by Allie Ritch
Xindra shrugged. “Ego maybe? Men can be the biggest babies, pitching tantrums whenever they think they’re not getting enough attention. Sounds to me like he made some idiot assumptions and decided you weren’t affording him his proper status. That would make him an obnoxious, arrogant brute, but not deceptive or all those other great adjectives. Maybe you should talk to him.”
Resisting the urge to pout, Katra huffed out a breath. “I’ll think about it. Right now, I’m too mad. He was pretty hurtful.”
For some reason, just sharing that made her feel a little lighter. She looked at the younger woman with a grateful half-smile.
“All right. Show me some more moves so I can kick his conceited ass.”
She watched the other woman fight a grin, no doubt surprised by her word choice.
“As your instructor,” Xindra explained dryly, “I’m supposed to teach you that martial arts is about self-mastery and defense, not kicking ass.” Her lips finally lost the battle and kicked upward. “As a woman, however, I fully support the initiative of taking your man down a peg when he’s been a jerk.”
“And he has been.” Katra was sure her eyes must be gleaming with a feral light. “Presumptuous, overbearing, impossible.” The list went on.
Picking up the padded target again, Xindra held it in front of her protectively. “Yeah, speaking of that.” She braced her legs and took a moment to clear her throat. “Should Quinn and I assume you won’t be modeling with Krux tomorrow night?”
If it was possible for blood to boil, Katra’s was doing it. “What?”
Xindra returned a wince. “He didn’t ask you first.”
Assuming a fighting stance, Katra got more creative with her name-calling.
* * * *
Krux was struck by a strange case of nerves as he exited the locker room dressed in nothing but a robe. He’d arrived early in hopes of talking to Katra before the class started, but he couldn’t be sure she’d even show up. When he entered the classroom, Quinn was the only one in there, although he’d seen Xindra setting up earlier.
“I apologize for the last minute change. It wasn’t anticipated.” Krux delivered the apology with a hideous dose of humility.
Easygoing, Quinn just shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. The lecture is focused on the Brachoi male, so we’ll just leave out the intercourse demonstration and call it a night. Unless, of course, you get any volunteers from the class and want to take a partner. We can wing it.”
Having seen the kind of marriage they had, Krux had no doubt that Xindra had told her husband all about him and Katra. Krux wasn’t sure how much detail his angry Duosien had shared, but she’d made it clear she wouldn’t sleep with him if he was the last male in the universe. The fact that Quinn held out hope for a reprieve didn’t alleviate his skepticism.
“Do you know if Katra is coming tonight?” Krux hated that his personal business was out in the open. The fact that he didn’t know and had to ask galled him even more.
The New Earthling’s lips twitched before he coughed into his hand. “She said as much.”
Krux narrowed his eyes. “Exactly what did she say?”
Rubbing the back of his neck, Quinn looked everywhere but at him. “Something to the effect that she’d paid her tuition too and wasn’t going to be scared off by a…um…fellow such as yourself. Xindra said she sounded quite adamant, so I’m sure she’ll be here.”
Imagining the kind of language that added up to a “fellow such as himself,” Krux shut his mouth and left it alone. It had been a long time since he’d had to grovel, but he hadn’t clawed his way up the business ladder without having to get on his knees and pucker up when necessary. His relationship with Katra was more important than any multi-million dollar deal, more precious than anything else in his life. He had to get this right.
“Hi, Krux.” Spri greeted him as she came in.
Switching his attention back to his surroundings, he returned the salutation and watched the rest of the students meander in. Having secured the front door, Xindra joined her husband at the front of the class. Although Krux tried to look relaxed, his heart beat heavily and his breathing quickened as he waited for the final stragglers to arrive. No doubt aiming to torture him with the suspense, Katra was the last to enter. His gaze fixed on her the moment she walked through the door and stayed glued to her face as she took a seat.
Beside him, Quinn welcomed everybody and introduced the subject of tonight’s lecture—Krux’s cue to drop his robe. He saw Katra glance briefly at his nude body. She lowered her lashes again before he could make eye contact.
“The basic plumbing of the Brachoi male is nearly identical to what you’ve already seen in the other races we’ve covered,” Quinn explained.
There was a diagram of Brachoi anatomy up on the screen, next to which was the image from the medical scanner.
“The testicles here produce…”
Krux tuned the man out and continued to stare at his beautiful Duosien, willing her to look at him. Tonight she wore dark slacks and a metallic shirt that had a drape of fabric over one shoulder. It was far more conservative than her usual vibrant colors, but she looked stunning in everything she wore. Of course, she was always most appealing in nothing but her rich skin.
“Where Brachoi men differ,” Xindra said, taking over, “is in the pressure of their ejaculate. The force needed to release their semen builds up very slowly in comparison to the males of other races.”
Krux spoke up quietly. “That’s one of the reasons Brachoi men are taught rigorous control from a young age. If we come right away, it’s such a weak orgasm it’s hardly even worth the effort, so we learn early on to hold back and gradually build the pressure. This also means we must guide our sexual partner’s movements so that they don’t inadvertently trigger a premature release. Many females find us far too domineering in bed and are put off. Others enjoy this aspect during sex, but won’t tolerate that same attitude outside the bedroom. Although no disrespect is intended, I’ve come to realize we Brachoi should be careful not to let this trait consume us. We have so much more to offer.”
Not a single muscle shifted on Katra’s face, but there was an aura of stillness about her that hadn’t been there before. He wished she’d look at him.
Krux lifted himself into a sitting position on the padded demonstration table and spread his legs wide. With his gaze still locked on Katra, he stroked his cock until he was mostly erect.
“Moving right along, let’s take a look at the sexual organs from the outside,” Quinn continued. “Brachoi males have a unique secondary extension on their genitals just above the main shaft. This is called the penis minor. It has far fewer nerve endings than its larger counterpart and is primarily used for additional stimulation of the female during coitus.”
The red dot of the laser pointer blended in with Krux’s skin, which was steadily growing darker under the scrutiny. After the two instructors finished describing the form and function of his anatomy, they invited the class to take a closer look or touch him. To his surprise, young Pixie, the New Earthling, was the first in line and was feeling brave tonight. She reached for him directly, although he could tell she was skittish. Having sexually initiated many females her age, he immediately fell into a calm mentoring role.
“Like this.” Taking her hand, he curled it around his shaft. “If you ever wish to stroke a Brachoi lover, you must clasp him like so and exert steady pressure. Slide your palm up from the base to the tip, over the crown, and back down again.” Holding her other hand, he stroked her fingers up and down the smaller shaft too. “You may add a caress here for additional stimulation, but there isn’t nearly as much feeling in the smaller organ. In all likelihood, a Brachoi male will not give you time to handle him anyhow. He’ll simply lay you down and arouse you enough to mount you.”
The New Earthling girl’s blush turned her nearly as red as he was, but she nodded and scurried back to her seat. Not surprisingly, Zeo was next since the Nimanian male alw
ays crowded close to shy Pixie. Unabashed, he reached out to run his thumb and forefinger along Krux’s penis minor.
“Does pressure stimulate the little shaft?” As usual, Zeo’s voice was low and gruff.
Unused to having other males touch him so intimately, Krux fought to keep his body still and his expression calm. Not that he’d had any doubts, but he was quite convinced now that he was rigidly heterosexual.
“Only slightly,” he answered in monotone. “Gentle friction is the best, although nothing compares to the feel of a female sheath clutching my main shaft.”
Zeo flashed an understanding smile and strode away.
Fortunately, none of the other males were interested in a hands-on experience, and the remaining females only gave him the most cursory examination. All except Katra. She hadn’t come anywhere near him.
Out of the corner of his eye, Krux saw Quinn draw a breath to wrap things up and realized this was his last chance. Clearing his throat, he spoke first.
“I’d like to say something.” His tone of voice—the one he usually reserved for the workplace—brooked no contradiction.
“Of course,” Quinn agreed.
Feeling like he was facing a hostile jury, Krux stared at the only audience that mattered to him. He drew a deep breath. “A great deal of this course has been dedicated not to the science or mechanics of sex, but to the relationships between the races and how misunderstandings can hurt people. Despite being an educated man, I’ve been guilty of this very crime.
“The worst thing about ignorance is that you can do so much damage without ever realizing it. I was attracted to a woman of another race, and in a matter of days, I thought I had her figured out. She was beautiful and passionate and had a wit that could match mine. That was enough for me. It never occurred to me that she was complex, that she might have a past and baggage and all the rest of life’s experiences that make us who we are. I saw what I wanted, and I made judgments based on too little information.
“To me, she was a princess. That was the description that came to mind. I told myself I thought of her that way because she was spoiled and conceited and had coasted through life. As it turns out, she was none of those things, but it wouldn’t have mattered.”
For the first time all night, Katra looked up and met his gaze squarely. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes.
Krux willed her to believe him. “You see, it wasn’t really about her at all. My prejudice was all mine. My perception of her was really about me. After years spent building my life into what it is today, I was used to everything and everyone falling into place. Imagine my shock when I discovered the woman I wanted wouldn’t fit neatly into any category. And she certainly didn’t follow my orders. Every time she tilted her chin or told me off, she flipped my world on its head, and I didn’t know how to handle that. After a life of control, I didn’t know how to handle the riot of emotions she inspired in me.
“I began to doubt myself, although even I didn’t realize it. Ignoring the evidence right in front of my face, I continued to pass judgment on her, all the while really judging myself. I think I called her a princess because I didn’t believe I could truly win her. Princesses are haughty, unattainable creatures—far too good for the likes of some scrappy Brachoi who fought his way into a corporate office. She’d never pick me, stay loyal to me…love me.”
Watching the tears dampen Katra’s lashes, he swallowed hard and dared to hope for redemption. “At the first sign of trouble—a sign I imagined—I threw away the best thing that’s ever happened to me. After a tireless pursuit, I caught her briefly, only to lose her again in one moment of misunderstanding. I’m thirty-nine years old, and I’ve only truly been in love once in my life. Katra, please tell me I haven’t lost you forever.”
His fellow students turned to look at her. The only gaze that mattered, though, was the one she returned to him. Not one to cry or show weakness, she lifted that stubborn chin to peer down her nose at him. If Krux hadn’t been so worried about her answer, he would have laughed.
*
Men were impossible. As Katra forced back her tears through sheer force of will, that was the one thought that kept circulating through her brain. Just when she had herself feeling righteous and mad, he had to go and say all that. And in front everybody! Now she couldn’t yell at him without looking like a heartless bitch, and the cunning brute probably knew it too.
Good thing she didn’t feel like yelling. Ignoring the others’ stares, Katra slowly rose to her feet, keeping her back proudly straight as she walked to the front of the room. Her mother had taught her that—how to carry yourself with dignity no matter what hardships you faced. When she was within a foot of him, she stopped and perused him from head to toe. Had she not seen his white knuckles where he gripped the table, she might have thought he was relaxed.
“How do I know you won’t hurt me again?” she asked.
Giving it a moment of thought, he answered fervently. “Because I swear it. I won’t pretend I’m easy to be with, or that we’ll never take a chunk out of each other. Over time, I’ll probably badger, bully, insult, and generally irritate the hell out of you again and again, but I promise I’ll never hurt you like this. From now on, I’ll give you my trust and the courtesy of learning who you really are, not who I think you must be.”
“Most of that sounds like hell,” she grumped. “Maybe I don’t want to be bullied and insulted.”
His smile was slow and sexy, and it melted her resolve like nothing else. “You forget. You can name-call, nag, offend, and annoy me better than anyone else in the galaxy. We’re perfect for each other.”
Reaching out, he cupped her hips, and she slowly stepped into him as he pulled her forward. When he dipped his head toward her ear, his breath tickled her hair and heated her skin.
“And imagine how much fun we’ll have making up,” he murmured.
Still concealing her grin, Katra coyly batted her eyelashes and glanced away. “Did I hear something about you being in love with me? I thought I heard something to that effect.”
He skimmed his other hands up and down her back as he flexed the ones around her waist. “Weren’t you paying attention in class?” Catching her chin, he made her meet his gaze. “I love you, Katra. You drive me crazy.”
Now the corners of her mouth did turn up. “In that case, I suppose I can forgive you. After all, I love you too. Even if you are the most thickheaded, intolerable—”
His kiss silenced her just when she was getting warmed up. Behind them, several people let out an “ah” or a laugh while a few others clapped in encouragement. Apparently they were putting on quite the little drama.
The display turned into a different form of entertainment when she felt Krux pull her shirt loose.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
He tongued his way down the side of her neck and opened her pants. “Making up.”
Although Katra knew she should hold out and make this more difficult for him, she was in the mood for something nice and easy. She didn’t protest when he pulled her shirt over her head and dropped her pants. In fact, she laughed aloud when he simultaneously removed her bra and slid her panties down her thighs. Taking only a moment to kick off her shoes and untangle everything from her ankles, she wrapped her arms around his neck, smashed her breasts against his chest, and kissed him soundly.
“As you can see,” Xindra narrated, “we will now have a demonstration of Brachoi intercourse.”
Katra giggled into Krux’s open mouth and then moaned when he picked her straight up and onto his lap. Twisting, he laid her on her back beneath him and grasped her knees to push her legs wide. The moment he dropped between them, he began kissing his way down her torso, spending long minutes on her breasts before blowing in her navel and nuzzling her curls.
“I missed you,” he whispered. “The moment I thought I’d lost you, I missed you.”
Her heart turned over. She gasped when he put his mouth to her. Already satura
ted between her legs, her folds grew flooded by the time he finished sucking her clit and tonguing her portal. Sliding back up her body, he then aligned his cock and pushed the whole massive length into her with one forceful thrust.
“I love you.” He kissed her deeply when she said it back.
Katra squirmed in pleasure as he ran his hands down the sides of her legs. Then he grabbed her feet and set her heels on either side of his neck. Pushing up to a full kneeling position, he held onto her ankles and lifted until her butt was completely off the table. He had her at his mercy. Again.
“Control freak.”
His smile was smug and oh so sexy. “You love it when I get freaky.”
And then he was thrusting, battering her trigger spots like his cock had radar for them. She cried out in ecstasy. With the way he held her, he had the perfect angle, and he used it to pound her again and again. His fingerling projection poked and teased her clit with every stroke, ratcheting up her impending orgasm at lightning speed.
When his second pair of hands started rubbing up and down the insides of her thighs, Katra couldn’t take it. Hollering his name, she seized beneath him, feeling her inner muscles contract around his invading shaft again and again.
One of the students made a small sound of surprise, and she pried her eyelids open. There was Krux, a fiery red inferno towering over her, still holding her legs along the front of his body. Above him, the big screen was filled with a full-body projection from the medical scanner. As she watched, she could see the oscillating “O” of her vagina around his thick penetration. Dear gods, she could actually see herself coming.
That startled another groan out of her just as the last pulses faded and he began to pump her again. His pelvis spanked the backs of her thighs with every thrust, and he continued to build up speed like a well-oiled piston.
Krux grunted. “When we get home, I’m going to do this with you until dawn. You won’t be able to walk tomorrow. You’ll limp into work like a well-used woman. All your employees will wonder who’s screwing the boss.”