Chapter 15

15

T eleportation turned out to be anti-climactic, but being on a spaceship was not. Lila stood next to Zhoel on the observation deck of his ship, staring through a curved dome at a breathtaking number of stars. The metallic floor reflected the constellations, making her feel as if they were floating amidst the heavens themselves. Earth’s curve formed a thick crescent above their heads, half in darkness, half in light, the blues and greens of oceans and land bright against the darkness of space.

A small pang shot through her chest as she realized she was following her dreams differently than she’d ever imagined. Instead of strolling along the Seine in Paris, she’d be walking on the soil of other planets. Instead of gawking at the skyscrapers in New York, she’d be sightseeing across the Milky Way. While the new options were exciting, she felt a loss she hadn’t expected. Seeing other places on Earth had always been her dream.

“Look, that’s Australia.” She pointed toward the planet’s horizon. “I always wanted to tour the Outback.”

“Well, why don’t we?” said Zhoel, adjusting a setting on a pedestal in the center of the deck. The ship rotated, moving her view of Earth to eye level. “We can go as soon as our permit to return to Earth gets approved.”

Lila turned a questioning glance on him. Ambient light from the pedestal’s console flickered across his blue skin. “Don’t we need to spend our time marketing the app on other planets?”

He smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “The app is already selling itself. Our friend in the permitting office is apparently spreading the word, and we’ve gotten over a hundred applicants on the waiting list in the past solar day. We need to market on Earth now so they have dates and arrange logistics all over your planet. Why not start in Australia? We’ll move on to the rest of the galaxy when the time comes.”

Tears prickled her eyes, and she turned to fling her arms around his neck. “I love you, Zhoel. I can’t believe I almost let you go.”

He pulled her close, his breath warm in her hair. In a low voice, he asked, “Does that mean you’ve decided about the mate bond?”

Heat flooded her entire body as she recalled their most recent discussion when he’d described how a Kirenai mate bond worked during lovemaking, a joining that went beyond physical, merging them emotionally and spiritually. She already felt a deep and unexplainable connection with Zhoel, but knowing there was more—something deeper they could share—was both exhilarating and terrifying.

There wasn’t a rush, but like Nana said, when you know, you know. She looked into Zhoel’s eyes, pouring all the love she felt into that gaze. “I’m ready to share my life with you.”

Zhoel’s smile was radiant, his eyes returning the love she was feeling tenfold. He leaned in, capturing her lips in a tender kiss before taking her hand and leading her deeper into the ship. The ship’s interior still amazed her, with organic curves and softly glowing walls. They reached a huge, circular chamber with screens that looked out over a gorgeous alien landscape. A lush forest of blue and purple trees spread out below them with fantastically curved spires she assumed must be buildings poking from the canopy. Two plush armchairs sat as if looking out on a lanai, and on the opposite side of the room sat a gilded vanity and a darkly polished armoire. In the center of the room stood what appeared to be a four-poster bed covered by a rich maroon comforter and white pillows.

“Is this your bedroom?” she asked.

“Our bedroom, yes. I designed it based on information from some of Earth’s most opulent hotel rooms.”

She smiled at the eclectic collection, doubting she’d ever see a hotel on Earth like this one. “I’ve never been to a fancy hotel. Thank you.”

Zhoel turned and cupped her face in both hands, looking deep into her eyes. “You are my mate, Lila Carson. I plan to explore a lot of new things with you.”

They kissed again, his hands moving down her throat and over her shoulders, sending shivers of anticipation down her spine. He pushed aside the neckline of her sweater, feathering kisses along her throat while she roamed her palms over the hard planes of his chest. She deftly opened the buttons of his shirt and pushed it away so she could feel his skin, loving the slight sprinkle of hair over his chest.

He stopped his kisses and pulled her sweater over her head, gaze roaming her breasts a moment before he lifted his hands to cup them around her lace bra. “So beautiful.”

Her nipples tightened as his thumbs brushed the lace, anticipation rocketing down her belly to settle like an ache between her legs. She tweaked his nipples in return, grinning when the tiny blue buds hardened under her touch. Leaning forward, she licked one, biting it gently before moving to do the same to the other.

Making an indistinct sound of pleasure, he skimmed his hands across her back, flicking open her bra and freeing the straps from her shoulders. She let it drop to the floor and straightened, breathing shakily.

“Are you nervous?” he asked, looking into her eyes.

She nodded. “A little. But I’m more excited than anything.”

He smiled, taking her hand and leading her to the bed. “We don’t have to rush anything. We have all the time in the universe.”

She sat on the edge of the mattress, pulse like a drum in her ears. Zhoel knelt in front of her, taking off her boots gently, his hands warm against her skin. He looked up at her, his eyes filled with love and reassurance. Lila reached out, running a hand along his angular face. His skin was warm and smooth, with a hint of roughened stubble along his jawline. She leaned down and kissed him, her fingers tangling in his hair.

Zhoel’s hands slid feather-light up her legs until they reached the waistband of her jeans. He pushed her gently back against the mattress, still kissing her as he unbuttoned them. She lifted her hips, helping him push her jeans and panties down. His mouth left hers, trailing along her throat and down her chest while he slowly slid the garments downward. He circled one of her nipples with his tongue, breath hot against her skin, then kissed lower, down the front of her thighs, past her knees, before finally tugging them free. His touch felt reverent, his hands and mouth caressing her skin as if it were something precious.

He stroked her feet, rubbing his thumbs along the arches, then worked his way back up her body, massaging and kissing the insides of her legs as he went. Each touch made her tremble with anticipation, her breath shuddering and heartbeat thundering in her ears. He eased her thighs open, exposing her center to his questing tongue. A hot, wet thrust parted her slit and slid along her inner folds.

Gasping, she flexed her hips, and Zhoel slid his hands under her ass, holding her steady as he latched onto her clit and suckled. Pleasure spiraled through her, and she grasped the comforter. He flicked the sensitive nub with increasing pressure, building her rising need into a crescendo that crested and broke, sending her shuddering into release.

When her orgasm subsided, he stood, his gaze never leaving hers as he removed his pants. The defined muscles of his abs guided her attention to the thick shaft jutting from between his thighs. It seemed to pulse, the smooth head catching the light like the sheen of satin.

“I want to see your mating rod,” she said, her breath husky. He’d told her he’d been keeping it from her until she was ready.

He nodded and knelt on the mattress between her legs. In a rough voice, he said, “Touch me.”

Eyes glued to his shaft, she circled the thick girth, gliding downward to the base. He groaned and put a hand on her shoulder to steady himself as a smaller rod emerged from beneath his cock. She exhaled in awe, opening her thumb to stroke the bullet-shaped appendage.

“Is this it?” she whispered, her insides trembling with anticipation.

“Yes.” His hips were making tiny thrusting motions against her as if out of his control. “I don’t trust my Iki’i. Tell me how you want it.”

She stroked the bullet-shaped rod, delighted when he shuddered and groaned again. He’d explained the appendage could be merged into his cock or used separately for her pleasure. “I think I might like to try it separate.”

A feral growl escaped Zhoel’s lips, and he pressed her back to the mattress. His kiss was ravenous, tongue exploring every crevice of her mouth. She tasted her own arousal on his lips, a salty-sweet reminder of where his mouth had just been, and her heart pounded hard in response.

He wrapped one hand around the back of her neck and plunged his tongue in and out, mimicking the act they were both craving. With his other hand, he reached between their bodies, grasping his cock and rubbing the velvety tip against her slick entrance, spreading her wetness and teasing her mercilessly. With each stroke, his finger brushed over her ass, each pass pressing deeper into the tight opening and heightening her arousal. She’d engaged in ass-play a couple of times, but had never anticipated it with such excitement.

Slowly, torturously, he slid his cock into her pussy, filling and stretching her until she thought she might burst from the pleasure. She lifted her hips to meet him, clawing his back with need. “Please, Zhoel,” she whimpered.

He breathed hotly against her ear. “Kuzara, I still can’t believe you’re mine.”

He continued pumping, the nodules along his shaft stimulating her inner walls and bringing her higher and higher. He tilted his hips, and she felt the pressure of his mating rod against her ass, pushing insistently. She gasped as he entered her, the added pressure almost too much, yet making her want more.

Both shafts now entering her, he thrust deeper and deeper, filling her completely. Her inner walls fluttered and clenched around him, wrenching a guttural moan from her throat. Then her orgasm hit her like a tsunami, sweeping her up and shattering her into a million glittering pieces. Zhoel roared, thrusting hard and deep, his hot seed filling her and sending her pleasure spiraling even higher. She dug her fingers into his back, clawing as she tried to anchor herself in the storm of ecstasy.

When she finally drifted back to herself, Zhoel lay above her, kissing her throat and ear gently, the slickness of their skin cooling as they both regained their breath. “My mate,” he whispered.

Happy warmth spread through her, a sense of peace and belonging that she’d never felt before. It was as if she could feel Zhoel’s very essence, his emotions and thoughts intertwining with her own. It was intimate in a way that went beyond the physical, a merging of their souls. “My mate,” she repeated.

She knew, without a doubt, that this was exactly where she was meant to be—by Zhoel’s side, exploring the universe and building a life together.