Page 31 of Surrender
A waveof warmth hit Fiona as she entered the massive greenhouse. Though this wasn’t her first visit during the two months she’d lived with Merokk, she still found herself staring at the colorful plants, which were native to the Kall homeworld, with a sense of awe.
Mom would’ve loved it here.
The thought entered her mind before she could stop it, and a sorrowful ache soon followed.
Before she got sick, her mother had loved gardening. Janie used to spend hours pruning rosebushes and maintaining the numerous flowerbeds that had surrounded their home. In addition, they’d had a modest but prolific vegetable garden, growing cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, squash, and even corn. As a child, Fiona would hide in the tall cornstalks, only to jump out and scare her mother or father when one of them happened to venture too close.
It seemed like a thousand years ago.
She focused on the present and walked deeper into the greenhouse, immersing herself in the vibrant beauty of the place. The pungent scent of fertile soil combined with the strong floral aroma, and she breathed deep, filling her lungs with the sweet-smelling air.
She’d made it a habit to visit the greenhouse daily, sometimes just to walk around, other times to pick fresh fruit for the kitchens, even though the servants always insisted she need not help them. There was a peacefulness to this place that beckoned her to visit each day. No matter how things were going with Merokk or how much she missed her mother, simply walking amidst the trees, flowers, and various plants left her feeling lighter.
While here, it was also easy to pretend she was another person entirely, strolling in a beautiful but strange alien forest on a distant planet. Would Merokk ever take her to planet Kall? She knew he had family there, eleven older brothers to be exact. His father was currently on Earth but would depart for Kall in a few months. Would Merokk wish to visit his family?
She paused between two rows of tall, lush trees. She couldn’t recall the name of these particular trees but one of the servants had told her that when the fruit on the branches turned from bright red to yellow, it was time to harvest. She inspected the large round fruit that hung heavily on the branches, noting that some of the pieces were starting to fade to yellow. Soon, she thought, with a glance at the stack of collection baskets that rested nearby, almost concealed by a wide berry bush.
A sudden noise behind her made her gasp and spin around, eyes wide, her heart racing.
Dark otherworldly eyes met hers and she instantly relaxed. It was just Merokk. He’d returned home early today, as it wasn’t even close to dinnertime yet. Her pulse skittered as he moved closer, a heated look filling his gaze. His posture was slightly tensed, his muscles coiled, and he took slow, predatory steps in her direction.
“I’ve been looking for you, wife,” he said, his words a deep growl that rumbled through the otherwise quiet greenhouse.
She swallowed hard. “You-you’re home early. I trust you had a good day?”A good day keeping the humans in line,she would’ve added if she were braver. She’d learned to curb her tongue though. She hadn’t received a real punishment from Merokk yet—well, not counting that quick but painful spanking to her inner thighs—and she had no wish to test him.
“I had an excellent day,” he replied in a distracted tone as he finally reached her.
She got the sense he had no wish to converse with her about his day. Her mouth went dry when she realized what he really wanted from her. There could be no mistaking the lustful gleam in his eye. Especially when he leaned closer and took a deep inhale, his nostrils flaring.
She flushed all over. He wasn’t smelling the flowers and other vegetation that surrounded them—he was smelling her. She instinctively pressed her thighs together, even as she felt her breasts become heavy and her nipples tighten against her bra.
Was it normal to crave a man the way she seemed to always crave Merokk? She’d never known such abandoned longing in her entire life. And not only did she crave his touch, but she craved his company as well.
The more time they spent together, the more comfortable she was starting to feel around him. The more at peace with her situation, even if she sometimes still worried about what might happen if he learned her real identity.
She’d never believed in fate, but there were times it felt as though she and Merokk had always been destined to meet, destined to become husband and wife.
Would they have found their way to one another even if the Kall hadn’t invaded Earth?
Staring at him now, she liked to think so.
He cupped her face in his large, warm hands and rubbed his thumbs along her cheeks, a slow teasing caress. Endorphins rushed her head at his nearness, and she felt momentarily dizzy. He stared at her with an intensity that stole her breath and made her fidget in place. Her whole body broke out in an excited tremble, anticipation rushing through her in a wave of heated pulses that were tempered by the goosebumps rising on her arms.
Merokk cleared his throat and suddenly looked uneasy. But his next words calmed her before his odd expression could give rise to any fear within her.
“I came home early today because I missed you, little one. Because I wished to see you and hold you.”
Stunned, she allowed him to draw her closer. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly to his chest. She breathed in his familiar masculine scent.
“I-I’m glad you’re home,” she found herself saying. “I missed you too.” She peered up at him, surprised by the truth she spoke. She really did miss him during the days and always made a point to greet him when he returned home, which was usually just before dinnertime.
He withdrew slightly to gaze down at her, a pleased look filling his sexy dark eyes. God, what she wouldn’t give to see him look at her like this always, as if he loved her.
Oh God. Love.Would he ever fall in love with her? Was it even possible? She honestly didn’t know if Kall were capable of love. Sure, he was capable of affection and tenderness, as he demonstrated on a daily basis, but she didn’t know if his kind loved the way humans could, harboring an endless devotion for their other half.
Not that she’d ever been in love before. But she’d read about it plenty, and though her grandparents passed away when she was quite young, she still remembered the loving glances and embraces they’d regularly exchanged, and she would never forget how devastated her grandmother had been when her grandfather passed away in his sleep one night.
Her throat tightened. The idea of something similar happening to Merokk filled her with grief. Was it possibleshewas starting to fall for him? As her thoughts swirled, she took comfort in the feel of his hands roving up and down her arms, as well as the warmth of his large body.
