A New Reason To Fight: An Intergalactic Romance

by T. J. Brandow

  Grinning wickedly, Lobo asked, “Say, why is your face so red this time, Mags?”

  “Well, I mean, you—you must have been thinking about somebody to get like that,” she explained.

  “You’re not wrong,” he agreed, giving her chin a little squeeze.

  “And also, the food is getting cold,” she added, her eyes darting quickly toward the direction of the kitchen. “So once we’ve covered that incredibly hot, washboard belly of yours, we’d best go in and eat.”

  Laughing again, Lobo said, “Sure. That’d be great.”

  “And then we can talk while we’re in the kitchen,” she said. “My parents always talked about business at the kitchen table, and it seemed to work for them. I’ve always liked the idea of doing the same, but of course Fred never wanted to oblige. Well, good riddance to him, anyway.”

  “Maggie, if you’re upset about this, it’d be okay,” Lobo said gently. “I’d even understand if you wanted me to leave. It’s just that my bike is broken, and probably my leg too, and I still need to complete my journey. I must get to Roswell by the end of this week to rejoin with my ship.”

  “That’s not a problem,” she told him. “I need to make a delivery in Roswell about that time anyway. We can stay put until Thursday and then head out on the highway. That should give you a little more time to heal.”

  “I don’t know,” he teased. “Four days alone with a beautiful woman, and completely at her mercy thanks to this injury? Will I be safe?”

  “Hey, now, you’re the space alien here,” she grumbled as she headed for the door. She tossed in some clothes at him. “If anything, I should be worrying about my own safety, not the other way around.”

  “Don’t be silly,” he called as he pulled on the shirt and she walked away so she wouldn’t be tempted to watch him pull on his pants too. “I’m completely helpless here. What could I possibly do to hurt you?”

  *****

  Once Lobo managed to pull on the jeans and fasten them closed, he cleared his throat and Maggie came into the bathroom again. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, she was very much aware that something had subtly changed between them. She pinpointed it to two things—first and foremost, figuring out that he was just as attracted to her as she was to him increased the heat. And second, as of tonight she was a free woman. If she wanted to take any action on the attraction, it would be perfectly okay.

  Of course, entertaining notions of boffing the space alien she just ran over with her semi while he had a busted up leg wasn’t exactly what she’d had in mind for a rebound, but hey, Lobo was pretty darn cute, and even if things went south he wasn’t likely to stick around anyway.

  Trouble was, the idea of him leaving was more dejecting than it should be. She wasn’t usually someone who grew attached quickly or easily, but Lobo was different than—well, everybody. As they walked slowly and carefully into the kitchen, the man turned his face into her neck and breathed in her scent, sending her heartbeat into overdrive.

  She helped him into one of the chairs and brought over the plates, setting them both down before taking a seat. She saw him take a big whiff of the food, too.

  “This smells almost as good as you,” he told her cheekily.

  “Okay, Buzz Lightyear, what’s up with all the sniffing?” she grumbled, giggling. “What, are you trying to seduce me?”

  “I didn’t think sniffing was especially seductive,” he chuckled. “Must be an Earth thing.”

  “Well, sniffing all the pheromones you’re giving off certainly can be,” she told him, then took a bite of scrambled eggs, blushing furiously.

  “Well yes, that, and the fact that we seem to have formed a blood-bond.”

  “Say what?” she asked quizzically.

  “You cut your hand, and I was also bleeding,” he explained. “Even here on Earth, I understand that’s sort of a bonding thing, but among my people it’s a thousand times stronger. I wish I could have warned you about it sooner, but what is done is done, I’m afraid.”

  Maggie stopped eating and stared at him. “No way,” she scoffed. “That’s one hell of a cheesy pick-up line.”

  “I’m afraid this is no joke,” he said, leaning forward to look earnestly into her eyes. “Now that it’s forged, we will both be forever affected by the link. If we are apart, we will long to be together again. And when we are together, the sex will be amazing.”

  “You say that like you expect us to be doing that sort of thing,” she replied, one brow raising slightly.

  His gaze burning brighter now, he inquired, “Won’t we?”

  FOUR

  Maggie’s heart began to thunder in her chest as she gazed at Lobo, taking in the unusual, almost amber shade of his eyes as she became lost in them. She’d been wondering about their color before, when they’d first met, but now that she could see them clearly she never would have been able to think a human male’s eyes could be that shade. His hair would pass, but the only way anyone would believe those eyes were normal was if he told them they were contacts.

  As for the rest of him, the guy had two arms, two legs, and plenty of hot, bulging muscles in all the right places. If he kept his shirt on nobody would notice his extra pair of abdominals. In short, there was no reason she could think of to tell him ‘no’. In fact, the way her libido was running on overdrive, she had a hell of a lot more reasons not to.

  “I—” she began, blushing furiously. “I just met you today, Lobo. Is that really something you expect me to be thinking about?”

  Lobo grinned. “I don’t expect you to be, but I know that you are. But it’s more than that, really. I’m a firm believer in fate, Maggie. Nothing ever happens on accident, you see. Take this situation, for example. A guy doesn’t get run over by a beautiful woman on another planet every day.”

  “Oh, so it happens a lot where you come from then?” she teased.

  “No, not really. We have air cars, so it’s not very likely.”

  “We’ve still got to look at your leg,” Maggie reminded him then. “I imagine the bone needs setting, and we’ll need to immobilize it too. So, how do you think you’re going to ravish me with more than your eyes after that?”

  “I’m sure we could think of something,” Lobo replied.

  “If you’re done eating, we should get started,” she added, clearly trying to change the subject before all the blood vessels in her face decided to burst from all her blushing. She even rubbed at her cheeks as they began to hurt.

  “Sure,” he agreed. “But maybe first you should find me a pair of shorts instead of these pants if you’re not wanting to see anything above my knees right now, eh?”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” she agreed. “Let me help you back onto the couch, okay?”

  She lifted him up as he put an arm around her. The enticing scent of him was even stronger than it had been before. It was all she could do to walk him across the room without sniffing him, and once she’d set him on the sofa she had to force herself to let him go.

  “Wow!” said Lobo. “I understood the theory behind the blood-bonding, of course, but damn. I really didn’t know it could be quite so intense.”

  “You too, huh?” Maggie asked huskily. She just stood in front of him and willed herself to breathe normally.

  “Apparently,” he admitted, and his own breathing was in a similar state. He clenched his fists at his sides, trying to keep his hands to himself.

  “So, what do you think we should do about this?”

  “There’s only one way we’re ever going to calm down, I’m afraid,” Lobo told her, though he didn’t look the least bit contrite. “We’re going to have to do something to take the edge off a bit, at least.”

  “What did you have in mind?” she asked, raising one crimson eyebrow as she pinned him with her green gaze.

  “Maggie, come here and kiss me, please,” he suggested. “I only need a taste, or I’ll never be able to stand your hands on me while you’re working on that thing.”

  His ey
es flicked briefly away from hers to glance down at his leg.

  “But Lobo, I never kiss on the first date,” Maggie complained. “I want to know that anybody I’m with wants me for more than just my body.”

  “That is so hot,” he whispered, gritting his teeth as if he were in even more pain than he had been already. “Normally, I feel the same way. But I’m willing to admit this is a special circumstance. Wouldn’t you say?”

  “Well, I—” she began, then sucked in a breath as she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she accidentally caught a glimpse of his crotch. Heat swirled all through Maggie’s body when she realized he was reacting rather strongly to her nearness yet again.

  Her only coherent thought was that it was probably a good thing Fred’s jeans were at least one size too big on the man, or he’d never be able to stay in the things. Almost of its own accord, her body moved so that she stood between Lobo’s legs, her breaths coming in short little gasps when his hands reached up to palm the backs of her thighs.

  “Lobo, this is—crazy,” she stammered. “This isn’t what we’re supposed to be doing right now.”

  “I agree completely,” he shrugged. “If we don’t set that leg, who knows what kind of trouble there’ll be. I’m well aware that we can’t leave it like it is. It’s just that my brain wants to fix it, while my body wants to compensate by growing the third leg instead.”

  Maggie chuckled. “You’re funny.”

  “Mags, are you going to kiss me?” he asked softly. “I promise not to try anything.”

  “Well, I did run you over with my truck,” she said. “I suppose I owe you something.”

  “Well, yeah,” he agreed wickedly. “I mean, look at everything I had to do just to get a date with you.”

  “Yeah,” she laughed. “Practically threw yourself at my feet.”

  Bending down tentatively, Maggie set her lips onto Lobo’s. They hadn’t intended to add a whole lot of heat, but things escalated quickly. Lobo tugged her down onto his lap, and the extra leg stabbed her butt cheek.

  “Ouch!” she complained, then settled herself more comfortably. They kissed for what seemed like hours, and eventually even progressed to a little bit of petting, before Maggie had the good sense to stand up again. “Let me go get those shorts, okay?”

  “That sounds like a good idea,” Lobo agreed, gulping hard as he suppressed a shudder.

  Once Lobo was in the shorts, the two of them managed to ignore their raging hormones long enough to determine that his leg was broken just above the ankle. Maggie wrapped the thing up for him and went to grab an old pair of crutches that Fred had left in her shed.

  “So, I think it would be a really good idea to get some rest,” she told him then. “I’ll go find you a pillow and blanket, and you can sleep on the couch. See, you could prop the foot up on the arm to elevate it. It’ll be perfect.”

  “If you’re putting me to bed alone and in pain, I could really use some of that alcohol,” Lobo told her, pointing to the bottle she’d left nearby. “If I knock myself out maybe I won’t be as tempted to sneak into your bedroom with you.”

  “Sorry, I should have thought of it sooner, but I wasn’t sure if you could even have any,” said Maggie contritely. She grabbed the bottle and a glass and set them both into his hands.

  “It’s a bit stronger on our bodies than yours,” he shrugged. “But considering the amount of pain I’m in, and my lack of some narbloo, it’ll have to do.”

  “What is narbloo?”

  “Pain killer,” he supplied.

  Nodding, she turned and headed into the hallway, opening the linen closet and rummaging around inside. She came back with a blanket and several pillows, placing some under his head, but reserving some of the pillows to go under his knee and his ankle.

  “There you go, all comfy.”

  “You wouldn’t happen to have a straw, would you?” he asked hopefully. “Might make it a bit easier to get this stuff in me.”

  “Sure, and I’ll even make you a bag of popcorn and turn on the TV,” she said, grinning. “Do you want me to pop in a movie?”

  “Oh no, I’m fine,” he said, burrowing down into his covers. “I’m just going to take my pain killer and try to fall asleep. Since it’s too soon to see you in your bed, maybe I’ll see you in my dreams.”

  Maggie laughed, then bent down to kiss his forehead. “Rest well, Buzz Lightyear. I’ll see you soon.”

  *****

  When Maggie got out of the shower and headed for bed, she noticed that her cell phone was blinking. She had turned down the volume and set it on her dresser while she was waiting for Lobo to finish his bath, and pretty much forgotten all about it after that.

  She didn’t have any doubts about who had left the message, and she had half a mind not to pick up the phone and read what Fred had to say. After all, hadn’t she rushed back tonight intent on finally having a good reason to break up with the man anyway? Why did she care if she ever talked to him again?

  This was how things always went between them. Explosive argument, one or the other apologizing, then things staying just the same as they ever were. But not this time. She was tired of it, and she was tired of him. And besides, after discovering how incredible the energy between a man and a woman really could be, she could see now that everything she and Fred had ever shared, in the four years they’d been dating, was just plain—boring!

  Still, she found herself reading what he had written anyway.

  Maggie, I’m sorry I blew up at you. I know that you were trying to tell me what had happened when a stormed out of there. It’s just that you’ve never given me any reason to doubt you before, and that guy was naked and horny. Baby, I really need to know what’s going on. Talk to me.

  “Bastard,” she muttered as she began to type a reply.

  What’s going on is that I know about you and that waitress, Jeanie, and I really don’t even care. I’m tired of you anyway, so go on and enjoy that floozy all you want. I may not have brought that guy home intent on doing anything but patching him up, but since you don’t trust me and I can’t trust you, there’s nothing more we need to say. As of now, you and I are officially broke up. Have a nice day.

  “That oughtta tell him,” she smirked, putting the phone away. She curled up and went to sleep, completely satisfied with her world.

  FIVE

  Lobo awakened to the realization that there was one contingency plan that he and Maggie had failed to make. He really needed to get to the restroom, and he was pretty sure Maggie was sound asleep. Grabbing the crutches from the floor, he hoisted himself up onto them and hobbled his way over to the open door, practically falling through it and landing on the lid of the toilet. He was so drunk he had to fight with the shorts to free them from his anatomy.

  “Oh, this is good,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. “I’ve got to get ahold of the ship. Med-bot needs to fix this leg before it drives me insane!”

  The sound of Maggie’s bedroom door opening made him groan. She took one look at him and rolled her eyes. He was sitting there with his legs sprawled and his butt planted in the toilet bowl, and the seat was still up behind him.

  “You are so completely helpless right now,” she scolded him, trying not to laugh. “You should have asked me to get you in here. I think next time we want to kill your pain we should be using a pill instead of the whole damned brewery.”

  “Come on, now,” he slurred. “I’m not that bad.”

  “The hell if you aren’t,” she replied. “You’ve made a mess on the floor.”

  Stunned, Lobo realized she was right. “I’m sorry, Mags. Maybe we should have gotten me a pan.”

  “Why, so you could mess up the living room instead?” she scoffed. But then the laugh she’d been trying to hold back finally burst free. The sound was mellow and melodious, and totally contagious. She dropped a towel onto the floor and used her feet to move it, drying up the puddle of water and whatever else he might have gotten there. When she reached
down to help him up, they both started to laugh again.

  Lobo’s arms encircled her waist, and Maggie sucked in a breath. But who could blame her, since he was standing there with his cock not tucked in, and it was starting to get interested again. He bent and kissed her, and heat flared between them. With temptation so easily within her grasp, who could blame a woman for grasping it?

  With a groan, Lobo deepened the kiss, backing her against the hallway wall and pinning her there. Her free hand shot up to tangle into the length of his dark hair, ensuring that he continued to suck on her bottom lip for a while.

  His tongue plunged into the moist heat of her mouth, tangling sweetly with her own. She groaned softly, and her grip on his cock tightened as it grew to its full size. His own groan mingled with hers as he began to think about the logistics of how they could continue what they were doing. He supposed if they put his leg onto a pillow, she could simply climb on top.

  “We should put you back to bed,” Maggie said reluctantly.

  “Whose bed?” he asked, his eyes burning into hers.

  She chuckled. “Lobo, you’re drunk, and you’re hurt. Do you really think that would work right now?”

  “It works for me,” he said with a naughty grin. “I could make it work for you too.”

  “Lobo, come on,” she hummed. “Don’t you think this is kind of crazy?”

  “Crazy is a good thing, in this case.”

  “Yeah, I’ll bet,” she answered in a sultry tone as she began to slide along the wall toward her bedroom door. Lobo followed her eagerly, limping with one leg and favoring the other. He followed her inside and they fell onto the bed together, continuing to kiss hungrily.

  Lobo’s hands came up to find Maggie’s breasts through her nightgown, his fingers deftly tweaking the nipples to life. She moaned into his mouth.