Page 48 of Chieftain
It’s definitely not my tunic. It’s too big for one thing and the scent it holds.…
Oh shit!
It’s the same scent emanating from the bed, all spicy and masculine and musk and…
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!
I dove back for the pillows, jerking the covers over my head.
It was real!
Hazy memories swimming in the sleepy fog of my brain became suddenly clear. When we returned from the space station, Khaion insisted on my having a Medical scan while he debriefed Charick. Orzon brought me to my quarters afterward, feeding me soup and an alien version of grilled cheese, which was surprisingly delicious.
I wanted to see Khaion again, but knowing he was busy, I took a bath to wash the stench of Lernax Centauri off my skin and try to relax. I couldn’t read the script on the bath selections, so I picked the one that smelled like lavender.
Freaking alien lavender!
The bath is where everything got hazy, lost in a fog of lust and arousal. After that, all I remembered was wanting him… more than food, more than breath, more than life.
Oh shit!
I don't feel sorry it happened, but strangely excited. I wanted him—I still want him, but how I acted. Good Lord! Where's a girl's southern grandmother when you need her? I've never been so forward in my life. Not once in my nearly thirty years of marriage had I set about to seduce my husband with such brazen wantonness. Of course, Rick was no Khaion—hewasn't even close. Even so, my cheeks flame with the memory of my audaciousness.
God, what Khaion must think of me!
No wonder he didn’t linger any longer than necessary. I probably shocked him to death. It wouldn’t surprise me if he suggested I try out one of those hedonism ships rather than the human settlement on Tau Ceti.
Of course, he wasn’t so shocked that he didn’t give me the best orgasms of my life, taking nothing in return for himself. Plus, he held me while I drifted off to sleep. I remember feeling safe and content, wrapped in his arms. But he ran before I woke—not a good sign from what I remembered of dating etiquette.
The hiss of the door opening sent a heavy rock of dread into the pit of my stomach. I huddled in my makeshift cocoon, cringing as I expected Orzon’s questioning to begin.
“Good morning.” The deep voice made me think of good scotch, butter, and warm honey.
Khaion.
God! How was I ever going to look him in the eye after the way I acted? I was going to have to look at him eventually. I couldn’t live under the blankets indefinitely, especially when I felt his weight settle on the edge of the mattress.
“Um, morning.” I lowered the blanket over my head just enough to peek out, clutching the cashmere-like fabric against my chest.
Gracious! He looked yummy enough to eat. His pelt was damp like he’d just showered, making the swooshes across his shoulders gleam like black ink. Nothing concealed his glorious body save a pair of loose-fitting black pants that did little tocamouflage every muscle and bulge. The golden eyes settled on my face, and he smiled, reaching out to trail a callused finger over my cheek.
“How do you feel this morning?” Khaion’s voice was soft, tinged with amusement, and something I was going to pretend was affection, whether it was or not.
“That’s a loaded question.” I managed a smile, feeling all manner of emotions… highest on the list was the desire kindled by the warmth of his nearness. He was so close, and last night….
Good God, Emmy, you’re acting like a horny teenager. Get a grip.
“What do you mean?” Khaion’s finger continued stroking my cheek. His touch coupled with the heat of my embarrassment, and my face exploded with heat. Not to mention the other delicious tingles running over my body like a live current.
Highly aware that I was completely naked, I tucked the blanket tightly under my arms. Khaion wasn’t far from naked himself. The silk fabric was thin, showing the hardening length of his cock.
Good Lord, what was wrong with me?
"I—I'm sorry about how I acted last night!" I finally blurted.
"Why?" Khaion's head tilted, his fingers dropping from my cheek to rest beside my thigh on the mattress. The memory of his hands on my thighs, how he held them tightly while devouring me, was as potent as any touch. Something deep in my belly clenched, and I felt the wash of arousal between my thighs. Khaion's nostrils twitched, and I remembered how heinhaled my scent. I had no doubt he could smell my arousal, and a part of me—a big part—didn’t care.
“Why are you sorry?” He repeated the question, and his irises twinkled like golden stars. “Do you not remember what happened?”
