Page 18 of 20% Stud 80% Muffin (Alien Fated Mates #1)

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T he trip up the narrow, winding passage to the Rowtees’ cliff-top aviary took forever. Geo clutched my hips hard from behind. He twisted and turned, continuously readjusting himself to keep from slipping off the hoverbike seat. We leaned up into the steep slope, and every time he squeezed his thick thighs against mine, my nerves tingled. I sighed when at last, he just wrapped his arms around me. When we drew to a stop, I clutched my knees to steady my nerves.

The sunlight glinted off the roof panels lining the Rowtees’ arched entryway, turning them iridescent. Ayla stood under its rainbow. Her belly extended in front of her, ready to burst, and the feathers on her wings shone glossy and white.

Her head dipped to the side, and she beckoned with a folded wing. “Come in. I’m so excited to show you the nursery.”

She stepped between Geo and me, and her serene presence smothered the tension zinging back and forth between us. But when Geo’s hot gaze met mine as he rebuttoned the strap on his overalls, lust ignited inside me again, and I longed to reach over and undo the clasp once more.

The Rowtees’ dwelling was airy and bright as Ayla walked us toward her youngling’s room. “Get started anytime.” She clicked her beak. “I’ll bring in some lunch a little later.”

Preoccupied with our task, the sexual tension between us dimmed to a slow simmer. We worked all morning. Geo cut through the thick external wall—some type of fabric and wood hybrid—and I passed him the lamar. He measured, and I shaped the lamar into rounds of differing sizes to fill the holes.

“These little windows look like swiss cheese.” Geo glanced at the openings dotting the wall. He must have noticed my blank look and continued to explain. “It’s a saying on Earth when something is full of holes.”

That made no sense. I lifted a brow . But he sure looked cute trying to explain it.

“Yeah, well…cheese is a snack… Never mind.” He shook his head and gestured to the smallest piece of lamar I’d cut. “Pass me that one, would ya?”

Our fingers brushed as I extended the circle to him, and the tether almost sighed. It was so content in his presence. A glimpse into what life together might look like.

We make a good team.

As my stomach grumbled, Ayla waddled in to check our progress. When I checked my wristport I was surprised to find half the day had passed.

“This is stunning.” Ayla’s wings fluttered behind her happily as she observed the progress Geo and I had made. “The sunlight has transformed the space.”

Her beak pointed from one lamar-filled hole to the next. She passed me a tray of sliced fruit and nuts and handed Geo two steaming containers of tea. “I insist you take a break. You’re welcome to come to the kitchen. We have actual furniture there.” She laughed.

I took in my sleeves, covered in bits of clear plastic, and the dust from drilling through the walls that coated my boots. “We’re fine here.” Geo nodded when our gazes met. “No need to track this mess through your dwelling.”

Ayla’s wings fluttered in a shrug. “Suit yourselves.” She took her time looking through each of the eye-level windows while I laid down a plastic sheet on the floor, placed the tray on it, and sat.

Geo joined me. “When I asked for a ride, I didn’t mean you had to work all day. I thought you would just drop me off.” Geo’s low voice rumbled beside me. “I can com you for a lift when I’m done. Probably a couple more hours.”

His shoulder brushed mine when he leaned in to grab a slice of hiscus, sending electric sparks up my spine. A trail of red juice dripped down his chin, and I tilted toward him instinctively, wanting to clean his beard with my tongue.

“I’m going to place my nursing chair right here to take advantage of the changing light in the evenings.”

I jolted back from Geo, startled by Ayla’s voice. How had I forgotten she was here?

“The sunsets are so beautiful here on Tern, and what did you call this effect again, Geo?”

It took a moment for him to respond. “Bubbles…” He paused to suck the sticky juice off his fingers. “You know, like the spheres created when you agitate soap. On Earth, children have little wands they dip in soapy water and blow into the air.” He waved his arm through the air with a grace unexpected in a male wearing dusty coveralls. “They create a stream of bubbles that drift through the wind.” Cross-legged, elbows settled on his knees and gaze turned inward, he seemed at peace. “Then all the other children run around, popping them.” His lips tipped up in a fond expression that made me think he’d be a good father.

A sense of longing I had thought I’d left in the past filled me. I would never be a father, and nor would any partner of mine .

“That represents the idea beautifully. I especially love how they’re all different sizes.” Ayla brushed off her talons on a mat Geo had dropped by the door. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.”

“We’ll be out of your hair right away,” Geo said.

A curious expression passed over Ayla’s face as she fingered the translator behind her ear, just as I did. She adjusted a feather on her head before continuing to the kitchen.

“I like helping you, Geo.” My tail swirled around his bicep and squeezed as I picked up the thread of our last conversation. “Plus, I have no plans today. I’m all caught up at the hovery.” The nut I crunched burst with a creamy, bitter flavor, and I purred. It tasted so good.

Geo’s calloused finger caressed up and down the same section of my tail over and over again, driving me insane. Drawn in by my purr, he tipped onto his knees and crawled toward me. I gulped and his pupils dilated. I purred louder, reeling him closer.

A loud clatter in the kitchen forced us to jump apart. Shortly after, Ayla’s sing-song voice rang out. “Don’t mind me, I’m nothing but slippery feather-fingers these days.”

“Let’s get this finished.” Geo’s thick rasp vibrated over my skin, urging me to touch him. “You’re making me want…”

Whatever had been holding him back broke. Our lips met, and the tether’s connection grew thick and syrupy between us before he pulled away.

Under his breath, he muttered, “Trying to kill me.” Honestly, I didn’t know what I was doing when it came to Geo anymore. I was no longer confident the tether could be broken, or even that I wanted to break it. Geo was much more than a typical alpha—he gifted sunlight to nurseries.

Just as the reds of sundown cast their warm glow through the lamar, Geo installed the last bubble window.

This would be the perfect place to raise younglings. I hugged my calf with my tail .

We barely escaped the Rowtees. They were so pleased with Geo’s generous gift that they wanted us to stay for dinner. They even invited me to join Geo at their youngling’s naming celebration.

Geo stacked the unused lamar onto my hover trailer beside his tools and secured the load before sliding onto the seat. “Keep your tail to yourself,” he grumbled as I turned to look at him over my shoulder, slotting my butt between his hips. His V-neck shirt stretched and exposed a patch of fur over skin flushed red. “Or I can’t promise I’ll be able to control myself.”

He sidled up behind me, his considerable bulk pressing against my back. My nostrils flared, inhaling as much of his summer field scent as possible. It aroused me so much that I almost tipped the hoverbike over. I’d considered offering him riding instructions, but now I wasn’t sure.

I liked him wrapped around me like this.

“Is that a threat or a promise?” I purred, and he growled, gripping my waist and pulling until his hard length notched against my ass and the base of my tail.

“Drive,” he barked, and I engaged the throttle with a press of my thumb.

The breeze did nothing to cool the hot ache radiating from my protective pouch. My tail pulsed, charged with restless energy, where we pressed together.

A shower of neon lights dotted the air as the hoverbike stirred up a swarm of winged starbugs. Constellations formed and broke around us as they buzzed by.

I wanted to ride in this haze of lust forever, but we reached the sono in a span of minutes.

Geo sat with his arms around me long after the hoverbike went silent. A few starbugs lingered around us, flashing. Despite the cold air, his body provided all the warmth I needed. It was as if the goddess Sola had reached deep into my mind and recreated my perfect moment.

His reluctance to leave was palpable as he shifted his feet onto the ground. “I’ll just unload these supplies, and you can be on your way.” Geo’s voice puffed against the back of my neck, spreading heat before he walked stiltedly to the trailer. He lifted the sheets of lamar off before stacking them in neat piles in the storage bay.

With Geo’s warmth gone, I shivered. “Let me help.” I followed his slow steps, his tool bag slung over my shoulder. He turned the corner into the dark storage area, out of sight.

I squeaked when Geo thrust me into the rough wall, hard muscles pinning me there. His nose pressed into my collarbone as he inhaled me in deep drafts. “Fuck, you smell good.”

“Finally,” I gasped, tugging the tool bag from my shoulder until it landed with a thunk at our feet.

“I can’t control myself around you, Makir.” The point of his tongue traced my collarbone, and he nipped me with his square teeth. “Tell me to stop if you don’t want this.” Vulnerability threaded through his deep voice.

My heart thudded against my rib cage. Why did he care so much about control? “I want this so much I’m afraid I’ll scare you away.”

He grasped my chin between his forefinger and thumb and dipped it to face him before his mouth slowly met mine. “Not a fucking chance.”

Geo’s plump lips yielded as I pressed and sucked and pressed again. Then, like a live wire snapping, he took control. His rough tongue massaged past my lips and slid inside.

A purr rattled deep in my chest. My tail brushed along the exposed skin on Geo’s arms, over the curve of his bicep and mingled with the hair on the back of his neck. Not enough. It wanted to be under his overalls and coiled around the girth of the iron bar in his pants. Does it have moisture beaded at the tip already? I purred deeper as I succumbed to the press of his mouth against mine.

“Stop purring. I can’t think,” Geo groaned.

Does he really want me to stop?

“I can’t help it. I don’t have control over it.” I tried to clear my mind and quiet myself. “You’re pumping out pheromones like crazy. ”

“Sorry, little lion, purr all you want. I like it,” he whispered into my neck, then suckled. I melted against him as his palms traveled over each bump of my rib cage and pulled me closer.

His lips weren’t on mine, and mine weren’t on his. We just stood and hugged. But the world stopped while we embraced. I wanted to be held like this, safe in Geo’s massive arms forever.

“Wish I had my own place. Want you to be in my bedroom on Earth right now.” His deep voice rumbled against my chest.

I couldn’t help the purr in my voice. “My place is your place.”

He pulled me in tighter, his voice a choked gulp. “Fuck, don’t say that to me.” He pushed away, his fingers still tangled with mine, and led me back to my hoverbike. I was in such a daze that he had to help me on. His brows furrowed, but his eyes were bottomless pools flashing between hunger when they met mine and uncertainty when he stared at his shuffling feet.

What’s happening?

“I’ll see you new week, Makir. Dinner and swimming. We’re on still, right?” His soft grip on my hand contrasted with his brisk voice. Plus, my mind was still stuck on sex in the storage bay. He leaned in for one last deep inhale before he nipped my ear. “Goodnight, little lion. Sleep well.”

He ran his palm down my back, hard and heavy, and smacked my ass, sending me off into the night dizzy with want.

The end week market vibrated with energy. I waved at the enforcer curtained behind colorful swaths of fabric, admiring his Interplanetary Gems sign. Maybe I could do something similar for my mittens. My eyes watered as I dodged the acrid black steam that rose from a table covered in strange orbs where a line of Lizzards stood. Dark-skinned Boolas, white-feathered Nacers and tawny-furred Tigs shopped and socialized along the narrow dirt street. Thrown-together booths built from scraps lined either side.

I shifted my heavy backpack onto my other shoulder. Cold seeped through my linobee vest from the frozen mantu I hoped to trade today. Only a few short weeks ago, I’d been living off rations and meals from Raz. Now I had credits to burn and goods to trade because of D’irk, D’Rasma and D’Argon.

I set the paper-wrapped package on D’ovey’s counter while he bagged my graneth puffs. My wristport flashed green with credits from my trade. “D’ovey, that’s too much.”

The deep brown skin around his eyes crinkled. “Not at all. This mantu will make me many credits. I will bake my mother’s meaty and flaky fire cakes. First one’s free for you.”

I laughed. “I see your strategy.”

I wondered if Geo liked spicy food. As I thought his name, someone called it, and I spun to find him. I bid a hurried goodbye to D’ovey as I rushed to follow my tether. Geo’s overalls did nothing to hide his bulging muscles where he stood in line at D’irk’s grill. The savory aroma of mantu wafted to me, and I crept into the front of the long queue beside Geo, nudging him with my hip. A group of enforcers stood nearby, mingling as they snacked.

Geo’s wide eyes matched his smile, and he hooked his pinky finger around mine, like a chaste kiss, before letting go.

My cheeks hurt, and I knew I must have looked like a lovesick fool, but I couldn’t stop grinning.

“D’irk.” I tipped my chin in greeting and held up three fingers, transferring the credits over and shoving two skewers at Geo before he could blink. Then I turned back to D’irk. “Would you like to join Geo and me for dinner new week?” Geo stiffened beside me, his skewer of mantu forgotten. “I really need to get some recipes from you. Someone…” My eyes rolled. “Left me more mantu than I know what to do with. ”

“Never turned down a dinner invite in my life, not about to start now. Com me the details.” D’irk chuckled and nodded to the next person in line.

Geo offered me his second skewer, his jaw tight. “I would’ve paid.”

I petted his round belly. “I’ve got to keep you fed.” He sucked in his stomach, and the knob in his throat bobbed before he craned his neck, looking around the market as if searching for anything besides me to focus on.

“D’Argon, D’Rasma,” Geo called out as we joined the nearby enforcers’ discussion. “Do you have a second? I have a favor to ask of you…well, your sister.”

“Geo, you never fail to entertain.” D’Argon’s pointed teeth flashed.

“What obscure part of Tern will you steer us to next?” D’Rasma’s laughter carried above the din of the crowd.

“You won’t be rescuing me again,” I replied cheekily. Geo’s gaze caught mine and dashed away, but not before I read the adoration in it.

“That’s a relief.” D’Argon’s lips flattened into a straight line. “We’ve got enough to think about with everything going on in the Starry Mountains.” The two brothers’ foreheads wrinkled with concern.

“The Starry Mountains?” I raised my eyebrow in question.

The brothers made eye contact, speaking to each other in a silent language only siblings understood, then focused on Geo and me.

D’Rasma lowered his voice. “There’s been a lot of disturbance, vibrations in the ground causing mini rock falls.”

I gasped and reached for Geo’s hand. “There’s more than one of those monsters?”

“Shhh… It hasn’t been confirmed. Sisip has asked us to keep it quiet for now. The mayor doesn’t want anyone to panic.”

All four of us frowned at the mention of the mayor.

“Anyway, what do you need our sister for?” D’Rasma asked.

Geo leaned toward me. “Makir mentioned she researched the impacts of the Fires That Cleanse?” The warmth from his hand in mine shot straight through to my protective pouch .

D’Argon and D’Rasma nodded.

“Would she give the all clear on some plants and a few domestic animals I would like to import from Earth? My friend’s visiting in a few weeks, and I hoped she could bring seeds and seedlings and maybe some birds humans commonly eat.”

D’Rasma chewed his mantu while he spoke. “She loves researching how life-forms interact. Com the list, and I will forward it on.” Then, he and D’Argon headed back over to the group of enforcers.

I’d briefly mentioned her research while the worm monster had us trapped. “You remembered that?” When I turned to face Geo his warm breath ghosted over my shoulder. It had been a passing thought. And he remembered. Past alphas who’d serviced me during a heat had not even recalled my naming celebration.

“I remember everything you tell me, Makir.” Geo’s voice was low, and his neck flushed. I wanted to press my nose into the heat there and nuzzle.

He straightened, looked around and stepped away from me. The noise of the busy market grew loud again. “I need to get some”—he scuffed his toe in the dirt and cleared his throat—“scheduling done for tomorrow.” He squeezed my wrist in a gentle pulse before he headed back toward his office.

A pang of sadness burned me between the eyes. Is he embarrassed by me?

My tether tightened with every step he took away, pulling me toward him. I forced myself in the opposite direction toward the cantina, and traded the rest of my frozen mantu for a few containers of the orzfoam Geo enjoyed. I spent the whole time trying to decipher Geo’s mixed messages. How could I broach the topic at our swimming lesson tomorrow?

Never in a million annums did I think I’d look forward to getting into water.