“When I lived in So Cal, there was—well, still is, as far as I know—a place called Venice Beach. It’s right next to the Pacific Ocean. In a lot of ways it’s like this place, but it’s really crowded. People go there to shop and to play, and anyway, other people go there to perform. They do tricks, like with bikes, and then people give them money if they find them entertaining. There was a guy who was all silver, and what he would do was pretend to be a statue.”
“He’d stand still and people would pay him for that?”
“He was really good at it. He could stand so perfectly still that unsuspecting people going by didn’t even realize he was a real person until they got closer.”
“Your world sounds strangely delightful.”
“It is.” Jarrett wondered if after he gained his freedom he’d be able to go back there. Or if he would even want to. A long time ago, when he was in his twenties, he’d bummed around Europe with nothing but a backpack. Maybe he would do the same thing in the universe before picking a place to live. “You could pass for a street performer with your coloring.”
“I do not think I could stand still for very long.”
“We could have you do something else. Why, we could even be so bold as to tell people you were an alien and you could do some cool alien tricks.” Jarrett squeezed his hand. “Do you know any?”
“Tricks?”
“Yeah. Like, can you levitate things, read minds, anything like that?”
“Not that I’m aware of.” Ranic chuckled, and the sound was a little rusty, almost as if he didn’t laugh very often. It made Jarrett want to find ways to make him laugh a lot more. “Wouldn’t they kill me?”
“They wouldn’t believe you were really an alien.”
“How do you know?” Ranic rose to his side, using his elbow to hold himself up so he could peer at Jarrett’s face. He managed to do this while keeping their hands clasped.
“I know my own kind just like you know yours.” Jarrett laughed lightly. “The more fantastical the tale, the less likely they would be to believe it. They would find ways to pass it all off as a joke.”
“Mine would kill you as soon as your foot touched the planet.”
“That’s sad.”
“It is. Because they would never know what they were missing by shutting everyone out. I don’t know if they ever will embrace the rest of the universe.” Ranic frowned, and then his gaze went lower on Jarrett’s body. “Oh! I forgot about you!”
Jarrett looked down at his still very hard cock. “Don’t worry about it.”
“But I don’t want you to think I’m selfish. I’m not. I simply…”
“It was your first time.” Jarrett reached over and stroked a finger along Ranic’s bottom lip. The passionate moan he made caused Jarrett’s prick to twitch.
“Can I touch you?”
“Go ahead.” Jarrett slipped his hands behind his head and relaxed so that Ranic could take his time and explore.
Ranic sat up and started with Jarrett’s hair. He twined his fingers through it then leaned over to slip a few strands against his face. “It’s so very soft. Totally unlike the hair around your cock.”
Jarrett grinned. He’d asked if Ranic had touched him while he’d been out and he’d said only to place him on the lounge, but if that were the case, he wouldn’t know his pubic hair was crisp and springy unlike his head hair.
Ranic realized his mistake and flashed him a guilty look. “I was curious.”
“I’m not upset. I’m giving you permission now, so touch me anywhere.”
Ranic did just that. His big golden hands were everywhere, touching, stroking, rubbing, exploring. It was fascinating simply to watch Ranic’s features react to whatever sounds Jarrett made. After what seemed forever, Ranic finally focused his considerable attention on Jarrett’s cock.
“It’s thicker around than mine, but mine is longer. And the hair is so dark, but your skin is whiter here.”
“From my bathing suit.”
Ranic looked up, his expression perplexed.
“I don’t go naked in the sun. I keep that part covered.”
“I see. So it doesn’t burn.” Ranic cupped his hand around the shaft and held very still, almost as if he were taking Jarrett’s pulse from his prick. And then he lowered his face very close and kissed the crown of his cock.
Jarrett’s hands tightened on the back of his head.
When Ranic extended his tongue and licked him, Jarrett gasped and squeezed every muscle in his chest. By the time Ranic pulled the tip into his mouth, Jarrett was about to levitate himself off the bed altogether. Since Ranic’s body temperature was lower, his mouth was several degrees cooler than the throbbing heat of Jarrett’s prick. The contrast was richly unique, and Jarrett did his best to hold still even though he desperately wanted to rock his hips.
For a novice, Ranic had one hell of a technique. He didn’t rush or try to compel Jarrett to climax. He seemed content to keep his cock hard as steel and simmering right at the cusp of no return. Intuitively, Ranic sensed when Jarrett was nearing that precipice, and he pulled him back. Or maybe it wasn’t intuition. Perhaps Ranic had some extra alien sense that allowed him to know exactly what Jarrett wanted without him having to ask.
Gently, Ranic worked his hand around Jarrett’s balls, cupping them and squeezing them lightly. Again, he seemed to know just how hard and firm to press before his touch of pleasure would turn to pain. Writhing in the torment of ecstasy, Jarrett reached for his beautiful partner and coaxed him to invert his body on the bed. Now they were able to stroke and suck one another. Even though Ranic was far behind in the teased department, Jarrett knew more tricks, and he caught him up fast. Soon, both of them were ready for release.
Eager to taste him, Jarrett sucked the smooth tip of Ranic’s cock into his mouth and twisted his tongue around as he stroked the shaft. When Ranic performed the same motions on his prick, they both started moaning and groaning in earnest. Climax was so terribly close, and then in concert they came. Jarrett was lost in the feel of Ranic’s mouth hungrily drinking him as he reveled in Ranic’s flavor. It was utterly indescribable. It was cooler than the heat of his mouth and reminded him of the texture of melting ice cream, but the flavor was uniquely his own. Sweet, salty, and soothing, Ranic’s release was so luscious Jarrett was disappointed when Ranic stopped climaxing and rolled away.
For a long time they each were on their backs, recovering, then Ranic reached for him and Jarrett slipped his hand into Ranic’s. For some reason, that very small gesture touched Jarrett deeply. It was the caress of a lover, a friend, and a man seeking reassurance that he had given as well as he had gotten. Jarrett hoped his touch conveyed that the answer was a resounding yes. What in the world had made him think that he could show this stunning alien the magic of sexual contact and feel nothing in the process? They had just barely started, and already Jarrett knew it was too late. All of his being—mind, body, and soul—was fully engaged.
Chapter 6
“Do you want to walk down to the water’s edge?” Ranic couldn’t believe he felt so nervous. He’d shared an incredible interlude with Jarrett, yet he felt as if they were on a first outing as a destined-to-be-joined pair. It seemed the more he tried to escape his world’s ways, the more they crept into his psyche.
Jarrett looked out at the darkness. “No moon?”
“It’s on the other side of the world. Later it will rise.”
He sighed as he looked toward where the pathway disappeared into the shadows. “We should have gone during the day when we could see everything.”
“I cannot endure starlight.” Ranic stroked a finger over his chest, watching with pride as Jarrett followed his gesture with hungry eyes. “It makes me overheat. That’s why my kind is nocturnal.”
“Oh.”
“So you do not wish to go?” Ranic was trying to remember what else was in the resort that they could do during the evening hours. He knew there were many activities, but all he could think to do was to go back o
n the bed and play there.
“I do want to go down to the beach. It will be fun. Just warn me if there are hungry flowers around.”
Matching his grin, Ranic offered, “They are only out during the day, so we’re safe now that it’s night. Since Aeirall caters to creatures from all over the universe, they have activities all the time.”
“So we won’t have the beach to ourselves?” Jarrett was fingering one of the extra blankets at the bottom of the bed.
“We are assured of privacy.”
“Why?”
“Because of me being a Finoc. I paid extra so that only you would see me.”
“Oh, right. Those planetary restrictions.” Jarrett grinned.
“Why does privacy matter?”
“You’ll see.” Jarrett smiled and then wiggled his eyebrows.
It took a moment for the translator to tell him that Jarrett was flirting with him. Ranic smiled back at him, but since he didn’t have brows, he wiggled his nose, which made Jarrett laugh as he hooked his arm with Ranic’s.
“Should we take anything else?” Ranic considered that they had another bottle of wine and some unusual treats.
“I think we should.” Jarrett looked around, found a basket that would suffice, then proceeded to fill it with all kinds of things. “I’ll carry this. You carry the blanket.”
“And we can still hold hands.”
They did just that then made their way off the open veranda, down the steps, and into the sand. During the day it was blue, but at night it was as black as everything else. Unlike Finoc, there were no city lights on Aeirall that would give them any kind of illumination. Still, there was some very faint light from the stars, and that was enough for Ranic’s eyes to see by.
Jarrett pressed in a little closer. “I swear, I can’t see anything at all. You?”
“I can see fairly well.”
“You’re kidding.”
“It’s the structure of my eyes.” Ranic explained about how he was able to take a minimal amount of reflected light and amplify it.
“Just don’t let go of my hand.”
“I won’t.” Ranic didn’t ever want to let go. He might be leading Jarrett right now, but he felt safe for the first time in his life. Jarrett just made things easy. If things were left to Ranic, he’d still be back in the room fussing over what to bring. But Jarrett just grabbed what he thought they might want and figured if they needed something else, they could always go back. He made it seem easy, where Ranic would be berating himself for forgetting something when Jarrett was right—their room wasn’t that far away.
“I can hear the water.” Jarrett took a deep sniff. “Hey, it smells sweet.”
“It is.”
“You mean to tell me that rather than a salty ocean, like on Earth, this one has sugar in it?”
After a moment for the translator to work, Ranic squeezed his lover’s hand. “Not sugar like what you’re thinking, but there’s a mineral that dissolves in the water and makes it taste and smell sweet.”
“Can we go swimming?”
Ranic hesitated. He had never gone swimming before, and in the dark he wasn’t sure that if there was a problem Jarrett could find him and save him. “Why don’t we just wade until the moon comes up and there’s more light?”
“Smart.” Jarrett leaned close and then worked his way up from Ranic’s neck to his mouth. When he found his target, he kissed him long and hard. Somehow, the basket and the blanket got tossed in the sand and he was in Jarrett’s arms. Already it began to feel like a totally natural place for him to be. After kissing him almost breathless, Jarrett grasped his hand and pulled him toward the water’s edge.
“I love that feeling.” Jarrett tilted his head back and seemed as content there as he would be anywhere.
“What feeling?”
“Digging my toes in the wet sand and trying to hold on to it as the surf steals it away bit by bit.”
Ranic gripped the sand with his toes, but when the water washed down the shore and back out to sea, it tickled so much his toes automatically let go.
“You are far too ticklish.”
“I think it’s because I’ve not felt so many curious sensations.” Like the feel of Jarrett’s mouth around his cock. Even remembering that astonishing sensation made him shiver.
“Are you cold?”
“No. Just thinking of what we did.”
“So are you still glad you bought me?”
“I am. But I’m sad, too.”
“Why?”
“Because eventually I’ll have to let you go, and I don’t think I want to.”
Jarrett didn’t say anything for a long time, and Ranic thought he might have made him worry that he wouldn’t hold true to his word and let him go when their time was up. Before he could explain, Jarrett turned to him, pressed him close, and whispered, “I don’t think I want you to, either.”
Stunned, and so desperately hopeful, Ranic pressed as close to him as he could get. Just like before, the contact sent his senses spinning. At the height of the arousing press of flesh, Ranic retreated just a bit. What if Jarrett were only saying and doing all the right things to gain his freedom? Ranic clung to his shoulders, loving the power of his alien form, but he cautioned himself again that this was a time for fantasy fulfillment. Lovers said things and did things in the heat of the moment that were meaningless after the pleasure was spent. Ranic had to find a way to remind himself that this was not real. Jarrett would never be his for longer than this far too brief interlude.
“Sit down with me.” Jarrett used his powerful hands to guide Ranic down into the surf. It was almost the same temperature as his body, which meant it must be a little on the cold side for Jarrett, but he didn’t seem to mind.
“Are you cold?” Ranic didn’t want to think of him suffering even a little.
“A bit.” Jarrett pulled Ranic into his lap. “You can warm me up.”
“But I am colder than you.”
Jarrett chuckled and then placed his hands against Ranic’s buttocks, drawing him near. “There are many ways to make heat.”
Since Jarrett was sitting cross-legged in the surf, Ranic had his legs spread around him, so when he pulled him even closer, Ranic’s cock pressed into Jarrett’s belly as Jarrett angled his cock down so that he rubbed up between Ranic’s buttocks.
Now that the moment for penetration had come, Ranic wasn’t so sure any more that he wanted to go through with things, especially after feeling how thick Jarrett’s prick was. He’d thought this was what he wanted, but what they had done with their mouths was so incredibly fulfilling that maybe he didn’t have to go any further than that.
“Okay, calm down.” Jarrett lifted his hands from Ranic’s buttocks and slid them up and down Ranic’s back in soothing motions. “I felt you tense up when you felt my cock pressed up against you.”
In the dark, Ranic watched as Jarrett moved him back so that they were looking at one another. It was curious because he knew Jarrett couldn’t see him, but he considered him as if he could. Perhaps he could see him in another way. Not with his eyes, but maybe with the feel of his body.
“I wanted to sit in the surf and let our bodies grow accustomed to the feel of the other. No more than that.” With startling accuracy, Jarrett lifted his hand and cupped Ranic’s face. He didn’t fumble at all. Even without being able to see, Jarrett knew exactly where Ranic was in the dark. “I’m in no hurry. Ever. You’ll find that’s one of the most annoying things about me.”
“How is you not being in a hurry annoying?”
“It can be to someone who’s always in a rush. Are you in a rush?”
“No.” Ranic let out a sigh that was loud enough to overshadow the surf. “I was scared.”
“I could tell.”
“How?”
“I can’t see you, but I can feel you.” Jarrett leaned forward, and his lips landed against Ranic’s perfectly. The kiss ranged from sweet to savage, making Ranic forget all his trepidation. �
�Besides, remember that I am your humble servant.”
Ranic frowned because he didn’t like the idea of bossing Jarrett around. “Please don’t remind me.”
“Why?” Jarrett’s stroking hands now made a wider path from the nape of Ranic’s neck to where his buttocks split apart. Each time he moved down, he dipped lower between them until he was teasing the pads of his fingers against Ranic’s puckered flesh.
“Because I don’t—I won’t—I wish I hadn’t done this!” Ranic extricated himself from Jarrett’s grip and moved away from him.
“Please don’t leave me here. I can’t see, remember?”
Ranic wanted to run and hide and have time to reassess himself, but leaving Jarrett out here was cruel. Recognizing that he owed him passage back to their shared cabin, Ranic stepped out and took Jarrett’s hand. “I’ll lead you back.”
“Just take me to where we dropped our stuff.”
Ranic did, and he watched with curious detachment as Jarrett spread the blanket out and then sat down upon it. He pulled items out of the basket and, using only his nose and his hands, tried to identify them.
“I’m leaving.”
“Okay.”
Ranic stood there, nonplussed. “You won’t be able to see your way back.”
“You said the moon would rise, so eventually I’ll be able to.” Jarrett seemed completely unperturbed. In fact, he popped open the bottle of glimmer wine and drank directly from the bottle.
“I need to think.” Ranic wanted to be alone almost as much as he didn’t want to leave Jarrett. Torn, he stood there waiting for Jarrett to make his mind up for him.
“Okay.” Jarrett waved in the general direction Ranic was standing and then proceeded to drink half the bottle of wine.
Frustrated, Ranic turned on his heel and left Jarrett there on the beach. He walked swiftly back to the cabin and then stood on the veranda. Instead of thinking about what he wanted to do, he found himself thinking about Jarrett. Why wasn’t he angry? Didn’t he care that Ranic might be debating whether or not to follow through with their deal?
“I’ll tell him that I have changed my mind, and if he doesn’t do what I bought him for, I won’t let him go.” Ranic thought that sounded totally unfair. “It doesn’t matter. I own him. If I choose not to let him finish, then I can say that he can’t go.”
Enslaved by a Rebel [Sold! 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Page 4