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Story: MeK

“Ithink it’s great that you’re trying, especially having to feed so many.”

“We’renot really that many, dear when you think about it.Ihear footsteps headed our way, so hop to it because we have to get all this out on that table.KiraandIput a few plates back for us three to munch on afterward.There’llbe no repeats of yesterday, young lady, you will stop to eat.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Bythe timeIget the last container on the table, a line is already forming.KiraandCarlawalk back and forth, filling up bowls as they’re emptied whileIrefill cups.Witha couple of pitchers in my hands, topping off drinks,IcatchBriarsitting withMr.Pinkand wink at her asIstroll by.Whenshe actually blushes,Ilaugh.I’mmaking my way through the tables when a napkin falls off the table onto the ground.Settingthe pitcher down,Ikneel to pick it up, only to suddenly feel a large presence behind me.Turning,I’mshocked to seeMeKtowering over me, his normal snarl present.

“Female, your garment is malfunctioning.”

Ilook down, bewildered by his statement. “Onceagain, my name isLacie, andIdon’t see the problem.”

Heleans close to me, practically whispering, “Thisamount of skin showing on your back is inappropriate for a single female.Theappearance of your private places makes most males have inappropriate thoughts.”

“Whatthe hell?”Isit both pitchers down and rub my hand over my butt.ThenIremember the button popping off the back of this jumper, and make sure all my parts are not hanging out. “Whoo, you had me worried there for a minute,MeK.Ithought my toosh was out for all to see.I’llfix the button when we get back on board.Itisn’t likeIcarry around a sewing kit.

“Youcannot remain present in this state of undress.”

“Damn, you are persistent.I’vealready walked in front of every human or alien on this world.Ifyou’d been here when they sounded the bell for dinner, you would’ve known that.IthinkI’msafe as long as someone doesn’t drag me back to their lair by my hair for seeing two inches of skin on my back.It’snot likeIwas flashing a boob or something, and why amIanswering to you anyway?”

Pickingthe pitchers back up, his eyes flash brightly whenIstart to step away from him and thenIsee everyone looking at us.Hemust have noticed them as well because he takes the pitchers back out of my hands and grabs my forearm, moving me behind one of the crates.I’mso floored by his actionsIdon’t respond as quickly asIshould. “Whatin the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Heturns me around, “Standstill untilIfix this.”

“What, you’re a seamstress now?Yourmother must be so proud.”Thesarcasm drips from my tongue asIfeel the heat of his large hands gathering the fabric of my jumper together.AndIswear, unless my mind is playing tricks on me, he runs a finger across my skin just above my butt cheeks beforeIhear something click.

“There, that will hold your garment together until you can get it fixed properly.”

BeforeIcan turn around, he’s walking away from me, the bright runes on his back dancing all over his skin with each step.Shakingmy head,Istep out from around the crate, only to be stopped by theCommander.

“Areyou well,Lacie?WasMeKbothering you?”

“NoSir.Apparentlymy clothes were in the need of … well.”Iturn slightly to show him what looks like a clamp of some sort, holding the top and bottom of my jumpsuit together. “…Thisthing.”

Helooks down at me and then glances at whereMeKhas disappeared from the tent. “Interesting.”That’sall he says before turning away.Atthis point,Idon’t know which one of us is more confused, theCommanderor me.Afterall,MeKacts like he can’t stand me, so why would he care ifI’mshowing a few inches of skin?Theman would be foaming at the mouth in a rage if he ever showed up at the beach.

Chapter Eight

MEK

‘Myname isLacie’.It’snot like she needed to inform me of that information.Ihave a full manifest of every occupant now residing onANDI.Asthe head engineer,Ihave had to do a thorough read-through of the information obtained about the humans rescued and their needs simply to provide them with adequate shelter for their duration onE-311.

Myhands are still tingling from the heat of her skin.Icurse my own weakness for not being able to resist tracing the softness along her backside asIclamped her garments together.IknowIoverreacted, as she was not showing herself and purposefully trying to draw male eyes her way, but the mere thought of another wanting or seeing her in that condition infuriated me.

WhenInoticed all the eyes turned our way,Ihad to make myself walk out of the pavilion beforeImade a bigger fool of myself.AsIclear the confines of that area, my mind flashes back to the first timeIsaw her.Whileunloading a containment crate,Ismelled something in the distance.Iknew that the shuttles had landed, but asIhad no reason to interact with the humans yet,Isaw noreason to be in the landing area as there were many things that needed to be done.

Nevertheless, even with my mind full of the projects to come, somehow my eyes were drawn to her the moment she walked off that dropship.Distracted,Ialmost dropped the crate and all its valuable cargo inside when she closed her eyes and tilted her head up toward the sky.Thesun’s rays caught her bright golden hair, andIwas instantly jealous of the wind that was caressing her slim but curvy body.

Rubbingmy hands together,Itry to diminish the tingling that seems to have started afterItouched her for the first time.Thefirst time……Ithink time stopped, and only by the will of theLordofLightdidIprevent myself from killing her with my own hands when she tripped over that ground stake.Icould smell the fear wafting off her when she realized she was in the direct path of my hammer, mid-strike.Thevery thought of how that could have turned out churns my stomach, andIforce myself to breathe through the nausea.

Iremember throwing my hammer down, somethingIhad never done before, asIam adamant about respecting the tools we use to build the worlds around us.Hersmall frame was still curled up tightly with her hands over her face whenIlifted her insubstantial weight from the ground into my arms.Everythingelse faded away when she looked at me.AllIcould see was the fear and then relief in her beautiful green eyes.Ihad to force my arms and hands to release her as allIreally wanted to do was gather her closer.Thetears forming in her eyes caused by me twisted my insides up, andIreacted badly.Inall my rotations,Ihave never wanted a female the wayIdo her, butIrefuse to fall under the spell of a human female, no matter how distracting she is.

ButIcannot seem to stop watching for her everywhereIgo.Myheart nearly stopped whenIsaw her in the field whereKyTandIwere clearing up the areas theTimberhad agreed to.Istill do not know if it was her smell that caught my attention, or the sun’s reflection off her hair, but somehow,Iknew the moment that saw cleared the base of that deadTimber, she was in trouble once again.

Ihave no idea what happened to the saw; allIcould see once theTimberhit the forest floor was the impact wave crossing the ground, knocking her into the water.Inmy home world, few females ever learn to swim because of their garment restraints, andIfelt like my legs were made of rubber asIfought my way to her.Nomatter how hardIpushed forward,Icould get there quickly enough.Myrational mind knew the water in that area was shallow and that all she needed to do was push herself up, but my own fears told me she had been knocked out by the force that hit her so abruptly and was drowning.

Grabbingher up so roughly probably hurt her more, and then when the burn returned to my hands, it made me sit her down much too aggressively.Icomprehended her confusion with my actions asIdo not truly understand my attraction to her myself.Sheis the complete opposite of whatIhave always considered my preference in a female to be, but no other has brightened up the world in my eyes before.Surroundedby others, she stands out as if she is the only one there; it is as ifIsee her in an aura of light when the rest of the world is in darkness.

EventhoughIhave tried to hide the obsessionIknowIam forming,IbelieveFatherhas seen the wayIlook at her.However, if he ever questions me,Iwill deny it fully and completely.Thereis no reasonable explanation as to why my father’s side of the family is so drawn to this weak race, butIwillnot fall victim.Iam at the peak of my life and have no need for a mate, especially one who cannot advance my status in society.IfItake a partner, she will know her place andIwill provide well for her and any offspring we might have.However, my mind and my lifestyle have no time for pampering or indulgence, as my work fulfills all my needs.Whenapproved by my mother, my mate will know what her role will be before anything is signed.Fromthat point on,Iwelcome her to pursue her own interests as long as she stays within the boundaries of the contract.Iwill mate with her at scheduled times to produce offspring and once two are achieved, she is free to do as she wishes as long as all physical assignations are discrete.Shewill have my name and status, not to mention the unlimited funds to spend within reason at her disposal, andIshould look at this as just another business transaction.ButIjust cannot seem to commit, no matter how much mother pressures me.