Page 17 of Songbird (A Space Pearl’s Treat #1)
I awoke gradually, my senses enveloped in a cocoon of comfort and contentment.
Then, the vivid memories of the night before surged back, and a rush of heat bloomed across my cheeks.
Though I wasn’t technically a virgin, my previous encounters had been pitiful at best, leaving me utterly unprepared for the pleasure I discovered in Tarrick’s arms. His touch and kiss had been electrifying, igniting sensations I never knew existed.
The lights had dimmed to a soft glow, creating an ambiance that mimicked the gentle break of dawn.
A medley of scents enveloped the room. The sweet fragrance of flowers mingled with the lingering aroma of burned-out candles intertwined with Tarrick’s distinctive spicy male scent.
There was another aroma, unfamiliar at first, but I soon recognized it as the heady scent of my own arousal.
Tarrick lay next to me, his body entwined with mine beneath the blanket, a comforting tangle of warmth.
He still wore the silky tunic and pants from the previous evening, the fabric shimmering softly in the muted light, while I lay completely bare, feeling the cool air brush against my skin.
Gently, trying not to wake him, I allowed my hand to glide over his chest, noticing something seemed different.
Tarrick always appeared somewhat paunchy in his clothes, yet beneath the thin fabric of his tunic, his body seemed unexpectedly firm and muscular.
Curious and delighted, I let my hands explore further, tracing the defined contours of his shoulders, the broad expanse of his chest, and the taut muscles of his stomach.
“Having fun?”
I let out a high-pitched squeak, my cheeks flushing as I jerked my hand away. “I thought you were asleep.”
Tarrick chuckled softly, a warm sound that resonated in the quiet room as he rolled onto his side to face me.
His eyes sparkled playfully, and his smile was both tender and mischievous.
One hand, strong and gentle, slid over the curve of my hip, holding me close.
“Not for a while. I was just lying here enjoying holding you.”
“Oh.” I felt a pang of embarrassment but pushed it away, deciding I liked being held by him. I liked it a lot!
“How do you feel?” His chocolate brown eyes, warm and inquisitive, studied me with curious intensity while his hands embarked on a gentle exploration over my hip, gliding with a tender touch to the curve of my waist before retracing their journey back again.
I pondered the question. A slight soreness lingered from where I’d had to stretch my thighs wide to accommodate his broad shoulders.
Despite that minor discomfort, I felt remarkably well.
In fact, I felt absolutely wonderful, as if a fizzy energy coursed through my veins, leaving me with a sense of contentment and vitality.
“I feel good,” I grinned at him, feeling my cheeks heat. “Really good.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Tarrick wrapped his arms around me, pulling me firmly against his broad chest. He leaned in, capturing my lips with his in a deep, lingering kiss, leaving me utterly breathless.
I ran my hands over his chest, enjoying the afterglow of having my brains kissed out. “You feel different,” I mused, letting my fingertips travel over his pecs.
“Really?” Tarrick grinned, one eyebrow cocking.
Before, through his clothes, there had been a slight softness to his form.
Now, beneath my fingers, there was nothing but firm, unyielding muscle.
One particular part of him pressed insistently against my thigh, feeling especially rigid.
My hands, with newfound appreciation, ventured over the expanse of his chest, growing bold enough to undo the top buttons of his tunic.
As the fabric parted, it unveiled a sculpted chest, each muscle defined as if chiseled from stone.
“You’re not at all chubby like I thought,” I murmured, mesmerized by the sight of him.
Tarrick threw his head back, his laughter echoing through the room like a burst of thunder. “You thought I was chubby?”
“A little,” I admitted. “The jackets you wear make you look kind of....”
“Paunchy?” Tarrick supplied, watching as my fingertips finished unbuttoning his tunic.
I nodded in agreement with his verb choice, my fingers trembling slightly as I finally slid the tunic off his shoulders.
As the fabric fell away, I felt my eyes widen in awe, and I worried for a moment that I might be on the verge of drooling.
He was stunning. He’d always been handsome to me, with that classically sculpted face and thick mane.
But now, seeing his chest and shoulders revealed, broad and defined with sculpted muscles, he truly took my breath away.
“Wow.”
Tarrick’s lips curled into a wide grin, his eyes sparkling with satisfaction at my reaction. “The ‘paunchiness’ is part of my spy persona. My brother Siemba thought looking out of shape would help sell the idea that I was a spoiled, gluttonous, hedonistic playboy.”
I felt a knot in my stomach at the thought of other women in his bed noticing the transformation. I didn’t want to, but I had to ask. “What about other... females? Didn’t they notice you’re built like a bodybuilder?”
Tarrick issued a half-hearted shrug, as much as his prone posture would allow. “Most of the females I entertained in bed were too self-centered to pay much attention to me other than what I could do for them.”
“Oh.” I couldn’t shake the nagging, jealous thought that I wasn’t the first woman he’d guided to the dizzying peaks of ecstasy, and likely wouldn’t be the last.
“Stop,” Tarrick ordered, his warm palm cupping my cheek.
“Stop what?”
“Stop trying to convince yourself that what happened last night wasn’t special,” he murmured. His lips met mine in a kiss that was both tender and fervent, as if to affirm that the connection between us was truly something extraordinary.
I moaned softly against his lips, feeling an intense warmth spread through me as I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
Tarrick held me tightly as our lips moved in a lingering, passionate dance.
We kissed for what felt like an eternity, each moment stretching into the next, until he finally pulled away, leaving me breathless.
“You are a beautiful, desirable, extraordinary female Izzy.” His voice was like gravel, deep and resonant, carrying an unmistakable weight of honesty. “And for me, last night... for the first time, I felt like I held a female in my arms that knew the true me.”
I knew him. I knew the real Tarrick in the gentle way he treated me, always protective and caring.
I knew him from the adoration he showered upon his niece, Priemba, his eyes lighting up with affection whenever she was around.
I knew him in how he rejected the superficial allure of his ruse as a wealthy, spoiled playboy, viewing it merely as a role to be played.
He possessed a kind heart, sweetness, unwavering loyalty, and a generous spirit—a genuinely good male.
And one—I realized—I had fallen in love with.
This time, I initiated the kiss, feeling a newfound confidence surge through me.
My hands moved boldly to the drawstring at the waistband of his pants, fingers deftly attacking the knot.
The embarrassed tremor in my hands had vanished.
Any lingering hesitation dissolved, leaving me only with desire and purpose.
Tarrick’s cock strained toward me, hard and eager, and the anticipation to see him, to feel the warmth of his skin beneath my touch, felt urgent and undeniable.
His tail had settled again around my ankle, not tightly, but with a definitely proprietary hold, the tufted tip stroking along my skin as soft as a cotton ball.
Tarrick broke away from the kiss, catching my hands in his and stilling my movements. “Izzy, we don’t have to do this if you’re not ready. There are other ways to get my scent on your skin.” His voice was rough and gravelly, as if each word struggled to escape through a barrier of restraint.
It took me a minute to realize what he meant. “Oh!”
At the sound of my voice, a glimmer of disappointment danced through his dark eyes. His body tensed and made to draw away, obviously thinking I’d be okay with option two.
“No!” I wound my arms tightly around his neck, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips, and kissed him soundly. “I am ready, Tarrick. I want to do this. I want you.”
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, perhaps even for the first time ever, I had the power to make my own decisions.
On Earth, my mother always demanded control, either subtly manipulating or outright threatening me into doing her bidding.
When the aliens abducted me, I had no say in the matter.
Even though I adored singing at Space Pearls , that path hadn’t really much of a choice either.
But here, at this moment, with Tarrick, the choice was mine and mine alone. And I chose him.
Tarrick watched me intently, his gaze steady and searching as if he were teetering on the edge of disbelief, hesitant to embrace the idea. “You are sure, my sweet Izzy.”