Duel Citizenship

by Cassandra Chandler

  This didn’t seem like simply sharing a meal. He remembered how it had felt when she brushed her thumb across his lips earlier. What had that meant?

  The other Sadirians on Earth had warned him that the cultural indoctrination program was insufficient. He knew several slang expressions, and their communication was improving. But there were so many customs and idioms to learn.

  Feeding each other like this felt…intimate. There had to be some sort of significance to it.

  The arrangement of the table in the odd shaped room gave them each a small space in front of them for their plates while the majority of dishes sat out of the way to the side. Their chairs had started facing each other, though at a slight angle, and close enough that they could lean forward and kiss.

  His stomach dipped at the thought, a thrill flooding through him not unlike entering a planet’s orbit in a high-G maneuver. She had moved her chair closer. Close enough that he could feel the heat from her skin.

  She picked up one of the triangles of bread and leaned forward. Their legs brushed, but instead of moving away, she let her knee rest against his thigh. Her skirt didn’t reach that far. Their bare skin pressed together.

  He shifted toward her without thinking, keeping the contact, letting her knee push the fabric of his shorts higher. His dick was stiffening and he didn’t know what to do about it.

  Well, he had some ideas.

  Gossip on the Arbiter covered this, too. Earth sex. How humans would join their bodies naturally, without needing chemical assistance, like Coupling—the drug the Coalition provided to citizens to satisfy their needs.

  Ari had never joined in with the chatter—never wanted people to know that he had tried sex with a few partners without using the drug. They had all consented to his odd preference, but had wanted to use Coupling themselves.

  The experiences had been unsatisfying.

  It wasn’t about the climaxes. Those were fine. The issue he had was with knowing that he didn’t even need to be there for his partner, and they didn’t need to be there for him. It seemed so pointless.

  But just the thought of sliding into Sarah, of feeling her muscles clench around him, knowing that her responses would only be because of him and what he was doing to her, what they were sharing with each other… That would have purpose.

  His neck tingled. His skin felt alive with that strange sensation of unguarded electricity hovering close. It spread across his shoulders, up to his cheeks and down his chest.

  Could this be what had caused her cheeks to redden? He glanced at her shoulders and chest to see that her skin had a flush to it that covered everything he could see. And he could see more than he’d realized at first.

  Her dress was dark green, with thin straps holding it up at the shoulders. Her chest was exposed, the tops of her full breasts gleaming in the pale light.

  What he could see was softness. Fullness. Another texture that he wanted to experience, with his hands, his mouth…

  She ran the bread across his lip. He let her feed him another bite.

  Chapter Six

  Sarah watched Ari’s eyes drift shut as she fed him another piece of soft pita bread. She knew food could be a romantic and sensual experience, but this was so far beyond that.

  After getting past the self-consciousness of someone watching her eat with such a high level of intensity, she started feeling the act as a sort of connection. It was like sex, but through feeding each other.

  How had she never tried this before?

  The bread was still warm. She’d made sure to time baking it so they could enjoy it when it was fresh.

  Ari slid another bite into her mouth. She must have eaten this a thousand times, but she’d never noticed the creamy texture of the hummus in quite the same way. If he didn’t make a move soon, she was going to jump on him.

  His hands lingered near her face, fingers trailing down her cheeks and along the sides of her neck. He hesitated briefly before shifting his touch to her arms. For a moment, she’d been sure he was going to cup her breasts.

  She picked up another piece of pita, wishing she’d made more and wanting to move on to what she hoped came next at the same time. Their gazes locked as she fed him, tracing her fingertips over his lips, then over the strong muscles that flexed as he chewed.

  He dropped his hands to her legs, warm fingers sliding along her thighs before gripping them tighter and pulling her onto his lap so that she straddled him.

  Okay, that was just the right amount of pita.

  She rested her forearms on his shoulders, leaning close, imagining how his lips would feel on hers—how he would taste.

  “Sarah.”

  She wanted to keep watching his lips form her name. She wanted to kiss them. To feel them on her body. But she pulled her attention back to his eyes.

  He slid his hands further up her thighs, under her skirt. Squeezed the softness of her hips and pulled her closer, but not quite close enough.

  “This seems like an invitation,” he said. “But I don’t want to misread the situation.”

  She ran her fingertips along his temple, across a strong cheekbone, then over his lips. “If you think this means I want to have sex with you, you’re not misreading the situation at all.”

  “Thank the stars.” He finally pulled her tight against his dick, taking her lips with his in one graceful movement.

  Absolute bliss.

  He pressed himself against her, wrapping one arm around her lower back to hold her close and gripping the nape of her neck. His hand was so big, he could easily encourage her to tilt her head to the exact angle he wanted. He kept his touch gentle.

  She needed more. More skin on skin, more heat.

  Reaching between them, she quickly unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it open. He hissed in a breath when she pressed her hands against his chest, following the curves and valleys of his muscles with her fingertips.

  She kissed along his neck and he leaned back in his chair, eyes closed. She took the opportunity to explore him with her gaze, her fingers, her lips. The loose fabric of his shirt had hidden how perfectly he was formed. She’d never been with someone so built before.

  She shook herself internally, pushing away her self-doubt, telling herself not to question this experience. She wanted to revel in it.

  Whether it was to be a fleeting encounter or the start of something deeper, she reminded herself to be in the moment, to feel everything. She wanted them to enjoy each other fully.

  But not in her restaurant.

  She rose to her feet, though she could feel her legs trembling. The intensity of his gaze made the fluttering in her stomach erupt into a wave of heat that shot through her body.

  “There’s a ladder in the kitchen that goes up to my loft,” she said.

  He nodded, then stood up as well, towering over her. She led him to the ladder that was set into the wall.

  Ari climbed behind her gracefully, skipping every other rung. As she opened the trap door in the ceiling, she wondered what he would think of the tiny loft where she lived. He would only be able to stand all the way up in the exact center of the room, if that.

  Her desk was built into the wall in front of the biggest window. Her bed took up most of the remaining space. Her few personal belongings—mostly books and clothes—were under the bed in plastic tubs to keep the moisture and bugs away. Not that she’d seen any bugs since the lizards had moved into her tree.

  A tiny bathroom was just past the even tinier closet, fed through a rainwater reservoir on the roof. She had just checked the tank that morning, making sure the water looked clear and nothing was leaking.

  The pale green throw on her bed complemented her sage sheets. She had put up more of the strings of tiny clear lights all over the space, lighting it with a soft glow.

  Ari pulled himself up through the trapdoor and sat on the floor, looking around with a smile on his face. He rose in a crouch and took a few steps to the window, looking out at the tree, then turned back to the
room, still smiling.

  “It isn’t much, but it’s home,” she said.

  “It’s wonderful.”

  He rolled onto her bed and stretched out with his arms behind his head. Closing his eyes, he let out a deep sigh. He seemed completely relaxed in the cramped environment. It was odd how easily he moved in the confined space.

  His shirt had fallen open, driving that line of thought from her mind. She enjoyed the view for a moment, then sat next to him on the bed. His steady breath and broad smile helped calm her nerves.

  It had been a long time since she’d had sex. Even longer since she’d made a move on someone she’d known for such a brief time. This still felt like the right choice, though.

  Taking a soothing breath, she sank into the sensations her body was feeding her, just like in her yoga practice, deeply connecting her awareness with her body. She reached for his chest again, trailing her fingertips over his muscles.

  “I’m surprised at how comfortable you are in the treehouse,” she said. “Were you assigned to submarines or something?”

  His eyes opened, a crease appearing between his eyebrows.

  “Or something.” He picked up her hand and pressed it against his chest. “I can’t—”

  “Talk about it.” She nodded. “Yeah, I get it. I just… I guess I’m trying to learn a little more about you. I don’t usually invite guys I’ve just met into my bedroom.”

  He sat up, bringing their bodies close. Her concerns scattered.

  “Why did you, then?”

  She searched for the right words before answering.

  “Have you ever met someone and they seemed familiar right away? As if you could feel your future with them rippling back through time and letting you know that something was there? Something important?” She realized how that sounded, and immediately backpedaled. “I mean, not a long future or forever or anything. Just… You know, like this. Us being here.”

  She was rambling again.

  He nodded, and said, “I’ve felt that before.”

  “Oh.”

  Her stomach sank.

  “This morning. When I met you.”

  “Oh…”

  He opened his mouth, but closed it again without speaking. He let out a deep sigh before he spoke. “I don’t want to mislead you. I feel something strong between us. But I’m not going to be in town long. I can’t stay.”

  Her chest constricted. She was surprised she could be so disappointed when they had only just met. All the hope that she didn’t even realize was building around him toppled onto her, making it hard to breathe.

  Some people would have lied just to make sure they wouldn’t scare off a potential lover. Ari was giving her a chance to cut her losses and walk away. But she knew she wouldn’t.

  If their time was that limited, she didn’t want to waste any of it.

  Chapter Seven

  This was insane. Ari was considering disobeying orders and telling Sarah everything. About his mission, the threat to Earth, that he had been born—created—on a space station orbiting Sadr-4. All of this after a few conversations and a shared meal.

  After a kiss.

  Kira had warned him that Earth could be bewildering. He’d had no idea how accurate that was.

  “I don’t think—”

  “Good.” Sarah grabbed his shirt and dragged it over his shoulders and down his back. “We need to stop thinking. Both of us.”

  Stars, that sounds wonderful.

  He shrugged his shoulders free of his shirt, leaving it behind in her hands. She tossed it aside, then wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips seeking his out for a searing kiss. His hands flexed on the back of her dress as her tongue slid into his mouth.

  Dinner had been a glimpse of what this could be. He understood that so much better now.

  He did his best to match her movements, stroking her tongue with his, sucking it. She let out a groan, pressing herself against his chest.

  Gripping the straps of her dress, he pulled them down her shoulders. She straightened her arms, helping him to peel the garment from the top of her torso. Her nipples had firmed, contrasting the softness surrounding them. He had to see. To touch.

  Her areolas were large, a slightly darker shade than her olive skin. He cradled her breasts reverently, using his lips to caress her nipples. He drew one into his mouth, stroking it with his tongue.

  Her fingers dug into his shoulders and she gasped. Her hips rocked against him, as if she was as desperate as he was to feel his dick buried in her.

  He rolled her onto her back, then sat at the edge of the bed so he could pull her dress over her hips and down her legs and cast it away. She was wearing an intricately woven undergarment of rich brown that hugged her hips and gave him a tantalizing glimpse at her skin beneath. So little was between them.

  He unfastened his cargo shorts, then kicked off the loafers, sending a silent “thank you” to Brendan at the ease of their removal. He paused as he remembered their last conversation, and the “special supplies” Brendan had given him. Condoms.

  “Just in case,” Brendan had said. “Earthlings seem to have quite an effect on Sadirians.”

  Ari had never dreamed he would use them, but was grateful again. They were in the oversized pocket on the right leg of his shorts. He stood, hunched over in the small space, and pulled out the box, then set it on the bed.

  “I’m glad you’re prepared, because even if I had condoms that were less than a year old, they would not fit you.”

  Sarah was staring at the hard ridge of Ari’s dick pressing against his shorts. She scooted to the edge of the bed, and sat in front of him. The intensity of her gaze sent more electric thrills through him.

  “May I?”

  He wasn’t sure what she was asking for, so he said, “Sure,” hoping he could figure it out along the way.

  She gripped the sides of his shorts and pulled them down far enough for gravity to take over. After he stepped out of them, she flung them aside. Then she pressed her hand against his shaft.

  His chest constricted. He had to fight to steady his breath. Feeling her hand through the thin fabric of his undergarment, knowing her entire focus was on him, her body and senses primed for him… It was almost too much. He took several slow breaths to calm himself down.

  She traced his dick with her fingers, helping it to turn upright before pulling the waistband of his boxer-briefs down slightly. As soon as his crown was exposed to the balmy air, she ran her fingertips lightly over his heated skin, sending shooting waves of pleasure across his nerves.

  He reached for her to…pull her away? Closer? He wasn’t even sure. But when he reached her hair, the softness of it added to the sensations cascading through him. He buried his fingers in the featherlight strands, gently stroking the sides of her neck.

  She leaned forward, maybe as off balance as he felt. At least she was sitting. He didn’t want her to fall again.

  Instead of leaning against him, she brought her tongue to his dick, stroking it in a quick motion before sucking the tip into her mouth.

  “Stars…” he breathed.

  She pulled down his boxer-briefs, letting his dick fall from her mouth, but running her cheek along its length. The softness of her skin against such a sensitive part of his body sent pulses of pleasure through him, thrumming along his nerves. He managed to step out of his undergarments, staring down at her in awe.

  This was what it was like to share each other’s bodies. Sensation, pleasure, touch. He’d never experienced such intimacy.

  She brought her hands around to cup his ass, squeezing his muscles, then nuzzled his dick again. “I’ve never heard someone use ‘stars’ that way, but I like it.”

  He couldn’t even bring himself to fault his lapse. Nothing could diminish this moment.

  “I want to see if I can make you say it again.” She smiled up at him as she ran her tongue along the underside of his dick.

  He groaned, tightening his grip on her hair, being careful
not to pull it. He just needed to feel grounded, to experience what she was doing to him with as much of his body as possible. She circled his crown with her tongue, then sucked his dick deep into her mouth.

  “Stars,” he grunted out. “Oh, stars, Sarah.”

  She intensified the pressure of her tongue, swirling it along his shaft. She pushed on his ass, encouraging him to move against her.

  Carefully, he thrust his hips toward her, then pulled back. Every micrometer of movement shuddered through his body. He had never known such bliss.

  Earthlings were innovative. So innovative. He would never have thought to touch someone like this. Even though he hadn’t always used Coupling with his partners, he had never touched or been touched this way.

  He kept thrusting against her, his dick sliding in and out of her mouth as her tongue lapped and swirled. She moved her hands to his ribs and lightly scratched her fingernails down his abdomen.

  More new sensation.

  He let go of her hair and pressed his arms against the ceiling to stabilize himself. She grasped his shaft with one hand, squeezing it tight as she kept sucking on his tip.

  Pressure was building in his groin, a nexus of pleasure in his dick and balls nearing critical mass. If they didn’t stop, he would go off, and then this beautiful experience would be over. He wouldn’t be able to share more with her, feel himself inside of her.

  He started to pull back, but she tightened her grip, circling her fingertips around his sac. It was too much. The last bit of sensation sent him over the edge.

  He exploded into her mouth, pleasure arcing through his body, pounding along his nerves in time with his heartbeat. He thrust against her mouth as she quickened the strokes of her tongue, drinking him in, pumping her hand along his dick.

  “Sarah!” He could barely keep his balance, was only able to breathe her name.

  The lights seemed to dim, the floor shifting beneath his feet. He slid from her mouth, and dropped to his knees in front of her, panting.