Page 48 of Aria's Desire

Snapping his mouth closed, he fought back a guilty flush, reconsidering his enjoyment of her ability to read him.

“It does not matter. I don’t believe it would affect your campaign.”

“It matters to you. Tell me.”

“Stubborn,” he growled. She just smirked and waved a hand. Sighing, he told her the truth. “Usually, it would signal the male’s unhappiness with the claim. After the ceremony, they won’t believe that, not once they see you fight. Instead, they will think me incapable of pleasing you. I will be… ridiculed. And you will be pitied. Other males will… seek your favor.” He started to leave it at that, but changed his mind. It was manipulative of him, but he couldn’t stop the words from slipping off his tongue. “I will more than likely be challenged for my place. You will be beset with males offering to pleasure you, giving you gifts, showing off their skills.”

Sin growled, obviously liking that idea as much as Rellik did.

As he’d known it would, Aria’s expression showed both aversion and outrage. His words had been true, but he’d known telling her those things would insite her protectiveness. More, he knew exactly how much she would dislike the thought of being hounded by males. If she were a Gaiaeshi female, she’d welcome the idea, would happily allow the males an opportunity to demonstrate their sexual prowess.

But, not his Aria.

Rellik knew all too well that the flirtation and seduction tactics males were taught didn’t work on her. Instead of luring her in, they made her avoid you. Thinking of that, he almost wished he hadn’t said anything so he could watch those males flounder as he had when she didn’t react the way they expected to their overtures.

“Then, we do it.”

Rellik blinked, stunned. That was exactly what he’d wanted her to say, and, yet… He narrowed his eyes on her, not believing she meant it. “Just like that?”

“Yep. Ridicule you? I don’t fucking think so.” A thought seemed to occur to her and her eyes widened, the red on her cheeks surging back. “Er, question though. When you sayplease me, do you mean… touching or, ahem, oral?”

Rellik felt his lips twitch, his own discomfort at manipulating her forgotten in the face of her charming bashfulness. He was sure he’d never seen her so flustered. He liked it, a lot.

Wanting to see if he could deepen that pretty blush, he whispered, “Yes, I would put my mouth on you. Lick you until you scream for me. Oral, as you say.”

Swallowing a groan when her pupils swelled, he almost reached for her, would have, had the unattached male not spoken to tell them the bath was ready.

“If you will step in, we will ready you, damsa.”

Despite having performed the ceremony many times himself, Rellik had forgotten for a moment, that the males would be the ones to bathe her.

Sin, having been unprepared for that news, growled and took a threatening step forward. Rellik couldn’t blame him, not when he was fighting the urge to do exactly the same.

Aria immediately shook her head. “No. No, thank you. My mates will wash me.”

The male in the middle, voice respectful, murmured, “Apologies, damsa. We must.”

“What the hell for?”

Rellik made himself speak, though it was admittedly through gritted teeth. “We cannot be trusted not to arm you.”

The corner of her eye twitched. “Then they can stand over there and make sure neither of you slip me a weapon.” Cutting the middle one off with a glare when he looked like he was about to argue again, she growled, “I’m willing to honor your customs, but I draw the line at being bathed by strangers. So, either you stand against the wall, or you leave. Pick.”

Clearly unwilling to press further under the weight of her glare, the males moved quickly to stand against the wall.

Rellik watched them go while Aria turned her back on them and pulled out her comm, trying to catch what was said as she quickly whispered to Tirox and Kix on the other side what was about to happen. He felt the triumph and intense pleasure that Aria had refused to allow them to bathe her double when he overheard her mates give their consent to the ceremony… until his gaze landed on the hammered metal tub and it sank in that he and Sin would be taking the unattached males’ places.

Exchanging a glance with Sin over her head, he saw his own feelings reflected back and had to swallow a laugh at the look of both betrayal and thanks on his friend’s face.

For a long moment, Rellik was unsure if the dominant feeling twisting his stomach into knots was relief he wouldn't have to stand by and watch other males touch what he hadn’t, hungry anticipation, or genuine concern he wouldn’t be able to control himself.

Anticipation won.

Chapter 26

Sin drew in a slow breath and followed Rellik’s lead, moving up behind Aria. His hands shook as they unstrapped her weapons then slowly stripped off her bodysuit.

He thought for a couple alarming moments he was going to pass out once she was naked, until he realized he’d stopped breathing and sucked in a harsh breath, chasing back the black crowding in on the edges of his vision but doing nothing to expel the awe he felt at the sight of her.

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