Taming Two Warriors Page 9

  “I’m not hungry for food,” Vorn said darkly.

  “You’re not?” Jodi frowned. “What are you saying?”

  His nostrils flared again.

  “I’m saying you’re not the only one in need right now, little girl. Smelling your sweet little pussy all night has me hard as a rock and I need to take care of business. So if you don’t need anything out of that room, I’ll be going to bed now.”

  Oh God, was he really admitting to her that he was going to go into her office and jerk off?

  A forbidden image formed in her mind—the huge Kindred lying on the spare-room bed, where she usually got herself off—with a long, thick shaft fisted in his big hand, slowly stroking up and down until he spurted all over his flat belly…

  No! Jodi pushed the thought away with effort. She supposed it shouldn’t be surprising that he was admitting he needed to get off when he’d basically made her promise to do the same thing.

  “Fine.” She took a step back, crossing her arms protectively over her breasts. “Just…go to bed then.”

  “You should too.” He pointed at her. “You promised, remember? You need to take care of that heat right now. Otherwise it’s like putting out a damn beacon for the Varians to find you.”

  Jodi felt a twinge of unease. The lizard-like aliens that had attacked her mother’s house had been horrible. Could the big Kindred really be telling the truth? Was her unrequited lust really causing her to make pheromones that made her easier for the alien predators to track her?

  Or maybe he just wanted to listen through the wall while she got off and he did the same.

  The idea of the two of them getting off at the same time did something strange to her—made her stomach do a fluttery flip and her pussy ache with need.

  Jodi did her best to ignore it.

  “I’ll go to bed when I’m good and ready,” she snapped instead. “This is still my home, even if I am forced to let you stay here.”

  His golden eyes narrowed and he rose swiftly, coming to his towering height of seven feet all in one smooth motion. For a long moment, he just glared down at her.

  Jodi glared right back, lifting her chin to meet that golden gaze. For a moment, his scent seemed to intensify. Then he shook his head and stepped around her.

  “Good night, little girl,” he growled and headed for the spare room.

  “I’ve had about enough of the demeaning nicknames,” Jodi called after him, her hands balled into fists at her hips. “I’m not your ‘sweetheart’ or your ‘baby’ or your ‘little girl,’ you big bastard!”

  Vorn turned at the doorway and looked her in the eyes.

  “Fine. Goodnight, Josephine,” he said, deliberately using her full name which he knew she hated.

  Then, before Jodi could say another thing, he went into the room and closed the door behind him, ending their stand-off—at least for that night.

  Twelve

  Melinda came back from her shower all rosy-pink and smelling as fresh as a flower. Her long blonde hair was damp and little lovelocks were curling around her face, framing her big blue eyes in a way that nearly stopped Liosh’s heart in his chest.

  Gods, she was lovely!

  She was wearing a pair of loose pink cotton shorts and an oversized cotton t-shirt that matched, with a picture of a sleepy puppy on it. Under the puppy, in curving script Liosh read the words, “Snuggle-Pug.”

  Melinda looked absolutely adorable in the silly little outfit. He just wanted to gather her up into his arms and hold her—but Liosh knew he couldn’t do that. Though he knew from listening to her private thoughts earlier that she wanted to be held and cuddled, he had to approach this in a round-about way.

  “I like your sleepwear,” he remarked, smiling at her.

  “Oh…” Melinda gave an embarrassed little laugh. “I know it’s pretty silly but it’s all I have clean right now. I really need to do a load of laundry.”

  “It’s adorable,” Liosh said, speaking his earlier thought aloud. “Should I change into my sleepwear as well?”

  “Oh, sure.” She smiled at him. “I’d like to see what Kindred pajamas look like.”

  “Give me just a minute then.”

  Rising, he took his carry-all cube into the fresher—what the humans called a bathroom—and did a quick change. When he came out he was wearing a long pair of black sleep trousers made of the cool, thick, satiny material which the Kindred had developed for maximum comfort during sleep—and nothing else. He’d forgotten to pack the top of his sleepwear, much to his chagrin.

  Melinda turned around to see him when he opened the door and her eyes went wide.

  “Oh, wow!” she breathed, her eyes roaming over his broad, bare chest.

  “I forgot to pack the top of my sleepwear,” Liosh said apologetically. “I can put on one of the cotton t-shirts I bought at the mall, if you like.”

  “Oh, no. I mean, not if you don’t want to,” Melli said quickly. “I think you look fine just like that. Uh, more than fine,” she added and then her cheeks went pink with a blush.

  Liosh was pleased that she liked the way his body looked because he certainly liked hers.

  “Well, if you really don’t mind,” he said and came to sit beside her on the small loveseat.

  As before, they were crammed in together but, also as before, Melinda didn’t seem to mind. She settled against his side happily, but Liosh wanted her closer.

  He racked his brains, trying to think of a way to get her into his lap without sounding strange or perverted. He wished he could just offer to hold and cuddle her, but she might get the wrong idea. And after all, he wasn’t trying to find a way to get her to have sex with him—he genuinely just wanted to be near her and feel her soft little body resting against his own again.

  At last he came up with an idea—it was a weak one, but he hoped it might work.

  “Er…” He cleared his throat and Melinda turned to him.

  “Yes?”

  “Remember…” Liosh took a deep breath. “Remember when we agreed that we would pretend we’re in a romantic relationship and that I will be your ‘boyfriend’ so as not to attract unwanted attention?” he asked.

  “Oh, yes. Of course.” Melinda’s cheeks went rosy again. “Of course I remember.”

  “Well I wonder if this might be a good opportunity to…to practice?” Liosh said. “Not kissing or doing anything, uh, sexual,” he added hastily. “Just…holding each other. ‘Cuddling’ as you humans call it—so it will appear more natural when we act like lovers in public.”

  “Oh, do…do you really want to?” Melinda’s eyes lit up like stars and he could smell her hopeful longing. She looked almost like someone who had been starving for years, suddenly offered a trip through an all-you-can-eat buffet.

  Liosh frowned to himself. Did she really yearn to be touched that much? Why was she so starved for physical affection? Melinda was so beautiful and sweet—it seemed she could never lack for males willing to hold her close and give her the affection she so craved.

  Maybe one of them did more than just cuddle her, a dark little voice whispered in his head. Maybe she’s been hurt in some way and that’s why she thinks she can’t have another relationship.

  It might explain some things, but Liosh certainly hoped he was wrong. The thought of anyone hurting the adorable little female was monstrous. If he ever found out something like that had happened to her, he would want to seek out the perpetrator and skin him alive…slowly.

  In the meantime, though, Melinda was still looking at him with that hopeful, hungry look that said she was starved for what he was offering her. Well, she certainly wasn’t going to starve for it while he was around, Liosh decided. He would cuddle her as much as she wanted—it would be his greatest pleasure.

  “Yes, Melinda,” he murmured, smiling at her. “I really do want to hold you.”

  That was all he had to say. She came to him at once and crawled into his lap like a little girl. Then she settled herself against his bare c
hest and sighed in happy contentment, nestling into him with warmth and trust that made Liosh’s heart fist in his chest.

  “Comfortable, Talli?” he asked, using a nickname from his native language that meant something like “sweet little girl.”

  “Mmm-hmm.” She sighed contentedly and snuggled even closer. Her soft, curvy body felt wonderful against his and her hair was silky against his bare skin. Liosh was suddenly very glad he had forgotten to pack his sleep shirt.

  “What do you want to watch?” he asked, when they were comfortably settled.

  “Oh, anything…” Melinda murmured happily. “Or…we could just talk if you want to.” She turned her face up to look at him. “You could tell me about the planet you come from.”

  “You really want to hear about Tranq Prime?” Liosh asked, amused at her curiosity. “It’s mostly just a lot of ice and snow and freezing winds and vrannas.”

  “Yes, of course I want to know,” she insisted. “I want to major in Cultural Anthropology and spend my whole life studying other cultures. And what’s a vranna?”

  So Liosh told her all about his home world—how the people there had to live underground in grottos because of the freezing surface temperature…how their domiciles were heated by hot springs running through the middle of the house… the living fabric they wore which could take any configuration and was called a tharp…the huge, hungry predators called vrannas that roamed the icy planes eating anything and anyone they could devour…

  And through it all, Melinda watched him with wide eyes and asked many, many questions as she curled comfortably in his lap. It was like they were getting to know each other in reverse order, Liosh thought. Normally it would take days or maybe even weeks of talking politely with a female for her to feel comfortable enough to sit in your lap. But with Melinda, the two of them just seemed to fit together so well—like puzzle pieces that were meant to be joined.

  “This is so nice,” she sighed at last, after they had been talking for what seemed like hours. “I mean, cuddling like this—even though we’re only practicing.”

  Liosh smothered a smile.

  “I like it too,” he confessed. “It’s very comfortable.”

  “I used to sit like this with my dad when I was a little girl, all cuddled up in his lap,” Melinda said dreamily. “Until I got too big when I was around twelve and he stopped letting me. Um, not that I have ‘daddy issues’ or anything,” she added quickly.

  Liosh frowned. “What are ‘daddy issues?’”

  “Oh, you know…” Melinda waved a hand vaguely. “Sometimes when a girl doesn’t get enough attention or affection from her father, she goes, uh, looking for it elsewhere. Like in other men.” Her cheeks were getting pink as she explained. “But it’s not like that with me, honestly.”

  Liosh didn’t understand.

  “Why would it be bad if you had these ‘daddy issues,’ though?” he asked. “Why shouldn’t you want to get the love and affection you missed as a child? Especially if you have a male who wants to give it to you?”

  “Oh, uh…” Melinda bit her lip. “It’s just that girls with daddy issues are supposed to be needy and wanting attention all the time.” She shrugged. “You know.”

  “No, I don’t.” Liosh honestly didn’t see the issue. “Why is it bad for a female to want to be cuddled and held by a male? Why is it bad for her to want his attention and affection?”

  “Well, because…it gets on a lot of guys’ nerves, I guess,” Melinda said. “I mean, most guys are happy to cuddle as long as it leads to, you know, sex…” Her cheeks got red. “But there aren’t many who are willing to just sit there and hold you if there’s no sex on the table at all.” She looked at him shyly. “The way you’ve been holding me.”

  “I like holding you,” Liosh admitted. “Even if we weren’t practicing looking like a romantic couple, I would still want to hold you, Melinda.”

  “You’re so sweet,” she whispered. “I really do feel like a little girl again being held like this.” She sighed. “I know it sounds silly.”

  “It’s not silly at all,” Liosh protested. “Tell me more about it—what it was like when your father held you.” After all, she’d spent the last few hours quizzing him about his background, home planet, and family He wanted to know more about hers.

  “Oh, sometimes we made up silly stories together,” Melinda said, smiling. “And sometimes he told me about his day. And sometimes he just held me and we watched TV together. I used to fall asleep in his lap sometimes and then I would wake up when he was tucking me into bed. But I would keep my eyes closed, you know, and pretend I was still sleeping because it felt so nice and warm and secure to be tucked in like that.”

  “I imagine so,” Liosh murmured, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes and tucking it gently behind her ear. “What a beautiful memory.”

  Melinda nodded. “And every once in a while when I was sitting there, he would squeeze me tight in his big strong arms and kiss me on the forehead.” Her smile grew until an adorable dimple appeared on her right cheek. “That was the best of all—he called them ‘Daddy-bear-hugs.’ He was the Daddy bear and I was the baby bear, you know.” She nibbled her lower lip in apparent embarrassment. “Wow, when I say that out loud it sounds so immature.”

  “I think it sounds nice,” Liosh murmured. “Very warm and caring. But why did your father stop holding you?”

  Melinda shrugged sadly.

  “He said I was getting too old to be sitting in his lap. I’m not for sure, but I think that might have been right around the time he started having an affair with his secretary. He pretty much pulled away from the whole family then—my mom included.”

  “Having an affair?” Liosh asked, frowning.

  “Cheating,” Melinda clarified. “You know—having sex with one person while you’re still married to another?”

  Liosh frowned. “That is reprehensible. Human males actually do that?”

  “Kindred males don’t?” she countered, obviously surprised.

  “Of course not. When you’re bonded to the one female in the universe the Goddess has chosen just for you, why would you go looking for anyone else?” Liosh asked reasonably.

  “I don’t know.” Melinda shook her head sadly and looked away. “I don’t know why men cheat—human men, anyway. I guess they get bored of their wives and their lives and their families and they want to start fresh.” There was a little catch in her voice and a single tear trickled down her flushed cheek as she spoke.

  “That’s wrong.” Liosh cupped her cheek and brushed the tear away with his thumb. “It must have hurt you very much when your father abandoned you like that.”

  “Oh, he didn’t actually leave us until I started college,” Melinda said quickly. “He was still in our house until then—mostly because he didn’t want to have to pay child support,” she added dryly. “At least that was what he told my mom when he left her right after I went off to college.”

  “Maybe he didn’t abandon you physically, but he certainly did emotionally,” Liosh pointed out. “It must have been very painful for you to be turned away by the male who was most important in your life and suddenly denied the love and affection he used to give you.”

  “Well…yes,” Melinda admitted in a soft voice. “But how did you know?”

  “It’s written all over your face.” Liosh brushed away another tear. “It’s all right, Talli—you can cry if you want,” he added, seeing she was trying to hold back more tears from falling.

  Melinda buried her face in his chest for a moment, as though she was trying to get control of herself. Finally, she looked up at him and sniffed. She wasn’t sobbing but her eyes were certainly red, Liosh thought, feeling his heart twist for her pain. What a worthless bastard her father had been to push her and the rest of his family away just because he had a sexual interest in another female! It was clear he had wounded Melinda deeply—possibly affecting her ability to trust a male ever again.

  “Thank you,”
she said at last, giving Liosh a trembling little smile. “I know we’re just practicing pretending we’re a couple but you’re one of the sweetest guys I’ve ever met.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way. I find you to be very sweet as well,” Liosh murmured. On impulse, he gave her a brief, tight squeeze and kissed her gently on the forehead. “Thank you for letting me cuddle you. Melinda,” he said.

  “Oh…” She put a hand to her forehead uncertainly, her eyes going wide for a minute, then she kissed him back—her soft lips like butterfly wings against his cheek.

  That soft, tentative kiss did as much or more for Liosh than an erotic or passionate embrace would have done for another male. He felt his heart twist again and a deep need to protect and care for the girl in his arms washed over him.

  Gods, he was gone on her—completely gone. He hoped he could convince her that they belonged together and they ought to bond. It was the only way he could keep caring for her like this for the rest of their lives, which was all that he wanted.

  For a moment they looked into each other’s eyes and Liosh almost kissed her more directly. Her pink lips looked so soft and inviting it was all he could do to hold himself back from tasting them. His fangs longed to pierce her flesh and inject the essence he could feel building up in them—marking her as his and Claiming her forever.

  Only the very strong feeling Liosh had, that rushing this situation would be a bad idea, kept him from kissing and then biting her.

  He knew a little of her past now and thought he understood why she was so hungry to be cuddled, but he suspected there was more—some other pain she hadn’t shared with him yet. Some reason he needed to be wary and take things very slowly.

  So instead of kissing her, he murmured,

  “It’s getting late, Melinda. Should I put you to bed and tuck you in now?”

  Her blue eyes widened.

  “If…if you don’t mind,” she said softly.

  “Of course I don’t.” Liosh smiled and rose easily from the loveseat, still holding her in his arms.