A through-offer. Fejo replayed what he’d heard over and over in his mind.
That meant Vanessa had decided to marry him…without even testing him. She’d agreed to it and, if tradition had been followed, selected no other males to test. She might be waiting for him even now.
Fejo absently felt his way to the couch and dropped down. His lungs were too large for his chest all of a sudden, and he jumped when a soft palm landed on his shoulder.
Fuck, Gheelia. He’d completely forgotten she was in the room.
Never once had he despised Gheelia’s presence, but at this moment, he couldn’t even bring himself to give her a playful grin. Vanessa had requested privacy, and she’d barged in anyway. He shot to his feet. What if Gheelia had ruined his chances? What if Vanessa no longer desired to pick him?
Fejo recalled how skittish Vanessa had been at the market all those weeks ago and how skittish she’d been when Gheelia had come into the room.
“Hello, sweetness,” Fejo crooned when Gheelia ran her palms over his back. He turned and gripped her wrist, a move that would keep her at a distance without offending her. Gheelia let out a brief squeal of delight, oblivious to the simmering urgency Fejo was suppressing. “You know I love our visits each year, but the human has made a through-offer for me, and I believe she is more comfortable with monogamy.”
Gheelia grew rigid in his grasp.
He tried to soothe her, though all he wanted to do was leave the room without a backward glance. “If she is to be my wife, I don’t want to do anything to upset her. You understand.”
“But she was so rude. Surely you could make it up to her later.” Fejo could hear the pout in Gheelia’s voice. They’d always had fun together, but a small part of his pride that took the hits he dared not let himself feel reminded him she’d tested him every year and never once picked him. He tried to act like that was something to look forward to, but in reality, he was tired of being used and toyed with. Vanessa wanted to pick him. And he wouldn’t mess up that opportunity.
“Alas, sweetness, I still must decline.”
With a sigh, she trailed a finger down Fejo’s chest when he released her wrists. “Perhaps next year, then.”
Fejo let out a relieved breath and grinned. “I’ll count the days.”
He wouldn’t count the days, though. If what he’d heard about humans was true, then he’d have an even more important job to do than the run for Klinara. Many of the humans seemed to prefer long-lasting monogamous relationships. Maybe, if he treated Vanessa well enough and showed her just how satisfying he could be as a husband, she’d choose to remain with him. He could finally have someone. A companion. Someone who didn’t look at him and only see what they could get.
Gheelia pressed a kiss to his cheek, and he listened to her soft footsteps as she left.
He angled his head in the direction she’d left and cursed the fact that he had to remain in the room until someone came in and cleared him. Whoever it was would either tell him he hadn’t been selected and was free to return home, or they’d deliver the good news. News he’d never thought he’d get.
But which would it be? For all he knew, Vanessa might’ve rescinded her offer.
His skin grew heated as he recalled the feel of her wrapped in his arms, her soft mouth underneath his. Since humans had arrived on this planet, the scientists of Tremanta had updated the human species Alliance file with as much as they could learn. Fejo had been doing extensive research on the off chance he ran into one and saw an opportunity. He’d paid particularly close attention to the sections on anatomy and courting.
After reading about the interesting mouth play the humans enjoyed, he’d assumed he’d love kissing, but kissing Vanessa, the female who’d haunted his thoughts since the day he’d met her in the black-market vendor’s tent…his best dreams hadn’t compared to actually feeling her with his own two hands.
Her sweet scent lingered on his body, and his birth lines rippled with the recalled sensation of her hands. Had she been thinking about him as much as he’d thought about her? It puzzled him, considering she hadn’t been open to his flirting at first. Maybe she just had an odd human way of showing interest. Perhaps she was shy.
Though the way she’d come alive underneath him hadn’t seemed shy.
It didn’t matter, though. She intrigued him and she wanted him, and he’d do everything in his power to learn what drove her actions.
His senses were on high alert, so when the swish of the door sounded, Fejo jumped to attention. He sniffed and identified the scent of the man who’d been here before when Gheelia arrived. Was he Vanessa’s ceremony mentor?
That boded well. The mentors were usually the ones to announce if a male had been picked.
His breath caught in his throat. Why was this pishot male not speaking yet?
“Hello, Fejo. I’m here to inform you that Vanessa has selected you for—”
Fejo couldn’t contain the bellow that broke from his chest.
His mind swam. He paced, about ready to jump out of his skin, barely noticing when the mentor tried to stop him to help take his blindfold off. Once it was removed, he peered at the short older male and recognized him vaguely.
He pushed Fejo’s clothes into his hands. Fejo couldn’t help but grin. He didn’t mind being naked, but normally he wouldn’t have needed to be reminded to get dressed.
“I’ll meet you outside when you’re ready. Vanessa is in the spa room preparing.”
Fejo flung his clothing on and cursed the intricate clasps and ties of his fussy apparel. At first, he’d dressed this way to invoke a sense of gaudy, egotistical elitism to the traders he met with, finding it easier to work them over if they deemed him to be concerned only with money. But over time he’d come to like his collection of fine clothing—cherished it, even. It was something that was all his. Something that made him stand out to others and garnered respect from many species.
He grinned, thinking of the glittering jewels and shining fabrics he’d gift Vanessa with. If he recalled her features correctly, which he was certain he did, she’d look good in just about anything. Long, silky, dark hair and creamy, pale skin. Her features were sharp yet delicate. High cheekbones, a pointed chin, and arching black brows. But her warm, hazel eyes and full lips softened the hard lines. And when she’d blushed…every nerve ending in his body had come alive that day in the market.
There was so much to do. So much to prepare for. He’d need to stock his cabin and make space for her, and he’d need to inform his crew. Fejo stopped. He’d also need to ensure she’d be safe on his ship.
He didn’t trust all the males onboard the Ylare. Most had been pushed on him by Klinara, and though they followed his orders, it was only because he made sure to remind them of how heartless he could be on occasion. He’d need to be that person more consistently now. He couldn’t let them think he was going soft. And he couldn’t let them get any ideas about Vanessa.
He rubbed his temple, and tightness gripped his chest. How was he supposed to make Vanessa fall for him while also being the mercurial captain his crew had grown to be wary of?
He wiped away those worries, determination pumping through his veins. He’d figure it out somehow. He finally had a wife, and by the Goddess, he’d find a way to keep her.
***
Fejo bounced on the balls of his feet and grinned eagerly in the direction Zikas had disappeared. He’d waited over an hour for this, and she’d be coming around the corner any second. His wife. He schooled his expression, keeping his features charming and inviting, the way he’d learned females preferred him to be. Though he’d assumed Vanessa had been uninterested in him after their first encounter, he must’ve been mistaken. Why else would she have picked him and given him a through-offer?
This must’ve been how Theo had felt when he’d discovered the human Jade had picked him. He didn’t know either Jade or Theo well, but he knew Theo had been just as unlikely to be chosen as Fejo was. But Jade had picked him anyway.
A thought struck, and his grin faded. Recently, he’d met with another human who’d become smitten with another male, and the one thing those two males had in common was they were generally temperamental and sullen. Was that what humans preferred? Fejo wasn’t like that. Not toward females he wasn’t doing business with at least. Should he act that way with Vanessa to attract her?
Before he could decide on a course of action, Zikas appeared from around the corner, Vanessa trailing behind him. Her eyes were downcast and her brows scrunched as though full of indecision.
She was stunning in a coal-black dress. The material was gauzy and floated against her curves. The same ones he’d gripped only a few hours ago. Her straight black hair was swept over one shoulder as she peered down, and his fingers itched to see if it was as soft as it looked. But something about her appearance had his protective instincts surging. She was thinner than he’d remembered. And she had the drawn, haunted look of someone who slept only a little and worried a lot.
Well, he’d see to that. His wife would sleep well. He’d keep her just on the edge of orgasm until she was so exhausted that she’d drift right to sleep after screaming his name. His back straightened, and he had to keep a devious smile from his face.
But human females were different from Clecanian females, weren’t they? They could orgasm multiple times. An unlimited number apparently. If that was the case, he’d make her come over and over until she had no energy left to fret. Then he’d wake her with gifts and rich foods.
Her sweet scent washed over him as she neared, and he had to keep himself from sucking in a large inhale. He’d forgotten how good she smelled. Warm and syrupy. Like the sea plums that grew on the Ganglu coast after they’d been baked in the summer sun.
When she finally glanced his way, Fejo was so taken aback by the beauty of her large hazel eyes and the gentle curve of her lips that he shot her a wide smile. Then, like an idiot, he recalled how little the males who’d successfully seduced the human females smiled and forced his grin to fade and shift into a hard line.
The corner of her mouth curled downward, and she raised a brow at him.
Shit! Had he messed up already? He needed to pick a personality and go with it. The one time they’d met, he’d been flirtatious and a bit pushy. If that was what had drawn her in, maybe he should stop questioning himself and be that male again.
Mind made up, he stepped toward her before Zikas could properly introduce them and bowed. “Hello, wife. You look more breathtaking than the last time I saw you.”
To his surprise, the ghost of a frown flitted across her lips at the compliment, but he held fast, not showing the slightest concern at her reaction. “Ready?” He offered his arm, and her gaze landed on it as if his elbow were on fire.
Alright, she’s…shy? He pulled his arm back and instead gestured to the door.
“I…” she started. He saw the delicate muscles of her neck work to swallow and just prevented himself from licking his lips. “Are we going to your ship?”
Oh no. Had she thought differently? Surely Zikas had explained the conditions of being Fejo’s wife. He couldn’t take months off at the moment, and he had no home on the planet anyway. Nowhere to take her even if he wanted to. His small cabin on the Ylare was all he had to offer.
“Yes. But I can assure you, you’ll be very comfortable.” He stepped toward her and lowered his voice. “I’ll make sure of it.” His nearness had the desired effect, and he reveled in the scent of arousal that spiked for an instant.
But she still seemed nervous. Her gaze darted around the room and the lovely pink hue tinting her cheeks spread to her forehead. “I just mean, if I’m going to live on a ship for a long time, I’d like to get some of my things. And I’d like to say bye to my friends.”
Fejo’s shoulders relaxed, and with a nod to Zikas, he guided her forward and through the door. “Absolutely, gorgeous! I can take you back to the Temple to retrieve your things, and then we can be off.”
Although she tried to hide it, Fejo could see the grimace threatening to spring to the surface of Vanessa’s face as he ushered her to the door and out into the night. What was he doing wrong?
“Congratulations to you both!” Zikas called from behind them.
Vanessa angled her neck and looked back at Zikas. Fejo could swear her small wave was almost panicked. But she let him guide her anyway.
When they reached the cruiser and the door slid open, Fejo waited for her to board, but she remained as stiff as stone, eyes wide and lips pinched. He stepped in front of her and crooked a finger under her chin to raise her gaze to his. “Is something wrong?”
The beautiful, dark lashes framing her eyes fluttered and, for an instant, she focused on his lips. “No. Not at all.”
Lie? Fejo narrowed his eyes. Over his lifetime dealing with black-market traders and unscrupulous buyers, he’d learned to notice when someone was lying. But Vanessa was a human. A species he had very little knowledge of. It would take time for him to recognize whether she was lying. “You can tell me, gorgeous.” He grinned.
Her brows furrowed at his grin, the one that females couldn’t help but return most of the time. She lifted her hand and gently removed his from her chin, then gave him a demure smile. It didn’t fit on her face. Where was the female who’d called him cocky and arrogant and looked at him with a fiery intensity that was now branded in his mind?
Perhaps she was as nervous as he was. Trying to be something she wasn’t.
“Sorry if I wasn’t clear,” Vanessa said. The words were polite enough, but the undercutting tone of sarcasm had a true grin spreading on his face. There she is. “I meant I’d like to go back to the Temple by myself and gather my belongings in private. When are you scheduled to actually leave?”
“Are you gathering a certain powered thing given to you by a charming stranger?” Fejo tried, yearning to bring out the fire he knew lurked somewhere in her.
Her eyes widened and her jaw clenched. He watched the beautiful pink hue deepen on her cheeks and felt his cock stir with appreciation. “No,” she grated, trying her hardest to keep a pleasant smile in place.
Fejo tipped his head and placed his hands on his hips. “I suppose that makes sense, since you’ll have a husband ready and waiting and…confident he’ll be a much better replacement.”
Vanessa’s pointed chin dropped, and he could all but feel the sharp words ready to escape her beautiful, rosy lips. She inhaled before they could and closed her mouth again. “When are you scheduled to leave?”
“Three days.”
“Do you think you could come pick me up in three days, then? It would be good for me to spend some time bonding with my friends before I leave for three months.”
Fejo considered her request. Perhaps it was better if they parted ways for a few days. He could make sure his crew were briefed and his cabin was well stocked without worrying about entertaining her. In all honesty, it was a miracle she was even asking. As his wife, she didn’t need his approval. Even if he wanted to deny her, he couldn’t. But it seemed she didn’t fully grasp that, and the sweet way she requested his permission did something dark and delicious to him. He wouldn’t be correcting her anytime soon.
“I suppose you can,” Fejo said with the air of someone who was allowing an extravagance.
She rushed past him with a smile and scrambled into the cruiser. “Thanks, I really appreciate it. So, you can take the next one, right?”
This human was so confusing, but Fejo found he liked it. “Hold on,” he said, blocking the cruiser door before it could close. “Can I at least pleasure you before you leave?”
A high-pitched nervous laugh tore from Vanessa’s throat and she clenched her fists at her sides while seated on the long bench of the cruiser interior. “I…no…no. I’m…” She let out another odd, manic sort of chuckle. “No. Thank you. That’s moving a bit fast for me.”
Fejo frowned. “How slow do married human couples usually move?”
“Slow. Very slow. Glacially slow.” She nodded as though agreeing with herself, but her eyes were large and unblinking. It was clear this was another lie. Maybe humans weren’t difficult to read after all.
Fejo climbed into the cruiser a little but let most of his body linger outside. “I can smell you need release, female.”
Vanessa slammed her knees together, and the delicate pink blooming on her cheeks turned scarlet. “Good-for-nothing underwear,” she hissed almost too quietly for Fejo to hear.
He chuckled and leaned as close to her as he could with his feet planted on the ground outside. “How about a kiss, then? To hold us both over until I pick you up.”
Vanessa glanced around the cruiser cabin and her brows wrinkled. “Um…I guess.”
Fejo gave her a heated look and waited. How much could he get away with? Would she come to him if he asked? Demanded, even? What would it be like to be with a female he didn’t have to take direction from?
Somehow realizing what he was waiting for, the furrow of her dark brows sharpened into annoyance. Still, she scooted toward him and leaned forward with tightly shut eyes. Fejo smirked.
He pressed his mouth to hers, and before she could pull away, his palm landed on the junction of her neck and shoulder. Vanessa’s eyes flashed open, and he used her momentary surprise to deepen the kiss. The pressure he put on her shoulder was light, but it kept her in place. For a few moments, her lips remained tight and unyielding, but when he ran his thumb along the curve of her collarbone, she let out a small whimper and softened, opening up to him completely.
She tasted good too. Exactly like the Ganglu sea plums. He found himself pressing against her and forgetting his footing. He braced a knee on the cruiser floor and wrapped her soft hair around his fist. The scent of her cunt growing wet with arousal drugged him and caused him to growl out his pleasure.
A distant voice in his head warned him to stop, and he pulled away. Vanessa had been leaning against him so much that she tipped forward before catching herself on his chest. He didn’t forget himself like this with females. He needed to be cognizant and present in order to know just how to please them to make sure they left satisfied. He’d never before lost himself like he did when he was touching Vanessa. It scared him.
He had to make her crave him. He needed her to not want anyone else. And the only way to do that was to keep his head on straight. This was the chance of a lifetime, and he refused to screw it up.
He grinned at the dazed, sultry look of her heavy lids and the deep red staining her swollen lips. He could do this. He could tempt her to stay with him.
Her gaze suddenly cleared, and she shot back into her seat, brushing the hair from her face and not meeting his gaze. Was this shyness a common flirting technique back on her planet? She was attracted to him, and he knew it. Knew it by the scent of her arousal spiking every time he touched her and from the small moans she’d made while kissing him.
“I’ll see you in three days,” he said, imbuing his tone with an unspoken promise. “Sleep well, wife.”
The startled and slightly appalled look she leveled on him as the cruiser door slid closed had a wide grin splitting his face.
