RIBUS 7

by Shae Mills

  Chelan quivered, and her hands tightened over his head. His touch was sending bursts of heat through to her very core as every feminine organ she possessed clenched with desire. She was beset by feelings she never knew existed in places she never knew existed. She was weakening under his experienced touch, and she closed her eyes tight as her body obstinately and uncontrollably prepared her for his entry. She thought of pushing him away before it was too late, but almost as though he had read her mind, he released her breasts and stood.

  But before she could even catch her breath, his mouth was upon hers in an aggressive kiss, his hands smoothing over her firm buttocks. Chelan trembled, and she moved ever so slightly away from him, trying to cool some of the searing heat between them. Immediately, his hands went to her waist, and this time when he pressed her to him, her warm body met his swollen manhood.

  Chelan was instantly alarmed, and she tried to back away from him. But Dar was not about to release her, and he held her firmly, his hands running over the curve of her buttocks. She quailed. She had told him he could not take her, but the feel of his erection against her set off all her fears. She felt trapped, knowing full well that her struggles would be futile against his powerful embrace. But just as she was about cry out, he once again crouched down before her, returning his attention to her breasts.

  Dar smelled her fear when she discovered his fullness, as he knew he would. He had absolute control over his arousal state, but he wanted her to learn that no matter what the condition of his body, and no matter what his hunger, he would never force her. He had heard her wishes, and he would abide by them. He would not penetrate her, but he wanted her orally, and he wanted her now.

  Chelan closed her eyes and tried to calm herself, concentrating on the water as it trickled down her face and throat. Suddenly, she felt his fingers brush through her soft inner folds, and she collapsed. She dropped to the floor in front of him in an emotional heap, her arms hugging her breasts.

  Dar realized his mistake too late. He immediately went to both knees and took her gently by her shoulders. "It's okay, Chelan. It's okay," he whispered, and he pulled her into him. "I won't touch you there." He looked down into her face as she slowly opened her eyes to him. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I won't touch you again, pretty lady."

  Chelan released her breath and let her arms relax slightly. "I'm sorry," she whimpered.

  "Shhh," he soothed as he wiped her wet hair from her face. "There is nothing to be sorry about. I moved too quickly. I will back off." He gave her a moment as he stared into her shy eyes.

  Chelan took several badly needed deep breaths, trying to clear her senses and trying to regroup in any way that she could. But she didn't know where to begin.

  Dar recognized her quandary and sought to divert her attention away from herself. "Chelan," he called softly. He took her by her hands. "I want you to touch me."

  Chelan eyes widened, and she shook her head frantically.

  Dar smiled. "Shhh..." he hushed, his voice a deep rumble. "Chelan, there is nothing to fear. And you know I would never hurt you." But she didn't look at all convinced. Dar paused. "Do you trust me?"

  Chelan nodded almost imperceptibly.

  "Good. Now, if you don't want to touch, just look down at me."

  She continued to stare into his eyes, but shook her head again. Dar reached for her face. "Don't be bashful," and he brushed his fingers over her cheeks. "Just look down at me, Chelan. My nakedness is nothing to be afraid of."

  But a tremor seized her. "I can't," she whispered, ashamed.

  "Hey, hey," he consoled as he straightened up and drew her back to him. "It's okay, I won't force you," and he hugged her closely. "Remember, you have the control here. You always will."

  "I'm sorry if I teased you," she blurted.

  Dar took her by the arms briskly, his face stern. "You do not tease me, Chelan. You never have, and you never can. I know your thoughts and your limitations. I may press your boundaries, but you have never given me false hope for any greater expectations beyond that with which you were comfortable." His voice softened. "You also know where I stand, and you know how much I want you completely. But I will not force you to do anything, and I will not hold any decisions you make against you."

  He smiled at her. "I will not die if I do not complete any sex act to the point of penetration or orgasm, so do not feel sorry, Chelan. I love simply to be with you, to touch you as you allow me to, and it will always be that way. You tempt me, pretty lady, you do not tease me."

  Chelan tipped her head back and let the cool water clear her head. Then she shuffled forward and kissed him gently. She loved this man dearly, and she realized immediately that it was time to work on her prudish ways out of her love for him. She smiled at him timidly. "We can finish your shower now."

  Dar smiled and sat back against the shower wall. He raised his knees, resting his arms on them. He allowed his erection to recede, determined to remain soft so as not to scare her further. Chelan reached for the cleaning bar and watched his eyes close as she ran her fingers and the bar through his thick mane.

  She worked slowly and gently as Dar thought about the situation. He had never in his life had to exercise so much self-control with a woman as he had just done with Chelan. Indeed, because of his status and his looks, he could never remember having to exercise any control at all. His women were always willing, and his only problem in the past had been sorting through his options and allocating time.

  But Chelan was different. At every turn, she intrigued him. Her brilliance awed him; her enthusiasm to learn all that she could about his people and his ship captivated him. Everything about her excited him, including her strange and foreign ways and her alluring shyness. And on top of all this, despite her inhibitions, she was a sexual being like none he had ever met. Everything about her was erotic: her skin color, her genetic softness, her alien scent, her full curves, and her small physical size. She embodied a rare and exquisite form of perfection.

  He had always enjoyed the act of sex immensely, but his desire for Chelan went far beyond that. It was his love for her coupled with her physical and emotional differences that overwhelmed him. The women of his world were his equal, but for many reasons, and some reasons he could not precisely pinpoint, Chelan was thankfully not. The women of his world were brash and eager, with a sexual aggressiveness that was equal to any man's. But when he thought of making love to Chelan, he thought of covering her with his body, of protecting her small frame and preserving the frailness that he felt beneath his powerful hands. She was not Iceanean; she was not one of his women, and she was vulnerable to him and his ways. She was more than worthy of his love and respect, and he gave that to her unwaveringly, but Chelan was not equal to his people, and the deficits that she carried required his strength, his power, and his devotion to shelter her. Because of this, he realized he was becoming brutally protective of her, with a possessiveness he never realized he could feel. He would defend her physically and emotionally, and his thoughts deviated momentarily to Korba.

  Dar shook his head, pushing the thoughts of Chelan with Korba into the recesses of his mind. The unexpected stab at his heart wrenched at his emotions, and he forced himself to concentrate on the present, on her gentle touch, on her innocent seductiveness, and on the proliferation of potent feelings coursing through every fiber of his aroused body. He was on fire... mind, body, and soul.

  It was impossible not be immersed in her beauty, and he sucked in a deep breath of air as heat again surged through his loins at the thought of what hidden and unexpected pleasures she still possessed. Dar had allowed his erection to recede, but now he fought forcefully to maintain himself in his flaccid state as the porcelain beauty worked over his shoulders. Though the men of his world were known for their total control over their sexual fullness, the ability to hold mastery over their physical arousal at will finally honed, Chelan was taxing this skill far beyond what he had ever experienced.

  Gently, she urged him forw
ard, and she slipped in behind him where she caressed his back and sides, her fingers massaging his powerful muscles into submission. Every touch, every brush of her fingers, every whisper of her breath upon his flesh ignited renewed desires, each more forceful than the last. Every time he felt her hard nipples graze his skin, his body strained for release, the ache in his groin becoming nearly unbearable.

  Chelan moved out from behind him, allowing him to lean back against the wall. He tilted his head up, obliging the water to wash over his face, his skin craving a reprieve from his internal heat. He had said he would not die if he did not complete the sexual act and reach a climax. Now, he was not so sure.

  Chelan left him alone for a few moments, watching the water cascade over his handsome face and long hair. He looked so relaxed that she was totally unaware of the battle he was waging from within over her simple acts. Unwilling to disturb him, she sat quietly pondering her next move. Dar finally opened his eyes and smiled at her. She hesitated with the bar and then smiled back. His face and eyes were full of love and warmth. She reached for his arm.

  She began with his fingers, washing each one with divine slowness. He touched her pretty lips, and she smiled shyly. Then she closed her eyes, kissing his fingertip with reverence. Coyly, she looked at him with her deep-brown eyes as she took his finger in her mouth, tasting him with her tongue and then sucking him softly.

  Dar thought he was going to explode, her seductive move nearly driving him to the brink of madness. When she withdrew, he closed his eyes against her and gritted his teeth. Sure as hell, she was going to kill him.

  Chelan continued up his arm to his shoulder, and just when he felt he could get a handle on himself, she leaned across him, beginning on the other arm. Dar could no longer keep his hands off her. He nuzzled into her neck and placed his hand on her back, stroking her tenderly as she worked. When she had completed that arm to her satisfaction, she sat back on her heels and began going over his chest. Dar suppressed a moan of ecstasy. He felt like every cell in his body was going to burst.

  She meticulously cleaned and massaged him, her fingers slowly exploring every muscle, every contour. She now moved freely about him, no longer trying to hide her pretty breasts from him. Her hands worked delicately, languishing over his coiled abdominals, the lubrication supplied by the bar causing a proliferation of carnal thoughts that threatened once again to unhinge him completely. God, how he wanted her, all of her; his muscles were so tight with strain that he felt oddly weak.

  But as she moved lower, he dared not move a single muscle. He watched to see if she would allow her eyes to look at his maleness as her touch descended, but she did not. He, on the other hand, craved looking at every feminine attribute she possessed, that which she displayed, and that which he knew was as yet hidden. His thirst for her innermost treasures left his throat dry with wanting and his blood pounding.

  Gracefully, she slid out from under his hand and moved directly in front of him at his feet. She worked up each leg to his knees, rubbing firmly against his smooth, bronze skin. Then she paused briefly before edging herself forward and settling between his legs. She looked down at the bar as if deep in thought, her hands trembling slightly.

  Dar froze, watching her as she began on his thighs, her hands slowly working toward his groin. Then she switched legs, and her hands began their journey again. This time, as she came up his inner thigh, she stopped, her quaking increasing. She lifted her eyes to his momentarily.

  Dar held his breath.

  Chelan looked down at her hands as she bit her lip, and she let the bar drop. Nervously, she allowed herself to look at his flaccid maleness, and instantly she choked back a gasp at his size. She shuddered and hesitated. He had asked her to touch him before, but she knew not if she could. But now he was soft, and she was safe, and that rationalization allowed her to proceed.

  Dar's heart nearly stopped, and he felt like he was going to pass out from loss of oxygen. He watched, his nerves strung tight, as her hand slowly moved to him, and finally, she touched the one supple part of his muscular body. Dar moaned deeply at her touch, and he swallowed hard as she traced down his length to the tip. Then, she gently brushed her fingers over his large testicles, tentatively manipulating them gently in her trembling hand.

  Dar shut his eyes and clenched his fists. He grappled for control as she began to caress every inch of his soft flesh, her long fingers surrounding his length and stroking him tenderly. Suddenly, with unparalleled speed, Dar grabbed her hands roughly, startling her as he sat bolt upright.

  Chelan's eyes went wide with fright. "I hurt you!" she cried.

  "No," came his ragged reply. He hung his head as he panted, fighting to regain control of himself, his jaw clenched. "Good god, no," he muttered as he stood abruptly and turned his back to her. He swallowed hard, letting the cold water run down his body in hopes that it would quench him of his feverish desire. He needed a moment to contain himself.

  Chelan pushed away from him along the floor, bewildered. She had not hurt him, and he had asked her to touch him before. He had invited her to him, had lain reclined in open invitation, yet his brusque reaction smacked of rejection. She did not know these men or their ways. God, she didn't even know her own men's ways! Had she offended him? She thought he had desired her touch, everywhere.

  She dared to glance up at him, but he kept his back to her. She floundered as a deep wave of uncertainty washed over her. Her stomach turned, and her throat hurt. She felt lost and unsure. But most of all, she felt hopelessly inept and inexperienced. If he had not wanted her to touch him in that way, why hadn't he simply said no?

  She knew she should talk to him, but she was too embarrassed to say a word. She glanced at the shower entrance, and she saw her escape. She sprang to her feet and ran through the door, but Dar was on her instantly.

  "Chelan! Don't run!" he commanded gruffly as he grabbed her around the waist and brought her to the floor.

  "No!" she wailed. "Let me go!"

  "Chelan!" he growled menacingly. "Chelan! Don't struggle!" Dar laid himself over her, preventing her from thrashing about. She tried to kick out from under him, but he allowed more of his weight to bear down on her light frame. "Chelan! Listen!" he pleaded. "I wasn't rejecting you."

  Her eyes were wide with fear coupled with anguish. "No!" she shouted as she strained to get away, but he was far too heavy for her. She was absolutely mortified. For the first time in her life she had allowed herself to become intimate with a man, baring her soul, her feelings, and her body to him. And now she felt ashamed and utterly humiliated. She dug her heels into the floor, and with newfound strength and determination, she pushed against him.

  Dar pressed his knee between her legs, deliberately spreading them wide. Then he lay directly on her so that she could not twist. "Chelan!" he yelled. He grabbed her arms and pinned them above her head. She closed her eyes and turned her face away from him, her struggles terminating. "Chelan, please listen. You were putting me over the edge." His voice was firm. "Chelan! I've never had to fight for a woman before. It's always been so easy. Please, I wasn't rebuffing you. Chelan, I want you more than anything else in the galaxy. I promised I would not force anything on you, and until the moment you touched me, I had never had any problem with controlling my own desires. I never dreamed such passion was possible."

  Chelan gasped and drew her knees up, his weight bruising her pelvis. "Chelan!" he shouted. "It was for your own protection," then Dar let his head drop in frustration, releasing her arms.

  Chelan urgently moved her hands to his shoulders and pushed against him frantically. Only then did Dar realize he was crushing her. Immediately, he took up some of his weight with his arms. He looked down at her; her chest was heaving, her eyes wide. Dar shook his head slowly at her, his voice foreboding and stern. "And Chelan, don't ever run. Never run."

  His eyes were ablaze, his senses hair-trigger sensitive. He flinched as a grizzly realization struck him. "We're predators, Chelan. Please, never
run from us. You elicit instincts in us, dark instincts." Her sexual scent combined with the smell of fear about her had unleashed an animal in him usually reserved for the kill. The fuse she had lit by running had shaken him to the core. Higher mental orders had overridden his impulses, but the thought of the savage that had temporarily been uncaged turned his blood to ice.

  Chelan suddenly lay very still, all her personal issues dissipating into mist. The look of primordial fear in the Warlord's eyes froze her to the spot. "I'm sorry," she uttered between swallow breaths. She paused, watching as a tinge of warmth returned to his eyes, and she felt a sense of calm being restored to the warrior looming over her. She finally managed a weak smile. "I seem to be hard on everyone I meet."

  Dar forced a small, wry smile. "Only on the men, Chelan. Only on the men."

  Chelan caught a few more breaths and then realized her prone position, his pelvis pressed into hers. "I certainly hope then, my Lord, that you can control yourself now, for at this moment you have me in a rather compromised position."

  Dar finally laughed at her, and then, with love in his eyes, he pushed off her soft body and knelt between her legs. Chelan wanted to rise up quickly and cover herself, but her bones ached from his pressure. Dar knew he had been harsh, and he offered her his hand, easing her slowly to her feet. She hugged into him and grimaced as she straightened the kinks out of her torso. "Now I see why the Iceanean women are so big," she quipped.

  Dar chuckled, holding her tight and caressing her long, slender back. "I think we have a few other things to discuss," he began.

  Chelan looked up at him and blushed. "I guess so," she whispered.

  "That conversation will come, but first I'd like to thank you for the incredible shower."