“Unless someone is invited into our home as a guest, they will not see your naked feet. This you need to reconcile yourself to.” Then he leaned in to whisper in her ear, “I find your toes very sexy.”
“You find everything sexy,” Izzy muttered with a roll of her eyes and continued to mutter to herself about the stubbornness of aliens. But when Grayson led her outside the dome covering their home for the first time in six weeks, she gasped in pleasure. The feel of the sun on her face was a wonderful thing.
Too happy to be outside to hang onto her irritation, Izzy grabbed his hand and tugged him after her into town.
* * *
Grayson found himself caught up in her joy of the moment. His heart panged to realize just how much his little mate had missed being outside, though it had been necessary to improve her health.
They walked hand in hand through the town, Isabella pointing out different buildings of historical value and waving to people she knew. When they passed the library, she sighed sadly and continued into the small café in the center of the town square.
“Izzy?” A woman gasped in disbelief before grabbing his mate from him and hugging her close. “No one knew what happened to you! We’ve all been so worried.” The woman looked at Grayson suspiciously.
Isabella smiled. “I’m mated to Grayson here; apparently Ramelians have a penchant for fat, middle-aged women. Who knew?”
She and Madge both gasped when Grayson’s large hand clapped off her bottom in warning. “What have I told you about that word, Isabella?”
Izzy blushed hotly. “Sorry, curvy women. Grayson, this is Madge. Madge, my overbearing mate Grayson.”
Madge frowned up at the tall alien. “You better treat her well if you know what’s good for you.”
Grayson blinked down at the fiercely protective old one, pleased she felt so strongly for his little mate, but shocked a woman of any age would speak to him thusly. “I will always care for her. I provide for her every need, even those she does not yet recognize, old one. I appreciate your care for her,” he told the woman formally.
Both women gaped at him in shock, Isabella recovering first. “I’m sorry, Madge, he doesn’t know how rude he’s being. In Grayson speak, he was being respectful,” she assured the other woman while glaring daggers at her mate.
“How did I cause offense?” he asked in confusion.
“Madge, we’ll be over at the corner table. Two number sixes. I can’t wait to get my grease on,” she called over her shoulder as she tugged the large man behind her and pushed him down into a booth. “Grayson, in our culture it is very rude to refer in any way to a woman’s age.”
“You called yourself middle-aged,” Grayson pointed out.
“Yes, but I was talking about myself, that’s different. You can’t say it!”
“This makes no sense, little fire, is she not an old one?” he asked in consternation. Why would it be a problem to point out the age of a person?
“Stop saying that! She’ll hear you!”
“I do not understand this. In Ramel it is a great honor to be considered an old one. It means you’ve gained the wisdom and insight of age, which is something that cannot be taught,” Grayson told her, still in his formal speak.
Isabella sighed, shaking her head. “I guess we’ll chalk this up to more cultural differences like braids and sandals. Like you telling me I can’t wear my hair down or wear sandals in public, I’m telling you not to comment on anyone’s age. Especially a woman’s. Just do it whether you understand or not.”
Grayson frowned, trying to decide if her speech was disrespectful or defiant.
She smiled at him from across the table and patted his hand sympathetically. “No disrespect intended, but some things you really need to be aware of if you’re going to be dealing with the general public.”
He nodded thoughtfully as Madge placed two huge plates in front of them, shooting him another glare for good measure before leaving the table. His little mate had a point; if he was going to be dealing with the earth people, he and his men were going to have to make an effort to understand their ways a little better to prevent causing offense.
Grayson looked down at the food on their plates. It seemed to be a flat brown crust with thick liquid poured over it and the thick white substance next to it. There were also long, shiny green things and a round bread of some type.
He stared dubiously at his plate as his little mate made a sound of pleasure in the back of her throat. Grayson watched as she used her knife and fork to cut a large piece of the brown thing and dipped it in the white stuff before shoveling the huge bite into her mouth.
Eyeing her great pleasure in the food doubtfully, he poked at his own plate with his fork.
“Quit being such a baby, Grayson. Try something new. It’s chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes with gravy and green beans, served with the best potato roll you’ll ever put in your mouth,” Isabella said with a saucy grin before shoveling another forkful of food in her own. She was charming him with her simple joy in this cuisine.
Grayson sighed and cut a small piece of the meat, cautiously tasting it. It was surprisingly good. “I am confused by the term chicken fried. Is it cow or chicken?”
Izzy laughed. “It’s cow. Steak that’s been battered and fried like fried chicken so they call it chicken fried.” She watched him poke around at the food on his plate and decided he needed her help to educate him in the wonders of country cooking in Texas.
She abandoned her own plate for a minute to build the perfect bite for Grayson, putting a bite of steak on the fork, then swirling it through the potatoes and gravy before holding it up to his lips.
Grayson hesitated only a moment before opening his mouth for her. Under her watchful eye, he closed his eyes this time and savored the different flavors covering his palate.
“This is very good,” he told her before digging into his own plate happily, while she devoured everything on her own.
Izzy sat back with a smile, beyond full but still wanting a piece of Madge’s famous pecan pie. She didn’t even have to order; Madge put a piece in front of her when she came to get Izzy’s dinner plate.
“You look good, Izzy,” Madge observed.
“Thank you, healthy food and air, but I’ve really missed your home cooking, Madge,” Izzy said softly. Madge smiled once more at Izzy before heading back to the kitchen.
Izzy rolled her eyes back theatrically after taking a bite of the pie. “Grayson, you have to try this!”
He watched as she cut another piece with her fork and offered it to him. Grayson obeyed her summons, taking the sweet pastry into his mouth. Izzy grinned, watching his eyes light up as the sweetness melted across his tongue.
“May I have another bit, little fire?” he asked hopefully.
Izzy frowned at him thoughtfully. “I don’t know, I usually don’t share my pie with anyone.”
“I’m not just anyone,” Grayson pointed out with a heavy-lidded smile.
She blinked, feeling her lady bits wake up at his steamy look. Oh my, that look didn’t usually come her way until bedtime. It was even harder to resist in the broad light of day. “I’m done.”
Izzy pushed the pie across the table. Grayson took one deliberate bite, running his tongue around his lips as if to catch every morsel while eating her with his eyes.
She squirmed in her seat. “Check, please!”
Grayson laughed. “I will pay for our meal, little fire, you wait here.”
The minute he was gone, Carl Tinton approached her. Carl used to come into the library just to leer at her while making fat spinster jokes at her expense. He’d told her he could go fat for a night or to just to help her with her dry spell. “Well, if it isn’t the chubby little librarian. Hey, Izzy, you porkin’ the big bad alien now? I wouldn’t mind a bit of action with your curvy body myself.”
“Go away, Carl,” Izzy said with disgust.
Carl grabbed her arm and pulled her close as he leaned into her face, his
breath hot with garlic and something sour. “Don’t you get uppity with me, little lady. When these boys go home, you’ll have to make do with the locals again.”
“Let me go!” she cried out when he squeezed her arm painfully.
An enraged bellow filled the dinner when Grayson looked over and saw the little earth man with his hands on Izzy.
Grayson was in front of her in an instant, sending Carl flying across the room and into the jukebox. “You dare to put your hands on my mate?”
Carl looked up fearfully at the huge enraged alien. “Hey, man, I didn’t know. She was flirting with me when you turned your back. I knew she was boinking you but I didn’t realize it was more than casual. She’s always been a bit of slut.”
Izzy gasped, “You liar!” She pushed her way around Grayson to confront the odious little man.
Grayson caught her easily up in his arms. “You will not, Isabella. This creature is beneath your notice. He is merely regretting his loss of opportunity with you. He knows he will never now have the chance to touch you. I will leave you this time, but know this, earth man, if you dare touch my mate again I will kill you. Do not ever make the mistake of touching a Ramelian’s mate again.”
“I touched her plenty before you got here!” Carl yelled.
Grayson shook his head at the little man. “Isabella would never have allowed one such as you to touch her, she was waiting for me.”
Izzy looked up at Grayson from her cradled position in his arms. Feeling her heart swell, she raised a hand to touch the side of his face in wonder. “You love me.” She said the words with certainty, all the doubt suddenly gone from her heart.
He smiled and turned his face to press a kiss into her palm. “Of course I love you, little fire. I knew you were mine from the moment I saw you on that dark little road. Mine to love, mine to cherish, mine to correct. I’ve told you this before, little fire.”
“I didn’t understand. I thought I was just filling a need,” she said softly.
“You are filling a need. A need for you.” Grayson cupped her chin for his kiss. It wasn’t a kiss of passion, rather one expressing his love for her. “I told you a mate is a rare treasure to be cherished and protected. Never taken for granted.”
Women throughout the little diner sighed at the sight of his obvious devotion.
Grayson lowered Izzy to her feet and took her hand. “Come, little fire, let’s go home.”
Without another word to anyone he led her from the diner.
* * *
Once back in their bedroom, Grayson undressed her hurriedly and lay her on the bed while he dealt with his own clothing. Izzy watched him with heavy-lidded eyes, suddenly more desperate for his touch than ever before.
Her brow wrinkled in confusion when he sat down on the edge of the bed instead of coming down over her body.
Grayson held his hand out to her. “Come, little fire. It is time for you to truly submit.”
A flush filled her as Izzy placed her hand in his, lying across his strong thighs as he guided her into position.
Izzy felt something deep within her crack open and release as she found the joy and freedom in submitting her entire being to her mate. He would care for her and never hurt her.
* * *
Grayson felt his heart lodge in his throat at the sight of her submission freely given. In the past, she hadn’t submitted to him by choice; it was taken by him as his due as her mate. Grayson recognized it as the gift it was. This would complete their mating bond and strengthen them as a couple.
He skimmed his hand lightly over her upturned bottom, enjoying the little wriggles of response she couldn’t seem to restrain. She parted her legs for him, in invitation.
Grayson laughed as he began to pepper her bottom with lightly stinging slaps in response to her teasing. As the sting in her bottom grew, he stopped periodically to rub her reddened skin, occasionally just letting his fingers graze her tender moist folds.
Isabella began to writhe over his lap, lifting her hips to meet every slap and soon she was begging him for more. “Harder… oh, Grayson… please… more… harder…”
Soon his palm was falling in a strong and steady rhythm. He tilted her farther over his lap and his hand began to land just over the edge of her weeping slit until suddenly Izzy stiffened and shuddered in completion over his knee.
Grayson smiled and immediately drove two fingers deep inside, reveling in the contraction of her sheath around them. He began a forceful rhythm, thrusting deep and hard as he brought her to the peak and shot her over the edge once again.
Flipping Izzy to her back on the bed, Grayson pressed his face between her quivering thighs, replacing his fingers with his ruthless tongue. He gave her no respite from pleasure, his thumb stroking across her throbbing clit as he moved his tongue quickly in and out of her spasming sheath.
She began to grind up against his face as her body neared completion once again; just inserting the tip of his finger into her bottom sent her flying once again.
Grayson was up over her before Izzy had a chance to come completely down to earth; he held her thighs high and wide as he thrust inside hard, bottoming out as he came to the end of her. Isabella whimpered and begged as he began pounding in and out of her almost immediately. He took her hard and fast until she was screaming hoarsely in release.
He paused, letting her come back to him before starting all over again.
* * *
Izzy lost count of the number of orgasms he gave her as his body labored over hers, love filling her heart as she took everything he wanted to give.
Grayson pulled out for a moment and grabbed something out of the side table. Izzy felt like a pool of liquid as she looked at the formidable-looking butt plug. He turned her to her stomach and lifted her to her knees with her red bottom tilted up for him. “Hold your cheeks open for me, little fire.”
Izzy moved to obey his command almost without thought, pressing her face into the mattress at the embarrassment of holding herself open there, even for him.
Grayson pressed the lubed toy into her tight opening. “Press back, little fire, good girl.” He praised her as she complied, taking the wide toy all the way inside with a little pop. He’d taken her bottom before, but he’d never made her actively participate in the act. Slowly he began to move the toy in and out of her bottom while he stroked her clit.
Izzy gasped and mewled with pleasure, soon begging for the release she knew he could give her.
Grayson slapped her lightly on the bottom. “Patience, little fire, this time we will go together.”
Pressing the plug into place once again, Grayson moved behind her and thrust back inside. He groaned loudly as he filled her. “You’re so tight around me, little fire.”
“Grayson… oh my… so full…” she panted, almost mindless with the sensation of being filled in both places. Then he began to move in long, hard strokes and all she could do was moan as she was bombarded with pleasure.
When Grayson hit the switch at the base of the plug, it began to send hard vibrations through both of her tight little holes, making Izzy scream. Soon he was riding her hard, his thighs slapping against her tender bottom as he pounded into her.
Every inward thrust sent a jolt of movement into the toy lodged deep within her bottom. Soon Izzy was bowing backwards, coming with a shriek before falling limply to the mattress. Only Grayson’s hold on her hips kept her in place for him to finish. He followed her quickly, coming hard as she felt his hot release deep in her channel.
Izzy gave a small whimper as he pulled out of her and another little orgasm slammed into her.
* * *
Grayson ran a soothing hand over her flanks as he removed the plug and threw it into the trash receptacle by the bed.
He pulled his almost unconscious mate into his arms and pulled the covers over them. Isabella placed a soft little kiss onto his chest.
“I love you, Grayson,” she whispered the words an instant before she fell asleep with a soft f
eminine little snore.
A peace Grayson had never known filled him as he fell asleep with his treasure wrapped safely in his arms.
Chapter Six
Izzy looked at the clock over the oven; it was 5:30 pm. Grayson would be home any minute. She grinned as she packed the last of the food in the waiting picnic basket, folding a large soft blanket over the top of the basket.
Then Grayson was there, eyeing the basket with a questioning frown. “What’s this?”
“We’re going on a picnic,” Izzy grinned up at him, grabbing his hand and giving a little tug toward the back door. “Grab the basket. There’s something I want to share with you.”
Grayson allowed her to pull him out the door and to the car. He eyed the little Honda with distaste. “You expect me to ride in your vehicle?”
Izzy grinned even wider. “Yep. We’re going old school for this little outing.”
“I don’t know if this is a good idea, Isabella,” Grayson said seriously.
“Please, Grayson, this is really important to me,” she told him earnestly.
With a sigh, he nodded and climbed into the car on the passenger side after setting the basket down where she indicated on the back seat.
Izzy whooped with glee and jumped in the driver’s seat. In a flash they were speeding down the highway.
“Isabella, you’re driving too fast,” Grayson cautioned, eyeing the speedometer with a frown.
She smirked at him. “I’m barely doing 70, relax. I have everything under control.”
Grayson didn’t say anything else, but Izzy noticed he was white-knuckling the oh-shit handle pretty hard. She decided not to worry about anything but enjoying the drive; it would only take them thirty minutes or so to get to there.
Izzy heard him heave a sigh of relief when she parked under a big oak tree. “Okay, get the basket. We’ll walk the rest of the way from here.”
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