Daystar awoke slowly, stretching under the smooth covers as she made the gradual transition from sleep to wakefulness. She relished that she was able to do so on this Saturday; she had the weekend off and so could afford to take her time - in marked contrast to other days, when more often than not she was called to the precinct on some emergency or other that demanded her presence and alertness right now!, making her rush to work with only a hasty word of goodbye to Parker, cramming a dry piece of toast into her mouth when she ran off.

She loved every second. Every day.

The dark-haired woman shifted under the duvet, smiling contentedly as her knee bumped against the strong thigh of the man snoring softly beside her. Carefully, Star ran the sole of her foot along the hairy skin, but the only reaction she evoked was a sleepy mumble, and Parker turned over, now lying more on his back, one arm tucked underneath his pillow as usual. Star propped herself up on an elbow, a lazy smile curling her lips as she surveyed Parker. Her lover. It had been three weeks now since they started sharing a bed for more than sleep, and the police officer couldn't be happier about it.

And what an incredible three weeks it's been! she thought smugly to herself, feeling a slight tingle wash over her skin as she remembered some of the things they'd done. Looks like there's more of Auntie Divatox in me than I suspected. The idea was not as repulsive as it once had been; on the contrary, Star found herself deliberately imitating some of the things rumor had told her her pirate relative did routinely - or was supposed to, anyway. Parker didn't seem to mind; quite the opposite, he enthusiastically encouraged her to explore the passionate side of her nature, the one she'd kept firmly under wraps for so long, to the fullest.

He would, Daystar grinned to herself a bit ruefully. Even if she'd abstained all this time, nobody could work the Galactic slaver beat for long and not gain a pretty good insight into what made people tick. Especially a male mind. And she'd been better at it than most. But, coming to Earth as the Council of Light's "official observer" definitely had its on rewards ... the variety of cultures on this small out-of-the-way planet was fascinating, she'd found colleagues she liked and respected on the Monster Squad, and on top of it all there was her new circle of friends - the various teams of Rangers, their families ... and Parker.

An insistent call of nature made Daystar crawl reluctantly out of bed. Grabbing her boyfriend's discarded flannel shirt, she slipped it on, buttoning it haphazardly as she took care of business in the bathroom. A quick use of soap, comb and toothbrush, and she was finished. Deciding the flannel was decent enough - it covered her body halfway down her legs, after all - the young woman detoured to the kitchen for some breakfast before returning to bed. As she stepped out into the hallway, she caught sight of a pair of tiny police-blue lace panties lying outside the bedroom door. She picked them up with a slightly naughty grin, following the trail of clothing the two of them had left behind them last night, too eager to reach their bed once their passions had ignited. Scooping the various items up as she went to drop them into the laundry hamper later, Star couldn't help a reminiscent grin as she recalled what had caused this state of affairs.

Five weeks ago
"Good morning," Daystar called to her colleagues as she entered the precinct. She received a variety of greetings, from a friendly but absent wave to a cheery "Good morning, Lt. Hunter!", depending on who answered her. Totally routine, just like the work awaiting her - or her very casual wardrobe. Star was dressed in snug lightweight jeans, a sleeveless white t-shirt and her ubiquitous leather jacket. Never mind that the others often teased her it was grown on her much like her dark hair; she loved wearing it, it was practical, durable, had enough pockets to make a purse superfluous ... and it had been a present from Parker, too. The officer sat down at her desk, sighing as she eyed her 'in' basket. She hated paperwork! But backwater planet or not, Protected Status Planet or Council World, bureaucracies were the same the Galaxy over. Earth certainly was no exception! With a small groan, Daystar reached for the first report.

Around her, business continued as usual. Blue Senturion came by, she exchanged a few words with her partner, but plodded on, systematically reducing the pile of reports to more manageable levels. Only the growling of her stomach reminded her that lunch hour had arrived, so she got up and walked out onto the street, getting some sandwiches from a deli just opposite the precinct. Nibbling on her turkey-on-rye, she snagged a soda from a vending machine in the hallway and returned to her desk. Only when she sat back down and started sipping on her drink did she notice something out of the ordinary. Ties had been yanked down, collars unbuttoned, jackets were hung over chair backs, hair was dishevelled, and everybody looked more rumpled than usual, uniformed and plainclothes officers alike.

"What's up?" she curiously asked her partner. Naturally, Blue was not affected by whatever ailed his Human colleagues.

"I surmise that the unseasonably hot weather is responsible for everybody's state of disarray," the sentient robot commented. "Even I have to increase the influx of coolant into my gyros to function adequately."

"That, and the fact that the air condition chose to break down two hours ago. Don't tell me you didn't notice, Hunter?" Rick Winslow commented as he was passing by.

"Can't say as I have; I was busy," Daystar admitted, but now that her attention had been drawn to it, it was hotter than usual in here. Well, she'd lived through worse. With a shrug, the young woman returned to her reports. However, once noticed, the heat continued to niggle at the edge of her consciousness; like a persistent itch, it encroached more and more on her state of mind, until Star was squirming as much in her seat as everybody else in the spacious room.

Sweat was trickling down her back, her jeans felt like insulated winter gear, and not for the first time during a heatwave, Daystar contemplated cutting off her long locks. However, the lustrous dark curls were her one vanity, and she pushed the thought impatiently away as she shifted in the leather jacket she refused to take off, as usual. She reached for the next folder. The Anderson case - now that had been interesting! Taking another sip of her soda, Daystar lost herself in the intricacies of one of Angel Grove's rare but most elaborate murder cases.

The file was riveting, unlike the more common monster-related cases; soon she was sitting hunched over at her desk, reading, making notes. Star noted only in passing that the temperatures got more and more uncomfortable as the day wore on. As she turned yet another page and shifted in her chair, her jacket gaped open and a wave of hot air wafted up from her body. She frowned, still absorbed in her reading. The mixed odors of sweat, damp leather and her own overheated skin were rather unpleasant, and absently she shrugged out of her jacket, letting it fall over the back of her chair. The relief she felt was considerable; even though the A/C was still out, there was enough traffic past her desk to stir the hot air every now and then and send a minuscule breeze across her bare arms and shoulders.

It's not much, but enough. For now.

Daystar reached the end of the file; quickly, she booted up her computer and typed in comments and observations from her notes.

"That's IT!" she commented jubilantly to herself, hitting first 'save', then 'print'. A pleased grin spread over her face and she leaned back in her chair as the printer sputtered noisily to life, spewing forth a half-dozen pages. It was only a matter of moments to add them to the folder and toss the whole thing into her 'out' basket. Another case not only solved, but duly processed. Stretching her aching back muscles, Daystar got up and sauntered over to the soda vending machine, to collect a fresh and hopefully cold drink. Mentally, she was still miles away when she returned to her desk, so she didn't notice the widening eyes of Harry Wong as she passed his desk on the left. His GameBoy started emitting hysterical noises as his current game crashed, but the young Asian lieutenant couldn't have cared less as his eyes were glued to Daystar's upper body.

Marissa Spinelli was about to comment on her colleague's inattention, but when she got wind of exactly what had him so riveted, she had a hard time hiding her grin. Noiselessly, she moved over to Jayne Washington and nudged her fellow female officer.

"Watch," she hissed as the other woman looked up questioningly. Marissa pointed, and Jayne smirked in understanding. This should be ... interesting.

The next officer to lose his cool due to something other than the broken A/C was Chuck Maddox. Although a happily married family man, he was neither blind nor dead. A sheaf of papers he'd just gotten from Records fluttered to the floor as his hands turned as slack as his jaw. He stood rooted to his spot, surrounded by a sea of documents to the right of Daystar's desk while he watched her sip her soda.

Oblivious to her colleagues' antics, Star finished her drink, tossed the can into her wastebasket and leaned back in her chair. There were still a few kinks in her back; she rotated her shoulder blades to work them out, unaware of Harry's near-ecstatic moan. Finding that her scalp felt itchy under her tied-back hair, she pulled the rubber band out of her ponytail and used both arms to lift her long locks off her neck. Just in that instant, Trevor Park barrelled into the bull pen, full-tilt ahead a usual, only to stop dead in his tracks. Rick Winslow almost crashed into his partner's back as he followed the senior officer, nearly upending his coffee cup all over Trevor's jacket.

"For Heaven's sake, Trev, can't you watch where you're going? Why the Hell did you stop like this, anyway?" the detective asked crossly, peering over his superior's shoulder to see what had caused Trevor to run into an invisible wall. When he made out the reason, his mouth fell open and his hand clenched around his paper cup, crushing it in slow motion. He was oblivious of the hot liquid spilling over his hand and dripping to the floor.

"Oh. My. God."

Right before his incredulous eyes was Lt. Daystar Hunter, crimefighter extraordinaire, offworld addition to the Monster Squad, stretching uninhibitedly into a pose that was surprisingly sensual, and combing her fingers through her dark hair. Admittedly, it was nothing she hadn't done before, but none of them had EVER seen her do it clad not in her ever-present leather jacket or a roomy sweatshirt. Now, she was barely dressed in a white, sleeveless, tight t-shirt, made nearly transparent by having been dampened by perspiration. It was very obvious to the mesmerized watchers that she wore nothing but herself underneath, and the shape and size of her physical attributes, with their very noticeable dusky centers, had every male within a twenty-foot radius salivating like Pavlov's dog at the sound of the feeding bell.

Washington and Spinelli by now were propping each other up, near-helpless with suppressed laughter.

Finally, Daystar lowered her arms again, shaking a few strands of hair out of her eyes. She looked up to see Detective Park staring at her, his usually even face flushed a deep red. Winslow was gaping like a stranded fish, and when she turned to her other colleagues, she saw that Chuck was desperately clawing at his tie, as if his collar was strangling him, and Harry let his GameBoy fall to the floor with a loud clatter.

Marissa and Jayne lost their fight for composure and broke into hysterics.

"What?" Daystar asked the room at large, thoroughly confused. What had she missed?

"What's the matter with you guys? Is anything wrong?"

A few strangled noises were her only answer as she stood up, bringing her hereto-hidden stunning figure into an even better position to be ogled.

Her female co-workers were enjoying themselves hugely; this more than made up for the heatwave and broken A/C.

The well-modulated voice of her mechanical partner came from behind, dry and precise as always. Only ... if Blue had been Human, Daystar would have sworn he was snickering.

"I believe that the for once rather unrestricted view of your mammary glands has our fellow officers surprised," the robot explained. "I must admit, even though I am not affected by the sight, their proportions are quite unexpected and ... stunning."

"Huh?"

Instead of an answer, Blue Senturion grasped his partner gently by her shoulder and turned her towards the glass door at the far end of the precinct. The light from the row of windows fell on it in such a manner that the pane turned reflective - like a big mirror. Daystar took one look at her chest, gasped and blushed furiously. Damn, damn, damn! Why did I pick TODAY to go braless? Snagging up her jacket, she threw it on in record time, took her partner by the hand and practically ran out of the building, Blue Senturion in tow, her ears ringing with Spinelli and Washington's high-pitched giggles.

A few days later
In retrospect, the incident had been pretty funny; the other officers had apologized for staring, Jayne and Marissa had almost stopped snickering by now when they caught Harry sneaking peeks in hopes of another glimpse, but it had resulted in a phone call to Parker's sister Lillian, and a shopping expedition to the Crossworld City Mall on the weekend. Their objective: Jacqueline's Lingerie Boutique. Lil had called in reinforcements, namely Kaitlin Starr, and the three young women had met on Saturday morning to buy suitable underwear for a police officer, a Power Ranger and a VR Trooper.

Star had briefly met the Daily Voice Underground reporter before through Parker and liked the young woman; within half an hour, it was as if the three had been lifelong friends. Laughing and chatting, they made their way to the upscale store which, according to Kaitlin, not only offered the sexiest lingerie to be found in three counties, but also a wide range of the sportier stuff Lillian and Daystar preferred.

When the three girls arrived, the place was bustling - not only with customers, but also with a number of people who were lugging armsful of colorful fabrics, cameras, mirrors, background setups and other paraphernalia associated with a photo shoot in progress to a large cleared area at the back of the store.

"What's going on here?" Lillian asked, puzzled.

"No idea, but it looks like someone's doing a fashion show, or something," Daystar commented, observing the controlled chaos with a professional eye.

"Could be," Kaitlin added, then brightened. "I see someone I know. I'm gonna ask!" She purposely marched off, cornering a man stylishly dressed all in black with a pair of Ray-Bans sliding constantly down his nose.

"Why is he wearing sunglasses indoors?" Star wondered.

"It's a fashion statement, I think," Lil shrugged. "I think he thinks they make him look cool." The two women looked at each other, then sniggered.

"Men!" they said simultaneously. Just then, Kaitlin returned.

"That's Phil Michaels," she told her friends. "He's a fashion photographer, one of the best, really, and Jacqueline has hired him to shoot her new collection for a catalogue."

"Hasn't he done last year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue?" Lillian asked, grinning. "I remember seeing it at Parker's place .... and Tommy's," she admitted with a tiny, indulgent smirk. The other two women broke into giggles.

"Yeah, Ryan and JB bought it, too. One each. I think even Tao looked at it, although he'd disown me if he knew I know."

"It's lying around the precinct as well, although the men at least try to hide it from us women," Star added, her blue eyes twinkling with mirth at the universal male proclivity of ogling scantily-clad females. It hadn't been much different at IGPF Headquarters on Erlion, although the species had been more varied.

"Anyway, aren't we here to buy lingerie?" Lillian said brightly. The bustle of the photo shoot seemed to have calmed down somewhat momentarily, and it looked as if the changing rooms were empty right now. "Let's shop, girls!"

"Right."

"Absolutely!"

Laughing, the three young women descended on the racks filled with shiny, wispy confections.

"I'm about done," Kaitlin declared after a fun-filled hour, depositing an armful of panties and bustiers, plus a teddy or two, on the counter. "What about you two?"

"Me, too," Lillian said, reluctantly hanging a black lace set back onto the rack. It was gorgeous, it was sexy, she looked great in it and she was sure Tommy would absolutely LOVE her in it, but real silk and lace were totally out of her budget. The red bra and bikini panties with black trimming in some nice but synthetic material would have to do.

"I'm finished," Daystar concurred, laying a modest collection of sensible white cotton underwear, mostly bustiers, sports bras and form-fitting but not tight panties next to Kaitlin's selection. The other two looked somewhat askance at her choices. They weren't quite what they had expected from their friend.

"For Heaven's sake, Star, can't you at least pick something a bit more, um, colorful?" Lillian suggested delicately. She only barely refrained from calling her picks 'boring'.

"Why? These are functional, sensible and reasonably priced," the offworlder girl replied. She couldn't help a slightly wistful look at the bold items the other two women had chosen, but she'd sworn to herself ages ago that she'd never - never! - flaunt her body the way her notorious relative, Divatox, did. It was bad enough that they were clan-related at all; she didn't need to advertise the relationship by emphasizing her 'assets' the way the Pirate Queen was wont to do. It was also the reason for Daystar's habitual choice of mostly baggy, oversize, concealing clothes and her discomfiture about the incident at the precinct.

"Yeah, but you can wear 'functional' in colors other than white, too, you know," Lillian remarked. "I bet Park would just love to see you in this!" She held up an ice-blue set of satin French knickers and matching camisole. To her surprise, Daystar blushed a fiery red.

"Star?" the Zeo Ranger asked, intrigued by the older woman's reaction. She had moved in with her brother the day she arrived on Earth, and had always seemed pretty casual about nudity; surely she wasn't embarrassed by her remark?

"Never mind," Daystar mumbled, turning away. She liked Lillian, and not only because she was Parker's sister, but the younger girl did not need to know that so far, despite appearances to the contrary, her relationship with the handsome reporter was merely platonic. And not because of lack of inclination on Parker's part, either, the traitorous voice in her mind reminded the police officer. That's purely YOUR doing!

To Star's eternal relief, just then a commotion broke out at the back of the exclusive boutique, where the photographing crew was taking a break. It instantly diverted everyone's attention to Phil Michaels and a couple of his models. He was yelling at them, they shouted back, and within minutes, the two gorgeous young women had grabbed their clothes and bags and were sailing out of the shop, their expressions equally furious and haughty as they passed the three friends.

"What was that all about?" Lillian asked, intrigued.

"They had a fight," Daystar answered drily.

"Uh-uh. A professional difference of opinion, most likely on artistic interpretation," Kaitlin corrected her with twinkling eyes.

"Oh. Right. Of course," Lil agreed, chuckling alongside the others.

Just then, the photographer approached them , his face a study in exasperation and righteous indignation. He poured himself a cup of coffee from the urn near the cashier's box.

"Models," he sighed, sipping cautiously at the hot black liquid. "Those two airheads just couldn't accept that I can't use anorexics to shoot sportswear in. I need at least some muscle definition, not skin and bones!"

"Then you're about the only one in the business to think that way, Phil," Kaitlin commented. "Isn't that the way models usually look?"

"Yeah - more's the pity. And I only use those skinny clothes racks because that's what the clients and the public seem to want. But I ask you - what man wouldn't prefer to see a sexy bra conceal a nice handful of titty than those pitiful protrusions that barely fill an A cup?"

"None that I know," Lillian murmured to Kaitlin, who winked back and grinned. Daystar nodded her agreement. In her experience, to the average male's mind, 'more' was definitely better than 'less'. But Michaels was still ranting.

"Now I'm stuck with half the shoot unfinished, out of two models and rapidly running out of time ... not to mention patience ... where in the world, pray tell, am I supposed to get two or three good-looking chicks with toned bodies at short notice?!?" The dark-clad man ran his hands melodramatically through his artfully tousled hair. The girls noted with secret amusement that his gesture did NOT damage the stylish cut. Much.

"Sorry I can't help you, Phil," Kaitlin commiserated. Her colleague barely heard her.

"What I need would be girls like the three of you," he rambled on. "You have the right sporty looks, you're good-looking enough, I'm pretty certain you're photogenic ..." his voice trailed off, and a suddenly eager look came into his eyes. He actually took off his sunglasses, for the first time that afternoon.

"Hmmmm."

Phil Michaels absently set his coffee mug on the counter and took a few steps backwards, surveying the three young women with a very thorough look that clearly stripped them down to the skin, but somehow managed not to be offensive.

"Would you mind turning around?" he asked, already reaching out for Lillian, drawing her away from the counter. Puzzled, she offered no resistance.

"Hmm. Yeah, you'd do. Long legs, great ass, a blonde - natural, I hope - and your eyes are just unusual enough ... with the right makeup and lighting .... GINNY!" he bellowed suddenly, startling everyone. "Get your butt over here and take notes!"

His petite assistant scurried over, like an overly eager mouse. "Yes, Phil?"

Before Lil could utter a word, he unceremoniously yanked up her t-shirt, exposing her nicely-filled bra.

"Hey!!!"

He ignored her.

"Good tits, too. Okay, you'll do the workout duds. Now you!" The photographer turned towards Kaitlin, who by now had recovered her wits sufficiently to try to protest.

"Phil, we're no models! We can't do this!"

"Sure you can," he answered blithely, then got serious as the skeptical and reluctant expressions on the girls' faces registered. "Look, Kaitlin, I'm desperate here. I'll lose the whole account if I don't finish this shoot today - you know how it goes! Jacqueline's counting on me. You and your friends may not be pros, but I believe that you're exactly the types I'm looking for - people who will be believable selling Jackie's sports line!"

The girls had to admit that much at least was true; it was, after all, what had brought them to this shop in the first place. Sensing them wavering, Michaels made a last pitch. With a grin that barely escaped being a smirk, he gave them a very convincing argument.

"Now that those two bimboes have walked, I have a little leeway in my budget. I can pay each of you ... um ... say $350 for an afternoon of modeling ..."

"$350?" Lillian gulped, tugging her shirt back into place. That would take care nicely of the repairs she needed to make on her bike. Daystar also started to think. She was reluctant to expose herself to any man not her boyfriend or a doctor, and she was not at all sure about being photographed wearing nothing but underwear, but three hundred and fifty dollars was a lot of money ... and Parker's birthday was coming up ...

"Okay, okay, I can take a hint," Michaels misinterpreted their hesitation. "An even five hundred for each of you. Cash, as soon as we're finished. Plus a selection of lingerie of your choice, on the house. Do we have a deal?"

It was an offer none of the young women could refuse. A shared look, silent agreement, then Kaitlin addressed her acquaintance.

"We do."

Three weeks ago
"Just sign here, Ma'am."

The delivery man held out his notepad and a pen for her, but Daystar was still balking. The square box he'd just delivered to the apartment was leaning innocently against the doorjamb.

"How often do I have to tell you I didn't order anything?" she asked exasperatedly. "I don't even know a company named 'Rainbow Productions'."

The young man in the tan overalls just looked bored.

"You're Daystar Hunter?" he queried patiently, as if speaking to a slow-witted child.

"Yes." Reluctantly she admitted as much; his attitude rankled, but she couldn't deny her identity.

"Then this is yours." Before the young woman could protest further, he went on. "Listen, lady, I just deliver the stuff. It's not my job to know if you ordered this or not. You have a problem with that, take it up with the sender. Now, are you gonna sign for it, or not?" Once again, the man held out his pad.

Star was suspicious, but also intensely curious. There were no threatening sounds coming from the briefcase-sized package, nor was it overly heavy, judging from the way the man had handled it. Although common sense told her she should be careful - very careful - she also couldn't resist a mystery. Of any kind. Grumbling under her breath, she scrawled her name where indicated, then watched as the delivery guy sauntered away, whistling tonelessly.

Gingerly, she picked up the parcel by the string tying it together and went inside. Depositing it on the coffee table, she knelt before it, trying to come up with a good reason to open it right away instead of taking it down to the station. Before she could make up her mind one way or the other, the phone rang. She snatched up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Daystar? It's Kaitlin," a cheery, excited voice came through the line.

"Oh, hello; how are you?" To say Daystar was puzzled was putting it mildly. She liked the Crossworld City reporter, but their connection was more through either Parker - professionally - or through Lillian, who often hung out with the young woman in her free time. She usually was not in the habit of calling her socially. "Is something the matter?"

On the other end of the phone, Kaitlin Starr chuckled.

"Nothing serious. Listen, I'm almost late for an interview, so I'll make this brief ... did you by any chance get a package from Rainbow Productions?"

"Actually, yes," Star admitted. "It was delivered about five minutes ago, and I was wondering ..."

The chuckle became slightly husky laughter.

"Good. I'm calling to tell you it's nothing sinister - it's from Phil Michaels. Remember him?"

"Sure." Daystar relaxed; the fashion photographer had been a jerk, but bearable, and she knew she didn't have to be suspicious of him.

"Cool. Anyway, it's the lingerie we picked as our reward at Jacqueline's, and a surprise or two for all of us. He told me we all got something similar, and if yours is as good as mine and Lillian's, you're gonna love it! Oops, gotta run! Just so you know - and have fun unpacking! Bye!"

The line went dead, and bemusedly, the police officer returned the receiver to the cradle. She appreciated Kaitlin's call, even if it had been rather hurried. Eyeing the package speculatively for another moment, she finally shrugged and retrieved a pair of scissors from the kitchen. Slicing through twine and packing tape, she managed to open the top flap in no time, and as she dug through the tissue paper inside, she suddenly caught her breath. Because her hands were filled with a rainbow of colors and slinky fabrics ... the photographer had promised the three young women lingerie of their choice as part of their payment (Lillian had happily grabbed the silk-and-lace bra set she'd so admired earlier), and Daystar had chosen the ice-blue satin her friends had urged on her only minutes before they'd gotten roped into modeling. Now it lay before her admiring eyes, the smooth, shiny material feeling like liquid silk in her fingers.

Setting it aside, Daystar picked up the next item, then another and another. Feeling unaccountably giddy and slightly embarrassed because she was enjoying her surprise so much, she recognized quite a number of skimpy outfits she'd worn that afternoon. Red, dark blue, a leopard print, lacy, shiny, transparent ... it was all there. And she was woman enough to be delighted. She thought she'd reached the bottom of the box, when her fingertips encountered not cardboard, but something hard, flat and wrapped in cellophane. Wonderingly, Daystar lifted it out. It was a calendar with herself, Kaitlin and Lillian on the cover, posing in stylish exercise clothes and looking as if they were at an exclusive health club.

Removing the transparent wrapper, the dark-haired woman paged through the glossy color photos, remembering. Unfamiliar with the workings of a modeling shoot, she'd expected being told to undress and then sat down for makeup, but she had not known that a skilled visagist and hairdresser could transform herself and her friends from all-American pretty young women into sexy sirens. When the specialists were done with them, Lil's unusual tawny eyes had glittered pure gold, Kaitlin's dark-blonde hair had been transformed into a lion's mane, and herself ... the subtle makeup had made her blue eyes sparkle like sapphires, her lashes had never been that lush or long, her long black locks gleamed like living coal and her mouth ... Star silently thanked Kaitlin's foresight to get product names from the beautician; the wine-colored lipstick already lay tucked away in a bathroom drawer, waiting for a special occasion. She grinned. Just then, a small envelope fluttered to the ground. Curious, she picked it up and read the brief note Phil Michaels had included.

"You were very pleasant to work with. And a delight to look at. I hope this collection of mementoes will meet with your approval - and knock the socks (and anything else) off your boyfriend. He's a damn lucky guy. Many thanks, P. Michaels. PS: This is for your eyes only."

Daystar chuckled; she'd told Parker about her little adventure and he'd teased her laughingly about changing from Supercop into Supermodel, but she hadn't told him that Jacqueline's Sportswear hadn't been the only outfits the three girls had worn. As had been maybe inevitable, as the day wore on and they'd gotten more comfortable in front of the camera, Micheals had persuaded them to slip into more and more sexy and downright suggestive lingerie. The pictures making up the calendar showcased the most daring sets - and a great deal of skin.

"As if Park would ever see this," she sighed, turning over the last page. "For that to happen, we'd have to be far more intimate than we are."

At the beginning of her relationship with Parker O'Neil, right after she'd arrived on Earth and moved in with the charismatic reporter, she'd made it very clear that even though she'd fallen in love with him during their shared adventure, that did not give him any specific rights to her person. Or more precisely, to her body. Daystar allowed intimacy between herself and her boyfriend, but only up to a degree ... which encompassed hugs, kisses, or physical comfort in the form of backrubs or massages. Nothing more. Sharing an apartment as they did, a certain amount of nudity in each other's presence was inevitable, and Daystar didn't understand why a lot of Earthers were so uptight about a body's natural state, anyway, but she'd encountered enough civilizations to accept things as they were - cultural customs that might not make sense, but needed to be observed nonetheless.

Parker didn't particularly like the restrictions she placed on their relationship - he was a man in love, after all, and not made of stone, as he gently pointed out to her when she walked in on him taking a shower once too often. But he respected her enough to accept what she granted him, on occasion just trying a little gentle persuasion to make her change her mind. Star loved him all the more for it.

Both had talked about the state of affairs between them once, and admitted somewhat sheepishly that the undeniable sexual tension between them, unfulfilled because Daystar wished it so, brought an extra element of spice to their lives that was not at all unpleasant. And they were mature enough to control their instincts. As time passed, though, she lost a lot of her reservations and managed to distance herself inwardly from her sluttish aunt - by now enough to want to abandon her distance. Only, after all this time, Daystar had no idea of how to go about it.

Oh, she was sophisticated enough to be aware of ways and means to seduce a man; her early childhood, Intergalactic Police work and most of all going after Galactic slavers had left her with sufficient knowledge of what she could do. Of what she wanted to do. The only problem was, all of her knowledge was theoretical - a little fact she hadn't been able to confide in Parker yet, despite how close they were.

In short, Daystar Dianthan, aka Hunter, was a virgin.

And she no longer wanted to be.

Only, how could she tell him without seeming like a fool?

"He'll think I'm either desperate, sex-starved, or just want to get it over with," she muttered to herself, staring unseeingly at the calendar. "And he'd be right on all counts."

Never mind that the dark-haired beauty only wanted to be intimate with one man - Parker - and rather sooner than later; how did a girl tell her boyfriend that after months of holding back she'd changed her mind and wanted him to jump her bones? And other parts of her body?

Over the last weeks, Star had played out a number of scenarios in her mind.

I want sex, Parker. And I want you to give it to me.

Direct, and certainly to the point, but .... no. This was not like asking for an apple.

Oh, Parker, darling? I'm in the mood to play a little ...

Daystar nearly gagged as she tried out the sickly-sweet, cutesy tone. That was most definitely not her style, either. Only, what was?

Her musings had covered all nuances between those two extremes, but none was satisfactory. Of course, she could always crawl naked into his bed and have her own wicked way with Parker, but only as a last - the very last - resort.

The young woman sighed desolately. She could face down space pirates, Earth criminals or Trevor Park with ease and aplomb, but the thought of showing herself to the man she loved not casually, but rather with the intent of following through, had her quaking in her boots.

So here I am, with all this gorgeous lingerie, and I'm afraid to model any of it for Parker. If he'd only been at the boutique that day ... somehow, joking around with Lil and Kaitlin, I didn't mind at all that a man was looking at me, even touching me to put me into the best position to take pictures. I'm all but naked in some of these outfits, and even the girls have commented on how sexy I looked in some of the poses.

A little angry at herself, Daystar looked at the picture of herself in a barely-there lace ensemble the exact shade of her eyes. It was labeled "April", and she'd been bent over an artificial boulder before a foresty background, her lightly-tanned skin glistening with baby oil for the camera. She was gazing over her shoulder with what could only be described as a come-hither look, smiling seductively at the unseen watcher, a hand splayed across her taut abdomen, a single finger dipping into the waistband of the tiny panties. Even to herself, the posture was a successful mix of playfulness and seduction. Her generous cleavage didn't look half-bad, either.

I wish you could've seen me like this, Parker, she wished fervently. But I don't have the decorations to create the mood; I only have the bra and panties, and this picture ....

Suddenly, she went very still.

"I have this picture ... and eleven more," she breathed, an idea forming in her mind. "Michaels gave them to me for a reason - and now I know what it was! Hmm ... yes ... staged just right, this might actually work ..."

"Get out of here and don't come back until Monday! I don't want to have to look at your smug mug until then!"

"Aye, aye, Captain Bligh, SIR!" Parker O'Neil threw his editor a cheeky salute and made tracks to leave the Gazette's offices. He'd just received a bonus long weekend, and he had every intention of spending it with Star, who he knew was off-duty at least tomorrow, too. The reporter sighed, half pleased and half frustrated as he thought of his roommate-turned-girlfriend.

How the Hell did that happen, anyway?

He didn't know. Sure, he'd liked Daystar when they'd met, been attracted to her stunning good looks and gregarious personality, but they'd started out as friends ... nothing more, nothing less. With a little friendly flirtation thrown in ... When the Council of Worlds had ordered her to come to Earth as an Official Observer to Zordon, the Rangers and anything else that would influence his home planet's standing in the Galactic community, he'd offered her temporary shelter until she got settled in with her job and the culture in general. Or so he thought at the time.Well, she'd been a hit with the Monster Squad right from the start, gaining Blue Senturion as her partner was working out just fine, and while her salary wasn't outstanding, it was certainly enough that she could find a place of her own if she so wished. After all, even the robot had his own small apartment. But, somehow or other, their friendship had taken a backseat to the growing attraction between them.

Parker grinned as he turned into the residential area where they lived. By now, he couldn't even say exactly when or how their banter had turned into a kiss, or who had made the first move ... but he did know that the universe had rocked the first time he'd truly held her in his arms. He'd tried not to show how shaken he'd been, but the crystal-blue eyes had been so totally stunned that it had been the most natural thing in the world to say "I love you" to the young woman. Star had been too surprised to hold back; she'd stammered "M-me, too", and neither had looked back since then.

Parking his beloved convertible, the reporter sighed. While he couldn't feel better emotionally - after several months of living with Daystar, he knew his feelings for her were the real thing, as were hers for him - he was getting more and more frustrated physically. Because even though they shared nearly everything else in their lives, from living expenses to toothpaste, the one thing that was still off-limits was the luscious body his girlfriend flashed him so innocently around the house. As a consequence, he still slept alone each night.

He groaned mentally; Star's views on nudity and modesty were quite different from what he was used to, but he was rather intrigued by it and could very well see them relaxing only partially-dressed together.

NOT when I can only look, but not touch, though! Parker vowed. Man, she's going to drive me mad one day!

His girlfriend had explained her reasoning to him, and while he could see her point, he didn't quite agree. Every idiot could see that while there was a slight, superficial family resemblance, Daystar was a totally different person from her notorious aunt. However, he could and would respect her wishes in this, raging hormones or not.

"After all, I'm a grown man, a professional; not some randy teenager who can't keep his hands to himself," he reasoned aloud as he bounded up the stairs to the apartment. "I can control myself, right? Right," he muttered, fishing for his keys. Besides, he really was too tall to sleep on the couch; after several months, his back was starting to seriously complain.

If only she didn't look so damn good in my old shirts! Or nothing at all!

Parker unlocked the door. He could hear the six o'clock news playing in the living room, and he cheered up from a long day at work immediately. When Daystar was at home, he could always relax better.

"Honey, I'm ho-ome!" he warbled off-key, throwing his jacket over a hook and stowing his camera equipment out of harm's way. One of the advantages of dating an offworlder, he mused, was that you could get away with using a lot of old clichés that'd get you smacked upside the head by an Earth girl. Although Daystar, along with Trey, Andros and Zhane, were catching up awfully fast on obscure trivia. Soon, they'd all have to watch themselves more.

"I'm in here," Daystar called from the living room. "Drinks are ready!"

"Mmmm," Parker moaned appreciatively. Another good thing - someone to share that first after-work beer with. Not that they drank much, but both relished the chance to unwind together, kind of taking a time-out together from work and other daily woes, like unreasonable neighbors or nosy landlords. Loosening the top three buttons of his shirt, he ambled into the living room. "Oh, that's nice," he sighed, taking a sip from the already-opened bottle the dark-haired beauty handed him with a kiss and a smile. Star definitely was no June Cleaver, but she didn't mind these little domestic gestures - especially since it was an even trade-off between the two of them.

Sinking onto the couch, relaxing completely, Parker took a closer look at Star, then felt his heartbeat increase a little.

"You sure look nice tonight, too, honey," he whistled admiringly. Daystar was wearing one of his old sweatshirts - a navy blue number with his college logo emblazoned on the front. It was soft and faded from too many washings, clinging to every curve and swell on her most intriguingly, covering her entire torso down to her thighs. It also happened to be the exact color of her eyes.

"That thing looks better on you than it ever did on me," he complimented her a bit huskily, hoping she couldn't see how much she was affecting his suddenly VERY alert anatomy. Daystar grinned at him over her own beer, casually sauntering over to the window.

Her long, shapely legs were the only body part visible under the loose hem, giving Parker only a very tiny glimpse every now and then of something dark blue clinging to an oh-so-squeezable-looking roundness. His hands itched to curve around it, but he suspected he'd get slapped off or worse if he tried, so he opted for tucking them behind his head instead, out of harm's - or was that temptation's? - way.

"So, anything interesting happening here? Or at work?" Parker inquired, letting his eyes wander surreptitiously up and down those sensational legs. Man, I can just see them wrapped around my hips, or draped over my shoulders while I ... He was abruptly torn out of his instant fantasy by Star's low laughter.

"Nothing at work, and here ... well, it depends on what you define as 'interesting', I guess. I got a package."

"You did?" he asked, mildly intrigued. Finishing off his beer, the reporter missed the slight flush of nervousness tinting his girlfriend's cheeks.

"Uh huh. That photographer I told you about? When Lil and I went shopping? He sent some pictures as a thank-you," she explained, watching him out of the corner of her eye. To Daystar's relief, Parker seemed not angry, but rather ... curious. Emboldened, she took her courage in both hands. "Want to take a look?"

Parker just barely stopped himself from doing a double-take. Star - his Star - was offering to let him look at professional pictures of her wearing nothing but tight workout clothes and maybe a sports bra or so?

"Do I want to?" he rumbled, fighting the urge to adjust himself in his suddenly-tightening pants. "You betcha!"

Her heart beating wildly in her chest, mouth dry, Daystar picked up the calendar/portfolio and handed it over. The cover was innocuous enough - small shots of herself, Lillian and Kaitlin, with a larger headshot of her in the center. "Kaitlin says he made up one of these for each of us," she murmured, but Parker hardly heard her as he went over to the window for better light and flipped to the first glossy picture.

"Oh boy," he breathed, entranced, as he took in the body of his girlfriend clad in clingy cotton bike shorts and a matching bustier; it looked as if she'd just gotten off the exercise machine visible in the background, with her skin glistening moistly and the material slightly soaked as she drank from a water bottle. If he looked closely enough, he could just see her nipples and the demarcation line of her mound under the skintight clothes. Parker swallowed once, hard. Then he turned to the next page.

At first glance, the picture looked innocuous enough. Parker noted the professional backgrounds, but had to admit, to someone who didn't know the tricks of the trade, they looked real enough. The scene was a tennis court; Star was leaning against a large umbrella stand, apparently waiting for a game. White shorts, white sleeveless top, hair pulled up in a ponytail and tucked under a sunshade ... only a closer inspection revealed that the tight short shorts weren't done up, the zipper gaped open and that the skimpy, low-cut top was laced together down the front ... and the laces weren't tied, revealing a most enticing cleavage underneath - and nothing else.

The tall young man gulped and flipped the page over.

The third picture was a more conventional shot of sports underwear, sexy, but not too revealing - if one disregarded the fact that the black lycra of the runner's briefs and racer-back bra clung lovingly to every curve, showing that this was truly underwear. There was quite obviously only Daystar inside.

Number four was a shot of his dark-haired girlfriend walking along a beach that could be Santa Monica Bay, wearing a swimsuit in a leopard print. Parker admired Star's long legs, displayed to perfection by the very high-cut suit. The halter-neck top molded nicely to her chest.

"This is nice," he commented approvingly to his girlfriend. "I like the suit. You think you could buy this and wear it when we go swimming?"

"Maybe," the young woman said non-committally, her expression carefully neutral. Parker frowned a bit, but when Star offered no further explanation, he went to the next page. And gasped in shock.

It was basically the same photograph, only of Star's back; the effect of both shots combined was as if she'd been walking past the photographer.

The swimsuit was nice, but not too outrageous - from the front. From the back, however ... the halter-neck was hidden by her tousled hair, the sides met at the small of her back in two palm-sized triangles ... and the bottom consisted of a narrow strip of cloth that disappeared completely between her shapely buttocks, only the very top connecting to the sides. To all intents and purposes, from the back Daystar was gloriously naked.

Parker felt himself grow impossibly hard as he stared for long minutes at the full-color shot.

"Oh man," he muttered at last, not caring that he sounded much like his sister's boyfriend. He wished he dared wipe the sweat off his forehead. Hastily, the photographer lifted the page.

A boudoir scene. Daystar, sitting in front of a mirror, brushing her hair. Clad in only a tight red satin corset that barely covered her breasts, a matching thong and garter belt, with black lace stockings. The very intimacy of the picture was ... breathtaking. Parker fought the sudden need to rearrange his aching anatomy. Again.

There was no surcease as he devoured picture after picture, professional interest in lighting, background, composition long forgotten. He knew he was gasping for air and that his purely male interest was all too obvious, but he was too far gone to care. These photos were his every fantasy about Daystar come to life, and he was unable to decide which he liked most. Two of the other half-dozen pictures held his attention a bit longer - one was a setup of Daystar sitting on a dangerous-looking motorbike, wearing a comparatively tame dark blue bra and panty set - but combined with knee-high shiny boots, a gun belt and a police cap perching jauntily on her dark locks, it packed one hell of a punch, and the other was the December shot - the inevitable Christmas motif. It made Parker wish that Santa would leave nothing but his girlfriend under the tree for him this year.

Daystar was lying on a dark red velvet spread, eyes half-closed as she looked away from the camera towards a glowing candle. She was wearing nothing but a sheer white body stocking with dark green vines embroidered here and there, forming patterns on her skin that hid and at the same time emphasized her mound and her nipples, dusky shadows under the transparent white fabric.

Parker's hands were shaking as he closed the calendar. This was one thing that was NOT going up on any wall! He looked across the room at his girlfriend. Daystar had said nothing while he'd drooled over the pictures; her cheeks were faintly flushed, but there was a smile around her luscious lips that made Parker's mouth go suddenly dry.

It took him several tries to get his voice to cooperate; even so, it was rough and hoarse when he finally managed to speak.

"Daystar?"

Her smile deepened, an intriguing mixture of endearingly shy girl-woman and enigmatic Mona Lisa.

"You like?" she asked softly.

"Like? I love 'em," he rasped. "But I don't understand ... why ... I mean, how ... I thought you didn't want to ..." Parker was floundering badly, but for the life of him couldn't be more coherent. All his customary glibness had deserted him, it seemed.

The dark-haired woman took a couple of steps closer, almost within his reach. Parker nearly moaned out loud as he saw the sparkle in the blue eyes. It was a look he'd hoped to see for as long as he'd known he'd fallen in love with her. He only prayed he was reading it right ...

"Michaels sent all the outfits along, as part of our 'salary'," she murmured throatily, placing a hand on his chest.

"A-are you gonna wear them?" Parker asked, nearly dizzy with mounting desire.

"Would you want me to?" Star asked, lowering her lashes demurely. Her fingers started to fiddle with the buttons down his front, slipping between the closures. It was driving Parker up the wall.

"Hell, yeah," he managed. The knowledge she'd be wearing sexy lingerie instead of her practical underwear was even more exciting than trying not to notice when she'd forgotten to put on her bra - again. Parker was fairly sure he'd survive - physically, at least. As for his sanity ... being sane was overrated, anyway, wasn't it?

Star regarded him for a long minute. Her cheeks reddened a bit more, but her voice was very steady when she spoke again.

"I'm wearing one of them now," she half-whispered.

Parker suddenly remembered seeing a flash of dark blue Police blue? Ooohhh ... under his sweatshirt. An image of Star on the flashy motorcycle appeared before his inner eye, and he swallowed a deep groan. The shiny high-heeled boots were missing, but ... man!

"Which one?" he breathed, needing to know for sure.

Daystar met his tawny eyes full-on. Moistening her lips in an innocent gesture that yet managed to be seductive, she straightened, unconsciously thrusting her breasts at him.

"Why don't you take a look for yourself?"

Wild horses, all active Rangers and their combined Zords couldn't have stopped Parker from doing so. He'd been waiting - no, praying for an invitation like that for weeks now. He started to reach out with unsteady hands for the hem of the roomy sweatshirt, but changed his mind and their direction at the last instant. Instead, he gently grasped the slim strong shoulders.

"Star ... are you sure? You never wanted to, before ..."

She met his heated gaze steadily.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"But ... but why? Why now? How ... what ..."

The young woman stood on her tiptoes and kissed her tall boyfriend's cheek.

"Can I just say I decided to use my woman's prerogative and changed my mind?" she murmured softly. Her heart was beating wildly, but it was a good kind of feeling ... as were the butterflies dancing in her stomach. And the increasing ache and wetness gathering between her legs.

"It'll do for now," Parker rumbled, gathering her close. Neither minded that his hardness was pressing into her soft belly when he bent down to kiss her. "Can I look now?" he asked, little-boy eager when he released her pliant lips.

"Go ahead," Star nodded, and offered no resistance as he slowly, gently, pulled the sweatshirt up and over her head. The sudden gleam in his eyes was all she needed to know she'd made the right choice when he drew her willingly into his arms again.

Present Day
Daystar sighed fondly as she poured herself a cup of coffee; it had perked during her walk down memory lane and was strong and hot, just the right thing to wake her up. Parker had been very gentle with her that evening, but she had surprised herself by how quickly she'd gotten into the swing of things. Under his loving tutelage, she was growing more and more passionate, and she was enjoying every minute of it.

If I'd known it would be like this, I'd never have waited so long!

But she knew, deep down, that she'd made the right choice in waiting for the right man ... even if she had had to come to Earth to find him. And she was very much looking forward to exploring further possibilities with Parker.

Just wait until I know enough to show him a thing or two, Daystar thought to herself with a slight chuckle. She started in surprise as a sleep-roughened voice came from the kitchen door.

"What's so funny?" Parker asked, yawning slightly as he ambled closer, dressed only in a pair of loose plaid boxers. He appreciatively inhaled the aroma of freshly-brewed coffee. "Mmm. Is there some of that for me?"

Grinning, Star handed him her mug and purred deep in her throat as he drew her back against his leanly-muscled chest with one hand while he lifted the half-full cup to his mouth with the other. He cursed under his breath as the hot liquid scalded his tongue. The young woman laughed, twinkling at his injured look.

"You have no compassion, woman," he growled, putting the mug down and pulling her close.

"Not if it's your own fault. You ought to have known it's hot."

"Just like you," Parker murmured, bending low and starting to nibble down Star's neck. She obligingly angled her head to give him better access, liking the feel of his warm lips move over her sensitive skin.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Hottest thing ever to invade Earth," he teased, nuzzling behind her ear. "Rita, Divatox, Astronema, eat your black hearts out!"

Her delighted chuckle vibrated in her throat, and he flicked his tongue against the pulse point. He'd discovered how much that excited her quite by accident the second night they'd spent together, in the aftermath of their loving as they'd lain spoon-fashion together on her - now their - bed. It had been enough to incite their passions, which they'd thought spent, anew. The memory of how Daystar had writhed against him, rubbing her sexy tush into his groin, woke him up far more effectively than had the empty, cooling place beside him or the strong coffee.

"Ohhh," she said again, a sensual note slipping into her tone as she could feel him firming against her.

Parker only grinned, repositioning his hips so that his growing erection nestled between the shapely halves of Daystar's bottom and shifted his hands from their innocent position around her waist to a place further up, where two generous handfuls of creamy flesh were waiting for his touch.

"Mmmm," Star moaned, only she was very definitely not commenting on the taste or the stimulating effects of her coffee. She was feeling stimulated, all right, but not in her taste buds!

"You like that, don't you?" Parker queried, massaging the firm mounds gently through the soft flannel. His breath was hot against the junction of her neck and shoulder, and Star nodded dreamily, arching into his caress. The movement thrust her behind more strongly against his groin, and both lovers gasped as they felt his cock jerk excitedly, swelling a bit more. "Want more?"

"Oh yes," she sighed in answer to both questions, abandoning herself to his lovemaking. The tile floor in the kitchen was cold under her bare feet, but she forgot all about it as he found the first button by touch alone. The plastic disc slipped easily through its hole, and so did all the others, until the shirt was open from top to bottom. With a low growl that sent delicious shivers down her spine, Parker parted the edges and swept one hand down her smooth belly while the other wandered upwards, to lift a satin-skinned globe.

The dark-haired young woman drew in a shuddering breath as her lover's fingers teased her nipple into aching hardness while others dipped between her moist folds, seeking out another kernel of yearning flesh that begged to be touched. When he found it and started rubbing delicate circles around the hooded pleasure button, she gripped the edge of the kitchen counter hard and slightly altered her stance, taking a step backwards in the process. Parker groaned as she bumped against his straining hard-on, but the position was too tempting to let her go just yet. Over the last three weeks, he'd learned her 'hot spots' and now sought out every one of them, driving her into a heated but controlled frenzy, revelling in her uninhibited responses.

"Come on, darling, open up," he whispered huskily into her ear, licking sensually along the shell. He only got an inarticulate moan as his answer, but Star moved her legs apart a little bit, making it easier for him to fondle her wet sex. Shaking his hair out of his eyes, Parker took a minute to assess their positions, and his heartrate speed up alarmingly. He was naked but for the thin cotton of his boxers, which formed only a flimsy barrier between their bodies - a situation he intended to change at the earliest opportunity - and his shirt hung precariously off Star's slender shoulders. Her ass was thrust back against him, her back was slightly arched, and she offered absolutely no resistance to what he was doing. Controlling the need to just grab her and fuck her silly, Parker took his time in teasing her womanly core until she was open and juicing nicely, all the while paying very gratifying attention to her breasts, making sure both dusky nipples were ripe and ready to be suckled into a willing mouth.

Suddenly, he couldn't wait to do just that. Tearing himself away from her back, ignoring her mewl of protest, he turned her around and stripped the flannel off her, hauling the sexy body into his arms. Star's arms went around his neck, and he took her panting lips in a searing kiss, thrusting his tongue deeply into her mouth as they both moaned out their desire.

"I want you. Now," he rasped as he kneaded her heaving tits.

"Okay," she replied breathlessly, equally on fire. "How?"

In answer, Parker grasped her hips and lifted her up, to sit on the counter. Star gasped slightly as her bottom made contact with the cool formica, but the shock was soon forgotten as her lover pressed his chest against her own. The photographer stepped between the obligingly-spread thighs, feeling her moist heat dampen his own underwear. They continued to kiss, exciting each other more and more as their bodies undulated together, tongues dueling, teeth nipping, hands and fingers stroking, petting, pinching ... At last, it was enough - or more correctly, no longer enough. Both stared into the other's eyes, panting heavily, reading their mutual desire in gold and sapphire depths. Daystar took Parker's head between her hands and fastened her lips to his in a thorough, all-consuming kiss while he shucked his boxers in record time. Fully naked, he then stepped back towards the counter, aligning his cock between the slender legs, burrowing into the dark curls. The slight friction and slipperiness was almost more than he could bear.

"Park," she sighed when he finally released her mouth.

"Yes?" he asked, making minute adjustments to their position. If he pulled her just slightly more forward to the edge and tilted her backwards just -so-, she'd be at the perfect height to ...

"Come into me," she requested throatily, lifting her legs to wrap around his narrow hips. Holding onto his neck, she leaned away from his body. As if she were reading his mind.

"Right," he groaned and did just that, sliding into her tight channel with a single stroke. When they were as deeply joined as possible, Parker halted for a few seconds to make his senses stop swimming. A voluptuous wiggle from the woman he held in his arms recalled him to the present. He held onto her hips and Star clung to his shoulders as he started to thrust, slowly at first, but with ever-increasing vigour and force. Soon, their cries echoed through the kitchen as they spurred each other on towards an explosive climax.

"NOW!" Daystar shouted, feeling Parker freeze in the throes of ecstasy. The hot flood bathing her insides triggered her own orgasm, and she shuddered convulsively as tremors shook her body, suffusing every corner of her being as the climactic waves buffeted her around, and only the sinewy arms holding her provided an anchor to prevent her drowning.

"A guy could get used to this kind of morning workout," Parker murmured contentedly as he lazed on the rumpled bed, Star nestled closely against his side. "Beats pumping iron or a two-mile run any old day."

Daystar grinned, too satiated yet to talk much, but the sparkling look in her eyes told him she agreed with him fully. They'd stayed in the kitchen only long enough to bring their blood pressures back under nominal control, quickly mopped up the broken shards and spilled coffee (neither had noticed that the mug had teetered that close to the counter's edge, nor would they have cared at the time), then had wandered back into the bedroom to enjoy the leisurely aftermath of their passion. The reporter had the distinct feeling his spirited girlfriend wasn't quite done with him yet; she made no overt move to arouse him again, but the minute shifting of her legs, the flush still tainting her fair skin, her fingertips which drew tiny circles on his chest were all signs that Star would need only very little encouragement to ravish him .. or let herself be ravished.

Parker faced either possibility with great equanimity.

"But I thought you did a three-mile run on weekends?" Daystar asked, giving him a coy look from under long lashes. Her hand, which had skimmed over his shoulders, slowly crept downwards, brushing his tiny nipples on its way to his abs and the indentation of his navel. He felt his breath catch and his stomach muscles clenched in anticipation.

Don't stop there, don't stop, don't ...

As if she'd heard his silent plea, she circled a fingertip around, dipping into the hollow and wandering away again, following the trail of dark blond hair towards a much more interesting location. He groaned, a deep rumble that made her laugh delightedly, and scratch the coarse curls teasingly. She never touched where Parker wanted to be touched most, but nevertheless his body responded eagerly with a surge of blood into his thickening rod. He reached for the warm, slender figure and drew her up into a deep, hungry kiss.

"Care to join me in some more fun exercise?" he murmured thickly when he let her up for air. "Something that doesn't involve getting up, getting dressed ..." His hands swept from her delectable tush to her breasts, cupping one generous swell. Star sighed throatily as Parker's thumb flicked rapidly over her nipple, making the kernel of flesh harden and stand up eagerly. Just like Park's manhood. She pressed her smooth abdomen against the silky shaft, making him moan.

"Don't you usually warm up before you exercise?" she asked, giving him a sultry look. Much to her lover's disappointment, she removed her hands from his straining anatomy and let them wander across his chest, then into his hair. Her fingertips gently massaged his scalp, flitted to his temple, across his brow, then returned to his lion's mane-colored hair. Which felt quite nice, too, but ...

"Parker?"

"Hmm? Oh. Sorry," he grinned, returning to the matter at hand. He gave the soft mound still filling his palm a slight squeeze. "Yeah, I warm up. A little stretching, a few calisthenics exercises ... why?"

Daystar didn't answer directly, just shifted against him into a more comfortable position. Doing some delightful things to his simmering hormones in the process.

"Just wondering. Why do you run? Rather than work out, or play tennis, or whatever?"

Those fingertips were now tracing the contours of his face, outlining his eyes, nose, the shape of his mouth ... it was a pleasant sensation, and slightly arousing, even though the reporter would have preferred more direct stimulation elsewhere. Parker captured one rosy digit and bit gently into the fleshy pad as it danced across his lips. Star hitched a small, excited breath as the slight pain was almost instantly soothed by wet swirls of his tongue. He gave her a grin that was bordering on a leer, but answered her question as soon as she withdrew her finger.

"I don't need a partner for running, I'm not dependent on a gym's opening hours, and it's great for endurance," he shrugged.

"Endurance, eh?" Star repeated with an expression that sent Parker's blood pressure to the ceiling.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Were you serious about me working out with you? Now, I mean?" she asked inconsequentially, but with her dark blue eyes taking on an even deeper hue. The young man's mouth went dry.

"I sure was," he answered, holding his breath. He knew he could've 'persuaded' his girlfriend easily into another round of lovemaking, but he was learning to his joy - and occasional total exhaustion - that when Daystar was the one to initiate things, he usually ended up completely sated and blissed out. Not that he was complaining.

"Then why don't you help me warm up?" Star whispered throatily, leaning back against the pillow.

"Gladly."

The two kissed passionately until they were out of breath, then Star cupped the lean face between both her hands.

"Make me hot, Parker," she demanded, guiding his head down towards her breasts.

The tall photographer was only too happy to oblige. Telling his body to wait its turn, knowing that his spirited girlfriend was certainly going to reciprocate once he got her thoroughly revved, he bent to his task.

Starting once more with the moist lips, he kissed and nibbled his way down Daystar's throat, taking a leisurely path across smooth shoulders to the generous mounds with their erect, hardened tips. Parker hefted one swell and licked the fullness, sparing the throbbing nipple until Star's delighted sighs deepened into a tiny moan of need. Never one to disappoint a lady, he captured the rosy-brown nubbin between his lips, exerting enough pressure to be exciting but not hurting her. When he felt it extend to its fullest size, he swirled his tongue around several times, tasting the sweet flesh until she was shivering in his arms. Reading the signs just right, Parker finally started to suckle, liking the way his lover arched up into his caress.

When her right breast was literally hot to the touch, he released the smooth globe and switched sides, repeating the leisurely process until Star was gasping for breath. But still she made no move to touch him, other than pressing his face deeper into her bosom or clutching at his shoulders.

Guess she's not warmed up enough, he mused, catching his breath. His own arousal had subsided a little, but was still bubbling nicely under the surface. Well, let's see what we can do about that ...

"More?" he asked softly when his eyes met her smoky gaze.

"Mmmm," she purred, pushing none-too-subtly at his shoulders. Getting the 'hint', Parker shook his head, grinned and maneuvered between the eagerly-spread thighs. Her dark curls glistened with moisture, and he lowered for a taste. As usual, he found her aroma a delightful mixture of tart and sweet, and settled in to drink his fill.

Daystar couldn't suppress a full-bodied moan as her boyfriend's tongue delved between the swollen folds of her sex. She loved the way he explored every inch of her most sensitive places, licking carefully here, stabbing playfully there ... until that talented mouth closed around her clitoris. She squealed as Parker bit down teasingly, sending darts of electrical fire into every part of her body. Instinctively, she opened up even further, spreading her legs as wide as she could, and was rewarded with the sensation of a long finger slipping into her ready channel.

"Oohhhh," she sighed, closing her eyes and letting her own hands wander to her aching breasts. She started fondling and kneading them lightly at first, but when Parker began lashing her pleasure pearl in earnest, her fingers closed around her distended nipples and plucked in rhythm with his skilled tongue and pumping finger. The triple stimulation soon had her writhing on the smooth sheets, and Star groaned her pleasure as every one of her nerve endings burst into flame.

"Yes, yes, yes," she panted, wanting the sensations to never end as the conflagration blazed higher and higher. "Don't stop now ... by the Light, Park ... make me come ... don't stop ..."

Parker had every intention of doing so; he buried his face even deeper in her dripping sex, lapping up her juices and thrusting a second, then a third finger into her clenching tunnel. He could feel the silky skin break out in a light sheen of perspiration as her climax came inexorably closer and Star's whole body went rigid. She was moaning continuously, mixing English with the Galactic lingua franca spoken on most Council words and a few other languages he didn't recognize, but it didn't matter; the language of passion was universal, and plain as day as the lovely young woman convulsed in orgasm at last.

"PARKER!!!"

He didn't answer her ecstatic cry; he was too busy making sure to lick up even the last drop of her gushing juices. Only when the tremors racking the slender body subsided did he say goodbye to Star's spasming sex with a last, lingering kiss. Quickly wiping his chin on the sheet, Parker then moved up the bed to gather his still-trembling girlfriend into his arms. Weakly, she snuggled against his chest.

"Enjoy yourself?" Parker asked unnecessarily and a trifle smugly, chuckling as the brunette tried vainly to muster an outraged glare. She was still too much out of breath to speak coherently. "I'll take that as a yes," he smiled, taking her mouth in a long, hard kiss. Now that Daystar had come, his own needs were making themselves known with a vengeance. The blond reporter could feel his erection pulse against Star's smooth abdomen, as if his body was seeking to join with hers through skin and muscles.

Soon, he promised himself. Just give her a minute to recover, and then ... Parker drew in a hissing breath at the thought of burying himself inside Star in a single stroke, pumping into her fast and furiously until she'd cling to him sobbing with her need, meeting him thrust for thrust. But first, he'd have to bring her up to speed again, as it were.

He needn't have worried. The beautiful brunette was already recovering from her orgasm, and moving purposely against him, her slim strong hands doing the most delightful things to his anatomy.

"Oohhh," he groaned as she slipped her hands under his ass, squeezing the muscled globes gently. He hadn't known how receptive to stimulation he was there, but then, while he'd had some experience, he hadn't had that many lovers before Star, either. And none of them had been as inventive, enthusiastic or uninhibited as his offworld girlfriend.

"Your turn, lover boy," Daystar murmured, pushing his shoulders back onto the mattress and leaning over Parker. Her long dark locks tickled his skin where they slipped over her shoulder. He reached out a slightly unsteady hand to tuck them behind her ear, but she shook her head impatiently. The near-black mane fell forward again, giving her a gypsy look.

"Uh-uh. Keep your hands to yourself."

"But I don't want to," Parker mock-pouted, giving her a wounded-puppy look. She wasn't fooled for a minute and just grinned sassily into his eyes.

"Tough luck. I've wanted to get my hands on you all week, and now that we have time to play, I'm damn well going to take it," Daystar informed him peremptorily, and in a quick move which Parker knew came from her Police training, grabbed his wrists. He made a token attempt to free himself, but the light in those sapphire eyes just got brighter. Laughing, he tried to wrestle himself loose, but Star had the advantage over him on several points - she had learned more than enough tricks in her career to immobilize someone, even if he was bigger and stronger than herself, she was very much set on having her way, and most importantly, she wasn't as distracted as Parker by the gliding of skin on naked skin after her recent climax. Whereas the sensuous tussle only served to incite his lust even more. Not very reluctantly, Parker gave in, panting slightly, only to find Star perched atop him, her moist curls rubbing against his belly, her luscious breasts heaving as they hovered close to his watering mouth, and his arms stretched out over his head.

"Grab the headboard," Star instructed him, laughter and promises in her eyes and voice. She maneuvered his wrists apart with a surprisingly strong grip. "And don't let go until I tell you you can."

"What if I don't want to?" he challenged her, resisting her urging.

"I'll make you."

"Oh? And how exactly are you gonna do that?"

She smiled a tigress's smile into his tawny eyes and increased her fingers' pressure, noticing the slight wince Parker couldn't quite suppress. It wasn't enough to make her let go, though.

"Oh, I have this perfectly nice pair of steel handcuffs in my jacket," she drawled. "If you don't cooperate, I'll just have to use them to manacle you to this bed."

Parker gasped at the image her sultry voice invoked, and felt his cock jerk sharply. Instinctively, he bucked his hips upwards, so that the tip brushed against the shapely butt resting against his abdomen. To his chagrin, he sensed a second, lesser rush of blood staining his cheeks and spreading down his neck, but his eyes never left hers. There was no way she could miss his reaction.

Startled, Daystar locked gazes with her lover. She may have been pretty new at sex, but her years of working the Galactic slave trade gave her enough theoretical experience to realize what had just happened.

"Parker?" she asked, breathless and a bit incredulous. To her surprise, a wave of heat raced through her body, making her breasts ache.

He swallowed hard, then freed his hands gently and drew her down on his chest. He'd just mightily surprised himself, but knew straightaway that he wouldn't mind taking this just a bit furrther. With Star. Eventually. When the time was right.

"Not now, babe," he murmured against her lips, stabbing teasing little licks against the silky surface. A hopeful look crossed his face. "But ... maybe some other time?"

"Really?" she whispered back, finding herself more than a little excited at the prospect. Her agile mind was already thinking through ways and means. There had been this small store she'd glimpsed in an out-of-the-way corner of the Stone County Mall, not too far from Jacqueline's Lingerie, that had its windows draped with dark velvet and been named simply "Toys". Kaitlin's wink and knowing smile, when Lillian hadn't been looking, had told her exactly what kind of 'toys' were on sale there. A shopping expedition, her handcuffs, soft light, a bottle of wine and a willing Parker sounded as close to perfection as she could imagine.

"You wouldn't mind?"

"Mind? I'd love it," Parker answered huskily. He'd never been into the kinky scene before, but the thought of being tied to a bed, totally at the tender mercies of his sexy girlfriend, was undeniably appealing. "What would you do to me?" he inquired, suddenly curious.

Daystar smiled slowly, a knowing look entering her deep blue eyes. Her lips curved sensually, and she flicked her tongue tip over them, leaving behind a moist sheen that drove Parker crazy.

"Why don't I show you?"

"Mmmm," he moaned, dizzy with desire, and threaded his hands through her rich dark hair. Their mouths met for a long, hungry kiss, then he released her and relaxed against the mattress, reaching for the headboard on his own. Strong fingers curled around the outer posts, gripping the metal rods. "Do your worst, mistress," he leered with a wink that earned him a not-quite-stinging slap against his ribs. A shudder raced through him. Man! I don't know if I'll survive it if she ever follows through, but ... what a way to go!

"Don't you mean my best?"

"Whatever. I'm betting you're going to be great if you're being bad ..."

"Could be," Star agreed after a moment's thought. "Now shut up and don't move."

"Yes, ma'am," he couldn't help quipping, but clamped his mouth shut immediately when she pinched his left nipple - hard. "Mmnph!"

"You may moan, or sigh," she decided, remembering how much she enjoyed hearing his voice drop low in the throes of passion. "Just don't talk." Parker just nodded, his breath quickening a tad.

"Good boy," she purred, slipping deeper into the role, and bent to kiss him. 

Parker couldn't say how long she took to explore his mouth, but when they finally came up for air, he knew she had tasted and discovered everything there was about his lips, teeth and tongue. His oral digit still smarted from the teasing and sometimes less-than-gentle bites she'd bestowed on him, but the increased sensitivity forced him to respond more carefully to her kisses, and that seemed what Star was after. She was currently mapping his face with fingertips and lips, her sweet breath fanning over his eyes and cheeks, and he sighed contentedly. His body was calling for attention, but he told it to bide its time.

She'll get there when she gets there, he thought hazily as the hot moist lips wandered down his throat, nibbling at his Adam's Apple. This is her show. Just lie back and enjoy, O'Neil.

Which was exactly what he did, shivering under her sensual assault as Daystar kissed her way from nipple to nipple, sucking and chewing on the small hard knots of tissue until he thought he'd go mad with wanting. His chest was heaving and slick with sweat, but she wouldn't let up, outlining his muscles with expert hands until he was tingling all over. Star moved and flowed over his naked body, never staying in one place long, driving him mad to reach out and touch, but his hands just clamped more tightly onto the headboard. Parker could make out a hand smoothing down his thigh here, a full breast brushing against his abs there, her damp curls resting briefly against some other part of his anatomy, and it called forth a needy groan, but she wasn't done playing with him yet.

"Look at me," she commanded at length, her voice a little raw with reawakened hunger. Parker dragged his heavy lids open and moaned as he recognized the glitter in the sapphire depths. He shifted on the rumpled bed, desperate to touch her, but he'd sort of promised to stay in the position she'd placed him in, and so he did, although his knuckles were white with strain as he held on to the brass bedposts and the lean muscles in his arms were tight as he fought his impulses. The reporter's own eyes were burning as he watched Star shake her hair out of her eyes and slither lower, towards his throbbing groin.

"Uunnhhh!"

The hoarse groan broke from his throat as Daystar parted his legs and moved to kneel between them; when she scooted into position, her fulsome breasts came to rest briefly against his hard-as-nails cock, and Parker nearly came there and then as he instinctively tried to thrust into the creamy globes.

Daystar chuckled.

"So impatient!" she murmured, but didn't seem to mind. She held herself in place for a minute or two, letting him hump her breasts, before she gently drew away. Parker smiled sheepishly and lifted an apologetic eyebrow; with his arms stretched out above his head, he couldn't shrug. He swallowed again, several times, coming yea-close to begging, but his lover hadn't told him he might speak. So, he tried to convey with eyes and any other parts of his body that he was more than ready for more direct stimulation. Instead, she sat up on her haunches between his spread legs.

Parker moaned disappointedly as he all but lost contact with her warm skin.

"What do you want me to do, Parker?" the dark-haired beauty asked after a while. The lush lips curved into a smile that was pure sex and made him shiver. "Do you want me to do this?"

Slender hands began to skim across his groin, making his engorged rod twitch eagerly. She combed her fingertips through the coarse dark-blond curls, trailing them teasingly along his dick, tickled his balls until he was panting with excitement and anticipation.

"Or maybe this?"

Star closed one hand around the satiny shaft and began to pump slowly, her thumb circling the purplish tip and coating it with pre-come while her other hand hefted the crinkly sac, massaging the twin globes hidden within gently.

"Ooooohhh ..." he groaned and closed his eyes blissfully for a moment, moving into the cadence she'd set. His eyes snapped open again when she abandoned his cock abruptly.

"That's better," she smiled lasciviously as he looked at her imploringly, begging her silently not to stop. "I want you to see what I'm doing."

Obediently, he resumed watching her face and hands as she took his aching sex into her wonderful, maddening hands once more, to examine every inch, ridge and fold as thoroughly as if he were a piece of evidence she'd found on a crime scene. It was exciting as hell ... and nearly drove him out of his mind, especially since he felt still bound by his promise not to talk.

Parker was sweating and gasping for air, his hips pumping frantically by the time she got through with him, but his heartrate soared impossibly higher when she massaged him to the brink of orgasm. Just when he thought he couldn't contain himself any longer, Star gentled her grip on his hard shaft, leaving him a hair's breadth from shooting his load all over her hands. He sank back down with a sound that came perilously close to a whimper when he found his cock left alone and throbbing in the sudden coolness the absence of her hands was causing.

"You liked that, huh?" Star asked, pleased. "I wonder ... shall I jerk you off to the end ... or would you prefer if I took you in my mouth?"

Parker groaned and shuddered, his hands tightening convulsively around the headboard posts.

"I guess that means yes."

Her husky whisper skittered across Parker's heated skin, raising goosebumps all over his belly. He watched as Star scooted downwards, pressing an openmouthed kiss against his navel on her way. The caress tickled slightly, but he didn't care; all he could think about was how much he wanted to see and feel the soft smiling lips wrapped around his weeping rod. But, the very first oral caress she gave him showed him he'd have to wait even longer. For instead of swallowing him, Daystar started by licking his balls, drawing them into her mouth one by one and bathing them thoroughly in the heat and wetness inside. When she released them, she blew softly across the hairy pouch, and Parker this time did whimper with the sensation.

His reaction seemed to please Star, and she began to lick at his aching prick, covering the satin-skinned shaft with broad swipes of her tongue from base to tip, making him near-delirious with wanting. A particularly loud, needy moan made Star laugh quietly deep in her throat.

"Watch me," she told him softly, and Parker moistened his dry lips, trying to calm down. It took a few moments, and while he managed to still the instinctive rocking of his pelvis, his heart was beating a mile a minute, threatening to hurt his ribs, and he knew he was far from relaxed. His golden eyes glittered and Star twinkled impishly back at him, steadied his tumescent organ with both hands and pressed her petal-soft lips against the purplish head. The reporter held his breath with anticipation, his lungs nearly bursting when she finally opened up and let his cock slide inside her mouth, as if she was oozing over him to swallow him as deeply as she could on the first stroke.

Once she'd moved about halfway down his length, Star stopped her descent, held the position for long seconds which had Parker hover between heaven and hell, then started to give him a blowjob in earnest.

She swirled her agile tongue around his crown, licking up the salty droplets escaping from the tiny slit at the top. Then, she sought out the v-shaped spot where the ridge met, and vibrated her tongue tip against it, making him squirm and jerk impatiently. Next came strong, determined sucks that seemed to draw his very essence out of his veins, but never quite did. Then it was back to light, almost teasing licks, never quite establishing a rhythm Parker could adapt to. While he enjoyed every wonderful, agonizing moment, he increasingly wanted - needed - to move, to bury himself in a clinging orifice and thrust until his seed exploded. At last, this need overruled his determination to stay silent.

"Star!" he rasped, his voice hoarse with desire and from disuse.

The woman bent over his groin looked up then, his cock still held between swollen lips, surprise and a question in her blue eyes.

"P-please ... I ... I need ..."

Slowly, she let the pulsating organ slip from her mouth until it lay shiny and wet on his rippling abdomen, twitching minutely.

"What do you need, Parker?" The knowing smile and look in her eyes told that she was very well aware of what he wanted ... and that she was going to make him beg for it. Parker was past caring. WAY past.

"I need to come," he pleaded shamelessly, "I have to be inside of you ... any way you'll let me. I don't care. Just ... please ... don't make me wait any longer. You're driving me nuts!" His hips jerked upwards in emphasis, as if he were trying to come into contact with her again.

"Mmmm. That was sort of my intention. Glad to know I succeeded."

"You have. Please, Star ..."

The young woman chuckled, pleased. That she, a veritable neophyte, could reduce the self-confident, sure Parker to such a state of abject need was ... heady. As was the sense of sheer power she'd experienced when she'd taken control of their lovemaking, and that was definitely something she was not going to lose! Even if they never did anything with her handcuffs or any other toys. But, her own body's demands were making themselves known again; the moist place between her legs was throbbing and itching with the need to be filled ... and she had the very thing she wanted to be filled with right before her. First, though, she wanted Parker to bring her up to full steam again. Daystar scrambled around and came to sit on his hips. The tip of his cock just barely brushed her buttocks when she moved a little, and it thrilled her to think that maybe soon he'd want to take her from behind. She loved the way he hit places inside of her he couldn't reach any other way.

Not now, though.

"Suck my breasts, Park," she demanded, leaning forwards so that her generous mounds hovered close to his mouth. "Take my nipples in your mouth and lick them, just like I did to your cock."

With an ecstatic moan, Parker raised his head and captured one rosy-brown nub between his lips, swirling his still-sensitive tongue around the puckered flesh a few times before biting down carefully. He was rewarded with a gasp that swelled into a full-bodied sigh; her fingers threaded through his tawny hair and joined behnd his neck, to hold him in position. It was awkward, but he managed, suckling on the creamy globe until the sensitive tip throbbed hotly from his ministrations. Parker released one breast, gulped in a few much-needed draughts of air, and turned his attention to the second succulent swell. Daystar started to tremble.

"Enough!" she gasped, drawing back and releasing his head. He let his shoulders fall back onto the pillow, and their eyes met, blue heat devouring golden fire.

"Help me ..."

"Yes ..."

The young man winced as he finally lowered his arms to his side, his shoulder joints aching and his strained muscles hurting from being stretched into one position so long, He ignored the discomfort, though, and helped steady her hips as his lover knelt up, reached between her thighs and grasped his eager cock. Rubbing the satin-covered steel a few times across her drenched folds, Star then aligned her tight channel directly over him. An interminable instant of breathless anticipation, a sassy slow swirl of her hips, and she sank down on him, letting his comforting bulk stretch and fill her until her dark curls meshed with his lighter ones and they were fully joined.

Both moaned.

"Oh God," Parker sighed, the sensation of being encased in moist heat making his senses spin. He wanted to move so badly, to thrust himself into her clenching sex, but waited, drawing out the suspense. A minute later, he was glad, because once she'd caught her breath, Daystar braced her arms on his chest and started to rock, gently and slowly at first, twisting her hips every now and then when she lowered herself down onto his cock again and again. Soon, her tempo increased, she began to bounce more, and her jiggling tits proved to be too much of a temptation for Parker. Releasing her asscheeks, he reached for the firm globes.

"Oooohhhhhhh," Star squealed, her passion rising as his strong fingers pinched her nipples hard. She rocked faster, swaying back and forth as his cock pistoned inside her snatch. Parker was thrusting in time with her movements, meeting her in perfect synchronization, so that he penetrated her as deeply as possible with every stroke. Both were vocalizing their pleasure loudly, but neither understood a word the other said; it was unnecessary anyway, because their bodies communicated quite well on their own.

Daystar could feel the first spasms start deep in her womb; she slammed back down on her lover a few times, then threw herself up and back as her climax hit her from within. Dimly, she registered that her lover let go of her breast and steadied her, but it was irrelevant; all that mattered were the waves of ecstasy coursing through all of her body as her inner muscles clamped around the hard, hot meat filling her and she went over the edge into blessed oblivion with a primal cry of relief. For his part, Parker gritted his teeth as he felt her orgasm crest; right now, he couldn't tell if her writhing atop of him was better - or worse - than her explosive release. It didn't matter; as soon as the tight channel relaxed its hold on his rod enough that he could move again, he grabbed hold of her shoulders, jerked upwards one, two, three times and came himself, shouting his pleasure loudly with evey spurt of hot jism filling her.

Only when the last spasm had faded for both of them, did she slump across his sweaty, heaving chest in a boneless puddle.

"Mmm," Daystar purred contentedly as Parker popped another cracker heaped with cheese into her mouth. They'd taken a leisurely shower together, then rescued the coffee from simmering down into bitter sludge just in time. This belated breakfast in bed was just the thing to bring them back from the heights of wild, uninhibited sex to more ordinary pursuits ... like snuggling in each other's arms, enjoying the gentle aftermath. "A girl could get used to this."

"So could a guy," Parker reminded her, grinning. "You're stealing my line." He munched on his own cracker, washing it down with a sip of coffee. He wished it was a nice red wine, but wasn't quite hedonistic enough to start drinking before noon. Tonight, though ... if we're not called away on an emergency ... He made a mental note to put the bottle of champagne his parents had given him for Christmas and which was gathering dust in the pantry somewhere into the fridge. Just in case.

Daystar just blew a raspberry at him, then dissolved into giggles at his mock-wounded expression.

"You better practice that look some more," she advised him. "It's not exactly award-winning material, you know."

"You have absolutely no appreciation of the fine arts, much less visually-oriented artistic efforts!" he grumped, eyes laughing into hers.

"Oh? And you have?"

"Sure. I know quality when I see it." Automatically, his eyes strayed to the far wall, where the calendar with Daystar modeling lingerie held pride of place. Never mind that it was the wrong month, Parker had turned it to the page where she was sitting astride the shiny black-and-chrome Harley. It almost never failed to get a rise out of him. However, for once she had worn him out.

"That's quality?" Daystar asked, pleased.

"The best," he assured her, capturing her mouth in a kiss that was tender and passionate, and held promises of things to come. Eventually. When it was over, Star rested her head on his shoulder and draped a slender leg over his thighs, relaxing into his embrace. Right now, she intended to enjoy the lassitude, so far removed from their hectic everyday lives. It was rare that they had the leisure to leave the outside world behind like this, and both were determined to squeeze every minute to the max.

"I wonder ..." the dark-haired police officer mused into the comfortable silence.

"Wonder what?" Parker asked idly, letting his fingers trail down her smooth back to her firm tush, only half paying attention. He was far too absorbed in outlining the sexy curves.

"If Kaitlin and Lillian's calendars had the same effect as mine did on yours. I doubt that Kaitlin has shown hers to Ryan yet, but I bet Tommy will greatly appreciate Lil's."

"Mmm."

Suddenly, the implication of what Star had said penetrated Parker's meandering mind. He sat bolt upright, staring down on his lover with a totally scandalized expression.

"WHAT?!? Now wait a goddamn minute - what exactly do you mean by that????"

She bit back her laughter. Parker was a darling, and he loved Lillian dearly; he even had struck up a friendship of sorts with the younger Red Zeo Ranger, but he frequently tended to forget that his baby sister was a grown woman and an adult.

"I mean," she explained patiently, "that Michaels has made up the same kind of calendar for both Kaitlin and Lillian as he did for me. I clearly remember telling you the day he sent mine."

The blond reporter chose to ignore that little fact.

"Whatever. Lil wouldn't do that, would she?"

"Do what, Park?"

He actually blushed.

"Model lingerie like that," he mumbled.

"Like what?"

"You know ... sexy stuff, like you did." He squirmed uncomfortably under her amused look.

"And what exactly is wrong with wearing sexy stuff? You seem to like it well enough on me," Star queried, hiding her grin.

"Nothing; it's just ... the thought of Tommy Oliver ogling my little sister half-naked, in full living color is ... um ..." Parker floundered.

"Hardly half-naked," Daystar soothed him. "Although, I can recall a certain little leopard-print number, with a push-up bra and a tanga slip that looked absolutely sensational on her. If Michaels has included a shot of that ..."

Parker groaned and flopped back on the bed.

"I can only pray he hasn't."

"Why? Lil's an adult, and if she decides to show or model it for Tommy, I'm sure he'll like it as much as you did my pictures," she smiled, bending over to kiss him teasingly. Parker looked at his girlfriend helplessly, remembering all too clearly his own reaction to seeing the provocative photographs for the first time. There was no reason to assume that Tommy, as a normal, healthy young male, would react any differently. But Star was right; Lil was an adult ... and so was her boyfriend. Resignedly, he banished the thought as far to the back of his mind as he could. Seeking solace in her arms, he couldn't help a last remark before her lips claimed all of his attention once more.

"That's what I'm afraid of."