“Of course. It was in the—”
“Earth manual,” she finished for him. “I’m going to have to read this Earth manual.”
They strolled onto the dance floor to join the other couples. Thank goodness, it was a slow song. She didn’t need to coordinate her feet in a hurry. She had time to think. A vision of her spread-eagle on the ground, her red dress around her hips sent a shudder winging through her body.
“Stop thinking so hard,” Alex murmured. “I won’t let you fall.” He drew her into his arms, pulling her flush with his body. His cock pressed into her belly.
“I’m not going to be the one with the problem.” She winked at him. As she spoke, the lights lowered, giving a more private ambience to the large hall.
She rested her head on his shoulder and let the music flow through her body. They barely moved from their spot. The song finished and the band slid into the next number. Lily and Alex stayed entwined, swaying and rubbing their bodies together. For the first time in her life, she was having fun on a dance floor.
“This isn’t a good idea,” she whispered, leaning up to reach his ear.
“What’s not to like? I have you in my arms—your nipples are stabbing my chest giving me all sorts of ideas. And that’s just for starters.” His wicked tone teased.
Lily didn’t have to look at his face to know he sported a wide grin.
“I have an idea. Why don’t we go outside and explore the gardens?”
Lily’s heart pounded faster. He wasn’t suggesting a walk in the garden. When one golden eye closed in a wink, she knew it for sure.
“I’ll meet you outside in a few minutes.” Lily felt as if she’d leapt off a huge cliff into the unknown, even though spending time with Alex made her happy.
“Don’t be long.” He trailed his hand down her back to cup one buttock lightly before stepping away. “I’ll be waiting.”
A smile played on her lips as she walked from the ballroom and down a brightly lit passageway to the restrooms. She pushed through the door and stepped inside. Several feminine voices floated from the separate but adjacent powder room.
“What does he see in her?”
“I know! She’s fat. He’s a babe. He could have any woman he wanted.”
“She must have some sort of hold over him.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know—maybe blackmail. Maybe he works for her parents and like he has to be nice to her.”
Lily’s hands clenched at her sides. They were only saying what she’d thought. But hearing the thoughts aloud made them real and hurtful. Then, she thought about the way Alex had shifted toward her when the women came on to him.
“But did you see the way they were dancing?”
“I know! Like she was all over him.”
They didn’t have that quite right. Alex had held her close without coercion. They were wrong. She knew it and that was all that mattered. With blazing cheeks, Lily stalked past the gossiping women. Her high-heels beat an indignant tattoo on the tiled floor as she pushed open the door of the stall and locked herself inside. She heard whispers then a series of footsteps as the two young women beat a hasty retreat. It took longer for the temper to fade from her cheeks, and her color still ran high when she walked proudly down the passageway and outside into the cool night air.
“What took you so long, moon heart? I’ve been waiting.” Alex took her hand and drew her into a small walled garden to the left of where he’d waited. The scent of roses drifted from four ceramic containers and the stronger, more pungent aroma of rosemary came from a nearby hedge. A row of colored lights edged the footpaths, lighting them enough for safe navigation by evening strollers.
“I walked in on the two girls that we sat next to at dinner. They were gossiping. About me. And you.” Anger built inside her again. She should’ve said something. She should have let loose with a cutting remark. Lily sighed, unhappy and angry with herself more than anything. It was always easier thinking up clever, witty, sarcastic remarks after the event.
Lily’s anger bled through even though she aimed for calm and casual.
Alex grasped her shoulders and backed her into a darker corner where the light didn’t penetrate the shadows.
“I’ve told you before, and this is the last time I intend repeating it. You are not fat. I find you beautiful.”
With each crisp, snapped word, Alex shook her. Lily stared, unable to tear her eyes away from his stern, almost savage expression.
“Do you understand?” Another shake. “Do you?”
“Yes,” Lily whispered.
“Good.” Alex took her lips in a hard, bruising kiss that rocked Lily to her toes. She held tight, riding the roller-coaster kiss, both giving and taking. Their tongues swirled in an intimate dance, tasting. Mating. The heated kiss sent urgent messages to the rest of her body. Her breasts tingled against the silky fabric of her bodice and her tiny nub pulsed and dewed.
Lily ran her hands through Alex’s blond hair, reveling in the intense kiss that felt like a stamp of possession.
Alex pulled away to run his hand down over the silky fabric. His fingers skimmed beneath the hem and back up, tracing bare skin and only pausing when he encountered the tight curls guarding her pussy. “You’re so wet, so ready for me.”
Lily swallowed. The man looked like sex on a stick. Women watched him, but he kissed her. How could she not want him?
His finger slid along her cleft, parting her folds to probe her intimately. Lily threw her head back, squeezed her eyes shut and thrilled to his possession. As his finger danced across her clit, light enough to tease but firm enough for her to experience a pleasurable jolt, Lily thanked the stars for Earth manuals. Alex pulled back then thrust one finger inside her slick channel. She bit her lip, trying to contain the building whimper of pleasure. They were in a public place. Anyone could walk into the walled garden. But the danger of discovery didn’t halt the escalating ecstasy that swirled through her aroused body. It made her hotter. A second finger joined the first, filling her, stretching her pussy, but it wasn’t enough.
“More.” Lordy, she sounded like Oliver demanding food. She sounded like Killer. “I need you. Inside me.”
Alex pumped three fingers into her and skated his thumb over her aching clit.
Voices sounded on the other side of the brick wall where they stood.
“Hell, Lily. You make me so hot. I can’t resist.”
Did he want to? Lily thrust the thought aside to mull over later.
He pulled his fingers free with a soft squelching sound. Lily bit back her instinctive disappointment. Maybe Alex wasn’t as turned on about sex in a public place as she seemed to be. No doubt, the notion would horrify her later, but right now, she was ready to touch herself, bring herself to orgasm.
Her hand cruised down her leg as the thought formed.
“Turn around.” Alex’s tone was rough. “Put your hands against the brick wall, where I can see them.”
When Lily was slow to follow the order, Alex placed her in the position.
Hot waves of lust swept through her belly, a contrast to the hard, cold brick beneath her palms. Lily trembled, her breathing ragged. Rapid. She heard the rasp of his zipper and the rustle of fabric. Then she felt cool air on her buttocks. She gasped, her heart double pumping in acute anticipation. Her skin prickled and her clit throbbed without mercy, swollen and ready to explode.
“Bend over a little, moon heart. Yes, that’s it.” Smoky desire throbbed in his voice, pooling blood in her nether regions, sending her pulse racing. His erection nudged at her buttocks. Mindless longing made her push back. She felt him position his cock, then with one seamless thrust, he entered her. Her channel contracted around him. Feeling pleasantly full and thoroughly decadent, she clenched her vagina, gripping his cock with her inner muscles. Alex’s breath emerged with a soft hiss. He withdrew and thrust slowly, filling her sweetly.
Voices sounded again. Closer. Lily held her breath, waiting, desir
ing Alex’s next unhurried thrust with every fiber of her being. He set a lazy pace, as if they had all the time in the world. His fingers cupped her breasts, stroked her nipples, keeping up his easy thrust and retreat. Lily strained against him, savoring the slap of fabric against her bare buttocks. Her clitoris pulsed and burned as she balanced on a precipice.
The voices moved closer, Alex increased his pace. Lily could hear the crunch of gravel beneath shoes, the soft chatter. She was so close to coming. So close.
“Oh, Goddess,” Alex breathed close to her ear. His hips jerked, the pace quickening. Lily bit back a groan as fireworks burst behind closed eyelids. Alex thrust once more and she roared into orgasm, the pulsing of her clit going on for endless minutes. The footsteps sounded almost directly behind them. Alex pulled from her pussy and tugged her dress down in one quick move. Alex zipped himself up then yanked her into his arms and kissed her as if he’d never let her go.
“Oops! This corner is taken,” a masculine voice said. “Sorry.” Footsteps retreated and faded.
Alex kissed her until they were both breathless and panting. He pulled away and brushed her loose hair from her face. A grin played on his lips as he tugged a handkerchief from his trouser pocket and handed it to her to clean up.
“How about if we head back to our room?”
Lily’s heart raced, and she couldn’t help smiling in return. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”
Chapter Twelve
They ended up staying two more nights, exploring the area and each other. Time well invested. Alex watched Lily and Killer through a huge plate glass window while he waited in the office for Janet. A grin curved his lips as his eyes lingered on Lily. Neither of them had slept much the previous night, and just looking at her curvy form now made his tom jump. He had to face the truth. He’d bonded with Lily. The thought of touching another woman left him cold.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Alex.” Janet touched his arm in a familiar manner that raised a frown. Women kept doing that—looking at him as if he were a piece of…that Earth stuff. Yeah, chocolate.
“You’ve got my contact details? My business card?” Janet smiled and her eyes twinkled with a flirtatious glint.
Her personal attention gave Alex the flying wonkies. He reached for the cream business card, taking care not to make contact in any way. Chocolate was highly overrated. Alex would take Lily any day.
“Thank you. Lily and I will be in contact.”
Janet’s smile didn’t falter. Puzzled, Alex lifted his hand in farewell. He cast a furtive look at his reflection in a small mirror as he headed for the door. His appearance didn’t seem any different from the refection he’d seen this morning when he’d dragged a comb through his hair. Dark hair. A scar and pitted skin. Big nose. Blue eyes. Nope, he bore no resemblance to the Prince.
“Hey, guys. Ready to go?” he asked. After the days exploring the lower North Island, he was eager to see the capital city and head for the South Island.
“Hey, Alex!” Killer barked. “I say goodbye to Maxwell. One final bum sniff.” She trotted over to a sleek Border collie on the other side of the car park.
“I know more about Killer’s love life than I wanted to hear,” Lily said dryly. “The wee dog is smitten.”
“If she stops talking about food for five minutes, then her love life is a good thing.”
Lily smiled, although Alex thought it was a trifle forced. She’d acted preoccupied ever since breakfast. She hadn’t eaten much either. A shudder worked its way through his body without warning. Like an omen. He surreptitiously crossed his fingers behind his back to negate the hovering bad luck. Yet still, the back of his neck prickled. He turned, trying to keep his manner casual, and surveyed the parking area. Nothing struck him as out of place.
“We’re booked on the mid-day ferry crossing,” Lily said, “so that gives us time to do a little more sightseeing around the city first. Do you have a list of places you wish to visit?”
The burning itch on his neck continued making him edgy and unsettled. He climbed into the passenger seat, leaving the door open for Killer. Nope, still nothing out of place. As Killer jumped over his legs and settled in the rear seat, Alex decided the problem was his conscience. Despite the bonding, he still intended to leave. Pursuing his dream meant the difference between self-respect and defeat. It was about pride. Unfortunately, Lily had only entered his life one week ago. The battle for pride and self-respect was much older and important to him.
* * * * *
“I don’t like this,” Killer whined. “The floor moves.”
“It won’t feel so bad once we’re on deck in the fresh air,” Lily said patiently.
Alex wanted to wring the bloody dog’s neck. Once they’d left Martinborough, she started right in on him, throwing Janaya and her prowess as an Imperial Guard in his face. Alex was all for tossing the devil creature overboard. But in the interests of peace and his sanity, he suggested the one thing that would take the dog’s mind off her uneasiness at being on the water. “We can purchase food upstairs.”
“Food?” Killer’s tail gave a half-hearted wag and her ears perked up as much as a pair of floppy ears could. “Did ya mention food?”
“Yeah, I don’t quite believe it myself. Let’s go.”
They walked past several parked vehicles and still more drove up a ramp to park on the lower deck. The noise grated and exhaust fumes lay heavy in the air.
Killer sneezed. Twice. “Don’t like in here,” she grumbled. “Tickles nose.”
“Walk faster,” Lily whispered, her blue eyes full of silent laughter. “Before you blow a fuse.”
Alex frowned at the unfamiliar saying. Sounded painful to him, so he increased his pace as he led the way up the narrow staircase.
Up on the main deck, the tang of the sea replaced the exhaust fumes. White birds wheeled through the sky, other passengers chatted with excitement and waves surged and retreated with soft swishes against the side of the ferry. A sense of wellbeing flooded Alex as he curved his arm around Lily’s waist and balanced on the deck. Perhaps bonding with Lily wasn’t the worst thing to happen. For the first time in years, he felt content within himself. Something to consider.
“Food. You promised,” Killer yipped.
“What would you like?”
Killer cocked her head. “Maybe pie. Steak pie. Or sausage roll. They nice. And like biscuits. Ice cream good. Maybe—”
“One steak pie coming right up,” Alex interrupted. Hell, if he let the dog choose, they’d be here all day. He joined the line at the self-serve counter, purchasing a pie for Killer and coffee for him and Lily.
Lily guided Killer to a corner table and sat.
“Boat moving,” Killer said.
Lily ran her hand over Killer’s glossy coat in a soothing manner. It wasn’t just to soothe Killer. She didn’t mean to, but every time they went out in public together, she watched other women eye Alex. Then she became nervous and anxious and it colored the way she acted.
“Who Alex talking to?” Killer asked.
Lily’s stomach roiled, and it had nothing to do with the swell rocking the ferry. The dark-haired woman who talked and laughed with Alex was beautiful. The green-eyed jealousy monster nipped at her self-confidence. Yet again. Her hand slowed, finally coming to a halt on Killer’s back.
“Don’t stop.” Killer nudged Lily’s leg in an insistent manner. “What you look at?”
“Alex.” His name came out before her brain engaged. Lily bit her lip and hoped Killer would refrain from commenting.
“You like Alex?”
And maybe the sun would stop rising each morning.
“He’s okay.”
“You share room.”
“Yeess.”
“What you do?”
Holy heck. “We…um…talked…and then…um…slept.” And a whole lot of censorship in between.
“Hmmm.” Killer peered at her closely. “Then why you look tired?”
“Alex snores.
”
“Moon heart, here’s your coffee,” Alex said.
Talk about great timing. “Thanks.” She caught sight of the dark-haired woman standing almost right behind Alex. Lily placed her hand on Alex’s arm in a statement of ownership and smiled up at him. She caught the astonishment then resignation as the woman turned away. Unladylike triumph shot through her as she restrained a smirk.
“Here’s your pie, Killer.” Alex pulled the pie from its brown paper bag and placed both beneath the table. Then he sat opposite Lily and studied her, his lips curling up at the very corners. His attention was solely on her—Lily didn’t see him so much as glance at another woman. Her heart flip-flopped as she remembered making love early this morning. She fidgeted on the hard plastic chair, recalling memories of her and Alex. Naked skin. Entwined limbs. Slow, lazy strokes. Moisture pooled between her legs, dampening her panties at the memory. Lord help her, she was ready for another go-round with his sexy blue equipment. She was addicted to the big blue.
“How long to ground again? Don’t like.”
“I’m not buying you another pie,” Alex snapped.
“Why not? Janaya—”
Lily couldn’t contain her amusement. If she pretended hard enough, they sounded like a family. Mom. Dad. Bickering kids. Her grin died a rapid death. Something she wouldn’t have because Alex intended to leave. Killer cuffed Lily’s leg with her paw. “Lily, how long?”
Lily glanced at Alex’s watch. “Another two hours.”
“Two hours! Need ’nother pie. Need strength to earn collar.”
“All right. All right! I’m going.” Alex sent the dog a dark glare. She talked a load of gobbledygook sometimes. “You know I read they eat d—”
“Alex!” Lily protested. “Killer doesn’t need to know that.”
After Killer ate her second pie, they wandered the deck—some of the time hand-in-hand and not at her instigation. It was Alex who picked up her hand and retained possession. He didn’t notice the adulation and silent whispers from the team of netball players. When the coast of South Island came into sight and they were almost in the port of Picton, they made their way to the lower decks where they’d left their vehicle.
Alexandre Page 14
