Dammit!
She was stuck.
He readjusted his junk some more and she watched him do it. Her eyes wanted to roll back in her head again but for totally different reasons this time. “I feel squashed,” he made a pained face, “and scratchy.” His pained face grew even more pained. “I need to take them off.”
“You can wait five more minutes.” Her voice was a little high-pitched but who could blame her? Vicky put up a hand for emphasis. “I’m sure you’ll live, just a little while longer.” This time her voice was more controlled. Thank god. She folded her arms because her nipples were playing peek-a-boo.
“Is everything okay?” His frown was back. “You don’t seem pleased. I thought I did okay back there, didn’t I?”
She sighed, trying hard to remain professional. “You did great.”
“You don’t look like you think I did great. Why is that?” He narrowed his eyes on her.
“You did. I’m proud of you. It’s just, you planned on going back to her place.” She needed to tread carefully. He could never know that she was attracted to him or their business arrangement would be over.
He nodded. “She asked me to sleep with her and I couldn’t say no.”
“Why not?” she half-yelled. Vicky cleared her throat. “Look, it’s just that I think you can do much better. Okay, she was really pretty, and I suppose for a one-night stand, it would have been okay. Thing is, you said you were here to learn about human women, to figure out how to get to know them with marriage or mating in mind. Not just to spend a night with them.” She was nervous and talking too much.
“I’m still not sure what the problem is.”
“Okay, you’re right. If you want to call her and go over there,” she licked her lips, feeling a bit ill but it was probably for the best, “you can go right ahead. In fact, go just like that because you’ll be naked in no time once you get there. Go get your rocks off. Go clean out the old pipes and get it all out of your system. Make sure you’re back here at eight tomorrow, so that we can continue on our actual quest. The one you came here for in the first place which wasn’t, may I remind you, getting laid.”
Quest?
Where did that come from?
She was acting like his mother or his boss or something. Vicky couldn’t seem to stop though. “You came here to get to know women. Not just any women, but women who actually want you for more than just your dick … oh, and your wallet. Did you notice how much more she wanted you in her pants after you handed out those huge-ass tips?”
Talon’s eyes grew more and more steely. His frown deepened with each second. “I didn’t plan on going over to Sandra’s house to clean pipes. I planned on going over there to sleep with her. With that in mind, I’m not sure what my prick has to do with any of this. Or getting laid. I hatched many years ago. She asked me to sleep with her and I agreed. It was the right thing to do.”
“Are you serious right now?” Vicky pulled on her ponytail, holding onto the bottom of her hair for a second or two before letting go. “Your prick has everything to do with it. You can’t have sex without it, you know? Wait a minute … you do have sex using your,” she pointed at his package, “your thing?”
“Yes, we mount using our cocks.” He grew thoughtful. “Although, we also use our hands and our mouths and sometimes—”
Sheesh! It was getting hot in this room. “I get it … okay, okay. So if you had gone to Sandra’s house, you would definitely have needed your trousers snake then.” More like python.
“My trousers what?”
“Your dick. You would have needed your dick. We’re talking in circles here.”
That’s when Vicky actually saw the light go on in Talon’s brain. “Oh …” His jaw dropped for a second before he closed his mouth. Talon grit his teeth. “You mean she wanted sex, not just to have me sleep in the bed with her?”
Vicky laughed. It couldn’t be helped. Call it relief. Not just humor but complete and utter relief. “I’m sorry.” She forced herself to stop. “Oh, my word! You thought you were going over to actually sleep, as in, close your eyes?” She put a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing some more. Pure relief coursed through her. He hadn’t actually wanted sex with that airhead after all. She sank down onto the sofa.
He nodded profusely, looking shell-shocked. “Yes, I thought she was afraid.” He sat down on the La-Z-Boy across from her. Vicky had insisted on taking it in the settlement since Jeff loved it. She never used the thing. It looked so small with Talon sitting on it. He leaned back. “I thought she was too afraid to sleep all by herself and that she needed protection or something. She did not seem like a very strong female. Not like you.”
“Oh great! So I can sleep alone just fine then.” The statement dripped with sarcasm. It was more of that jealousy. Shit!
He nodded. “You are a very strong and capable female. Sandra seemed weak and needy.”
Vicky had to stop herself from fist-punching the air. “Oh, well in that case. Look,” she glanced down at her shoes and then back up at him, “if you still want to head over to Sandra’s house, you should go right ahead. It’s your decision. Don’t let me—” She stopped talking when a look of horror crossed his face.
Talon shook his head. “I told you I’m not here for that … for sex. I was going to sleep with her. I would not have laid so much as a finger on her.”
“I’m pretty sure she would have laid more than just a finger on you if you had gone over there. A whole lot more.”
“Thank you for saving me from what would have been an awkward situation.” So sincere. She felt like a total bitch since her reasons were completely selfish.
“Sure. Anytime, although I’m sure you would’ve gone there and it would have been enjoyable. I mean, it’s only natural. We all have needs and—”
He shook his head. There was this look in his eyes that she couldn’t quite read. Was it sadness? Anger? Something else? “My mate died ten years ago. I told you.” His voice was a deep rasp of emotion. He must have really loved her so much.
“I’m sorry for your loss. I can’t say I know how something like that must feel. Was she … expecting?” Now she was prying. The question had just slipped out.
He nodded, his eyes clouding with such sorrow.
It made her heart clench with sadness for him. She really couldn’t begin to imagine his pain. Vicky swallowed. “I’m so sorry. To have carried this. Have you been alone since … since she passed?”
Talon nodded once.
“Of course you have. Silly me! Sorry. It’s not like you have other Feral women or anything.” She paused and gathered her thoughts. “Thing is, it’s okay to feel things for other people. To maybe have sex again.”
“No!” Talon almost shouted the word. It came out sounding deep and wounded.
“Yes, Talon.” Vicky nodded. She also rose to her feet. “You can’t possibly stay alone for the rest of your life. That would be terrible.”
“You don’t understand.”
“No, I don’t.” She shook her head. Talon had become somewhat of a friend. Even if she was attracted to him. She wanted to help him ‒ and not so that she could have him for herself. It wasn’t like that. “You’re still so young, with your whole life ahead of you. You—”
“No. You don’t understand. The Feral mate for life. For always. I can never take another.”
“That’s a crazy rule, Talon.” She shook her head. “Is there no way around it? I mean, if you were to fall in love with someone else. It could happen you know. You don’t live in a vacuum.”
He shook his head. “It will not happen.” He growled the word not.
“Okay, well, I see you feel strongly about it. I think it’s sweet. I don’t mean to belittle your culture or the way of your kind. I guess I just feel bad for you.”
“Do not feel bad. It is what it is. I am destined to walk alone.” His eyes clouded and he looked down. When his gaze locked back with hers, the intensity of what she read ther
“I still think—” She stopped talking when he shook his head again.
“Even if I wanted to … be with someone else …” Guilt flashed in his eyes for the briefest second, although she could not say why. What did he have to feel guilty about? Then his jaw tensed. “It can never happen. We mate for life and that is final.”
“Final?” She wasn’t sure what he meant.
“Yes. It is not something I wish to speak about anymore. It is what it is. I am still mated.”
Vicky frowned. It would be wrong of her to keep arguing the point. His culture was his culture. “That’s so sad. It’s so … I feel bad for you.”
“Don’t,” he practically growled the word. “I don’t need you to feel sorry for me.”
“I can’t help it, Talon. You’re still holding onto someone who is long gone. Dead and buried.”
“Lark is still my mate. That she is dead matters not.” He looked pissed. “Stop talking about something you have zero understanding of.”
Well, that put her in her place. Thing was, she could see the anger, sheer frustration and pain rolling off of him. Vicky knew that his anger was a result of those emotions rather than anything she had said.
Talon turned away and began making his bed. “It is the way of my species. It is how it has always been. We mate for life.” He glanced back at her, his whole stance still tense.
“That’s beautiful and tragic.” Vicky’s heart bled for him. It wasn’t because she couldn’t ever have him. If she was honest, there was a part of her that had been … hopeful.
Destined to walk alone. She would never forget that look of loneliness, of such sadness. Oh, how she felt for him. She wanted to say something, offer him some sort of reassurance ‒ a hug maybe. She really wanted to put her arms around him so badly, but she knew he wouldn’t want it.
“Goodnight then.” Her voice was thick.
“Sleep well.” Talon was still busy with his bed. He was putting up walls.
“Thank you for confiding in me.”
He turned back to face her and nodded once. “Thank you for helping me.”
She smiled. “You are paying me. Not nearly enough though,” she teased.
He raised his brows. “I can give you more.”
Vicky smiled. “I don’t want any more of your money. Goodnight.”
“Sleep well, Vicky.”
“You too, Bright Eyes.” Vicky went into her bedroom and changed into her pajamas. After the events of this evening, it was more than evident that Talon needed to stay here. He was clueless and gullible. He was also sweet, caring and far too generous.
Agreeing to sleep with a woman because he thought she needed protecting. Vicky smiled. So darned sweet. So sad. The need to protect, to help him somehow, rose up in her. She was going to do her job to the best of her ability. Teach him everything she knew.
Chapter 11
Why hadn’t he told Vicky he was impotent?
The answer was an easy one. It was also very complicated. It had been on the tip of his tongue and yet he couldn’t say it. He couldn’t tell her that he was unable to mount another. Mated for life meant just that. He could never be with another female.
Only …
By claw, it wasn’t true.
It should be and yet it wasn’t. His prick was rock hard. He’d woken up like this again this morning. Fire and brimstone but this was becoming a problem. It wasn’t like he would be able to mount a female. Even if he did, it wasn’t like he would be able to find completion inside of her. It would not be possible. Why did he find himself thinking of Vicky when he thought of mounting though? Her soft skin, her sweet smile, her plump chest. Her snatch would be warm and welcoming.
Throb.
Throb.
His balls pulled tight. Talon groaned and clenched his teeth. No, his prick might be erect, but he would not be able to go through with the act. He would not be able to actually cream. Would he?
No.
Even if he could, it was not going to happen. This was wrong. All wrong. Had to be a sickness. It would pass when he returned home to his people. If not, he would consult with a healer upon his return.
Right now, he needed to get rid of this thing and quickly.
Vicky was bathing and preparing for the day, so a cold shower was out of the question. Talon got up off the sofa. He stretched his back. There was a purring and Oliver rubbed himself on Talon’s ankles and wrapped himself around his lower limbs. He reached down and scratched the small feline behind the ears. Olly purred louder, rubbing himself all the more against Talon, who chuckled. He really liked the small creature.
His problem eased somewhat but didn’t go away. He wound the blanket more tightly around himself, scrunching it over his midsection to try to hide it.
The door opened and Vicky walked into the living room.
By claw.
By feather and by fur.
He sat back down as his problem reasserted itself. His prick twitched and his balls pulled so tight he felt it in his lower belly. He felt it all over. Need. Hot and heavy.
No!
Why?
No!
This could not be happening. Why was this happening? Vicky frowned. “You okay?” she asked with a tentative smile.
“Um … yes. Of course.” He scrunched over his middle, hoping she didn’t notice. He couldn’t move to cover himself. He couldn’t look down because such an action would alert her to his erection. His huge prick. “Still a bit tired.” He pretended to yawn. “What are you wearing?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Why?” She looked at him pointedly and even cocked her head to the side. “I don’t want to hear anything about it.” Vicky looked down at herself. “I’m surprised these pants even fit me anymore. I guess spandex stretches, right?” She widened her eyes and smiled.
“Is that the name of the material?”
“Yes.”
Spandex. Invented to torture him. He could see every contour of her legs, her thighs. Oh, those thighs. He could picture them spread. That tight material would tear easily beneath his fingers. Talon forced himself to look away. She should not tempt him so. Awaken things in him long since dead. He should have told her he was impotent. Should have closed that door. Should not be contemplating spreading this female's thighs.
Vicky looked at her watch. “You can rest a bit longer. No need to get up just yet. It’s about time I got back into shape. I’ve let myself go a bit since … I guess since Jeff and I divorced. It’s about time I did something about it.”
“There is nothing wrong with your shape.” Nothing wrong in the least. He tried not to let his gaze track her curves.
“Oh.” She looked surprised. “Um … thanks, I guess.”
“You are very welcome.” She didn’t look like she believed him, but he wasn’t about to go down that mountain path. Too rocky. Too dangerous!
Vicky smiled. “I’m going to head out. It’s more than just about losing a few pounds. It’s about getting healthy as well. Not only losing weight.”
Talon nodded. That made sense. “Enjoy it.”
“I’ll try.” She shook her head. “No, I’m not going to enjoy it, but it doesn’t mean I’m not going to do it. I’ll feel good afterwards.”
“It should be enjoyable though.”
“I suppose.” She jogged on the spot. Her apple butt looked so good in those tight pants, her plump chest bounced, just a little, in time with each footfall. He felt it in his groin. Vicky smiled. By claw but she was lovely.
Throb.
Throb.
“Sure thing.” He heard her jog to the door, open it and then a click as it shut behind her. Talon breathed a sigh of relief. He moved back to a sitting position.
Maybe he needed to take care of this the old-fashioned way. The need to cream made his skin feel tight, his body overly hot. It made his balls pull up.
No!
His prick should not be hard. This should not be happening. He needed to fight this. Just until he was back on Feral soil again. Then he would get help. Talon scrubbed a hand over his face. He stood up and headed for the shower. It would be long and cold.
Chapter 12
Three days later …
Vicky watched as Talon paced back and forth, his cellphone jammed to his ear. He'd made the same call every day since she'd met him. Always sometime during the course of the morning. She wondered who he needed to speak to so urgently. Maybe it was more than one person. She couldn't hear anything he was saying since he was too far away.
As on all the other days, the call didn’t last long. All of two, maybe three minutes and he was done. Pushing the off button and stuffing his phone into his hoodie pocket, Talon ran a hand over his short-cropped hair and looked up at the sky for a few moments. Damn, but he looked good in sports clothing.
Shorts, running shoes, there was a t-shirt under the snug-fitting grey hoodie. Despite all the muscle, she noted that he moved with ease and agility. Instead of coming back over to her, he rolled his shoulders and did a couple of stretches. He looked agitated and out of sorts. His chest expanded and contracted slowly as he sucked in deep breaths. Like he was trying to calm himself down. Two worry lines marred his forehead.
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