Page 17 of Haunted By the Alien
The moment I slide it into my back pocket, Kobrik’s expression eases. Then he bends over and captures my lips with his.
Kissing him is like floating down a river without a care in the world. You laze in the cool water, the sun warming your face, all while watching the dance of light through the trees lining the banks. You never want to leave.
His hand sifts through my hair and reaches for the tie at the end of my braid. I envision him undoing more than my tie.
“Looks like she’s off the market, guys,” a man says.
A grumbling spreads through the room and I pull my lips from Kobrik’s. He can really kiss, but he’s not as subtle as he believes.
“You did that on purpose,” I accuse, though without any punch, as I find it impossible to be angry with him especially when the corners of his mouth curl into a grin.
“I like kissing you. And now the males know you’re mine. I will return for you in three hours, to escort you home, yes?”
“Absolutely.”
Kobrik leans his forehead against mine which feels rather nice, intimate, as I breathe in his scent. Clean and very male. And surprisingly, calming. What is it about him that reminds me of home, only better?
His hand slides to my lower back, stopping just above my ass. The world around me disappears and there’s only Kobrik.
“Thank you for caring,” I whisper. It’s been a long time since someone has cared about me as deeply as he does.
“I will be back,” he says, in a sexy voice that promises more than a simple walk. I hope I’m not making this up in my head.
“What if you don’t catch Amos by when the party breaks up and I have to leave?”
“I will return in three hours, regardless. To escort you home.”
“I’ll be here, waiting for you.” I cup his cheeks with both hands and press my lips to his forehead. “Stay safe.”
And then he’s gone. No forehead pressed against mine, no hand lightly touching my back, no manly scent. He’s just gone.
A chill in the air surrounds me and I rub my arms to stay warm, counting the hours until he returns.
Two hours feelslike four as I continually check the wall clock. Mingling with a bunch of strangers has never been so boring. All I can think about is Kobrik.
“Waiting for Buff and Blue to return?” Rayna asks. “Where did you find him and does he have a brother?”
“He found me. I got off the bus in the middle of nowhere.” I pick up a glass of water. “Long story. What have you been up to?”
“Meeting the latest losers.” She points her chin at the two guys staring at us.
“And?”
“The blond’s a doctor with his own practice. He’s gotta have ties to the Brotherhood to pull that off.”
“Even the hospitals deal with the Brotherhood. They’re the best source of medicine. I wouldn’t hold that against him.”
“But he’s so mind-numbingly boooring.” The way she stretches the word and feigns falling asleep makes me laugh.
“And the other guy?” I ask.
“No clue. He just walked in a few minutes ago.”
He’s wearing a very real-looking spider costume, namely a hairy mask with eight large eyes. Three arms dangle from each side of his torso. They’re attached by a string to make the lower pairs move with the upper pair. All I see of the man is a set of brown eyes peeking out from between the fake spider ones.
“He’s interested in you, Rayna,” I say when he looks our way.
“Spiders creep me out. And that guy’s the king of all spiders.”
