Penny's Protector: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Icehome Book 10)

by Ruby Dixon

  Metal creaks and the floor shivers.

  I freeze, holding the flickering torch, and then slowly turn around. "S'bren?"

  My big, heavy alien mate climbs up, the floor groaning as he pulls himself onto the second level. I stare at him, fascinated at his strength and imagining the veins that must be popping on his arms. Mm. Distracted, I watch as he approaches me and takes the torch from my hand. "How'd you do that?" I ask him, enthralled.

  "Jumped." S'bren shrugs. "You think I would let my mate wander around here without me at her side to protect her? There might be animals."

  "There's no animals. Nothing lives here." I grab his arm. "Come on. Let's see what's in that room."

  21

  PENNY

  I lead S'bren down the hall, and with every step, the floor creaks and groans as if it's being murdered. I'm no lightweight and S'bren is bulky, so it worries me that we're going to fall through. All of that changes, though, the moment we put the torch through the crack and take a look at what is inside. Oh wow.

  It’s not the enormous equipment covering the floor that impresses me. It’s a mixture of cables and fans, metal tubes and a jillion square things I have no idea what they could possibly be. It could be an alien toilet flushing system or an atom smasher and I wouldn’t know the difference.

  The thing that draws my attention is the wall. From the ceiling to the floor, someone’s taken paint of some kind and written all over it. Messy script in an alien language crawls up one side of the wall and down the other, and then continues over to the next wall where it trails off in a splash of paint.

  “Someone wrote a message,” I say to S’bren. “What do you suppose it says?”

  “My cave is broken?”

  I giggle, because he could be right. It could be someone just talking about how they’ve crashed and the ship isn’t working. But hearing it stated as “my cave is broken” just sounds…funny. “I wish we knew what it said. Mardok would know. Maybe it’s a love letter some stranded alien wrote to his wife back home so she would know he was thinking of her even as he lived out his lonely years here.”

  S’bren makes a sound of disagreement. “If he took a khui and was of a mating age, the khui would have chosen a new mate for him.”

  “Oh.” That’s…less romantic. “You’re right. Maybe it’s just a message asking for help.” I look around at the metal crap all over the place. It’s stacked neatly in piles, so someone must have thought they were storing it for use later. “You think we should take some of this junk back to Mardok? Maybe he can purpose it for stuff we can use around camp? He’s making electric lighting for the caves, you know.”

  My big alien is quiet, and I turn to look at him, waiting. He studies the room, a hint of a frown on his face, and then shakes his head. “I do not like the thought of stealing things out of here. If they have been here this long, perhaps it is for a reason. We can tell M’dok of these items and the writing, and he and F’rli can come and see it for themselves.”

  “Fair enough.”

  The torch sputters. S’bren puts a hand out to me. “Come. Let us go and sit by our fire. You are cold and tired, and I have won many kisses this day.”

  I chuckle, slipping my hand into his and letting him lead me back down the shadow-filled hall. “So you decided you want those after all, hm? I wasn’t sure since you didn’t seem to be paying that much attention.”

  “Oh, I was paying attention. I just did not want to encourage you into exploring.” He shrugs. “But I think we should be done for now.”

  I nod, thinking of the writing in the abandoned room. Now that the initial wonder of finding it has worn off, it leaves me with a sad, creepy vibe. “Is this place what you imagined?” I ask S’bren as we get to the big hole in the floor. He hands me the torch so he can jump down.

  S’bren crouches near the edge and then leaps down gracefully, landing with a thump that sends up more dust clouds. “I do not know what I imagined this place to be. I just wanted to see it. But now that I have, it does not make me think of ancestors. It is just odd.” He holds his arms up. “Jump down. I will catch you.”

  “Um. I’m kind of a big girl.”

  “And I will still catch you.” He gives me an impatient flick of his fingers, his tail skating through the air behind him. “Pass the torch down first.”

  I do, and he neatly catches it by the unlit end as I toss it down to him. He sets it down on the floor nearby and then puts his arms out.

  Me being me, I immediately leap down into his arms, screaming with fright as I sail through the air. He catches me, but because I’m flailing, I knock him backwards onto the ground and then we both tumble onto the dusty, debris-covered floor. I cough at the cloud of dust that goes up, and our torch sputters and goes out.

  “I shall have to teach you how to properly jump,” S’bren grumbles. “That is twice now you have nearly killed yourself with a bad jump.”

  “Twice?” I exclaim, outraged. “When was the first time? And wait! That was not a bad jump!”

  “It was, and the first time was at the cave when you thought the vines were ropes.” He holds his hand out to me to help me stand. “They are not.”

  “Well, maybe I’ve watched too many movies,” I say defensively as he picks me up off the floor and dusts off my leathers like I’m a child.

  “Which is why I will teach you how to jump properly. So next time when I catch you, you do not knock both of us to the ground.”

  “And are you so certain there will be a next time?” I ask, teasing.

  “Knowing you? Yes.”

  I have to laugh at the utter conviction in his voice.

  We return to the fire and S'bren stokes it up, casting half-amused looks in my direction. Occasionally he mutters "Safe jumps" and shakes his head, and I just laugh and laugh. It feels so good to be this easy with him, to share jokes only we understand. God, he makes me so happy. I never thought I could be this happy on a deserted, ice-ridden planet, but I'm just…brimming with joy. I've taken everything as it comes and done my best to roll with the punches life throws at me, but tonight, sitting here with him, I think about how the rest of my life will play out, and it seems…exciting. A life full of S'bren, provided resonance doesn't get in the way.

  He finishes repairing the fire, then moves to my side and sits next to me on the large, flat stone that's just big enough for us to squeeze both of our butts onto it. He tucks a fur tighter around me, ensuring that I'm warm, and then casually loops his big arm around my back, holding me against him. I snuggle close, watching the fire and utterly content.

  "Are you enjoying your adventure?" he asks me.

  "I really am." It hasn't gone exactly the way I envisioned. I thought after my initial refusal of him, we'd just be two buddies hanging out, enjoying ourselves, but it's turned into so much more. I'm glad it didn't go the way I thought. "You?"

  "It is not my adventure," he admits. "But I would not miss a moment of it." He holds me closer against him. "I like being here with you. Alone."

  "Me, too."

  "The kissing parts might be my favorites, though," he admits. "All kissing parts."

  And I giggle like an idiot, because I know what he's referring to, and it's called “third base” back home. "They're some of my favorites, too."

  He gazes into the fire, quiet for a moment, and then looks at me. "Do you still wish to wed-hing when we return to the tribe?"

  I'm surprised at that question. My heart feels like a block of ice in my chest. "Are you changing your mind?" Everyone always changes their mind about me. I'm fun to hook up with, but not fun enough to stay with, it seems. "Because if you are, that's okay," I manage, even though I feel like I'm dying inside. Good Time Penny, surging to the forefront, determined to make him feel better about his choices.

  In that moment, I hate myself.

  S'bren scowls at me. "Why would I change my mind? You are all I have ever wanted." His grip tightens on my waist, as if he's practically pulling me into his lap. "I
just do not wish for you to have regrets."

  "Why would I have regrets?"

  "Because you were waiting for resonance."

  "It might not happen," I say, reminding him of his words to me. "Remember? It might not happen for years or maybe ever. No sense in banking on the future." But I'm uneasy at him bringing this up. "Please, please don't back out on me."

  He looks aghast. "Never." This time he does haul me into his lap, pulling my legs to one side and cradling me against him. He gazes down at my face, his expression sober. "P'nee, no matter how many times you ask, I will not change my mind about you. It does not matter that my khui is silent. My heart beats for you and you alone. I just do not want you to feel as if you are making a bad choice if you pick S'bren as your wed-hing. Because if we cannot resonate to each other, I do not want resonance at all."

  I beam up at him. "Me either."

  "Are you sure? Most females wish kits, I thought."

  "I mean, if it happens, great. But I'm more interested in my partner. I don't want resonance because I want babies. I want resonance because I want to be in love." I smile up at him, pushing back a stray lock of hair that's fallen between his horns. "And now I guess I don't need resonance at all?"

  "You do not," he agrees, leaning forward. "Shall we begin our nightly kissing, then?"

  I chuckle, because it's funny that he even has to ask. Do I want to get frisky with a big, handsome alien that can wield his tongue like a master? What a silly question. But I notice he hasn't brought up the bait I dangled to him earlier—seven kisses, and one on his cock. After so many nights of him focusing his attention on me (not that I'm complaining), I want to share some of the pleasure. And I've been wanting to touch him for forever myself, ever since I got my first look at his impressive length.

  So do I want to begin our nightly kissing? What a silly question. "Do I get to start?"

  He rubs his mouth against my hair, a half-caress. "I have been thinking about my face between your soft thighs all day, my mate. You would deny me this?"

  "Not at all." I'm breathing heavier just thinking about it. "But I did promise you seven kisses, remember?"

  He's quiet, and when I look up, he's blushing, the base of his horns that deep blue. I realize in that moment that he's shy. Of course he is. He's a virgin. Maybe that's one reason he's been so focused on my own pleasure—because he's nervous about being on the receiving end. It just makes me all the more determined, though. "We will do those kisses after we wed-hing," he tells me, his hand moving to the belt of my tunic.

  "Uh uh," I say, sliding out of his lap and denying him. "My turn to start tonight. You wouldn't deny me the pleasure of touching you, would you?" I stand between his thighs and cup his face before he can get to his feet. "Besides, this way you can see how wet it makes me to touch you. It'll get me ready for my turn."

  S'bren's eyes grow hot and naked arousal is on his face. "You do not have to—"

  "I don't have to do anything," I remind him. "I bring this up because I want to. You like putting your mouth on me. You think I don't like putting my mouth on you?" I lean in and kiss him, sealing my words with a quick touch of my tongue to his. It's a light, flirty kiss, a teasing kiss. "That's one."

  He groans. I love the sound of that groan. I love even more that his hands fist in the thick leather of my tunic and he holds me against him as I lean in for the next kiss, bending my head and sweeping my mouth over his. "Two."

  Then I give him kisses three through six, each one growing progressively longer and more passionate. I love kissing him, love the bumpy stroke of his tongue with all those ridges gliding against my smoother one. I love how each kiss between us is so passionate that sometimes I forget to lift my head, and that sometimes the world shrinks down to nothing but the taste of his mouth on mine and the endless play of our tongues. I moan by the time I lift my head from deep, delicious kiss number six, and give his mouth one last playful nip. "Six," I breathe.

  My body is throbbing with heat, my nipples pressing against the inside of my tunic. I'm aroused by our kisses, but I'm even more aroused by the realization that I'm going to get to explore him with my mouth very shortly, and that I get to make him come.

  Even now, though, he's tensing against me. Nervous. Funny how the man who can tease and lick my pussy for hours on end with enthusiasm is shy about me doing the same to him. I smile at S'bren, trailing my fingers over his full mouth and then caressing his jaw. "I'm going to undress you now. Unless you're cold."

  He shakes his head, silent, his gaze utterly locked on me.

  Undressing turns out to be less of a sexy task. We're both still covered in heavy layers of leather and fur from our travels and this cargo bay—excuse me, “cave”—is just starting to warm up from the fire. I pull off S'bren's cloak, and then undo the belt that holds no fewer than three outer fur ponchos cinched to his body. He's got a thick, furry over-tunic and a thinner under-tunic. He's got additional arm coverings held on by leather ties, and the same over his leggings and boots. After a few moments of unlacing and unbelting, I realize I'm still wearing a jillion layers myself and probably look like a sexy, roly-poly panda bear about to go down on him.

  "Maybe we both undress ourselves and speed things along?" I say with a chuckle. "I'd like to be naked when I get between your thighs."

  A low groan escapes him between gritted teeth, and then S'bren shoots to his feet and rips at his coverings. Fighting back a laugh, I do the same, and the cave is silent for a long moment as we tear layer after warm, insulating layer off of ourselves. It takes so damn long to get undressed that by the time I pull off my boots, I'm giggling.

  "What is so funny?" he asks, tossing aside his loincloth.

  "I just had this mental image of a big seductive scene, and I didn't stop to think about how long it takes to pull off all these layers." I chuckle as I shuck my final boot and then give a naked wiggle. The air is frosty, but with my backside to the fire, it's not so bad. "Now sit down so I can press myself against those big warm legs of yours."

  S'bren doesn't hesitate. He drops back down onto the rock and puts his hands on his knees, his expression…resigned? I want to giggle again, but he's already feeling shy and a little insecure, so I swallow that laughter. Time to seduce again, now that he's good and naked. I lean in and kiss him on the mouth one more time, drawing it out before pulling away. "Seven. That just means one kiss left."

  I put my hand on his chest, and then let it slide farther south, gliding down his flat abdomen as I sink to my knees.

  Even seated, S'bren is just a massive guy. His thighs are like tree trunks, his chest something out of a superhero movie. He's just big all over, and I have him sitting so our height differences won't be so crazy, but he just feels massive this way anyhow. It makes me feel small and dainty, which is strange considering I've never been dainty in my life. At my thinnest, I think the kindest compliment I got was that I was a “healthy” girl, which was polite-speak for “chunky.” But it doesn't matter, because when I slide between S'bren's parted legs and put my hands on his big thighs, all I see is a man that's aching to touch me, a man who's fascinated by my large chest and my larger hips. He doesn't care that I'm not as slim as Raven or as petite as Flor. He likes Penny for Penny.

  And that's one of the sexiest things ever.

  S'bren doesn't move as I slide my hands up and down his thighs, petting him. I stroke his skin, loving the velvety feel of it. The skin of the aliens is like suede, and when I touch him, his color ripples all over, as if he can't control his camouflage when he's turned on. Of course, I find that fascinating and make it my goal to make him lose that control even more. I lean over him, gently pressing my mouth to the center of his chest. "If this is too much for you, let me know and I'll stop, all right? But my goal here is to make you lose your mind, just so you know. And you like the taste of me, so don't be surprised if I like the taste of you. A lot." And I lean over, flicking my tongue across one nipple.

  He makes a sound in his throat. "
What…do I do with my hands? I want to put them somewhere."

  "Put them wherever you like."

  My big alien immediately palms one of my boobs. I chuckle, because of course he reaches for me. I should tell him to put his hands somewhere more neutral, that this is about him, but he lightly rubs his thumb over one of my nipples and I can't bring myself to tell him to stop. All of this is about pleasure, after all, and him touching me just makes me ache to pleasure him even more. Even now, my thighs are squeezing tightly together as if that will fix the aching deep between them.

  "Look at how big and sexy you are," I whisper to my mate, sliding my hands over his chest. I watch my fingers glide down over those enormous muscles, teasing over the vein on his abdomen as if magnetized. His cock juts up from his lap, the shaft as long and thick as I recall, stabbing into the air as if demanding to be touched. S'bren won't demand it, though. He'd never ask. In his eyes, I'm the one that's important, the one that needs to be wooed.

  But my big, awkward alien needs a little wooing himself. I slide back, resting on my heels as my hands trail back down to his thighs and I gaze on his cock. His hand remains on my breast, and he reaches for the other, too, teasing my nipples and rolling them back and forth the way he knows I like. We're a tangle of arms, and I close my eyes, savoring his touch for one more moment before I gently brush them aside. "Time for that later. Put your hands on my shoulders instead. Or in my hair."

  Both big hands immediately clamp on my shoulders, his gaze watchful and full of heat at the same time. Waiting. I know just what he's waiting for.

  I've been waiting for it, too.

  I reach forward and wrap my hand around his cock, gripping his shaft. He's scorching with heat here, the texture of his skin velvety soft.