by Allie Ritch
“With the right thickness, the stuffing could be a topper for bread or pasta,” one of the women chimed in.
“Or it could be a cracker spread!” Another taster clapped her hands excitedly.
Pleased with their zeal, Katra nodded in approval. “Let’s get started on that right away. I’d like to begin a trial production and get this new package on the shelves for our busy season. Legal is already drawing up a contract with the owners of the dumpling restaurant. I’m offering them a percentage of the profits and hope to arrange a cross-promotion effort. They can sell our spices through the restaurant, and in return, their food will tempt those who might not have tried the blend otherwise.”
Everyone looked pleased.
Glancing at the clock, she realized it was just past quitting time. With a shooing motion, she sent her workers on their way before removing her apron and sanitary gloves. She often lost track of time when she was absorbed in the flavor universe, but her mind switched gears quickly as she headed out the door.
Throughout the day, Katra had reversed her decision more than once concerning whether or not she’d go out with Krux. The man was an overbearing, arrogant brute. He was obviously used to commanding others, especially women. She’d never been one to bow to anyone, and she didn’t plan to start now. On the flip side, though, his controlling demeanor and fierce sexuality might make him the perfect lover for a Duosien female, especially one who’d gone as long without release as she had.
A one-night stand. That’s all it would be. She’d scratch an itch and save her sanity from her rioting hormones. And if he couldn’t sate her like he promised? Well, then she’d have the pleasure of teasing him mercilessly about his ineptitude and chipping away at his inflated ego.
Katra greeted her driver and hopped into her vehicle. Once she got home, she’d have just enough time to shower, dress, and do her makeup before her stubborn Brachoi showed up. Although she was half tempted to mock him by wearing sloppy workout wear and a plain face, she decided temptation would give her the upper hand. Besides, he said he’d take her to any restaurant she wanted, and she’d picked the crème de la crème: Li Q’ur ri Franque. She had no intention of appearing anything less than stunning. She also couldn’t wait to see how Krux planned to get them in without a reservation.
Arriving at her doorstep, she walked inside and got cleaned up before entering her closet. She’d recently purchased a new cocktail dress—a shimmering aqua piece with only a single shoulder strap and a hem that hit mid-thigh. Donning some lacy panties, she slipped the dress on and decided she looked damn good for a woman her age. Her regular workouts paid off, which was why she looked forward to her martial arts lesson with Xindra tomorrow afternoon.
Katra returned to the bathroom to brush some bronze glitter over her cheeks and tint her lips. Since her skin wasn’t quite as tight as it used to be, she perked up her eyes with some liner and shadow before blowing her reflection a saucy kiss. A pair of strappy heels completed her ensemble, and she glanced at the time again to see the hour had arrived.
Although the house remained silent, undisturbed by her door chime, she doubted Krux would run late. That man controlled everything down to the last detail, including his busy schedule. Sure enough, when she peeped outside through the security screen, there he was, leaning against the gate of her entryway. It was juvenile of her, but she stalled for an extra minute, letting him sweat as she checked her hair and makeup in the foyer mirror one more time. No sense making this too easy for him.
With a deep breath and confident smile, Katra opened the door and strode out to greet him. He straightened away from the gate as soon as he saw her and gifted her with a full body view. The man was well over six feet and packed with muscle, and his extra arms only added to his bulk. In another time, she could have pictured him dressed in leather and fur, conquering territory and slaying the beasts of a savage planet. In this day and age, he was cloaked in the civil image of a businessman in his fine suit and glossy shoes, but that didn’t make him any less dangerous.
Eyeing him from head to toe, she kept her expression purposefully indifferent. “It’s so nice to finally see you dressed up.”
“Obsessed with my appearance?” He gave her the same once-over, only he didn’t try to hide the heat in his eyes. “I understand the feeling, Katra. That dress gives me all sorts of ideas. You look absolutely stunning.”
She should have been annoyed that he’d had such a pithy rejoinder. Instead, she flushed with pleasure at the compliment. All women liked to hear that men found them attractive. Since she’d crossed the threshold of forty, she’d found she desired the ego-boost even more. It had been a long time since she’d gone out with a man simply for pleasure, not business.
Krux offered her one of his arms to lead her to his vehicle. He opened the door and handed her into the passenger seat. “Have you decided where you’d like to go for dinner?”
As she settled on the plush cushion, she looked up at him and knew her eyes must be twinkling mischievously. She threw down the gauntlet. “Li Q’ur ri Franque. Think you can manage that?”
“Of course.” To her surprise, he didn’t even hesitate.
Katra’s smile faltered when he closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side. He sounded far too sure of himself.
*
Krux tried to conceal his victorious grin as he drove to the restaurant and escorted Katra to the front door. His triumph was two-fold. Despite the nervous doubts that had crept up on him while he’d waited outside for her, she’d come out and accepted his invitation. That meant he’d be enjoying her company and her body tonight, which was enough to make any man feel smug. Added to this was the fact that he’d outwitted her. He knew her well enough to expect she’d try to outmaneuver him by choosing someplace difficult to get into. So last night, he’d called all the best restaurants in town and made reservations for two. The fact that he let drop that his date was a member of the wealthy Wi’Yalu family seemed to help with the short notice.
Once inside, they were seated right away, which finally seemed to impress his jaded Duosien. He felt pride well in his chest and caught the looks of envy from some of the other men in the room. His woman outshone every other female there.
“All right,” Katra said after they’d gotten their drinks. “How did you manage it? Did you bribe the maitre d’?”
He laughed and shook his head.
“Then how?”
Leaning forward, he lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Brachoi magic.”
She blew out a puff of air and turned her head away, but he still caught her smile. His prickly Duosien was slowly softening toward him.
“Tell me something about you.” Krux tried to get the conversation rolling as he sat back and sipped his drink.
She arched one eyebrow. “Like what?”
“Why haven’t you ever been married? Most women your age have tried the marital state at least once.”
Her tone turned mocking. “Is that a roundabout way of calling me old?”
He scoffed. “Oh, please. Old women don’t work a dress like that, and children don’t know how. You’re mature.” He flashed his teeth. “Ripe.”
Her smile was slow in forming, but it turned devastating when a warm blush accompanied it. His race was very responsive to blushes.
“Mine isn’t a terribly original story.” Her grin faded to a sadder smirk. “I was engaged once, believe it or not. I was in my early twenties, right out of college, and I believed myself to be madly in love. It was quite a shock to discover his only interest was to marry into the Wi’Yalu name. Once I realized that, I was happy to disappoint him.”
“I’m sorry.” He genuinely meant it. Betrayal of trust in any arena was an insult, but when it involved one’s personal life, it was beyond hurtful.
She shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “It was probably for the best. He was lousy in bed.”
Krux choked out a laugh, but passed up the chance to advertise his
own skills in that department. She’d find out for herself later tonight.
“What about you?” she asked. “Have you ever been married?”
Since he’d broached this topic, he was prepared for the question. “Once. I was in my early thirties. I was already working my way up the corporate ladder, and I had aspirations for more. A lot of business is conducted outside the office, and I saw the career benefits of having a wife to play hostess. In the end, I went about the whole thing like a business arrangement, which probably explains what went wrong. I found a woman with the right pedigree and background, wooed her with expensive presents, and married her within six months. At the time, I would have told you I was in love with her, but now I realize I was just in love with the idea of her—the image of the two of us together.”
“What happened?” she asked gently.
He returned a mirthless smile. “For three years we did our duty. I brought home the nice paycheck and took her on fancy vacations. She befriended the other executives’ wives and hosted parties so I could network and keep moving up. Her only complaint was that I was too lusty, so I curbed my appetite and didn’t demand her body as much as I might have. Then one day, I came home early from a meeting and discovered her screwing my competition in our bed.”
“Drilling him for inside information, no doubt.” Katra seasoned the statement with heavy sarcasm.
“She wasn’t as smart as you,” Krux admitted. “It didn’t even occur to her to spin the situation. I think what bothered me most was her lack of remorse. As far as she was concerned, corporate wives had affairs all the time. She actually thought it was my fault for not calling home first.”
“I take it you divorced her soon after that?”
He knew his grin had a mean edge to it, but he deserved to gloat. “I did. I filed for proceedings that very day, right after I used my handheld PA to take a vid of the two of them in my bedroom. Nothing like proof of infidelity to nip those alimony payments in the bud.”
“Ruthlessness becomes you,” Katra said.
Krux stilled. What did she mean by that? Had the tragedy that was his first marriage turned her off to him, or was that approval he heard in her tone? He wasn’t sure, although he knew she could be just as aggressive as he was.
Before either of them could say more, their first course arrived. He watched in fascination as she got her first whiff of the cheese-stuffed vegetables. Her eyes darkened and partially closed, her cheeks glowed, and the corners of her mouth turned softly upward with a look of incredible bliss. It was a pleasure response of the most primitive sort—one he hoped to inspire in a different context in a few hours.
She savored the first bite. “Interesting.”
“Oh?” He certainly thought so, but he was regarding the woman not the food.
“I was expecting something along the lines of rosemary or garlic,” she explained. “Instead, they used chives and something more unusual in the cheese. Sharp onion or Flexian golden celery, maybe.”
“You’re a foodie.” Why hadn’t he recognized that fact sooner?
He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised. She came from money, and the rich liked to eat well.
“I enjoy food,” she agreed. “Eating is one of those few activities that engages all the senses. First you see the dish as it’s presented in front of you: the colors and textures and arrangement on the plate. Then the smell hits you and gives your tongue a preview of what’s coming. Next, you take that first bite and the flavor spreads over your tongue, plunging you into a world of taste. You feel whether it’s hot or cold, rough or smooth, crunchy or soft, and you can also hear those textures as you roll that morsel around in your mouth.”
Hearing this description, watching her face, Krux felt a strange mixture of awe and lust. She really was something special.
“You’re a passionate woman, Katra.” He just hoped she’d savor him even half as much.
*
Katra was surprised by how much she relaxed with Krux throughout the rest of the evening. The meal was delicious, the drinks kept flowing, and they had a comfortable conversation. In fact, they had an astonishing amount in common. They’d both studied business in college, enjoyed working out regularly to stay fit, and preferred a house with a yard to a posh apartment. She envied him his connection with his family and so many family friends, but she happily shared the good times she’d had with her parents when her mother had been alive. Her father was still with her, although he no longer lived on Trilanta. She was very close with him and visited as often as she could.
By the time they’d finished the dessert course, she felt like they’d covered almost every topic under the stars. He helped her out of her chair and led her to his car, charging the atmosphere between them with a new level of intimacy: one of expectation. When he started driving, he reached over to clasp her hand in one of his.
“I picked up some Duosien jengal tea,” he said quietly. “We can go back to my place and enjoy it.”
Naughty man. His high-handedness should have nettled her, but instead she felt a smile blooming. “Jengal tea is an aphrodisiac.”
“Is it?” The gleam in his eye belied his innocence.
Too used to taunting him, she couldn’t resist. “Decided you’d need a little boost, did you? I understand. A man’s stamina decreases once he reaches a certain age.”
His eyebrows shot up, but he grinned wickedly when he caught her fighting laughter. “Don’t you worry about my stamina. We Brachoi are known for our long, meticulous, tireless lovemaking. I just wanted to help you survive the rapture. I’m going to give you so much pleasure, Katra.”
She sure hoped so. For some reason, she felt certain it would hurt as well as disappoint her if he let her down.
It took them thirty minutes to reach his house, although he maneuvered through traffic with the same ease and grace he no doubt used to navigate corporate politics. Once they parked, he helped her out and offered his upper left arm to escort her to his door. The gesture would have seemed plutonic if he hadn’t slipped his lower arm around her waist at the same time. He used one of his free hands to code open the door. Lights came on as soon as they entered the foyer.
“Right this way.” He steered her deeper into his territory.
His décor wasn’t anything like what Katra had expected. Most corporate types seemed to prefer colorless tones like black and white and gray. Their furniture was invariably accented with metal and curved into strange shapes with clean lines—cold, hard, uncomfortable pieces. Krux’s place wasn’t like that. Instead, his home looked like some kind of ancient manor house. All the furniture was heavy wood with overstuffed cushions that practically radiated warmth and welcome. Intricately designed rugs sprawled across the enormous flagstone tiles, and the walls were covered in a combination of Brachoi ethnic tapestries and pictures of what must be his family and friends.
“Like it?” he asked.
She answered sincerely. “You have a beautiful home.”
That seemed to please him. He led her into the kitchen where he prepared two cups of tea. Although this room appeared too spotless to have seen much use, he had all the best equipment. Their drinks were heated to the perfect temperature within seconds.
Katra accepted the cup and felt its warmth seep into her hand. Lifting it to her lips, she breathed in slowly, letting the herbal aroma saturate her lungs. It had been a long time since she’d had jengal tea, but she still remembered its potent and insidious heat. One sip and she felt that tingling burn caress her throat and wreathe her stomach before the sizzle spread to lower, more interesting areas.
“Mmm.” She hummed in pleasure. “I haven’t had this since my freshman year of college.”
Krux studied her over the rim of his cup as he swallowed. She knew the instant the tea took effect because his skin darkened to a fiery crimson. Licking her lips, she wondered what he tasted like.
“This is my first experience with it.” He cleared his throat. “I must admit I didn’t expect such
a sensual wallop.”
Setting his cup down, he faced her over the island counter separating them. Very slowly, he began circling the obstruction.
“The last time I had it,” Katra explained, “my new boyfriend gave it to me because he wanted to get lucky. Amazing how history repeats itself, isn’t it?”
Stalking closer, he kept his gaze fixed on her. “Not really. The overall scenario may be redundant, but the players change.”
“And are you a player?” She had to glance at him over her shoulder when he stepped behind her.
“I’ve been known to play. When I do, I play hard, and I always play to win.”
She took another hearty gulp of the tea and set it aside.
“So, did he?” Krux slid one of his palms up her right arm while he brushed aside her hair, baring her neck.
“Did he what?” she whispered.
“Did your boyfriend’s play work? Did he get lucky?” Planting a third hand on her hip, he sent his fourth sliding toward her right breast. Just as his marauding palm cupped her through her bodice, he pressed a gentle kiss to her exposed nape.
She couldn’t repress a sensual shiver. “He would have gotten lucky anyhow. The tea just sped things up.”
His growl of approval stirred the hair behind her ear. Seconds later, a cooler breeze struck her back from her shoulders to the top of her buttocks. Her clever Brachoi had managed to open the seal of her dress without her realizing it.
“You have a gentle touch for such a large man,” she said, feeling slightly giddy.
“I know when to be gentle.”
Gripping her sleeves, he peeled her dress down until it puddled around her feet. Since she hadn’t worn a bra, this left her in nothing but lacy panties and heels.
“I also know when to be rough,” he warned her.
She found herself spun around and hoisted up onto the island counter. A girlish squeal escaped her—a sound she hadn’t made in years.
With one hand on each of her knees, he parted her thighs with a hard shove so he could step between them.