Page 23 of Cutter's Hope

“With as much as you’ve done for me and mine, this ain’t nothin’. Call us back on this thing tomorrow, noon-ish. Data will be here waiting.”

Hope found her voice, “Thank you,” she said.

“Don’t thank me, Darlin’, that’s all Dani, I hope she can help you,” he said.

“Thanks, Brother,” I said and he nodded.

“Want I should give Reave and Doll a shout to come in here?”

“No thanks man, I gotta get going for now, get us both cleaned up.”

Dragon’s dark eyes roved the screen on his end of things, “What the hell happened to you two, anyways?” he asked.

“Philosophical differences,” Hope repeated and I looked at her, she looked back and shrugged. Dragon chuckled.

“Okay, whatever you say. Tomorrow then.”

“Tomorrow,” I affirmed and Data ended the call. Hope sat very still between my thighs, my arms around her, holding her hands with my own; my palms resting against the backs of her hands, my fingers fitted in the spaces between hers like they were meant to be there. I sighed and nuzzled the side of her neck, placing a kiss behind her ear. Hope shivered and rested her head back against my shoulder so she could look up at me.

“I want to help you,” I murmured, voice a little rough with my physical need at this point.

“I don’t understand,” she said softly.

“I like you, Hope.”

“I shoved a gun in your face and threatened to blow your head off,” she said dryly.

“I know, it was hot.”

She broke into one of her rare smiles, and laughed a little, “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“What happens now?” she asked.

“Now I finish what I started on the beach and you’re going to let me,” I said gravely.

“Oh? What’s that?” she asked. I smiled darkly.

“Gonna finish owning you, Sweetheart,” she shivered at my words and the sensation of her body shuddering against mine was out of this world. It was only going to get better.

“Stand up,” I ordered.

“If I don’t?”

“Then I make you, I’m not going to be denied any longer, Babe. You and I have danced around this enough. Now get up and march. Bow of the boat, now.”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” she breathed and stood up.

Nice.

11

Hope…

I must be nuttier than a goddamn fruit cake but I believed Cutter, what’s more, as much as it shouldn’t have, his getting the upper hand out there, holding me down, tying my ass up,owning my assinto next week, turned me the fuck on. I stood up and he let me. I walked towards the bow of the boat not really knowing what to expect.

I was all mixed up and inside out, so many things happening in rapid fire succession had me twisted up in knots. To have my last and only hope of finding my sister snatched away followed by having that hope returned, even if it was just a glimmer at this point… I closed my eyes as Cutters hands fell onto my shoulders, kneading sore muscles.

---