by Cara Bristol
“Absolutely not!” Lexi bounded up the stairs to slip her arm around my waist. “He’s not a lab animal, Dad. He’s a person. He’s my boyfriend!”
“It’s all right,” I said. Boyfriend? She’d never called me that before. The word had special significance on Earth. Not quite the same as mate, but closer than friend. I hid a grin of pleasure.
“No, it’s not all right.” She steamed.
“Sorry, honey, I apologize. I got carried away.” Her father kissed her. “I haven’t had the opportunity to study aliens, and finding out what their horns are made of could potentially help my patients. But, I promise, hands off.” He shrugged at me apologetically. “Sorry.”
“It really is all right.” I liked Lexi and Toni’s father. He often seemed distracted, but appeared to care for both his daughters.
Lexi scowled. “The only person who puts their hands on Darak is me.” She colored. “Okay, that might be too much information.”
Her father laughed and hugged her. “It’s so good to see you. You haven’t been home for a while, and I missed you. Don’t be such a stranger. It shouldn’t take a wedding to bring you home.”
“I know…and you know why.” Her gaze shifted to her mother instructing a helper in the proper way to tie bows to a chair.
“Let’s talk for a minute, okay?” he said.
Lexi glanced at me.
“I’ll take good care of him,” Toni said.
Lexi moved away with her father, her posture stiff, wary. This family reminded me of a deep pool—an unperturbed surface concealing swift, dangerous undercurrents.
“She’ll be okay,” Toni said. “You really care about her, don’t you?”
“I love her,” I said emphatically. “She’s my mate.”
“You haven’t known each other long. How can you be sure?”
“I recognize in her the other half of me. We are two pieces of a whole. Neither the shortness of time nor a length of it can change what we are. I may need to learn about her, but I do not need to learn to love her.”
The more I did discover about her, the deeper my devotion grew. She was smart and funny and beautiful and brave. She acted tough to protect her soft and vulnerable side. I intended to show her how wonderful she was so she never faltered in her belief in herself. If I could, I would protect her from everything that would hurt her, like doubt, insecurity, muggers, and even her own family.
I watched her now with her father, their heads bent together. Lexi reached up and brushed her face as if she was crying, but she was smiling, too, and then she and her father hugged.
Her mother paused in instructing the helper to eye Lexi and her father and then me. Her calm, poised expression never wavered, but I could sense the enmity from across the distance.
“Your mother doesn’t like me,” I commented.
Toni pressed her lips together. “What has she said to you?”
“Nothing. She has been very polite.” There was no behavior or comment I could call out and address, yet the disapproval felt as solid as stone.
“That’s Mother.” Toni twisted her mouth. “I’m sorry. It’s not you. She wouldn’t like anyone either of her daughters chose unless she had picked him out and preapproved him.”
My heart gladdened at her words. “So, you think Lexi has chosen me?”
Toni looked surprised for a moment, but then said, “Yeah. She brought you home to meet the family—she’s never done that before—and she stares at you, touches you all the time.”
“Okay, everyone. Let’s begin again at the top. Attendants, groomsmen, father of the bride, groom’s stand-in…” The wedding planner motioned at us to return to the house so we could walk again.
I headed back, but Lexi intercepted me. Her eyes were bright. “You doing okay?” she said.
“Fine. How are you?” I asked. “Your talk with your father went…all right?”
She smiled and nodded. “Yes.” She rose up on tiptoe and kissed my cheek. Her sister was right. Lexi did touch me all the time. Obah! That was a positive sign. “Thanks for being here with me,” she said, and swatted my buttocks. “You’d better get inside. You have a job to do.”
I did have a job to do: make her happy and bring a smile to her face. I glanced at her mother. And nobody was going to stop me.
Chapter Seven
Lexi
The breeze off the nearby Pacific billowed in through the open French doors. Night had receded to dark shadows because of floodlights three floors down. Too keyed up to sleep, I stared at the coffered ceiling, my thoughts in a whirl. The pieces of my life had shifted into unrecognizable patterns. I’d operated on a lot of assumptions, many of which had been wrong.
My little sister had admired me.
My father hadn’t considered me a failure.
When he’d pulled me aside at the rehearsal, it was to tell he was proud of me and to rave about my bakery. My cupcakes were a favorite among his medical staff. He, too, had been patronizing Your Just Desserts. He’d also given me his blessing with respect to Darak. “I might not have chosen an extraterrestrial as my little girl’s partner, but if he’s a good man and makes you happy, then I’m thrilled for you, sweetheart.”
Then he’d narrowed his eyes. “If he isn’t a good man, then he’d better watch out.”
“Oh, Dad! He is.”
Darak had stood by me through thick and thin. I shouldn’t have subjected him to the maternal drama so soon, but having him by my side made everything easier.
Later, at the rehearsal dinner, my brother had come up to me and congratulated me on my business success. He hadn’t been the least bit fazed by Darak being a Dakonian.
Phillip, my sister’s soon-to-be-husband, however, was another matter. He’d finally shown up for his own wedding festivities. In meeting Darak, he’d been barely civil, his haughty lip curling as he’d shaken hands with veiled disdain and silent judgment. Small wonder my mother adored him. They were personality twins. I hoped my sister knew what she was getting into. Maybe there was more to Phillip than what I’d observed—I hoped so, for her sake.
Some things didn’t change. Mother would always be Mother.
On the positive side, Darak would always be Darak. Steadfast, loyal, true. Sexy as all get-out.
I rolled over and pounded my pillow. If I didn’t get some sleep, I’d look like a hag at the wedding. Fortunately, my appearance wouldn’t matter; all eyes would be on my sister. And, at least a few on Darak. I’d caught Toni’s bridesmaids ogling him. One had even asked about the Intergalactic Dating Agency.
My bedroom suddenly darkened as the patio lights winked out. A minute later, the room lightened again. Apparently, the little electrical issue with the pool hadn’t been fixed. Lying here wouldn’t fix my insomnia, either. I was never going to be able to sleep.
I flung back the sheet. Going to the French doors, I stepped onto the balcony to stare at the patio and the black-bottomed infinity pool, which was, for the moment, artfully illuminated. A separate Jacuzzi was decorated with faux stone and surrounded with potted plants to resemble a natural grotto. Mermaid sculptures, palm trees, and chaise lounges arranged under teak pergolas added to the impression of a swanky resort—rather fitting, considering inside resembled a snooty five-star hotel.
Movement to the left caught my attention, and my eyes widened as a barefooted and bare-chested Darak entered the area. Distressed blue jeans, probably selected by Bruce, hung low on his narrow hips. His torso broadened with a perfect V to wide shoulders dusted with gleaming, black hair.
What was he doing outside? Perhaps he couldn’t sleep, either? I leaned over the rail, hoping he’d turn around, but he padded to the pool deck.
He poised on the edge, in profile now, and I waved, but he didn’t see me. Instead, he unzipped his pants, shoved them down his legs, and kicked them away.
I gripped the railing. He was naked. I felt like a voyeur, but he was too magnificent to ignore. I took my fill, my gaze caressing the powerful lines of his
body, the smooth bronzed skin, the lean muscle and brawn. His erection. Seven-foot aliens were built proportionately.
Then it registered—if I could see him, so could everyone else—all the bedrooms had a view of the pool. I glanced at the other balconies. Vacant—however, that didn’t mean no one would wake up and step out as I had done.
With the power and precision of an Olympic diver, he dove cleanly into the water with nary a splash. I darted back into the room, grabbed my robe and, not bothering with shoes, dashed out. I sprinted down the corridor and jabbed the elevator. It opened immediately—Darak must have taken the stairs.
It was a slow ride to the second floor. My bare feet squeaked on the marble as I ran through the house and burst outside, thankful for the change in security. If not for the fact the entire bridal party was staying here, the house would have been alarmed. The security system had been shut off so guests wouldn’t accidentally trip the alarm. For the actual wedding, a discreet private security force would be on site to protect the property—the guests, too, of course.
Darak swam the length of the pool with precise, graceful strokes. Half in shadow, half illuminated, the pool offered up tantalizing flashes of his backside as he cut through the lighted area. He reminded me of a porpoise gliding through the ocean. My toes gripped the Italian tiles, my mouth dried, and my stomach tumbled.
He reached the far side, flip-turned, and headed back. As he came abreast of me, he stopped and treaded water. “I couldn’t sleep,” he said.
“Me, either. I, uh, saw you swimming from my balcony. I came to tell you that you can be seen from the house.”
“Am I not allowed to use the pool?”
“You can use the pool, but, uh, you’re naked.” In shadow, the black-bottomed pool didn’t reveal much, but if he swam into the light…
“Why would you put on clothing to bathe?” He moved closer, and the light spilled over his bronzed shoulders. Wet hair glinted under the light, and his eyes were as dark as the pool floor.
“It’s, uh, customary. Modesty and, uh, stuff.”
“Stuff.” White teeth gleamed as he smiled, teasingly. Was he flirting with me?
“You, uh, swim well. I wouldn’t have figured you’d have much chance to swim on Dakon, with the planet being covered by snow and ice.”
“During the Thaw, when rivers and lakes melt, we swim. It is still very cold.” His teeth flashed again. “So we learn to swim fast and not stay in long.
“We also have caves with hot mineral pools. Some of them are big enough to swim a few strokes, but not like this. The temperature and space are just right.” Dark eyes mesmerized. “Why don’t you join me?”
I plucked at the thin fabric of my robe. “I’m not prepared. I don’t have a swim suit.” I peeked at the house again. Most likely everyone was asleep. If somebody did wake, they might guess at what we were doing, but as long as we were in the water, they probably wouldn’t see too much. However, skinny dipping with an alien might just be enough to push my mother over the edge. Once, that would have been reason enough to do it, but she had ceased to factor in my decisions.
This wasn’t about her or swimming, but about me and Darak. There would be no going back if I jumped into the pool. Did I dare to take the plunge? To advance to the next level? And beyond?
I peeled off my night clothes and dove in with a noisy splash.
I surfaced in the middle to find Darak waiting for me. I’d expected a joke or comment about my awkward, inexpert dive, but his expression was all seriousness and longing, tension revealed in hard planes and angles. My stomach fluttered, and my core contracted, uncertainty and desire fusing.
“My mate,” he growled, almost harshly, but stroked my cheek gently, reverently.
Was I ready for this? Until this moment, I hadn’t considered what being a Dakonian’s mate would mean in practice. Would I be his sex partner? Friend? Girlfriend? What exactly was I committing to?
Before I could ponder much further, he kissed me with a light coaxing, as if he sensed my uncertainty and feared I might bolt. I clung to his shoulders for balance. As the hard tips of my breasts grazed his chest, he pulled me against him. His skin was cool from the water, but underneath, heat radiated from his core. He hugged me with one arm while treading water with the other.
Like a bubbling pot on the stove cranked from simmer to boil, passion ignited to full force, burning away reservations and doubt. I was in over my head anyway. The time for hesitation and indecision had passed. I desired Darak. Brave, true, and steady, he’d delivered calm and centeredness to my life, although there was nothing calming about the desire blazing through me or the coiled need I sensed in him.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and fused my mouth to his, kissing him fiercely. He growled in triumph and pleasure.
With a flicker, the pool lights blinked out, leaving us in darkness. Perfect timing. No doubt the malfunctioning electrical system had caused the outage, but I preferred to imagine kismet, karma, the universe, or the great unicorn in the sky had given us a thumbs-up. Still kissing, we roved our hands over each other, discovering shapes and textures. He trailed a palm from my shoulder to cup my breast, before tracing the curve of my waist and hips. He gave my ass a squeeze.
Muscle and hard planes defined his body; his abdomen alone was a rippling work of art. And the prize filled my fist, the length of him smooth, hot, and hard. He growled as I caressed him, the sexual sound and tactile sensations capturing my full attention.
Have you ever groped someone while treading water? It’s a one-handed operation, and I wanted to be able to grab onto Darak with everything I had. “We’re going to drown,” I said. “We should move to shallower water.”
“I won’t let you drown. Hang on.” He clasped me against his body and swam sideways with one arm away from the infinity edge. He stood up. His feet touched bottom, but mine couldn’t; the water was still too deep, and I had to cling to him. From his sneaky grin, I suspected that had been his plan all along.
Then he boosted me into his arms, laving my breasts while his finger played hide-and-go-seek with my lady parts. I moaned as he found my clit, and stroked with perfect pressure and rhythm.
He sucked my nipple deep into his mouth, sending shafts of sensation to my womb. I grabbed his head, and my thumb brushed over a horn. He jerked and sucked in his breath. I fondled the pulsing nubs, his growls and shudders adding to my pleasure.
“Wrap your legs around me,” he ordered hoarsely.
Oh, yes, I was ready. My core contracted.
The head of his cock nudged my entrance. I wiggled, trying to take him inside, but he moved again. The air cooled my wet skin as he waded into shallower water. When we were exposed from the hips up, he halted.
Holding me in place, he rocked into me, and I inhaled with satisfaction at the stretch and fullness of the pleasure. With a groan, he seated himself balls deep, and I could feel him grappling for control. Erection pulsing, he stilled all movement and buried his face against my neck. I wanted to move, to thrust against him, but I didn’t dare risk ending the party too soon.
Then he roused, gripped my ass, and thrust as I needed, fast, hard, deep, catching my clit on the inward stroke, dragging against it outward bound. The air wasn’t cool then; my body was burning hot, the friction of our movement lighting internal flames.
The orgasm hit with a mind-shattering body slam. My head fell back, and a cry ripped from my throat. His muscles grew rigid, his thrusts frantic, and he barked out a hoarse shout. When he climaxed, he bit my shoulder.
Long after the tremors ceased, I clung to him. He rubbed my back, swaying in the water, rocking me. Reality settled in, and I peeked at the house. With the pool area dark, nobody could have seen us—or not much of us, anyway—but if balcony doors were open, they might have heard us. We might have woken up the entire house with the way we’d howled.
I giggled. Oh well. Que sera, sera.
Slowly, I disengaged and slid into the water. Waist-high on me, i
t barely lapped at Darak’s package, which, if inquiring minds wanted to know, pretty much resembled standard-issue Earth equipment, although his had been upgraded considerably.
I felt euphoric, well-being making me feel lighter than air. Great sex will do that. No, Darak had done that. Even if the sex had been terrible, it still would have been enjoyable because of who Darak was. However, it didn’t hurt he was sexy, great in the sack, er, pool, and built as all get-out.
My pre-coital jitters wondering where all of this would lead had drifted away like the few leaves skimming the surface of the water. I didn’t have to know what the future held to appreciate this moment.
Que sera, sera. Whatever will be will be. The future’s not ours to see. I tilted my head, and rubbed a sore spot at the base of my neck.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I bit you.”
“Don’t worry about it. It was hot.” I smiled. “Do Dakonians dance? Will you dance with me at my sister’s wedding?”
“We dance to celebrate the Thaw and the harvest. I doubt those would be appropriate for a Terran mating ceremony.”
Uh, probably not. “I could teach you.” I moved closer and rested my left palm on his shoulder. “Place your right hand on my back, on my shoulder blade,” I instructed. “Now we clasp hands. Head up. It’s a simple one, two, three box step. I’ll lead until you get the hang of it then you lead.”
“One, step forward. Two, step to the side, three. One…two…three.” I began to hum a waltz and after he picked up the three-quarter rhythm, I showed Darak how to move beyond the box step, and he naturally began to exert control. He moved us into the shallowest part of the pool, and danced me up the steps onto the patio tiles. Now that we weren’t wading hip-deep, our dance became more fluid.
I began to sing in a low voice, “Moon River wider than a mile, I’m crossing you in style, someday. A dream maker, my heartbreaker. La la la la la la la la la la la …”