“Not interested?” she blurted, coasting the car to a stop. Lily’s mouth worked soundlessly as though she couldn’t work out what to say. Then she glanced at Killer and clamped her hands over the dog’s floppy ears in case she was awake. “I was too busy trying to work out how to jump you,” she confessed. “And how to check out your blue equipment without looking too pushy. I’d like to watch the color change as it happens this time.”
“Yeah?” Alex felt a dopey grin on his face, but the openness of her words brought a sliver of guilt. In three weeks, he intended to leave. He wouldn’t change his mind no matter how Lily tempted him.
“Yeah.”
Killer wriggled free from Lily. “What you say?” she demanded. “I can’t tell—”
A sudden suspicion bloomed in Alex. “Are you spying on us? Are you reporting back to Luke and Janaya?” A quick glance at Lily confirmed she was just as taken aback as him. And her eyes narrowed as though she agreed with the possibility.
“Me?” Killer yapped, a peculiar sound that could have been a laugh or something more sinister. “Me dog. Me no spy!” Killer puffed out with indignation. “Here.” She sidled up to Alex with a challenge in her brown eyes. “Frisk for spy tools. Won’t find any.”
Alex’s brows rose.
“Search,” Killer insisted.
“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Lily said in a strangled voice.
Alex felt his lips twitch as he manfully held back laughter. He sensed if they laughed, Killer would revolt and their problems would multiply.
“I not spy.” Killer met his gaze then glanced out the window. “
Ohhh
!” she yapped sounding breathless. “Oh! Look at him.”
Alex caught sight of a fluffy black-and-white dog gamboling behind his owners.
“The Border collie?” Lily said.
“Yeah,” Killer said with a loud doggy sigh. “I’d sure like to sniff his bottom.”
Lily made a choking sound. When Alex glanced at her, he saw her face was red and scrunched up, and her beautiful breasts jiggled in silent laughter.
Alex chuckled and opened the door. “’Way you go,” he said. “I’d hate to stand in the path of true love.”
“Oh, boy!” Killer leapt out and trotted in the direction of the Border collie. “What chat-up line?” she muttered. “Yeah. Might work.”
“I’m frightened to watch,” Lily said dryly.
“We’re not going to watch.” Alex winked. “I have other plans for us.”
“Sounds good.” Lily peeked up at him from between lowered lashes. She hoped they were on the same page. Hers was book marked on sex.
“Excuse me, is that adorable little dog yours?”
The young blonde was slender, yet had plentiful curves, and Lily hated her on sight.
“You can’t be talking about our dog,” Alex said.
“Definitely not cute and adorable,” Lily agreed, surprised but pleased by the way Alex coupled them together.
“Are you staying here?” The blonde fluttered ridiculously long lashes at Alex and ignored Lily’s presence.
Lily felt like asking her if she had something in her eye but pushed the catty remark aside. “I’ll check us in.”
“Two rooms,” Alex said.
Lily felt as if he’d struck her, and the young woman’s ears perked up at the revelation. She stepped right into Alex’s personal space and tipped back her head to gaze at him with sultry, I’m-yours-if-you-want-me eyes. For an instant, Lily’s lungs seized then she dipped her head in a curt nod and wheeled away, heading for reception. Alex hadn’t meant what he’d said earlier about having plans for the two of them. A sharp pain speared through her gut as she pushed through the door leading to the reception area. She’d had a great time with Alex so far. Maybe she should leave it at that.
“Hello, can I help you?”
Lily organized two rooms then sucked in a deep breath and walked outside to join Alex. The young woman had several friends, and they clustered around Alex like ravenous children fighting for afternoon snacks. Except, none of them had childlike expressions or the innocence to go with the age.
“Lily, there you are.” Alex slipped an arm around her waist and tugged her against his side. “We’ve been invited to dinner and a dance.”
“How nice,” Lily said faintly.
“It’s quite an occasion,” one of the young women agreed.
Even better. She had nothing suitable to wear.
“Thank you for the invitation. We will see you later tonight.” Alex’s mouth curved in a devastating smile, and a wave of jealousy flashed through Lily. She wished the smile were for her.
“Bye!” they cooed.
Alex propelled Lily to the rear of the car. “I’ll get the bags, darling.”
“Dah…darling?”
“Are they gone?” Alex whispered.
Lily peered around the vehicle and saw the girls had wandered off. “They’ve gone.”
“Thank the Goddess. They wouldn’t leave me alone. I thought they were going to rip off my clothes.” He shook his head in a bewildered manner. “I don’t understand why.”
Lily suppressed a snort. The man was gorgeous. A hunk. A babe. Or whatever the current vernacular was to explain his person. “I can’t go tonight.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t have anything suitable to wear. You heard them. It’s going to be dressy. All my clothes are casual.”
“Buy something.”
“I don’t have the money to buy a new dress. I don’t mind not going. You go by yourself.”
Alex frowned but didn’t argue. “I want to have a chat with the owners about accommodation. What are the room numbers?”
“Rooms six and nine.”
“I’ll let Killer know,” Alex said. “We’ll take room nine and give Killer the other. At least they’re not next to each other. I wouldn’t put it past her to spy through the keyhole.”
A chorus of joyous barks rang through the car park. Lily turned in time to see a streak of white whip past followed by a black blur. But all she could think of was Alex and his casual room allocation. They were sharing a room. The other room was for Killer.
* * * * *
“What a great afternoon,” Lily said. “Aren’t you glad we decided to stay here?”
Alex couldn’t help smiling. After visiting four different vineyards and tasting several vintages, he had a pleasant buzz. Lily was a little giggly. He liked this uninhibited side of her. Possibly, she’d acted like this before her ex-male had done a number on her self-assurance. “I think Martinborough will make a great stop for my tours. I talked to Janet, who runs the place. They own the land around here. It’s perfect to land my tour clients. I was thinking we could use Earth transport and bus the clients into Wellington from here.”
Lily twirled a lock of hair around one finger. “Once you unload the passengers here, you could send the ship over to Nelson and use the ferry to cross the Cook Strait. Maybe arrange for a bus to meet your group on the other side.”
“Good idea. Let me grab my notebook.” Alex found his pen and book to jot the details Janet had given him plus Lily’s suggestions. He checked his Earth timepiece. “Dinner is in an hour.”
Lily dropped onto the large double bed and lay back against the pillows. “I guess I’ll have an early night.”
Not if he had his way. With her rosy cheeks, lazy grin and innocent blue eyes, she was more temptation than he could bear. His tom twitched as the bonding ties writhed inside him. He wondered if Lily knew about bonding, then tossed the notion aside. Bit late now. His gaze lit on the blue mark. The bloody thing was on the move and had reached his wrist. Everything that could go wrong was happening to him on this trip. Despite taking the pills the medical man had prescribed, his immunity hovered around nil. But still he kept taking them. He hated to think how he’d feel if he stopped. Alex prowled to the bed, intent on stealing a kiss. Maybe more.
Someone knocked on the door. Ah. Janet had come through for him. He hurried to answer, eager to see what she’d arranged.
“Janet said you’re waiting for this.” The young girl stared so hard Alex wondered if he’d grown a second nose.
“Thanks.” Alex accepted the large package. He tried to act pleasant even though he felt like demanding the girl to spit out her problem with him. Good thing the spell was working. Perhaps he’d grown a couple of warts since he’d topped up the spell last time. “Please thank Janet, and tell her I’ll settle the bill tomorrow morning.” Alex stepped back inside the room, shut the door in the moronic girl’s face and dropped onto the bed beside Lily. “This is for you.”
“A present?”
“Yeah. Ready for a shower?” Alex asked. “I thought we’d take one together.”
“To…together?”
“Yeah, I need help scrubbing my back. And my other bits,” he added. Shock zapped across Lily’s face. She hadn’t expected his suggestion. Her wide blue eyes and rounded mouth amused him. It felt damn good keeping her guessing. Anticipation rippled through him as he pondered Lily’s reaction to her gift. He hadn’t purchased the dress as a test, although her response would be interesting. Alex thrust aside his memories of greedy palace consorts and grabbed Lily’s hand. “Ready?”
Lily stood, and Alex saw her bottom lip, caught between her teeth—a dead giveaway of her uncertainty. Obviously, a physical demonstration was in order to persuade her he was serious.
Alex dropped her hand and whipped off his gray shirt. His jeans dropped to the floor with a thud, and naked, he stepped free. Lily’s breath emerged with an audible hiss, and the blue of her eyes darkened. He glanced at his tom. That had darkened, too.
“Lagging behind,” Alex mocked in challenge. “I’ll start the shower.”
He sauntered into the bathroom. Her gaze drilled his shoulder blades, then he heard the soft rustle of fabric and grinned. A jubilant tune whistled past his lips, and his tom jumped while his balls tightened in acute anticipation. He couldn’t wait to slide inside her warm, tight pussy again.
Alex grabbed two small bottles of shower gel off the counter, turned on the shower and stepped under the warm water. It cascaded down his face and back while he waited for Lily to gather her courage.
Finally, after long, tension-filled minutes, the door to the glass cubicle opened and closed. Feminine arms slid around his waist, breasts nudged his back. Alex turned in the circle of her arms and smiled, barely managing to keep his greeting casual, when savage and devilish nipped at his heels.
“About time you arrived.”
“Oh yeah?” An impish grin darkened her eyes. “Now I’m here, what are you going to do with me?”
Ah, the brave Lily had arrived. Alex grinned, smoothing locks of wet hair from her face. So beautiful, he thought, all humor falling away. He’d regret leaving Lily but there was no other way. As long as he didn’t falter and mark her… Alex traced her full, pink lips with his forefinger—his heart thudding harder, faster than it had mere seconds before. He cupped her breasts, feathering his touch across her pink nipples until they tightened, distending in a silent plea for his mouth.
Lily shifted restlessly, her eyes echoing her body’s entreaty.
All in good time, my moon heart.
He nuzzled her neck, scraping the pulse point beneath her ear. Her fingers curled, nails digging into his waist, while a tiny shiver worked through her tense body.
“This isn’t back scrubbing,” Lily murmured in a breathless tone. Her eyes were closed and her head thrown back.
A muscle ticked in his jaw, her words and presence eroding his control more than he liked. “No, this is fun.” He tweaked her nipple, pinching before ducking his head to soothe the ache with his mouth. Essence of spice mint surrounded him, pulling at his control, spurring him onward to culmination.
Lily didn’t help with her responsiveness. She groaned and leaned back, offering her breasts, giving him better access. Full trust. The concept humbled him.
In the privacy of the steamy shower, his world narrowed to Lily. Warm water streamed over their bodies, over silky limbs and luscious curves. His senses wallowed in tactile pleasures and scents. In Lily.
Her busy hands darted over his body, exploring, charting bundles of nerves and pleasure points, but never coming to rest where he needed her touch most. His bright blue tom ached for handling, ached to possess.
Alex kissed her, thrusting his tongue deep into her mouth in a facsimile of the act his tom craved so desperately. Nimble fingers skimmed his length. His breath hissed out, his hands tightened compulsively on her breasts.
Her fingers stilled, an inch short of the swollen, royal-blue crown. “Did that hurt?”
An anxious note played in her words, and he sought to ease her fears. That bloody ex-male hovered over her like an invisible specter. “Hell, no!”
Her hand had fisted around his shaft, and Alex instinctively pulled away then thrust into her tight clasp. “That feels great,” he murmured, his eyes drifting shut to savor the sparks of passion, the spill of hot enjoyment that threaded through his veins. He was so close, another thrust or two and he’d lose his swimmers. “Please continue.”
Reassured by his words, Lily’s hands busied loosening her grip on his cock and drifted to tease his taut and achy testicles. Alex gritted his teeth, but a heartfelt groan escaped. She froze but Alex guided her hand back to his tom.