by Ruby Dixon
"I was not sure if you were coming," he says, his voice overloud.
I immediately put my hands on his chest, motioning for quiet. "Keep your voice down," I whisper, grinning up at him. "Your hut is like a stone's throw away from Vordis's."
"Bah. Let him listen." A'tam waves a hand. "He has other things on his mind than whether or not I have a mate."
A mate. I decide I'm going to let that comment slide for now, and I study A'tam's hut. The man is pretty, but a carpenter he is not. The floor isn't entirely even and there's a finger-sized gap between a few of the logs. The mortared rocks look helter-skelter and even the teepee top of his hut seems as if it's about to fall down. "You're lucky you're pretty," I tease him, gazing at the inside of his home. "I don't know that many ladies would be impressed by this house."
"It impressed you, did it not?" A'tam teases back, brushing my hair off my shoulders. "You are here."
I pat his chest again. He's wearing a furry vest and a loincloth, and neither one covers much skin. It's positively, deliciously distracting. "I'm here because you're handsome, not because your hut is great."
He laughs as if I've said something funny. "You don't like my hut? What is there not to like? It has me inside it."
I roll my eyes, but I can't help but smile at his arrogance. "You kinda rushed, didn't you?" When he bends down and pulls at the laces of the front of my tunic, I suspect that yes, he did rush. A'tam's not the type to patiently wait for something. It's cute. He leans in and kisses me, his lips brushing over mine. "But I guess I'm not here because of your amazing hut," I whisper, distracted by his nearness. God, he's tall. He practically has to fold himself in half to kiss me.
He pulls at the laces again.
I get a burst of shyness. I know I came here for sex, but…I want to be eased into things. I want a little romance, not just a quick bang. So I pry his fingers away. "Okay, now you're rushing me."
A'tam grins at me, all boyishness. "I know. I am all eagerness because I finally get to touch you."
That melts away some of my unease. I reach up to touch him, fascinated. His skin is like velvet, and such a creamy, light blue that it reminds me of the sky. To think that it's covering such a big frame makes me quiver just a little. "Can we sit down and talk a bit first?"
"Of course!" A'tam takes my hand and guides me into his hut. He pulls up an overstuffed pillow—one that I made, I notice—and indicates I should sit on it. I do and he immediately thumps down onto the floor next to me, leaning in close. He takes my hand in his and laces his fingers with mine. "I am glad you are here, tonight."
I lean close in an almost-nudge of my shoulder. "Because you don't want to sleep alone?"
"Does it sound foolish if I say yes?" He studies our joined fingers. They don't exactly fit together, because his are thick, sturdy things with large knuckles and tipped claws. "I made a hut to impress females, but you are not impressed, and it is a lonely space to sleep in." He runs one claw along my knuckles, pausing at my “extra” one. "Back on the island, we all slept in the same cave and it was comforting to hear the breath of others as they slept. It reminded me that despite all we had lost, we had not lost everyone. But here alone…no, I do not like it." A'tam glances up at me, his smile crooked and rueful.
My heart melts. Haven't I felt the same? The first few weeks here on the icy beach were devastating, coming to terms with the fact that I'd woken up on an alien planet and my old life was gone. I didn't have anyone in particular I'd miss other than friends, but it was the realization that I'd lost all that was familiar. As a result, we women have clung to each other quite a bit. We huddle together by the fire, we travel in pairs, and we all sleep in the same cave because it's comforting, like a big slumber party.
So yeah, I know exactly what he's saying.
I squeeze his hand. "Well, I'm glad you're here."
"Oh, I am glad of this, too." His gaze moves to my mouth, and he stares at my lips. I can practically tell what he's thinking. A'tam is pretty and fun, but he is not what I'd call “deep.” That's one of the things I find so appealing about him. After growing up with my ultra-serious mother who hated my sense of humor and sarcasm, I appreciate someone that can just have fun in the smallest ways. If I'm going to be stuck on an ice planet for the rest of my life, I might as well enjoy myself, right? And that starts with A'tam.
So I reach up and touch his cheek, stroking my fingers over it. He's incredibly warm, his khui keeping him far warmer than my khui keeps me. I'm a little jealous of that, but I suppose as long as I can snuggle up against him, I'm good. He closes his eyes, smiling at my touch, and I brush his beard. "So soft," I murmur. "That's always surprising to me."
"You should not tell a male that he is soft as you touch him," A'tam replies in a low voice. "You will make his pride shrivel."
"Your beard is soft, you nut." I stroke it again, because it's silky and pleasant to the touch, unlike a human male's facial hair, which can abrade a layer off a girl's skin when you kiss. "The rest of you is plenty hard, I'm sure."
"You can pet all of me and find out," he teases.
I'm torn between rolling my eyes and doing just that. So confident, this guy. I pull on his vest, dragging him closer until our faces line up, and then I kiss him.
Kissing A'tam is always different than kissing other men. I've had my share of dates in the past, and while most of them didn't turn into relationships, I consider myself decently experienced with kissing. It's a slippery dance of tongues, of tasting each other, of opening up to the other person and seeing if they appeal to you. Some men kiss terribly, and some kiss intensely well. After days of practicing together, A'tam falls somewhere in the middle of that, which I can't quite figure out. His tongue is amazing—all ridges that stroke and tease—when he's not jackhammering it into my mouth.
And that's A'tam in a nutshell—a mixture of enthusiasm and sultriness that draws me in.
Tonight, I get sultry A'tam. His lips move over mine with exquisite slowness and he takes his time as he kisses me. Our lips meet and part, each kiss a simple tasting, and then he tilts his head, changing the angle and nipping at my lower lip with those big fangs of his. It makes my skin prickle with awareness. He's big and strong, this guy, and I love that his size overwhelms me. It's just…sexy. He's just sexy.
I moan as his tongue flicks against my parted lips, and when his hand steals behind my neck, I lean in. A'tam deepens the kiss, his lips moving over mine. He drags his tongue in the most exquisite motion that makes everything inside my body clench up with arousal. Oh yeah, that's the stuff.
He pulls away and nips lightly at my lower lip. "Did you come here just for kisses tonight?"
I know what he's asking. We've had secretive make-out sessions over the last while, and A'tam has never pushed me for more. He's made it clear that he's more than happy to do everything, of course, but he's letting me set the pace. Tonight, he wants to know what to expect.
But I also came here tonight with one thought in mind. So I twine my arms around his neck and lean in for another kiss. "I came here for everything."
A'tam groans, dragging me off the pillow and into his lap. So much for going slow. I don't mind, though. I just sink into the kisses as he hauls me onto his crossed legs and cradles me against him. His mouth is hungry on mine, and our kisses are hot and heavy and oh-so-fervent. His beard is soft and ticklish against my face, too, and so all of kissing him is sheer pleasure.
When we finally part, I let out a breathless little sigh. "I'm glad I'm here."
He takes my hand in his and presses a kiss to the back of it, smiling. "Shall I make you even more glad?"
"Yes, please." If that's a thinly veiled sexual innuendo, I am all for it.
A'tam reaches for the laces on the front of my tunic and tugs at them again, freeing it. Most of my tunics have laces up the front instead of a slip-on design, because a lot of the women we received the clothing from were nursing, and I watch, holding my breath, and his eager fingers tug at each section
of the laces, until the leather falls to each side of me and I'm bare-breasted in front of him. I deliberately avoided wearing a breast-band tonight, and my nipples prick as he gazes down at me, a hungry look on his gorgeous face.
"You are beyond beautiful, B'shit," he murmurs.
I wince at his interpretation of my name. He just said I was beautiful, though, so I choose to ignore it. "Bridget," I correct. "Kiss me again."
He gives me a confident look and presses his mouth to my neck, licking and kissing me there.
Now that's more like it. I moan, forgetting all about being quiet, and soak up the sensation of his hot, hungry mouth on my skin. It feels amazing, and I quickly want more of it. Panting, I wriggle out of his lap and grab his hand, dragging him to his bed of piled-up furs. "Come on," I tell him, breathless. "Lie down with me."
A'tam flings himself down onto the furs with me, landing with an enthusiastic thump. I giggle as he crawls over me, and I'm excited and feeling sexy and—
The entire hut groans, the board shifting underneath me.
We both freeze in place. I look up at the ceiling. Somewhere outside, I hear a rock tumble from the mortared wall, and a hiss of dust follows it. I look over at A'tam and he gives me a sheepish grin, and then shrugs.
I giggle again and then bite my lip as the hut shifts once more. "Your hut sucks, dude. I hope you don't do everything so half-assed."
"There are some things I do with my full ass," A'tam murmurs, giving me a playful look, and he tugs on my pants.
Chuckling, I watch him with amusement, dragging my fingers through his hair as he pulls my leggings off. He's so cute. His beautiful mouth lowers and he kisses my belly, sending ticklish sensations all through me. I laugh again, my voice low, as he gives my leggings a frustrated look and finally breaks the knot on the cords with his hands and impatiently tugs my leggings down. Then, he pauses and gazes at my pussy.
"You have fur," he breathes, fascinated.
"You don't?" But that's a silly question. I know he doesn't. A'tam and the rest of the islanders are not shy about their nudity. I've seen more butt cheek and swinging dick on this beach than I have on the internet, and that's saying something. I know they're utterly bare down there, because I've seen a lot of ball sack too. It didn't occur to me that he didn't realize I was “different” down there, and I worry that he's going to find mating me unpleasant.
But A'tam just shucks off my pants, glances down at me again, shrugs, and then lowers his head between my thighs.
I suck in a breath, a little surprised at how direct he is. In my past experiences with sex, there's a lot more foreplay. There's more kissing, more teasing of breasts, a little more dancing around the subject. A'tam, it seems, is not here for any of that. He gives my pussy a long, slow lick that makes heat pulse through my body, and I moan aloud.
"Mmm, I like your taste, B'shit." He licks me again.
"Bridget," I whisper, doing my best not to grind my hips against his face. The ridges on his tongue were nice and pleasant enough to kiss, but on my pussy, they change things. Each stroke of his tongue over my flesh feels utterly different, and I gasp when he moves toward my clit…and then promptly licks away again.
Frustrated, I wriggle as he licks me again, but he doesn't seem to move any closer to my clit. He focuses on my folds, and then on the entrance to my core, lapping at it. And, okay, it feels good, but it's not blowing me away. Not when he's missing the target I want him to hit.
But then he dips his tongue into my core, and I moan again. Okay, that feels pretty good. If he's not going to touch my clit, I guess I can still have fun with the sex. After all, he skipped my breasts and I'm still enjoying myself. Lord knows the kissing is good. This is just…different.
"Look at how wet you are, B'shit," he murmurs, dragging his tongue over the folds of my pussy again. "Are you ready for me?"
I suppose I am. I'm definitely wet and aroused, and how can I complain about that? How can I complain that he skipped some of my favorite parts? I just nod and caress his cheek when he looks up at me and grins.
I watch as he sits back and strips his vest off, revealing his broad shoulders. In the next moment, his loincloth lands on the floor, and I suck in a breath. For the first time since we started kissing, I have doubts.
Enormous ones. Goliath ones.
I always forget just how big A’tam is. Tonight, it’s obvious that A'tam is also very much a grow-er. I've seen him naked a few times, but it’s usually as he fishes, and I’ve forgotten that the water is deathly cold and causes shrinkage…
Right in front of me is an enormous, larger-than-life reminder of his size, though. The man has a goddamn club between his legs.
I'm not sure how that's going to feel good.
But he moves over me and kisses me again, and his mouth is sweet and gentle on mine, and I sigh, leaning into the kiss. I'm just freaking out, I tell myself. Lauren's mated to an islander and she hasn't complained. Lots of the women are mated to sa-khui, and no one has complained there, either. This must be normal and I'm just being a Negative Nancy, like my mother always says. He pushes my thighs apart with his hand even as he nips at my lower lip, and I moan. If we could just kiss for another hour or two…
Doesn't happen, though. A'tam shifts his big body over mine, settling his hips between my thighs. Inwardly, I brace myself, waiting for a slow invasion of his enormous cock.
That doesn't happen, either. In one swift movement, A'tam thrusts into me, sinking to the hilt.
I suck in a breath, stunned.
That…hurt. A lot.
To my horror, I realize that his cock is really, really big and my body is not equipped to handle it. I’m too small for alien dick.
And I want him off of me.
Before I can say anything, A’tam grunts with satisfaction and begins to pump furiously. It’s like I don’t exist except to catch his dick. He doesn’t pay the slightest bit of attention to me, or the fact that I’m stiff with pain as he ram-ram-rams his cock into me. He plunges so deep that he smacks into my cervix and sends a wave of pain through my abdomen each time.
It’s like I’m being fucked by a battering ram and I’m too stunned to say anything.
To make matters worse, his spur, the thing everyone speaks so highly of, just jabs at my pussy over and over again, like a finger stabbing at my most sensitive parts in the worst moment.
This is…a nightmare.
We don’t fit, and with every thrust, it becomes more evident to me. I dig my nails into his back, trying to hold back my cries of pain as he stabs me with his enormous dick. I'm not going to come. I'm not even close to coming.
Right now I just want it to be over.
Fuck having an orgasm. Fuck kissing. I just want him off of me. I want him to stop.
Luckily for me, A'tam is also a man of zero stamina. He pumps into me for a few moments, his face tight with his own pleasure, and then he stiffens. I can feel his load as he unleashes inside me.
Thank god that’s over. All I feel is intense relief.
Intense relief, and a low throbbing ache deep inside my body. I feel bruised from the inside out, and my heart hurts. I’m too small, he’s too big, and nothing between us will ever work. Ever.
Oblivious to my thoughts, A'tam groans and collapses over me, winded.
6
A'TAM
This is the greatest day of my life.
I take a deep breath and flop onto my back, sated and content. My mate is curled up beside me in the furs, her soft skin brushing against mine, and she shivers and pulls one of the furs over her for warmth. Soft hyoo-man. Fragile, adorable hyoo-man. Pleased with myself, I grab her by the waist and pull her back against me, tucking her smaller body against mine. I nuzzle at her neck, and notice she is quiet.
This is rather unusual for B'shit, who seems to have a tart response for everything, but if she is as sated as me, she is breathless and spent. I press a kiss to her neck, pleased with myself. Who needs resonance to enjoy themselves in
the furs? I have taken a pleasure mate and the mating act itself was just as good as I'd hoped. Her cunt was tight and warm around my cock, her body giving. It took everything I had to last as long as I did, just because it felt so perfect.
"I am glad you are here," I tell B'shit as I press another kiss to her neck.
"Mmmm." She pats my arm. "Why don't we just go to sleep."
Sleep? Now? I do not think I could sleep at all. I look at her small form next to me, her loose tunic pooled around her. Her teats are exposed, and I absently reach to cup one. They are fascinating, these little bouncy things. More than anything, I want to be inside her again. "Give me a moment to recover," I reassure her. "And then I will be happy to mate again."
B'shit makes a sound and I cannot tell if she is pleased or surprised. Possibly both. I grin, running my hand over her flanks. She will be impressed at my stamina, I think. I went down fast, but I will be ready again very quickly and surely that is just as important. "Do not be shy, my mate."
"I'm not shy," she retorts, nudging me away with an elbow.
I chuckle, because that is the B'shit I know and adore—sharp of tongue until she is so, so sweet when she yields. I cup her bottom, rubbing it with my fingers. "Where would you like my tongue on you next?"
She rolls over and glances at me, a calculating look in her eyes. "You know what?" She sits up, tying the front of her tunic. "I'll let you decide."
"Wait, why are you putting on clothes?" I ask, undoing the knots the moment she ties them. "I like seeing you bare. You—"
"I have to use the bathroom," B'shit tells me, her voice quick. She leans in and presses a kiss to my mouth and regards me. For a moment, she looks sad, but it's quickly gone and I tell myself I imagined it. "Why don't you lie down and think about what you want to do next while you wait for me to come back?" She pauses, and then adds, "Think up something good."