She’d asked him not to lie to her. No problems there—deceit was something Zetithians weren’t particularly good at anyway. She wanted her efforts to be appreciated. That was easy enough. The trick would be in doing it so subtly that it didn’t seem rehearsed. She probably wouldn’t like him to flirt openly with other women, either—yet another thing he didn’t want to do anymore. He wanted to spend time with her, discovering as much as he could about who she was, but it worked both ways. He’d have to be more forthcoming about himself. He’d promised not to hurt her, and he wouldn’t—not with words or actions. Most women liked receiving gifts as well as compliments—the more thoughtful, the better—and he’d detected a hint of relief when he’d offered to help her with the cooking.
It might take months—years, even—but he would figure out the ways in which she wanted to be loved, and in so doing, he might even discover the key to his own heart.
***
Sara wasn’t able to answer Reutal’s question regarding Jerden’s plans immediately, partly because she’d been slightly stunned by it, and partly because she just plain didn’t know the answer. “Moving in?” she echoed. “What makes you think he’s moving in?”
He turned his bulbous eyes on her and blinked. “What makes you think he’s not?”
Sara threw up her hands in surrender. “Okay. I give up. What have you heard?”
“Salan called while you were gone, wanting to know if it was really true that you and the cat were sleeping together.”
“Holy shit…”
“I told her you’d already slept with him twice.”
“You didn’t.”
“Oh, but I did. I also told her that he probably won’t ever leave you here alone again—especially after that idiot Nate was out here pounding on your door last night.”
“You heard that?”
“I have excellent hearing, although the fact that he was shouting helped. I believe I heard every bit of that conversation—his side of it, anyway—and some of yours.” Which was odd considering he hadn’t been anywhere in sight. Though relatively small, Norludian ears obviously worked better than hers did. She’d have to remember that.
“Oh, really? Mind telling me why you chose not to intervene?”
“You seemed to be doing fine without me—at least you didn’t faint this time—which is something I might’ve already told you about if you hadn’t gone tearing out of the barn this morning without fixing breakfast.”
“Sorry about that,” Sara said meekly.
“Ha! You think you’re sorry now. Wait’ll you see what a mess we left in the kitchen! But as I was about to say, what really pissed me off was him calling the cat an alien bastard and a man-whore.” Pursing his lips, he shook his head angrily. “Not nice.”
Sara chuckled. “But it’s okay if you refer to him as ‘the cat’?”
Reutal flapped his hand dismissively. “Term of endearment.”
Endearment? That sounded promising. “So, you don’t mind that I’m going to—Wait a minute. Just what is it you think I’m going to do with him, anyway?”
He threw up his hands, his eyes agog with disbelief. “What any woman does with a hot hunk like that. Sleep with him. Go out on the town with him. Hell, marry him—that is, if you have any sense at all.”
“And you’re okay with all that?” Sara had an idea that similar news involving Nate wouldn’t have met with any enthusiasm whatsoever.
“Absolutely! I like him—and you should’ve seen him riding to your rescue yesterday! Came galloping into the yard, swept you up in his arms, knocked Nate on his ass and told him to leave you the fuck alone, then carried you into the house.” He gave his lips a lascivious lick. “Totally hot, heroic stuff. Made my tongue hard just watching it—Drania even had an orgasm.”
Not wanting to hear any further details, Sara passed over these revelations with a slight gulp. “Told Nate to leave me the fuck alone, did he? Somehow I doubt that’s how he would’ve phrased it.”
Reutal blew out an exasperated breath. “Maybe those weren’t his exact words, but it’s what he should have said. My only complaint was that he didn’t hit the sonofabitch hard enough to draw blood. Aside from that, he was fuckin’ awesome.” Grinning from ear to tiny ear, he added fervently, “Good choice, Sara.”
She arched an eyebrow. “I’m so glad you approve.”
“Not that it was difficult,” he went on, blithely ignoring her sarcasm. “Choosing between Nate and Jerden is a no-brainer. Just ask Drania.”
“I don’t believe that’s necessary. She’s made that very plain.” She smiled as another thought occurred to her. “Drania’s boyfriend will be pleased that I’ve, um, eliminated that source of temptation.”
Reutal shivered with delight. “Maybe, but having the cat around will certainly liven things up—especially when you start fucking him.”
Sara nearly swallowed her tongue. Somehow she didn’t think that would happen anytime soon and couldn’t see how it would make any appreciable changes in Reutal’s life. “H-how so?”
“I’ll be able to see it in your eyes.” His own bulbous orbs gleamed with a carnal light. “We Norludians just like the idea that those around us are doing it, whether we’re getting any or not.” He smiled and patted her arm in a confiding manner. “We’re very sexual, you know.”
Sara snorted. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“You wouldn’t,” Reutal said bluntly, “because you’re not a very sexual being. I’ve noticed that about you. Watch.” He touched her hand with a sucker-tipped finger. Sara felt a subtle pull on her skin, but not much else. “If I were to do that with any other human female who was about to get all lovey-dovey with Jerden, my tongue would get so hard I wouldn’t be able to talk.” He shrugged and released the suction. “But, as you can see, it has no effect on me.” He let out a deep, regretful sigh. “So sad.” He paused as a wicked grin stole across his fishlike lips. “But the cat’s gonna change that. You wait and see if he doesn’t.”
Sara stared at him blankly. How in the world should she respond to that? Thankfully, she didn’t have to.
Reutal rubbed his hands together with greedy anticipation. “So, now that we’ve got that settled, what’s for lunch?”
Sara shook her head. “I have absolutely no idea.”
***
With Sara’s culinary imagination temporarily on hiatus, lunch wound up being leftover onpulyo soup and grilled cheese. Although the food might have been a bit boring, the conversation was not. Zatlen voiced his approval of the new liaison, Reutal snickered constantly—when he wasn’t making sexual remarks—and Drania giggled so much Sara was amazed she didn’t choke on her sandwich.
As she heated the soup, Sara recalled that she’d gotten the recipe for that traditional Davordian dish from Salan. Would Salan be a more frequent visitor if Jerden became a permanent resident? Or had she shared her last recipe? The two women had never been particularly close, but Sara hated to lose the dairymaid’s friendship, and she certainly didn’t want to make any enemies. When Jerden proposed, avoiding the advances of Salan and Nate had been the primary objective—which, now that she’d considered it more carefully, wasn’t much of a reason at all.
The funny thing was, she already missed him. Now that the gang was gathered around the lunch table, she felt his absence more acutely than she would if she’d suddenly lost an arm. In only a few days, he’d become a member of her little “family.” Reutal liked him, Drania thought he was a hunk, and though Zatlen’s reaction had been a bit more reserved, he’d voiced no objections. How had Jerden done it?
Must be a Zetithian thing, Sara decided as she took a sip of her soup. Either you really liked them or you wanted to hunt them down and exterminate them the way Rutger Grekkor had evidently done. She couldn’t imagine anyone feeling that much hatred toward an entire race, but then, she wasn’t an insanely jealous man with
money to burn. Actually, the more she thought about it, the more it became clear that as things now stood, the Terran mate of a Zetithian man was in far greater danger than her husband. Audrey’s death was proof of that.
Viewed in that light, even dating a Zetithian could be potentially deadly. The longer she sat there, the more restless Sara became—a restlessness that she suspected could only be relieved by one thing. Fortunately, he was coming over for dinner.
***
Sara spent the rest of the day working with the young horses and doing her best to put the morning’s events out of her mind. However, by late afternoon, her anxiety level had reached the point that her icy hands could barely hold the reins and her gaze had darted toward the southern horizon so often her neck ached. None of the horses were going well for her, either. When she finally spotted Jerden and Danuban trotting down the hill with Cria bounding alongside them and felt herself relax, she realized why she’d been having so much trouble—particularly with Yusuf, whom she’d regrettably chosen to ride last. Horses didn’t like tense, nervous riders and her rush of relief was so intense even Yusuf heaved a sigh.
Coming to a halt, Sara didn’t bother trying to be subtle and turned toward them, her eyes drinking in the vision of man, horse, and cat. Poetry in motion, animal magnetism, nature at its finest… It didn’t matter that she’d seen this sight before—the effect was even stronger now, making her scalp tighten as a thrill swept down her neck and shoulders. Captivating, entrancing, awe-inspiring, and just plain… “Beautiful.”
Yusuf stood perfectly still and alert, a brief flick of his right ear the only evidence that he’d even heard her whisper—or felt her subsequent shiver. Like her, his attention was fixed on the approaching horse and rider.
Rather than slackening his pace, Jerden urged the stallion to pick up speed as they neared the arena. Sara’s breath caught in her throat as Jerden rocked forward, his hands fisted in the thick mane as Danuban gathered himself to soar over the fence in a perfect arc. Landing as lightly as the leopard beside them, they made a quick turn and trotted over to where she sat motionless in the saddle. The man certainly knew how to make an entrance.
Jerden grinned, displaying his fangs. “Did you miss me?”
Sara had felt her jaw drop, so she knew she was gaping at him like an idiot. “I, uh, yes, I believe I did.” She took a deep breath and glanced at the fence. “Didn’t know he was that good a jumper. Granted, that rail is a little less than a meter high, but—”
Any further comment she might have made was cut off as Jerden vaulted from the stallion’s back and proceeded to pull her off her horse and into his arms. “I missed you too, Sara.”
She had less than an instant to realize his intent before he lowered his head. Their lips touched lightly at first—only a tentative nibble on her lower lip—then, as if sensing her lack of resistance, he deepened the kiss, covering her lips with his mouth. How he kept from biting her with those sharp fangs, Sara never knew. She only knew she wasn’t afraid, and though her knees weakened, they didn’t fail her.
Not that she needed them. His muscles were hard beneath her touch as she slid an arm up to encircle his neck, yet he was so gentle; holding her in a firm, but yielding grasp. Cupping the back of her head with one hand, he curled the other around her lower back, pulling her so close she could feel his heart beating against her breast.
He was purring. Soothing vibrations emanated from his throat while his tongue swept over her lips like that of a mother cat grooming her young. Her free hand crept around his waist, returning his embrace before slipping downward to encounter the back flap of his loincloth, making her wish he hadn’t opted to dress for dinner. Thankfully, that was all he wore, giving her the opportunity to feel the play of muscles beneath the smooth skin of his back.
He was amazingly strong. She could feel the latent strength in the effortless manner in which he held her. Even if her legs were to suddenly give way, she would have remained standing. Knowing that he wouldn’t let her fall allowed her to feel safe for the first time in more years than she cared to count—totally, completely, and utterly safe… Craving more of the comfort he provided, she leaned into his warmth, returning his kiss, even parting her lips when his tongue sought entry.
There had once been a young girl named Sara who’d dreamed of a moment like this. Long ago, that girl had felt the stirrings of passion, of desire, and the need to be loved. Life’s misfortunes had caused those feelings to be shunted aside—deprived of all that might have nourished and brought them fully into flower. Their growth had been stunted, but the fact that she could allow Jerden to come this close proved they hadn’t been destroyed completely. That girl was still there, buried somewhere deep within the woman she’d become, and she still retained the roots of those emotions. All she had to do was find them.
Chapter 14
Jerden hadn’t held a woman in his arms and kissed her like that in months. Yet even after such a long layoff, the effect on him was surprising. He would never have guessed she could feel that good or make him want her any more than he already did. Unfortunately, her neutral scent made him want to break down and cry. He could give her such joy if only she would allow it.
One kiss, Jerden. It’s only one kiss—and the first real one, at that. Be patient.
It was difficult to be patient when his heart ached and his blood sang—everywhere, that is, except his cock. This time, he was sure the problem wasn’t on his side of the equation. She was the one holding back. He was giving it his all.
While purring drove most women wild, Sara seemed immune to its effects. At least she wasn’t fighting him—was even kissing him back. Sort of. Then it occurred to him that the last man to kiss her had been Nate, and she’d passed out from fear. This was a definite improvement.
Telling her she could trust him with her life—and her heart—wasn’t enough. Kissing her wasn’t enough. He had to convince her by doing. She hadn’t lost her desire overnight and it wouldn’t be restored overnight. That Jerden wanted it to return before the next heartbeat was irrelevant. He had to give her time.
Still, her scent was uniquely hers, be it neutral or drenched with passion. Inhaling deeply, he let it fill his head and seep into his blood. His hands trembled with the need to tear her clothes from her body and caress every inch of her skin.
Unlike so many others he’d fucked, this one woman had him falling hard and fast for her. The one who’d saved him, whether she knew it or not—whether she’d done it intentionally or not. Salan would’ve given her right arm for the chance to rescue a Zetithian man and earn his undying gratitude. Sara had taken him in with no more emotion than was required to take in a stray puppy—perhaps even less. Most people liked puppies. Sara had apparently put men in the same category as rats raiding the feed bin.
It occurred to him then that he’d done just that. He’d come into her life, taken her horse, her hospitality, her food. Even rescuing her from Nate was something Zatlen or Reutal could’ve done. It was high time he gave something back. Something only he could give her…
The answer to that was obvious. Joy, unlike any you have ever known. How many times had he said that to a woman? Hundreds? And strictly speaking, it had always been true. Even women who had been with Onca or Tarq before had rated his performance as superior. Not that he could hold a candle to either of them now.
Still, he had been told he was the best kisser…
“Mmm, Sara,” he murmured against her lips. “You taste delicious.”
She drew back slightly. “Thought I was—what was it you said—neutral?”
“Your desire would taste better,” he conceded. “But every woman has her own unique flavor and scent. I like yours very much.”
“You certainly taste better than Nate—though that isn’t saying a whole lot. He’s a smoker.”
“Filthy habit,” Jerden agreed.
“Yes, it is. I can har
dly stand the smell. Makes me want to throw up.”
Jerden chuckled. “Sure it doesn’t make you pass out?”
“Not usually.”
“Speaking of passing out, did you notice anything just now?”
“You mean did I notice that I’m still conscious?”
“Yeah. I was half expecting to have to carry you into the house again.” Good sign, though. “Care to explain that?”
She straightened up as he released her. “Well, you did warn me to expect it.”
“That’s all it takes? A warning?”
Sara touched her lips—lips that appeared more succulent than ever for having already been kissed. “I dunno. Haven’t been kissed much.”
“And now you’ve been kissed by the best.” Jerden stifled the urge to do it again. Better not push my luck.
“Cocky bastard.” Her smile took the sting out of her words.
“Hey, when it’s true…”
To his surprise, she didn’t argue, but her smile changed to a frown in an instant. “Apparently Salan called here, wanting to know if it was true we were sleeping together. Reutal, of course, told her we were, which means Nate will probably be the next to know.” She glanced up, her troubled green eyes meeting his. “I don’t mind telling you, I’m scared to death he’ll come back.”
“Guess we’d better have that date soon, then.”
“Yeah, I guess we should.” Drawing in a ragged breath, she continued. “I handled it the last time, and Reutal and Zatlen are right out there in the stables if I need them, but…” Her sentence trailed off as her eyes swept over him.
He hoped his grin wasn’t too smug. “Why, Sara. Are you actually asking me to stick around?”
“Much as I hate to admit it, yes.” She paused, chewing thoughtfully on her lower lip.
Jerden stared at her mouth. If she kept that up, she was going to get kissed again. He was surprised he wasn’t drooling. With any other woman, his dick would not only have been hard as a rock, it would have been dripping all over the place. It was strange feeling the way he did without that response. Neater, perhaps, and certainly more discreet, but at the same time… disappointing.
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