“Ummmmmm….you have no clothes on,” she was finally able to say even though her mouth was dry.
“We do not sleep in clothing. Why are you wearing that large cotton garment? I wanted to see my bride.” He walked toward her as if he were prepared to take her shirt off. “Why do you step back? I can assist with taking off your garment.”
He reached out again and Poppy was too stunned to move as he whisked the shirt over her head. Pausing for a moment to rub the garment between his fingers, he hummed to himself before tossing it aside.
“Fuck! I sleep in clothes, Wheaton! Give that back now!” Her arms had automatically gone to cover her chest.
“Clothing inhibits reproduction. There is no need for it. I understand you want to wait for intercourse but we will sleep prepared in case you change your mind.” He lowered his hands to the band of her underwear. “These are attractive but you will not wear them.”
“Hell yes I will. You keep your hands to yourself, mister! People wear clothes to sleep in. There’s actually a whole line of clothes just for sleeping in. I also happen to like to wear those clothes during the day sometimes…okay, most of the time. But they’re comfortable, dammit. And will you stop that?” she snapped while trying to knock his hands away.
“You will not wear these clothes in our sleep unit. I want to inspect you and become familiar with your body. I believe I may need to self-pleasure tonight. If you need to do so also it will be easier without this fabric covering your pussy. That’s what they said on the videos… Is ‘pussy’ a correct term? My translator kept saying it meant feline but I think it may not be working when it comes to certain portions of your language.”
With that last part of his statement he had literally shocked her still. He had her panties off and tossed into the corner before she knew what was happening. Nudging her legs open, he ran his fingers over her lower lips.
“This hair is not as soft as the hair on your head, but it is short and neat. Do you groom yourself here?”
“Ohmygod, what’s happening right now?! I can’t even process this.” Poppy buried her face in her hands as she felt his fingers run up and down her cleft. “That tickles. Knock it off!” Her words earned her a soft smack right on the front of her pussy. “Did you just smack me?” She had dropped her hands and was staring wide-eyed at the man now kneeling before her. He was essentially at face level with her privates and she was mortified but for some reason was unable to move away. That could have also have been attributed to the fact he’d moved his hands to her ass, where he cupped and started kneading her skin.
“You told me it tickled and to ‘knock it off’. I translated that you wanted me to tap you. I have seen that in the videos.” He winked and then skimmed his eyes down her bared skin. “I think you may be mistaken and the videos are realistic. We have already performed many of the actions that I witnessed in the images and from your lubrication you are showing arousal.” He looked up, smirking, and licked his lips. Seemed his mouth was practically watering at the thought of licking her pussy.
“Okay, time out.” Pausing to smack the top of his head, she shouted when he didn’t stop. “Hey! I said time out. I didn’t say you could put your mouth there! Back up. Back. Up,” she said through clenched teeth when she felt his breath get close to her lower lips. She wasn’t mad at him and her anger was coming from embarrassment more than anything.
“I’ll sleep naked. That’s fine.” She was already naked in front of him so that door had already been thrust wide open, no point in trying to hide what he’d been face-to-face with. Literally. When he reached for her again and moved to speak, she shushed him up quickly with that finger he’d gotten poked with earlier.
“Do. Not. Talk. Only listen. We will not have sex tonight. You are not allowed to touch me unless I give permission. That includes taking off my underwear in the future. And no smacking me anymore. Well…at least not right now. I didn’t mind it too much, so we can negotiate that in the future when the time comes. Comprende?” Poppy had never had the chance to experiment with anything kinky but from what she’d gathered so far, Wheaton didn’t seem at all shy and seemed eager to do whatever she let him get away with.
“I cannot translate that word,” he said, crossing his arms. “But fine, we will not partake of intercourse this night. Would you like to explore my body?” he said, lying down on top of the cover on the white bed.
“Explore your…? Ummmm…sure,” she said with a smile. She wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to touch the type of body that was usually only viewed in a fireman’s calendar. Trying to ignore the fact that she was naked as a jaybird, she stumbled to the side of the bed.
He tossed her a small grin. Getting an unencumbered view of her body, he was very happy that Poppy had been matched to him. Some of the other warriors who had seen his new bride on the transport had given him pitying looks and he had not only felt anger but had actually considered hitting a few of them. The more he talked to her and discovered her little quirks, the more he liked her. Her plush little body was a bonus. It was also a bonus that his body seemed very grateful for, if the throbbing in his cock was an indicator.
“Are you going to stand over me or would you like to recline while you do it?” He folded his arms behind his head to give her complete access.
“Oh, well I guess I can lie down too. Yeah, I can do that.” Acting like this was something she’d done a millions times before, she lay down at his side. Hmmmmmm…where to start. Taking her hand and running it along his chest, she felt his stomach muscles tighten up.
“Did that tickle?” Poppy asked in a breathy voice she didn’t recognize as her own.
“No, it felt nice. Do it some more,” he whispered in a soft voice but didn’t move again. She felt he was trying not to scare her off. He probably knew her sexual experience was limited, with only having had two partners in her past.
Stroking his chest and tracing his nipples rewarded her with a breath from his chest that expanded his torso. Taking her fingers and running them up and down his stomach muscles, she decided to count and discovered his six-pack was more like an eight-pack. By the time she was happy with her exploration of his upper torso, she moved her way down with a shaking hand when it came to the gorgeous vee of his hips. Those were something she had only seen in a magazine and she was drooling at the fantasy of tracing that area becoming a reality. Pulling her hand back and making a fist so she wasn’t tempted, she made a decision…one her lady parts wasn’t too happy about.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think I may need to stop if I’m going to hold to the no-sex rule.” Biting her lip, Poppy could not believe she was going to stop touching the superb manliness in front of her. She felt as if she were going to have to sneak off to the bathroom to masturbate. Clenching her thighs together, she realized, yep…definitely time to stop.
Wheaton could tell Poppy had been holding herself away a little. And when she had leaned forward to trace his chest, it took all he had in him to not take her hand and roughly drag it lower.
“Go ahead and rest then. I need to self-pleasure.” Unfolding his arms from behind his head, he lowered them to his waist, bumping her now hard nipples that were close to his side. He started stroking his cock in a relaxed twist and pump of his hand. Watching her face as he did it, he was aware that she could feel the rumble coming from his chest.
Dragging her gaze away from his strong hand, she noticed his gaze on her breasts. Poppy’s nipples were already so painfully tight she could feel them start to tingle. As the rumble get louder and deeper, she scooted slightly closer so her breasts were touching the arm that was now moving faster with his stroking hand. The action was basically allowing him to rub her nipples without actually doing so with his hands. Poppy peeked back down at his hand as he came. She had never wanted to place her lips somewhere so badly before. In fact, she hadn’t really ever been a fan of oral sex but watching him stroke his cock made her want to lick every place his hand touched.
Trying to control his breathing and his movements, Wheaton knew he would be unable to hold back his climax. Her hard nipples bumping his arm with every movement and the scent coming from the haven between her legs were enough to push him over the edge quickly.
Wheaton rumbled loudly as he felt himself come. Instead of closing his eyes, he watched her face. Her own gaze was glued to his now-softening erection and he was satisfied she seemed to still be on the edge. If watching him self-pleasure had that effect on her, then he would make sure to do it every night. She would not be able to hold out too long before she gave in, if her pink cheeks, rough breathing and red lips were anything to go by.
He rolled slightly away from her, reached into the bedside cubby and pulled out a towel to wipe his hands and abs. Poppy felt as if she were panting and one second away from saying “fuck it” when he tossed the towel down onto the floor, waved his bracelet at the headboard and rolled to his side away from her.
“Good sleep, Poppy.”
She heard a sigh and then nothing.
Well holy shit. Poppy rolled onto her side facing the wall and punched her pillow a couple times. Wanting to scream into it but figuring that would scare Wheaton, she compromised with whipping the cover out from under her neglected body and kicked it a couple times for good measure. She tucked the cover around her shoulders, her mind racing as she tried to calm her breathing and her body. Why had she said no sex tonight? For the life of her, she couldn’t think of one damn reason.
As Poppy tried to get some sleep, she kept thinking of everything that had happened that day. It seemed like a whole week had passed since she’d had her first cup of coffee that morning and she’d need to be on her game tomorrow. She willed her body to calm down and eventually drifted off, but not before she felt Wheaton’s arm slip around her waist and cuddle her closer.
Chapter Eleven
The next morning came way too soon if the sleep in the corners of her eyes was an indicator. After a cup of coffee from the generator, Wheaton had been all business when he’d laid out some plans for the day. First thing that was on the list was getting Poppy acclimated to life on the ship. Wheaton had taken her to get fitted for a bracelet, which Poppy still had yet to be able to figure out. Inspecting the device, she was unsure how to take it on and off. After she’d fiddled with it a couple times, Wheaton pointed out it was not meant to be removed. Ever. It was sealed onto her body and was waterproof so there would be no need for it to be taken off. When she asked about what would happen if her arm swelled, he said that the medical unit would be able to remove it with a special tool if needed.
Their next stop was to get her translation device implanted. Wheaton explained that normally the ship’s doctors would fit it, but they were in meetings, so a communications officer would do it. A chip being inserted into her head was something Poppy had been nervous about but she had to admit, the device was pretty nifty. She had felt a small pinch at the back of her ear and voilà, she could apparently understand their language. Reading it was still a no-go but understanding the voice commands would help her figure out her surroundings a little better. Wheaton’s chip allowed him to speak English but with her now chipped as well, she would be able to speak with warriors in their native language. After Poppy was outfitted, Wheaton walked her around the ship for a tour.
Exploring the ship was an eye-opening experience. Squadron One seemed to be endless and Poppy was awestruck whenever they went by the glass that separated her from space. They toured the dining hall, the recreation room, the med center and the media area. Even though she walked the entire ship, or what felt like the entire ship, she still felt slightly lost. Every single hallway seemed the same and was marked with symbols, which she figured were signs and room numbers, but that was about it.
Poppy was having an interesting morning, but so far it had been disappointing in regards to her soon-to-be husband. She wasn’t sure what his problem was but Wheaton was acting like a robot again. The horny guy she’d become familiar with the night before had disappeared. When he spoke to her, it was as if he were conducting more of a formal tour than showing his girlfriend around. The few times she’d reached for his hand he’d pulled away or moved at the last minute. Hoping that he was simply uncomfortable with physical contact in front of the other warriors and not taking it personally was hard. Many men they’d passed had given her a simple nod to say hello but there hadn’t been one smile or handshake. She was hoping the coolness from him was a cultural thing.
Poppy was really trying to give him some leeway but their alone time before they went to get errands done had been no better. He hadn’t spoken to her when they woke up…no “good morning”, no smile…nothing. After dressing, he’d walked to the kitchen area while she finished up. She was finishing putting her hair in a bun when she noticed a familiar smell: coffee! Poppy practically sprinted to where Wheaton was standing. Without ceremony, she snatched the cup he held out in his hand.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Before sipping the coffee, she saw that he’d already doctored it for her.
“How did you know I took my coffee with milk and sugar?” she’d asked after a moment of surprise.
“It was on your profile.” With that being said, he’d turned to the door. “Please follow me. We will get your band now and I have time to give you a tour.” Not even waiting to see if she followed him, he’d walked right out the door.
Hoping they could have some time together this afternoon, she was thinking of “get to know you” questions. Excited about being able to grill him about his favorite things and what it was like growing up on his planet, she made a mental list. During their walk back to their quarters, they were stopped by another warrior in the hallway. Giving Wheaton privacy, she moved over to the window in the bright hallway. Everything was so beautiful up here. So clean.
While Poppy was gazing out toward the stars, Wheaton took his own time to study her as he talked with the other warrior. Being around her this morning was causing him some trouble. He liked her company but had made a decision last night that he would not get further attached to her until she had made up her mind about staying. The last thing he wanted was to form either a physical attachment or even a more personal one and then have her leave. Walking her around that morning, he had spent more time watching her than where they were going.
Wheaton had not really been in favor of her receiving a translation device. Knowing that it would make her time on the ship easier to manage, he relented to the directions of the Council but he was not going to encourage her to talk to the other warriors. He had only been with her for a short time but he felt proprietary over her time and attention. If he was in a meeting, he would prefer that she stay in their quarters and wait for him.
Wheaton trusted very few warriors with his new bride. Dathrow had been his warrior brother for many years and had accompanied him on multiple missions. Thorne was another warrior he trusted, a Council member who had been in favor of the Bridal Pact but who had shown no interest in applying for his own. When it came to friends, there were only a select few who shared that title.
“Poppy?” Poppy jumped when she heard Wheaton’s raised voice, realizing he’d been trying to get her attention.
“My presence is needed in negotiations. Thorne will escort you back to our quarters.”
With that small statement, Poppy was staring at Wheaton’s back as he walked away from her.
So here Poppy was. Sitting alone. Yet again.
Not knowing how late he would be back, she decided to make herself some food. Using the food generator was easy peasy now she understood how it worked. With a full stomach and her e-reader, she found her iPod and scanned the music. She felt she was in either a Liz Phair or Patty Griffin mood. Griffin won out and Poppy was soon rereading one of her books with her favorite songs on in the background. Before she knew it, she was drifting off to the sounds of Griffin’s soothing voice ushering her to sleep.
Waking the next morning to a bu
zzing noise, she was still on the couch. And her neck hurt. Apparently Mr. Wonderful hadn’t made it back to their rooms yet. Wondering what could have kept him gone for so long, Poppy heard someone moving around in the other room.
“Hello? Hellooooooo?” Poppy called out as she followed the noise. “Wheaton? What are you doing here?”
“These are my quarters. I sleep here,” he said in a very matter-of-fact voice while pulling on his boots. Somebody seemed crabby this morning. Had he wanted to spend more time with her before they…pleasured themselves, and been disappointed she’d fallen asleep on the couch?
“What time did you come in this morning?” Leaning against the bedroom door, she watched him.
“Morning? I arrived last night after you had fallen asleep,” he said, completely oblivious to her annoyance.
“Why didn’t you wake me up? You just let me sleep on that tiny couch?” Now she was really peeved. She walked toward him to stand toe to toe. “What happened to carrying me to bed like the first night?”
“You are now aware of where the bed is placed. I assumed you fell asleep there on purpose.” He walked past her into the kitchen area.
Wheaton did not have time to argue with her this morning. Between the meetings yesterday, where he seemed to answer endless questions about his new bride, and his lack of pleasure last night, he was not in a good mood. At the Council meetings it seemed that half of the Council was trying to figure out how to get him out of his match and the other was applauding his luck in being assigned a bride so quickly. There had been a few members who did not understand how a diplomat could be assigned someone who on paper was not compatible with a government official. Wheaton had to admit the doubts that other warriors expressed had made him question the match even more than before.
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