“Home,” she replied softly.
“Sure. There are parts I miss, like my younger brother and my mom. I miss baked urox with yven sauce, too, but Earther lamb is pretty close.”
Her lips parted in a smile as Garrok simplified the argument to his stomach, but then she asked the real question. “Given the opportunity, would you go back or stay?”
Garry began rocking the swing again. It was a question he’d been asking himself a lot lately, especially since tasting Rosalie’s pies. “It’s been six years. My family would have already constructed a grieving stone for Mike and I. Going back might make them happy, but…” He sighed at the stars. “It wouldn’t feel like going home anymore. This farm is home. You guys are my family. I guess Earth has kina grown on me, even with how backwards it is sometimes.”
“Makes it interesting, doesn’t it.” Amber grinned. “Besides, urax can’t compare to a certain bakery’s pies, can it?”
Garry chuckled. “No, I don’t think it can. You know, I think I might just need to pick up some of those pies for our Christmas dinner.”
“You could even invite Rosa and Mary,” Amber bumped her shoulder against his.
“You could invite Kyle,” Garry bumped back. “Maybe just see what happens…”
“Yeah,” Amber smiled out at the stars, her own thoughts turning to Kyle. “Not like we’re going anywhere, so might as well just see what happens.”
“Now we just need to convince the Captain,” Garry frowned.
“Oh, is that all?” Amber mirrored his frown. “Maybe we could start off by telling her Steve stayed the night at Noelle’s. Redirect the lecture and then slip in our suggestions under the radar.”
“I like your tactical planning,” Garry smiled again.
“I learned from the best,” Amber leaned her head on his shoulder. They fell back into silence as each thought over the confrontation to come. They’d been there six years, living in isolation aside from a few acquaintances and their business. It was time for things to change.
The stars overhead shined radiantly, winking down at Amber and Garry in a reminder of where their lives had started so very far away. That life seemed like a separate existence from the little farm with its bright red barn. They had found a new definition of home on this alien world, but it had become home none the less.
8: Shining In The East
Morning crept in softly through the light blue curtains covering the bedroom window. Noelle’s eyelids were heavy, despite typically being an early riser. She was wrapped up in the most wonderful warmth and her body nestled more deeply into it. Morning could wait, just this once, she sleepily convinced herself. The bed was comfortable and the hard, heat-producing mass next to her was too perfect to pull away from.
The mass moved, her mattress shifted and the events from last night flooded back in. Both eyelids snapped open at once to reveal a solid wall of taught muscle. Sometime during the night, she had turned around and was now nestled face-first against Steve’s chest. His strong arms and legs were curled around her body, holding her there.
Oh my God, Steve is in my bed! As a secondary thought, her brain added and he’s an alien! Her heart was wide awake on the breath of one shaky inhale. The fact that the whole ‘he’s an alien’ revelation was merely an afterthought made her smile. She’d fallen for the big guy, and it really didn’t matter to her if he was from Karrax or Kazakhstan.
She wedged a hand free and slowly ran her finger along his side. He startled, stiffened then laughed when her finger moved the other direction. She snickered and purposefully danced several fingers over his ribs, making him squirm. “I guess being ticklish is universal.”
He kissed her forehead before uncurling his body from hers. She immediately missed the warmth, but the sight of his smile sent a fiery heat all the way to her toes. There was no shadow of overnight hair growth on his solid jaw, and as her eyes trailed down further, another surprise greeted her.
“You have no nipples,” she blurted then cupped her mouth while burying her face into his shoulder with embarrassment.
Steve cleared the groggy sleep from his throat while grinning at her red cheeks. “No. We have no need of them. I’m rather surprised male humans have them, as they seem quite unnecessary.”
“True,” she agreed then frowned slightly. Perhaps her own anatomy was far different than a Karraxian female. “So, are breasts odd for you, then?”
One eyebrow quirked up before he caught on to her thinking. “Oh, no, not at all. Female Karraxians breastfeed our younglings, too. We’ve found that ninety-seven percent of known species are mammalian-evolved, and most have the same reproductive traits.”
Her mind digested that interesting bit of information while her curiosity overrode her sensibilities, which were still half asleep. “Are there any other differences? I mean, do you kiss and… well, you know…”
“Yes,” he whispered vaguely to all three questions, afraid to breach the topic so soon.
The bed was warm, she was beautiful and he didn’t want it to end. Running the back of his fingers down her cheek, he leaned over her and sought permission. Her eyes widened, radiantly sparkling like emeralds in the morning light. He hesitated, her lips parted, he pushed forward and she greeted his lips with her own. A subtle sigh passed between them, each welcoming the other.
His kiss was as warm as the rest of him and Noelle wanted more of it all. With bravery fueled by her heart, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down harder. He responded with a low, rolling note from his throat as his arms encircled her. Large hands slid up the back of her t-shirt then moved away.
Posting himself on either side of her shoulders, he drew back from the kiss with heavy breaths and an ache in his chest. He didn’t want to stop. He could kiss her all day and not be satisfied. He wanted so much more than just a kiss, and that frightened him.
The worry in his eyes dug into her heart. “What’s wrong?” she asked, causing him to avert his gaze. “Hey, it’s okay. I can handle whatever it is, but you’ve got to talk to me. I think I’ve done pretty good so far, haven’t I?”
He laughed, meeting her eyes again. “Noelle, you’ve been amazing. It’s just,” he sighed then sat back on the mattress. “As I said, most mammalian evolved species have the same reproductive traits. Karraxian males are one of the few exceptions.”
Sitting up, she tilted her head as her less than perfect vision tried to discern what he meant. He didn’t have nipples. He did have strange markings on his skin, like overly large and patterned freckles. She leaned in closer to look at them but didn’t understand what difference those could make. “Can you explain?”
He let her examine his skin pattern, which covered the back of his arms, torso and legs, then he stood up and turned around. He heard the mattress creak as she moved to the edge next to where he stood. A moment of silence followed the light dance of her fingers down the central carapace that covered his spinal column.
Noelle swallowed her gasp as she touched the narrow line of overlapping, softly leathered ridges. It was a bit like an armadillo, which almost made her laugh, but she bit her bottom lip to keep from being rude. The line led all the way down into his red boxer shorts, where her fingers stopped their investigation. “Alright,” she exhaled. “You have spots like a leopard and a spinal cover. I fail to understand why you’re worried about that, with me.”
“Because it’s different,” he glanced over his shoulder at her, his frown continuing. “And because that’s not all there is.”
Standing up, she moved to his front, craning her neck back to look into his eyes. “You’re right, it’s different. So far, I’ve learned that many things between us are different. I’ve also learned how much is the same. I like you, Steve,” she admitted, “as a person. As a man. As someone that I’d very much like to kiss again.”
Her hands clenched at her sides. She had no idea where her morning moxie was coming from, but it was too late to turn back now. So what if he was an alien
? So what if he was an armadillo-leopard with silver eyes and no nipples? That kiss had felt incredible and she knew it was because the kiss was backed by emotions they were both feeling. She could see it mirrored in his eyes, and she wasn’t going to ignore it.
“I’d like to kiss you again, too,” he whispered after a quiet moment to gather his wits about him. The look in her eyes made his knees weak and his heart pound. It was clear that she wanted to be more than friends with him, and it was undeniable that he wanted the same. He knew he’d have to deal with this eventually if he ever hoped to let their relationship proceed further.
With no excuses left, he cupped her cheeks, bent down and kissed her again. It was a kiss full of hope for their shared future but ringed by the fear that it could be a kiss goodbye. He would give her the chance to know all that he was, laying himself bare for her judgment with the firm belief that she would continue to be open and understanding. Everyone, however, had their boundaries.
Slowly pulling away again, he smiled as her kiss-swollen lips remained parted. Her eyes were closed and he marveled at the delicate way her eyelashes set against her cheeks. As her eyelids fluttered open, he prepared himself for the fall he knew his heart wouldn’t survive.
“I want more than anything to continue this,” he spoke softly, trying to convey the emotions he couldn’t put words to yet. “But first, I need to show you everything.”
“Okay,” she said simply with a smile matching his. Her breath caught as he took a step back and hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his boxers. His face turned to the side, his eyes casting downward as the boxers dropped to the floor.
A tremor started in her belly and floated all the way up to her head on a wave of desire-fueled heat. She forced one breath into her tight lungs, then another as she let her eyes roam down past his barren chest, over his long torso and to where his groin started. Smooth, hairless skin below his belly button led to a slight bulge that sat above a slit where his erection should be.
Oh! She barely held back a sharp cry of shock, but steeled her resolve not to judge. She’d been judged time and time again by people, and she’d also been shown kind understanding by people like Father Nathan. It was her choice who she chose to emulate. It was her chance to be a better person.
Noelle stepped forward to clear the distance between them, but he still wouldn’t look at her. Trailing her fingers over his eight prominent abdomen muscles, she tried to force her mind to accept that the man of her dreams lacked the part that would, by human standards, define him as a man.
Or did he? she pondered.
As she touched his stomach, the mound beneath his bellybutton stirred. When she timidly circled the slit with a curious finger, the slit widened in response as his whole body shuddered. Pushing aside expectations, she leaned in and kissed his chest while probing the slit further.
“Noelle,” he quietly moaned, his chin setting against the top of her head. Stars above, he couldn’t believe how brave this woman was.
The slit contracted against her caress then she felt a warm pressure move past it to set within her palm. Like an unsheathing cock, his erection swelled past the slit. A double-ribbed head slid into her fingers, slick and warm. It was different, yes, but her body reacted instantly to the erotic sight.
A gasp erupted from her lips. Moisture gathered between her thighs as her clit ached to be touched by the lubricated softness in her hand. Her grip around it tightened, Steve let out a deeper moan and his erection pulsed against her hand. In and out, its slightly pinker skin pushed between the circle of her fingers while his hips remained perfectly still. The sensations had every part of her aroused with a want to feel him between her legs.
“Stars,” he inhaled sharply, his eyes going wide. It had been so long. Too long, and this would be over before it began if he didn’t get himself under control. With a hiss, he forced his erection to recede from her fingers as he took a step back.
She frowned in disappointment as he moved away. “I’m sorry. I’ve done something wrong?”
“No,” he swallowed, tugging her into his arms. Nuzzling into her hair, he tried to catch his breath along with his senses. “It’s just been a very long time since I’ve been with a woman.”
Her arms wrapped around his waist, considering his words. He’d said last night he’d never told anyone on Earth what he was, and he’d been here six years. Six years? It’d been a while for her, too, but she couldn’t imagine how truly isolated he must have felt. “Then we’ll go as slow as you need to.”
“I like slow,” he leaned away, kissing her forehead. “But not too slow,” he winked.
She grinned as the playfulness she loved returned, then giggled as he urged her arms upward by lifting her shirt. Dropping her shirt next to his boxers, he paused to take a long, appreciative look at her body. Her exposed nipples hardened, causing his tongue to moisten his lips in an urge to suckle. Reverently, he kneeled before her.
“You are so very beautiful, Noelle.” Palming her hips, he tucked two fingers under the sides of her pretty pink panties. He leaned forward, placing a kiss on her belly as his hands eased her underwear down her legs. Once she stepped free, he raised her up by her thighs as he stood and carried her to the bed.
Noelle filled the room with nervous, giddy laughter as he lifted her so high she could reach up and touch the ceiling. The mattress greeted her back as he set her gently down, his broad smile echoing her happiness. She desired him deeply, but more than lust, she was filled with complete joy. He made her laugh and smile. In his arms, she felt warm and understood. She felt loved.
Steve kneeled between her spread thighs, drinking in the glorious sight. Her lips and nipples were pink, begging to be tasted. When his eyes roamed south to the little patch of caramel curls that covered the moist folds of her sex, his whole body trembled. He knew what he really wanted to taste.
She gasped in surprise as he pushed her legs further apart, a rueful smile on his lips. He stared into her wide eyes, licked his lips then ducked his head down to burry those lips in her pussy. Her back arched off the mattress as the wet heat from Steve’s strong, slick tongue teased her relentlessly. She released a throaty moan, aching for more.
He reveled in the way his teasing tongue and hungry suckling made her squirm against the mattress. Watching with pleasure as her hands curled into fists, he circled her entrance before breaching it with three flicking thrusts. Adding the pressure of a finger to his explorations made her cry out, her hips bucking against his hand.
A deep note of approval rumbled up from his chest, his own arousal increasing with each whimper and moan he caused her body to release. He’d studied this. Prepared for it. Hoping one day he may need it, but never truly believing he would find himself between the legs of the most beautiful Earther he had ever seen.
So very beautiful, his heart skipped. Twisting his finger, he rubbed the spot he had been seeking and watched in awe as Noelle came completely undone. Her muscles contracted around his finger, she stopped breathing for a second and then let out a cry of his name.
“Incredible,” he whispered, slowing his movements as her orgasm subsided. Removing his finger from her silken warmth, he hovered over her body as it settled back against the mattress. Her heavy breathing gave him some concern. “Are you alright?”
Noelle opened her eyes. “I’m wonderful,” she sighed. Looping exhausted arms around his neck, she pulled him down to a kiss. He let out a low moan that shivered down her spine, his hands gripping her hips and a new pressure appearing between her legs.
She hated to break the moment, but it needed to be clarified. Letting go of his bottom lip from a light nipping by her teeth, she blushed. “I have to ask, before we go further. Are we… compatible?” He raised one eyebrow slowly, causing her to laugh and amend her question. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to ask if protection is required.”
“Protection?” he tilted his head then his eyes went wide in embarrassment at his inexperience. “Oh! You mean against
conception?”
“Yes,” she scrunched her nose up in a swallowed laugh at the expression on his face.
“We should be compatible, as far as that goes,” he answered after kissing her nose for laughing at him. “But it’s actually the men of my people who go through fertility cycles, twice per year.”
“Oh,” she blinked at his unexpected answer. “I guess unwanted or unexpected children are a rarity where you come from.”
He inhaled at her words then kissed her brow. “Where I come from, every child is a gift. You are a gift, Noelle. You were a gift to your mother. You are a gift to Father Nathan and all the children you help. You are a gift to me.”
A tear welled at his words, but she blinked it away. “You’re my gift, too, Steve. I wished to have someone in my life, a man, who would understand me. I made that wish every year for the past six under the angel on Father Nathan’s little tree in the lobby. It took six years, but here you are…”
Both their eyes widened at the same time as she whispered the words again. “Six years…”
“Six years,” he repeated, giving in to fate. His lips curved into a grin. “Sorry I took so long. Twenty-three thousand light years causes some serious jet lag.”
The laugh she had been swallowing burst out and he joined her, burying his face into her shoulder. She curled her limbs around his body, holding him tightly as the laughter subsided. With a movement of her hips, she pressed him between her legs. He moaned into her shoulder then raised up, pulling her with him.
Sitting on the mattress, he positioned her to straddle his lap. “I want to show you the way my people make love.”
Her heart swooned as his last word lingered. Sitting in his lap, she stared into his eyes and held on in a heartfelt embrace. A soft press probed her entrance, all while he remained perfectly still and intently focused on her eyes. The first ridge stretched and entered her pussy, expelling a gasp from her lips. He caught the gasp with a kiss, which deepened as his second ridge penetrated. He backed out then moved in again, teasing the tight rim of muscle while he kissed her breathless.
Nebula Nights: Love Among The Stars Page 74
