“What kind of books do you like to read?”
“Romances, mysteries, thrillers. Just about anything as long as it’s fiction. I get enough of the real world already without reading non-fiction. I’m not really big on reading horror, though. I’ve tried a few, and they were okay, but I prefer scary movies to scary books.”
“I admit, I haven’t read much since coming to Earth. Perhaps you can show me your favorite books, and I can try them.”
She smiled up at him. “I’d like that.”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m going to head to bed. Morning comes early. I don’t expect you to get up when I do, so sleep as long as you’d like. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me. If I’m unable to answer, I will call back as soon as I can.”
“You’ll be careful? I’m sure you get some interesting people who come through the station.” She sat up and placed her hand on his thigh.
He brushed a kiss on the top of her head. “I’m always careful.”
Vordro rose from the couch, missing the warmth of her body. He bade her goodnight and went to his room, knowing he wasn’t going right to sleep. Even though he’d already showered for the night, he ran the water again. If he didn’t release some of his sexual tension, he’d be awake all hours, thinking of the delectable woman sleeping one room away.
He stripped out of his lounge pants and stepped under the spray. As the water beat down on him, his cock bobbed in front of him, the head a darker purple than the rest of his skin. Vordro gripped his shaft and stroked it. Slow, firm pulls of his hand. He added a little twist and pictured Summer on her knees at his feet, her lips parted and eager for his cock. He’d paint her lips with his cum if she were really here with him.
Vordro braced a hand on the wall as he fucked his fist, his hips thrusting faster and harder. His eyes slammed shut as he imagined Summer’s delicate hands caressing his body. With a stifled cry, he came, jets of thick cum coating the shower wall and floor. When every drop had been wrung from his body, he released his cock and panted. It had been a long time since a woman had inspired him to pleasure himself. Something told him he had many more nights like this in his future until Summer was finally in his bed where she belonged.
Chapter Five
Summer blinked at the alien on the doorstep, laden with packages. He waited patiently for her to welcome him into the house and she did, stepping back to let him enter. He moved past her and set the packages just inside the door along the wall. She didn’t understand where they’d come from, but the logo on one was from the local bookstore.
“What is all this, and who are you?” she asked.
“My name is Nyril, and I’m friends with Vordro. He asked me to purchase these things for you and drop them off.”
She looked down at the packages. “He bought all of this for me?”
“He thought you might be bored. Since I’m intimately familiar with human novels, he asked me to stop by the bookstore. It just made sense for me to pick up the rest of the items.”
Her brow furrowed. “I don’t understand. How can you be intimately familiar with human novels?”
“I’m a writer. I studied the human language, both verbal and written, before coming to your world. On my world, we procure our books from other races, but I’ve always wanted to try writing my own book. When I came here, I was given the opportunity.”
“You write?” she asked.
“Not typical of my kind. A few of us have decided to explore our creative sides. Have you heard of Liric?”
“The rock star?” she asked. “He didn’t sing on your world?”
“Maybe as a hobby inside of his home, but we don’t have that kind of entertainment where I come from. We work most of the day and when we relax in the evening, we usually read books we’ve purchased from other worlds, or we spend time with family and friends.”
“It sounds… boring.”
He laughed. “I supposed it could be for someone who has been offered so much like those on your world. I’m rather partial to movies and the music here. Another of my kind has taken up acting and has a big part in a new movie. I would imagine there will be others of my kind spreading their creative wings before long.”
“What kind of books did you pick up for me?” she asked.
“Vordro said you liked romances, mysteries, and thrillers, so I picked up three new releases in each genre. If you’ve already read something, the receipt is in the bag, and it can be returned.”
Summer nudged the bags with her foot. “And the rest of these?”
“One has cookbooks, in case you wanted to try new recipes. But Vordro said not to feel obligated, that he will happily eat whatever you fix. Another has some notebooks and packages of pens. He said you like to write poems and thought you might be able to make use of them.”
“And the other two bags?” she asked.
“I picked up a few crafting-type things I thought you might want to try. If you don’t, you can return the items. I’ve dated a few human females, and I tried to pay attention to their likes and dislikes. Both liked to knit, so I picked up everything you’d need to get started, including a how-to book. The other bag was Vordro’s idea. There’s a digital camera in there and the materials you would need to start a scrapbook.”
“Vordro thought I might want to take up scrapbooking?”
Nyril scratched his chin. “Actually, he just asked me to get the camera, but I thought if you were going to take pictures you might want to do something with them. He said you were getting a fresh start on life, and I thought you might want to preserve the memories.”
“Thank you.” It was possibly the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her. Summer hugged him and then stepped back.
“Is there anything else you need before I leave? You have something for lunch?”
“Vordro made sure the kitchen was well-stocked, but thank you for asking. I’ll just put this stuff away and then make something to eat. Did Vordro mention what time he was coming home?”
“I believe he gets off work at seven tonight. I’m sure he’ll come straight home. He didn’t mention anything about needing dinner held.”
“Thank you again, for all of this,” Summer said. “I know it was Vordro’s money, but I appreciate you putting some thought into the items. I’ve never tried scrapbooking or knitting, but maybe I’ll like them both.”
Nyril pulled a business card out of his wallet and handed it to her. “That has my cell number on it. If you ever need something and can’t reach Vordro, I hope you’ll give me a call.”
“I appreciate it.”
He tipped his head to the side. “I don’t suppose you have any single friends who are like you?”
Summer laughed. “No, I’m afraid not.”
“Pity. Well, I’m off. Take care, Summer.”
She locked up behind him and started hauling the sacks to her bedroom, except the cookbooks. She stored those in the kitchen. Summer had never thought to try a craft before, and she was a little excited about the prospect. No one in her family that she knew of had ever taken up knitting. The librarian in her home town would often knit behind her desk when all was quiet, or she had before she retired. She’d been ancient, and every time she’d climbed the ladder to reach the books on the top shelf, Summer had always worried she’d tumble off and break a hip or something.
Summer didn’t want anything heavy for lunch, but she wanted something she could eat for more than one day. She decided on a pasta salad with Campanella, peas, diced carrots, mild cheddar cubes and diced ham, and tossed it all together with some Italian dressing. After fixing herself a plate, she put the leftovers in a Tupperware container and placed it in the fridge. She’d made enough to have it for lunch at least one or two more days. Or maybe she’d use the leftovers as a side dish for dinner later.
Sitting down with a glass of peach tea and her lunch, she marveled at how quiet the house was. Having grown up in a house where someone was always home, it was a little exciti
ng to have the place to herself. Perhaps a little boring, but now that she had plenty to keep her occupied, she looked forward to her afternoon. She’d finished the cleaning and had done most of the laundry before Nyril had shown up.
Summer put her dishes in the dishwasher and then went to see which books Nyril had purchased for her. She’d been known to read two or three books in a day, so she’d have to be careful to space them out or she’d run out of reading material quickly. Maybe she could drive over to the library while Vordro was at work tomorrow and stock up. Now that she had a car, there was no stopping her. Well, unless it cost money. He’d given her the Visa card for home expenses, but she didn’t think that included trips to the bookstore. Their library was small and she’d long ago read almost everything of interest. They only ordered a handful of new books a month.
All of the books Nyril had purchased were new to her. She couldn’t wait to dive into them but took her time checking out the other bags as well. The scrapbooking sounded fun, and she pulled out the camera to read the instructions and get it set up. If it were spring, she’d take pictures of the garden in the backyard. She didn’t know a lot about plants, but she thought a few looked like butterfly bushes.
By the time Summer settled in to read a book, the sun was already setting. She allowed herself an hour of reading time, and then she began preparations for dinner. The cookbooks actually proved helpful. She’d not had a clue what to do with all the fresh items Vordro had purchased, but after flipping through the books, she’d decided to make chicken marsala with the pasta salad and some honey-glazed carrots. She had everything she needed, and dinner finished just in time for Vordro to come home.
Summer set the table and fixed their plates. She’d just filled their glasses with peach tea when the front door opened and shut. Wiping her hands on her hips, she hurried out of the kitchen to greet Vordro. He smiled when he saw her, even though he looked weary. She wondered if he’d had a rough day, but wasn’t certain it was her place to ask.
“Did you have a good day?” he asked. “Something smells incredible.”
“I was just fixing our plates when you came home. Dinner is ready if you want to eat now. Or I can put your plate aside for later if you want to relax a little first.”
“I’m starving, so dinner sounds amazing. Just let me wash up, and I’ll join you in the kitchen.”
Summer nodded and hurried back to their food, taking a seat and waiting for him. When he appeared in the doorway about fifteen minutes later, his hair was wet, and he was wearing a pair of athletic pants and a T-shirt. The casual look was a good one on him; she liked the way his shirt hugged his broad chest. He inhaled as he sat down and smiled at her.
“Everything looks and smells great, Summer.”
“I hope you like it. I got the recipe out of one of the cookbooks Nyril brought by earlier. There are a lot of recipes in there that look interesting. I saw one for an eggplant parmesan that I thought I might try tomorrow or the day after. I’m just undecided as to what would go best with it.”
Vordro pointed to the bowl of pasta next to his plate. “What’s this?”
“Pasta salad. If you don’t like it, I won’t make it again. It just sounded tempting today.”
He took a bite, and his eyebrows went up. “It’s really good.”
“How was your day?” she asked, hoping it was a safe question. Often, her dad hadn’t wanted to discuss his day at work, and some of those times he’d flown into a rage over the question.
“Hectic. We have a council member visiting for a few days, and he needs protection the entire time he’s here. Especially when he leaves the Terran Station. I was scheduled to guard him for the last half the day, and he wanted to go out and explore.”
“Is it common for your council to come here?”
“The council members are free to come and go as they please. It’s the Chief Councilor who has to stay on our world. Although he did leave once, to retrieve his mate when she returned to Earth.”
“He’s married to a human?” she asked.
“Yes, a rather spectacular woman. She’s mostly deaf, but it doesn’t stop her from getting what she wants. And she wanted Borgoz badly. When she came back here, she was pregnant and scared.”
“Poor woman,” Summer murmured. “I’m glad things worked out for her.”
“What did you do today?” Vordro asked.
“I set up the camera you bought for me, and I read. I also finished the cleaning and laundry.” She smiled. “Thank you, by the way. I love everything Nyril brought over. And he has excellent taste in books.”
“I sense a but in there.”
“I read fast, and I read a lot. I’ll devour those in about three or four days. But I thought, now that I have transportation, I could drive over to the library tomorrow and get a stack of books. While I prefer owning my books so I can read them over and over again, I don’t mind borrowing them. If you tried to keep up with my reading appetite, you’d probably spend hundreds of dollars a month.”
“I’ve been to the library here. It’s rather nice. Will they have everything you need?”
She nodded.
“I hope you have a nice time, but please be careful on the roads. While we were out today, there was a particularly nasty accident. I’d hate for something to happen to you.”
“I’m always a careful driver.”
Vordro pushed his empty plate and bowl aside. “Dinner was excellent. Thank you for cooking.”
“It’s what you hired me to do.”
He smiled a little. “Yes, but I didn’t intend for you to do it every night. Whenever you want a break, just say the word, and we’ll grab a bite out somewhere. I have no problem eating at restaurants; I was just tired of trying to eat my own cooking. I haven’t mastered human cuisine very well, or that stupid stove. I tend to burn everything I cook.”
“I enjoyed cooking today. Having so much stuff to cook, and all those great recipes, I don’t think I’ll run out of ideas or enthusiasm anytime soon.”
“Good.” Vordro stood. “Why don’t I help you clear the table, and then we can settle in to watch a movie, or if you’d prefer to read that’s fine too.”
Summer felt warm from the inside out that he wanted to spend more time with her. Technically, she was the hired help. Even though she lived here with him, it didn’t mean he had to keep her entertained. He was treating her more as a guest than an employee. It made her wonder if he’d offered her the job not because he really needed someone, but maybe because he’d liked her. She could hope anyway. The kiss they’d shared last night had certainly left an impression on her.
In the living room, Vordro set up a movie for them and then leaned back into the corner of the couch. Summer had a choice to make. She could sit a respectable distance away from him like she’d done last night until the kiss. Or she could curl up against his side the way she wanted to do. Was it wrong that she felt so completely crazy over him in such a short amount of time? A psychologist would probably have a theory about her quick attachment based off her home life. And maybe they would have been right. All she knew was that no one had ever treated her as well as Vordro did, and she’d never been kissed the way he kissed her. She wanted more.
Summer eased onto the couch and curled into his side. If he was surprised by her move, it didn’t show. He lifted his arm and curled it around her body, bringing her closer. His clean, fresh scent teased her nose, and his abdomen clenched as her hand rested above his waistband. She didn’t pay much attention to the movie, instead tuning into every shift of Vordro, and the growing tent in his pants. She smiled a little, loving the fact that she had such an effect on him. The question was, how did she get him to act on it?
Her fingers traced his abs through his shirt before sliding beneath to caress his warm skin. His breathing changed and she peeked up at him. His gaze was trained on the TV, but she’d be willing to bet he hadn’t a clue as to what was on the screen. Summer sat up and swung a leg across his thighs, stradd
ling him. Those purple eyes focused on her, and she licked her lips as she remembered the way he’d tasted last night. She’d never instigated a kiss before, but she was about to, and if the look in his eyes was any indication he wasn’t going to stop her.
Summer leaned forward, her breasts brushing against him, as her mouth pressed against his. Vordro’s hands came up to rest on her hips. She licked the seam of his lips until he opened, and then she slipped her tongue inside for a taste. The hard bulge beneath her made her want to squirm. Her clit throbbed, and she ached for him. Just because she’d never been with a man didn’t mean she didn’t have desires like anyone else. Granted, she’d never wanted someone the way she wanted Vordro. She had no doubt that he would leave her satisfied if she could get him into the bedroom.
She pulled away, panting heavily. “Please don’t make me wait any longer.”
Vordro squeezed her hips. “You don’t know what you’re asking. You’ve never been with a male before, Summer. What if I’m not the right one for you?”
“There’s no one more perfect for me,” she said. “I want to feel alive, Vordro. I want to feel… everything. I’m twenty years old, and I’ve never had an orgasm. I’m not asking you to marry me. Just show me what I’ve been missing.”
He groaned and closed his eyes a moment. When he opened them again, he looked both turned on and tortured. Didn’t all men want permission to have sex without the woman trying to tie them down? Wasn’t she offering him every man’s fantasy?
“I want you,” she said softly. “I’m not going to change my mind, and the chances are good that I won’t have the guts to ask you again. Please don’t turn me away.”
“What if I give you an orgasm? Will that suffice for now?”
Her lips parted, and she nodded eagerly, happy that he’d at least partially agreed to her demands. She still wanted him, all of him, but maybe that would come soon enough. Maybe if he saw how great they could be together, then he’d want more from her. It didn’t seem fair that he was going to give her an orgasm and wasn’t asking for one in return. Did he worry she wouldn’t be able to make him come? While she’d never given a blowjob before, she’d read enough about them that she thought she could pull it off. Or maybe his kind didn’t like them.
Summer and the Alien Guard (Intergalactic Brides 11) Page 5