by Celia Kyle
Something shattered in a tinkling of what sounded like glass and Erudan snarled.
Rhea winced. Things didn’t seem to be so cut and dry.
The atmosphere in the dwelling shifted and changed. It swirled in a dark cloud, filling the air with restrained violence. She could practically feel Erudan’s growing anger. Okay, if she didn’t want to cause another fight between friends, she needed to give up on eavesdropping and get between the big guys.
Besides, all of the good bits of conversation seemed to be over with and she was starving.
Rhea quietly slipped back the way she’d come and returned to Erudan’s bedroom, not stopping until she stood beside the bed. She lifted her arms above her head, fingers twined and stretched side to side. She grunted and groaned, increasing her volume so the guys in the kitchen could hear her. She finished her stretch and then picked up a little tune, humming as she moved to the doorway. She practically stomped across the space, making sure the two males heard her coming.
By the time she turned the last corner, both men were silent, their gazes trained on the archway that led to the kitchen.
Their silent stare seemed to go on forever, two sets of eyes caressing her, but she kept her attention trained on the only male she cared about—Erudan. It was nice to be appreciated by Corr, but the dark haired Vian captured her wholly.
She ran her hands down her clothing, the fabric wrinkled and still carrying the smell of Ikkim. She’d been forced to wear the previous day’s clothing and once more she wished she hadn’t lost her cases to that scary as hell alien.
Two sets of male eyes roved over her and she was suddenly glad she hadn’t tried to make do with Erudan’s tunic. While she wouldn’t have minded a chance to tempt him, she didn’t want to be Corr’s eye candy.
The two males remained quiet for one moment and then another and neither gave her an even half-hearted greeting.
Males.
She sighed and took matters into her own hands. “Good morning. Something smells amazing. Is there enough for me?” She glanced around the kitchen and spied a serving platter with what appeared to be eggs and sausages. Well, the Vian version of them anyway.
Without mumbling a word, Erudan turned and silently filled a plate—one she assumed was for her. Then he went to a chair at the far end of the table and placed the meal on the wooden surface. The massive male pulled out a chair and gestured to the seat. Her attention bounced between Erudan’s stoic face and the seat he’d selected.
The seat farthest from Corr.
Distance didn’t stop Corr from flirting though. The moment Rhea slid onto the chair, Corr gave her a wink. “It was a good morning. It is better now with your presence.”
Rhea flushed, face heating with the compliment. The only reason she wasn’t squirming beneath his gaze was because Corr’s attention wasn’t on her as he spoke. Instead, Corr was looking right at Erudan, who hadn’t moved from his spot behind her. Nor had he released the tight grip on her chair. The wood groaned beneath his hold.
Okay then, a stare off pissing contest it was!
Ignoring the two, she reached for her fork, and her chair made another long, drawn out creak. She froze and slowly placed her hands on the table as she shifted her weight forward. Just in case the chair shattered beneath her.
But Erudan wouldn’t really wreck his furniture in a fit of jealousy, would he? A thrill danced down her spine and a tendril of anticipation gathered between her thighs as she contemplated the idea. Was he so possessive that he’d—
Rhea’s thoughts shut down the moment Erudan released the chair and backed away.
Erudan’s voice was hardly more than an animalistic growl when he spoke. “Have you forgotten your patrol? You will be late.”
Corr flicked his attention to a clock and sighed. He rolled his shoulders and then pushed away from the table before taking his plate to the sink. “You have stolen all of my fun.” Corr glanced at her, flashing a smirk that gave way to a sensual heat. “Perhaps I will see you again tonight. I promise you will not need a knife.”
Erudan growled. “Go!”
Laughing, Corr moved through the dwelling before finally disappearing out the front door.
And Rhea had no desire to follow the hot hunk of alien male. He was every bit as sexy as Erudan and no doubt his body was just as alluring as her maybe-mate, but she wasn’t driven to be near Corr. Not the way her body pushed her to crawl up Erudan’s body and cling to him like an under-sexed monkey.
“You.” Erudan dropped utensils beside her plate. “Eat quickly. We have much to accomplish.”
Rhea quirked an eyebrow and slowly turned in her seat to glare at Erudan. Except he now stood as far from her as possible while remaining in the kitchen. Arms folded across his chest, she couldn’t help but admire the swell of his biceps. Her fingers twitched with the desire to test their firmness and she almost dropped her fork. Cheeks flushing once more, she stabbed a hunk of eggs and popped them in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed and then looked at him once again. Now his frowning gaze was fixed on her lips.
Eyes not straying from him, she slowly licked her lips. Erudan didn’t make a sound, but his arms bulged as though he had to flex them to keep himself from reaching for her.
Hmmm.
“So,” she cut into a piece of what she hoped was some kind of sausage. “What are all these things we so urgently have to do today? I mean,” she stabbed a hunk of meat. “I mean, besides mating.”
Erudan swallowed, his Adam’s apple sliding along his throat as he clenched his jaw. He tilted his head back, lips moving silently in what might have been a slow count to ten or a desperate plea for divine intervention. She’d heard him mumbling about the two deities on Vialea—Vi and Alea.
When he finally lowered his attention to her, resolve filling his expression, her stomach sank. She placed her fork on the table and stared at him—waiting.
And he didn’t leave her hanging for long. But he also didn’t keep his attention on her. He turned and filled his own plate, as if he needed some sort of distraction.
“You stated your belongings were stolen. You have no clothing so acquiring new items is our first objective.”
“And the second?” She fought to keep emotion out of her voice.
“I will take you to the nearest Celestial Mates office. We will demand the refund of your fee, contact your people, and secure passage on the next ship to Earth.”
Rhea’s stomach dropped to her feet, heartbeat stuttering with his words. She shouldn’t take them personally, but… Her hopes for the future, the anticipation of being out from under the Department of Population, shattered with his words.
“Erudan.” She drew his name out and fought to keep the strangling thickness out of her voice. Which totally didn’t work. “Is there something wrong with me? Is that why you’re trying to get rid of me as quickly as you can?”
She internally cringed, regretting the words the moment they left her mouth. Could she be any more pathetic? Probably not.
A growl escaped her mouth while her frustration—with him and herself—broke free. She shook her head. “You know what, don’t answer that. It doesn’t matter.”
“Rhea— “
“No.” She held up her hand to ward him off. “Pretend you didn’t hear that.”
He turned to face her, his eyebrows furrowed and confusion overtaking her features. “But— “
She still wasn’t going to listen to him. Not while she balanced on the edge of tears over his rejection. She forced the brightest smile she could muster. “Back on topic. I would love new clothes and I’ll reimburse you as soon as I can. As for the other errands, it won’t take as long as you think. I don’t need a refund or passage back to Earth. Vialea is my home now.”
At least until her past caught up with her.
He spoke again. “Rhea— “
She cut him off once more. “No matter what you say, no matter what you find wrong with me, we’re mates. Celestial Mates matched us a
nd they’re nev—”
“Rhea!” Erudan took two giant steps and placed his hand over her mouth. His chest heaved as he stared down at her. “There’s nothing wrong with you. What is wrong is the contract. I never applied for a mate. I began my application, but my circumstances changed. I do not know how we were paired, but I do not want a mate. I do not…”
Pain overtook the frustration in his expression and he withdrew his hand. “I do not deserve you.”
“What?” She leaned forward, straining to hear those last words.
He waved her off and answered her with a question of his own. “Why are you so intent on pursuing this? Why are you so determined to remain with a male who—” He cut himself off with a curse.
“Say it,” she whispered. “Finish what you were saying. Why do I want to stay with a male who doesn’t want me?”
Yeah, she was asking herself the same question right now.
Eight
Erudan took three steps away from Rhea—fighting to put space between them no matter how much his body rejected the idea. He forced his feet to move, pushing onward so that her scent no longer filled his nose. He made it as far as the common area before he relented and stopped. He turned to look toward the meal preparation area and simply stared at the beautiful female. She still remained at the table, elbows braced on the wood and head cradled in her hands.
The confusion that had plagued him since the previous night surged once more. She appeared like a female devastated by more than a simple refusal from a male she did not even know. If he were her true mate, he could understand her wounded appearance. But he wasn’t… Was he?
His emotions surged and he pushed the thoughts away. No, males like him did not have mates. It had to be another reason.
One he still had not found. But there must be one.
Erudan narrowed his eyes and slowly padded back into the kitchen. Rhea tensed but did not give him her attention. She remained silently bowed in place.
He bowed over her, planting his hands on either side of her elbows. He leaned in closer until her long hair tickled his jaw.
Returning to her—getting so near—was another in a long line of errors in judgement. So close to the source of her natural scent… It was unlike anything he’d ever encountered on Vialea and desire burned within his veins. It surged with every beat of his heart and his entire body was aware of her nearness.
He should back away.
Should, but would not. He had to remain close because he needed answers. He did not have a single doubt that Rhea hid something from him. He was familiar with secrets and hugging them close. He had a few of his own, after all.
There was a truth that crossed galaxies and couldn’t be denied—like recognized like.
His was irrelevant, but until she was returned to Earth, hers was very relevant to him.
Another lie he told himself.
“What are you doing?” Her whispered question stroked him with a ghostly touch.
He gritted his teeth and fought against the spiral of desire that spun through him. “You did not answer my question. Why is it so urgent that we mate?”
Rhea froze and drew in a quick breath, holding it captive in her lungs.
She remained in that position for what felt like hundreds of turnings before she finally lifted her head slowly. Her dark hair gradually parted to reveal her pale face. Pale from emotion, not from lack of sunlight.
She turned her face toward his and their cheeks brushed, her silken skin caressing him. It made his mind fill with illicit things—imaginings of the experience of that soft flesh teasing him from head to toe. For no reason at all, he stared at her plump lips, wondering how it would feel to kiss her—taste her.
Why, when she licked her lips, did he want to follow the damp trail her tongue left behind? He would trace its path with his own tongue until…
His thoughts distracted him so thoroughly that he did not realize she had spoken until the sharp snap of her voice drew him back to the present.
“Are you listening to me?”
Erudan flicked his gaze from her lips to her eyes. Her very stormy, glaring eyes. His inattention annoyed her. “I am.”
“Uh-huh. Now, maybe. Before, not so much.” She shook her head. “You want to know why I need you so badly?”
Need.
He had a need and the word from her lips brought his needs roaring forward. His body needed to claim her. That was his need. Instead of revealing the truth, he simply nodded. “Yes. Please explain.”
“I’ll tell you if you’ll tell me why you’re so against mating.” He opened his mouth, but she silenced him by raising a single finger. “The real reason.”
Her voice was quiet but filled with something even harder than the seasoned wood of the hewo tree. He silently cursed and pushed himself away from her. He rose and paced across the kitchen, trying to ignore the way Rhea watched him. Her eyes followed his every move and after the fourth turn, she rose and carried her plate to the sink.
She acted as if nothing was wrong while he panicked.
This female was the most frustrating creature. She was also admirable. The strength in her voice ran all the way down her spine and filled her entirely. She was a worthy adversary. A female worthy to mate…
He shook his head. Had he really believed he could use his size and closeness to intimidate her into answering his questions?
Clearly, he had lost his senses.
Rhea had charged after a thief in the middle of Ikkim on a world she had never visited. Some might have called the action foolish—he had—but he had revised his opinion.
Not fast enough, though. Not until he watched her attack an intruder with a blade longer than her forearm while she released a battle cry that put a Vian warrior’s to shame.
Of course, she had quietly scoffed at his attempt at bullying.
If he wanted his ma—
Ahem.
If he wanted Rhea to cooperate, he would have to alter his approach.
Rhea stood at the sink rinsing her dishes and he took the moment to observe the curvy female. He traced her hips with his gaze, imagining his hands holding her as he thrust…
His hardness responded to the fantasy and he bit back a curse. His desire was an unwanted craving.
Her wanting was a nuisance, as well. He’d scented her musky arousal the previous night and it had nearly destroyed what little remained of his control.
But thoughts of her desire gave him an idea. A slightly dishonorable idea, but an idea none the less.
Erudan used the sounds of the gurgling water raining into the sink to disguise the soft patter of his footfalls. He stole across the kitchen until he stood behind her—mere inches separating them. Her heat reached for him and anticipation thrummed in his veins as he waited for her to finish. Before long she turned off the water, blanketing the space in silence.
She reached for a nearby cloth and dried her hands, the long, delicate fingers soon free of moisture.
Erudan had never been jealous of a towel before.
Rhea turned and gasped at his nearness. Her eyes opened wide, lips parting, and she lifted her hands until they hovered between them.
Rhea had expressive green eyes and an open face—her emotions easily read as they flashed over her features. He had craved to see an emotion other than hurt or annoyance. Surprise was a welcome alternative. Hunger—for him—would be even better.
He braced for her to push him away, but she did not. Instead she reached behind herself and gripped the edge of the counter. The new position forced her back to arch and pushed her plump breasts against his hard chest. Those tiny nubs teased him and he ached to pinch and pluck those small bits of flesh.
Then perhaps suck them. His mouth watered at the thought. He craved the weight of her breasts in his palms, the taste of those perky tips on his tongue.
Rhea licked her lips and then pressed them together. The desire to trace the seam with his own tongue until he coaxed his way into her mouth nearly s
tole all control from him.
It was a rare enough occurrence that it dragged him back to his senses.
Touching lips to lips, exploring the warm recesses of a mate’s mouth, was not a Vian custom. He had witnessed the act by one couple and they were true mates. They’d been kissing.
The word appeared in the forefront of his mind as though it had been plucked from the thick, sexually charged air between him and Rhea. Kissing, and other things. The image of his tongue teasing pebbled flesh before trailing down over the soft swell of her belly…
A strangled sound escaped his throat and Rhea stared at him. Her eyes remained wide open but now held a glossy sheen that spoke of desire.
A desire that was not only evident in her gaze, but elsewhere. As his attention flicked between her watchful stare and inviting lips, a new scent slithered into the air. The light, sweet notes of her flavors were now joined by the heated, musky richness of her need.
Erudan closed his eyes and breathed deeply—savoring the proof of her arousal. His own body responded and he eased toward the edge of his control, nearly to the breaking point. Then there would only be a tangle of limbs and straining bodies that were damp from perspiration generated by the desperate hunt for release.
Rhea’s lips haunted him and he had strange visions of them skimming his torso, not stopping until she reached his aching flesh. He could almost feel the slide of her wet tongue exploring the underside of his shaft. Then her mouth enveloping him and—
He jerked, startled when he realized these were not his fantasies, but hers.
He mentally shook his head and tried to clear his mind of the thoughts that seemed determined to consume him.
It was impossible. This was impossible. The sharing of thoughts was only enjoyed by true mates. Rhea could not…
Alea would never send a male like him a mate. Not one who had selfishly risked a planet filled of her children.
He shrugged off the images in his head and opened his eyes to find Rhea’s closed. Her dark lashes fluttered before finally parting. With her attention, he placed his hands on the counter, blocking her in and pinning her in place.