by Sadie Carter
“You can understand me too? Is this magic?” she whispered.
He laughed. “No, baby. It’s Kyle. A friend invented this. There’s a whole science behind it, but basically, when you wear it, you can understand and speak whatever languages are loaded on there. You’re speaking English, by the way.”
“English. This is amazing.” And a bit scary.
Rich reached out and grasped hold of her hand. “Laylla, why did you bring me here?”
She looked away for a moment then back at him. “Your people will be coming for you, yes?”
“Yes. They are due any day now. They had my co-ordinates, so they should come here first. Is that why you brought me here? So, they could find me? But I thought you claimed me?”
She straightened her shoulders. “I am revoking my claim.” And she swore she felt her heart break at those words. Ridiculous. It wasn’t as though she loved him. Females did not fall in love with males.
And yet the thought of him leaving was killing her. It was tearing her insides. Only the thought of holding him back from what he was meant to do hurt her more.
“Nate explained that you are needed on your planet. That your planet is different from here. That you have important things to do.”
“You’re letting me go, just like that?”
“Yes. Just like that.” She nodded firmly, determined not to let him see how much she was hurting. “It is my job to put your needs first. You need to return to your home. Is that not so?”
“Yes, I do. I’m glad we can discuss this like rational adults.”
“Yes.” Rational? She wasn’t so sure about that. But she wasn’t going to let on how difficult this was for her. This had to happen. Her feelings on the matter would not change that.
“Will you wait with me until they come?”
Her stomach unravelled slightly. She would have a slight reprieve until she had to say goodbye.
“Yes.”
He gave her a savage grin. “Good. Because there are some things we need to take care of before I leave.”
What could that be? He grabbed her hand and led her over to the trees. He walked until he found a small clearing then he placed his unusual-looking pack on the ground and opened it, pulling out a fur that was like nothing she’d seen. It was thin and looked to be finely woven. He placed it on the ground. He put another two blankets close by then pulled out some odd-looking sticks and shook them until they glowed.
“That is remarkable,” she said, staring at them in amazement. “You made light from shaking them.”
“He pushed the sticks into the ground around the blanket. Then he stood and stared at her. “Now strip.”
She took a step back, shocked by the fierceness in his voice. “What?”
“Strip. I have submitted to you often enough. Now it is your turn.”
“Females do not submit.” But she’d done it once and enjoyed it. With Rich. With anyone else, she could not stomach the idea, but there was something about him. Something special.
“Where I come from, sometimes females submit, sometimes males do. A lot of relationships are on a very equal setting although it always seems to me that one partner is more dominant. I like to be in control, I’ve been accused of being a control freak by some.”
Control freak?
“But I don’t mind letting you take charge in the bedroom. Sometimes. But not tonight. Tonight, it’s my time.”
“We are not in a room with a bed,” she said.
“Don’t act dense, baby. You know what I mean. It’s my turn to take control. Let me take command.”
“I do not know if I can.”
“You do. You’ve done it before. What’s more, you liked it.” His eyes were lit with pleasure and need and something else. Something that made her shiver. She wanted this, she realized. And what could it hurt for one night?
“Just tonight.”
“We’ll see. It might take a while for my friends to get here and I’m not promising that I won’t want to dominate you again.”
That should not have aroused her as much as it did, but she could not deny her need to be pleasured by him. She undid the plate that protected her chest then slid her suit off, baring herself to his gaze. He walked around her, studying her.
“You are beautiful, you know that?”
“Females are not beautiful. Males are.”
He ran his hand over her ass, squeezing tight. “That’s where you’re wrong, darling. You are gorgeous. And tonight, I get to finally find out how you taste.”
Her breath caught. Surely, he didn’t mean? She turned sharply towards him, and he nodded. “That’s right. I’m going to eat you out and enjoy every minute. Bend over.”
She glared at him. Eat her out? Bend over?
He smacked a hand down on her ass, and she jumped slightly, growling. He chuckled.
“You are enjoying this too much.”
“That I am, darling. That I am. Now, bend. I want to see every inch of you.”
She bent over, grumbling quietly to herself, her cheeks flushing a little as she knew he could definitely see every inch of her now. He ran his hands over her ass cheeks, squeezing them and pulling them apart.
“You seem to be obsessed with my buttocks,” she stated.
“I know. It’s the best butt I’ve ever seen. Tight and tanned. And so fucking delicious.” He leaned forward and nipped one cheek. She yelped and stood, turning as she rubbed her bottom. He grinned and pulled her close, kissing her. “I couldn’t resist.”
“I am not edible.”
“Oh, but you are. Lie on the blanket on your back, arms above your head and keep them there.” She lay back, her cheeks reddening further as he stood, staring down at her. “Spread your legs. Damn, that’s a beautiful sight.”
“Rich,” she half-protested as he knelt between her open legs and ran his hands up her thighs, just stopping short of the wet folds between her legs. Her passage tightened, wanting more, needing him inside her, but he merely drew his hands back down her legs. Leaning in, he took one long lick of her dew. She shouted, attempting to close her legs. No one had ever licked her there. Ever.
He held her thighs apart, frowning down at her. “Keep those legs apart or I’ll have to try and find something to bind you with.”
Her breath quickened at the thought, and he tilted his head to one side. “Hmm, I can see that thought intrigues you.”
She shook her head quickly, and he slapped his hand down on her mound lightly. “No lying. Lying is naughty, and you know what happens when you’re naughty.”
“I will be punished and sentenced to manual labor.”
“No,” he barked out, looking annoyed. Then he ran one finger up and down her folds, almost in apology. “No, no hard labor for you. I have a much more interesting punishment in mind.”
The sun drifted behind the mountains, but the glowing sticks bathed them in a soft light.
“What?” she asked suspiciously.
“Hmm, let me see. I might bring you to the edge of release over and over without letting you come.”
He wouldn’t! She glared at him in outrage, and he chuckled. “I might spank that delectable ass. Although I have the feeling that would be more pleasure than punishment for you.”
She blushed at that. He might just be right. He pushed a finger deep inside her and pressed it against that spot that drove her wild. “I might not allow you to suck me off. Seeing as you seem to enjoy that so much.”
Damn him. She did. She raised an eyebrow and tried to appear unaffected by that finger stroking her insides. “And you do not enjoy it?”
“Oh, I never said that.” He removed his finger, grinning when she whimpered. How had she not realized what a sadist he was?
“Tell me something, were you a virgin before me?” he asked.
“Virgin?” she queried.
“Had you had sex before? Before me?”
“No. The first time I was to join with a male was at the ceremony I missed.”
Leaning over her, his weight resting on his arms, he took one of her nipples into his mouth, sucking strongly. She pressed up against him but kept her arms where he’d directed, not wanting to risk him stopping. He moved to the other nipple, giving it the same treatment then nipping it gently.
“Good girl for staying so still. That deserves a reward, I think.” He patted her mound. “I know you didn’t have sex before me, but has anyone ever eaten this pussy?”
A pussy was her mound?
“I do not think I want it to be eaten.” That sounded painful.
He chuckled as he kissed down her stomach. “Poor choice of words. Has anyone ever licked you until you came? Until you found your release?”
Her heartbeat quickened. “No, our males do not do that.”
“Idiots,” he muttered. “They do not know what they are missing out on.” By now he had reached the top of her mound and was placing small kissed across it. He moved lower, taking another lick of her juices. She groaned. “You taste delicious.”
She did? Before she could say anything, he was licking her in earnest. Two fingers thrust inside her, playing with her, teasing her. Pleasure rose higher and higher. Her insides tightened. She could not find release. Not like this. But then he replaced his fingers with his tongue, and all thoughts left her head.
Her whole body ached with the need for release as he thrust his tongue in and out of her passage, playing with her, teasing her. Then she reached the edge and fell over, screaming as she came, clenching down on his tongue, her whole body shaking with the intensity of her orgasm.
Rich removed his tongue from inside her but continued to lick her gently as she struggled to control her breathing. “That was…that was…beyond anything I have felt before.”
He grinned down at her then entered her slowly, his huge shaft filling her. “Thank you, darling. It was entirely my pleasure. You may move your hands now. I wish to feel your touch.”
She eagerly ran her hands over his shoulders and down his arms, loving the feel of his smooth skin and thick muscles. Nothing felt as good as having Rich inside her.
She loved the way he filled her. He moved faster, driving himself in and out of her in sharp thrusts that rubbed against that spot inside her. As he came, she felt herself shiver with another release. Not as spectacular as the last one, but in a way, this was more special because they found their release together.
She tightened her arms around him, holding back the words she longed to say.
Stay with me.
Chapter Nine
Morning came quickly, and he felt slightly hung over from lack of sleep. He’d taken Laylla so many times he’d lost count. Rich rolled over and stared down at Laylla as she slept. It was crazy to feel so much for someone he’d only known for a short amount of time. But it had been an intense few days. He pushed her golden hair back off her face. He couldn’t stay, and it wouldn’t be fair to ask her to come with him. He didn’t know what the next few months would have in store for him, but he knew he wouldn’t have much free time. He’d be asking her to leave her home, her family, a place where she was important to come with him into the unknown.
No, it wasn’t fair to ask her to come with him.
But he still wanted to do it.
As she opened those beautiful eyes, he smiled.
“Laylla, I—”
He rolled, looking up as the wind whipped around them, shaking the shelter of trees above them.
“A flying ship,” Laylla said loudly over the noise.
Rich turned to her, taking in her look of amazement. She smiled but he thought it looked a little forced. “Your friends?”
“Yes.” Even though he’d spent most of his time wishing they’d hurry up and rescue him, now that they were here he found himself wanting a bit more time.
“I suppose we must get dressed then before they find us like this.”
“I guess.” He leaned in and kissed her. “You might have kidnapped me and held me against my will, but it turned out to be the best week of my life.”
“Really?” She raised an eyebrow. “All of it?”
“Well, there are certain parts I wouldn’t want to relive and others I’ll be dreaming of over and over for the rest of my life.” He winked at her and she smiled.
***
How had she ever thought he would be hers?
As she watched Rich interact with his friends, she could see how he naturally took command. He was in his element. Strong. Confident. It would never have worked between the two of them. He would soon have grown unhappy as her mate, having to defer to her, to allow her to take control. And she was not certain she could give up that control to him.
Although there were times when letting him dominate her certainly had its advantages. She warmed as she thought of everything they’d done last night. She would carry the memories with her always. At times, when she grew tired of all her responsibilities, of always having to appear strong and invincible, she would still have these memories to return to. To remember a time when she was truly happy.
“Laylla? Laylla?”
She looked up, startled to realize Rich was standing in front of her. She stood. “Yes?”
“I called your name but you were a million miles away.”
A million miles?
“I was here all the time.”
He let out a chuckle.
“Something is funny?”
“No. Well, yes. I forgot that our Earther sayings can confuse others.” He shook his head. “The Zerconians have problems understanding us as well.”
From what he had told her during the night, Rich’s sister and cousin had mated Zerconians and he had been staying on their planet while his friends gathered information needed to overthrow the corrupt leader of his planet. She hadn’t understood everything he had told her, but she knew that what he was doing was important.
More important than being with her.
“Did you want something?” she asked more sharply than she had intended.
He glanced away then turned back to her. “We are ready to go.”
She would not show how upset she was. She would remain strong. She nodded. “Then I suppose this is goodbye.”
“Yes, I suppose it is,” he agreed, but he didn’t move towards the new spaceship. She noticed that the others had disappeared and it was just the two of them.
“Rich, I wish you a good journey and safe travel,” she told him formally.
“Screw that.” He drew her against him, holding her tight as he pressed his lips against hers. Hard. Hot. Her body stirred and she melted against him, almost clinging to him. When he pulled back, his gaze was fierce. “I will miss you. Tell me the truth, will you miss me?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
He nodded once then let go, turning away and walking towards the flying ship.
That was it? That was his goodbye?
Suddenly he stopped. What was going on? He paced back and forth for a moment as she watched on in confusion. Then he turned back to her.
“Damn it!”
She had heard those words numerous times. Usually when he was frustrated or angry.
Then he strode back to her, his face furious. Why was he angry at her?
“If you’d just left me on the ship everything would have gone on as I had planned. Logan would have found me, taken me to home and I could have achieved the goals I’ve been working towards my whole life. If you hadn’t come into my life.”
“You can still achieve those goals,” she shot back, insulted by the implication that this was all her fault. Did he not think he had affected her life? Disrupted her goals?
Except her goals were not really her own. They were goals that had been thrust upon her at birth. That she would become a strong protector, a prolific hunter and provider, and that one day she would lead their people.
Those expectations, she no
w realized, had weighed her down since birth. Before, it had not really worried her, well, not much. Before Rich. Now, she found what she really wanted was happiness. To be loved. Accepted for who she was.
To not be molded into who someone else thought she should be.
“Yes, I can. But I don’t want to.” He glared at her in frustration. “Without you.”
She frowned, confused. What was he trying to say?
“I want you to come with me. Will you?”
Come with him?
“Why?”
“Why what?” he snapped.
“Why do you want me to come with you? You said yourself that you have goals to achieve, you will have no time for anything else.”
Or anyone. He hadn’t said the words but despite the confusing way he sometimes spoke, she had understood.
“Look, if you’re wanting words of love you’ve come to the wrong man. I don’t know how to speak of love or romance or any of that crap. That’s not me.”
“I do not expect that of you.” In truth, she did not fully understand love or romance. They were not something her people had experience of. But she did know that she wanted him. “And I cannot give you the same.”
“Good.” He placed his hands behind his back. “Then we’re in agreement.”
They were? Over what?
“What do we agree?”
“Never to speak any of that soppy shit about love. I’ll warn you now, I’ll likely forget any special dates or anniversaries, I’ll probably work late every night, I’m terrible at birthdays or any romantic stuff. I’m rich. I’m going to be powerful. I can look after you. But I’ll probably never tell you I love you.”
She wished he would just get to the point.
“Rich, what are you trying to say?” she asked with frustration, placing her hands on her hips. “You were easier to understand when we could not speak to each other.”
“Come with me. I want you to come with me.”
“To Earth?” Could she do that? Leave everything for him?
“I know I’m asking a lot for you to leave your home. I know I am being selfish. I want it all. You. And to achieve my goals. But I do know this. I’ve never really been happy before, not until I met you. And I will do whatever I can to make you happy. But I cannot do that if we live on separate planets. So come with me.”