He looked at her with a blank expression.
“Funny. Down. There,” she said, stressing each word. “Could you help me feel better?”
“Your attire appears inadequate for the temperature. Warm yourself next to the fire and I will fetch you some suitable garments.” He picked up his discarded shirt and draped it over her shoulders. “Wear this.”
“For crying out loud, Talen,” she said, tossing her hands in the air and dislodging the shirt. “Haven’t you ever played Naughty Librarian?”
“Oh! This is one of your games.” He grinned, finally having caught on.
“It’s just a little roleplay. It’s not weird,” she said defensively. “Never mind. I’m not feeling it anymore.”
He perched on the edge of a sturdy table, setting the book down beside him. As he folded his arms over his chest, the movement of his dark amber striations mesmerized her. Too handsome and too smart, he watched her with sharp eyes. “Explain this game to me.”
“I’m not in the mood now.”
He sniffed the air and his tail twitched. He didn’t have to say anything. They both knew she lied.
“Fine,” she said. “You’re the sexy librarian.” Obviously. “And you’re very protective of your books.”
“I am.”
“And I’ve been a naughty student. I read books from the restricted section; books I can’t possibly understand.”
His ears went back. “No. I will not listen to you besmirch your own intelligence. I refuse to believe you did not understand.”
Oh boy. She had her work cut out for her. “It’s a fantasy, so I’m pretending.”
“By being unintelligent? No,” he repeated.
“Okay.” Her fingers twisted into the bottom of her hair, thinking. “The book was forbidden. It had pictures. Pornographic pictures.”
His posture changed and he sat more rigidly. “Explain this.”
“For this fantasy, I’m a student, right?”
“I will not play if you are pretending to be a kit.”
She fought the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she started with the basics. “I’m in university and a perfectly legal age, but I’m inexperienced.” His tail lashed behind him. “I spend all my time studying,” she said, letting her voice grow soft and wistful. “I’m too busy to have a boyfriend or to be interested in males, because I’m always in the library.”
She stepped closer and walked her fingers up his bare chest, savoring the warmth and hardness of him.
“Libraries are where students should be,” he said, his voice deepening.
“There’s this male who works there. A sexy librarian. I like watching him and his tail as he shelves books,” she continued.
“You like his tail?”
“I love his tail. I wish I was brave enough to pull it.” His chest rumbled and she grinned. “And I like his voice. It’s so deep and firm.” She licked her lips. “Especially when he tells off the noisy students. He likes his library to be in order and you can just tell that he’ll discipline anyone that breaks the rules.”
He growled, low and so perfectly tempting. “And you broke the rules by going into the restricted section.”
“Yes,” she breathed.
“I will help you understand the reading material.”
Thank fuck for that.
* * *
Talen
* * *
His mate licked her lips and he could hear her heart accelerate.
He moved to the lounge chair and patted his lap. “Fetch this book and show me.”
A look of confusion furrowed her brow. “But—”
He patted his lap. “We will read this forbidden book together.”
“Oh.” She looked around the library, clearly not prepared for this possibility. His mate loved to play bedroom games and he loved the awkward way she tried to explain her fantasies as he feigned misunderstanding.
Naughty librarian. That game was universal and one he held in great affection.
She grabbed a book at random.
“Not that one,” he said. “I want you to read for me, my heart.”
With his trousers unfastened, he took his member in hand, already hard, and worked his length while she pursued the shelves. This might be one of his mate’s games, but he wanted to hear the progress she made teaching herself to read a new language.
“This one,” she said, pulling down a book with a colorful cover.
“Show me.”
She brought him the book, holding it out for inspection.
“Good,” he said. “Now lift your skirt and show me your panties. Are they wet for me?”
She sucked in her breath and complied, raising her skirt just enough to see the white lace undergarment.
“Turn around. Good girl.” His fingertips brushed against the damp fabric. “Now take them off for me.”
She eased the lace panties down slowly, revealing the luscious curves of her bottom.
“I could sink my fangs into you,” he said. Her breath hitched in response. “Now take a seat.”
He guided her down, teasing her entrance with the head of his cock.
“Talen, I don’t know—”
“You can take me,” he said, as she sank down onto his length. She groaned, stretching around his girth. He smoothed down the back of her skirt, covering where their flesh joined.
She rocked her hips, searching for friction.
“None of that. Read for me.” His hands on her hips kept her immobilized. Her warmth surrounded him, taking all his concentration. He wanted to drive up into her, to make her gasp and shudder with pleasure, but he restrained himself.
She opened the book to the first page and read aloud.
He thrust upward and she stumbled on a word. Slowly he moved, enjoying the way she held him tightly as he pushed into her. Another thrust, harder, and the book fell to the floor.
“Please, Talen. I need—”
“Tell me, my heart.” He stroked his hand down her back, admiring the way she leaned back into his touch.
“I need more. I need you to move.” She rocked her hips and gave a frustrated moan.
“You want me to fuck you,” he said, a statement not a question. He wrapped her hair around his fist and moved it to the side, baring her neck.
“Yes, please.”
“I only fuck good girls,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the back of her neck. “Bad girls get to keep my dick warm.”
“Talen—”
“Have you been a good girl?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice breathless.
He tightened his grip on her hair, causing her to yelp, and forced her to look toward the floor. “A good girl does not throw books on the floor. A good girl does not take books from the restricted section.” His free hand smacked her bare ass. Her cunt tightened around him in response.
“I’m sorry. I want to be good.”
“I believe you, my heart, but you won’t learn your lesson until you’ve been punished.” He thrust upwards by a tiny fraction and she gasped in response. His mate, lost in her game of fantasy. “I take no pleasure in this,” he said.
* * *
Georgia
* * *
“Please, let me be your good girl,” she begged.
Her alien acted all innocent, like he never thought of roleplaying, but he delivered a knockout performance. Damn.
His arms tightened around her, holding her back to his bare chest. He filled her, hitting the sensitive spots, and a hand slipped down to her clit. He rubbed and rocked into her, teeth on the back of her neck, pressing but not biting. The light prick of pain made everything else that much better.
This had to be the pregnancy hormones. She was always turned on, always ready for him, and she felt like they could be joined like this for hours. If she listened to her body, she’d never leave the bed and die of dehydration.
“My female, my heart,” he whispered in her ear, lips brushing the sensitive shell.
&n
bsp; Her skin tingled and a warm, glowing feeling spread from her stomach. Soon, the sensation was too much, every touch and information overload, and she gasped as her climax broke.
He released deep in her, filling her with his seed, and gave a few more pumps until he stilled. He relaxed his grip on her. Tension left her body and she melted back into his warmth.
“I’m sorry I dropped the book,” she said. That hadn’t been her intention, but she had been distracted and her grip slipped.
“We’re doing this again. You can fling any damn book you please.”
Chapter 16
Georgia
Sister,
Obedience is a name that has a fine history in our family. I suggest you give it proper consideration.
-Quil
* * *
Georgia studied her cards, looked at her diminishing stack of chips and back to her hand, and decided her meager pair of nines was not worth the risk. They played for bragging rights, but still. She had her reputation to consider. “I fold.”
A gust of wind tossed rain against the window. The fireplace kept the drawing room warm, casting a cozy glow over the wood-paneled room. Georgia found herself drawn to the arch of the fireplace. In lieu of a mantle, gold leaf covered the ornate scrollwork framing the opening. It gleamed and promised a warm haven from the soaking rains outside.
Little wonder they used the drawing room as the guest lounge. Everything from the plush overstuffed furniture to the thick carpeting was designed to be comfortable and cozy. Fresh bouquets of flowers from the conservatory decorated the tables, perfuming the air with a heady floral aroma. It was the perfect place to snuggle up and read by the fire or spend an evening chatting over drinks.
Winter kicked and gasped but finally released its icy hold. They had a day of warm sunshine, followed by a week of rain, but thankfully no snow. The day had started promising enough with a bright morning, but gray clouds rolled in, bringing a cold spring rain to soak the grounds. Tomorrow’s forecast promised more of the same. Georgia looked forward to seeing the sun once the rainstorms finally broke. She didn’t realize how much she enjoyed sunlight on her face until she didn’t have any.
After dinner, Quil suggested they retreat to the lounge for cards and a brandy-like alcohol. With the house void of guests during the ballroom construction, she saw no harm in an evening of cards and drinking. Well, a non-alcoholic beverage for herself.
Poker, despite its Earthly origins, gained rapid popularity in the Interstellar Union and beyond. Travel was long and slow, especially in the early days when humans first left Earth, and a deck of cards were the perfect traveling companion. The other members of the IU had their own games, but the standard fifty-two-card deck soon infiltrated every ship and station. That illustrious history of colonizing the stars with spades, clubs, diamonds, and hearts explained why Georgia sat at a table playing poker with three aliens, one of whom she was certain cheated.
She played a few hands until Fiona arrived and complained about never being included. They dealt her in, even though she knew nothing about poker and constantly demanded Quil’s opinion on her cards.
That totally defeated the purpose of poker, but Georgia kept her mouth shut. Eventually, Fiona grew bored and wandered off to the plush sofa to watch a talk show on her tablet. The scandalized hoots and calls of the audience drifted over from the device.
Georgia nursed her drink—apple juice—determined to enjoy herself. The juice was cloying and left a sticky residue in her mouth. She missed booze, not that she had ever been a big drinker, but nothing compared to the way liquor spread through her like soft, liquid fire, leaving her with a pleasant heat. She needed to relax but it was so hard because everyone got on her nerves.
Pregnancy hormones swung her rapidly from overly sentimental to raging asshole in an instant, and it sucked. She hated being out of control of her own emotions.
“You need a refill,” Talen said, topping off her glass.
She took a sip, aware of his gaze on her mouth. Her tongue licked up any stray drops on her lips and his eyes tracked the movement. The moment stretched between them, as soft and sweet as the drink itself.
She still hadn’t given him an answer yet regarding his marriage proposal. In that moment, she saw how desperately he needed an answer and she saw his struggle to be patient. She wanted to say yes. She wanted to believe that a kit would bind them forever and no one would ever abandon her again. The desperate longing made her choke up, like she needed to sob and scream all at once.
Yup, those hormones were playing with her head.
Quil cleared his throat and spread his cards on the table. “I’ll call. Straight flush.”
Georgia stared at the nine of diamonds, an impossible card for Quil to play as the nine of diamonds was in her hand.
She set her glass down, the heavy cut crystal making a satisfying clinking noise. “You sure you want to play that?”
“Oh, that’s interesting,” Talen said in a tone that was at the same time playful and threatening, like a tiger toying with prey. He leaned forward, his tail brushing against her leg. “Why wouldn’t he want to play those cards?”
“Because I had them first,” she said, flipping over her hand. She leaned back in the chair, smiling broadly. “Someone’s been a naughty boy.”
Quil did not protest but instead fished out the suspect card. “I’m out of practice.”
“You’re shameless is what you are,” Georgia said, not bothering to suppress a grin. He had all the moral fiber of a wet paper bag, but he was entertaining.
A moan came from the sofa. “Ugh, stop flirting with my husband. It’s tiring and so not cute,” Fiona said.
“I’m not flirting.” At least not with Quil. Gross.
Talen leaned in and whispered, “I think it’s cute.” Another brush of his tail, this time feeling as intimate as if he held her hand.
“Not. Flirting,” Georgia repeated.
Fiona slinked across the room and perched on Quil’s lap. When she snuggled in and his arms automatically went around her, she gave a triumphant smile, like she won some prize.
For a moment, with the firelight turning her chestnut curls into a riot of a warm chestnut, Fiona looked like she belonged in the stately home, cradled in the lap of her handsome mate. Only for a moment, though, because Fiona’s practiced smile transformed into a smirk and the illusion shattered.
Whatever. Georgia rolled her eyes.
“Then what do you call all that?” Fiona waved a dismissive hand toward Georgia.
“All what?” She looked down, finding only her cards and a glass of sweet golden apple juice.
Fiona arched a brow. “Your décolletage? It’s a bit low-cut, don’t you think? Girls your size should know better than to wear anything too revealing.”
A hand instinctively went to the vee neck of her sweater and tugged it up. The sweater wasn’t that low-cut, but it drifted down at the end of the day. Fiona smiled smugly. Georgia’s frustration grew. Fiona was such a petty bully, and they were having a lovely evening until she flounced in and had to be the center of attention.
“You think a bit of cleavage is flirting? Wow, your skills are remarkably unrefined. Is that a demonstration of the high-class techniques you employed to snag Quil? Just flopped your tits out and gave them a shake?” The crude words spilled out of her.
“You’re just jealous that I have him and you don’t.” Fiona pushed Quil’s face directly into her own cleavage.
“Jealous? Of you? Over him?” All winter long, she bottled away her frustration and tried to make the best of a very shitty situation, but now the cork had been removed. All that frustration was ready to spew forth directly onto Fiona.
Charl and Talen discreetly pushed away from the table.
“Yes, jealous of our happiness. Jealous that I’m mistress of this house and you’re just the hired help.”
“Okay,” Georgia said, letting out a long sigh. “Let’s unpack this. First, your precious boo-boo is a
cheater.” Fiona opened her mouth to protest but Georgia kept talking. “He cheats at cards—”
“I do,” Quil said with a nod.
“And he cheated on me with you,” Georgia added.
“I knew you weren’t over that,” Fiona said with an air of triumph. “You just have to accept that Quil-boo wants me and not you.”
“Quil-boo?” Talen muttered.
“I know you’re staying on because they felt sorry for you, but I really think you’ve worn out your welcome. In fact, when Quil-boo and I start our family, I think it’d be best if you found another position. We’ll give you a good reference, of course.”
Georgia tried to stay calm. She was a grown adult, calm and rational. The worst thing to do was to yell and fling insults. Her bad behavior, no matter how much Fiona goaded her into it, would only confirm the worst things Fiona claimed.
But this bitch did not just try to fire her.
If she wore earrings, she’d be taking them out and handing them to Talen.
“Quil-boo signed a marriage contract with me,” Georgia said, her tone even but as cold as the rain pounding the window. “He found a loophole, yes, but when he decided to marry you, that makes him at best a scuzzbag and, at worst, a bigamist. And this house you’re so proud of? He signed that marriage contract a month before winning it in a card game.” Georgia leaned forward, arms on the table, unconcerned about her cleavage. “Which means he got this house for me. You’re just here because boo-boo Quil has a lot of flaws, including being impatient and easily distracted by cheap and gaudy things.”
“That is also true,” Quil said.
“Shut up,” Fiona snapped, turning her ire to Quil. “Are you just going to let her tell lies like that?”
“She has only spoken the truth so far,” he answered. “And I'm curious as to what she’ll say next.”
She had nothing else to say. As much as she tired of Fiona’s constant barbed comments, she took no satisfaction in her words. Fiona was a shallow, petty person who only understood shallow, petty words, and Georgia felt disgusted that she lowered herself to Fiona’s level. She should announce that she was going to bed, but instead finished her drink.
Pulled by the Tail: Celestial Mates Page 18