Page 11

Chapter Eleven

Amara

Oh, wow. It’s clear that Roth’kar wasn’t too drunk last night to remember our kissing lessons, because he brings out his new skills and uses them on me with exacting force.

He caresses my lips with his, teasing them and hinting what else he could do.

I slide both hands around his neck, letting myself fall into him as our kiss becomes more and more.

Then he tastes me with his tongue, and I’m a goner. At the speed of light, we leap from kissing to making out , fully diving in. Perhaps this is how my new alien husband will open up to me.

I caress the side of his face as we kiss deeper, tongues twining, teeth nipping and lips never relenting. Roth’kar’s other set of arms curls around my side, and one of his hands travels up my back, under my hair. He groans into me as he runs his fingers through it, then cups the back of my head.

Now that he’s sober, it’s time to take this up a notch.

Not breaking the kiss, I slide into Roth’kar’s lap, and his whole body convulses underneath me. He breaks away for a moment, his eyes big.

“Amara…?”

“Too soon?” I ask, moving to leave. But his grip on me halts my progress.

“No.” He pushes some hair away from my face, tucking it behind my ear. “Not at all. Just… surprised.”

“Good surprised?”

“Good surprised.”

That’s what I like to hear. Settling back into the nest of his thighs, I’m pleased to find a distinct lump in his pants. Good surprised, indeed .

Making out is easier in this position, and I love how Roth’kar has so many hands with which to touch me.

Does he realize how his palms have roamed down my hips and then up again, like he’s mapping me out?

He’s fully focused on kissing me, invading my mouth with his lips and tongue, and I return it just as eagerly.

That lump under his pants has grown significantly by the time I come up for air. Roth’kar rests his forehead against mine, and he’s panting, too.

“Now that we have done the kissing, like you suggested, is it time to take off my clothing?”

His question takes me by surprise. Is he ready to go to the next level? Am I ready for that?

“Oh, um.” I’m still drunk on our make-out session, so it takes a moment for my brain to catch up. He is my husband, after all. I like him, I find him attractive, and… again, he’s my husband.

But something about his question doesn’t feel right.

“It’s only time if you want it to be,” I say. “We can just keep doing this, too.”

Roth’kar studies me, like he’s trying to understand the words I’m not saying.

“What would make you most comfortable, Amara?” he asks. “You are my wife, and so I believed intercourse is expected. But I only want to do what you want to do.”

Expected? That word sends a shiver down my spine, and I reflexively pull away, returning to my own seat on the couch. Roth’kar lets me go, but his antennae wilt as I put distance between us.

“I don’t expect anything from you.” A cold shiver runs down my back. “Whatever happens between us, I want it to be something we both desire equally. Not because we feel like it’s required.”

Roth’kar shifts, as if he’s unsettled. “As your husband, I want to satisfy you.”

He feels obligated by our marriage? I don’t like this at all. What if we’ve only been kissing because he feels like it’s required?

“You are not thinking pleasant thoughts,” he observes. It must show on my face how terrible that idea feels.

“No, I’m not. I’m wondering if… if you even want to do this.” I curl my hand protectively at my chest. “If you want to be here at all.”

Roth’kar’s brows furrow. “Here, with you? Of course I do. I traveled a long way because…” He hesitates. “Because I wanted to be with you.”

“And the kissing?” I ask, my voice coming out small and strained.

His eyes widen. “That is what’s on your mind?” He strokes my shoulder with his upper hand, and unconsciously, I lean into him. “You don’t think I want to kiss you?”

I nod, unable to speak.

“Amara.” He sighs deeply. “I have enjoyed all our time together. I kissed you because I wanted to kiss you. I can assure you of this.”

“I don’t want to be an obligation to you.”

Now that I think about it, how could I not be? Sure, he came here of his own volition—he didn’t need to sign up for the Matching Program—but I would feel obligated, were I in his position. If my partner were buying my clothes and taking me out for a night on the town…

Roth’kar’s voice is firm, his expression hard and unyielding as he says, “Stop, Amara.”

I blink up at him, surprised by this new, more forceful Roth’kar, who I haven’t seen before. He faces me, taking both of my hands in his lower ones, then placing the upper ones on my shoulders.

“You are not an obligation,” he says firmly.

“You are a joy. I did not know what to expect when I came to Earth, and I am glad—more than glad—that my bride turned out to be you. That is the only reason I want to please you. Because I have come to care for you, and truthfully, I want you to care for me, too.”

“Oh, I do!” The words burst out of me. “I do care about you, Roth’kar. And you don’t have to kiss me or take your clothes off for me for that to be true.”

He smiles an unsteady smile. “But what if I want to do those things?”

“Then…” A little bolt of electricity shoots through me. “Then we can. If you really want to.”

Instead of answering, Roth’kar slides his many arms around me, drawing me back into our bubble of closeness from before. He runs one hand through my hair and closes his eyes.

“I’ve wanted to touch your hair since last night.” He bites his lip as he combs his fingers between the strands. “It is just as lovely as I imagined.”

It’s romantic and sensual, and surprising. “Since last night?”

Roth’kar nods, pulling me closer to him so I can’t see his face as he strokes my hair. “When you emerged from the bathroom, ready to go out, I was enthralled by your hair.”

I gasp as his mouth drifts down to my neck, and I can feel his breath against my skin.

“I didn’t realize you liked it.”

“Oh, I did. Very much. And that dress.” One of his hands has gone exploring southward, and it gently squeezes my ass. “It looked marvelous on you. Like it was made for you.”

That spark of electricity is growing and spreading the more he touches me, the more he talks to me.

“But...” He pauses, then presses a chaste kiss to the flesh of my neck. When did I teach him necking? He must have figured that one out on his own. “Perhaps it is too soon. Perhaps I am rushing us when you aren’t quite ready.”

My face gets hot. I don’t want him to stop, but at the same time, we’ve only lived together for a few days. We hardly know each other, and I’m sure that’s why I felt so uncertain tonight.

“All right.” I sit back on my heels, separating us, because with the scent of him so close, I want more of him. “Clothes on, I guess. For now.”

Roth’kar kisses me, a gentle, slow kiss that’s just his soft lips against mine. Then he withdraws, stroking my cheek.

“For now.”

We stay huddled together on the couch after that, so I grab a throw and we flip on a movie. It’s a romantic comedy, and even though Roth’kar doesn’t get all the jokes, when the leads kiss, he pulls me in against his side and leans his cheek on the top of my head.

I’m glad I signed up for an alien husband. I hope we can get closer the more days we have together, because I want him. I relish all of his kisses, all of his touches, and I need even more of them when the time is right.

Once we head to our separate rooms, I lie awake in bed, my body disappointed that we didn’t go further tonight. It’s been so long since I’ve had that kind of closeness with anyone that I’m craving it, starving for it.

Hmm. I bring my wand out of my bedside table and shove it under the blankets before turning it on, hoping it doesn’t make too loud of a noise.

The vibration against my clit is heavenly, and I gasp and bite my lip while my pleasure rises.

I close my eyes, thinking of Roth’kar’s arms around me, his mouth on mine, and hold in a moan.

I can’t stop fantasizing about what might be under those leggings of his, how it would feel if he were on top of me, thrusting in and out of me.

It’s easy to finish, and I cover my mouth as my orgasm tears through me.

Woof. Roth’kar has me hot and bothered. I know it will take some time to work up to that level together, but I can’t wait.

Unfortunately, the following day is a workday, and then it’s time to go grocery shopping. I consider suggesting to Roth’kar that he stay home, but I remember he doesn’t want me to baby him, so I offer that we go together.

He is amazed by the grocery store. “There are so many choices,” he says as I search for the brand of spices I want.

“Too many. Sometimes you can’t decide.”

“I could never decide,” he agrees.

I plan a few different meals that I think he’ll like—curry and spaghetti—and plan on going out to eat at least one night. I’ll have to be a little more budget-conscious with another mouth to feed, especially one that eats as much as Roth’kar does, but a meal out once a week shouldn’t hurt.

Roth’kar gets many stares in the store, and a few people bump into him without realizing it, then let out little gasps when they realize who he is. A little girl points him out and asks her mother, “Is that an alien?”

The mother looks at me for confirmation before saying, “Yes, honey, that’s an alien.”

Overall, it’s an uneventful trip, but Roth’kar looks shell-shocked when we get in the car.

“So many people,” he says, grinding his teeth. “And so…”

“Frustrating?”

“They would stop and speak in the middle of an aisle!” He raises his arms in the air. All four of them. “Why not stop and speak somewhere else? At home, perhaps?”

I giggle as we drive back to the condo. It felt oddly wonderful to do something as normal—and annoying—as going to the grocery store together.

One advantage to four arms is that Roth’kar can carry all the groceries in their reusable bags while I fiddle with the lock.

While we’re cooking, he finds excuses to touch me now that he knows better how to help.

He can bring me butter and oil, salt and pepper, though the extensive array of spices in the lazy Susan intimidates him.

His hands travel over my back as he passes behind me, and I’m thrilled at this new version of him.

That night, before bed, I stop in front of Roth’kar’s door as he uses his nifty little teeth-cleaning device.

“I need to get me one of those,” I say. “Way smarter than a toothbrush.”

“Indeed. I think they are fairly standard around the galaxy. I am surprised a Frahma has not tried to sell you one yet.”

I burst out laughing. I guess I’m not the only one who clocked the little turtle aliens for what they are.

“Maybe you can get me the hookup to the cool alien gear,” I say as he comes out to stand in the doorway.

“I would always lend you this one.” He leans down, his lips only a few inches from mine. “Now that we have done this kissing , I suppose it wouldn’t be that odd.”

I stick out my tongue. “Sharing a toothbrush sounds weirdly gross.”

He laughs, and then I’m closing the distance between us, and now we’re making out against the doorframe. My hands are all over Roth’kar’s body and his hands are all over me, and suddenly I really want to strip his clothes off.

Taking a deep breath, I slow us down and bring myself back to Earth again. Our mouths separate, but our bodies remain tangled.

“Sleep well, Amara,” Roth’kar says, finally releasing me from his embrace.

I step back out into the hallway, waving goodbye. “Goodnight.”