by Opal Carew
He frowned, his green eyes glittering with emotion.
Finally, he released her hand and turned his back on her. “Pull your stuff together,” he said in a hard voice as he walked through his bedroom toward the other door. “We leave in an hour.”
Crystal glanced around at her familiar living room. She stood in her own apartment. On Earth.
The trip with Terrien aboard the small spacecraft had taken only a few hours. He said the smaller craft could travel at much higher speeds than the bulkier spaceship that had to carry so many people. She didn’t understand the science behind it any more than she understood how a television worked, but she was thankful that she’d only had to spend a few hours with him rather than several days.
“Thank you. I appreciate you bringing me back.”
Terrien simply nodded. He stood only feet from her, but she felt like he was miles away. Ever since she’d asked him to bring her back to Earth, he’d put up a barrier.
And, of course, that made sense, but the distance between them disturbed her.
Well, get used to it. Soon he’ll be gone. For good.
“I have to leave,” he said.
“Oh, do you have time for a coffee or something?” Damn. How totally lame.
“No, I need to pick up something, then return to the ship.”
She nodded. “Okay, well… I guess this is good-bye.”
The coolness in his eyes faltered and he stepped forward. “Crystal, are you sure you want to do this?”
Her heart ached and uncertainty swirled through her. But she had to be strong.
“I’m staying here, Terrien.” She couldn’t resist. She raised her hand and stroked his cheek, then along his rigid jaw. “I’m sorry.”
Suddenly, she was in his arms, pressed tight to his solid body. Their lips met and his tongue sought hers. She succumbed to the sweet passion and melted against him, devouring his mouth as he devoured hers. Her body ached for him, her heart hammering in time with his.
Then he released her and stepped back.
He stared at her and the silence hung between them. She wanted to lurch forward and tell him she would go back with him. She would be his soul-mate and wife. They would live happily ever after together.
But real life wasn’t like that.
Clearly, he saw the determination in her eyes. He sighed.
“Good-bye, Crystal.”
He pulled a small controller from his pocket and pushed a button. Then he was gone.
Crystal glanced around her apartment, feeling a little out of place. Here she was, back at home after travelling in a spaceship far from Earth. She should be happy to be home, but it all seemed a little anticlimactic.
She walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge door, but all that was there were a few vodka coolers, some wilted lettuce, a half carton of milk she hadn’t finished before she’d left on vacation, and some condiments. She grabbed a cooler and opened it, then poured it into a tall glass and added ice. She’d have to go out shopping and get some food, but that could wait until she was a little more settled in again.
She walked into the spare bedroom she had set up as her office and turned on the computer. Checking email seemed like a nice, ordinary task to pull her back into her regular life again. To help her feel settled.
Because right now she felt anything but settled. In fact, she felt very unsettled, her insides fluttering as if filled with butterflies. She was home. She should be happy.
But she wasn’t. Memories of Terrien washed through her and her heart ached.
She opened her browser and glanced through the inbox at the long list of unread messages, then tried to lose herself in the mindless task of sorting through them. They were mostly newsletters she subscribed to, bill notifications, some work messages, et cetera.
Time slipped away, but thoughts of Terrien didn’t.
She could feel the urgent longing she’d experienced before he’d come into her life, but now she recognized it for what it was. Back then, it had felt like lust. And it had been, in part. A need to join with him. To have him inside her body. Joined in an intimate way. In a loving way.
At first, since she’d never met him—didn’t even know he existed—it had hit her as a physical need for sex, but no man had satisfied that need because none of them had been the man she needed. The man she was meant to be with.
That man was Terrien.
A paralyzing ache surged through her.
Oh, God. What had she done?
This feeling inside her—this longing that gnawed at her insides—was a longing for him. And it would never diminish. It would never go away.
Oh, God, she was in love with Terrien. And she’d sent him away. Forever. He was gone from her life. And she couldn’t do anything about it.
Chapter 14
Crystal stood and walked to the window, then stared out at the city below. There were people all around her. In the apartments surrounding hers. On the sidewalks below. In the restaurants, coffee shops, stores, and cars travelling along the streets. But she felt a profoundly deep loneliness. Because not one of these people could fill the need inside her.
Only Terrien could do that. Only he could fill her life with joy.
Damn it, why had she run away from what they had?
She needed to be independent. She needed control over her own life. But he’d never tried to control her. He’d even agreed to bring her home when she’d insisted, despite the fact that he knew that would steal away his happiness forever.
She clenched her fists. The stupid thing was, she had actually let her fear of being controlled control her. She had been more afraid of that than losing the man she loved. The only man who could make her happy.
And now she’d pay the price.
They’d both pay the price for her stupidity.
If only she had another chance. If only…
A knock sounded at her door and she dashed the tears from her eyes. Tears she hadn’t even realized she’d shed. She walked down the hallway, thankful for something to take her mind off the pain, but when she crossed through the living room, she remembered Terrien standing in this room only a couple of hours ago and the tears welled again.
A knock sounded again. It must be the building manager, because anyone else would have had to buzz the intercom. She snatched a tissue from the box beside the couch and dried her eyes, then opened the door.
“Hello.” There stood Terrien, his large muscular frame filling her doorway.
“Terrien?” The shock held her poised for only a split second, then she launched herself into his arms, joy surging through her.
He tightened them around her in a solid embrace as she consumed his mouth, gliding her tongue inside, following a primal need to join with him in some way. He thrust into her mouth and practically devoured her. He lifted her from the ground and carried her inside, kicking the door closed behind them.
As her feet touched the ground again, she released his lips and stared into his glittering green eyes. Then he smiled, lighting up his entire face, and joy washed through her.
“Miss me?” he asked.
Damn, he looked so smug. He knew this would happen!
In answer, she stripped off her top and pulled down the cups of her bra, revealing her hard, aroused nipples. Then she stroked over the growing bulge in his pants.
“As much as you missed me.” She unzipped him, then reached inside and found his hot, hard cock.
He groaned as she stroked him.
“Oh, God, Crystal.” He backed her against the wall, his eyes smoldering with need.
He unfastened her jeans and she pushed them down, her panties along with them. She took his hand and placed it over her pussy, then guided his finger along her slick opening.
“I want you, Terrien.” She grasped his cock and placed the tip against her slit. He groaned, then pushed forward, filling her with his incredibly thick cock. She gasped at the astonishing pleasure it gave her. Not just physical, but deep in her soul
. She leaned forward and nibbled his ear. As he drew back and glided into her again, she murmured, “I love you, Terrien.”
He stopped, fully impaled inside her, with her crushed against the wall, and he stared at her. The profound glow of love in his eyes sent her heart into a spin.
Then he smiled. “I love you too, Crystal.”
His lips met hers and passion consumed them both. He drew back and thrust forward again. Then again. Without warning, a wave of absolute joy washed over her, then catapulted to full-fledged ecstasy. She moaned as he drove into her, sending her to heights she’d never even dreamed of. As bliss exploded through her, she clung to him, knowing she would never let go of this man ever again. She was his. And he was hers. They belonged together.
As she gasped for breath, he nuzzled her neck.
“Does this mean you’ve changed your mind?” Terrien murmured against her skin.
“No, of course not.”
His head jerked up so fast she worried he’d have whiplash. She had to stop herself from laughing out loud.
“I still love you,” she said, a devilish smile on her face.
He still seemed uncertain and now she felt cruel. She grabbed his collar and pulled him toward her for another kiss.
“I want to go home.”
“You are home, Crystal.”
She shook her head. “No.” She glanced around. “This is just an apartment.” She locked gazes with him. “Home is where you are.”
Epilogue
Crystal gathered a few things from her room and put them in a bag, then grabbed her laptop. The latter mostly because it had her personal photos on it. Terrien told her they would be able to convert the data she wanted into a form she could use on his world’s version of computers.
She also gathered the paintings she’d done along with her paint supplies. Terrien took the portfolio and paint case and set them by her bag in the living room.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
She nodded. He took her hand and pressed the button on the little remote device he carried. Seconds later, they appeared in the small ship that had brought them from the larger spacecraft back to Earth.
A plastic case with circular holes sat on the floor near one of the passenger seats. A distinctive sound—actually more like a complaint—emanated from the cage.
“Is that a cat?” Crystal asked as she circled the box. On the other side, she saw a barred door. A small cat peered out at her and mewed.
She glanced at Terrien. “Did you get me a cat?”
“No, that is Aria’s cat, Rex. After you told me how people get attached to cats and other pets, we double-checked the other Earth women’s files and found that Aria had a cat. The captain sent me to retrieve him.”
“So that’s what you did after you dropped me here? Went to get Aria’s cat?”
“Yes.”
“And you decided to check on me again before you left?”
“I couldn’t leave without trying one more time to convince you to come back with me.”
She leaned down and smiled at the little cat. “Hey, there, fella. You’re now officially my new best friend.”
Terrien laughed as he opened the cage and let the cat out. It prowled around the small spaceship, exploring everything with great interest. Terrien sat in the pilot’s chair and Crystal sat in the chair beside him. As Terrien put the ship in motion, the cat leaped onto Crystal’s lap. She stroked its little head, then along its sleek, furry body. It purred loudly.
Crystal laughed, loving the soothing sound and the warm fuzzy feeling it gave her. Maybe having a cat wouldn’t be such a bad idea. She glanced at Terrien, who piloted the ship with a wide smile on his face.
After all, the choice to welcome a man into her life had been a satisfying one.
Her heart pounded as she realized she’d finally accepted that Terrien was her soul-mate. The man she would spend the rest of her life with. She almost felt faint, but not from trepidation, as she’d feared after making this irrevocable decision. Instead, joy swelled through her.
Because she knew, to the core of her being, that she had made the right choice. Because she had chosen love.
Afterword
I hope you enjoyed Rebel Mate.
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If you did, please post a review at your favorite online store because that’s the best way to help me write more stories like this.
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If not, please email me at [email protected] because I love to hear from my wonderful readers.
Patreon.com/OpalCarew
Excerpts
Rebel Mate is the third story to be released of the five-story Abducted series. Keep an eye open for Illicit Mate which will be released soon! (These stories can be read in any order.)
In Rebel Mate, Crystal was up for anything. For more stories about women who are ready for anything, check out Hot Ride, the first of Opal’s Ready to Ride series of extremely hot biker romances.
If you’d like to see more of Opal’s sci-fi romance, you’ll love Virtual Love by Amber Carew (Opal’s slightly milder pseudonym) about a woman who finds her virtual reality fantasies invaded by a sexy stranger.
Finally, if you want something a lot hotter, check out Jenna’s Punishment by Ruby Carew (Opal’s erotica pseudonym) about a woman who finds out that some secrets are worth pursuing, especially when discovering them means you might be punished!
All of the above stories can be found at OpalCarew.com
Here is an excerpt for Hot Ride…
Hot Ride
Hot, hard, fast, and handles like a dream!
Oh yeah, and the bike's not bad either.
Hayley is looking for more excitement in her life, but doesn’t know how to find it.
Excitement finds Rip, a biker who’s seen more than his share of trouble.
When trouble finds Rip yet again and a bar brawl starts, both he and Hayley are thrown to the curb.
Hayley knows this is her chance to find the excitement she so craves, but Rip doesn’t want to be some good girl’s bad-boy experience, so he turns down her advances, leaving her feeling rejected.
But life is never that simple for Rip, and he soon finds himself in her bed and wanting more. When his three biker friends show up, Hayley’s love of numbers turns into an erotic adventure none of them will ever forget.
But is there a chance for more than that between Hayley and Rip? Find out by taking a Hot Ride you’ll never forget.
Excerpt
The young woman—Hayley—gazed at Rip, her eyes widened. Well, fuck, of course she’d be nervous about walking down a dark alley with the likes of him. If she were his sister, he wouldn’t want her taking a chance like that.
He took her hand and raised it to his mouth. The feel of her soft skin as he brushed his lips against it made him long to feel more of her. His groin tightened at the thought of kissing her, then exploring her round, beautiful breasts. The creamy swell of them exposed by her deep neckline had been teasing him all evening.
“I promise. I’ll get you to your hotel, safe and sound.”
She stared into his eyes, mesmerized, then she nodded.
He smiled and took her hand, then led her into the alley. A cat darted in front of them, startling her. She drew close to him, clutching his arm. The feel of her warm, soft body pressed to his side sent his hormones to alert status, but he ignored that and slipped his arm around her protectively, drawing her close. It didn’t help that he kept remembering when her gaze had dropped to his crotch with obvious interest after he’d told her about his name. He was glad she didn’t know that he actually got the name because his fellow bikers had caught him reading Ripley’s Believe It or Not one day.
She took another step, but then stopped. “There’s another problem.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, I’m basically barefoot, and I have no idea what might be on the ground ahead.”
“Right. I’m pretty sure I saw broken glass near where I parked the bik
e.”
“I could hobble along with my broken—Oh!”
He scooped her up into his arms and she slid her hands around his shoulders.
Oh, God, Hayley felt so tiny and light in this big man’s arms. She could stay here all day, lulled in his embrace. As he walked, the gentle rocking of his body soothed her.
“We’re here.”
Her eyelids popped open. Had she really dozed off? The combination of white wine spritzers, a long flight in, and staying up way too late last night finishing up work, since she was taking an extra long weekend, was knocking her on her butt.
She glanced toward a big, powerful looking motorcycle parked close to the brick wall. It was black and intimidating, adorned with a blazing red and orange flame. It had shiny chrome wheels and a big, black leather seat.
“It’s nice,” she said as he carried her toward it.
“Nice?” He chuckled and set her on her feet beside it. “Maybe big. Dangerous. Powerful.” He grinned. “But nice?”
Oh, God, he was big and dangerous and powerful. Everything she dreamed of when she thought about her wildest fantasies coming true. And here he was, smiling down at her. She already missed his strong arms around her.
She gazed into his midnight blue eyes. “I like big, dangerous and powerful.” She stepped closer and flattened her hand on his hard, muscular chest. The feel of rock-solid, sculpted muscles under the thin fabric of his T-shirt set her heart thumping. “Like you.”
She dropped her shoes and purse, and slid her hands over his shoulders then stroked his raspy cheek. His eyes simmered with heat as she tipped up her face, then drew him toward her. His mouth brushed hers lightly, and she flicked her tongue against his lips and slid timidly inside. He growled and deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tighter to his hard body, then gliding his tongue deep into her mouth.