. Their shipping company was running just fine without her there. When the short winter session of classes began, Terra had signed up for a few and started working on continuing her education at Kodiak University. Instead of anthropology and archeology, she was taking business, economics and political science courses.
"And didn't I see Nate leaving here yesterday morning?" Kindred asked after a long pause. "And Bart Carnige was here four mornings ago?"
"Your point?" Terra asked as she turned from the cleaner and looked at her brother.
"I guess my point is … how many guys you dating these days Ter?" Kindred raised his hands slightly. Other than Nate and Bart, Kindred was fairly certain none of the others ever stayed the night. However, he had witnessed at least half a dozen other men in Terra's company in the last month.
"That is really none of your business, now is it?" Terra's gaze held her brother's. "I don't remember ever counting the girls you dated at once. Or grilling you about who you dated. So just drop it. They are fun. I'm just trying to live my life."
"Fun?" Kindred's brow furrowed ever so slightly. "Never known you to have … fun … like this."
"It's no one's business but my own what I do. So just give it a rest and keep your comments to yourself," Terra picked up a rag and started to wipe the counter. Truth be told, since that night outside Tamerlane's residence more than two months ago, Terra had spent no time with Tamerlane. Now that it was colder outside, she spent most of her time indoors at the university or in the suite. Terra had seen Tamerlane a few times when she was at her mother's when Tamerlane would bring his children to Beka and Tyr. On a few occasions, Tamerlane had emerged from Tyr's home office while Terra had been visiting with Beka. His greetings had been politely formal and that was it. "Why don't you worry about your job, your schooling and your upcoming wedding? And let me worry about my private life."
"It is my business when every time I walk into my home, there is some random stranger here on the sofa making out with my sister," Kindred informed her. "Not to mention, Lex or I walking into the kitchen late at night or early in the morning and finding Nathaniel Hunt or Bartolomew Carnige standing in their underwear getting something to drink."
"That happened a couple of times," Terra replied quickly. "Besides, it not like you haven't seen Nate naked at some drunken party back on TaraZed. I apologized to Lex for what happened. To make you happy, I told them to put on their pants from now on and you will be spared the horror."
"It's not just that …" Kindred started to reply but stopped suddenly.
"It's not just what?" Terra prompted when Kindred failed to finish his sentence.
"It's just …" Kindred shifted uncomfortably on the stool as he looked away from Terra for a long moment. He looked back at Terra apologetically. "It's just … Lex and I … we were living here … alone … before you suddenly showed up after being gone a year … for my graduation …"
"And?" Terra's wiping of the counter slowed then stopped as her focus moved to her brother.
"Lex and I … we're getting married …" Kindred began hesitantly. "Just wondering … what your plans are …"
"Ohhhh, I get it," Terra nodded before she focused on finishing wiping the counters. "You and Lex want me out of the way."
"It's not that I don't like having you around, Ter," Kindred replied quickly. "It's just …"
"You are about to be a married couple. You want your privacy," Terra replied as she glanced over at Kindred. "Having me around … and my guests … cramps your style … I get it. Really I do."
"When I talked to mom … she thought you would have returned to Elysium by now," Kindred ran his hands over his face before sighing. "I guess … I'm just wondering … about your plans. If you are sticking around … Lex and I …"
"I'm not sure of my plans at the moment," Terra finished wiping the counter before looking over at her brother. "I'll figure out some other place to crash while I'm here. Mom and Tyr have those two rooms for Tamerlane's kids. I can just sleep there for now while I try to find something else."
"You don't have to sleep at Mom's," Kindred shook his head. This conversation was not going exactly as he had planned. "After the wedding, Lex and I can …"
"No," Terra shook her head. "You and Lex don't need to move. I'm not even sure how much longer I'll be staying. If you can put up with me until the wedding, I promise I'll stay out of the way. My guests will be invisible."
"That will work. Just let me know if you plan on staying longer and we'll find something else once the wedding is done," Kindred smiled at Terra before laughing. "You might want to tell Bart, that mesh pouch thong is not a good look for him."
"I know," Terra shook her head with a soft laugh. "It's absurd. His ass is just not that great, is it?"
"Nah, it's not. I do have one question though … how the hell are you getting all these random guys security clearance?" Kindred raised his eyebrows questioningly. "I've always had to jump through hoops to get Tamerlane to approve my friends for residential wing visitation."
"Actually, I have been surprised just how easy it is," Terra shrugged as she tossed the rag onto the counter. "I just put in a request and usually have approval within an hour."
"An hour?" Kindred's brow furrowed deeply. He couldn't imagine the security office moving so quickly to grant access to anyone. He wondered if perhaps that was why there were always two guards on duty outside their residence when Terra had company. "I was thinking … maybe you might want to … reel back the fun … just a little. These guys …"
"Yep, an hour," Terra nodded as she walked around the counter. She gave Kindred a quick peck on the cheek. "Don't worry about me Kindred. I'm fine. Good night."
"Good night," Kindred replied as he watched his little sister disappear into her room. He had no idea what was going on with her in the last few months, but there was something definitely up with his little sister.