“You’re not eating,” he said as he took another bite.
“What? Oh!” She looked down at her plate and realized she’d put her fork down.
Lydia picked it back up and began eating again, trying not to stare too much at the yummy alien sitting across from her.
The rest of the meal, she stole glances at him and caught him staring right back every single time. There was humor and warmth in his gaze and she wondered what he was thinking. By the time Gryf paid the check and they were on their way out the door, she wanted desperately to invite him back to her place and see if things would be as steamy between them as she imagined.
Gryf shoved his hands into his pockets. “So, I guess I should take you back to your car so you can go home.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
His gaze skimmed over her, making her skin pebble. “Or you could come back to my place and stay the night. I could loan you something to sleep in.”
She moved a little closer, close enough to touch. “And is that what you have in mind? Sleeping?”
“You’re a temptation for sure, but I won’t take advantage of you. I have plenty of guest rooms you could pick from, or you could stay in the cottage if you wanted more space between us.”
Lydia moved closer still, until her breasts brushed against him. “And if I want there to be less space?”
“I think you need to tell me exactly what you want, what you expect. I don’t play games, Lydia. If you want to be in my bed, you need to say so. And if it’s just a one-time deal to scratch an itch, then tell me now. Otherwise, once you’re in my arms, I may not let you go.”
She could feel her pulse pounding as his words ricocheted through her mind.
Was she really going to do this? It was crazy to even think of mixing business with pleasure, but hadn’t they already gone past that point by going on the first date? Gryf hadn’t made it a secret that he wanted to know her better, and it was obvious there was a mutual attraction between them.
“Take me home, Gryf. And take me to bed. I can’t promise that we aren’t making a mistake that we’ll come to regret, but I do know that I’ll regret letting this moment pass me by. Whatever the future holds, I want you and I know you want me…and
that’s all that matters right now.”
Gryf gave her a smile before snaking an arm around her waist. His lips crashed down on hers with a fierceness that stole her breath and left her dizzy. His kiss was masterful and panty-melting good. When he drew away, Lydia had to lock her knees to stay upright. No, whatever happened, she definitely wouldn’t regret spending a night in his arms.
Chapter Six
Gryf felt his pulse pounding as he drove back to his home with Lydia at his side.
He couldn’t believe that she’d agreed to spend a night in his bed, and with any luck, she’d decide she wanted to stay there. He wasn’t stupid enough to call his raging hormones love, but Lydia was interesting. He could easily see himself waking up to her wrapped in his arms every morning, and then spending some time together in the home office. She seemed interested in Espress Yourself and he had to admit that her ideas were sound. With Lydia by his side, they could have a dual partnership, mixing both business and pleasure.
They cruised the streets, the passing street lamps highlighting Lydia’s golden hair. She was a breathtaking woman and he couldn’t understand how she could be single. With any luck, he could cement a relationship with her before the agency called her back. What would happen if they paired her with someone else? Of course, just because she’d signed up with them didn’t mean she had to follow through. She could always decline to date whoever her match was. But would she?
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She looked so fragile, yet he knew she was strong to have landed on her feet after being thrown out by her parents. She had survival skills, and he admired her for it. But she had more to think about than just herself. She may have agreed to come with him tonight, but there was more at stake for Lydia than just a night of pleasure. Yes, they could part ways in the morning and go back to a boss/employee relationship. Or maybe he could find a way to convince her that he was daddy material.
If it hadn’t been for spending some time with his nephew, Simon, he may have
never realized how much he enjoyed being around kids. It was one thing to know you wanted a child of your own, but another to realize that you could easily raise someone else’s. If Lydia gave him a chance, if she decided he was the right male for her, then he would raise her daughter as his own, and love them both unconditionally. He could tell Lydia that, but he knew he needed a way to show her.
They pulled into his driveway and he shut off the engine, but didn’t make a
move to exit the car just yet. Lydia looked at him, her eyes luminous in the dashboard lights. Her lips were still swollen from his kiss and it made him throb with need for her.
Gryf reached out and smoothed a thumb over her bottom lip.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked. “It’s not too late to change your mind. I won’t deny that I want you, but I don’t want you to regret being with me.”
“What I would regret is walking away.”
He tunneled his fingers through her hair and pulled her closer for a kiss. His mouth slanted over hers as his tongue delved inside for a taste. She was sweet and pliant. The way she melted every time he touched her was enough to set him on fire.
He’d been with plenty of females before, but no one had ever responded to him the way Lydia did.
“I’m guessing the hot tub is out of the question because of your pregnancy. I think my brother mentioned Violet couldn’t get in overly hot water or it might hurt the baby. But, perhaps, I could fill the tub with warm water and you could soak and relax a little?”
“And here I thought you were going to throw me on the bed and have your
wicked way with me.” She smiled.
“Don’t get me wrong, the idea did cross my mind, but you spent the morning on your feet and you’ve been running non-stop since you got up. I think you need to relax a little, and then we’ll see where things go. I can be patient, Lydia. Let me pamper you a little.”
“I’ll agree to the bath on one condition.”
“Anything you want.”
She licked her lips. “I want you in the tub with me.”
“While that sounds most intriguing, it doesn’t sound very relaxing for you.”
“I’ll take the risk.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. “Now, let me inside that gorgeous house of yours and start stripping.”
Gryf exited the car and opened the house, shutting off the alarm. Once they were inside, he locked up and reset the alarm before leading her upstairs. The staircase curved and they stepped through an archway onto the second floor. He led her down the hall to the master suite, pushing open the ornate double doors. Gryf wasn’t sure what she would think of the place. The bed was custom made and larger than a king. It stood on a platform and dominated the center of the left wall. There was an armoire, a five-drawer chest, a dresser, an oval mirror, and an entertainment center. Still, the room was far from cluttered as it was a spacious area. To the right of the door was a sunken sitting area with two sofas and a coffee table. It’s where he liked to relax and read after a long day.
“That bathroom is through here,” he said opening a door on the opposite wall.
The marbled floor gleamed and the large tub was definitely big enough for two, maybe even three or four. His shower took up the far wall with three shower heads and a control panel that adjusted water temperature and pressure. He did like his creature comforts.
Lydia was looking around with her jaw practically on the floor. “Gryf, this is amazing. I knew you were well-off because of how large the house is, but this…Is the coffee business really doing that well?”
“I’m the eldest in my family, which means I inherited some money before
moving here. The conversion rate was definitely in my favo
r when I changed out some money to your American dollars.”
She looked around again before her gaze clashed with his. “You’re like a
millionaire or something, aren’t you?”
“Does that matter?” he asked, feeling a little uncomfortable. He knew by human standards that he was wealthy, but on his world he was just…how had she put it? Well-off.
“No, your money doesn’t matter. It’s just a little much to take in.”
“I’m still the same male you had dinner with the other night, the same male who asked you to share his bed. I bleed like anyone else does, Lydia. And my heart is just as fragile as a poor man’s.”
She curled a hand around his bicep. “Your money doesn’t matter to me, Gryf. I would still want to date you even if you were poor. I’m interested in who you are, not what you own.”
“I’ll start the water, but it will take about five minutes for the tub to fill. I even have some scented oils that I purchased on the off chance I ever found a female worthy of bringing home.”
Lydia caressed his jaw, pressed a kiss to his lips, then sauntered back into the bedroom. Gryf started the water and added the oils. While the tub filled, he leaned against the doorframe and watched Lydia explore his room. There was a family picture on the nightstand and another on the dresser of his brother, Tiraz, and his new family.
She picked up the silver frame and looked at him.
“Is this your brother?”
“Yes, that’s Tiraz, and his family.”
“I remember them coming into the coffee shop. Their son is adorable.”
Gryf grinned. “Simon is a handful at times, but he’s a really sweet kid. Before I spent time with him, I was against being paired with a human who already had
offspring, but Simon made me change my mind.”
Lydia frowned. “Are you sure? Because if you don’t want to raise a human child I can go home and wait for the agency to call with a match.”
He moved toward her, pulling her into his arms. “Lydia, I’m sure that I want to see where things go with us. If I’m lucky enough to claim you for my own, then I will raise your child as mine. She will never want for anything and will know she is loved every single day.”
She nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer. He gave her a brief kiss before checking on the tub. The water was high enough so he shut off the valves and called for Lydia to join him. By the time she’d entered the bathroom, he’d already stripped out of his socks and shoes, and was just removing his shirt. Her eyes went wide as she took in his exposed chest and abdomen.
Gryf smirked as he reached for his pants, loving the way her cheeks flushed a deep pink. As he unzipped his pants and shoved them down his legs, that becoming blush travelled down her throat and spread across what little he could see of her chest.
Damn if he didn’t want to explore and see just how far down it went.
Clad only in his boxer briefs, he approached Lydia and slowly lifted the hem of her tank top. She worried her lower lip but didn’t fight him as he pulled the shirt over her head and dropped it on the floor. Her breasts were full and practically spilled from the cups of her bra. With his gaze fastened on hers, he popped the catch in front and slid the straps down her arms, letting the garment fall to the floor.
“Beautiful,” he murmured, cupping the mounds and teasing her nipples. Her
body responded to his touch instantly, making him even harder than before.
Lydia reached for her pants and shimmied out of them, letting both them and
her panties fall to the floor. She was stunning! Even in his wildest dreams, he’d never imagined anyone so perfect. He caressed the swell of her baby bump and marveled at how trim she looked otherwise. He’d never seen a pregnant female without clothes before and he hadn’t been certain what to expect, but she was breathtaking.
Gryf stripped out of his boxer briefs and held out a hand. Her eyes were wide as she took in his erect cock and he hoped she wasn’t changing her mind. But if she did, he would let her enjoy her bath in peace and then take her home, if that was what she wanted. He had never forced himself on a woman, and he wasn’t about to start now.
He helped her over the edge of the tub, and after she’d sank into the water, he stepped in as well. Lydia leaned back against the side of the tub and she stretched out her legs, her toes peeking above the water as she flexed them. He’d never been attracted to a woman’s foot before, but she had delicate looking feet. High arches with the cutest toes tipped with pink polish. Gryf sank into the water and reached for one of those delectable feet, giving her what he hoped was one of the best foot massages she’d ever had.
Lydia moaned and tipped her head back. There was a look of complete bliss on
her face as Gryf’s hands began working the knots out of her calves. If the tension in the rest of her body was as bad as in her feet and legs, then she needed a full body massage, but before he got to that, he could think of another way to relax her. He rose to his knees and ran his hands up and down her thighs before bracing himself and leaning over to claim her lips in a kiss.
Her hand came up to rest on his chest, but she wasn’t pushing him away. If
anything, it was almost like she was petting him. Gryf liked the feel of her hands on his body and wished she’d explore a little more. His cock pulsed in time with his heart as he deepened the kiss, drawing out the pleasure as long as possible. When he pulled away, she leaned toward him, as if silently seeking more.
“I want you, Lydia, but I don’t want to rush you. If you want more time…”
“I told you I was certain I wanted this…want you. Do you think I don’t know
what I want? Is that why you keep asking?”
“No. I keep asking because I’m afraid that I’m dreaming, and at any moment,
you’re going to disappear and I’ll be alone in this tub. I keep asking because I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone before and I don’t know if you feel the same about me.” He brushed a hand over her belly. “You have more important things going on in your life than sleeping with your alien boss. But right now, you’re the most important thing to me, Lydia. I want to bring you pleasure, if you’ll let me. I want to sleep with you in my arms tonight. And if you still want to be with me when we wake in the morning, then I’m hoping you’ll let me pamper you a little.”
Her hands caressed his chest and abdomen. “What if the agency calls you
tomorrow and tells you that they’ve found you the perfect match?”
“Then I’ll tell them that’s impossible because she’s already here with me.”
She smiled a little.
“I want you, Lydia.”
She pushed him back a little and rose up on her knees. “Then take me, Gryf. I’m yours. At least, for tonight. I can’t promise you tomorrow, but we can take it one day at a time.”
He kissed her fiercely as his hand trailed down her body and teased the curls at the junction of her thighs. Gryf eased a finger inside of her tight passage and he nearly groaned from both pleasure and pain. He knew she was going to feel incredible wrapped around his cock, but he worried about hurting her. It wasn’t like he was a small male. Lydia surprised him as she rode his finger. Gryf drew away a little so he could watch her. The bounce and sway of her breasts as she brought herself pleasure was mesmerizing. A pink tinge suffused her body and he felt her tightening around him. Her eyes dilated and she gasped as she came, her juices coating his finger.
Gryf had never seen a more beautiful sight and now he wanted her more than
ever. Her small hand wrapped around his cock and she stroked him, tentatively at first and then with bolder strokes. Pleasure zinged through him at her inexperienced touch and he wondered how many males had come before him. It couldn’t have been many, which pleased him greatly.
He stilled her hand before she made him come and turned her to face the side of the tub. Gryf covered her back and spread her legs as his cock brushed against her curls. God
s! He wasn’t even inside of her yet and already he felt like he would come. As he sank into her silken depths, he clenched his teeth to maintain some control. His thrusts were slow but powerful. She felt amazing and it wasn’t going to take much to make him come, but he wasn’t going to find his release until she did. No matter how much control he needed to maintain, he would see that she found her pleasure first.
Gryf wrapped an arm around her waist and slipped his hand down between her
legs. He could feel where they were joined and wished he could see it. He stroked the sensitive bundle of nerves that he knew would bring her pleasure. Lydia made the sweetest sounds as she pressed back against him, begging for more. Gryf took her harder, faster, his need for her overtaking his senses. As Lydia cried out her release, he let himself go, what little control he had slipping away. He groaned as he came inside of her and he tightened his grip on her.
“I meant to be gentler,” he murmured as he kissed her shoulder.
“I’m glad you weren’t. That was wonderful.”
He withdrew from her body and leaned back against the tub, pulling her down
between his legs. With her back pressed against his chest, he cuddled her close. He’d never felt contentment like this before and he wondered what it meant. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been with a woman before, but normally he felt the pleasure of release and nothing else. He’d never wanted to hold a woman when they were finished, had never cared if one stayed the night. With Lydia, things were different. It should scare him, that he could possibly feel something for her so soon after meeting her, but Tiraz had once confessed that he’d fallen for Violet the moment they’d met. His brother just hadn’t recognized the emotion until much later.
Gryf didn’t believe in that love at first sight nonsense, but he couldn’t deny that he cared what Lydia thought or felt. He wanted her to be happy, and he hoped that she would be happy with him. The thought of another male enjoying her time and her body made him clench his teeth, but he told himself it was because she couldn’t do better than him, and not because of love. He knew love existed, witnessed it every time he spent time with his brother and Violet, and he hoped he would find it someday…he just didn’t think it would happen this fast. No, what he was feeling was something else.
Lydia And Her Alien Boss Page 7