Page 44 of Secretly Abducted
My cock twitches with interest. "Sometimes. When they trust each other. When they want to share that vulnerability."
"I want to see," he says quietly, not looking at me. "Want to see what you do when you think of me."
"Fuck." I have to close my eyes and breathe for a moment. "You can't just say things like that when we're in public."
"Why not?"
"Because now I'm going to be hard for the entire swim back."
A small smile plays at his lips. "Good."
"Oh, you're going to be trouble, aren't you?" I stand, offering him a hand up. "My place or yours tonight?"
He takes my hand, and that spark pulses between us—stronger now, like it's been fed by our earlier activities. "Mine."
He squeezes my hand before letting go. "After dark. When the bioluminescence is brightest."
"Vel'aan," I say as he turns to leave. He looks back, questioning. "Wear something easy to remove."
His whole body lights up in purple-gold before he dives into the water and disappears.
I stand there for a long moment, watching the ripples he left behind, thinking about tonight. About watching and being watched. About this connection growing between us that feels like more than just chemistry.
The swim back to Tevra's place is going to be uncomfortable, but I don't care. Tonight, I get to show Vel'aan exactly what he does to me. Get to watch him discover his own desires.
The anticipation alone might kill me, but what a way to go.
Chapter Eleven
Vel'aan
I change my clothing three times before Alex arrives.
First, my usual casual shirt and pants—but they seem too conservative, too closed off. Then a sleeping garment that's essentially translucent when wet—but that feels too presumptuous, too eager. Finally, I settle on loose pants that tie at the waist and nothing else, leaving my chest bare. Easy to remove, as he suggested, but not assumptive.
My dwelling glows softly in the evening darkness, bioluminescent panels casting blue-green light across the curved walls. I've dimmed them lower than usual, letting my own nervous illumination provide most of the light. Gold spirals chase purple waves across my skin in patterns I can't control.
The pool is ready, warmed to perfect temperature. I've even set out refreshments, though I'm not sure either of us will be interested in food.
A splash outside announces his arrival before the soft knock at my entrance. When I open it, my breath catches.
Alex stands there dripping from his swim, wearing only thin sleep shorts that cling to everything. His chest is bare, showing off the hair I admitted to finding intriguing, the trail down his abdomen that disappears beneath his waistband. He looks comfortable, confident, like being half-naked in my doorway is the most natural thing in the world.
"Hi," he says, and his smile is warm, knowing. "You're glowing."
I look down at myself, seeing the nervous patterns of light racing across my skin. "I can't control it when I'm... anticipating."
"Good. I like seeing what I do to you." He steps inside, close enough that I can feel the heat radiating from his skin. "Been thinking about this all evening. About you watching me."
"Just watching?" My voice comes out rougher than intended.
"To start." He reaches out, fingers tracing one of the gold spirals on my chest. "We go at your pace, remember? Whatever you're comfortable with."
I catch his hand, holding it against my chest where my heart races. "What if I want more than just watching?"
"Then we do more." He steps closer, until our bodies are almost touching. "But first, I want to show you. Want you to see what you do to me. How many times I've touched myself thinking about you since yesterday."
My bioluminescence flares brighter. "Show me."
