“Yes, and I don’t try to fit two days of work into one.” She uncapped the tube and squeezed out a portion. A pleasing, almost-peppermint scent hit her nose. She spread the cream on his shoulders and back, rubbing until it absorbed. His muscles were hard under her fingers. She leaned in, massaging with the ball of her palms.
“That feels good,” he said. “Keep going.”
“I surprised you can feel that.” He was like a rock, all lean muscle.
“I feel everything you do to me.”
She paused, momentarily surprised.
“Don’t be shy on me now. I enjoy the way you touch me,” he said.
He was right. Shyness had no place in their relationship now. She added more cream to his back, working it into his tense muscles. “I like how you touch me, too,” she said.
He sighed, shoulders slumping dramatically in comedic relief. “My mate likes the way I touch her. Stars be praised.”
“Don’t be such a drama llama,” she said, slapping him playfully on the arm. “Oh, a llama is a type of Earth animal.”
“I do not know the term but my translator said it was a type of pack animal,” he said.
“Yeah, I guess it is. Translators do weird stuff, sometimes.”
“Sometimes? Always. You have never said my name correctly.”
Kal paused. “Are you serious? Is my accent wrong?”
“You accent is adorable, but you say the wrong word.” He repeated his name again slowly, syllable by syllable, in soft, rolling tones.
A deep, mortified blush overtook her. She didn’t know her husband’s name.
“Do not trouble yourself. Everyone gets Tal names wrong,” he said. He twisted in place to meet her gaze. “Please, it is nothing.”
“It’s your name!”
He waved away her concern. “It is a function of the translators. Tal names have specific meanings. Human names seem to just be sounds slapped together.”
“Human names have meaning,” she said. “My name means ‘flower.’”
“But it’s not actually ‘flower.’ My name is the Tal word for ‘merit’, but the translator chip can’t distinguish between the noun and the name. It substitutes your human word rather than letting the Tal word come through.”
“That’s kind of dumb and terrible. Your name is important.” She needed to brainstorm a way to learn his true name. Maybe if he wrote it down phonetically, she could practice.
He rolled a shoulder, flexing the stiff muscles. “It does not bother me so much. This is the name I’ve had the longest, but it could change.”
Kal put more ointment in her hands and indicated for him to turn around. His skin felt slippery now, but his muscles were still a knotted mess. “I’m not following,” she said.
“Many think Tal names are virtues, but they are aspirations,” he said. “They represent what our families hope and want for us to achieve. A child’s name often reflects a parent’s flaw or desire. It is not unusual for an adolescent to be renamed or even name themselves.”
She mentally scrolled through the family’s names. “So, you and your brother are Merit and Prospect.”
“Our parents wanted us to be successful.” He rolled his shoulder again. “I think they named us correctly.”
“They missed the mark on Amity,” she said with a small snort. It wasn’t exactly a gracious thing of her to say, but Amity hadn’t been exactly gracious to her, either. Still, snark never looked good on anyone.
“Amity was not her original name. They renamed her when she was Clarity’s age in an effort to temper her disposition.”
Kal laughed that time. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t laugh. It’s not funny.”
“It’s not,” he agreed.
“I want to respect your culture but your sister—”
“Dare picked his own name,” Merit said, moving on.
“That’s interesting. What about your name? Ever feel like you need a change?” She pulled her hands down his back, letting gravity help. She worked out most of the tension. Now she only touched him as an excuse to keep touching him.
“Hmm. After the war, I considered it,” he said.
“What would you have picked?”
“I couldn’t decide between patience or fortitude, so I stuck with merit.”
Kal tried to reframe him in her mind as Patience.
Nope. That was an old lady name. Fortitude wasn’t much better.
“I like your name, and I want to say it correctly. Please teach me,” she said.
Merit turned around to face her. He rested his hands on her knees and leaned in, nose to nose. “I like the way you say my name now, in human.”
“English,” she supplied.
“No one else calls me that. Just you, only for me.”
She fixed her gaze on his mouth, wanting more than anything to kiss him. “Two things. One, I really think you should kiss me now.”
He growled, thick and lusty. “I like where this is headed.”
“Two, I really hope you’re not that tired,” she said.
He stood, pulling her to her feet. “Bed. Now.”
Chapter Twelve
Kalini
The sky was still dark when Kal woke. She rolled over, finding the bed empty. Again.
She sighed, pulling Merit’s pillow to her chest. Either a work call or his daily jog pulled him away. She knew this. Waking up to an empty bed shouldn’t bother her this much. She spent her entire adult life sleeping alone. At least now she got to fall asleep with his arm draped over her hips, snuggled into his warm body.
The door opened, and Merit pushed through carrying a tray. Kal’s heart thrilled at the sight.
“Breakfast in bed,” he announced.
“What time is it?” She stretched as she sat up. The oversize tunic slipped off her shoulder.
“Too damn early, that’s what time it is.” He sat the tray laden with berries and yogurt-like cream next to the bed.
“I’m not particularly hungry when I first wake up,” she confessed. The berries looked sweet, but she needed tea before solid food.
“This is my breakfast,” he said with a sly grin. “Now take off that tunic. I’m a messy eater.”
“What exactly do you have planned?” She pushed back the sheets and stripped, eager to find out.
He sat at the edge of the bed. Dipping a plump berry into the sweet yogurt, he held it up to her lips. She opened, but he took it back, popping it in his mouth.
“So sweet but it could be sweeter,” he said, picking up another berry.
This one made it into her mouth, the sweet and tart flavor bursting on her tongue. Cream dribbled on her chin. Merit leaned in and licked her clean.
“Lie down,” he said. Picking up the bowl, he held it over her chest. He spooned generous dollops of the cool yogurt between her breast. He selected the roundest, juiciest berry and dragged it slowly through the creamy mess. With a hungry moan, he licked the berry before swallowing it whole.
“Delicious.” He smiled, all fangs and desire.
She moaned as he added another dollop and dragged a berry around the yogurt-covered peak of her breasts.
“Shh. Be quiet now. We can’t wake the kits,” he warned, just as he lowered his head to her nipple. His tongue rasped against the delicate skin, licking her clean.
“You play dirty,” she said between gasps.
He added more cream, creating a trail from the valley between her breasts down to her muff. It dribbled down her thighs.
“We’re making a mess,” she said, only slightly concerned.
“I’ll wash the sheets.” He knelt between her thighs, using a berry to scoop up the excess. That adventurous berry made its way to the lips of her pussy. It skimmed across her sensitive skin, and she raised her hips in reply.
Another berry, this one crushed between his fingers. The scent filled the room. Merit gave a hungry growl and dove in, licking her thighs clean. The rough texture of his tongue was nearly more than she could take, yet s
She spread her legs wider, a silent invitation. He moved to her pussy, that wonderfully coarse tongue licking her from top to bottom. He paused at her clit, as if he’d never seen one before. Maybe he hadn’t.
“Um, you got any questions?” she asked.
“My research indicated that the human clitoris was external. I’ve felt it but to see it—” He brushed it lightly with a finger. A charged thrill shot through her body and Kal’s hips bucked, wanting more.
“You did research?” The thought of Merit studying human anatomy filled her with that marshmallow feeling again.
“Didn’t you? I wanted to please my wife.”
She did her own research, starting off with dry texts about anatomy that read like a school textbook. Once she read the basics, it didn’t hold her interest for long. She moved onto visual media but would never admit to watching hours of human-Tal porn videos.
It was relevant to reproduction. Honest. Plus, the internet was full of “pointers”.
She had seen photos Tal penises with their raised nodules but when she first encountered it face-to-face, so to speak, the nodules still caught her by surprise. They were different, not bad, just different. They were also part of Merit, so she loved it, bumps or no bumps. Plus, they felt amazing.
“You’ve pleased me plenty,” she said, hand on his head to guide him back.
He wasted no time, lavishing her clit with attention. Time pressed down on them, and he brought her to a swift and fierce climax. She covered her face with a pillow as she came, muffling the sound.
Sticky from the berries and yogurt, Kal pulled Merit up. He wrapped her in his arm, her sticky bare flesh pressed against his.
“Best meal I’ve ever had,” he said, licking his chops.
The door handle jiggled. Kal held her breath, suddenly feeling guilty and caught red-handed.
“Why is the door locked?” Clarity asked.
“It’s not morning yet, Short Tail,” Merit said loudly, voice thick.
“I’m thirsty,” she whined.
Playtime was over. Back to reality.
Kal rolled off the bed and reached for her robe. Merit placed a hand on her arm, making her pause.
“We need to shower. Hold your tail,” Merit said loudly. He turned to her, “Wash up. I’ll take care of this.”
“What about you?” her eyes drifted down to his hard cock tenting the front of his sleep pants. That couldn’t be pleasant.
“I wanted a one-of-a-kind meal. I’m satisfied.” He licked his lips.
“Are you sure?” It didn’t seem fair for her to have an orgasm and him to spend the day frustrated.
A low and seductive growl emanated from his chest. “Get in the shower. I’ll join you shortly.” He swatted her on the butt to send her into motion.
In the cleansing room, Kal could hear Merit half-open the door and bargain with Clarity for more time.
Good luck with that. Clarity had a one-track mind when she wanted something.
Under the warm water, Kal lathered up and rinsed away the cream and fruit juice. As promised, Merit joined her, squeezing into the space. The shower stall could accommodate two adults–just barely–but they would have to take turns under the showerhead. Not that she was complaining, with his warm, lean body pressed against her.
His teeth nipped at her shoulder. “Let me,” he said, taking the soap from her. He worked it into a lather between his hands and then applied it to her back. His hands glided down, caressing her thighs and bottoms. Pressed against her, his still hard cock dug into her back. He reached around from behind and lathered the curls of her muff. His free arm wrapped around her waist, holding her in place as his tail beat against her calves.
He stroked her, ever fascinated by the external clit, and brought her to climax again.
Kal sagged against him. “Marvelous way to start the day,” she managed to say once she caught her breath.
They switched positions so that Merit stood under the water. She lathered him, appreciating every dip and valley on his abdomen. Her hands worked lower, over his hips and finally to his cock.
She wrapped her hand around his thick member. She gave a few strokes to gauge his reaction.
With a growl, his hand covered hers. He guided her, fist pumping down the length of his magenta and amber member. She felt the nodules under her hand, rubbing against her palm.
“I love the way you feel,” she confessed, eyes fixed on their joined hands working his cock. He glistened at the tip, and not just from water. She wondered what he would taste like.
She sank to her knees, mouth watering, eager for her husband’s cock.
“You do not—” he started.
“I want to.”
He continued to work himself, showing her how he liked to be touched. He dipped his head, eyes blazing down at her. Water sprayed from behind, creating a soft halo. She looked up, eagerly awaiting him with her mouth open.
With a snarl, he pushed into her mouth. Thick and already twitching, she sucked and licked for only a moment before he poured his seed down her throat. Kal took it all with a satisfied groan. Both his hands clamped down on her head, holding her in place.
A gratified rumble started in his chest. He pulled her to her feet and pressed a kiss to her lips. “We’ll continue this tonight,” he said.
“Yes, please,” she agreed.
Merit
Merit filled a glass with water and handed it to Clarity. The little female drank it quickly before handing it back and asking for another. He scrutinized his niece’s appearance. With her hair mussed and still in her nightdress, she had an alarming, glassy-eyed look.
“Why are you up so early, Short Tail?”
“I dunno,” she said, shrugging her shoulders in a human gesture she picked up from Kal.
“Can’t sleep?”
“I’m too hot.”
The temperature in the house was warm. The days had been long and hot, and the aging cooling system couldn’t keep up. He mentally added the cooling system to the growing repair list. The older house had been adequate when he lived alone, but his needs had been limited to a clean, dry place to sleep. Now he wanted his family to be comfortable, and they strained every system in the house.
“Today will be cooler,” he said. With summer nearing its end, autumn would arrive swiftly, bringing rain and cool, damp days. “Get some clothes on, and I’ll brush your hair.”
Clarity disappeared upstairs and came back down wearing her school uniform and holding a wide tooth comb and two hair fasteners. “Can I have pigtails again?”
“What is a ‘pigtails?’” He had never heard of such a thing and decided it had to be an Earth hairstyle.
“Like this.” Clarity grabbed the hair on either side of her head and held it in two bunches.
“I can do that, Short Tail. Sit.” Merit sat on a chair and Clarity settled into the stop between his knees, presenting him with her back.
He worked the comb through her thick mane. Tal hair was rather coarse and matted easily if not properly maintained. “When I was a kit, my mane tangled so badly, my mother could not get a comb through it,” he said. “She shaved me bald.”
Clarity giggled. “You should shave Dare’s head.”
“Tempting.” Dare, unlike a younger Merit, combed his mane. The thoughtful young male was like his father in that regard. Prospect had always been particular about his appearance. Merit, however, couldn’t have been bothered and spent most of his childhood with a shorn head and grubby, unwashed hands. There always seemed to be too much to do, to see, to waste time with washing.
Not much had changed, really. Merit still found himself preoccupied with everything and often neglected hygiene. A bead of sweat on the back of his neck reminded him of the failing cooling system and the other systems he failed to maintain.
“Maybe I should start shaving my head again,” he said. Once the comb ran through Clarity’s hair smoothly, he parted it down the middle and gathered it on either side of her head. “Then it’d be fuzzy, and you could rub it for good luck.”
“Could I make a wish?”
“Yes, but I’m not sure how magical my head is.”
“I’d wish to stay here with you and Kalini,” she said.
His heart lurched, and he pulled her up into his lap. “Short Tail, of course you’re staying here with Kalini and me. This is your home.”
“But what if you have a kit? Then you won’t need me anymore.”
His heart. Breaking. Merit pressed his nose down to the top of her head, breathing in that soft kit scent. Her ears twitched.
“Clarity, I will always need you,” he said. “You will always be my Short Tail. I’ll be an old male, hunched over and broken, and you’ll have a family of your own, but I’ll still need you.”
“Because you’ll be old,” she said with authority.
“Because you carry my heart.” He loved his Short Tail with every breath in his body. He had since the day she was born, and Prospect placed her in his arms, tiny with the cutest little tail. He would always need her and the fact that she questioned that worried him. “Why did you think I’d send you away?”
“I dunno.” She looked down, holding her tail in her hands. He recognized it as a self-soothing gesture very young kits often exhibited.
“Do you like Kalini?” He took her hand in his, making her drop her tail. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her small hand.
“I guess.”
“Doesn’t sound convincing.”
“I feel funny,” she said.
“About Kalini?”
“Like I’m too tight inside.”
Guilt, he reckoned. This was the emotional response he had been expecting. In truth, he expected the kits to act out in some way due to grief. Dare teased his sister mercilessly. Clarity clung to parental figures. Guilt was new and possibly a sign of progress.
“It’s okay to like Kalini and still love your mother,” he said. “You have room in your heart for both.”
She nodded. Her eyes still had that glassy appearance, but she didn’t seem in danger of crying.
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