by Jaylee Davis
Her first thought when she saw him sprawled on the floor, flat on his back, was that he’d died. She dropped beside him, clutched his massive shoulders and shook him as hard as she could.
“Vren! Open your eyes. Don’t you dare croak on me,” she whined and then pressed an ear to his chest, frantic to find a heartbeat. She heard a soft rumbling laugh, then strong arms circled around her. She lifted her head to look at him. “You’re not dead,” she accused. His lips curved into a broad smile as he pulled her closer.
“You are disappointed?” He sounded amused and insulted all at the same time.
“Of course not. Let me up.”
His hold loosened, but he slid one of his hands down her back and skimmed over her hip to cup her ass before he released her. He was persistent. Bethany pushed away and sat back on her heels.
“What happened? Why are you on the floor?”
“Dizzy. I fell. Did you know your room spins?”
Bethany rolled her eyes. “Where does your head hurt?”
He pointed to a spot near a furry ear.
She tried her best to be gentle as she parted his hair to search for the injury. She found a small lump near his left ear and a short laceration just below the swollen area. It was clotted.
“You’ve got a bump and a small cut. It’s not bleeding anymore.”
“I usually heal fast.”
“You need to rest and stay still for a while, okay?” He nodded, then grimaced in pain. “Try to sit up before you stand. I’ll help you to the bed.”
By some miracle, she got him to his feet and over to her bed without stepping on his tail. She guided him as he eased down to a sitting position. Once there, he slumped to his side onto the mattress. His legs and long tail dangled over the edge.
“Don’t you dare hiss or growl at me,” she warned before she grabbed his tail and placed it onto the bed so it wouldn’t get caught under his legs. Strong muscles worked beneath her palm to assist her efforts.
Surprisingly, he huffed instead of growling. Bethany interpreted it as laugh since it didn’t sound threatening in any way. Determined to complete the task, she grabbed his thick calves and shoved two very brawny legs up onto the bed.
She stepped back and surveyed his position to make sure he wasn’t about to roll off. He looked comfortable resting on his side.
Her gaze locked with his, and they gazed steadily at each other. Bethany gave up and blinked first. No sense in trying to out-stare a cat.
“If you’re okay here for right now, I’d like to take a shower.”
He stretched in a very cat-like way. The movement showed off his nearly naked humanoid physique as he rolled to his back. His gaze never strayed from hers.
“Your bed is soft and very comfortable. I know this must be difficult for you, and I do appreciate everything you have done for me.” The corners of his lips pulled up a fraction. The secretive smile gave him a playful appearance. “Please come back when you are finished with your shower.”
Bethany couldn’t help but smile back at him. His expression was so appealing at that moment. He seemed to want her company. She collected the ice pack off the bedside table and gently placed it on his head.
“Hold that on your bump. There’s bottled water here if you’re thirsty. I’ll check on you as soon as I’m done.”
Reluctant to leave, she forced herself to turn and march to the bathroom. Without a backward glance, she closed the door. For a fraction of a second, her hand hovered near the lock. It was odd. She didn’t feel the need to turn the latch. His presence, even though he was injured, gave her a sense of security. Damn alien made her feel safer in her own home than her collection of weapons ever did. It was scary how much she trusted him.
And even more bizarre was how he made her feel sexually. No human male had ever turned her on the way Vren did. At that very moment, her body was primed for him. Her breasts felt heavier, and the soft material of her satin bra seemed rough against her tender nipples. Her pussy burned with need, soaked and ready. Her clit was swollen and sensitive against the rough material of her blue jeans. A wild, primal need threatened to take over and undo all her control. She knew without a single doubt that if she could find his dick, she’d be all over it. How could he not have one?
Stop trying to jump the alien.
Bethany shed her clothes and then rushed into the shower stall. She adjusted the water temperature to a few degrees cooler than her usual preference. A nice, brisk shower should help freeze her libido. It was nice to know she was capable of having sexual desires, even if they were for someone who wasn’t human. For several years, she’d been frigid, and hadn’t wanted a man’s attention or touch at all.
Darren had hurt her—bad. He’d told her how much he’d loved her while he’d abused her. Liar. Bethany had been riddled with guilt the whole time they’d been together.
For two solid years, he’d convinced her that she’d been the reason for all their problems. He’d blamed her for his bad temper and violent outbursts. It’d always been her fault that he’d slept with other women because she’d been unworthy. Too scared to seek help, Bethany had endured his abuse while she’d hid her physical injuries from her brother and friends. To the outside world, they’d appeared to be the perfect couple.
Bethany had been too young and naïve to know any better. She’d been only twenty-one, her parents were dead and her brother was always leaving to chase down stories for the news media. Darren had come along and swept her off her feet. She’d fallen head over heels in love with the handsome thirty-year-old accountant. Crooked bastard. She’d never guessed that he’d been after her inheritance. He’d made it clear to all their friends that he wanted to marry her, but as soon as he’d discovered that all of her money was tied up in a trust until she was twenty-five, he’d changed.
The abuse had been mental at first, but it’d escalated. Eventually, he’d beat her for the smallest infractions. Her friend, Shelly, had been the first to notice something was wrong. If not for her, Bethany felt certain the abuse would’ve continued until he’d maimed or killed her. It’d taken five years of therapy for her to get over him.
She was one of the lucky ones who’d come back stronger than before. At twenty-nine, she’d taken charge of her life and stepped outside her comfort zone. She’d moved away from home and friends to live alone on the ranch.
As a child, she’d looked forward to each visit there, especially when her father would take her along on his hunts. When she was older, she’d sit in the deer stand by herself. It was an eerie sight to watch them silently appear at the feeder, as if by magic, in the early light of a foggy dawn. Even spookier was the occasional scream of a cougar out for an early morning hunt. The sound never failed to make the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
The memory of spine-tingling fear jolted her out of her daydream. The warm water would run out if she didn’t hurry. She certainly didn’t want to rinse off in cold water. Vren must’ve really enjoyed himself. She smiled at the picture her mind conjured of him standing naked in the shower.
Bethany wondered how it might feel to kiss and nibble those sexy lips of his while she ran her fingers through his thick mane to fondle his ears. Did he like being scratched there? And would he object if she raked her nails down his chest all the way to his adorable tapa? Surely the man had a sex organ of some kind on his body. Somewhere? The temptation to launch an exploratory mission drove her crazy. She’d start with that sexy mouth. Her stomach clenched, and she let out a low moan as her whole body tingled at the thought of his lips against hers.
Ridiculous. I’m a cold fish. How can I be horny for an alien and not a human man?
The intense attraction she felt for him almost frightened her. No amount of therapy in the past had revived her sex drive. Now, in a matter of minutes, an exotic, hunky catman from another planet had her primed for action. Vren was alien, in so many ways, but as far as her libido was concerned, he was the best eye candy she’d ever seen.
Bethany tried to r
eason with her desires, but nothing she could come up with stopped how she responded. There was no sense in trying to deny the attraction, and he seemed interested in her. At least that’s how she read his earlier reaction. He’d been willing to wash her back, and he’d talked openly about “coupling” to get closer. Would it be so bad to jump an alien’s bones just once, to see if she responded as she thought she might? Her body urged her on while she entertained the idea of a sexual release, which didn’t come from a vibrator.
Girl, you’re one sick puppy.
Bethany dismissed the idea and turned off the water. She grabbed a towel from the rack as she exited the shower. She rubbed it briskly all over to dry off as fast as possible. The evenings in late October were usually cooler, and she’d need to turn on the central heating at night pretty soon. She always waited as long as possible before she started the heater. It was nice to enjoy the cool, fresh outdoor air at least until the first frost. In the meantime, a long t-shirt and a plush terrycloth robe became her favorite attire at night. After she finished her nightly rituals of hair and teeth brushing, she slipped into her robe, opened the door and strolled into her bedroom.
She tiptoed to the bed and gazed down at her houseguest. He appeared to be sound asleep. Her attention drifted to the side table. The two water bottles on top were empty and a melted ice pack sat on a corner. Bethany collected the items, took them into the kitchen and threw them into the trash. Apparently, he’d been very thirsty and sleepy. The possibility he might have a concussion occurred to her, but she hoped it was okay for him to sleep. She returned to the bedroom to check on him again.
As she drew near, the phone on the bedside table rang abruptly. Roused by the jarring noise, his eyes snapped open. Bethany choked back a startled gasp. The caller ID read Caleb Black.
“Damn!” She stared at the phone as if it’d turned into a rattle snake. If she didn’t answer, there was no telling what he might do. At least the jerk had given her a phone call. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Vren watching her curiously.
She picked up the wireless handset and forced her voice to calmly say, “Hello.”
“Miss Montgomery, I wouldn’t disturb you, but I think you should know a murdering alien is on the loose. We think it might be on your property. Perhaps you’ve seen something?”
It? What a dumbass.
Caleb had a rough, grating voice to match his vulgar personality. Bethany detested the man. He was always so full of himself—a bully, who used his position to browbeat everyone in the community to his way of thinking. A handful resisted, including her, her foreman, Juan, and his family.
Bethany gritted her teeth, determined to be polite, even if the effort broke her jaw. Vren’s life might depend on it.
“Everything is fine here. I haven’t seen anything unusual. Thank you for the warning,” she said, trying to dismiss him and the phone call.
“We tracked it to your fence line.” Caleb wasn’t easy to dismiss. Damn. “It’s dangerous, Beth.” She always wanted to puke whenever he said her name, especially the shortened version. “My men are here, ready to check out your property, but your foreman won’t let us pass.”
Oh no. They were at the front gate, only a mile away. Thank god her foreman had stopped them. Bethany ran to the kitchen to check her sat phone. No missed calls. Juan hadn’t called, which most likely meant Caleb and his posse of ranch hands had surprised him too.
“Juan didn’t tell me you were trying to…come onto my place.” Trespassing might be too strong a word to throw out just at that moment. Bethany stormed back into her bedroom. She needed to talk to her foreman. “If Juan is there, let me speak to him right now.”
“Hey, dumbass!” She heard Caleb’s shout. “She wants to talk to you.”
God, she hated that man.
“Miss Bethany?” Juan’s voice came on line. It sounded strained and angry. “I told them you were the only person who could give them permission to enter.”
“Good job, Juan. I don’t want them coming onto the property. Please keep them out. I’ll call the sheriff in the next county or the rangers if I have to.” Caleb had the local sheriff stuffed firmly in his back pocket, so to speak, since they were cousins.
“Yes, miss.” Juan sounded much happier now.
“Also, Juan, just so you know, everything is perfectly fine here. There’s no danger and I’m safe. You understand?”
She’d given her foreman the code her father had always used when he’d wanted Juan to know that no one had a gun pointed at his head or was forcing him to lie about something. Juan would know she was safe, and no one forced her to do anything. She certainly didn’t need Caleb’s form of help.
“Yes, I understand, miss. Perfectly.”
Bethany let out a relieved breath. “Let me talk to Caleb again, please?”
Seconds later, Caleb’s voice blared in her ear. He sounded furious. “You crazy…woman! You need to let us track that thing. It might rip you to pieces the way it did my guard dogs.”
Bethany glanced down at Vren, who intently followed the one-sided conversation. She gave him a weak smile before she tore into Caleb.
“Get away from my gate and take your goons with you. Don’t come back. If I needed help, you’d be the last person I’d call.”
“You’re gonna be sorry! I’ll be back in the morning with the sheriff, border patrol and game warden. You’ll let me in, Bethany. You won’t have a choice,” he threatened. She heard him add, “Bitch!” before he ended the call.
Furious, Bethany jerked the phone away from her ear and glared at it. “You sick asshole!” she shouted at the handset.
“The male is not a friend?”
Vren was stretched out on his side, his upper body supported by one elbow. He appeared to be studying her. His eyes were slightly narrowed and his ears were turned back. The tip of his tail twitched back and forth. The resemblance to her barn cats was uncanny. His body language suggested he was irritated and prepared to pounce on something or someone.
She slammed the phone down onto the charger, then gave him her complete attention. “No, he’s trouble, especially for you.”
“I heard what he said.” She must have looked shocked, and he explained. “My senses are heightened. He called you an offensive name. Did you mean to insult him with your reference to the body part which eliminates waste?”
“Yes. He’s a huge one.”
“He did not hear you.”
Bethany stared down at him. He looked so sincere. So alien, she thought before a tired sigh escaped her. “Come morning he’ll force his way onto my ranch. You need to rest and recover as much as you can.”
“I slept while you showered. My head feels much better, and the room has stopped spinning. Sit here.”
He patted the edge of the bed. She obeyed without question and sat, fully aware of how her bottom brushed against his firm abdomen. His position on the bed didn’t change, but she felt as if he curled around her. The sensation soothed her frayed nerves.
“You are worried about these males?”
“I’m afraid of what they might do if they find you. I don’t think Caleb will stop searching until he finds out who killed his dogs. He hates all aliens.” Bethany cringed. She hoped she hadn’t insulted him by calling him an alien. His expression didn’t reveal anything about what he might think. “He’s in charge of the local protest group, Pure Earth. I’d be willing to bet he’s posted guards outside my front gate. Hell, he’s probably monitoring the entire perimeter of my property.”
“Will this male harm you if he finds me here?”
Bethany shrugged and shook her head. “I don’t know, but I’m certain he’ll want to kill you.”
“If my presence endangers you, I should leave before these men arrive.”
“No! You can’t do that,” Bethany blurted and instantly realized she sounded pathetic and desperate. For some reason, she didn’t give a damn. “They’ll track you, and in your condition you won’t be able to get away. Ma
ybe I can call someone who can help. At NASA, perhaps?”
He blinked. “Perhaps it’s best if your government is not alerted.”
He was right. He was caught between a rock and a hard place with nowhere to escape. His own people couldn’t legally rescue him, and if the planetary government got their hands on him it might mean disaster for the negotiations. If any of the protestors found out about him, they’d have a field day claiming the Alliance couldn’t be trusted. Even worse, if Caleb captured him the Pure Earth crazies might parade his dead body in front of the media cameras for the whole world to witness while they claimed he was some crazed murderer.
She couldn’t allow that to happen. There had to be a way to keep him safe. Out of concern, Bethany instinctively reached out and stroked his shoulder. The burly muscles relaxed where her palm slid over the hot smooth skin.
“There’s a wine cellar in the house where you can hide. The entrance is through a hidden door at the back of the kitchen pantry.” Her father had added it many years ago to store hundreds of rare bottles of his favorite wines. “No one knows it’s there. Caleb won’t find you. You’ll be safe here until your people can come for you.”
She tried to believe she was only concerned about his welfare. In truth, she feared he might walk out of her life forever. Stop trying to keep everything you rescue. He’s not a pet.
His brilliant eyes seemed to darken to a deeper shade of green. “I can sense your fear, Bethany. You are afraid of this male.”
“Not really…well, maybe. Actually, I’m more worried about you,” she admitted before she could stop herself.
For a brief moment, he tensed as if he prepared to… Bethany didn’t know what, nor did she find out because he relaxed. His tail even stopped twitching.
“Rest for now, Bethany. This is your bed, and I would be honored if you’d allow me to sleep with you.”
He wanted to sleep with her? Just like that? With everything that was going on, danger closing in on them, and he wanted to bump fuzzies? She studied him to try to figure out if he was serious or just yanking her chain. Did he really expect her to jump into bed with him and fuck? Just like that?