Maybe Bright had been right to tease her. They were hardly subtle, but she found she didn’t care at the moment. She spun in place, intending to push Talen to the ground and climb on top.
Talen, her almost fake alien husband, knelt at her feet, his pupils blown wide, obscuring the amber of his eyes. His ears twitched and his tail wrapped around her waist, tugging her close.
“Georgia, I want you.”
This wasn’t a game anymore.
Oh, fuck.
He looked about a moment away from doing something dumb like pledging his everlasting devotion or proposing that they make their not-marriage real.
She pushed him down to the hardwood floor and climbed on, distracting them both with sensory overload. He gripped her hips, but his claws did not puncture her skin. Their love was fast and loud, and anyone could turn the corner and discover them. The pair was so self-indulgent it was embarrassing, and she might have been if she hadn’t liked the way her body shivered with need when Talen reached for her.
They were still learning each other and exploring their limits. She never would have guessed a year ago that she’d have the balls to ride a man in a dusty hallway. He made her reckless and she loved the heady exhilaration when he fixed those amber eyes on her, like she was exciting and not a stick-in-the-mud, like she brought him to life, like he felt a fraction of what she felt for him.
Oh, fuck.
They hadn’t been playing a game for a long while now.
* * *
Talen
* * *
Humans have a unique mating concept called “friends with benefits.” At its core, it is mating for pleasure only, either for a limited time or at periodic intervals. It differs from a one-time sexual encounter, called a “hookup” or “one-night stand”, in that the friend-with-benefits is a long-term acquaintance.
If a human proposes this relationship to the reader, the authors strongly advise against participation. Navigating this type of relationship is extraordinarily complex for the novice.
-So You Want to Mate a Human
* * *
“God, it’s creepy up here.” Georgia stood in the doorway; arms wrapped around herself protectively.
Talen scanned the attic for any potential threats. The windows were secure, and the room was dry, if dusty. What did she sense that he did not? Perhaps the shadows alarmed her. Humans did not possess strong low-light vision.
“I detect no predators lurking in the shadows. You are safe,” he said.
“No predators? Who says that about their own attic?”
“You are agitated.”
“Oh, and getting more so by the minute.” She pushed past him into the attic and stood proudly with her hands on her hips. “I’m not scared of any attic monsters.”
“Of course.” He adored the bravado in her voice.
“But maybe a little more light? It’s too dark up here.”
He handed her the solar lantern. “It’s fully charged. Pick out the pieces you desire, and I’ll bring them down.”
She wandered through the disorganized maze of old furniture, a hand skimming along the dusty surface, leaving behind a trail. “Where did all this come from?”
“This was here when we took possession of the house.” With the damaged roof and exposure to the elements, most items in the attic had to be tossed, but the items kept under tarps had survived largely intact. “With new upholstery, you’ll never know it came from the monstrous attic.”
She tossed him a sharp look over her shoulder. “Are you mocking me? A huge, dark attic filled with old furniture under drop cloths, a single bare bulb for light… This is classic horror movie stuff.”
Another guest room had been renovated and another two were close to completion. Talen would rather utilize the old furniture in the attic rather than purchase new pieces, even if he did have to strip the varnish and reupholster all of it. The old furniture matched the soul of the house.
Georgia dusted off the seat of a hardback chair and sat at a writing desk. The thin legs seemed impossibly delicate. The moment any weight was added to the desk, it should collapse.
She rested her elbows on the grimy surface, the sleeves of her shirt picking up the dirt. “This one.”
“Are you sure? It is impractical.”
“It’s perfect. We’ll call the room the secretary’s suite.” She frowned. “Okay, maybe not that, but it’ll be decorated around this writing desk. That lamp there with the glass shade. An overstuffed chair and footstool. That bookshelf.” She pointed to the objects as she spoke.
Talen marked each item with a piece of painter’s tape. “And the bed?”
“I don’t know. Not this one.” She brushed a heavy headboard with the carved head of a boar clutching a ring in its mouth. Dust embedded itself in the crevices and coated the eyes, turning them white with age. He agreed. No one needed that beast watching them as they slept.
She twisted her fingers in the ends of her hair. “Actually, this is sort of ugly-cool. One of the other rooms can have a hunter’s theme.”
“Are you sure? I know I told you there were no monsters in the attic, but I may have misspoken.”
A luminous smile graced her face and his heart swelled with joy, along with other parts of his anatomy. “You don’t like it?”
“It is not to my taste.”
“I swear the eyes follow you. Look.” She moved to the right, then shuffled back to the left. “Weird.”
“Weird? My mate, it is disturbing. That beast is unnatural.” And now that she pointed out the trick with the clouded eyes following, he could feel them on him.
She rubbed the beast’s snout and gave the ring a tug. “First, not your mate and it might be fun to hang onto, you know?” She glanced back over her shoulder at him and licked her lips.
“With it judging me? No, thank you.”
The light giggle she tried to hide behind her hand delighted him beyond measure. Did she want to try it now? Sometimes, Georgia could be forthright with her desires, but other times, she left it to him to tease out what she wanted, either through words or by other means, also involving his mouth. And tongue. And lips.
He crowded next to her, staring down at her with heat. She backed away a half-step, still licking her lips, until she bumped into the bed. Carefully, he guided her down to the cloth-covered mattress.
Her legs parted without prompting and he settled himself in to cradle there. Trousers kept them separated but he knew from experience how quickly that barrier could be removed.
“Talen, did you lure me into the creepy attic to seduce me?” Her eyes darkened and color flooded her cheeks.
“Yes, I hoped to impress you by protecting you from the attic monsters and work up a sweat moving furniture.”
“You’d have to take your shirt off if that happened, to stay cool,” she said.
“It’s very warm in here. It’d be necessary.”
“I believe it is very, very necessary for you to remove your shirt whenever the spirit moves you.”
His mouth claimed hers and she responded with eagerness.
He broke the kiss, his gaze landing immediately on the carved boar’s head.
Watching him.
Judging.
“Talen,” she mewled, lifting her face for another kiss. Her lips were swollen and dusty pink, so tender and—
The boar continued watching.
“I cannot.” He rolled away.
“What? Why?” She rolled onto her stomach and looked up, directly into the boar’s cloudy eyes. “Oh, God.” She scrambled away. “That’s terrifying. This bed is a total cockblocker.”
“No, come back. Do not leave me alone with the boar of judgment.” He held out a hand, gasping dramatically. Laughing, she grabbed his hand and tugged. She didn’t have nearly the strength to pull him to his feet, but he took a wild step as if she had. His arms wrapped around her. “Thank you for the rescue.”
“Let’s agree that one stays in the attic. Under a tarp. W
ith some chains and a lock,” she said. “I’d say we should burn it, but we don’t want to upset the curse.”
Talen placed a drop cloth over the headboard, concealing the carved monstrosity. “What else?”
They walked through the attic, Georgia selecting the pieces they could use in the guestrooms. Each required a thorough cleaning, possibly even a full refinishing, but Charl was good at such tasks.
“I will move these to the workshop.” He set up a workspace in the old stables, to keep the noise and fumes away from the house. “Would you like to watch a film later?”
“Um, not tonight. I just feel like reading.” The mood shifted. The playfulness between them vanished, replaced by the cool distance in her eyes.
Talen flattened his ears, hating the feeling he had inadvertently upset her. “What is it?”
Her gaze wandered over his shoulder and her fingers twisted in her hair again. “Nothing. I’ll leave you to it, then.”
Talen started with the items he could carry himself, such as the writing desk and chair. After the third trip, his calves burned and his shoulder ached, which pleased him. He needed the distraction.
He didn’t like the way Georgia avoided him. Something changed. On matters for the house, she remained as professional as ever. When it came to flirting, or sex, that also remained unchanged. When he asked for any piece of her time outside of work or sex, she ran away. She would gaze at his shoulder, like she searched for an escape route, and then dash off with an excuse.
That hurt more than he expected. He thought they liked each other. Yes, sex muddied the waters but even if he never touched her in that way again, they had friendship. That his friend couldn’t stand to be around him if his cock wasn’t involved distressed him.
He needed to prove to Georgia that they worked together on every level, not just in the bedroom.
This time in the attic was the most they had spoken with their clothes on and Georgia not rushing away in weeks.
“Talen, there you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.”
Talen set down the chair he had been carrying. Fiona approached him down the corridor with a flurry of tossed hair and a cloud of floral perfume.
He sneezed. Rude, yes, but he couldn’t help it. The stench made his nose itch. “What is that sten… smell?”
Fiona took a deep breath. “I don’t smell anything.”
“Your perfume.” Another sneeze. He stepped back, away from the toxic floral cloud.
“Oh, roses. An Earth flower. Quil said he liked it.”
His brother must be nose blind. “It is unique.”
“Thank you,” she said, fluttering her lashes like that meant something.
“Do you have something in your eye? I will retrieve the eyewash from the first aid kit. Remain here and do not panic.”
“No. Don’t bother.” She frowned, confused as to why her charms failed to captivate him.
He knew why but he wouldn’t share. For one, she stank of Quil and Earth roses. For another, her personality made him want to run in the opposite direction.
Patience. Kindness. He needed both.
“You wanted to see me,” he prompted.
“Oh, yes. I wanted to talk about Georgia.” She flung herself in a chair and immediately sprang up. “Why is this filthy? Ugh.” Fruitlessly, she wiped her hand on her thigh.
“What about Georgia?”
“Well, this.” She waved to the chair. “Standards have fallen, haven’t they? God, that thing looks like it hasn’t been cleaned in years.”
“And that’s Georgia’s fault,” he said, unsure what angle the female attempted to work.
“You tell me. She’s the house manager, so yes. It is her fault. And what do we even know about her?”
Talen flattered himself by thinking he knew Georgia fairly well, but he didn’t know why she pulled away from their friendship, so he said nothing. Better to say nothing and be mistaken for wise than open your mouth and be known as a fool, his father said once in a rare moment of insight.
“I’m just concerned that we know nothing about this woman, and we let her live with us. She could murder us in our sleep.”
Talen highly doubted that. It had been nearly three months with nary a whisper about middle-of-the-night murder sprees. “We knew nothing about you when Quil dragged you home, and we let you live with us.”
“Yes, but I’m Quil’s wife,” Fiona said, as if that vouched for her character. Quite the opposite.
“Until the marriage is annulled by Earth authorities, so is Georgia.”
“She is not!” Fiona stomped a foot. A hand fluttered to her chest and she smiled. “Mercy me, please excuse me. The idea of that woman laying a hand on Quil makes me so vexed. Positively vexed.”
“I can honestly say that I feel the same,” he said.
“Good, because I think she’s only interested in our money. We shouldn’t trust her with the accounts.”
“Our money?”
“Quil’s. Mine. Ours.” She lifted her chin, a stubborn look on her face.
“Do you know something in particular or is this all slander?” He folded his arms across his chest.
“Slander? No, this is concern. Genuine concern.” She laid her hand on his forearm, peering up at him with wide, beseeching eyes. “I don’t trust her. She’s up to no good.”
He stepped back, distancing himself from the female. He couldn’t even begin to unpack everything wrong with Fiona’s insinuations. Truthfully, the house ran smoothly with Georgia at the helm and the accounts had improved.
“Georgia has only improved the quality of this house since she arrived. Hiring her on was the wisest decision I’ve made in years,” he said.
“Fine, but when you wake up one morning and all the money's gone, don’t say I didn’t warn you!” With another stomp of her foot, she stormed off. In the distance, he heard doors slam.
“What the hell was that about?” he muttered, lugging the chair out to the workshop.
Chapter 11
Talen
Fuzzy Britches,
Happy Annulment Day! See the attached document which annuls that shitshow of a marriage contract. The agency apologizes for the “profound misunderstanding” but I’m more interested in a refund.
-G
* * *
“You are thinking of your female,” Charl said.
“I am not.” He was, but he refused to admit that to Charl.
“You’re smitten as a kitten.” Charl grinned, pleased at his joke.
“That’s not amusing,” Talen grumbled. He wasn’t thinking about Georgia, much, or the shift in the dynamic between them.
“Yes, it is. Very. I am extremely clever. You, being an uneducated heathen, can’t possibly appreciate my wit.”
“You think a boot to the ass will show you my appreciation? Get to work. I don’t actually pay you to mock me.”
Charl laughed. He sat on the floor; a chair overturned in his lap as he delicately wove the strands of cane to repair the seat. His four arms especially suited him to the task, one hand weaving, the other holding the cane in place, another pulling the binding cord taught, and another ready with a hammer. All four limbs worked with frightening speed.
“You’re staring,” Charl said.
“Just admiring the way you’re not smashing your fingers with the hammer. You’ve got three hands to keep track of and I can barely manage one.”
Charl shrugged. “It is normal for me. I am amazed at the way you cope, being deformed as you are with only two hands. So brave.”
“Asshole,” Talen said, laughing. His tail swished merrily behind him.
“Would you like me to tie two hands behind my back, so you do not feel so inadequate?” Charl teased.
“No, because I pay you to work with four arms, not two. Stop trying to cheat me.”
Charl’s mouth quirked up at the corners. Almost a grin. The male had a sense of humor after all. “Try not to trip over your own tail when you’re thinking a
bout your female. Or at least share what is worrying you,” he said.
The male was Talen’s closest friend, had been since the first day of basic training when they stood next to each other in line waiting to be issued gear, wearing nothing but boxer briefs. As much as he valued Charl’s friendship, he had never seen the male take an interest in anyone romantically, male or female. Charl had never been in a relationship, as far as Talen knew, and the male remained silent about much of his life before the Navy.
Talen watched the male weave the thin cane reeds with skill and dexterity. He knew so little about the Gyer male, who knew absolutely everything about him. Charl lived with his family, was like a brother—better, actually, because he wasn’t a scheming little fraud—and could probably read Talen’s mind if he wanted.
“Right now, you’re wondering if I’m qualified to advise you on your mate,” Charl said.
“Ha! You are wrong.” Only because Talen hadn’t arrived at that thought yet, even though the course had been charted.
“So, you do not doubt my qualifications.”
“Oh, I doubt. I’ve never seen you look twice at… anyone.” Talen stumbled as he found the correct word.
Charl snorted. “I was mated. Once.”
“You have never said,” Talen said.
“I’ve never said anything,” Charl clarified.
“True enough.” His friend never spoke of his past, of his family, of life on Gye or why he left his homeworld. Talen’s history was a painfully open book and in one embarrassing case, an actual book titled The Lost Princes.
Stupid book, filled with only the worst gossip and rumors. He’d like to punch the author in the nose. Beyond the gossip-mongering, the book was highly inaccurate. The heir of a duke is a marquess and a younger son who would have been an earl. Honestly. Everyone knew that.
Talen waited in silence while Charl continued to weave, but the male shared nothing else about himself.
The mystery of Charl’s past would remain for another day.
“She is scared,” Charl said, breaking the silence.
Pulled by the Tail: Celestial Mates Page 14
