by T. J. Quinn
“I’m determined to give you a better day, today,” he announced, just before he leaned over and brushed her lips with his, a couple of times. “And there’s no better way to start a day than this one,” he murmured against her lips, claiming a passionate kiss from her.
Surprised, she let out a small cry, and he took the opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth, assailing every inch of it, stealing her breath away. His tongue felt like nothing she had felt before. A mix of harsh and soft that quickly took her arousal to a new peak.
He kissed her again and again, for a few minutes until they were both breathing hard and their bodies were so entangled, it was impossible to tell where one started and the other one ended.
Suddenly, he jumped out of bed and headed to the bathroom.
Moaning, not sure she was happy or not he had stopped, she hid her face under the pillow and stayed there for a few minutes, waiting for her heart to regain its normal rhythm.
“The bathing room is free if you require using it,” he announced, coming out of it.
She took her head from underneath her pillow and looked at him. With just a tiny towel around his waist, he looked devastating. His powerful chest was covered with what looked like ink, probably some sort of tribal patterns and it looked fantastic.
He was pulling out a jumpsuit from his suitcase, similar to the one he had worn the day before, this one dark blue, matching his incredible eyes. For what she had seen so far, people on this planet basically wore that kind of clothing, men and women alike.
“Yes, I would like to bathe, if we have the time,” she mumbled, jumping out of bed, trying not to look at him, still a bit embarrassed for what had just happened between them.
“There’s no rush. Take your time.”
She nodded and headed to the bathroom. The night before she had had a bit of trouble deciphering the shower stall, but once she got the hang of it, she had loved the whole experience. That morning was no exception. The shower had all sorts of water jets that massaged her entire body, relaxing her.
But she didn’t stay long. She knew Kahm wanted to get to his farm as soon as possible and had only made this stop out of consideration for her.
When she left the room, with clean clothes on, he was already waiting for her in the cabin’s main room.
Chapter Seven
Kahm watched Selena come out of the room and let out a silent sigh. For a moment, when he had her in his arms that morning, he had almost lost all control over himself. Of course, he was aware of his attraction for her, he just hadn't expected it to be so powerful he would lose sight of his intentions: to kiss her good morning and tease her, a little bit.
It took him all his willpower to walk away from her and ignore her hot body aching for him as much as his ached for her. It wasn’t the right moment, and the last thing he wanted was to ruin the little trust she might already have in him.
“Ready to leave? We’ll have breakfast before we leave, but we won’t return to the cabin, so you might want to make sure you have all your things,” he warned her.
“I thought you would want to do that, so, I’ve packed my things. I’m ready to leave,” Selena replied, gesturing at her small bag.
“Perfect.”
They had a substantial breakfast, and less than an hour later they were on the road again.
The landscape was a bit different this time, with several farmed kinds of wood, scattered along the way. “What do you use the trees for?” she asked curiously. She hadn't seen a piece of paper so far, and the buildings didn’t seem to be built with wood.
“They’re used as timber. Here we don’t use it much, but there are a few planets in the neighborhood that enjoy having their furniture made of wood,” he explained. “We have strict laws regarding cutting down the trees, to preserve the quality of our air. Those caught breaking those laws are immediately expelled from the planet.”
“I wish someone had enacted that same law back on Earth. Perhaps, that way the planet wouldn’t be so destroyed,” she said, with a sad tone.
“I know what you mean. Sometimes, greed and ambition get out of control, and it’s more than enough to destroy a whole planet.”
He seemed to know what he was talking about and she remembered he had told her he had been a mercenary. He evidently had seen a lot of planets destroyed by the hand of their inhabitants.
At some point along their journey, probably five hours after they left the inn, he pointed at the farm to their right. “From here on, these lands belong to me. I raise three breeds of cattle, and we use all we can from them: wool, leather, milk, and meat. Some of it goes to the local market, but the majority goes to the intergalactic market,” he explained, with pride evident in his voice.
The farm, like all others they had seen on their way, was surrounded by electric fences, that kept animals in and outlaws or invaders out.
“I have a few male employees that help me run the place, but most help comes from the androids I’ve acquired for the job,” he added.
“Why not use just androids?” she asked curiously.
“Though they represent a great help, androids are just machines. They’re able to think for themselves, but only amongst the ranges, they were programmed to. They usually don’t respond well in the face of an emergency they’ve never seen before.”
“It makes sense. Machines will always be machines… they will only act as far as they’re programmed to. There will never be any initiative in them.”
“Exactly, and when you’re dealing with living beings, anything can happen, and you need someone able to react in the face of the unexpected.”
“You seem to know a lot about your job. How long have you been living here?” she asked, curious.
“Around fifty solar cycles, I guess. I’m afraid I don’t keep a record.”
She let out a small cry of surprise. “Fifty years? How old are you?”
“I’m one hundred and fifty solar cycles old. My people live past the three hundred solar cycles,” he explained.
“Oh, that’s a lot. My people barely reach one hundred years, and even that’s under the right circumstances,” she commented, not sure she liked the idea of aging next to a husband that would certainly look a lot younger than her.
He frowned at her words. He hadn't considered that possibility. Raye wouldn’t have that problem since his species didn’t live much more than a hundred solar cycles. But though he had already lived at least half of his lifespan, he would still live too many years after his wife left this universe. The thought was disturbing, to say the least.
“Perhaps living on this planet will increase your lifespan,” he said, in a low tone.
“Yes, this place looks a lot healthier than planet Earth, so I guess it’s possible,” she agreed with a faint smile.
A few minutes later, they reached an enormous gate he opened pushing a button on the vehicle’s main screen.
“I’ve made some changes in the house when I decided to get married, but I want you to feel free to change whatever you like,” he said, as they approached a big house. It only had one floor, but it looked big enough for a small army.
“I’m sure it will be fine,” she said, amazed at the place.
“I also acquired a domestic android to help you around the house. I didn’t marry you to have a free maid,” he added, with a scowl.
“That’s very considerate of you,” she said, feeling a bit relieved. House chores had never been one of her favorite things. “How far are we from a hospital or medical facility?” she asked, wondering if she would be able to find a job.
He frowned as he looked at her. “Around seven hours using this vehicle, and a few minutes flying. Why do you ask?”
“I was wondering if I could find a job there,” she explained.
“A job? Why would you want a job? I’m perfectly capable of supporting you. You don’t need a job,” he said, his displeasure with her words evident.
“I’m used to work. I’ve been doing i
t ever since I was eighteen years old,” Selena replied.
“Of course, you needed to. There’s no longer any need for you to work.” He jumped out of the vehicle, and she followed him.
“I didn’t go through three years of hard work to become a nurse just because I needed a job. I did it because I wanted to help people, to make them feel better,” she explained, walking after him, determined to make him listen to her.
He stopped and turned to look at her. “Your life is different now. You’re my wife, and all you need to do is be here for me, take care of me,” he pointed out, in a cold tone.
She opened her mouth to refute his point and closed it before uttering a word. He was right, her life had changed completely. She was in no position to make many demands. Especially, if she wanted his help to get her parents out of Earth. She had to play by his rules, as much as possible.
“I’m sorry, you’re right. Things are just too new, and I’m still getting used to them,” she tried to explain.
He nodded. “I guess this can’t be easy for you, but since you agreed to come here and be my wife, you must have known that implied several changes in your life,” he pointed stiffly.
“Yes, of course. Please, forgive me for that outburst.” She looked around, feeling a bit lost. “Why don’t you show me the house? I’m looking forward to seeing my new home,” she asked, with a tremulous smile.
He agreed and stretched his hand out to take hers. “Come, I’ll show you the house.”
When they entered the house, they were greeted by the domestic android. Selena had seen several androids on board the ship that had brought her to this planet, and most of them had been made to resemble their owners, in that case, the Cetians. The android in front of them, on the other hand, had been made to resemble a human female and she appreciated the detail.
“Welcome home, your meal will be served when you desire,” the android announced.
“Thank you, Ysha. This is my wife, Selena. I’ll show her around the place before we eat.”
“Very well, Sínn Kahm. It’s a pleasure knowing you, Víf Selena.” The android bowed and disappeared down the hallway.
The house structure was quite similar to what she was used to. He started showing her the bedrooms, she counted five, including the main suite. Each bedroom had its own bathroom and dressing room.
Then there was a room he used as some sort of office, a luxuriously large living room combined with the dining room, a bathroom for the visitors, the kitchen, the laundry room and a considerable storeroom.
“Ysha has no room in the house?” she asked, curious.
“Androids don’t really sleep. They simply recharge their batteries, but yes, she has a room, along with the rest of the employees, in that building,” he explained, signaling a small building to their right.
They were in the backyard, where he had sown all kinds of vegetables and what looked like fruit trees.
“Oh, that’s great,” she nodded. “You seem to have a lot of food here,” she said, pointing at the fields in front of them.
“Yes, we’re self-sufficient here. We have to be. During the winter months, it is impossible to leave this place. The snow covers everything and falls with no pause.”
“What if there’s an emergency?” she asked, a bit worried. That didn’t sound good.
“Depending on the emergency, authorities will send an emergency rescue team, able to fly in any weather,” he explained. “But it’s still hazardous since storms are very unpredictable.”
“How long does that last?” she asked, with a slight frown. She had to find something to do, or she was going to go out of her mind.
“Four to five months. Some solar cycles even six.”
“That’s a lot. What do you do during those months?” she asked, curiously.
“Here, we always have work to do. The cattle always need attention, especially during those months. We have to make sure they are well fed and warm enough.”
“It sounds like hard work,” she said, looking around her.
“Yes, it is, but I enjoy it. It’s quite satisfying.”
She nodded and with a pleased smile, he guided her back to the house and to the living room. Ysha already had the food laid out on the table.
The flavors and textures were entirely different from those she was used to, but she had to admit the food was quite delicious.
“I usually have the evening meal with my employees. It allows us to discuss the events of the day in a relaxed manner and I truly believe it helps to keep them satisfied with their jobs,” he announced, when they were finishing. “I would like you to join us, as well.”
“Certainly, I would be pleased to.”
“I’ve noticed you haven’t been provided with the kind of clothing we use here, so perhaps it would be a good idea to order some this afternoon,” he suggested, looking at her.
She looked at the white summer dress she was wearing. “Is there something wrong with what I’m wearing right now?”
He frowned. “Not wrong, it’s just different. Not the kind of clothing people would expect to see you in,” he tried to explain.
Looking back, she remembered all people she had seen so far in the planet wore the same kind of jumpsuits Kahm wore all the time, no matter if they were men or women.
“Is there a reason you all wear those clothes?” she asked, not too happy to exchange all her clothes for those monotonous jumpsuits.
“Yes, they are practical. Keep you warm in winter and cool in summer. And they also protect you against insects and grazing inadvertently against poisonous plants,” he explained.
She remembered the flower she had touched and understood his point. She still didn’t like the idea of wearing those insipid jumpsuits, she would just have to find a way to turn them a bit more interesting.
“I believe I’ll need some, then,” she accepted.
“If we order them this afternoon, they will be here in the morning.”
“That’s fast,” she said, considering the time it had taken them to get to the farm.
“They use some small remote control flying devices to transport merchandise all over the continent,” he explained.
She figured it would be something like the drones they used to have back home, before the wars.
“Why don’t you fly when you need to travel?” she asked, curious.
“One of the few things we don’t have here is fuel. It’s quite expensive to bring it from other planets, so we try to ration its use as much as possible.”
“Hasn’t anyone tried to find a local substitute for it?”
“No, not as far as I know. This place isn’t very appealing to scientists or engineers.”
Once they finished their meal, he guided her to his office and invited her to sit next to him, in front of a big screen. He pushed a few buttons, and soon a vast selection of jumpsuits showed up on the screen.
Unlike the ones, she had seen Kahm using there were a few a bit more alluring on the list displayed in front of her.
“Choose at least ten of them,” he offered her.
“How will I know which size to choose?”
He looked at her. “They usually come in three sizes, small, medium and large. Some people, like me, need to ask for a custom order,” he explained, with a scowl. “In your case, a size small should fit you perfectly. The fabric is elastic, it fits most people.”
“Very well, I’ll trust you on that,” she said, with a smile, as she started looking through the jumpsuits shown.
After a few minutes, she had picked a few colorful jumpsuits, according to her personality and her golden skin.
“That should be enough for now,” she said after she had chosen a few.
“Very well.” He got up from his chair. “I have to go check a few things with my crew. Feel free to explore the house and the surroundings, but don’t go too far. You don’t want to get lost on your first day here,” he warned her.
“Thank you, but I guess I’ll unpa
ck first.”
“I’m sure Ysha has taken care of that, but check it out with her.” He leaned over and stole a kiss from her lips before he left the room.
Chapter Eight
With her heart pounding a bit faster in her chest, she slowly got up and went looking for the android. She found her in the master bedroom, finishing unpacking her luggage.
“Do you need anything, Víf Selena?” she asked when Selena entered the room.
“I came to see if you had already unpacked my things,” she replied with a faint smile.
They hadn't discussed it, but after his reaction when she had asked for another room, she should have suspected they would be sharing one from day one in his house.
After that mind-blowing kiss, this morning, her feelings about it were a bit chaotic. Though her rational side kept saying they needed a bit more time to get to know each before jumping into each other’s arms, her heart was telling a very different thing.
With a faint smile, she helped Ysha to finish putting away all her stuff and learning where everything was. When they were done, she decided to take his advice and go for a walk outside.
It was a lovely day, with no clouds in the incredibly blue sky, so, she stepped outside and took a deep breath. The air was pure and clean like she was sure she had never breathed before on her home planet.
Though some things were similar to planet Earth, others were completely different. For instance, the grass was dark green, but there ended the resemblance to the grass she recalled from home. This one was smooth and fluffy as if you were walking on the most luxurious carpet ever invented. She felt the urge to remove her shoes and experience the feeling of walking on it, but remembering her experience with the flower, she decided not.
Instead, she walked around the house, delighted with the well-kept garden he had. There were all kinds of flowers and bushes, all around the house, along with the vegetables and fruit trees she had seen earlier with Kahm.
Determined to know a bit more she walked toward the construction he had signaled as the employees sleeping quarters. She didn’t plan to enter, she just wanted to see it up close.