Page 23 of Found By the Alien Warrior

I traced his downturned mouth with my fingertips. "It's not your fault. Besides, thanks to you, I might still have something nice to write home about. That's if we ever get out from this fighter factory."

"We will," he promised, catching my hand and nibbling at the underside of my wrist. The sensation sent shivers down my spine, soft heat blooming across my skin. His other hand slipped through the slit of my dress, skimming my bare thigh. "But if you write home, let's keep some details just between us."

Chapter Ten

SONYA

The dim glow of Aurik's quarters pooled around us like a private universe, the only sounds were our breaths and the distant hum of the ship's engines. I sat on his bed pallet, my dress hitched to mid-thigh, feeling the desire rise in me with every heartbeat.

"I didn't expect us to get this deep right after your match. In fact, I didn't think I could talk much at all after dangling off a ledge."

Aurik's gaze pulled me in, anchoring me to him. "Sonya," he said, his voice a low rumble, "we share something. An emotional connection." His hand, hot and bold, caressed up my leg, pausing just shy of forbidden territory. "And physical." His touch was a spark threatening to ignite the air between us. His fingers traced a searing trail, each one silent proof of my growing need for him.

"Is it always this intense?" My words registered at a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might shatter the fragile moment.

"Only with you," he replied, his eyes never leaving mine.

I could feel the weight of his gaze, heavy with desire and something deeper, something that resonated within my own soul. It was terrifying, this pull towards him. Terrifying and yet welcoming me to embrace it.

"Damn it, Aurik," I breathed out, trying to steady my pulse. "You're making it hard to remember why we should be careful."

"Sonya," he began, his hand still tantalizingly close to where I wanted him most, "everything about this is hard." A naughty grin tugged at his lips, and I recognized the glint of humor in his eyes. Despite the tension, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Understatement of the universe," I quipped back, grateful for the tiny pause from the intensity of our connection.

His chuckle was a deep sound that resonated through the room, mingling with the warmth of his hand against my skin. But even as we laughed, there was no denying the pull that drew us closer, inch by inch.

Our laughter faded, replaced by the magnetic draw of our bodies, the space between us charged with the electricity of unexplored territories.

"Sonya," Aurik whispered my name, as if savoring the syllables on his tongue. His hand remained motionless, a promise and a plea. “Yronians have a particular view on mates and bonding." The air felt thick around us.

I watched him closely, his eyes holding galaxies of unspoken fears and hopes.

“It doesn’t happen for everyone, but if it does, the bond formed is not easily severed." His words hung between us. He offered me a glimpse into his world, a world where connections meant something, and individuals weren’t easily tossed aside and forgotten.

"I desire this... with you, Sonya. To be mated to you." He paused, as if bracing himself against a storm. "But only if you’re sure.”

There it was, the vulnerability he rarely showed, laid out in front of me.

In the silence of his room, I mulled over the idea. Never had I met any other human woman who'd paired with an alien male—nothing beyond hushed rumors and what I saw read online once about the Wanderstar Fleet commander and his human partner. But I never thought I’d be connected to any male, man or alien. I had always thought myself a free spirit.

"Mates?" The word fell clumsily from my lips. My gaze fixed on his, seeking answers in the depths of his otherworldly eyes. It was an idea both thrilling and a bit scary, like stepping off the edge of space without a tether.

"I feel something with you, Aurik." The confession made a lump in my throat. "Something that terrifies me because of how much I want you. We're not the same.” A shaky breath escaped me. "But I'm willing to see where this journey takes us."

His eyes flitted across my face, reading my expression. They settled on my lips, and I could almost taste his relief. "Sonya, your willingness to explore this bond... it means more to me than you know."

Here, in the privacy of Aurik's room, a short hideaway from the chaos of a world that demanded survival above all else, we toyed with the notion of a connection. As his hands started to roam over the curves of my body, mapped out beneath the fabric of my dress, those calloused fingers set fires wherever they touched.

"Your skin," he remarked, watching the tiny hairs on my arms stand on end, "it's like it sings under my touch."

My laugh was a mix of delight and nerves. “You're not so bad yourself."

As his hands trailed up along my ribcage, my own fingers traced the tough seams of his warrior's physique, noting the way his muscles tensed beneath my exploration. He touched me like I was gold, priceless and to be revered. My hands on him were curiosity and awe at his strength and tenderness.

"I don't take this lightly," he confessed after kissing me.

I pulled back just enough to see him. "Neither do I, Aurik." As I spoke, I experienced the weight of our situation settle between us.

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