Page 16 of 3 Secrets to Love (Romance Tales from the Quadrants #2)

Xacalla

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Though I could see my sister on the comm screen, and I recognized the living room of my parents’ house in the background, I needed Brely to answer me honestly.

“Yes.”

My sister closed her eyes and sighed.

“I’m at Mom and Dad’s for now. We have guards at our house and there are some at Zander’s, too. And Manox’s team has landed on Eurebly already to practice there until all this gets sorted out.”

“Good.”

I sat on the bed feeling slightly relieved about having to leave my family behind, and without seeing them.

Phalon and I had been taken on board the minister’s private ship for Quadrant Four while guards took Brely into the spaceport.

It turned out, the spacecraft we were supposed to have taken to Eurebly from Saog exploded shortly after takeoff, and authorities were still investigating the cause.

“I’m sorry you got wrapped up in all this while pregnant. And I’m sorry your vacation got ruined.”

“Hey.”

Brely tapped on the screen.

“Stop. None of this is your fault. And it’s not Phalon’s, either, so don’t take it out on him.”

I tried to smile, but the best I could do made my sister laugh.

“What? I don’t blame Phalon. It’s just that I thought I would be with him while I was back on this planet. Instead, I’m locked in this room, reminded over and over while I’m here that I lost my job and my home because of this whole situation.”

Putting her feet up on the couch, she rubbed her belly, somehow reminding me of the distance between us and how I didn’t know if I would make it back there in time for her delivery.

“It sucks. I get it.”

Wrinkling her face, Brely pushed on the top of her stomach, a reaction I recognized from when one of the babies was pushing a foot into her rib.

“But…it won’t be this way forever. Something I must remind myself as these little ones fight for space in my belly.”

“I know.”

I lay back on the bed, holding the comm tablet above my head.

“But I’m bored. I’m not used to not having anything to do.”

“Then find something to do,”

Brely snapped before I had a chance to react.

“Do research on Yatak, and Kalpier’s involvement there. Learn what the narrative was before versus what the news is saying now. And learn what you can about Phalon’s parents, the former leaders of Yatak. I’m sure he’ll appreciate that.”

“Yeah.”

I’d already dug up a little information on the situation, but not very deeply.

“Either that, or he won’t want to talk about it at all.”

Brely chuckled.

“I would tell you to fuck him to make him forget it all for a bit, but you’re you, and I know that’s not your thing.”

My cheeks warmed as I recalled the night we had spent together on Gaunb and what could have happened if I hadn’t stopped him.

“Does it hurt?”

My sister stared into the screen with her eyes wide.

“Are you talking about sex?”

I nodded, unsure if I wanted to have this conversation with Brely, but I didn’t think I could stop after I’d already answered.

“Well, yes and no.”

She adjusted her position on the couch.

“I don’t want to lie to you. The first time is uncomfortable because you’re not used to it. But it does get better when you’re with someone who knows what they’re doing and cares about your pleasure. Promise me you won’t do it because you feel obligated to, though. That’s not at all what I meant when I said that.”

“It’s something…”

Though hard to believe I was confessing all this to my sister, I couldn’t imagine telling anyone else.

“I want to try. With Phalon.”

Brely grabbed a pillow and covered her mouth before I heard her faint scream. I had no idea whether she was excited or believed sex with Phalon would be a mistake.

“Okay.”

She put the pillow down and took a deep breath.

“That’s not something I would have imagined I would hear you say a few star cycles ago, but I get it. He’s cute. I heard he… Never mind. But promise me you will make him use mesodenka. Do not have sex without it. You can get pregnant and STIs your first time. Anyone who says anything different is a liar and you need to steer clear of them.”

I nodded though my head spun and yaflats danced in my belly at the idea of it all.

Brely suddenly sat up and glanced to the side.

“Oh, hey, Mom and Dad are here now. Say hi.”

I waved to my parents, who were still sleeping when I’d called, thankful for the warning from my sister. I only knew Brely was up because she had messaged me right before, unable to sleep because of her babies moving around.

But I did not want my parents to hear me talking about having sex with Phalon.

After talking to my mom and dad for a bit, I ended the call, unsure how much longer I would be on my own in the hotel room.

I needed a plan to convince Phalon I wanted to be intimate with him and the confidence to follow through.

***

The click of the door woke me from my slumber.

I don’t know how long I’d been asleep, only that I’d lain down after my room service dinner, waiting to see if Phalon would come into my room.

Though I’d been on Eurebly for a couple days, I hadn’t become accustomed to their day cycle.

And the lag from planet hopping was brutal.

Even while on Omisu, I hadn’t had time to get over all the day cycles I’d experienced since my very last wish mission. Oh, how I missed that job, having something to do.

Yet, tiredness and the guards outside my door kept me from getting back out on the streets of Eurebly to keep myself occupied.

Phalon and I had separate rooms again, but there was a door between them to allow us to pass through without having to go out into the hallway or use the balcony.

I glanced up, hoping it was Phalon coming through the door and not a guard or one of the people who’d threatened my life.

I wasn’t exactly awake enough to fight back or run if I needed to.

“Hey, it’s only me,”

he said, yet I couldn’t see much beyond his silhouette.

I patted the space on the bed beside me.

“Come here. Lie with me. Tell me how things went today.”

I didn’t know if I would wake up more to go through with my plan or just fall asleep again with him beside me, but I wanted him close regardless.

Before joining me on the bed, he removed his shirt and pants, draping them over the nearby chair.

“It was busy. A lot of meetings, saying what I want for Yatak over and over, and signing so many documents.”

“Well, you can rest now.”

Cuddling into his side, I splayed my hands across his bare, muscular chest.

His kind had so much hair on their bodies, yet they had bare faces, chests, palms, and feet.

It made me wonder what he looked like under his shorts.

Not once, in all the time we’d spent together, had we seen each other completely naked.

“Mmm, yeah.”

He pulled me in closer and kissed the top of my head.

“It’s kind of nice to have you here to come back to. How was your day? What did you get up to?”

“I talked to my sister.”

Chewing on my bottom lip, I remembered that conversation. Then my mind reverted back to wondering what he looked like under his sleep shorts.

“I assume everything is okay with her?”

I felt his body tense as he waited for an answer.

“Yeah. We just talked about things.”

I slowly moved my hand down his chest, my curiosity piqued.

“Things?”

He relaxed a bit, but not completely.

“What kind of things?”

“You.”

I glanced up at him as I ran my fingers along the waist of his sleep shorts.

“And mesodenka.”

Catching me off guard, he rolled me onto my back and kneeled over me.

“Mesodenka, huh? What would you need that for?”

I smiled up at him as trepidation fluttered through my chest. There were so many answers I could give him, but I didn’t want to sound foolish or like any of the others he’d been with in his past. Heck, I didn’t even want to think about them.

With a soft smile, he brushed his knuckles along my cheek.

“I have very strong feelings for you, Xacalla, but I don’t want to make you do anything you’re not ready for. I will wait for you.”

My heart skipped a beat, and tears formed in the corners of my eyes, but I didn’t let that stop me.

“I’m ready,”

I whispered, pulling him against my body.

He kissed me, chasing away the last of my tiredness and filling me with need.

His lips were soft and gentle, not rushed or forceful.

Yet, my desire for him escalated faster than before.

I reached down to shimmy out of my pants and underwear, confident in what I wanted.

But when I reached for his waistband, he paused.

“Let’s not rush this,”

he spoke softly.

“Let me take care of you first.”

Though I had no idea what he meant, my body shivered with his words. With a shuddered breath, I nodded. “Okay.”

Trailing down my body, he seemed to kiss every piece of exposed skin. When he reached my hips, he glanced up at me from between my spread legs.

“If at any point you want me to stop, you tell me, okay. I won’t be mad. I won’t hate you. Okay?”

I nodded, panting for more as my heart pounded in my chest.

“I mean it. I only want to bring you pleasure. If it hurts, or becomes too much, I need you to tell me to stop.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant b.

“too much,”

but I needed him to stop talking and go back to what he’d been doing. “Okay.”

I lifted my hips toward him. “Please.”

With a wry smile, he spread my legs farther apart and leaned in closer to my apex. He licked his finger then used it to gently spread my folds.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on breathing. Phalon’s easy strokes across my opening and along my sensitive nub enticed a rush of desire I didn’t know was possible.

When I felt his hair brushing my thighs, I gasped and opened my eyes. He had his whole face between my legs, and after a quick wink, he licked between my legs.

My body seemed to electrify from the point of contact through my torso and out to every limb. I didn’t know whether to moan or scream. Yet, I held everything in because I wanted more.

Phalon continued to use his tongue to draw out pleasure, whether stroking my swollen areas, or plundering deep within me. When he added a finger, I nearly rocketed off the bed.

He leaned back.

“You okay?”

“Yes,”

I hissed.

“Please don’t stop. It’s just…wow!”

The cocky grin I remembered from his space racing days made a brief appearance before he returned to his exploration of my sensitive region.

He returned his finger to my entrance, probing me slowly while dragging his tongue across my clitoris.

Static buzzed in my ears, not from my comm but the sensations Phalon seemed to elicit.

I struggled to breathe as a fire seemed to spread from my groin.

Then my body exploded in rapture.

I couldn’t see or hear anything, only enjoyed the high of a pleasure I never knew to be possible.

When I came down from the peak of what I believed to be my first orgasm brought on by someone else, I saw Phalon standing at the foot of the bed, naked.

Yes, he had hair on his thighs, but his cock was bare and very much erect.

He stroked himself while chewing on his bottom lip.

I smiled at the insecurity I never expected to see from him.

“That was kind of amazing.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Kind of?”

“Words are hard right now.”

I heard the whine in my voice but hoped it didn’t deter him.

“I really liked that, and I want to try more things with you.”

“Now?”

He squeezed his shaft, drawing my attention to how badly I wanted to feel it in me.

“Yes, please. But don’t forget the mesodenka.”

I pointed over to the nightstand. During our earlier conversation, my sister had admitted to sneaking some into my bag, figuring that Phalon and I would eventually have sex.

Once he’d popped the lid off the can and sprayed a liberal amount to his cock, he returned to the bed, kneeling above me with one eyebrow raised.

“You’re sure.”

I nodded.

“As long as you are. This is big for me, not something I’m going to forget.”

I figured it was best for him to know that I didn’t want just a fling.

“And I’m probably going to want more. Not just sex but other things.”

With a slight chuckle, he grinned.

“I was kind of hoping for that.”

I reached between his legs to cup his testicles.

“Okay, let’s do this.”

He chuckled again as he moved between my spread legs. Holding his shaft, he lined it up with my entrance.

I sucked in a breath with the stretch from his swollen tip. His cock was thicker and longer than his finger, and I didn’t know what to expect.

Watching me the entire time, he pushed in a little then pulled back out, slipping in a bit more each time.

When the tear happened, it was like a soft pinch, barely noticeable ahead of the pleasure filling my head, my heart, and my body.

Not long before, I never expected to want such a relationship, such a bond, with anyone.

I was fine on my own.

But a chance encounter, or perhaps one destined by the universe, brought Phalon back into my life. I hoped we would last forever.