Page 4 of Alien King Crashes the Wedding

“Okay, big man first!” Rachel nodded with a twinkle in her eye. “Sasha, this is Cam’s best friend, Dagan Tiranon. He just arrived from Caldor.” She squeezed Sasha’s arm as Dagan moved forward.

Oh my, he’s big.Huge.He towered over Sasha’s petite five-foot-three. Even with her favorite stiletto heels on, she still felt tiny next to the giant warrior. Ultra-feminine. Vulnerable.

“Dagan, this is my best friend Sasha. She’s an artist and art dealer. She would be a great resource if you want to take some artwork home with you. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind helping you out,” she said, trying to look innocent. Sasha whipped her head around to look at Rachel in horror. What was she thinking!

Sasha turned back toward Dagan but couldn’t meet his eyes as he stepped in so close she could feel the heat emanating from his body. Her feet stubbornly refused her silent command to move back and she nervously smoothed her hair.Why doesn’t he say something? Or move back?

Dagan did neither, and Sasha shifted her weight nervously from one foot to the other.Is he waiting formeto do it?Her throat constricted, and all she could manage to get out was a mousy squeak. With agonizing slowness, she forced herself to raise her eyes one inch at a time. Huge black boots that came up to mid-calf.He’s standing way too close.She inhaled his ruggedly masculine scent.And, of course he smells amazing. Sasha closed her eyes and breathed him in a second time. A cool minty breath whispered across her cheek and she opened her eyes. Was it her imagination or had he moved even closer? Was he trying to crowd her? Sasha’s breathing grew shallow and choppy. She took a small step back, but he not only followed her, he took one of her dainty hands in his, dwarfing it completely. Her nipples tingled as his thumb stroked unhurriedly back across and in between each knuckle. Her breath hitched and she took another step back. He followed. She tugged her hand, and he squeezed gently but refused to release it. Why didn’t he take the hint and let go, she wondered? He’d just arrived from Caldor? He must not know how much humans like their personal space because he was very much in hers, and the proximity was sending her into meltdown.

“Dagan,” she whispered as she raised her free hand, trembling and unsure, to signal him to stop and move back, but he was already so close her fingertips brushed up against his rock-hard abs. She gasped as she felt his muscles contract at the contact. She squeezed her eyes shut as a bolt of pleasure zinged down her spine, all the way to her core. She jerked her tingling fingers away and took another step back in retreat. She was going to die; she just knew it.

He’s just so big and intimidating up close. Even shirtless, he looks ready for battle. Or sex.Sasha blushed nervously. She hadn’t said that out loud, had she?

Sasha worked her gaze up another notch. His shoulders were mouth-wateringly broad and well-defined, and his dark blue markings were fascinating up close, the artist in her nearly transfixed by the hint of sparkling opalescent fire inside the dark whorls. Sasha stared until he gently cleared his throat. The sound drew her eyes reluctantly upward just in time to see him swallow. His lips twitched, like he was holding in a laugh. His nose was straight and the perfect size for his face. Not daring to meet his eyes again, Sasha skipped up to his forehead.Please, God, just get this over with.Either let go orshake hands, or whatever it is you do and go away so that you won’t see me melt into a mindless puddle.Finally, she looked into his twinkling eyes.

“Sasha Montgomery of Earth, please forgive me for frightening you earlier today. I am Dagan Tiranon of Caldor.”

Sasha barely had time to register what he’d said in his deep, rumbling bass before he moved his hands to her waist and lifted her up like she weighed nothing at all, bringing her in to rest against his chest.

“What are you doing?” Sasha squeaked. She pushed against his shoulders and wriggled to make him put her down, but he didn’t budge. He didn’t even seem to notice she was trying to get away.

“I am greeting you, little one, as humans do,” Dagan rumbled. “I am new to your world but I have been watching how you greet each other. I would like to share in your traditions. I believe you call it hugging.”

Dagan’s voice was so deep it vibrated all the way through her, causing another throb of desire to pulse deep in her core. She gasped.Oh, stars. I can’t take any more. Sasha squirmed and clenched her legs tightly together as liquid heat soaked right through the matching thong underwear that had been included with her dress. She needed to calm down. Now. Right now. Breathing deeply, Sasha pried her eyes open. Blue eyes met aquamarine. Histwinkled with mischief. She was in so much trouble.

“Human traditions?” She stopped wriggling and groaned in frustration. This couldn’t be happening to her. She closed her eyes again, hoping to disappear. He rumbled some more. Was that gravelly rumble his laugh?

“I am ready for the next part,” he continued as he adjusted her more fully into his embrace. One arm snuggled her against him, then he reached up with the other and placed his free hand over both of hers, pushing them flat against his muscular chest.

“Next?” Sasha tried to ask, but no sound came out. The big Caldorian warrior must have understood her anyway since he nodded.

“Yes. I am now prepared to accept your kiss,” he said with a straight face.

Sasha stared in horror at the giant man holding her. He must be joking. Kiss him? Sasha bet he was being deliberately obtuse about Earth customs, but she was having enough trouble controlling her body’s female response to the alpha waves rolling off of him to even try to straighten him out.

Sasha was hyper-aware of her tightly beaded nipples brushing against Dagan’s chest every time she inhaled. The constant friction was starting to make the previous spasm deep in her core turn into a rhythmic, throbbing pulse. This had to end soon, before he realized how deeply she was being affected. She would never be able to look at him again. She wondered if he could feel her nipples through the thin material of her dress. Oh, the shame. She turned her head to look at Rachel. Surely she could fix this. “Rachel?” she pleaded. Dagan definitely was not simply trying to be friendly and fit in, and they all knew it.

Instead of helping, Rachel made things worse. “It’s true,” she agreed. “We do a lot of hugging and kissing here on Earth. This is Dagan’s first time here. He wants to be friendly and fit in.No problem, right?Just the usualhuman greeting?” Rachel asked with mock innocence. Sasha scowled at her traitorous friend, instantly understanding that Rachel was actually referring to Sasha’s response to her earlier questions. She glanced at Dagan and back to Rachel.How does she know what happened?Did he tell everyone he saw a stupid girl scream and run just because he’d looked at her?She wanted to sink into the floor and die.

“Fine,” croaked Sasha. What she had intended to be a quick peck on the cheek came out as an intense, slow-motion journey as she inhaled his deeply masculine scent. Her tongue peeked out to wet suddenly dry lips. She hesitated, and Dagan gently squeezed her waist in encouragement as his other hand lifted to slowly tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, his eyes no longer twinkling. They were intense. Serious. Her hands, now free of his restraint, slid of their own volition up across the markings on his shoulders and down his arms to grip his large chiseled biceps, holding on to steady herself as she stretched up to place a breathless kiss on one cheek and then the other. Time stood still. The Earth shifted. Something deep inside her woke and reached out, flickering to life.

Mine,Dagan’s inner voice insisted. Instead of setting Sasha down and releasing her, Dagan continued to hold her until one of the other warriors coughed discreetly and the spell was broken. Reluctantly, slowly, he lowered her to the ground. She trembled and he pulled her into the shelter of his arms. He didn’t want to let her go. He leaned down to give her another kiss on her full lips before she could think to protest and push him away.

Dagan skimmed his fingers along her spine until she shivered, then drew her closer as he coaxed and teased the corners of her mouth with his own, nipping at her full lower lip. He tugged gently and she opened sweetly. He growled in approval and pulled her in tighter against his chest, one hand tangling in her hair to tilt her head to the side. She was so sweet. Responsive. Sexy. He could kiss her all night. Caldorian men knew how important the first real kiss was to claim a woman. If he didn’t get it right, there would be no second chance with her. She was full of fire. Passion. Tenderness. He wanted to shout in triumph when she nipped him gently in return then parted her lips enough that he could delve deeper. He shifted and drew her in as closely as he could. He could feel every delicious curve. She fit perfectly in his arms. She molded herself to him and he groaned with satisfaction and desire. That one kiss told him everything he needed to know. They were meant to be together. Her lips clung innocently to his long moments later as he finally, reluctantly, pulled his away. He growled possessively before leaning down close to her ear and rumbling in a low tone, “And that, little one, was because I couldn’t resist.”

Sasha, dazed by the power of his kiss, stood unresisting in his arms, sheltered from prying eyes. She brushed her fingers over her kiss-swollen lips and stared into Dagan’s eyes. They called to her. Beckoned. Challenged. Demanded she give him everything, including a piece of her soul.And if I let him kiss me like that again, I might just give it to him. Then when he’s done with me, I’ll be too broken to pick up the pieces when he leaves.

Without another word, Sasha broke free of his arms, turned, and ran as if the hounds of hell were at her heels.

Chapter Five

Two hours later, the three girls were sitting on a group of sofas off to the side on the top floor. It was cozy and far enough from the other party-goers to give them a sense of privacy. They were relaxed and had settled in for some juicy girl talk.

As the girls chatted and got caught up on each other’s lives, Sasha’s mind continually ran off track, thinking about Dagan. Unable to resist, she peeked over her shoulder.He stared until she felt naked. Vulnerable. He was still talking to Rachel’s fiancé, Cam, but his eyes were on her.Do Caldorians call it that? A fiancé? Doubtful, but then what do I know about Caldorians? Practically nothing. Like can they change their eye color with contacts? Can Dagan’s eyes really be that clear aquamarine? Is that a real eye color? They’re mesmerizing. I could get lost in them.

She couldn’t look away, spellbound by the hunger she saw in his eyes. Hunger for her. She wondered how it would feel to have his big, strong hands stroke her breasts, tease the sensitive tips with his thumbs, tug and pull on the rigid peaks with his teeth, and flick the hard, aching buds with his tongue until her taut nipples tingled and her core throbbed. Her breasts had always been sensitive, and imagining his mouth ministering to them sent little bolts of electrical current zinging to the sensitive tips, broadcasting her state of need. Her desire. She glanced down self-consciously and saw with chagrin that her nipples were hard, aching points, clearly begging for attention. She crossed her arms to hide the telltale evidence of her reaction and shifted subtly away from his knowing gaze.I have to stop fantasizing about him.She shook her head, determined to focus on the conversation, and turned resolutely away from him. She; therefore, didn’t see that he was on his way toward her when Rachel put up a casual hand and motioned for him to stop. He scowled but returned to where he’d been standing with some of the other warriors.

“Will Ben be joining us?” asked Rachel. When Sasha hesitated to answer, Rachel sat forward, her gaze suddenly honing in on Sasha’s fingers as she grabbed her fork and began fiddling with her food, pushing it around on her plate.

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