by Layla Nash
Mrax
Mrax didn’t know if he’d be able to control himself as Rowan sat in his lap and whispered that hesitant but still interested “Okay.” He thought she hadn’t had much experience with males or mating, and that turned him on more even as it throttled back his plans for dragging her into the bedroom to mark her. He could take things as slowly as she wanted, as slowly as she needed. He didn’t want to scare her.
He gently brushed his lips to hers before returning to kissing her throat and behind her ear. Rowan held onto his shoulders, fingers dangerously close to his spikes, and sighed as her head tilted back. Mrax waited until she relaxed against him before kissing her again. He traced his tongue against her mouth and her lips parted in surprise. He took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, tasting her for the first time, and tightened his arm around her waist so her breasts pressed against him.
Rowan made a soft, surprised noise and Mrax prepared for her to pull away, but instead her arms linked around his neck and she... kissed him back. He smiled and slid his fingers into her hair.
She was sweet like the first fall berries on Xarav, and he wondered if all of her smooth skin tasted like her kiss. His eyes closed as he felt her softness, everywhere, from the silken strands of her hair to the curves hidden beneath her worker’s jumpsuit. He had the urge to pull her to him, rip off the rough fabric and explore the heated curves beneath.
But she was young. A delicate, fragile Earther. He must treat her tenderly, though even as he made that vow she moaned slightly, her head falling backward and exposing the smooth expanse of her neck. It was as if her body knew she belonged to him. And his instinct was to ravage her.
Instead, he bent and slowly tasted her flesh, from the base of her neck to her ear. She shivered against him, softly crying out his name.
He would learn how to make her pant and shout his name, all night long, even if it meant losing more scales as the price.
But, he had to go slowly. He kissed her again, his tongue slowly playing with hers, teaching her a new way to communicate. She was most likely inexperienced from her hesitant movements, but a quick study. He had no idea what Earther men she might have dallied with, though the idea of Rowan with any other male filled him with a sudden rush of fierce possession. He wanted nothing more than to throw her over his shoulder, take her to his chambers, and show her that she was his and his alone.
Her next, innocent movement did nothing to dissuade these thoughts. He could tell she was definitely not accustomed to Xaravians, because her hands moved briefly over the spikes on his shoulders, playing with them lightly. Mrax felt the corresponding rush of heat in his cock, and the beast between his legs grew so quickly that Rowan felt it and gasped.
She pulled back, her eyes meeting his, her pupils dilated and her delicious mouth open.
“Oh,” she whispered, smiling suddenly as if pleased with herself. “You’re…enjoying yourself.”
Mrax’s arms shuddered as he fought the urge to take her there, right in the moment.
“That is an understatement. You please me greatly. But you should know, little Earther, that when you grab my spikes like that—”
She frowned suddenly, then bit her lip. Gods, her tongue was distracting…
“I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”
Mrax met her eyes and laughed. “No, Rowan. When you grab my spikes like that, I feel it here.” He cupped his enormous erection and her eyes widened. “And it is all I can do not to throw you to the floor and fuck you until you scream.”
“I…see.” Flustered, Rowan ran her hands through her mussed hair and cleared her throat. Her voice came out a little high-pitched. “And that would not be, um, ideal since we’re in the middle of cabin.”
Mrax shrugged but slowly let her go, watching her ass as she stood and stepped away. “You can grab my spikes any time you like.”
Rowan glanced back, her cheeks turning that sweet, Earther pink.
“Right. I’ll keep that in mind. Um, you said you have other places where the scales are missing. I can…take a look and maybe use a few of the scales that didn’t work on your shoulder and...”
He smiled, moving toward her. He could not keep himself from cradling her cheek. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?” Rowan frowned and stood back. “I thought the shoulder worked and—”
Mrax caught her hands and kissed the tips of her fingers, the inside of her wrist. “They are in a difficult location.”
“I like a challenge,” she whispered, distracted by his touch.
He looked down at his groin and then back up at her, hoping she got the message. Color crept up her cheeks, that adorable pink that flushed over the delicate pale skin, and she stepped back. Mrax braced himself for not being able to kiss her again for a while if she assumed he wanted more from her than she was prepared to give.
Instead, Rowan nodded once. “I can…can take a look.”
Mrax swallowed a groan. He didn’t think he could tolerate her touching the bare patches of armor without feeling her soft skin against all of his body. And he didn’t want to unnerve her by waving his cock around.
But Rowan repeated with more certainty. “I should take a look. Lose the trousers.”
He chuckled and searched her face for a sign of where the confidence came from. But he didn’t want her to second-guess her decision, particularly since the sight of her crouched near his waist almost made him spend in his trousers. Just the thought of her mouth near his cock stole every ounce of control he possessed.
Mrax pushed to his feet slowly, taking his time when she stepped back and turned even redder, and just as slowly loosened his belt. He held his cock back, since he never wore anything under his trousers, and concealed as much as possible with his hands. Her breath quickened and her eyes widened as she kept all of her attention on his face.
Mrax had never stripped for a female before, though he could see the appeal. He wanted to tease her a little, so took his time letting the trousers fall. She glanced down and then immediately back up. “I don’t…don’t see them. The missing scales, I mean. I mean, I see scales, I just...”
She trailed off, her face almost purple, and Mrax smiled. “Breathe, Rowan. We can stop whenever you say.” He meant it for more than just fixing his scales; he hoped she understood that.
She bobbed her head in agreement. “I know. I just… We should get started. Before…before the others come back.”
He desperately wanted to suggest going to the bedroom but knew that might send her running. Mrax waited. Rowan slowly went to her knees in front of him and Mrax bit back a groan. She looked small and delicate next to his much larger frame. His hard cock surged painfully against where he tried to conceal it.
Rowan didn’t look but instead leaned to squint at the patch just above where he held himself back. Her fingers drifted over the sensitive skin and he groaned. Rowan froze. Mrax cleared his throat and struggled for control. “It’s very sensitive. Not painful. Not anywhere close to painful.”
“Okay.” She took a deep breath and he expected her to retreat, but instead her small fingers slid over the back of his hand. “You could…show me.”
“Show you?” He didn’t dare move.
Rowan tugged at his wrist so Mrax moved slowly to release his cock. “Show me.”
He caressed her cheek and waited as she studied him, eyes widening slightly, and Mrax hardly dared breathe in case she spooked and fled. While most of him wanted to carry her to the bedroom so he could feast on her, with her on her knees in front of him... His baser nature took over and all he could think of was the wet heaven of her mouth around his cock.
Mrax needed something as she continued to ponder, so he stroked himself in a smooth motion and a growl rattled in his chest as the movement drew Rowan’s immediate attention. She kept watching and her breath caught. He gambled on stoking her interest instead of frightening her, and caught her soft, small hand in his to wrap around his cock. He helped her stroke him
a few times before he eased his hand away, and Rowan kept up the rhythm.
He could not believe the beautiful sight before him. His little Earther knelt, her delicate hand wrapped around his cock. Her soft strokes made his cock jump and the animal part of his brain demanded to take her, spread her, claim her. But something else made his hearts beat faster: the trust and excitement evident on her face.
She looked up at him, her dark eyes flashing, her pink lips parted and panting. She looked as awestruck as he felt. And it was that—that look they shared—that caused his cock to jump and grow in her hand, almost as much as her sweet, hesitant touch.
She was his. But he could not frighten his little Earther away, even as the instinct to claim and mark her made his entire body tremble.
Instead, Mrax threaded his fingers into her hair as he groaned and his hips moved into her hand. “Faster.”
Rowan kept her rapt attention on his cock, and he wondered whether she viewed it as an engineering problem instead of an emotional and physical one. Her lips parted and he almost unloaded. Mrax worked his fingertips against her scalp and murmured, “Open your mouth.”
She glanced up at him, her eyes wide, and he feared he’d gone too far.
And then... her lips parted and she leaned closer and he started praying for control.
Chapter 21
Rowan
Rowan couldn’t believe it. She knelt in front of the enormous Xaravian, and he was naked.
He was…so naked.
And so magnificent.
She had seen most of Mrax’s body, but she had never seen all of him—and he had never looked like this. His scales had transformed to deep blues and purples, a galaxy of dark colors with the occasional flash of green, like a comet trailing across the darkening sky. As she slowly stroked his length, they would rustle and raise slightly, and she wondered what it would feel like to press her naked body against them. His molten silver eyes stared down at her with a look of such…such possession and tenderness that she could barely breathe.
And his cock.
It was…big. Huge. And in some feat of Xaravian engineering, it seemed to be growing each time she ran her hand up and down the heated shaft.
When would it stop?
She was always the woman who men ignored. And now, this massive Xaravian was groaning low and urgently at her touch. His eyes followed her every movement, and when she slowly ran the pad of her thumb over the head of his manhood, a trick she’d heard other women mention, it worked!
Mrax shuddered under her touch, and looked at her like she was a miracle. A goddess.
It made her feel more empowered and in control than she’d imagined possible when kneeling in front of him.
She’d waited too long to be with a man, er, male.
Why the hell wait any longer?
Her sex ached with need and she clamped her thighs together to relieve some of the desperate longing, and she continued to squeeze his cock as she leaned to lick the tip. He cursed and groaned at the same time, and Rowan retreated, uncertain. “Is it… Am I doing it right?”
He made a savage sound and she started to retreat in embarrassment, but Mrax’s strong hands held her head exactly where she was. “It’s perfect. Just…take more of me in your mouth. Open wider.”
She leaned forward again and breathed against his heated skin, no longer distracted by the bare patches, and sealed her lips around the thick head of his cock. Her hand kept moving as she tentatively sucked him. Mrax growled and groaned and even whispered in Xarav, which she took as positive signs, and as he remained enraptured, she grew bolder. She had no idea what she was doing, but he didn’t seem to mind at all.
In fact, he was putty in her hands. Sort of.
Rowan took more of him and sucked harder, then retreated to lick up and down the length of his cock. Her experiments were rewarded by Mrax’s guttural, appreciative groan. His hand fisted harder in her hair, something she never knew would cause her breasts to tighten and her entire core to melt. Was it hot in there? Had the climate controls failed again? She wished she’d gotten rid of some of her clothes before they started, because she ached to touch herself as a desperate hunger ignited low in her stomach. She needed to feel more, not just from him but from her own hand.
Mrax whispered more and his fingers dug into her scalp, encouraging her to take even more in her mouth, and Rowan hummed in appreciation for his strong hands and the desperate look in his eyes. She couldn’t keep stroking him with so much in her mouth, and instead braced one hand on his thigh and slid her free hand between her legs. Too bad the coveralls were in the way, but some of the pressure eased as she rubbed and pressed her thighs together.
He made a savage noise and held her head tighter, slowly moving his hips to meet her mouth when she retreated. “Touch yourself. Suck…harder. Deeper. That’s so good, Rowan.” His words trailed off in rough Xarav and his thrusts increased.
She struggled to keep sucking but he didn’t seem to notice, his head tilted back and his scales swirling with purple-blue—sheer lust—and traces of green. Rowan hummed again, since he seemed to like that, and tried to suck harder as her fingers drifted over the bare patch of skin on his inner thigh.
Mrax groaned and abruptly froze, and suddenly Rowan was no longer kneeling. In fact, she wasn’t touching the ground at all. Mrax had somehow grabbed her and was cradling her in his arms, his chest working as he seemed to struggle for control.
“Rowan,” he growled, pressing his forehead against hers. Then he looked into her eyes, a smile playing at the edge of his lips. “You make me lose control. But now… It’s your turn.”
“M-My turn?”
“Yes.” Mrax’s scales rattled as he slowly lowered her, purposefully letting her body slide down his long, hard length. Then he nudged her toward the back of the cabin where the bedrooms waited. “Let’s go.”
Maybe she should have set her heels and resisted, but instead she staggered there on her own. She’d heard the rest of her crewmates talking about all the things they did with men, and she damn well wanted to find out what Mrax could do. Especially with the way he growled and touched her and kissed her neck and then swatted her ass to move her along faster.
Rowan laughed, breathless, and didn’t know what the hell to do when Mrax shut the door behind them, still completely naked, and looked at her with smoldering silver eyes. He could have welded with those eyes.
When he stepped toward her, she retreated out of instinct, and Mrax halted as well. The Xaravian held out a hand. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to, Rowan. I would like to reciprocate the gift you gave me.”
“The gift?” She hadn’t really thought of it that way, but it made her all warm and fuzzy inside to know he thought of it that way. “I don’t think it’ll work the same and—”
His lips pursed and those eyes threw sparks; he kissed her again and said, “I know. But let me see to make sure.”
She got the feeling he laughed at her, but she didn’t object too much as he unzipped her coveralls and pushed them off her shoulders. Rowan stepped out of the canvas and started trembling as Mrax drew off her thin T-shirt and ghosted his fingertips along her collarbones and into the soft band of the bra binding her chest. He said something, low and in Xaravian, and she did not understand.
But when she looked up, his molten silver gaze meeting hers, she thought maybe she understood after all.
Rowan sucked in a breath at the intimate touch, shivering, and he paused. The Xaravian kissed her again and murmured, “Just tell me if you want to stop.”
She didn’t. She really, really didn’t want him to stop. Even though he made her so nervous she almost giggled and raced away from the sheer absurdity of it. Rowan never thought of herself as really grown-up—like at any moment, someone would figure out she wasn’t really mature enough to be a ship’s engineer or an adult who would be kissed and have sex with an actual capable male like the stern medic. She put her hands in his hair, since she’d really liked w
hen he did that to her, and gnawed on her lower lip to keep the hysterical, nervous laughter at bay. “Don’t stop.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he murmured, and kept up the gentle caress down her sides and stomach to tug at the waist of her underwear.
Rowan closed her eyes as his fingers drifted between her legs. “Oh my.”
Mrax chuckled and nudged her closer to the bed. “Lie down.”
She did as he said and nervously rested her hands on her stomach, watching him approach like he stalked some helpless animal. When his knee dented the mattress between hers, she couldn’t hold back anymore and blurted out, “I haven’t done this before.”
He froze, though his dark eyebrows rose. “What?”
“Don’t stop. I don’t want to stop. I just…I don’t think I’ll be good at this. I haven’t…haven’t done this before. I just thought you should know.” And her cheeks ached with having to admit such a thing to someone like Mrax. He’d probably had thousands of girlfriends or mates or whatever the Xaravians had.
He touched her bare ankle and didn’t speak for so long Rowan figured she’d just killed the mood and ruined any chance she had of finally getting with a man. And then Mrax murmured, “Another gift you offer me,” and he leaned down to kiss her so hard her head pressed back into the pillow. His forehead rested against hers and he closed his eyes. “I will care for you all of my days.”
It sounded like a promise, and it took her breath away.
She nodded, mesmerized by the silver pools of his eyes, and racked her brain to think of what to say next.
His smile stole her breath away again. Then she glanced down at his—
“Holy Higgs-Boson” she whispered. “That is never going to fit.”
His smile didn’t falter, but it did grow more heated. “That is why I must prepare you. Now spread your legs.”
Chapter 22
Rowan