by CJ Ellisson
“Sound, please, ka. Let’s listen in.” She settled into the velvety opulence, watching the scene unfold.
Cam held Chérie’s hand, drawing her into a stand of trees. He guided her to a stump, carved in the shape of a small bench. Ferns nestled at the base of the stump creating an inviting place in which to park your derriere. “Nice,” he said. “Jill the waitress is right. This is the perfect place for necking.”
“Necking,” Chérie said, blushing. “Who came up with that term?”
“Necking,” Cam said, nuzzling hers. “Must have been named with you in mind. Your neck is beautiful.” He sat a brown paper bag next to him and guided Chérie to sit.
“What a long tea date.” Chérie smiled as she fingered a fern frond.
“It was. It seemed like it was over as soon as it started, though.”
“True. And yet now it’s three hours later.” She reached out her finger to touch his arm. “I sure like talking to you, Cam.”
“I like talking to you, too.”
“I’m sorry you had such a rough childhood,” she said, squeezing his hand.
“Same with you. Living with alcoholism is rough. It sounds like you didn’t get a lot of support growing up.”
“Not a lot, no. I pretty much grew up on my own.”
“You seem to have done all right.” He gave her a warm smile.
“Too soon to tell,” she said, a wan smile on her face.
“Oh, I can tell.”
Her grin widened. “Now what?”
“Wait. It’s a surprise.” Cam wasn’t the kind of guy to indulge in romantic gestures, being more of a ‘hands-on get to business kind of guy.’” He had an impulse as they were heading to the park. He pulled up to a store on Roosevelt, told Chérie to wait and returned with the contents of the bag. “Okay,” he said with an air of eager anticipation. “This is nothing much. You said you wanted dessert the other day. You know, after I kissed you. I know…I mean, girls have told me…I mean, ah, hell.”
Chérie laughed. “Go ahead, Cam. Surprise me.” She sat primly on the carved wood.
“Man, I wish I were a photographer. You’re gorgeous in the sunlight.”
“I’m waiting.”
“Right,” he said. “Right. Close your eyes.”
When she’d let her eyelids flutter shut, Cam reached in to the bag. He brought out a small plastic tub and peeled open the top. He retrieved a juicy ruby strawberry from the little green plastic carton, dipped it in creamy honey yogurt and held it in front of Chérie’s lips. “Smell good?”
“Mmm. Strawberry. And yogurt?”
“Open that pretty mouth of yours and have a taste.”
She let her lips part and Cam brought the berry to her chin. Her mouth closed around the berry and bit it, causing juices to spurt and dribble. She quickly brought her hand up to her face to catch the red-stained droplets. She kept her eyes squeezed shut the entire time. “Wow, juicy and sugary good.” She chewed and swallowed, a blissful expression on her face. “Ready for more.”
Cam watched her with delight. He dug into the bag and pulled out a dark chocolate bar. He un-wrapped the dark velvety treat, broke off a tiny square and again held it in front of her nose. “You like?”
“Mmm, smells like chocolate. My favorite.”
Cam grinned. All the things past girlfriends had told him were spot on. Strawberries and chocolate. He slipped the morsel between her teeth.
She gently bit down, suckling his fingertip as she drew the chocolate into her mouth. “Heaven. This is heaven.”
Cam’s cock stirred. No stranger to new things as far as sex went, if a girl wanted to try a new position--bring it on. A new place? Sure. Two, three at a time? Why not? Still, he couldn’t remember being this excited before. Come to think of it, he’d never fed one of his lovers. “Okay, try this.” He retrieved a tiny glass jar, popped open the lid and dipped his finger into the thick amber. “Open wide.”
She let her mouth fall open. Her rosy pink lips were some of the sexiest lips he’d ever beheld. He sorely wanted to kiss her sweet mouth, but restrained himself, biting the inside of his cheek. Instead, he slipped his honey coated finger into her mouth.
She closed it and sucked. “Mmm, wow, this is so good. Sweet honey!”
He allowed his finger to slide in and out of her soft, warm mouth. Her slippery tongue delicately explored his fingertip, slipping along the skin. His cock twitched in excitement. Man. Who knew this could be so hot? “Ready for more?” I sure am.
“Mmm hmm. My mouth is almost tingling, it’s so happy.”
Kayden sat, pleased, watching the scene with excitement. “At least the Neanderthal has some sexy moves…for an Earthling.”
“Shhh,” Alpha hushed him. “This is good and I want to watch.”
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
“Well, I’m here and you’re interrupting. I’ve never watched the ka on Earth. Now hush.”
“I’ve got tingling parts, too,” Cam uttered. He tugged at his pants.
“What did you say?”
“I said, it’s good to hear you’re tingling. Here’s more.” He wasn’t a huge fan of sweets. Didn’t care for chocolate much. But he placed the square of chocolate between his teeth, settled next to her, and brought his hand behind her neck. He leaned in and let her nibble the dark chocolate from his proffered mouth.
She drew it into her mouth, before taking small, gentle, bites on his lips. She sucked them and then released them with a tiny popping sound.
“You’re very obedient, Ms. Manhattan. You’ve managed to keep your eyes closed. I’d have peeked by now.”
“This is fun. And I decided to trust you.”
He smiled and his heart soared. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.” He caressed the outline of her lips with the tip of his tongue. Teased her mouth apart. She tasted sweet from fruit, honey and chocolate. She tasted sweet, just because.
Cam’s passion spread inside like wildfire. His hunger intensified. He brought both hands behind her and crushed her to him. His tongue plunged into her mouth. He’d never been this aroused kissing a woman - ever.
Her tongue tangled with his. He suckled it, devoured it, devoured her. The taste of her, the feel of her intoxicated him. Consumed with fathomless urgency, with ferocious, possessive passion, he consumed this woman with his need, driving his tongue further, entering her mouth again and again. He wanted her as his own.
When they broke apart from the kiss, she looked as surprised as he felt. She gave him a torrid, invitingly open gaze. “Wow,” she said.
“Wow.” Unable to stop himself, he brought his lips back to hers.
He needed to take her, right here, to lay her down on the soft, spongy, mossy ground behind the bench and claim her, mark her as his own.
He broke away from the kiss. “Damn, woman!” Cam’s cock was 100% in the game, pure, unadulterated commitment. But something about her hesitant expression made the rest of him pause. This needed to be savored, not consumed in a blazing rush.
“Pretty good kiss. You’re a good kisser.” She bit her lip, shyly, her eyes shining brightly.
“I’d say we’re well matched.” He brought his face toward her again.
She pressed a fingertip to his lips. “Wait.”
“For?”
“Just wait. I need to take this slow.”
In the gilded cosmic viewing room, Kayden groaned. “She lets every Earth loser with an appendage have his way with her but she stops when the one she’s been waiting for is ready to go?”
“She has to do it her way, my lord. She has to abide by Earth laws.”
“What laws?” He stood and threw his hands into the air. “You meet. You consummate. The deed is done.” He stalked around the splendid room. “You’re right, Alpha, I do miss her. I want her to remember. There’s always a chance she…she won’t.”
Alpha regarded her leader. She’d never seen him this agitated. Is he insecure? This can never be. Worlds depend on the ka’s
well-being. “She’ll be fine, my lord. Earth rules are different. By resisting her male, she’s strengthening.”
“She’s plenty strong, I assure you.”
“In this realm, maybe.” Alpha indicated the space around them. “In that realm she’s one of them. She’ll remember, ka. Keep watching. You’ll see.”
They both turned to face the images flickering before them: Cam’s face, flooded with concern and Chérie’s face streaked with tears. Deep ancient, abiding love pulsed between them, just outside their awareness. Their attention kept being drawn to the enormous fear, threatening to keep them apart. Kayden let out a deep sigh. “This is hard to watch, Alpha.”
“Yes, ka, but you need to trust.”
As powerful as he knew himself to be, Kayden wasn’t sure he could merely sit on the sidelines and witness her progress. Not when the stakes were so high. He stroked his chin and contemplated his options. At present, there were none.
Chapter Seventeen
When Cam’s lips met hers, Chérie felt a flash fire of lusty emotion stir inside. He’s the one. Desire, love and whoa, put on the brakes competed for her attention. He’s the one I’ve dreamed about. For the past year, she dreamed of eyes as blue as the wilderness sky. She dreamed of crystalline lakes on high mountain tops. She dreamed of splashing waterfalls cascading through lush, verdant green slits carved into the side of hills. She dreamed of the man who would reveal this world to her. Is Cam the man I’ve dreamed of? Her body said yes.
Her mind waved memories at her like flags. Empty encounters. Sport fucking. Giving it up then waiting for the phone to ring. And waiting. And waiting some more. Something inside her clicked, like shutting off the lights. Demand respect here.
“Wait,” she said when Cam inclined his head toward hers.
“Wait for?”
“Just wait. I need to take this slow.”
“I see,” Cam said. “Makes sense.” His face, however, held a frown.
Tears of frustration trickled along her cheeks. Why can’t I give him what he wants? “I’m so sorry, Cam. I’m disappointing you.” Chérie wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand.
“I wish I had a tissue.” Cam searched in the paper sack. “Here’s a napkin. Will that do?”
“Thanks.”
“And no you’re not disappointing me. You’re being real which is a switch, I assure you.” He handed her the paper napkin.
“Don’t get me wrong. I loved kissing you. I didn’t want to stop.”
“Same here.” Cam smiled and tenderly pushed a lock of her fiery hair from her eyes. “But it seemed the right thing to do.”
“Did it? So you’re not pissed at me?”
“Hell, no. Not pissed at all.”
“Do you still want me to come over for supper?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because I resisted your advances.”
“I’m a grown man. Not an animal.”
“Yes, but some of the others…”
“I’m not some of the others. I told you. I have no intention of hurting you.”
“Thank you,” Chérie whispered. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re going to have to stop saying that or I’m going to pitch you across my knee and spank you.”
“That could be fun,” Chérie said with a winsome wink.
“Now you’re talking.” He reached for her hand, grazing her knuckles with his lips. “Don’t get me wrong. I love kissing you. But I had a mind to slow it down even though my body had other ideas.” He put out a finger and glared at his hips. “Bad dog. Bad!”
Chérie laughed. “You’re funny.”
“Thank you.” He bowed, playfully. A tone sounded and he slipped his phone from his pocket. “Ah, shit.”
“What is it?”
“I’ve got a psych class in forty-five minutes. I could blow it off but it’s an important lecture.”
“We don’t want you to neglect your studies.”
“Yeah, thanks. Let me take you back to your car. I’ll text you my address. Does 7, 7:30 work for you?”
“Sure, yeah. I’ll have time to freshen up. Shall I bring some wine?”
“I’ve got beer, wine. Bring the salad stuff.”
He pulled her to her feet and wrapped her in his arms. She honestly believed she could trust this guy. She felt safe in his arms. But still the need to go slow called urgently from within.
“Let’s go,” he said, releasing her.
When they reached the car, she looked up at him shyly. “I had a great time today.”
“Me, too. I wish I didn’t have class. One more kiss?”
This time he pressed his hips into hers, letting her feel the way his body responded to her. Initially, she stiffened at the feel of his hard erection. As the kiss deepened, however, she rubbed against him with her own need. They drew away from one another, breathless.
“It’s probably for the best I have class. I don’t think I could stop otherwise.” He held out the paper sack to her. “Here - take these with you. I want you to eat each one slowly, and think of my lips on yours.”
She grabbed the bag. “And if I eat them slow enough, it will be time to head to your house. I’m definitely going to take my time, savoring each bite.” She reached inside and retrieved one of the berries. “Like this.” Her mouth closed around the ruby flesh and her eyelids fluttered shut as she suckled and tasted the fruit. “Mmm, this one’s the best yet.” She opened one eye and peered at him. “I’ll bet I can find other delicious tasting things.”
Cam hissed, sucking his lips against his teeth. “I’ll bet you can, girl. I can’t wait for dinner tonight. I’m going to show you a feast.”
Chérie dug around in her pocket for her keys. “Well, then, Cam Tyson. I’ll see you later. In the meantime…” She popped another berry in her mouth. “You can think of me doing this, sampling each taste with wonder and delight while I think of you.”
“I don’t think any of this lecture is going to reach my head,” Cam said, opening the door for her.
“At least not this one,” she said, tapping his temple. She let herself into the front seat to the happy laughter of this sexy as hell guy who seemed to not only respect her but appreciate her, as well.
Chapter Eighteen
Cam whistled as he raced up the stairs to the second floor apartment, taking them two at a time. He shifted the overflowing grocery bag to his left arm as he fished in his pocket with his right, retrieved his keys and unlocked the door. His mouth fell when he stepped inside. Every square inch of the floor was littered with paper. Books had been tossed around the room, pages torn. Textbooks had been demolished. Dishes had been flung around the studio apartment. Glass and pottery shards were interspersed with the paper. The table lamp - what remained of it - spread across the floor in pieces. A kitchen chair had been overturned. It looked as if a tornado had ripped through the space. “What the fuck?”
He quickly placed the groceries on the counter and surveyed the chaos. “Who the fuck did this?”
He examined the door jam. No sign of a break in. He checked the windows. All locked. Bathroom window maybe? He strode to the tiny room and eased open the door. The window above the commode appeared to be shut tight. His eyes flew to the mirror above the sink. Lipstick kisses covered the reflective glass. A scrawling message had been drawn using the same red lipstick. I can’t live without you. I know you feel it, too. “Goddamn it.” His fist pounded the wall behind him. “Fucking, Britt Eckland! Goddamn it all to hell.” But how the hell did she get in here?
He immediately texted Chérie. So sorry. My apartment’s been vandalized. I have to cancel dinner. Rain check? Say yes. His stomach plummeted as he waited anxiously for her reply. When no reply blipped his screen, he dialed her number. Voicemail. He left the same message, hung up and tossed the phone on the small dining table. A thought occurred to him and he raced for the side door - the one he used but seldom told anyone about. Sure enough, no spare key in the hiding place.
How she’d known to look there, he didn’t have a clue.
“What the hell do you want from me?” he shouted to the ceiling. “I don’t even believe in you but you’re messing with my life, big time!” He picked up the remains of a book and threw it as hard as he could against the wall. It left a dent, a reminder of his angry outburst. He retrieved a garbage bag from under the sink and began stuffing paper scraps and the remains of books into the plastic maw, while separating the papers and still intact textbooks. He snatched up the remains of a huge textbook, costing him a small fortune, and cursed. “Goddamn it! Where am I going to get the money to replace this one? Did you think about that, Britt, did you?” he yelled.
When his phone rang, he lunged for it. “Hello?”
“Hey, bro.”
“Oh, it’s you.”
“Nice greeting.”
“Sorry, Mano. You caught me at a bad time. You seem to be doing that lately.”
“Wondered if you wanted to go shoot some hoops.”
“Ha! And watch you stand next to the hoop and stuff the ball in there? No thanks.”
“What gives, bro? You usually like to shoot a few.”
Cam sighed. “I’ve got this goddamned mess to clean up. I invited Chérie for dinner, I get here, and the house has been completely trashed by none other than my psycho ex-friend with bennies, Britt.”
“Ah, man, seriously?”
“Yeah. She ripped the shit out of one of my most expensive textbooks. Where am I going to get the money to replace that, as well as the other books she destroyed? I used my scholarship money to buy everything but I need what’s left to survive. I’m fucked.” He dragged his hand through his hair. “Why the fuck does life have to be so goddamned hard? I thought the ritual we did a while back would bring positive change. I really like this new girl, Mano.”
“I hear that. So what are you going to do? Press charges? File a restraining order?”
“Shit, I don’t know. Actually, I do know. If I press charges they’ll need proof. Just because I know who did it, doesn’t mean they’ll believe me. If I file a restraining order, I’ll have to provide evidence.”