“Jacie…” He gathered her into his arms and smoothed her hair back. “I can give you comfort without us becoming intimate. I don’t know that you need another complication in your life right now, and our sleeping together would definitely complicate things.”
“I have no one here, Barimere, and now I only have my brother left at home. A brother I will probably never see again. I need something more; someone I can hold onto right now. Having your arms around me is wonderful, and I know that if we took things further, that would be wonderful too.”
“Jacie…” Barimere sighed. What she was asking of him was both a blessing and a curse, and he knew that if it were another male standing in his place, he would take her offer. She wasn’t asking to be his mate, just to enjoy an intimate moment with him. While a lot of males, especially human ones, would jump at the chance to be with Jacie even one time, Barimere knew he would want more. And wanting more was dangerous.
Jacie swung around until she was facing him and straddled his hips. His cock pressed tighter against the leather of his pants, wanting out, but Barimere gave himself a mental slap and tried to gain control of his body. Jacie placed her palms against his cheeks and stared into his eyes. He had plenty of time to move away as her lips lowered to his, but he held still, wanting her kiss, regardless of whether or not it was a good idea.
Her lips were soft against his as they tentatively explored. The heat of her body pressing against him had Barimere reaching for her, wrapping her in his embrace. Jacie parted her lips and traced his lower lip with the tip of her tongue. Unable to hold out a moment longer, he opened to her and let her explore further. The kiss was deep and delicious, sending a shiver down his spine. Kissing Jacie was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Even their brief kiss earlier had been enough to bring him to his knees.
Her fingers plucked at his shirt and he realized she wanted him to remove it, dousing his desire in ice. With his hands on her hips, he set her aside and stood abruptly. Barimere ran a hand through his hair and paced a moment before turning to face her.
“This can’t happen, Jacie. I’m not a whole male, not like you deserve. My body…” He shook his head.
Jacie rose to her feet and walked toward him slowly, pausing only when she was mere inches from him, and placed a hand on his chest. She stroked the silvery lines that he knew showed above the vee in his shirt, and her touch ignited something inside him, something he’d never felt before.
It was in that moment that he realized what he felt for Jacie was more than just lust. This was different from the times he’d gone to the brothel.
“Please, Barimere. Trust me,” she said softly. “I won’t turn from you. These scars,” she said, stroking them again, “don’t disgust me. They’re a badge of honor and courage, and you should wear them proudly.”
“You don’t know how I got them.”
“Then tell me.” She took his hand and led him over to the bed. “I still want you, but I don’t just want a piece of you, Barimere. I want all of you. You’ve told me you don’t think we should mate, and I won’t force the issue, but I still want to get to know you, and that means everything about you. I won’t judge you.”
Barimere sat on the side of the bed, his hand still clutched in Jacie’s, and tugged her down beside him. He wasn’t sure where to start, and knew that he could never tell her everything he’d endured. Some things were better left forgotten. Except, he would never forget. The night terrors had finally stopped, but he would always remember his time in captivity.
“What happened?” she asked, almost so quiet that he didn’t hear her.
“We were at war with the Markisites. There is peace between us now, but back then…” He stopped. “My ship was destroyed and I was found in the wreckage. A Markisite female nursed me back to health, and I thought they would ransom me to my people. She made me trust her, but in the end, she betrayed me.”
Jacie was quiet as he thought about that day.
“She sold me to pirates who used me as a fighter in the Karvikian death rings. Every day, sometimes several times a day, I had to fight for my life. My wounds, when they were treated, were sealed with silver dust, leaving me scarred for life. I fought for months before someone got word to my people and a rescue mission was launched.”
“How did you survive for so long?”
“I prayed for death several times, but I always survived. When the Terrans arrived to save me, I had just finished a match and was covered in blood and gore. I was half-wild and out of my mind, but some friends were able to snap me out of it. I nearly cried that day, barely held it together as they loaded me onto a ship and took me home.”
“And because of that you don’t go to war anymore?”
“There are parts of my captivity I will never talk about, Jacie, no matter how much you ask. There are things that aren’t fit for you to know. Those on my council are the only ones who know the truth of what happened during my captivity, and they are the only ones who ever will. It was decided that I had sacrificed enough for my people and I was removed from warrior status. I’m more of a mentor and strategist now.”
Jacie squeezed his hand.
“I’m a broken male,” he admitted. “And not deserving of someone like you, or the gift of your children.”
“Barimere, you are a brave, strong, courageous male, and any woman would be lucky to call you her mate. If you were mine, and I was yours, then my babies would be the luckiest babies in all of Zelthrane-3, because they would have you as their father.”
His eyes widened as he stared at her. “What did you call my world?”
“Zelthrane-3.” A smile ghosted her lips. “Vyrex let it slip that this world wasn’t always known as Terran, and I find I prefer your world’s correct name to the one you assumed before making your presence known to us pathetic humans.”
“There is nothing pathetic about you, Jacie.”
“May I ask you something?”
He squeezed her hand. “You may ask anything, but I can’t promise to answer.”
“Will you make love to me, not just for right now, but for however long we’re together? Will you share my bed at night and hold me tight? I’m not asking you to claim me as your mate, not if you really don’t want to, but I think we’ll be good for one another. Will you at least consider that?”
“Jacie…” He sighed. “What you’re asking goes against everything a Terran warrior knows. We’re raised to respect our females, and that if we have an itch to scratch, we should seek out a brothel. Our females are to be loved and cherished, and mated. While you may be human, you’re still considered one of ours because of the children you carry.”
“But first and foremost, I’m a woman, Barimere. I have needs just like you do, and right now, my need is to be close to you. As close as you’ll allow.”
“One day at a time?” he asked. “I don’t want to make a long commitment when I don’t feel that this is the right thing to do, but if you truly want me tonight, then I can give you that much.”
Jacie stood and pulled off her shirt. Her breasts were full and cupped by some lacy thing -- a bra, if he remembered correctly. His cock hardened painfully again as he watched her shimmy out of her pants and stand before him wearing nothing but her undergarments. Gods help him. He wasn’t sure he had the control he so desperately needed.
Chapter Six
Jacie was far from shy and stood confidently before Barimere, despite the stretch marks marring her belly. When he didn’t make a move, she stepped closer to him and reached for his shirt. She paused a moment before pulling it over his head. The scars on his chest and abdomen matched those on his face and made her heart ache for all that he had suffered. Barimere watched her as she caressed his hard pecs and the ridges of his abdomen. Her fingers skated along his firm skin, tracing the lines of his scars.
“Did you really think these would be a turn-off?” she asked. “They’re a part of you, Barimere. To me, they’re a badge of your bravery. Where I come from,
many men come back from war with scars. Some come back missing their arms or legs. And many lose their lives. You claim that you’re no longer a warrior, but that’s not how I see it. To me, you’ll always be the bravest, most courageous warrior of all. You were captured, sold, and despite everything they threw your way, you survived and are here with me today.”
She cupped his cheek and pressed her lips to the scars on the other side.
“There are more,” he said in a voice thick with emotion.
“I don’t care,” Jacie said. “You could be completely covered in scars, missing one of your arms, or only have one leg and I’d still want you just as much as I do right now. Don’t you understand? To me, you’re already perfect. You’re not flawed. You’re… extraordinary.”
She thought she saw a sheen of tears in his eyes, but he blinked and it was gone. Barimere rose to his feet and unfastened his pants. She watched as they dropped, her gaze drawn immediately to the hard cock that brushed against his belly. If there was a word to describe Barimere, it was beautiful.
He kicked his pants away and Jacie quickly stripped out of her bra and panties. Her nipples puckered in the cool air of the room, and her breasts swelled under his attentive gaze. The way his hands clenched and unclenched told her that he wanted to reach for her, to touch her, and yet something held him back. Jacie took one of his hands and placed it on her breast, her nipple brushing against his palm.
Barimere sucked in a breath before reverently caressing her.
“So soft,” he murmured. “I wondered if you’d be this soft.”
“You thought about touching me like this?” she asked.
He nodded and cupped the other breast with his other hand.
His touch was better than she’d have imagined. Her fingers explored his body, as he explored hers. Barimere’s touch was light, as if he were afraid to hurt her. When his hands cupped her rounding belly, she felt a flutter inside. It was something she’d imagined the babies’ father doing, but if she had her way, Barimere would be their father. She wouldn’t press him to take her as a mate, but it was her hope that the more time they spent together, the more intimate they became, he would realize he wanted her in his life permanently.
Love wasn’t part of the equation yet, but she hoped it would be one day. Barimere was the type of man she could see herself loving, the kind of man she wanted to grow old with, raise these children with. She only hoped he would give her a fair chance.
“Maybe we should ask Vyrex if this is a good idea,” Barimere said. “I don’t want to do anything to harm the babies.”
She smiled and dropped to her knees in front of him. “I already asked about sex and I was assured it was fine, as long as you’re careful.”
“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice strangled and his eyes wide as she grasped his shaft and licked the tip.
“I’m going to please you.”
Jacie lapped at him, her tongue sliding along his hard length. As his pre-cum hit her tongue, his taste exploded in her mouth and she hummed in appreciation. Fisting his shaft, she fit her lips around him and took as much of him into her mouth as she could. Barimere bumped the back of her throat and she pulled away before swallowing him down once more. Jacie relaxed her throat, trying to take more of him into her mouth.
“Gods,” he muttered, his fingers delving into her hair. He didn’t force her to take more, just held her as if she were a precious gift.
Jacie pleasured him, bringing him to the brink before backing off. When Barimere jerked her to her feet, Jacie stumbled a moment before catching herself against his body. His breathing was ragged and he looked a little out of control as he lifted her and eased her down onto the bed. She felt him tremble and wondered if he was trying to regain control of himself, or if he was about to take her long and hard.
She shivered just thinking about it, but then remembered the doctor’s orders.
“Barimere, are you okay?” she asked, sifting her fingers through his hair.
“I want you so much I ache,” he said, a slight growl to his voice.
“We have all night,” she said. “And you can have me more than once. This doesn’t have to be our only time together.”
“I’m scared that I’ll hurt the babies or you,” he admitted.
“Just take it slowly and everything will be fine. I trust you, Barimere.”
He kissed her leisurely, his tongue thrusting into her mouth as his body settled over hers. She parted her thighs, cradling his body between them. When his cock brushed against her damp curls, she moaned and kissed him harder. The kiss was fierce and passionate as she tried to claim him as her own.
The head of his cock eased between her slick lips and he rocked his hips, thrusting into her tight channel. She felt her body grip him and wondered if he was so large he’d split her in two. When he was fully seated, she lifted her hips and ground herself against him.
As Barimere moved within her, she arched to meet each possessive thrust. He began rocking into her with long strokes, his cock zapping every nerve ending inside her and making her squirm for more. He delved deeper within her with each rhythmic push. Jacie wrapped her legs around his waist, holding him tight as he took her to dizzying heights.
She lifted her hips to his thrusting body, aching for more. As everything spun out of focus, and her breath caught in her throat, she let go and cried out his name as her channel clamped his cock tightly and milked his seed from him. Barimere kissed her hungrily as he came inside of her.
With their hearts beating out of control, Barimere rolled to his side and pulled Jacie with him, their bodies still connected. Jacie couldn’t remember a time she’d ever felt more cherished than she did right now. Even knowing this was just a one-time thing, as far as Barimere was concerned, she still loved being in his arms.
“I’ve never felt anything like that before,” she said, pressing a kiss to his jaw. “I know it took a lot for you to hold back like that…”
“I have a warrior’s control. I didn’t hurt you?”
“No. It was… perfect.”
His lips tipped up at one corner. “There’s that word again.”
She wanted to tell him that he was everything she’d ever wanted, but she didn’t dare. Her stomach saved her from coming up with something else to say, rumbling its displeasure. It had been a while since she’d eaten and she knew Vyrex would be upset with her not eating those five small meals like they’d discussed. She’d missed lunch and probably should have eaten prior to and after that. Looking out the window at the setting suns, she realized it was now dinnertime.
“I told you I would be a bad mate,” he grumbled. “I should have fed you instead of taking you to bed. I’m already breaking every rule the doctor set in place today.”
He disengaged their bodies and rolled away from her, quickly jerking on his pants. She felt his loss and wished he’d come back and hold her again. With a sigh, she realized there would be no soft words. As Barimere walked out of the bedroom, Sugarbutt rushed inside and leapt onto the bed, purring and rubbing his head against her arm.
“Sugarbutt, I think I screwed up.”
Maroo. Sugarbutt bumped his head against her chin, then hopped down and went back to the living room. Jacie hadn’t heard the outer door open, so she assumed Barimere was still in her suite. She rolled to her feet and padded into the bathroom. After a quick shower, she pulled on a sundress and some canvas slides. She braided her wet hair, then steeled her nerves and went into the living room, looking for Barimere. He stood by the window, surveying the city below.
“I’m ready to go eat,” she said quietly, feeling rather subdued. This hadn’t gone at all the way she’d hoped. If anything, she’d just pushed him farther away instead of drawing him closer.
Barimere faced her with a grim expression and escorted her out the door. She placed her hand in the crook of his arm, but it felt like he was miles away. His posture was stiff and he was tightlipped. The closeness she’d felt with him was long
gone, and she despaired of it ever returning.
When they reached the restaurant, Jacie followed him meekly inside and took the seat he offered. Barimere sat opposite her and began looking at the menu. Jacie selected the first thing she saw, not really caring what she ate. What little appetite she’d had was now long gone. Her future was looking rather bleak. Barimere might be forced to spend time with her, but it was obvious that he didn’t want to. After he returned her to her room and went to his own quarters, she’d contact the council about assigning her a new bodyguard. And the idea of sharing a home with someone else was displeasing, so she’d insist on staying in the tower. She wasn’t completely helpless and could take care of herself, if they’d allow her to.
Not a word was spoken the entire meal and the tension between them grew. By the time they returned to the tower, Jacie was near tears. Opening her door, she slipped inside and closed it in Barimere’s face. She tensed, wondering if he would unlock it and follow her, but she heard his footsteps recede down the hallway. A tear slipped free and she hastily wiped it away.
It took her several tries, and many wrong calls, before she reached Councilman Larimar. He smiled when he saw her, then the smile slipped from his face.
“What’s wrong? Has something happened with the babies?” he asked.
“The babies are fine. I’m calling to request another bodyguard.”
“You think you need two?” He frowned. “Are you sure something hasn’t happened?”
“Not two. I need one to replace Barimere. It… it’s not working out. He should be allowed to return to his life.”
“I see.”
The councilman looked pissed and Jacie wondered if she’d been wrong to call him. She didn’t want him to be angry with Barimere. If anything, she was to blame for what had happened, not the sexy alien.
“I thought we were growing closer, but I can tell it isn’t going to work between us. He’s been quite adamant that he doesn’t want a mate, and I think he resents having to be with me. I’d like to request another guard be assigned to me.” She took a breath. “And I don’t want to move into a house with them. The current setup is just fine.”
Jacie and the Alien Bodyguard (Intergalactic Brides 6) Page 6
