by Cara Bristol
“I’ve decided to give it up so I can go with him.”
Jessie smiled. “That kind of devotion bodes well for your relationship, but I have good news. You may not need to give it up.”
“Dakon only has one computer for the entire planet.”
“We can change that. Currently there is only one computer, originally installed by the Terra Dakon Goodwill Exchange Program, which sends mail order brides to Dakon. The IDA has been using it, too. Until now, there hasn’t been a demand for more units. Most Dakonians don’t use the computer they have, so all business is conducted through a woman named Andrea Simmons. She was one of the original mail order brides. She is a techno whiz and can help you set up your equipment so that it works on Dakon.”
“Having the right equipment isn’t my biggest issue. I need unrestricted ’Net access.”
“Andrea can arrange that.” Jessie paused. “I won’t use the word hack, but she can get you connected to any site on the ’Net you need to go—”
“Are you kidding?” I squealed and leaped out of my seat. I could still start my own gaming company? Could it be this easy?
“All you need to do is get in touch with Andrea before you leave. I’ll give you her ISP address. There might be software or equipment she’ll need, and it’s better to bring it with you than wait for a supply ship. However, she said if there is anything you need but can’t get, let her know. She has ways.”
Sixx hadn’t given up. He’d gone to bat for me with Jessie, who’d gone to Andrea, who had agreed to help me. Once again, he’d had my six!
“Keep in mind, solar storms and weather conditions can cause temporary ’Net outages, but if you’re willing to work around them, I think you can accomplish what you want.”
This was more than I’d ever expected. “Thank you! Thank you!” I hugged Jessie and then grabbed Sixx’s hand. This was the best news ever. My operating capital was limited to what I had saved, so I’d have to pinch every penny and adjust my timetable, but I would turn my dream into a reality!
Jessie instructed me on how to contact Andrea, and then I skipped out of her office with Sixx. In the hall, I flung myself into his arms. We hugged and kissed. “You’re the best!”
“I couldn’t let you go without doing everything I could. Jessie had told us in the orientation classes to go to her if we needed help with anything.” His gaze sizzled with heat. “I want you to be happy and have everything you desire. It humbles me you were willing to give up something you had your heart set on.”
“My heart was set on you,” I said, glad I’d come to my senses. I wouldn’t want him to doubt how much I cared for him, to think a game was more important than him. Our relationship had solidified quickly, but when it was right, it was right. And hadn’t I been waiting my entire life for him, anyway? If you looked at it that way, it wasn’t fast at all.
“I love you,” I said.
“I love you, too.”
“Let’s go home. I know the perfect way to celebrate,” I said.
“How?”
“Naked,” I replied.
* * * *
I slammed my apartment door. Clothing flew away, and we embraced chest to breast and kissed furiously. “I like the way you celebrate,” Sixx said.
“You haven’t seen anything, yet.” I grabbed his hand and tugged him into the bedroom.
He slanted his mouth over mine, and I reveled in his heady taste, the protection of his embrace, his arousing caresses. I gripped his biceps and kissed him back with all the fervor I had in me, happiness and desire merging into an ecstatic frenzy.
We fell on the bed in a perfect tangle of arms and legs, shifting into position to better fondle one another. How well we fit. Like we were supposed to belong together. Liked we were fated.
I stroked over the planes of his chest, appreciating the smoothness of his warm, toast-brown skin, the hardness of muscles underneath, and then dragged my hands lower to follow the happy trail to his hard-on. I closed my left hand around it and pumped. I loved the expressions on his face, his pleasure, the intensity of his desire. Already wet, my pussy let down another surge of moisture, and my nipples beaded to aching points.
“I wish I could touch you with both hands,” I said, ruing the bandage and splint, which I’d be wearing for a month.
“What you can do with one hand is incredible.” Air hissed through his teeth. He dragged me close and kissed me, his lips devouring, his tongue spearing mine. He grabbed my ass and squeezed then cupped and kneaded my breast before delving between my legs to find that sweet spot. I rocked against his hand, ecstasy coursing through me.
I gave his cock another stroke before reaching up to fondle his pulsing horns. Sixx growled against my neck before scooting down my body to place his mouth where his fingers had been. Hot spikes of need shafted through me as he fluttered his tongue against my clit. Muscled walls contracted around his pumping finger.
We took turns pleasuring and teasing, giving and receiving, delaying and urging. When we joined, two halves became whole.
“Good?” He paused thrusting to stare into my eyes, his own sizzling with heat, his face contorted.
“Don’t stop!” I rocked my hips.
He laughed, and I clung to his neck as our bodies moved in perfect sync. Needful. Urgent. Loving. Complete. Together. How could I have ever thought to walk away from this man? For pixels on a computer screen?
Starbursts brighter than any firefight in any computer game exploded behind my eyes. My womb and pussy contracted with rhythmic waves. I felt him jerk as he climaxed and bellowed. We clung together, two souls connected and complete.
Passion spent, we curled up in each other’s arms. I rested my head on his shoulder and listened to the music of his thumping heart. I’d never felt more serene or centered in my entire life.
“My mate.” Satisfaction rumbled in his sleepy tone.
“My mate.” I squeezed him. “Mating” was meaningful to him and to me, but I was greedy. I wanted one more tiny piece. I rose up on an elbow. “Before we leave for Dakon, would you marry me?”
“That’s like a mating ceremony on your planet.”
“Yes. I know it’s silly but—”
“It’s not silly. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
I hugged and kissed him. “We’ll do it simple. Just a visit to the courthouse. My mom should be there.” She would be so happy for me. “I’ll invite Barb, too.”
“Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more, no more…”
I groaned. Miles and his perfect timing. “Ignore it. He probably has an update on the case, but I’ll call him back later.”
“I’m so glad you’ll be able to do your game,” Sixx said.
“Thanks to you and Jessie and Andrea. I’ll call her later. It will take longer than planned to launch T-Rex Island, but my company will become a reality.”
“Why will it take longer?”
“Finances. I’ll be limited to my current savings. I don’t have quite as much as I would like, and I won’t have a chance to sock away more—but I’ll make it work. I’ll have to be creative.”
“It takes money to launch a game?”
“It takes money to do everything.”
“I have money.”
“I thought your planet didn’t use money.”
“We don’t. But in coming here, I knew I would need some, so I sold off some illuvian ore for Earth credits. I don’t know how much I have, but the guy at the bank told me I was loaded. If you need more, I can get more. Let me help you do your game.”
“We’ll be partners!” I said. Once, I would have insisted on doing it myself, but now, I couldn’t imagine anything better. “Mates, husband and wife, partners.”
“Obah!” He grinned.
Epilogue
Sixx
Four months later
The ship landed in the field outside the Meeting Place. Excitement and impatience buzzed through me. We’d been in orbit for two days while waiting for the blizzar
d to pass, a common occurrence on Dakon. We were almost ready to disembark.
“I hope Joho likes me.” Moxie twisted her hands as we stood in the corridor listening for the signal to leave the ship. I grabbed her right hand and kissed her fingers. “Don’t worry. He’s going to love you.”
Just before we’d left Earth three months ago, her splint had been removed. The ship’s healer had confirmed her fingers had mended. She’d often said two hands were better than one during relations, and she’d proven the truth of her assertions. The things she could do with those hands…and her mouth…
My horns twitched, and I glanced at her.
Her eyes widened. “Again?”
I chuckled. “Maybe not yet. We need to get off the ship.”
The hatch lowered, and frigid air rushed into the passage bringing the scent of freshness and flora. I don’t think any of the Earth females noticed, but the dozen or so Dakonians took a deep breath, as I did. We were coming home…with mates.
“Okay, people! This is it!” A coordinator strolled down the passageway. “Please disembark in an orderly, prompt fashion. Other men are eager to board to travel to Earth to meet their matches. It’s been a pleasure traveling with you.”
“Are you ready, wife?” I asked. Before leaving Earth, we’d gotten married in a ceremony attended by Moxie’s mother and Barb, who’d shared the news she had joined the Intergalactic Dating Agency. One of the Dakonians in the lodge waiting to board the ship likely would be matched to her.
“Ready, mate!” Moxie said.
Snow topped the ground, hip deep. Our kel mittens were too bulky for us to hold hands, but I linked my arm through my mate’s to steady her as we tromped toward the lodge. Smoke billowed up from the domed ceiling of the stone structure. Surrounding it were smaller stone huts comprising the Meeting Place, the center of Dakon.
Eyes wide, Moxie pivoted her head, getting her first glimpse of my planet. Pride swelled my chest. This was my home. I looked forward to showing her all of it: the huts of the Meeting Place, the many hot springs, the bathing caves, the open fields where herds of kel grazed, my tribal lands, and our cave where we would live. First things first—I wanted her to meet my son.
As we approached the lodge, three dozen men rushed out, eager to board the ship to Earth. They were fortunate to have joined the Intergalactic Dating Agency when they did; unless the moratorium got lifted, they would be the last group.
We pushed through the flap into the lodge. Shouts of “obah” rang out as family members rushed forward to greet the returnees. My gaze shot to Joho who ran toward me. “Father! Father!”
I caught him as he leaped, and I hugged him tight, my eyes watering. “I missed you so much!”
“I was afraid you wouldn’t come back. Mother said you wouldn’t leave me, but I was worried,” he said.
“Never,” I chided gently. I tapped his nose. “Did I not promise I would return?” He had grown much in the eight months of my absence. “Perhaps I feared you would forget me.”
“Never,” he said.
Holding Joho with one arm, I reached out to Moxie. “Here is someone you must meet. This is my mate.”
“Hello, Joho. I’m Moxie. I’ve heard so much about you, I couldn’t wait to see you.” She extended her hand.
He stared, uncertain what to do.
“This is an Earth custom,” I explained. “People shake hands to say hello.”
“Hello, Moxie!” He shook her hand vigorously. He smiled wide, and I saw he’d lost another tooth. “Can you teach me more Earth ways?”
“I’d love to,” she said.
Falla approached with her mate, and I widened my eyes to see that she was heavy with child—another change. “I’m glad you made it home,” she said. “Joho has been asking almost daily when you would arrive.”
“Congratulations on your kit,” I said.
“I’m going to have a new brother or sister,” Joho said.
“You are,” I said. Two of them.
Beside me, Moxie pressed a hand to her abdomen. We had forgotten to bring Con Doms with us on the journey. Even without the bulky kel, her pregnancy was too early to be noticeable, but the ship’s healer had confirmed it a few days ago. Happiness billowed inside me.
“Welcome. I’m glad Sixx has met his mate. I can tell already how happy you have made him. He and I would never have been a good match,” Falla said to Moxie after I introduced them. Fortunately, Falla had realized the truth long before I did.
“We brought you a snow skimmer to save you a hike to camp,” Falla’s mate Angor said.
“That was very thoughtful.”
“We can take Joho back to camp with us—or do you want him to ride with you?” Falla asked.
“With us, please,” Moxie said. “Sixx has waited a long time to see him.”
Robos whirred into the lodge and began stacking luggage. I didn’t have much, but Moxie had brought several trunks, plus several computers packed in protective cases. “There’s one of mine.” She pointed.
“We will see you back at camp.” Falla and Angor departed.
An Earth woman as brown as a Dakonian but with braided, beaded hair strode over. Her kel tunic and leggings were also adorned with beads. She clacked when she walked. “You made it! You must be Moxie.” She hugged my mate. “I recognized you from the vid comms.”
“Andrea!”
“I wanted to meet you straightaway to let you know when you’re ready, I’ll set you up on the ’Net. Send a messenger to my camp with the day and time. Unfortunately, the Meeting Place is the only location on Dakon with the infrastructure for ’Net connection. So, you’ll need to work here in the Lodge—or we can set up a special prefab hut nearby if you prefer a dedicated office.”
“That would be great!” Moxie said. “I can do most of my coding on a portable computer at Sixx’s camp, but when I need to download or upload or talk to people back on Earth, I think I would like a private workspace here. You’ve been so helpful. Thank you. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”
“My pleasure.” Brown eyes crinkled. “I’m looking forward to having another computer geek to talk with. If you need a beta tester for your games, I’d love to volunteer.”
“You’re hired!” Moxie said. “I’ll get settled in at Sixx’s camp, and then we’ll connect in a few days?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Andrea left, and Moxie and I sorted through the many boxes and trunks, picking out the ones we needed to take to camp, and the ones to remain at the Meeting Place. With Joho “helping” with the smaller pieces, we loaded the sled attached to the snow skimmer.
Moxie’s face was reddened from the cold, but her smile was as wide as a river. “I can’t believe I’m here. I never thought I could be this happy!”
My son made faces, but I kissed my mate, and then we boarded. I scooted to the front, and Moxie took up the rear with our son seated between us. I fired up the machine, and we took off.
“Obah!” Joho yelled.
“Obah, obah,” Moxie and I shouted.
Homecoming had never been sweeter.
* * * * *
Thank you for reading Sixx, book four in the Dakonian Alien Mail Order Brides series. I hope you’ll take a moment to leave a brief review to help let others know about the book. After Moxie’s success in finding a mate, her friend Barb Quintain joins the Intergalactic Dating Agency and gets herself an alien hottie in KORD: Dakonian Alien Mail Order Brides #5. Read on for an excerpt.
KORD: Dakonian Alien Mail Order Brides
Chapter One
Kord
The squeal pierced my ears, and I flinched. Why had I let Braxx talk me into this? I never should have left Dakon and come to Earth.
“Look! Aren’t they beautiful?” Felicia?—Filomena—Felony—what was her name?—released her grip on my biceps to gawk at the shiny merchandise in the store window. I flexed my arm and inched away.
“Those earrings are gorgeous,” she crooned then stuc
k her bottom lip out in a pout. “Kord! You’re not looking.”
I glanced at the display of golden and silvery jewelry sparkling with colorful rocks. Necklaces, bracelets, rings, ear adornments. “Which ones?”
She pointed to some clear faceted stones attached to silvery chains. “They would look amazing on me, don’t you agree?” She sidled up to me and slipped her arm through mine. I tried not to recoil. Filomena’s scent, some sort of heavy perfume, hadn’t smelled so bad at the beginning of our date, but it had become as overpowering as her personality.
“The ones you’re wearing look just as nice.” I couldn’t discern much of a difference between what she had on and the set in the window.
“Are you kidding?” She flicked at the silver piercing her lobes. “These are sterling. Those are diamonds set in platinum. They’re not the same at all.”
I shrugged. “Are you ready for dinner?”
Her mouth thinned into an angry line, but then she fluttered her lashes as if a bug had flown into her eye. “Whenever you are. Where are you taking me?”
“I got a recommendation to an eatery that is supposed to be excellent. It’s up the street and around the corner.”
“So far?” She glanced at her footwear, which pitched her forward on needle heels attached to a flimsy sole, tethered in place by thin leather strips. Oddly, the inappropriate footwear further accentuated her bosom, already displayed by her skintight tunic. “Why did we let the Uber go so soon then?”
“Because you wished to look in the store windows.”
“I didn’t know we’d have to hike a frickin’ mile.”
I laughed. On my planet, we measured distance in triptas, the span covered in an hour of steady walking. The restaurant was only a fraction of a tripta, far less than a mile. I was used to walking, but I’d learned humans preferred to travel by wheeled cars that zoomed over the land or to fly in winged sky vehicles. “Maybe you should remove your boots,” I suggested. I had a hunch her footwear hobbled her mobility.
“I can’t go barefoot on a city street!”
