Page 13 of Zinnia and the Zombie (Alien Abduction #26)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A drenaline still coursed through Jaxx’s body, heightening his senses and setting his skin ablaze with golden light.

His breathing came quick and shallow as he pressed Zinnia deeper into the alcove, his body forming a protective barrier between her and any potential threat.

He had been foolish to assume that danger would come from a living source—he would not make that mistake again.

But the danger had passed. There was only silence beyond their shared breathing.

He looked down at her, still caged between his arms. She wasn’t shrinking away or trembling with fear as he might have expected.

Instead, her eyes were wide and dark, pupils dilated as they held his gaze.

A fine tremor ran through her body where it pressed against his—not from fear, but from something else entirely.

The universe seemed to contract around them, narrowing to this single point of connection.

His heightened senses registered every detail—the rapid flutter of her pulse at the base of her throat, the slight parting of her lips, the flush spreading across her cheeks.

And her scent… By the Ancestors, her scent.

The sweet musk of arousal filled his head, triggering responses that had nothing to do with protection or duty.

Something shifted in her expression—a softening, an openness that called to him. He lifted his hand, gently cupping her face. His thumb stroked across her cheekbone, asking the question he couldn’t voice.

She leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed for the briefest moment before reopening, darkened with unmistakable desire.

It was enough.

He lowered his head, capturing her lips with his.

A jolt of sensation shot through him and she gasped, her lips parting as he deepened the kiss.

He groaned at the first taste of her, his tongue tangling with hers.

Her hands curled around his neck, her fingers burying themselves in his hair, drawing him closer.

Pleasure surged through him, hot and wild. He kissed her hungrily, losing himself in the taste of her, the feel of her, the sounds she made. His body throbbed, heat coiling in his core as need overwhelmed him.

A soft sound escaped her throat as her arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer, and the last of his restraint shattered. He deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding past her lips to taste her fully. Her response was immediate and eager, matching his intensity with her own.

His hands moved from the wall to her body, tracing the curve of her waist, the flare of her hips. The contact, even through her clothing, sent jolts of pleasure through his system. His body thrummed with energy, his skin glowing increasingly bright where they touched.

He lifted her against the wall, gripping her thighs as she wrapped her legs around his waist. The new position brought their bodies into perfect alignment. Even through the layers of fabric between them, he could feel the heat of her core against him, stoking his desire to fever pitch.

His mouth left hers to trace a path along her jaw, down the delicate column of her throat.

Her head fell back against the wall, granting him better access as his lips and tongue explored the sensitive skin there.

One hand moved higher, pushing beneath her shirt to find bare skin, then higher still until his palm cupped the soft weight of her breast.

She gasped and he started to pull away, but she arched into his touch.

He reclaimed her mouth, swallowing her moans as his thumb brushed across her nipple.

There was still a layer of fabric between them but he hesitated, remembering her reaction the previous night.

She made an impatient sound and this time she yanked the fabric aside.

They both groaned as his hand closed over the bare, heated skin of her breast, her hard little nipple throbbing against his palm.

He plucked lightly at the tight peak, drawing another gasp from her lips.

“Please,” she whispered against his mouth, her fingers digging into his shoulders. “I want to feel you.”

He pushed her higher against the wall and closed his mouth over the stiff peak, just as he had done the night before, but this time she urged him on.

He’d never realized that such an act could be so pleasurable but he couldn’t get enough of her, of the taste of her skin, of her soft cries, of the way her body responded to his touch.

His teeth grazed the pebbled bud and she moaned, her hips bucking against his.

The contact sent a bolt of heat straight to his mating organ and it threatened to break free, pushing against his lamellae.

She gave a startled cry, then rocked frantically against the thick bulge.

His hips pressed forward instinctively, pinning her more firmly against the wall.

The pressure drew a cry from her throat—not pain, but pure, unfiltered pleasure.

A rush of liquid heat bathed his lamellae as she quivered helplessly in his arms.

The sensation cut through the haze of desire clouding his mind. Reality reasserted itself in fragments—they were standing in an exposed alcove in a half-collapsed building on an unknown planet. The security drone’s presence suggested other systems might still be active. They weren’t safe here.

With a monumental effort, he gentled his touch, moving from her breast to her mouth and kissing her softly as they both struggled to regain control of their breathing.

“We need to find somewhere safer,” he said roughly. “This area is too exposed.”

Disappointment flickered in her eyes, but then she nodded, his practical little female reappearing.

“You’re right,” she agreed, though her body remained molded to his, her fingers still tangled in his hair.

Reluctantly, he eased her down, setting her feet gently on the floor. His hands lingered at her waist, unwilling to break contact completely.

“I didn’t intend…” he began, uncertain how to continue.

Her fingers pressed against his lips, silencing him. “Don’t apologize,” she said. “Not for that.”

“Never,” he agreed, turning his head to kiss her palm. “But the timing and location could have been better.”

A smile curved her lips. “Always the tactician.”

“In matters of your safety, always.” He stepped back slightly, allowing cooler air to flow between them. It helped clear his head, though the scent of her lingered, tempting him to forget his concerns and pull her back into his arms.

Instead he crossed back to the drone, crouching beside the shattered machine to examine it more closely. The distraction was welcome, giving his body time to cool and his mind space to regain control.

“Definitely a security unit,” he said, lifting one of the articulated legs. “Older model, though. The design is… familiar somehow.”

She knelt beside him, her shoulder brushing his as she peered at the machine. The casual contact sent a fresh wave of warmth through him, but he maintained his focus on the task at hand.

“You mean you recognize it?” she asked.

“Not precisely.” He frowned, turning the drone’s central processing unit in his hands. “But the configuration suggests standardized military technology. Many civilizations develop along similar technological pathways.”

“So not alien tech? I mean, not alien to you?”

“The specific implementation is unique to this world, but it follows patterns I recognize.” He set the processor down, wiping his hands on his thighs. “More importantly, its activation suggests there may be a central control system still operating.”

“Which means there could be more of these things.”

“Yes.” He stood, offering her his hand. “But it also means we might find areas with functioning technology. Perhaps even communication equipment.”

She didn’t look as delighted as he expected, giving him a thoughtful look as she accepted his hand and rose to her feet. “You think we could call for help?”

“It’s a possibility.” He didn’t add that the chances were slim—that even if they found a communications array, the likelihood of anyone being within range or using compatible frequencies was negligible, but perhaps she understood because she only nodded.

He retained her hand in his as they moved cautiously through the corridor, his senses alert for any sign of additional security measures. Her fingers intertwined with his felt right in ways he couldn’t articulate, even to himself.

“We should find secure quarters first,” he said. “Establish a defensible position before exploring further.”

“Maybe something with a door that closes? And possibly locks?” There was a teasing lilt to her voice that made his skin warm again.

He glanced at her, finding a mixture of humor and heat in her expression. “That would be… tactically advantageous.”

Her laugh was soft and knowing. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”

Despite the potential dangers surrounding them, he felt his lips curve into a smile. “Among other things. Let’s try the next floor.”