by Melody Dawn
Ralen shot her a warning look, and Jessie shut her mouth, remembering his threat to go back to New York and finish Edgar off.
“I had nothing personally to do with the Krinar mandate on food. If you want to eat pork, knock yourself out. Personally, I don’t like the taste.”
Jessie’s shoulders sagged. She had to stop taunting him at every turn.
“Honestly, I don’t like it either. However, I don’t like to be told I can’t eat something because you guys decided it.”
His next words floored her, “I understand that feeling. I doubt Krinar’s would like it any better if someone came to our planet and changed our way of life. The only thing I can say is the obesity level in your country was off the charts before we came. Something had to be done, or your race was going to be eradicated by eating itself to death.”
Jessie silently agreed with him, but that was as far as she was going.
Finished with the food prep, Ralen carried it over to the small bistro table and sat down, his massive body dwarfing the little iron chair.
The sight was hilarious, and Jessie was unable to hold in her laughter.
“You look ridiculous!”
Ralen’s facial expression made her laugh even harder.
You can’t even see the chair because you’re such a giant. I know you’re uncomfortable. Let’s sit outside on the porch.”
Shaking his head and grinning at her accurate description of him, he got up and followed her outside.
“God, it’s beautiful out here. It’s like Manhattan doesn’t even exist with this view in front of me.”
“The view is gorgeous, something I could get used to looking at every day.”
Jessie looked up to see Ralen staring at her and blushed.
Not knowing what to say, she reached for a slice of pineapple and took a bite.
“Oh wow, this is so good! It’s like a burst of heaven in your mouth.”
Ralen agreed and then urged her to try the papaya.
They sat quietly, continuing to eat until Jessie burst out. “You confuse me so much, Ralen. One second I hate you, the next I think you’re a great guy, not to mention I want your hands on me all the time. But, I can’t get past what you did to Edgar. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to.”
Standing to his feet, Ralen’s next words got her attention. “Maybe what I did was wrong, Jessie, however, you might think about why I did it. I’ve gone against a direct order from my commander as well as Korum, and I’m almost 100% sure I’ve lost my career or at least been downgraded to the lowest Guardian rank. I’m also risking having my mind rehabilitated.”
“What’s mind rehabilitation?”
“All of your memories are taken from you. You’re a shadow of your former self.”
“You mean, like what you did to Edgar?”
“No, I’m talking about a complete mind swipe.”
He looked out into the distance, then back at her. “If I can’t have you, then that’s what I’ll ask for. I don’t want to live in a world without you in it.”
Then, he stepped off the porch and took off down the beach, leaving Jessie with her mouth hanging open.
Ralen
Ralen went for a run on the sand, trying to burn Jessie’s words from her mind. He needed to turn himself in. She made it clear she couldn’t get over his actions. Who knows? Maybe she shouldn’t. He had committed a very selfish act in the heat of passion.
Maybe if she hadn’t witnessed it, but she did.
Once again, he cloaked his location and called Tarek.
“Hey Ralen, how’s the romance going?”
Ralen cringed, which Tarek didn’t miss.
“From your expression, I’m guessing, not so well.”
“No, not good at all. Jessie says she can’t get past what I did to her boyfriend...”
Shit. He hadn’t told Tarek about that.
“What did you to do? Punch him?”
Ralen shut his eyes and confessed. “I hid in her apartment until they got there, then I held him at gunpoint. He tried to rush me, so I stunned him...”
“Man, did you kill him?”
“No! I made sure my stunners were at the lowest level. It knocked him unconscious. Then I told her I would finish him off unless she came with me to...to where we are. And, I wiped his memory clean of me, her and the last seventy-two hours of his life.”
“Fuck. I don’t want to fall in love, or whatever shit has happened to you. Brother, I think you’re fighting a losing battle. I don’t know how she could ever unsee that.”
“I know. I’m going to turn myself in tomorrow. I want one more night with her then I’m taking her back to New York. I’m going to ask Laira if she thinks there might be a way to reverse what I’ve done.”
Ralen thought Tarek would agree, but it was clear he didn’t. “No, Ralen. Stay where you are. Do not come back right now, not until Jakar calms down or is distracted by a mission.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore, Tarek. I’m going to ask for a memory rehab.”
“Where the fuck are you, Ralen? Seriously, tell me, right now.”
“I’ll tell you tomorrow. I told you I need to have one more night with her.”
“What does it matter? You’re determined to be a martyr; you won’t remember it anyway.”
Tarek’s words shouldn’t have hurt as badly as they did. They had known each other since what humans would call, “toddler age.”
“Why are you being such an asshole? I’m trying to do the right thing.”
“Just tell me where you are. If you’re so determined to turn yourself in, I want to be there with you. Now, where are you?”
Ralen sighed and gave up the information. “We’re in Kauai. I’ll send you my coordinates in the morning.”
“I’m holding you to that.”
Ralen cut the transmission without answering and took off back toward the cottage. When he arrived, Jessie was lying on the sand where the water rolled in, laughing as it tickled her feet.
“Do you have a swimsuit?” She called out to him?
He jogged over to her. “No, I don’t need one.”
Raising her eyebrow, she laughed. “So, you don’t mind sand in the places it shouldn’t be in?”
Ralen couldn’t imagine anything worse than sand in his ass crack or on his balls. “On second thought, I’ll make one.”
“I’ll be back soon. Do you need anything while I’m in there?”
Her face softened at his words. “Maybe a bottle of water would be good.”
Ralen and Jessie spent the day on the beach, laughing and talking.
Seemingly, they had come to an unspoken truce and were enjoying being together.
“What’s it like on Krinar?”
“Nothing like what you’re used to. We don’t have cities like Manhattan.”
“Excuse me, alien boy, I am from Upstate New York. I lived in a very rural area growing up.”
“So why did you go to the city for university?”
“Hm, that’s a long story. First, I wanted to get away from my parents. I love them, and they’re wonderful. However, they are still very traditional. They would have wanted me to marry a man with Chinese origins, live near them, and I didn’t want those limitations. I wanted to live life, go to college to be a doctor, and have fun.”
“I didn’t know you wanted to be a doctor.”
Jessie arched her eyebrow. “We haven’t actually spent a lot of time talking about our life’s goals.”
“What about you? Did you ever want to be anything else besides a Guardian?”
“I don’t think so. We’re tested as children to find out what our strengths and weaknesses are. My strengths were athleticism and protective instincts. I’m sure there were others, but those two were at the top.
“Being in the Guardians is kind of like your military’s Special Ops guys.”
“Do you mean like Navy SEALS, Delta Force, and guys like that?”
“How do you know so much
about them?”
“You need to look on my E-reader. I love military romances. Maryann Jordan is one of my favorite writers. Oh, and Susan Stoker, too. They’re so interesting.”
“Yes, I’m sure that’s why you read them, for the interest factor.”
“Shush, you. One day, I’m going to make you read one, and you’ll see how interesting they are.”
Her words struck a chord of anguish in Ralen’s heart. One day. She didn’t know today was the only day they had. Most likely if she knew, she would be glad.
Standing to his feet, he extended his hand. “We better go in. It’s getting late, and I’m starving.”
Later that night, after a meal of spicy white beans, grilled tofu, and pineapple, Ralen was telling Jessie stories of his and Tarek’s exploits.
Laughing, she said, “I take it Tarek is a manwhore.”
“Well, probably to you, but we don’t have those kinds of labels in the Krinar society.”
Jessie looked perplexed, so he explained.
“Though some practice monogamy, for those who are not married or in a relationship, sex is recreational. You can have as many partners as you like, no matter what the gender, and there are no expectations.”
“You mean you just go around fucking everybody. Is that what you think is going to happen with us? That’s disgusting, Ralen. I want the guy I’m with to love me, not just want to screw me all the time.”
Gently, he tried to explain further, “Jessie, you’re comparing two different societies. I’m not saying monogamy is bad. I’m relaying how Krinar’s view sex for those unattached. You can’t tell me every place on Earth is full of monogamous people.”
“You’re right, not every place is. But, that’s what I want. One of the reasons I wanted Edgar was how much he cared about me.”
Ralen felt his heartbeat speed up. Clamping his lips together so he wouldn’t say the wrong thing, he seethed inside.
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’m going to take a shower.”
Waiting until she left the room, he said out loud, “You didn’t ask me what I want.”
Ralen was lying in bed when Jessie got out of the shower. Not knowing what to say to her, he kept quiet while she climbed in bed.
Clicking off the light, she turned to her side and whispered, “Just another reason why we would never work, Ralen.”
Knowing this was his last night with her made something inside of him break. He was determined to wipe Edgar from her mind, at least for the moment.
Grasping her shoulder, he turned her on to her back
“I’m going to show you how we do work. Give me your hands.”
Surprisingly, she obeyed, and he pulled her arms above her head, holding both of her hands in one of his.
Ralen kissed her, trying to pour everything he felt into the kiss. It was savage and beautiful, and he couldn’t get enough of her.
Their tongues dueled, teeth clicked together, each of them trying to win the battle waging between them.
Finally, having to take a breath, he dropped his head to her neck, remembering how much she liked him kissing her there the night before.
Covering every inch of her skin with his mouth, Ralen licked and nibbled, leave his mark of ownership.
Jessie moved under him, returning move for move as if she needed to mark him as well.
When he was done with the front, he turned her on her stomach and began again at her neck, laying kisses down her spine. He thought about taking her from behind, yet while he loved her ass, he needed to see her face while he was inside her for the first time.
Turning her again, he dove back in, kissing her until they couldn’t breathe.
Returning to her breasts, he took both in hand, sucking the nipples deep into his mouth, scoring his teeth over them like she loved.
Ralen tried to be gentle, but he was angry. Angry, because tomorrow he was losing Jessie, pissed, she wouldn’t let go of the idea of Edgar. For one night, he wanted her to only think of him.
“I’m going to make you forget him if it’s the last thing I do.”
“Sorry, that’s not going to happen,” she taunted.
Rather than use more words, he spread her legs wide and thrust into the hilt, aided by her arousal.
Gripping her wrists tighter, he moved, making their bodies one.
“I still hate you, Ralen.”
He laughed in derision. “Do you really, Tesoro? Let’s examine the evidence, shall we? Your nipples are hard and begging for my mouth; your hips are grinding into mine, and your tight pussy is gripping my cock. Yes, tell me how much you hate me again.”
Determined to push her into an epic orgasm, Ralen slowed down, making sure his cock dragged against her G-spot.
He was rewarded with her moaning his name. “Oh Ralen, that feels so good. Don’t ever stop.”
“Never,” he vowed.
Seconds later, her pussy clamped down on him, and she screamed.
Needing her to come again, he kept thrusting, this time letting go of her hands to massage her clit.
“Tell me, Jessie, did your human boyfriend make you scream with pleasure?”
Ralen raked his teeth over the sensitive spot on her neck.
Just as she was about to come, he stopped moving.
“No, don’t stop. I need to come, Ralen, please.”
“Then tell me what I want to hear.”
He thrust in once more, while alternately petting and pinching her clit.
“Who...who are you talking about?” Ralen could hear the confusion in her voice.
Triumph overwhelmed him. He had done it. He had driven the human from her mind. Now, all he needed was for her to surrender to him completely.
Driving one last time into her tight sweet body, he demanded, “Tell me who you belong to, Jessie.”
Jessie wrapped her arms around his neck and cried out, “I’m yours, Ralen...always yours.”
Ralen’s heart soared, and he gave her what she needed to come. When she reached her peak with a hoarse scream, he allowed himself to follow her into heaven.
No words were spoken between them as they pulled apart. All had been said while they were intimately connected. Whether they would stand in the light of day was the question.
Bringing a warm washrag to her side of the bed, he lifted the covers and gently cleaned her up.
When he returned, she was asleep, so he got into bed and pulled her into his arms, whispering into her hair, “I’m yours too.”
Jessie
The next morning, Jessie arose once again to find an empty bed. Figuring that Ralen was probably getting their breakfast, she took a shower and did her morning routine.
Apparently, Ralen realized she had no clothes and had created a sundress and flip-flops for her. The dress was white eyelet, and the shoes had white rubber soles with a matching white eyelet swath of material, made to go across the top of her foot.
Putting her hair up into a messy bun, she brushed her teeth and went to find the alien who was actively stealing her heart.
To her surprise, he was talking with someone on the beach. Unsure if this was the owner of the cottage or a local, she walked toward him, calling his name.
“Good morning, Ralen. Who’s your company?”
Both men turned to her, and she could now see, the new stranger was most definitely a Krinar. He reminded her of Korum, with his black hair, golden eyes, and model-perfect face.
Extending his hand to her, he said, “I’m Tarek, the manwhore.”
Jessie’s eyes flew to Ralen’s, communicating she was going to severely hurt him in the near future.
“Uh, hello, Tarek.”
She tried to shake his hand except he pulled her to his mouth instead. “I’m so happy to meet you, Jessie.”
Her eyes narrowed, “Yeah, I was right. Manwhore is a perfect label.”
Both men laughed like it was the funniest thing ever and Jessie couldn’t help but join in.
“When did you
get here?”
“Just a little while ago...after I finally talked Ralen into giving me his coordinates.”
Jessie stared at Ralen in shock. “Aren’t you afraid we’ll be found now? What about being cast out of the Guardians or mind rehabilitation?”
Forgetting they had an audience, she demanded, “What about last night?”
Ralen smiled sadly, “Careful, Jessie, you sound like you worried about me.”
Not knowing what to think or feel, she went with the truth. “I do care for you, you big bastard.”
Then she kicked off her shoes and took off back to their cottage, wishing she had someone to talk to.
Several minutes later, Tarek and Ralen walked into the cottage.
“Your breakfast is ready. Sorry, I didn’t cook anything, but the fruit is out of this world.”
“I’ve got to go and turn the keys into the owner. Tarek will stay and eat with you.”
Jessie watched as he walked back out as quickly as he entered.
What’s going on with him?
“I bet you’ll be happy to get back to New York, Jessie. Maybe, you can pick up where you and Edgar left off.”
“Maybe. I mean, he doesn’t know me anymore so I would have to introduce myself, and it would feel weird knowing something about Edgar, he doesn’t know himself. Honestly, I don’t think we would work out.”
“Why not? From what Ralen says, you think the sun sets around him.”
“Tarek, we don’t know each other, but since your Ralen’s friend, I’m sure he told you what happened. I care for Ralen, more than I should because I don’t know how we could work, but what he did? It haunts me.”
“I can understand that.”
Tarek was silent, then said in a conversational tone. “Well, it’s not like you’ll have to see him anymore.”
Jessie looked up in alarm. “What are you talking about?”
“I thought you knew? He’s turning himself in and asking for a mind rehab.”
The words felt like they were caving her chest in, making it impossible to breathe.
“No! He can’t do that!”
“Yes, he can. And it’s probably for the best.”