by K. D. Jones
“She is not being forced to date you. I was there when Nigel asked for her help. She could have said no at any time. She chose to do this because she wanted to.”
“I don’t want to take advantage of her. She’s doing me a favor.” But he couldn’t help but feel a ray of hope that maybe he had a chance with her after all.
“If you’re not willing to step up and go after what you want, be prepared for another man to step up when this is all over. Because she’s only increasing her desirability by dating someone like you.”
“What does that mean?”
“You are stoic, anti-social at times, emotionally lacking, and just look at you.”
Maxim slowed down a bit at that. He looked down at his bare chest. “I have been told by many of the female fans that I am attractive.”
“I’m not saying you’re ugly or anything. But you never smile. It makes you look like a robot. What woman wants to go to bed with a cold piece of metal? Other men will want to show Alona that they could give her more than you; more romance, more affection, more love.” Zen picked up his speed. Maxim pushed himself to go little bit faster than Zen.
“I’m not a robot, and my heart is not mechanical. I have the same human heart that I was born with. It was one of the few internal organs the doctor left me with,” Maxim told him. He had never felt insulted about it until now. Was that how Alona saw him, as a cold robot? For some reason, it did matter to him what she thought.
“Prove it,” Zen taunted him.
“What?” Maxim had been so lost in his own thoughts he didn’t hear what Zen was saying.
“Prove to Alona you’re not some cold robot.”
“How?” Maxim frowned. Why was Zen so interested in Maxim’s personal life?
“For your next date, I dare you to kiss Alona at the end of the date.”
“That proves nothing.”
“It proves you’re not scared to show your human side.”
“I’m not scared.” Maxim growled.
“We’ll see.” Zen upped his pace and so did Maxim. Every time one increased his speed, the other tried to top him. Soon they were running full out, as hard as they could.
“Cut it out, assholes! You’re going to break the treadmills,” Rage yelled at them as he walked by.
Maxim had not realized until that moment that he was competing against Zen. He had never felt like this before, this strange need to beat another competitor. It was another damn human emotion. What the fuck is happening to me?
*****
Four days later
“I’m not wearing that.” Alona shook her head as Maya, who had once again come over to help her pick out an outfit, held up an almost see-through, white sequined, skin-tight dress and skinny four inch heels.
“No to what? The dress or the shoes?”
“Both. The dress is almost see-through in the right lighting and those shoes will kill my feet. Nigel called earlier and said we would start out dancing, but that we could extend the date to a stroll through the lobby. There’s a big probability that there will be a lot of walking involved or I might have to stand up most of the evening. I haven’t worn these shoes that often because they are way too uncomfortable.”
“Why do you buy or even keep the shoes if you don’t ever wear them?”
“I use them for photo shoots, mostly, where I can stand still. But even then, I can only take them for about an hour before I have to take them off.”
“We’ll find you some different shoes, then. But this dress is the one for you. It is not see-through, not completely. You can wear a slip underneath and that will help camouflage everything. It will drive Maxim crazy with lust to see you in this.”
Her heart fluttered for some reason. “I’m not trying to drive Maxim crazy with lust.”
Maya waved her hand at her. “Sure, sure. But you have to make everyone else think you want to drive Maxim crazy. Trust me. If you’re wearing this, the reporters won’t pay as much attention to whether you two are actually dating or not. All they’ll notice is your hot bod in this tight dress.”
Alona sighed. “Fine. I’ll wear it. But I will need to get a spray tan first so the white pops. I haven’t had a lot of time to sunbathe.”
“No problem, I’ll have our makeup artists come up here to give you the treatment. While I’m at it, I’ll send our hair stylist to fix an up do for you that will withstand whatever the date might include. Go take your bath.” Maya ushered her into the bathroom and shut the door.
Alona stared at herself in the mirror. She was twenty-five years old. Too old to have other people dressing her up like a doll. She put up with it when it came to getting ready for fights, she had to look a certain way for all that. But this was getting to be a little bit invasive.
“I don’t hear the water running!” Maya called out from the other side of the door.
Alona growled. “I’m getting it going in just a few!” What has happened to her normal, simple life? She turned the shower knobs on. Was it really worth going through all this trouble? She sighed. She couldn’t let Maxim lose his position with the GCFA. Not if she could do something to help. Butterflies filled her stomach at the thought of seeing him again. He certainly was proving to be a surprise.
*****
Maxim pulled at the collar of his button-up shirt. It felt a little tight on him, but that was because it wasn’t his shirt, it was Zen’s. Damn the interfering man. He had rifled through Maxim’s closet and declared none of his clothes worthy of dancing. Maxim didn’t understand it. He had planned to wear jeans and a t-shirt.
“Hell no!” Zen told him when Maxim showed him the outfit he planned to wear. He then called his mate Shawna and had her bring over some of his own clothing.
So here he was wearing a black satin button-up shirt and leather pants. He caught a glimpse of himself as he passed a mirror and cringed. He was really shiny. He hated it because he worried it reminded people of his “cyborg” image, one of being a robot instead of a man. It was just a shirt, he knew he shouldn’t let it bother him, but it did. Plus there was danger he posed to everyone else around him. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to blind people when the lights hit his clothes. That would be a embarrassing end to his date, if he had to escort Alona to the healers because he had blinded her with shiny clothes.
He sighed, resigned to the fact that it was too late now to go back to his suite to change. He stood at Alona’s door and knocked. He looked down at himself once more, then looked up when the door opened. His heart seemed to stop. He couldn’t think of anything at all except that . . . she was beautiful.
“You’re beautiful.” He hadn’t realized he had said it out loud. But the blush that rose to her face was worth it. It made her look even lovelier, if that was possible.
“Thank you. You look very handsome.”
He moved to the side as she exited the suite, shutting the door behind her. He shook his head. “I look shiny.”
“I think it looks great on you. You look hot.” They stepped inside the elevator. He was grateful that no one except the fighters and their families could come to their two levels. It suddenly occurred to him what she had just said.
“You think I’m hot?” Maxim turned to face her. He knew that slang was used to describe someone who was attractive.
“You know that you are.” Her cheeks turned pink. He found it made her even more adorable.
He shook his head. “I have looked at myself many times in the mirror. Nothing seems to stand out. Brown hair, brown eyes. I have good musculature, but I’m not as tall as some of the other fighters. What do you find appealing about me?”
She shifted her feet, feeling a little uncomfortable, but she did answer him. “You have dark brown eyes that are warm and seem kind. You may not be as big as some of the other fighters, but that is appealing too, because I don’t like guys who are way too large. And then there’s your voice . . .”
His eyebrow rose up. “My voice? What about my voice?”
“It’s rich and deep when you speak. It rumbles, and I really find that appealing too.” She blushed even more and pushed the elevator button again. “The elevator is taking a really long time.”
“Is it?” Maxim asked. He sensed that she was uncomfortable with how much she had revealed to him. He wanted to ask her more questions, but the doors opened and she quickly stepped out.
They both had to blink immediately, as all the cameras flashing at them at once nearly blinded them. It took them a moment to see where they were supposed to go. He had almost forgotten that the reporters would be waiting for them.
Maxim wrapped his arm around her shoulders and directed her towards the dance club. He ignored the questions being thrown their way. Once inside, thankfully, the doorman was keeping most of the reporters out. Only a handful would be allowed inside the dance club to take their pictures.
“Are you okay?” Maxim had felt Alona shiver and worried that the reporters may have said something that upset her.
“I’m fine. I just hate having the reporters right there in our faces. I should be used to it by now, but I’m not.”
“I think that the reporters’ area is even worse right now because the GCFA set it up to be that way. For the next couple of weeks, they’ll know our every move.”
“Great,” she muttered.
*****
He led her to a table close to the dance floor. They sat down and immediately a waitress came to take their drink order. Alona had already had dinner sent up to her suite while she was getting ready. She ordered a white wine and Maxim ordered a beer. She was a little surprised by that. It must have shown on her face.
“I can drink and eat the same as anyone else,” Maxim told her with something that looked like humor in his eyes.
“I know that you eat, I’ve seen you at the morning breakfast buffet and at dinner the other night, but I’ve only ever seen you drink water. I just assumed that you didn’t like alcohol because it might . . . I don’t know, fry a circuit or something.” Did she really just say that? Maxim laughed and seemed surprised to be doing so. Perhaps he had never laughed before.
He shook his head and smiled at her. “My circuits are wired biologically into me, so fluids . . . any kind of fluids . . . are not a problem. It would take something much greater to fry my circuits.”
“Like what?”
“Extreme emotion, or an intimate outlet, maybe.”
Alona was stunned. Did Maxim just hint about sex to her? She didn’t know what to say. She could feel the heat rise to her face. She glanced away. She practically downed her glass of wine all in one gulp when it finally came. Is it hot in here?
*****
Maxim watched Alona as she blushed. It made her even more appealing to him. She wore a white sequined dress that clung to every luscious curve. When he first saw her, he actually thought his circuits had fried. His body responded to hers immediately. His heart rate sped up, his palms felt sweaty, and his cock was pushing against the tight leather pants he wore. Damn Zen for the pants. He fought to get control over himself.
He turned away when Alona looked up at him. He had been caught staring at her, but he couldn’t help it. She was breathtakingly gorgeous. He looked around the nightclub as it began filling with people. The sounds grew louder and the disc jockey was about to start playing the music.
It soon got so loud that they could barely hear each other talking, unless they moved close, really close. The idea of pressing his mouth close to her delicate pale ear made his cock twitch. He had never thought an ear attractive, but everything on Alona was perfect.
“Should we dance?” Alona asked, pointing to the small crowd on the dance floor. The lights had been dimmed.
Maxim finished his beer and stood up. He offered his hand to her to help her up. “That’s what we’re here for.”
Chapter 6
Maxim led Alona out onto the dance floor. The good thing was that it was dimly lit, so the few reporters allowed inside the club could only get a few unclear and blurry pictures. For the most part, they had some privacy. A slow sensual song was playing as Maxim took her in his arms. She felt strangely like she was meant to be there. It felt right.
“You’re a good dancer.” Alona told him, her breath near his ear. His scent surrounded her, hot and spicy. She had to fight not to groan out loud.
“I watched some videos. Though Zen did offer to teach me personally. I refused to dance with him.”
Alona laughed at the image of Zen and Maxim dancing together. “I don’t blame you. Plus, his mate might have gotten jealous.”
Maxim chuckled. “That may be true. You are a very good dancer yourself. How did you learn?”
“My mother made me take ballet for years. She wanted me to get into a good ballet troupe and tour the world, but I wasn’t as talented as the other dancers. Plus, I liked playing sports much better.”
“Your mother is human and your father is a full Arian?”
“Yeah. When my father was twenty-five, he was doing a movie premiere and the director wanted a model to pose as his arm candy. They hired my mom and the two of them hit it off. I was actually an accident, they didn’t expect me at all. Both of their managers suggested that they marry. So they got married to save their image. They weren’t meant to have children, I don’t think. They were never home, always off doing their own thing. I was raised by a nanny. I speak to Nanny Kim almost every week, but I haven’t spoken to my parents in months. I prefer it that way. I accepted the fact a long time ago that I would never have a caring family like other people. I’m okay with that because I know who I am, I like who I am and I don’t need their approval anymore. I just tolerate them and humor them to keep them out of my every day life. It’s better for everyone that way.”
“I am told I was raised in a normal human family. A mother, father, and two younger brothers. I do not remember them.”
“Do you remember anything from your human life at all?” She had always wanted a brother or sister; then she wouldn’t have felt so alone all the time.
“No. My first memory is waking in the lab where I was created. All I could feel was pain. Each time I woke, I felt less pain, but also less of every emotion, until finally I felt nothing at all.”
“I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine what you must have gone through. I hear stories from other halfsies all the time. They look down on me because I lived a sheltered life. I wish that you hadn’t had to go through that. How did your human family react when you were finally reunited with them?”
“They tried to welcome me back as their son Maxwell Copely, but I couldn’t be him. I wasn’t that man anymore, and it broke their hearts when they finally realized that. I didn’t know them or my life with them. After a while it became obvious that having me around was only hurting them. So I left to follow my own path.”
Alona reached up and cupped his cheek gently. “That was a brave move, but it must have been lonely for you at times.”
Maxim paused. “I was going to tell you that I didn’t feel loneliness. But that would have been a lie.”
She remained quiet in his arms and waited.
“I don’t want to lie to you, Alona. There are times that I do feel lonely. Even when surrounded by people, I feel it.” Why had he told her this?
“I feel lonely too,” Alona admitted.
They didn’t say anything else as they danced. Alona laid her head against his shoulder. He loved this, holding her in his arms, heartbeat to heartbeat. It was soothing, and at the same time, he was completely aware of every inch of her that was pressed against him. He breathed in her scent and felt it wash over him, sweet and sexy. That was Alona exactly. She had him wanting things he had never wanted before, never even thought of before. She glanced up at him through lowered lashes and he wondered what she was feeling, what she was thinking. She bit her plump bottom lip. He just couldn’t resist her any longer.
Maxim leaned down and touched her lips with his softly. He didn’t want to scare her off. Bu
t there was no way he could stop himself. The moment he felt her body against his, he felt a strong urge to have more, feel more, and to taste her. Her lips trembled softly then she opened for him. He didn’t need any further encouragement than that.
He took her mouth hungrily. He was starved for her. It was shocking and exciting all at the same time. It felt like every part of him was lit up and on fire for Alona. He stroked her tongue with his own, loving her the way he wanted to love her with his whole body. Love?
Maxim pulled away feeling overwhelmed with emotions he couldn’t name. Confusion was at the forefront, though. Where did love come into this? This wasn’t even a real date. He looked down at Alona’s beautiful face. Her eyes opened and he felt like he could drown happily in her soft, hungry blue gaze.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, her voice suddenly sounding very husky.
He shook his head. “No, but I think I need to get a drink. Would you like something?”
She shrugged. “I guess a glass of white wine.”
He escorted her over to their table and helped her sit down. Then he turned and headed through the growing crowd towards the bar. He needed some space so he could get himself under control. That was the one thing that he was good at, keeping his emotions under control. But Alona made him feel so many things at once, he needed a breather to collect himself.
*****
Alona was sexually frustrated and confused. They had shared an amazing kiss, but it ended way too soon. They were getting closer, then he seemed to be pull away from her. But maybe that was a good thing. They were in public. It wasn’t like she could throw him to the dance floor and have her way with him. But they way he made her feel, it was a close call.
“Would you care to dance?”
Alona looked up in surprise at the tall man standing beside her. She hadn’t heard him approach. He was attractive, with long dark hair and almost black eyes. There was something familiar about him, but she couldn’t figure out what it was.
