Page 24 of Wayfinder (The Outlander Book Club… in Space! #5)

“Jutuk?” A wave of pure happiness washed over me, crashing down like a thunderstorm. It was overwhelming, almost too much to bear. It was as if all the joy in the world had concentrated itself into one single moment, and I was lucky enough to be caught in its grasp.

Moving as if in slow motion, Jutuk laid his forehead against mine, the golden gaze intense. “You are mine, Pearl. And I am yours—always.”

Tears streamed down my face as a sound of utter joy escaped my lips.

Jutuk smiled as he gently kissed the wetness away, his warm lips pressing against my skin as he traced the trails of my tears to my lips.

I could feel his heart pounding with emotion as he kissed me.

Our lips moved together, and the world seemed to fade away as we lost ourselves in each other and the joy of finally knowing we loved each other.

“There is one other thing I must confess to you,” Jutuk muttered as we came up for air.

He seemed concerned, but honestly, I couldn’t care less about his confession. He could be an alien serial killer at this point... or worse, he might not like my cooking. Whatever it was, we’d deal. I loved him.

“Your friends...” he began, and a sliver of trepidation raced across my spine. While I might forgive a lot... hurting my friends was on a whole different level.

“What?”

“Your friends have all mated with my brethren.” Jutuk smiled at my reaction. “Your friend Emmy has mated with my chieftain, Daisy with the war chief, Clara with our weapons master, and Agnes with our healer.”

I understood his apprehension about the confession, not that it would have made the slightest change to how I felt for Jutuk. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“Based on the priestesses’ lies, I did not believe them to be true matings,” he admitted.

“And now you do?”

Jutuk threaded a hand through my hair, holding my face close, our forehead touching. His deep breath fanned my cheeks, smelling of spice.

“If my Vaktaire brothers feel for their mates, even a scintilla of what I feel for you, yes, the matings are true.”

I wrapped my arms around his muscular neck, feeling the warmth of his skin against mine.

His scent, a mix of musk and spice, enveloped me in a comforting embrace.

“I love you, Jutuk,” I whispered, my heart overflowing with emotion.

The starlight beaming through the window danced off his chiseled features as I leaned in for a kiss.

Never had I felt such a deep and all-consuming passion for anyone.

“Love,” Jutuk mused, trailing his lips over my cheek and down my neck. “Such a small word to describe such immeasurable feeling."

“What is the Vaktaire word?” I buried my fingers in his caramel-colored hair, loving the way his silky strands flowed through my fingers.

Jutuk thought for a moment. “There isn’t one word big enough in our language.

” His eyes darkened as he gazed at me. “How can one simple word encompass all that you are to me? You are the air that I breathe, the light that allows my sight, and the shadows that allow my rest. You are the beat of my heart and the reason for my existence. My mate.”

The feeling, like a shimmer of ice and heat over my skin, was so odd that I gasped, placing a hand on my chest. Under my fingertips, my heartbeat slowed, feeling like it almost stopped, then sped up again and settled into a rhythmic beat.

It wasn’t a painful sensation at all. It felt strange.

.. but I felt a rush of warmth and rightness.

The sensation was overwhelming yet comforting at the same time.

Jutuk watched me for a minute, his golden gaze blazing with affection. Then he placed his palm over my heart. His gaze flickered, but he smiled, lifted my other hand, and placed it over his own heart.

It took a moment for me to differentiate one beat from the other.

Our hearts moved in perfect unison. The rhythmic thumping synchronized, creating a beautiful melody that echoed through my chest and into his.

It was as if our souls danced together, connected by the steady drumming of our hearts.

It was every bit as romantic as I expected.

Jutuk gazed at me, a look of contentment spreading across his face. “My mate.” The word was guttural, spoken from some deep-down primal part of him, and I liked the way it sounded on his tongue.

My mate.

With a contented sigh, I leaned into him, feeling my body relax as I let myself melt into the warmth of his embrace. My love for him enveloped me, filling every inch of my being with a sense of peace and protection... and need.

“Pearl.” His warm breath tickled my skin as he whispered my name just before his lips claimed mine.

A gasp escaped my lips as his tongue danced with mine, shooting waves of pleasure through my body.

Without breaking the kiss, Jutuk lifted me off his lap to lay me gently on the bed, his heavy weight pressing down on me.

I squirmed against him, wanting to feel every inch of his muscled length against me.

He kissed me deeply as his hand explored my body, trailing from my belly down to my hip and then sliding across my inner thigh, igniting a flame with every touch.

My fingers tingled with anticipation as I traced the defined lines of his chest and abs, feeling his skin ripple under my touch. I continued to explore lower, my nails leaving faint pink trails along his stomach, wanting to pull another groan of pleasure from his lips.

My fingers trembled as I reached for his pants, fumbling with the buttons and zipper in my haste.

Finally, I released him from the confines of his clothing and wrapped my hand around his hard length.

I felt his pulse thumping against my palm as I stroked him eagerly, desperate to satisfy the insatiable desire coursing through my veins.

Jutuk’s deep groans reverberated against my lips as I stroked him. He was humanoid but larger than any man I’d ever seen, with pulsing ridges and a swollen tip that throbbed under my touch. I ran my hand up and down his length, feeling the sickness gathering at the smooth head.

He moaned, his teeth scraping along the sensitive skin of my neck, sending shivers dancing along my spine.

Before I could fully bask in the sensation, he broke the kiss.

My heart sank, wondering if he might put a stop to things due to some strange Vaktaire mating custom.

Desperation clawed at my chest as I prepared to plead with him, to say anything, to make him see how much I craved his touch.

I worried for naught. With a deep shuddering sigh, Jutuk’s rough, calloused hands roamed over my bare skin, his fingers leaving a trail of heat and sensation.

Gripping my ass firmly, he kneaded the flesh before letting his fingers trace a slow path across my hip and into my dampened core.

His eyes never left mine as he brought his moistened fingers to his mouth, sucking off the evidence of my arousal with a low, guttural moan.

“You taste so good.”

Suddenly, I found myself sprawled naked on the soft mattress.

My clothes strewn about the room in a chaotic mess.

My shirt hung off the bedpost while my pants dangled from a lampshade.

Jutuk dove between my thighs, his warm, wet tongue darting between my folds.

Like a starving man at an all-you-can-eat buffet, he lapped hungrily at my center, causing me to gasp and arch my back, grinding my face against him.

As his fingers gripped my hips, his tongue traced circles around my clit. The touch was fiery and wet, leaving a trail of fire on my skin. He dipped his tongue inside me, exploring every crevice, and his teeth grazed my skin, adding an edge of pleasure to the already intense sensation.

My body quaked as Jutuk explored and teased between my thighs. With each flick and suck of his mouth, he moaned my name in a deep, husky voice, the sound like a benediction. Desire built in my belly, pulsing with every touch until it twisted into a nearly unbearable need.

“Do you want me, Pearl?” Jutuk growled against my skin.

“Yes,” I sobbed, pressing into his touch. “Yes, please… I need.”

I know what you need."

His fingers slid into me with practiced ease, hitting all the right spots as his talented tongue flicked my sensitive clit.

The pleasure built and built until it crashed over me in powerful waves, making my vision blur and my breath hitch in my throat.

Jutuk didn’t let up, his fingers curling inside me and his tongue working tirelessly, sending me into a dizzying state of bliss.

As my body quivered with pleasure, I pressed myself harder against his mouth, digging my fingers into his hair. My moans and screams filled the room, but I didn’t care who might overhear us. All that mattered was Jutuk’s touch and the overwhelming desire for him to claim me completely.

As he pulled away, my body screamed for his touch.

I whimpered and reached for him, but he was already moving towards me, his fingers brushing against my stomach, stopping to tease before sliding down to the place where I needed him most. His tongue flicked over my lips, and I moaned, wanting more.

.. wanting everything. Jutuk shifted, and his weight settled more firmly over me as he pressed his swollen cock between my thighs.

His warm breath tickled my ear as he leaned over me, gently caressing my breasts with his hands before kissing along the curve of my neck.

“Tell me you want me.”

It wasn’t a request but a demand, and one to which I happily acquiesced.

“Yes!” My breath came in gasps as my body strained against his. I could feel the heat radiating off him like a furnace. He slowly pushed just the tip of his thick cock inside me, and I clenched my fists in the blankets as pleasure shot through my body. God, I never want this to stop.