Page 23 of Galactic Sentinels, Vol. 1 (Chronicles of Pherebos #1)

As I step back to close the hatch, I bump into Ileana. She’s leaning in, curious, trying to get a better look at the hidden compartment. The movement catches her off guard, and she stumbles—right into me.

I catch her instinctively, arms around her to steady us both.

For a moment, everything stops.

There she is, right there on top of me, her body pressed up against mine. I freeze, searching for her gaze. I see the same confusion in her eyes. It's impossible to miss the way she reacts to my body's response to this unexpected situation.

I've been holding back for days. I've been respecting her grief and her wounds, and a bunch of other reasons why I don't want to rush her. But now, she's here, my Soul Dedicated, in my arms, and we're both safe. What more could you ask for ?

I lift my hand and stroke her cheekbone.

Her skin is soft, and the short, silky strands of hair on her head cling to my fingers.

The first time I saw her on BN-35, she had very long, beautifully braided hair that fell to her buttocks.

She looked stunning. Her hair is now cut short, above her shoulders.

She's as charming as ever. Her eyes, a shocking light gray, look at me, but don't say a word.

I confidently wrap my hand around the back of her neck and bring her head closer to mine. She follows my lead, staring at my lips. She clearly wants my kiss, and I'm ready to give it to her.

I put my mouth on her soft lips. It's an unparalleled sensation. I breathe in her scent. Her scent fills my nose, and I'm hit with this overwhelming feeling. I'll die if I don't have her.

I'm also thinking about her last relationship and how violent it was. I'm not going to let Ileana see any similarities between the Governor's way of doing things and mine. I slow things down, savoring the moment as our mouths meet.

I pause to collect myself and look at the beautiful woman nestled between my arms. Her lips are swollen from our kisses, and her gaze is still veiled by the need that possesses us. We're lying on the SIL floor. This is not the best place for my first time with my Dedicated Soul.

I push her away and help her to her feet. When I see a flash of disappointment and shame on her face, I understand. She thinks I'm pushing her away. I assess the options and conclude that procrastination is not an option. She can't possibly think that I don't want her.

I scoop her up and carry her to my bed, giving her a kiss on the way. My hand rests on the drawer control, and it opens smoothly.

A soft surface unfolds, making it much more suitable than the cabin's rough floor. I will not stop there, even if it's not designed for this kind of activity.

Ileana's breath catches in her throat as I remove the tunic covering her, finally revealing her glorious nakedness.

She's stunning—perfect! Her skin is soft and caramel-colored, her shoulders are delicate, her waist is slender, and her breasts are round.

.. everything about her is captivating! I let her know when I see her hesitate.

I begin by running my fingers over her skin, and then I move on to my mouth. Her breath, short and sharp, shows that she's enjoying the attention.

"You don't have to," she says, barely above a whisper.

"Obliged to what?"

"All that... you know!" Henri just... He didn't kiss me or anything! He'd make me kneel, she admits, blushing.

I see. This man was violent and incapable of taking care of a woman.

I'm not the governor.

I can easily imagine this guy content to get it over with in two minutes, without taking his partner's needs into account. Ileana probably never had the chance to say no or express what she wanted .

She's naked under my hungry gaze, but she hasn't dared to ask me to do the same. I confidently remove my pants and face her.

But her reaction was not what I expected. Ileana now avoids my gaze. I know I'm spoiled by nature, and Wingo knows it. I know I'm easy on the eye.

“MyFaksaya? So talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong.”

She lifts her head, trying to smile, but it’s faint—fragile.

“What does Faksaya mean?” she asks softly.

“It’s a word from my world,” I say. “Don’t worry about it. Just… don’t change the subject. Tell me what’s going on.”

“I'm doing well. Just do it,”

She's not serious! I can see that concern has replaced passion in her frozen posture. I'm not going to keep doing this.

I crouch in front of her and look her in the eye.

I tell her, “You can tell me anything, you know?” I'm not going to be offended or angry.

She pauses, looking away.

“Pherebos, I don't think it's going to work out.” Henri was hurting me, and he wasn't as... uh... impressive!" she says softly.

By the grace of the Waves! Some might think I regret being so blessed by nature! That's ridiculous!

Well, not exactly! We're a good fit for each other. I'm sure everything's going to work out. I'll figure out a way to convince her, for now!

I take a deep breath and try to compose myself. There's no way we can just leave it at that. Next time, it'll be the same thing. I can't give up my Dedicated Soul, so I've got to solve this. I've got to do it now.

“My Faksaya, I promise, everything will be fine.

And please, don't bring up the governor when we're both naked.

It's really throwing me for a loop! He was a bit of a jerk and not the best role model.

We'll pick up where we left off, and I promise it'll be nothing but fun. It's all about the pleasure.’’

She smiles at me, but her eyes don't quite catch up.

“Okay,’’ she says.

That's all I need. I'm going to make sure I erase every one of her ex-partner's screw-ups. And no later than right now.

I take back her lips and caress her with fervor.

This woman drives me nuts. I love the way she gasps impatiently.

I kiss and caress her body in ways that overwhelm her senses until she stops thinking and rationalizing.

Finally, she looks up at me with a confident smile, and this time she's totally on board.

The way she looks at me makes me realize that the memory of the other guy no longer stands between us. I seize the moment to push my advantage and position myself above her.

With a nod, she lets me know what she's hoping for, and finally, I get to enjoy my Dedicated Soul. I'm delighted. Thanks to the waves, she's finally mine!

We're locked in eye contact as our bodies move in sync.

I keep an eye out for any signs of discomfort, and I'm ready to stop at any cost, even if it means sacrificing myself.

But she doesn't look any different, which I'm happy about.

I'm flooded with intense joy as I feel her slipping into ecstasy, and I join her without delay.

After that, words feel unnecessary. The look of wonder on her face fills me with something warm—joy, pride, maybe even hope. We stay close, wrapped in each other’s arms, exchanging soft touches and quiet glances that say more than either of us could.

Then, out of nowhere, she starts giggling. Her cheeks flush, and she tries to hide her smile, but it’s no use.

“Ileana?” I ask, smiling despite myself. “What’s so funny,My Faksaya?”

“Oh, nothing…” she says, clearly holding something back.

“You’re definitely amused. Come on, share it with me.”

She props herself up on one arm, eyes sparkling with mischief. “I was just thinking… maybe I should correct Wingo. Your trunk may be cute—but it’s definitely not small.”

She bursts into laughter, genuine and unfiltered.

I blink, caught off guard—then laugh too, shaking my head. “Remind me never to let you and Wingo team up again.”