“Okay, first, how could anyone find your eyes scary? I think they are amazing. Second, if you don’t have much experience and were this good, I’m in trouble.” She was rewarded with a smile.
“I hope that means you will be interested in seeing me again?” He looked hopeful but afraid she’d say no. She smiled and opened her mouth to answer him, when the door slid open. He suddenly rolled over, pulling her with him to block her from view.
“I said no one is to enter!” His voice changed to one of anger. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her protectively against him. Her cat purred at his need to protect her, even if it was something as harmless as being seen naked.
“I am sorry, but you did not answer your wrist commlink. There is news and you are needed.”
“Fine, I am on my way—now get out and lock the door.” Micah softened his words with a smile in her direction. She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped.
“Is that a woman? Okay, I am leaving.” The man called from the door. “Leaving. Now.”
“Avery! Get the fuck out!” The door shut and hissed behind the man named Avery. He released her and reluctantly pulled out of her body. Slowly he rolled to his back and dropped his head to the floor. She tried to stop the laugh, but it didn’t work. He brought his knees to his chest and rolled up to his feet then stood. He reached down and grabbed a pair of workout pants she hadn’t seen on the floor.
“I really want to see you again. I find I am embarrassed to not even know your name.” She lay on the floor looking up at him while he put on his pants. He reached down to help her stand up.
“Oh, I definitely want to see you again. And again.” She smiled as he shifted his half-hard cock into his pants, leaving a tent in its wake.
“My name is Harliss.” He put his hand behind her head and kissed her hard. She pressed her body against his.
“Harliss.” He brought a finger up and traced a line from her ear to her chin. “I have to go, or I would take you back to my quarters if you allowed it.” True regret showed in his expression.
“I would’ve allowed it.” He backed away smiling. As he neared the door she gasped, realizing she didn’t know his name.
“Wait! What if I want to look for you?”
“Just ask anyone here for Micah.”
She smiled as he headed out the door. Harliss reached down and picked up the wrist commlink he had dropped earlier and smiled before returning to the locker room to find her clothes.
Chapter Three
Micah walked into the main control room to the raised eyebrows of his staff. Avery tried to close his mouth from the shock but failed. A few of his female staff stared openly at their boss’s muscled body and low hanging workout pants. He ignored them all for the most part. He wasn’t sure if it was the fact he wasn’t wearing at least jeans and a t-shirt or the fact he was shirtless. He wanted to get the hell out of there and find Harliss. He had to school his thoughts away from the lithe body and large breasts of the woman. It took some concentration to get his half-hard cock under control on the way to the control room.
“Are you going to stand there staring at me or are you going to tell me why you had me come here?” Avery closed his mouth with a click then turned toward the screen.
“Uh, sure.” He shook his head. “It seems the President has called an emergency meeting. He wants all the leaders of each alien pod and General Vargas in DC, and a video conference with Derek and Max.”
“I will not be leaving this facility. If he wishes to talk with me, it will be by video. This is a secure facility and I will not expose it to anyone. Even the American government. Anything else?”
“Well, nothing as important as that news. I can handle the other issues.” Avery furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “Can I talk with you alone?” Micah reminded himself to take a deep breath. It wasn’t his staff’s fault that he discovered his mate tonight. Fuck. My mate. What else could she be? How will she react to that?
“Yes, you can talk to me alone. I need to change anyway so come back to my quarters.” He reached for his wrist commlink and noticed it was gone. He tried to be annoyed, but it made him smile instead. He also realized he’d left his shoes and the rest of his clothes behind. His smile broadened. He turned to one of the human men in the room.
“Sandy, send someone to the gym to get the rest of my belongings.” The room turned as one to look at him, and for a few moments, no one said a word.
“Uh, okay Micah, I’ll send the cleaning crew and have them bring the items to your quarters.” Sandy’s voice was full of disbelief and perhaps jealousy. Micah nodded and strode from the room.
Micah walked ahead of Avery enjoying his second’s struggle for words. He wouldn’t say a word to him, hoping to drive the man a little crazy. It was good to know he could confuse him. When they reached his door, he walked through the large living area to go straight to his sleeping quarters.
Most of the facility had been remodeled and as such, Micah received larger quarters than the ones occupied by the participants. A large living area connected to a dining area that Micah used as an office. An extra bedroom and bathroom were added in case long meetings with his staff ran into wee hours of the morning. The master bedroom had a king-sized bed and an attached bathroom with a jacuzzi tub, shower stall and double sink. Micah had once thought it was strange to have such a large space for one, but now he was happy to offer his mate this space.
Micah smiled as pulled out dress pants and button-down shirt from the closet. He studied the ties before grabbing one. He wanted to find Harliss and hoped she’d be impressed with him. He pulled off his sweats and thought about washing her scent off his cock but changed his mind.
“Are you going to talk to me or are you going to stand in my living area gaping at me?” He walked to the bathroom to grab a towel and began to dry his hair. He glanced through the doorway and saw Avery was standing in his living room, his face thoughtful. Tossing the towel at Avery to get his attention, Micah pulled on his shirt and began to button it before grabbing a pair of boxer briefs and socks from his drawer.
“I guess I thought I knew what to say until I found myself standing here. I think I am in shock. You were obviously with a woman in the gym. I did not expect to find that.” Avery sounded incredulous.
“If you would have come in the gym a few minutes earlier, you would have seen more than I am comfortable with sharing. I ordered it locked for a reason, Avery. I have never asked for such privacy. I would have thought you might have realized why.” He strolled into the living room, tucking in his shirt and fastening the belt around his waist. The tie was hanging loose around his neck.
“I have never known you to engage in sex with women. I did not imagine it so tonight.” He shrugged, feeling conflicted. “Is she someone you have seen previously? I mean, I might be hurt that you did not mention having a woman you had sex with before.”
Micah narrowed his gaze as he slipped on his shoes. “Avery, you know that I am always working and that I have been too busy to have a woman in my life. But that is about to change. I met her tonight, and I like her. I want her. I am hoping she feels the same.” He began to form a knot in his silk tie.
Avery looked uncomfortable, but Micah could see he had more on his mind. He sat on the couch, waiting for Avery to speak further. After a brief huff, Avery walked over to the opposite couch and sat down. “I guess I am curious.” He looked up then back down. “I did not know if you had ever been, you know, with a woman before. I have not. I just finished my injections and I guess I am a little intimidated.” Micah was astounded when his friend’s face turned red. He reached for his wrist commlink again before sitting back on the couch.
“Avery, this is something very new to our people. I remember when Mace and Abby were first put together in the enclosure. We could see by their readouts that they were very attracted to each other. Sahara had even asked her why she did not just, give in to her sexual needs with Mace.” He stood up and walked to the replicator
, getting water. He took a sip, still ashamed of the person he was then. An uncaring, emotionless machine.
“We did not understand why it was hard for her to give in to her biological need and have sex with him. It is not about just feeling good, but wanting to make them feel good and getting more enjoyment from their pleasure than your own. It is more than biological, it is emotional and that is why our people quit having sex.” He smiled. “But when you find that one, it is worth the wait. I am not saying that you should not enjoy casual sex if the situation occurs. Not every sexual encounter will be about love, but you will know the difference when it happens. I guess I am saying that when the time comes, you will know it is right.”
“Wait, are you saying you fell in love with this woman you were with tonight?” Avery sounded skeptical.
“Yes. I am. And it’s amazing.”
*****
Harliss walked back to her living quarters carrying Micah’s wrist commlink and clothes. His shorts had started to dry. She wanted to sleep in his shirt, surround herself with his scent. She thought herself crazy and almost took his belongings back to the locker room. In the end, she decided she would at least wash his clothes and return them along with his wrist commlink.
She looked around her hallway but didn’t really expect to see Monica or Lily, though she really wanted to tell someone about her wonderful experience. Sighing she opened her living quarters door and walked in. When the door shut, she leaned against the door smiling. She really should be nervous or afraid of her feelings for The Being. Goddess, she’d just met him, allowed him to have sex with her and she was sure that she’d fallen for him before even knowing his name.
She walked into the room, laid his clothes on the couch and pulled her cell phone off the table and looked at the screen. Her aunt Shaela had left a message. Grinning, she had an idea why her aunt contacted her. It would’ve been scary for most to know someone could tell you things that were going to happen in the future. Or even knew you had sex when she was a universe away.
Smiling she hit the redial button, not even thinking of the time difference. Her aunt answered immediately. “So, are you smiling, Aunt Shae?” The laugh on the other end told her all she needed to know.
“I thought you might find happiness, Harliss. Is he all you hoped for?”
“No, actually. I didn’t hope for anything. Being Cougar, I never thought I’d find any one man to be my happiness. He’s just so, everything.” She pulled his shirt to her lap and pet it like an animal. “I don’t know how I know, but I feel like I should be with him. All the time.” She smelled the shirt and inhaled his manly scent.
“Darling Harliss, I know our blood doesn’t usually find one mate to settle down with, but when we find the one, we are as fierce as any in the Wolf Clan to protect it. I love Aleki and I’m so thankful that I fought to have him. I wouldn’t change anything. Look what he’s given me.” Harliss smiled at hearing her aunt’s voice. She still loved Aleki with a passion that would rival any love story on Otron or any other in the Universe.
“Does your man have a name? I’d love to talk to him.” Harliss was already shaking her head, even though Shaela couldn’t see it.
“Give me some time to get to know him myself before you give him the once over. It’s so new, I still feel giddy. Besides, he might not understand he’s my mate. Don’t scare him off before I get the chance to tell him.”
“All right, but tell me one thing.” Harliss was a bit worried.
“Okay, Aunt Shae, I’ll tell you one thing. What is it you want to know?”
“Well,” her voice dropped to a whisper, “is it true they vibrate?” Harliss almost dropped the phone from surprise and then started to laugh. How Shaela knew her man was a Being or that they vibrated left her shaking her head.
“You bet they do. And it’s amazing.”
*****
Harliss decided to go back to the social area. She wanted to see if Micah would show up. She reached into the luggage of clothes she hadn’t unpacked and pulled out the dark blue dress. She grabbed a quick shower and dried her hair before heading to the sleeping quarters to dress. The dress was see-through and tight from her breasts to her waist but flared out in layers to cover her to mid-thigh. The top was tight with a loose-fitting sheer cover that had silver beads that caught the light and shimmered and hid her nipples, but not much else. The back had peek-a-boo cutouts down to the globes of her ass. A pair of black strappy heels completed the look. She left her long dark hair to trail in its natural waves down her back.
When she got to the social area, she looked around hoping to see Monica or Lily but they weren’t there. The DJ was gone too, she smiled, thinking that the man might have gotten Monica to do more than flirt. More than disappointed that Micah wasn’t in sight, she went to the bar to order something to drink. The bartender smiled when he saw her.
“Wow, you look incredible. What brought this about?” He looked her over, smiling at her new look.
“Sometimes a woman wants to feel like a woman. So, thank you for noticing.” She smiled when she took the drink. His hand stayed on the glass a little longer than normal, his fingertips contacting her skin.
“You are definitely a woman. It’s hard to not notice.” He smiled and winked. “I’d like to notice up close and personal.” If she hadn’t been around humans when she was a Watcher, she wouldn’t understand the need for them to flirt so much. He grabbed a few glasses and began to dry them with a towel. He didn’t try to hide his erection as he leaned back against the bar behind him. Continuing to smile his eyes roaming over her body. She smiled back but turned her eyes to the people on the floor.
The music changed to her favorite song to dance to. She placed her drink on the bar and walked to dance on the floor full of other people of differing races. Her body moved to the beat of the music, her mind lost to the memories of the man she had found hours before. She felt sexy and her body reflected her mood. She writhed to the beat, her hips rolling sensuously. She closed her eyes, reliving the moments earlier in the gym. Her hands moved up her body then moved over her head. Does he know we are mates? Will it scare him?
She looked up to see him standing in the doorway, his eyes following her every move. He wore dress pants and a button-down shirt, his hands in his pockets and his sleeves rolled up to show off his forearms. His tie was tied but loose, his throat was exposed where he unbuttoned the top of his shirt. His black eyes reflected the lights, making her belly clench. She knew him well enough already to know that he was aroused. She kept her eyes on him until she turned to present her back to him, swaying her hips, bringing her wrists together seductively over her head.
The song was nearly over but before she could turn to find him she felt a hand slide from her hip to her waist and another reaching for her hands above her head. He pressed his erection against her ass, grinding slightly to the music. The slight pressure of his hand pushed her away from him, but his hand against hers twirled her body to face him then pulled her back against him. She bumped into his body and then looked up, her heart pounding.
His eyes were hooded in desire as he pulled her body tighter. The music changed to a slow, thumping rhythm as he put her arms down to encircle his neck and then moved his fingertips up her arm, over her shoulder and down her body to clasp with his other around her waist. He began to move to the beat, as he looked into her eyes. Her heels bringing them to the same height.
“You used your body to call to me.” His eyes roamed the neckline of her dress.
“I’m glad you answered.”
“The bartender was flirting with you.”
“Yes, he was.” She started playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.
“I do not think I liked it.” His voice was deeper.
“Maybe I did.” She tried to hide her impish grin.
“You are going to push me to my limits. I would hate to fight with him for you.”
Harliss turned her head to look at the bartender, who was staring at
them with mouth hanging open and his eyes wide. She smiled before turning her attention to Micah.
“I think you could take him.” Micah threw back his head and laughed. The sound drew the attention of many in the room. “Why is everyone here looking at us like that?”
“Probably because I have never been on the dance floor. I have never put my hands on any female and because most have never heard me laugh. Ever.” Her heart fluttered in her chest.
He rubbed her back with his hands, pushing her hard into his erection. His fingers played with the skin exposed by the cutouts on her dress. “You wore this dress to entice me.”
“I must confess that I did. I hoped you’d be here and that you’d find me.” A faint hint of vanilla and lavender surrounded her. She leaned in and inhaled deeply. “That cologne is amazing.”
“I am not wearing cologne. It is the scent of my arousal. You did not smell it before because I was covered in sweat. Then we were in the shower.” His fingers were touching the top of her ass, massaging lightly. Her Cougar was purring.
“Since we are confessing things, I will tell you this; I came here hoping to find you. I did not know where your living quarters were, but I would have searched the computers to find you if you were not here tonight. I want to be with you again. Very much.”
“I have your wrist commlink. I’d have taken it to someone just to find you.” His smile made her feel funny inside.
“I will confess to something else.” He leaned in, bringing his mouth close to her ear, and his breath tickled her sensitive skin, bringing chills. “I told you I was with one woman.” His fingers found the cutouts on her dress again, skimming his nails on her bare skin. “We were both finishing our injections and were curious about sex. We fumbled through it like human adolescents. But now remembering the movies we intercepted on our trip to Earth. And the movies I watched since I have been here-” His tongue darted around her ear making her knees weak.
Harliss (The Watchers Book 2) Page 3