8. Lis

8

LIS

T hat alien beer was a sneaky brew. The first one went down fast and reminded her of a Spotted Cow from her favorite brewery in Wisconsin. The second one paired well with the deliciously spicy meat dish Feriq served them. By the third, her cheeks were numb and her inhibitions loose. Damned. Sneaky. Brew.

She hadn't planned on getting tipsy when she walked in. She wanted to talk to Nox more about the whole mate thing, how it worked, and what it meant for her. Maybe get some questions answered about this planet and the galaxy as a whole. Basically, she was on a fact-finding mission, determined to gather information in order to make an informed decision about what in the actual fuck she was going to do now that she was stuck in this sector of the universe for the rest of her natural life.

And she completed that mission. Mostly. They chatted over dinner, getting to know one another. Nox patiently answered every question she lobbed at him from how occupied the system was (trillions of people living on five central planets, a myriad of space stations, ships, and terraforming colonies) to how long it took to get around in space (depended; on average, a trip took anywhere from months to only a few days with enough of the correct fuel and upgraded jump tech) to how he ended up a privateer (she first called him a space pirate, but he stiffly informed her that he was a legitimate privateer, with stamped and verified papers and everything, though that didn't mean all his dealings were all aboveboard. Man had to make a living).

Despite the good conversation, there was still an air of awkwardness, what with the whole mate situation crouched between them like a gargoyle. But the talk flowed and so did the beer, so what ended up happening was her drinking enough to make her chatty and to reignite the burning embers of piss-offed-ness at the absolute gall of those trolls. Feriq's potent brew shifted from an easy social lubricant that eased her tension to more of a slip-and-slide down a steep hill and off a cliff.

Leaning forward, her sandal-clad feet braced on a stool rung, she waggled a finger in Nox's face. "And how dare those rock lobster assholes think they can just swoop in, stick me in a net, and take what's rightfully mine. I want my stuff back, Nox." She jabbed her drink towards him in emphasis, forgetting about physics and her mostly full glass. Beer sloshed over the rim, spilling down the front of his crisp white shirt. "Oops," she said, unhelpfully swiping a hand over the wet spot and knocking free several of the fastenings.

His shirt gaped open, revealing a wide expanse of torso complete with a set of yummy washboard abs. Heat pooled in her belly, and she lost her train of thought.

Ignoring the state of his shirt, he rescued the glass from her, setting it on the bar, and took her hands in his, stilling them. Giving her an intense, heated look that sent sparkles of desire careening through her system, he said, "I agree, Lis. They had no right. Those troll gangs have no respect for others' property."

The more she got to know him, the more he reminded her of the guys she grew up with. Rough and tough on the outside, not someone to mess with, but when you needed help, they were there for you. Like Nox, a lot of them joined the military young, filled with grand ideals, wanting to help people and protect their country, only to wind up on completely different paths from where they started.

"See, you get it." She leaned close, the slow stroke of his thumb across her palm making it hard to stay focused on what she was saying. "I'm going after those trolls, Nox," she said, not taking her eyes from his. He needed to know how serious she was about this. Granted, she had zero idea how to accomplish that, considering she had no money, supplies, or any idea of where the trolls might be. It didn't matter. "In my neighborhood, we don't let others get away with pulling this kind of crap. They need to pay for what they did." She yanked a hand free to jab at his chest. "Period."

He made a sound of what she interpreted to be agreement.

A thought popped into her brain, and she bounced in her seat. "Oh, and pluswich, those dicks have other captives. There are people locked away in those trailer boxes. I saw them. We can't leave anyone in the hands of those trolls. It's not right."

"The gangs tend to sell their captives into slavery or keep them for the fighting pits. There's a lot of credits involved in such transactions. It's a dangerous thing, confronting them," Nox said, lifting her hand and pressing a kiss to her palm.

Her skin tingled where his lips touched. She let out a soft noise, her body canting towards his. Her foot slipped off the chair rung, and she flailed, grabbing the closest stable thing for balance. Which just happened to be his thigh. And not just his thigh, but his inner thigh. A hair's breadth away from his crotch and the thick bulge tucked in those tight leather pants of his.

Oops. Totally meant to do that , she thought with a snicker. Danged sneaky brew. Playing off her smooth move, she raised her eyes to his. "Well, I won't let that happen. Besides, I like danger," she said with a shrug.

"Do you now," he said in a low growl that stroked over her skin, raising goosebumps.

"I do." Holy cats, but she wanted this man. He made her feel things she hadn't felt in such a long time. She slid a hand up his thigh, her fingers skating over the outline of his hard cock straining against the leather.

He grabbed her wrists and gave her a hard look. "Lis, as much as I enjoy having you this close to me…" His voice trailed off with a crackle when she waggled her fingers and stroked him again. He cleared his throat, his hand tightening on her wrist. "And touching me, you've had a life-altering experience as well as a lot of strong alcohol. Perhaps this isn't the best choice right now."

A slow smile spread across her face. "Oh, see, that's where you're wrong. I think you're exactly what I need." Sex, she'd found, was a delightful way to blow off steam and aid in the recovery process. "Are you saying no?"

"I'm not saying no to you, my mate." A muscle ticked in his jaw. "But I'm also not about to take advantage of you."

Sliding off her stool, she moved between his legs. He still held her wrists, preventing her from ripping his shirt open the rest of the way and touching him like she wanted, so she used her body instead. Leaning forward, she pressed her breasts against him, loving his quick intake of breath. "Do you mind if I take advantage of you?" she asked, her lips millimeters from his.

He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing. "No."

"Excellent." With a wicked grin, she nipped his bottom lip hard.

A growl rumbled in his chest. He released her wrists and banded an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him. His strong fingers gripped her nape, holding her in place as his lips crashed down on hers.

She parted for him, her tongue sliding over his, tasting him for the first time. His kiss swamped her senses, sending them into overload, bright sparkles shooting through every part of her body to swirl together in a coil at her core. She wanted him. All of him. Now. With a little moan, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers burrowing into his thick crop of hair.

A spray of cold water doused the flames, and they broke apart, gasping.

"What the hell, Parvani?" She glared at the fun-killer and flicked a piece of wet hair out of her face, her hands curling into fists on Nox's chest.

Tucking away the dispenser's nozzle, the bartender gave her a bored look. "This is a family establishment. We don't want to see those displays here."

Lis looked around at the bar named Tit's Out, undergarments on the ceiling, cracked leather booths tucked in dark corners, and an exclusively adult-looking crowd drinking and having fun. "No, it's not," she said with certainty.

Parvani's tattooed shoulder lifted. "Whatever. I don't want to see you two going at each other like sand cats in heat. Didn't my brother provide you with a room?" She pointed down a hall behind the bar area. "Maybe make use of it, hmm? I don't deserve to have this image seared into my brain."

The stool screeched over the sticky floor as Nox stood, his arm steady around Lis's waist, a warm hand splayed over her stomach. "Perhaps it's time to retire, Lis," he said, his breath warm on the shell of her ear. "You're still recovering from your ordeal, after all."

She locked eyes with Parvani, promising payback in kind for bringing the most perfect kiss she'd ever had in her entire life to a grinding halt. The pain in her ass quirked an eyebrow, acknowledging her silent promise.

"Fine," she said, thwapping Nox on the chest with the back of her hand. "Let's go." And she stomped off towards the room Feriq so graciously supplied for them, Nox in tow.

As they made their way to the room, reality caught up with her. Honestly, it was a good thing that snotty bartender stopped them before it went too far. Lis'd had enough drunken hookups in her life. While she didn't regret what or who she'd done in the past, she also didn't want to add Nox to her sketchy-decisions-while-inebriated list.

That wasn't to say she didn't want to have sex with him. She did. More than anything, especially if that kiss was any indication of what awaited them once they did get together. She was drawn to him in ways she couldn't explain. Maybe Earth humans had some sort of recessive gene or instinct that activated and acknowledged this mate bond thing. Maybe it was because, not only was he drool-worthy, he was a good guy who'd risked his life to get her out of a shitty situation and looked after her when she was hurt. There weren't many who would do that for a complete stranger.

Either way, this wouldn't be the last time their lips locked. That she could absolutely, positively guarantee. She'd just make sure Parvani and her water nozzle were nowhere around.