Page 17 of 20% Stud 80% Muffin (Alien Fated Mates #1)

17

“ S eriously, you haven’t read it yet?” Ginger’s gasp was loud and clear through my wristport.

“Well, I’ve been a little preoccupied, Ging.” A few grinning Rock Dwellers turned to face me from their card game in the corner of our shared room. They didn’t even bother to cover their grins with their thick fingers as they eavesdropped.

I really need my own place.

My mind wandered to the list of extra features people wanted for their homes. After walking through Makir’s, the damn mayor had decided he could skip the queue and demanded a pool.

“Geo, are you even listening to me?” She whistled to get my attention.

I winced and moved my wristport farther from my body. “Jesus! Ginger, you’re going to make my ears bleed.”

“SEND. ME. THE. REPORT. NOW.” My wristport vibrated with each dramatic pause.

“Geesh, all right. Hold your horses.” I scrolled through my email and forwarded the one from Dr. Ten to Ginger. I wasn’t sure how they did it, but the Intergalactic Federation had seamless communication technology between the planets in the Reiner System.

Reading Dr. Ten’s report topped my to-do list, but it kept getting put off, filed in the same place as building my home.

What kind of archbuilder has no home to show off?

A private shower would be nice. Makir’s slick fur in the hot pools of the cave came to mind, and I hardened against the fabric of my overalls—something that happened with increased frequency these days.

Ginger’s annoying voice shook me from what was sure to be a pleasure-filled fantasy. “Geo, it says right here the reason your muscles have grown and your”—she cleared her throat—“cock has thickened…” She snickered. “It’s due to ‘shared DNA with Lornians.’ That’s Makir’s species, right?”

“Uh-huh.” Dr. Ten was a crackpot. Me sharing the same DNA as a furry blue alien with a puff on the end of its tail? No way.

Ginger continued to read. “The alpha traits the patient displays stem from latent chromosomes that, while present on Earth, in rare cases have remained repressed until exposed to a compatible omega. When exposed, personality traits consistent with an alpha behavior profile manifest, i.e., increased assertiveness, persuasiveness, desirability.” Ginger laughed. “I gotta get me some of this.”

Pika and Charz barked in the background, and I longed for my home on Earth.

“I’m going to keep reading this to you because otherwise I know you’ll ignore it forever. Among the physical changes that may occur, muscle development and genital adaptations are the most common. ”

This couldn’t actually be a thing, could it? I cupped my cock and stared at the sleeve of my shirt. I’d had to rip it this morning so it wouldn’t cut off the circulation to my arm.

“He’s got it all laid out for you here, you big doofus. You should’ve read the damn email instead of worrying up eight thousand fatalistic reasons why your body has gone berserk.”

To get a little privacy, I walked outside.

Sully yelled at my retreating back, “Boss man, come back. We want to know more.” A chorus of laughter followed, which I casually waved off, but I wished the ground would swallow me.

As I walked, my mind drifted again. What Yurstille really needed were a few green spaces, like a community park, especially if they wanted to encourage new families. I didn’t want to hear what Dr. Ten had to say. If I read it, there would be no plausible way to deny the fact that I had the genetics of an alpha. At least when it came to Makir.

“Tune in, Geo,” Ginger scolded. “This is your life, and it has gotten exponentially more interesting.” She took a sip of something, likely an espresso. “This is straight out of a sci-fi movie. You might have blue babies with beards and fuzzy tails in the future.”

“Come on, Ging,” I said quietly. “That’s not funny. What the hell do I do if he’s pregnant? Fuck, I didn’t even know he had a brother until yesterday. I know nothing about the guy. Any time we’re together, I’m either a barbarian or under the influence of his pheromones.” And his hands, mouth and naughty tail. “How does a guy even know what’s real in the middle of so many chemical reactions?”

“It can’t be any worse than the bad decisions I take home after a night at the club.” Ginger laughed. “Geo, take a breath. Do some tai chi and get your Zen on. You need to get out of your head. It’s all too close, and you’re catastrophizing things. ”

She tapped her nails against her cup in the background—probably neon with black tips, or something equally bold. Ginger was right, and I didn’t want to discuss it.

“I miss Charz and Pika.” I sighed.

“An unusual letter came for me yesterday, which is why I called. Someone can’t seem to remember my phone number.” Her excitement topped her sarcasm. “It turns out I can visit you because you put me as your next of kin. One paid visit a year!”

“Are you serious, Ginger?”

“I know, right? Crazy,” she replied. “I can bring Charz and Pika with me…” Her voice softened. “It’s not like I would miss them if they ended up—”

“Why didn’t you start with this? This is great news. I don’t care if I have to build the mayor three pools. I’ll do whatever it takes to get approval to bring them here.”

“I’ll have to wrap up a couple of contracts and set up a house minder. Unlike some people who take far-flung vacations that are a mere flight away, it takes two damn weeks to get to Tern.” Ginger soothed my dogs in the background as if they understood the conversation.

My cheeks grew sore from smiling so wide. “Do I need to remind you whose idea it was for me to move here, Ging?” I felt like I’d just won the lottery.

The sky darkened with brown clouds, and the wind kicked up pink dust around me. The tether between Makir and me tugged, a constant reminder of my need to be closer to him.

“I’ve got some planning to do, Ging. Thanks for making my day. Talk soon.”

“Bye, Geo. Send me a list of what I should pack.”

I wandered back into our shared accommodation and tripped through the entryway, standing there in a daze.

“Boss man, why are you staring into space?” JayJay’s deep rumble brought me back .

I looked around at my enormous roommates. Ginger can’t stay here. Then I pictured her sitting with Tino and Sannit playing cards in the corner, owning the table. What was I talking about? She’d love the shit out of staying here.

“My best friend is visiting in two turns of the moon, and she’s bringing my dogs.”

Sully grinned so big I feared he might swallow a bug. “She’ll be on the same shuttle as my family.”

“Your puppy doojies are coming here?” JayJay tested out the words, and as I’d expected, it was hilarious.

“That’s right. You’ll love them.” I squeezed into my bottom bunk and scrolled through documents on my tablet. “JayJay, let’s rearrange the schedule. We’re moving Sully’s dwelling up in the queue. Both crews will begin work on his build first sun tomorrow.”

Sully cheered, and his thick fist bumped me on the shoulder. The friendly gesture would’ve had me on my ass a few months ago. Maybe having traces of Lornian DNA was good for something, after all.

“You got it, boss man,” JayJay said.

“Now, I need two volunteers to come with me to the mayor’s tomorrow.” The happy vibe faded as Tino and Sannit trudged forward. “We’re putting in a pool and doing it smiling because my puppies are staying in Yurstille.”

Stay… Could I stay here? Leave everything behind? Sell my grandmother’s house?

My stomach soured at the possibility of selling my grandmother’s home on Earth. Nope, not happening. Ginger could live there forever. But a construction company of my own on Earth…that dream seemed to hold a little less weight.

Eventually, I fell asleep compiling a list that had me drooling on my pillow. Cured meats from the deli down the road, dill pickles, dill pickle chips, dill pickle popcorn seasoning, popcorn, chocolate chip cookies, garlic… Would the mayor give his permission to bring chicks, garden seeds and tree seedlings on board? And holy crow did I need some new clothes.

Covered in pink mud, the mayor barked out instructions to Tino, Sannit and me from his plush chair in the cool shade. “Make it a little wider. Makir’s pool is twice the size.” Sweat dripped from my forehead while ice rattled in the glass Mayor Yurst sipped from.

His nonstop changes turned my smile brittle. The rest of the week had dragged on in the same way. Even the Rock Dwellers, whose optimistic outlook on life could be nauseatingly sweet, had lost some of their natural sugar.

“One more time, boss man, one more time…” Sannit’s low voice grumbled when Mayor Yurst had left us for his lunch break. “If he asks me one more time to be careful around his silly statue, it might end up in the pool. What kind of self-important blanting fool has a statue made of himself?”

I chuckled. The mayor was a first-class idiot.

“Bish. Boss man, you aren’t buying the story that he happened to be awarded it for his ‘exemplary service?’” Tino’s deep rumble turned to a high-pitched warble remarkably similar to the mayor’s. “Are you?”

I snorted as I tapped down the last paving stone around the pool. “Not a chance. He intentionally had that atrocity made. It’s better looking than he is.”

In exchange for the pool, an outdoor washroom and a guest house, I had the all clear for my dogs and enough storage space on the next shuttle to accommodate my every whim. Unsurprisingly, the mayor didn’t care about me bringing in foreign organic matter from off-planet, as long as he could look out over his pool from a lounge chair and admire his statue.

“Fuck, you guys are hard workers.” I slapped the pink mud off my overalls, astonished at what we’d accomplished in four long days. “And have I mentioned patient?”

“Bish, boss man.” Tino’s gray cheeks purpled. “It’s nothing special. ”

I’d had countless crews over the years and knew good workers when I found them. Rock Dwellers were nothing shy of solid gold.

“Sannit, com the other crews and let’s get out of here before Yurst returns and asks us to do anything else. First round’s on me.”

The small cantina was shoulder room only. The Rock Dwellers took up most of the space along the communal table. A lively tune filled the air where an enforcer played an instrument similar to a guitar in the corner. The holes where windows should have been had sticks in place to prop up their salvaged tin covers. Colored lanterns dangled from the rafters, and the aroma of grilled mantu sizzling outside wafted through on the evening’s light breeze.

“Boss man, thank you for the generous gift of timber and lamar. TeyTey and the younglings will love it. We’ve never lived anywhere of this caliber before.” Sully’s eyes were glassy as he polished off the mug of orzfoam before him.

“If I can build the mayor a pool house, I can throw in a few extras for one of my guys.” I bumped my knee with his. “I’ll be at the Rowtees’ tomorrow, but I want to see the lazy river you designed. Oh, and I set aside some plants for you at the nursery.”

“We’ll have you over for dinner every night when my TeyTey arrives.” Sully’s grin resembled a deranged comic book character’s, even though he had about as much malice in him as a lamb.

“You can bring Makir, too.”

What? Why would I bring Makir?

“If TeyTey can make something besides graneth puffs and mantu, count me in,” I replied good-naturedly, ignoring the bit about Makir.

My mind drifted as I unwound with my crew. Engineers on Earth would go crazy exploiting the geothermal power that showed up in pockets around town. The awe on Makir’s face when’d he realized his floors, even the hovery’s, were heated by geothermal power had made me all soft and gooey inside. The tether pulled, luring me with the desire to be closer to him.

JayJay’s orzfoam sloshed onto my elbow and startled me from my daydream. His deep rumble vibrated through my elbow where it touched mine since we were so crammed together.

With the tab paid, I forced my way out of the pub through a chorus of goodbyes with a bottle of hiscus wine. I had a favor to ask from my favorite blue Lornian.

I zipped up my hoodie and braced for the cool evening air. No one knew how the Fires That Cleanse might have affected the seasons. Nevertheless, my gut told me that summer was nearing its end. A temperate climate had been highlighted in the brochure the mayor had produced to recruit newcomers, but I worried over what a cold winter might present for the unsuspecting.

The tightness of the tether relaxed as I neared Makir’s home. Two days with no Makir, and I was about to jump out of my skin. I tripped under the stars’ dim light.

I practiced what I would say to Makir as I walked. How are alphas meant to act? Can you get pregnant? Despite the heaviness in my stomach, I wouldn’t fail this time.

The knocker on Makir’s door was cold against my sweaty palm. Tap, tap, tap.

“Come in the side entrance. I’m out back.”

I growled at his response. The whole point of the goddamn peephole was so he would know who stood there, not so he could invite a potential stranger straight to him. Or worse, his creeper neighbor.

“Makir!” I barked as I walked over the paving stones to his pool. “What if I was Raz? Where’s your sense of self-preservation? Be sure it’s safe before you let someone in, for crying out loud.” My hands landed on my hips, and my too-tight shirt stretched across my chest.

Makir’s eyes peeked over the tablet he read from, and his tail whipped softly. The fronds from the tropical-looking plants beside his lounge chair jostled when his long legs stretched out .

“And hi to you too, Archbuilder.” Makir’s quiet voice drew me in. I couldn’t quite get a read on him, but he smelled delicious. I inhaled the sharp gingersnap and juniper fragrance that I couldn’t get enough of. My arms dropped to my sides, and tension eased from my shoulders.

“To what do I owe this honor?” Makir placed his tablet on the lounge chair beside him, sat up and shivered.

“Here, this is for you.” I shoved the bottle of wine toward him. “We’re moving to the fire pit. You’re chilly.” I clasped his long blue fingers in mine and tugged him toward me. The contact sent a heady warmth through my body. “Why don’t I start a fire? I don’t want you to catch a cold.”

The lavender of his eyes swirled.

One of the enforcers had a side business selling graneth husks compressed into pellets that could be burned, and a covered nook housed a neat stack.

“Geo, I’m fine. I just put on a sweater less than a moon ago.” Then, as if he sensed my need to be busy, he changed his tune. “However, a fire does sound rather nice. I’ll grab us a couple of containers while you get it started.”

Don’t be a blockhead caveman. Stick to the plan.

My hands clenched as I crouched to light the fire. I hated how I became a bossy grouch every time I got near Makir. I couldn’t live here permanently if I lost control every time I got close to Makir.

Makir’s chair scraped over the paving stones as he dragged it alongside mine in front of the fire. “You might like this.” He passed me an amber-colored drink that warmed my toes and tasted remarkably like whiskey.

I guessed he’d picked up on my dislike of hiscus wine. “This is terrific.” I leaned back in my chair, and my muscles relaxed further. My eyes found his, drawn to the blaze-orange flames reflected in his dark pupils. My mouth watered at the endless possibilities lurking beyond the reflection.

“It’s from my brother’s collection back on Lorne. A farewell gift.” His voice sounded a little distant, but his slight purr called to me on a base level. My chair jerked loudly, scraping over the stone, and I backed away before I jumped Makir like a wild beast.

“Well, thank you for sharing.” I cleared my throat and stood.

My lungs expanded on a deep inhale, and a button popped off the shirt I’d purchased from the market. I polished off my drink in one final gulp and slammed the glass down. “Dang it, nothing fits right. I can’t wait until Ginger gets here.”

Makir stiffened in his chair as he passed me my button. “Well, I’m not sure who Ginger is, but I can fix a button. I’m good with my hands.”

And his tail. I gulped.

Makir’s loose, liquid sway as he walked toward me left my mouth watering. His tail flicked out and brushed the back of my calf. A second later, he unbuttoned my shirt with his long, nimble fingers, his delicious aroma making my knees go soft.

“She’s my best friend.” I coughed, frozen by Makir’s actions. If he shifted any closer, he’d be touching me, but his fingers didn’t even graze me as one button after another came undone. I sucked in my belly.

“Quit that.” Makir purred, patting my belly as he undid the last button and gently pulled my shirt free. My breaths came so hard that I must have sounded like a freight train. “It will only take me a minute to fix this for you.” He turned around and moved toward the kitchen, my shirt in one hand. His tail swayed in sync with his hips as they rocked in a slow saunter, beckoning me.

The bright kitchen light broke my trance. “Makir, if you have no plans for tomorrow, can I ask for a favor?” I blurted.

His gaze rose from my belly before he deftly stitched my button back onto my shirt. The tip of his tail tapped the floor in concentration.

I scratched the back of my neck. “Do you have a shirt I can borrow?”

“Don’t be silly. I’ll be done in a second. Now, what’s this favor?”

“I need a lift to the Rowtees’ tomorrow,” I barked, more sharply than I had intended. “Also, I need to use your trailer to haul supplies.”

Fuck, that wasn’t a question .

Makir tucked the thread behind his incisor to cut it off. The tip of his tongue played against his lower lip for a moment.

My mouth turned dry. “My friend Ginger is coming to visit, and she’s bringing my dogs.” I grinned, my desire tempered as I pictured Pika and Charz dusted in Tern’s pink soil. “Plus a few supplies from Earth. I have something perfect for your bedroom in mind.” I took a steadying breath. “In exchange for your help.”

Makir passed me back my shirt. “Geo, you know there’s nothing you could ask for that I wouldn’t give you.”

My heart thumped.

He leaned back against the counter, his long blue fingers sweeping over the swirled surface the same way they’d caressed my chest not long ago. His gaze was wide open. “I don’t want anything in exchange. But, of course, I will help you.”

I slipped on my shirt, missing half the buttons as his eyes tracked my hands. “Does nine suns work?”

He nodded, his tail rocking back and forth.

“Welp, good night then.” My lips tilted in an awkward half-smile as I turned to leave the charged atmosphere before I gave in to the desire to touch his lips with mine. I needed to learn how to control the alpha first.

Makir continued to lean against the counter, his tail lazily circling in front of him as his gaze ate me up. “See you tomorrow.”

Damn it. Shit. Fuck. Another epic fail.

“Why can’t I think about anything but the taste of his lips?” I muttered as I stumbled over the rutted pathway home. “Or the smooth nap of his tail under my fingers.” The cool air did nothing to ease the heat swamping me. I wanted to touch the soft points of his ears with my tongue. And I still didn’t know if he could become pregnant. I kicked a pebble, launching it through the sky in a perfect arch. If I could control my lust with the same precision, I could be with Makir as I yearned to be.