Page 6 of Trak (Virilian Mail Order Mates #1)

Five

Anna awoke to an arm draped over her belly and warm breath on her shoulder.

It took her a moment to realize where she was, and another to recall whom she was with.

She turned her gaze to the enormous male curled on his side, still asleep.

Close up, she could see that the dark smudges ringing his eyes were not makeup, but a natural dark tinting of the skin.

He was beautiful. He had a disreputable, rock star look about him—the sort your mother would warn you to stay far, far away from.

Anna had no idea what her mother would think of Trak, and it was too late to be warned off.

By now, Jimmy knew where she was and what she’d done.

She knew he would have told her not to do it, so she’d kept this plan to herself.

He was why she’d put in to be a mail-order baby mama for an alien.

By now, that five thousand would be in Jimmy’s account.

Her little brother might be younger than she, but he was responsible.

He could stretch that money, and hopefully she’d be coming home with five million dollars that would enable him to put his cancer and their father’s bad decisions behind him for good.

Trak would be a memory. Hopefully not a bad one.

She took a quick mental inventory of herself.

She’d fallen asleep sometime in that tub.

What happened between there and the bed?

Not much, according to her body. She would be sore, if he did anything, and she was not.

The Virilian had dried her off and put her to bed and—probably—nothing more.

She’d give him the benefit of the doubt. It made her like him a little more.

She gingerly wrapped her thumb and middle finger around his wrist and dragged it off her with the intention of sliding off the bed and finding whichever door led to the bathroom.

“G’morning, love.” His voice was rough from sleep. He did not move his hand.

“Oh. Hello.” She stopped trying to be subtle and pushed his arm away. Waking up naked in bed next to a male who was also naked made for an awkward-feeling morning. “Wait. Is there a morning out here?”

“No,” he replied. “But isn’t that what humans say to each other when they awaken together in a bed?”

“Sometimes, I guess.” She cleared her throat. “What is outside? Are there windows in this place?”

“There are.” He rolled to his other side and fiddled with a tablet mounted on the wall.

Two metal plates that Anna had thought were just part of the wall, slowly began grinding open.

A thick, clear window was revealed with a view of the space outside.

She wrapped the sheet around herself and got up.

She slowly walked to the window. There, she gazed in awe at the scene on the other side.

The space station arched upwards in a semicircle of lights, metal and activity.

It was breathtaking in its massive size and was busier than a beehive.

Small vessels zipped about like hummingbirds.

Hangar doors opened and closed, admitting and dispatching ships of all shapes and sizes.

A small ship buzzed right past the window, causing her to stumble back a step.

Trak chuckled. “It won’t crash. Although I’d keep that sheet up. You may get an audience.”

“Wow,” she breathed, ignoring him. “What is going on out there?”

“The Bott-L2 space station is primarily a trade hub,” he explained.

“It’s positioned centrally between several important planetary systems. This is a neutral location to do business or negotiate deals.

” He’d gotten up and was standing directly behind her.

Heat from his body penetrated the silky fabric.

“Virilians do a lot of business here, so we purchased our own section of the station.”

“What kind of business do you do?” she asked.

“All kinds. We scavenge wrecked ships, do a good amount of mining. Some of my comrades take the occasional mercenary job.”

“Not you?” It should be weird to make small talk with an alien. It wasn’t. He seemed perfectly at ease standing there, naked, chatting with her.

“My crew is specialized to strip out the valuable components of wrecked ships and sell them to the best buyer.” She felt his breath in her hair. “We’re business people, not fighters, love.”

She rolled her eyes. “Your scars say otherwise.”

“Ah, well. Mementos of youth.”

Anna had a few scars of her own, although hers existed on the inside, thanks to a father who used her in too many of his heists.

“We’re really far away from Earth, aren’t we?” she asked.

“Yes. Very far.”

She placed her fingertips to the ice-cold window and gulped back a stab of panic. “It didn’t take long to get here.”

“Space travel is different for more advanced species. Not that yours is lacking,” he added quickly. “On the contrary, I have deep appreciation for human females.”

Anna closed her eyes. “Great.” She didn’t mean for it to come out quite as dryly as it did.

His sigh sounded clear and resigned in the quiet room.

“Anna, you signed a contract agreeing to come here and mate with me until an offspring was conceived and produced, but I will not compel you to do so. I have never forced myself on a female and I will not begin now. If you wish to return to Earth, say the word and I will summon a shuttle to bring you home. Not the same one you arrived in.”

She turned and faced him, tilting her head up to see his face.

Small, dark metal hoops glinted in his earlobes.

She hadn’t noticed them before. A thin scar ran along his jawline.

His golden hair was rumpled and sticking up from sleep.

He was absurdly gorgeous. And so far he had been kind.

“You would do that?” she asked softly. “Send me home?”

A concerned frown etched a line between his brows. “Of course. The High Sage chose you as my best match, but the human organization behind this program will send another woman who will be willing.” His gaze searched hers. “The choice is yours.”

She blinked at him. “You mean I have a backup waiting back on Earth?”

“Several, I think.” He shrugged. “I dunno the exact number. We pay in gold, rare minerals, and gems, which we have plenty of, and in return, we are sent females to help us begin to rebuild our numbers. It’s critically important that we do so.

” He lifted a lock of her hair, trailed it along his finger, then let it fall.

“I would like to procreate with you, but only if you are willing.”

Anna bit her bottom lip and dropped her gaze. Then regretted it, because of course he was naked and his cock was ready, even if his words were reasonable. She looked back up and to her surprise, she smiled.

“You’ve been…nice. And I do think you’re…attractive. Could you give me a little time to get used to being here and to think about it?” she asked. “I’m more than a little overwhelmed right now.”

He held her gaze for a long moment before he nodded.

“Of course. There is a food dispensary through that door.” He pointed to one on the end as he retrieved his pants, which had lain on the floor next to his side of the bed.

“Feel free to utilize it and anything else you may need. Most of the doors in here will open for you.”

Anna blinked up at him, surprised by his response. “Thank you. I…”

“No need to thank me.” He stepped close, lips curling into a smile. “Might I give you one thing before I depart?”

“What’s that?”

“A kiss.”

“A kiss?” she asked.

“Yes. Just one.” He brought a hand up to her cheek and gently tilted her face upwards. “Nothing more, I promise. I would like to know how you feel, is all. And perhaps you are curious, too.” Those bright blue eyes moved lazily over her face. “You can say no, of course.”

Anna’s heart beat faster as he eased close. His head bent and those sexy lips parted. He paused with his lips a breath away from hers. “Your answer, please, love, before either of us dies of old age.”

Her own lips were tingling in anticipation.

Without realizing it, she’d shifted up to the balls of her feet, and somehow, one hand was resting on his bare chest while the other still clutched the sheet under her armpits.

The heavy beat of his heart thudded against her palm. She licked her lips. “Okay.”

She caught a smile, a flash of sharp teeth, then his lips touched hers and her mind shivered to blankness.

His kiss was pure confidence, flawless seduction.

He knew just how far to lean in, allowing her breasts to brush his chest without crushing them.

He knew how to seduce her mouth, drawing out sensation and teasing to deeper pleasure.

Anna’s eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into him.

His hand, which had been on her cheek, moved to her waist. His touch was light.

There was a deliberate detachment and not an ounce of possessiveness.

He was curious, as he’d said. On the other hand, her hormones were rapidly being drawn to a boil.

She was aware, vaguely, that these were not the moves of a novice lover.

Trak knew exactly what he was doing, and Anna could not summon a single care.

On a moan, she opened her mouth and invited his tongue inside.

A hum sounded from his throat that could have been arousal or amusement.

His tongue slipped inside her mouth, teasing hers, tasting her.

His lips maintained the same gentle pressure.

His fingertips lightly played along her spine.

When she pushed up to her tiptoes, he gently pressed her back down. Then, with a sigh, he eased back.

His lips were wet. He licked them as if savoring traces of honey. “You are a delicious creature, Anna.” He took a step backwards, tail flicking behind him. His hands slid around to her waist, then released her. Anna grasped at the sheet that was about to fall and pulled in short, shallow breaths.

“You too.” She stared at him, surprised by her own reaction. She hadn’t wanted him to stop. If he hadn’t, she wasn’t sure she would have. “You’ve seduced a lot of women. Sorry, females .”

One long finger slid along her jaw, then flicked her lower lip. “I’ve seduced a lot of everything, love,” he replied with a wicked grin. “I would very much like to seduce you. Repeatedly.”

She swallowed through a dry, tight throat. “Um.”

“But as promised, I will leave you. To think.” He raised one brow and gave her a crooked grin. “And to do…whatever you need to do.” The last bit dripped with innuendo.

She raised a brow in return and glanced down at his crotch. “You, too,” she said sweetly, but it took some effort to tear her gaze from his impressive organ, straining the front of his pants. Trak just gave a playful shrug and dropped a quick kiss on her cheek as he crossed to the door.

“Cheers,” he said, and he slipped outside.

The door shut behind him and Anna stared at it, momentarily stunned.

Her heart rate was not back to normal. Her pussy was tingling and moist. She pressed a hand to her warm lips and let out a noise she’d never made in the entirety of her life: a dreamy sigh.

Well. Maybe she could do this after all.