Page 13 of Alien Knight Steals the Bride

Looking around, she took in her surroundings. She was still on the ship they’d stolen, still clean from her visit to the tiny cleansing stall she’d found during her search for a medical kit. She would have preferred water, but she couldn’t complain about the technology on the ship. Her skin was squeaky clean, and her hair had never been so soft. Her dirty clothes were long gone, replaced with a soft cashmere-like material, wrapped sarong style around her that Torrin had ‘found’ for her during one of his excursions. The dress fit perfectly, reaching to her knees. Perhaps a longer style today would suit her mood. Reaching down to the corner of the material as Torrin had shown her, she pressed the material between her two fingers and waited for a small buzz. “Ankle length. Change color to blue.” She shook her head in wonder, grinning as the dress adjusted itself to the new specifications. Alien tech was so cool. Now where was Torrin?

Frowning in concentration, she followed the sound of voices into the communications area. Torrin was at the monitor, talking in low tones to the same man who had told her to go to Mora Five for the maju water.

As she approached, Torrin turned toward her. She caught her breath. He’d obviously cleaned up while she was sleeping. He looked amazing. Drool worthy, if she were being honest with herself.

A flash of desire ripped through her frame at the sight of his bare, muscular chest and abs, narrow waist and wide shoulders. Caldorians were bigger, taller, stronger, faster than humans, and he looked even bigger than most of the other Caldorians she’d met. She’d seen for herself just how well he moved as he and the Targo had taken out guard after guard during their escape. He was art in motion. Lethal. Deadly. Pure male.

Caldorians had otherworldly, beautiful markings, raised slightly beneath the skin. Torrin’s markings were dark blue whorls with an opalescent quality, swirling across his shoulders and tapering to the middle of his back. She itched to trace them with her fingers. Her tongue. Three days alone with him was wreaking havoc on her libido. He was an alpha male. Strong. Intelligent. Sexy. A great listener. He’d asked her so many questions about Earth, her job, her life, that her head was still spinning.

Long legs encased in military style black pants only accentuated his masculinity. Every fantasy she’d ever had paled in comparison to him. Wanting to run her hands through his freshly trimmed hair, feel the muscles across his torso, trace the markings swirling across his shoulders and back, she licked dry lips as she joined him at the monitor. She gave her long hair a quick run-through, glad she’d recently had the ends trimmed. There was nothing she could do about her lack of makeup, but luckily, she had good skin and her lips were naturally soft and full, her dark lashes long and thick.

Absently flicking the ends behind her shoulder, she craned her neck to look into his twinkling eyes, drowning in their depths. He oozed with an indefinable power and sexual heat. Nostrils flaring, she took in his scent. Pure male. Hot. Wild. Intoxicating.

Torrin gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, leaning in close to murmur, “Morning, beautiful.”

Her heart tripped a beat. He thought she was beautiful? She beamed with pleasure at the compliment, returning his heated stare, wanting him to lean closer. Wanting his kiss, his large hands all over her body. She was no virgin. She didn’t believe in love. She believed in living for the moment. One never knew what tomorrow might bring. She’d grown up fast on the streets. Hard. Cynical. Children didn’t usually fare well on the streets. Luckily, she’d found other kids like herself, lonely and afraid. They’d watched out for each other.

She wasn’t proud of her past, but she was proud of the future she’d carved out for herself. She’d worked hard every day. Sacrificing. Studying to become a nurse. Working two, sometimes three jobs to make ends meet. She relied on no one but herself. Her skills. She trusted her instincts, which were screaming at her. Begging her not to let the moment slip past. Desire blossomed through her system like a potent drug, lighting her on fire. Hot. Demanding. Urgent.

Throat clearing from the men on the monitor broke the mounting sexual tension.

Torrin held Juliette’s gaze, refusing to look away as he answered the leader of the Lumerian Knights. “Yes, I understand.”

“What’s going on?” Juliette asked softly, turning her body slightly toward the screen. Her eyes never strayed from him. Her breasts brushed against Torrin’s arm, nipples pebbling into rock hard beacons at the light touch, broadcasting her desire for everyone to see through the thin material. ForTorrinto see. Feel. He never looked away, focusing entirely on her. She shivered. Throbbed.

“I’ve been ordered to complete my mission before returning you to Earth. I’ve already instructed the navigation system to head toward Cappra. We believe the item I was seeking has been moved there. We’ll be in orbit within a few hours.” Torrin’s eyes glowed with knowledge. Desire reflected in his heavy-lidded gaze.

He switched the monitor off with a swipe of his hand, never breaking eye contact, his voice suddenly huskier. Deeper. “I knew the moment I saw you standing there in the Vilitos ship that you were special.”

Juliette shivered with awareness, her breasts tingling. “I see.”

“No,” Torrin whispered, moving closer, his broad chest brushing against the hard tips of her breasts in a sensual dance of pleasure. “I don’t think you do.”

Trembling, her heart raced at his nearness, drawn to his presence. His power. His fingers traced a slow path from the tip of her ear, down the most sensitive part of her neck, skimming lightly along her arm. “Then explain it to me,” she whispered, closing her eyes as he traced a similar path with his other hand.

“I would make you mine.”

“Mmm.” Juliette tilted her head to the side to give him better access to her neck.

Torrin growled in triumph as she subconsciously gave in to him. He took her into his arms, tilting her head farther to the side, marking her neck with his mouth, reinforcing his position. His claim. She would be his. Now. Forever.

Juliette cringed. All of her knowledge about the Caldorians centered around their medical practices, and only the bare minimum about so many other things, she was beginning to realize. Torrin had asked a million questions, while she’d barely asked any. What did Caldorians believe in? What did Torrin believe? The Caldorians had come to Earth two years ago, introducing humans to the Intergalactic Council and trade. They’d been responsible for Earth security during the process, and when their contract had expired, government officials from Earth had asked them to stay longer to set up a permanent base. They’d agreed.

But what did she really know about their culture and traditions? The Caldorians on the Earth base had not shared much about themselves. They were all about taking care of business. Ensuring planetary safety. There were plenty of news streams focusing on the latest Intergalactic news and what the Caldorians were doing, but now that she really thought about it, she couldn’t recall a single blog or press release about anything personal.

“I’d like to help if I can,” she offered.

“Thank you,” he acknowledged her offer. “But I’m not at liberty to discuss any details. If you’d like to help in other ways,” he murmured, walking her backwards toward the only bedroom in the small ship, “I must confess that you’re impossible to resist. I want you. I have other, more pressing matters that could use your very special attention.”

She batted her lashes playfully, her gray eyes sparkling with humor and anticipation. “Oh? And what might those be?”

Torrin growled, lifting her slight weight, locking her legs around his waist. “As I said, I would make you mine.”

Juliette moaned with pleasure as he kissed and nibbled his way leisurely from her ear down to her collarbone, her breasts tingling with longing. “I thought I was going to die on that ship before you came along. I’m done holding back. Waiting. I want to live in the moment,” she gasped.

“I speak not of moments,” Torrin murmured in a deep, smoky baritone, “but of ancient tradition. I speak of binding us together for the length of our lives. This is the way of my people. Some may have casual affairs. This is not what I want for us.”

“I don’t want to think about forever,” she shook her head, reaching for his broad shoulders, digging her fingers into his heavy muscles, her feminine side reveling in his strength. “Forever is just a fantasy.”

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