“You’re still dressed!”

“Not for long. I’m going to try undressing your way. The water is to make sure I don’t set off the fire suppression system again.”

“Don’t you da—”

He kissed her before she could finish her sentence, and the next thing she knew, they were surrounded by fire. The water hissed as it struck the wall of flames, and the air quickly filled with steam. His uniform turned to ash and washed away, though he had to set her down to strip off the last few rags that were too wet to ignite.

“Efficient, but destructive. We’re both going to run out of clothes at this rate.”

He laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that fired her blood and made her clit throb. It was the sexiest noise she’d ever heard. “I’ll switch to fireproof uniforms from now on. I can’t protect the Prince with my new abilities if every time I do, I wind up naked.”

“No one sees you naked but me. You might not be interested in other women, but any human female who sees you in all your glory is going to try her best to change your mind.”

“My glory is for you alone.” He crowded in close, pressing her into the corner of the shower stall. “As yours is only for me.”

“Only yours,” she agreed, the words filling her with joy. Her grandmother had loved her. Her friends had defended her, but no one in her life had ever made her feel the way Kash did. Protected. Cherished. Maybe someday, even loved. Despite their rocky start, she could see that happening. God knew she was more than a little in love with the big jerk already.

The fiery need blazing through her when she’d woken up had quieted when he’d first arrived. Just having him touch her had been enough to sooth the ache for a little while. Now that they were alone, the mating fever returned in force.

She ran her hands over his body, hunger warring with admiration as she explored him for the first time. He was built on a scale that made her feel tiny. She stroked the broad expanse of his shoulders down to the first true six-pack abs she’d ever seen in real life. Then she worked her way lower, wrapping her hand around the hard shaft of his cock as she lowered herself to her knees in front of him.

“Kaheya, you should not be on your knees in front of me. If anything, it should be me worshipping at your feet, seeking forgiveness.”

“We’re both going to make mistakes. This is new to both of us, right? Maybe we should start a tradition of apologizing with orgasms.” Her cheeks burned hotter than the steam as she spoke, but her embarrassment faded when he gave her a hot-eyed nod.

“Yes. I like this idea.”

Feeling more wanton than she’d ever been in her life, she leaned and wrapped her lips around his cock, humming softly as she reached up to cup his balls in one hand. She pumped his shaft with her other hand, and he uttered a low groan of need. He leaned back against the wall, his hips rocking lightly. Strong fingers tangled in her curls, holding her head steady as he slowly fucked her mouth.

Warm water fell in a sensual rain that caressed her bare skin and amplified every physical sensation. She could taste the subtle musk of his skin, and every breath drew that same scent deep into her lungs. His fingers tightened in her hair as he groaned again, this one edged with need.

She took him deeper into her mouth, teasing him with her lips, tongue, and teeth. When he bucked his hips, she hollowed her cheeks and sucked until his balls tightened beneath her fingers and his thighs tensed.

“If you don’t stop, you’re going to bring me to my knees whether you want me there or not,” he warned her.

She raised her head, releasing his cock to speak. “Then you better hang onto something because I’m not done with you, yet.”

He muttered something that had to have been a Pyrosian curse of some kind and then gripped a small shelf she hadn’t noticed before. It was the same material as the walls, and it held an assortment of bottles and what looked like some kind of soap.

She tightened her grip on the root of his shaft and began pumping as she bowed her head and took him to the back of her mouth before easing back again. She circled the crown of his cock with her tongue, learning what spots made him quiver with need. It was empowering to have such a strong man in her thrall like this, and she was enjoying every second of it.

Only when his breath was coming in ragged groans did she finally open her mouth and take him deep, swallowing as much of him as she could. She let him rest at the back of her throat as she swallowed several times in rapid succession. It was enough to push him over the edge. He came with a shout, pouring his cum down her throat.

There was a loud crack and a crash as something hit the floor of the shower. She opened her eyes and giggled as she spotted the remains of the shelf he’d been gripping lying a few feet away.

She ran her tongue over him one last time, then released him. “We’ve finished the job. Every room in your quarters is now officially wrecked.”

“Indeed.” He helped her to her feet, then hauled her into his arms for a kiss that stole her breath and sent shockwaves coursing through her.

It wasn’t only the kiss that had her reeling. It was the emotion behind it. She could sense him, his feelings and needs. He craved her, but it was more than that. There was amazement, and happiness, and a yearning that she recognized as a twin to her own deepest desires.

Soulmate. She’d read a thousand stories that used the word, but until this moment, she hadn’t understood what it truly meant.

“I feel you,” she whispered, lifting her hand to touch her temple the way he had earlier.

“And I feel you. Our bond is growing stronger. We’ll always be linked now.”

“I’ll never be alone again?”

“Never.” He cupped her cheek in his hand and smiled down at her with such joy it made her heart sing. “We are one.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“You’ll like what comes next even more. I promise.” He lifted her into his arms, his mouth slanting across hers as he turned and carried her to an undamaged corner of the shower.

She wrapped her legs around his hips as he pressed her into the wall and held her there as he kissed her again and again. Every touch was a primal claiming, skin to skin, mouths mated, breath mingled. She moaned and arched against him, craving the feel of his body against hers.

It wasn’t long before his cock began to harden again as they ground against each other. Their movements grew more frenzied as need overtook them. She pulled herself high enough that his cock slid between the lips of her pussy. Both of them moaned as he stroked his length over her swollen clit.

“I need you,” she whispered against his lips.

“Then take me.”

He rocked his hips and shifted his grip so their bodies could come together. The thick head of his cock breached her entrance with a slow, steady thrust that didn’t end until he was fully sheathed inside her.

She clung to him, her face buried in the side of his neck as he took her hard, the wet slap of skin on skin and the scent of sex filling the air. He loved her with a wild passion that set her world ablaze. Every nerve tingled, and pleasure flowed through her as he stretched her body to accommodate his.

She muffled her cries against his throat, her nails raking across his shoulders as the pleasure grew.

He groaned her name as he pounded into her, every stroke harder and faster than the one before. They left their marks on each other: nail scores and teeth marks, swollen lips and beard-reddened cheeks.

“Look at me when you come.” His gruff words made her lift her head, and she stared into eyes that glowed like molten gold. There was adoration in his gaze, and she could sense his feelings through the bond they shared. It wasn’t love, not yet, but it would be.

She came apart in his arms, soaring on a wave of bliss that carried her to the stars and back. He bellowed her name seconds later, his cock jerking as he came. When he thickened inside her, locking them together, the pressure was enough to trigger another orgasm, and she shuddered and gasped as her body milked his.

Sated and finally sane, she let herself slump against him. Her head rested on his shoulder, her arms dangling limply around his neck. “Shower sex good.”

He chuckled. “Yes, it is. Remind me to be sure our new quarters have a nice, big shower so we can do that often.”

“We should probably make sure the shelves are sturdy, too.” She waved a hand in the vague direction of the wrecked shelf he’d broken early. “Wait, we’re getting new quarters? Why?”

“Because I currently live in the barracks. My position comes with quarters at the palace, but I have never chosen to live there.”

“No barracks.” Gwen had spent time in foster homes that operated that way. She remembered the lack of privacy, the whispers, the cruel jokes when there were no adults around to intervene. Dorm-style living was not something she ever wanted to experience again.

“Will we really live at the palace? Will Maggie be there? Oh god, I’m going to have to meet the king and queen, aren’t I? I mean, at some point, that’s going to happen, right?”

“You have started asking your questions in bunches again. You must be feeling better.”

“I am. And you didn’t answer any of my questions.”

“First, we need to get out of here, dry off, and move to a room that wasn’t recently set on fire. Then, I will answer your questions.”

“Throw in some food, and you have yourself a deal.”

“Food will be arranged, and before we go, we can see if your cookies survived.”

“Shit. The cookies! And my phone. And my purse! This fire summoning thing is going to be expensive.”

“Whatever you need, I’ll get it for you.” His mouth quirked into a smile. “I am not a rich man, but I am not poor, either. I will see to it you have all you need.”

Gwen’s legs could hardly hold up her weight by the time she left the shower. The all-consuming need of the Scorching had finally quieted, leaving her sated and spent. She leaned against the counter as Kash dried her with a thick, plush towel that seemed to soak in the water as soon as it came in contact with it. He tended to her with care, seeing to every inch of her body, right down to her hair. He seemed fascinated with her curls, coiling them around his fingers as they dried into their usual tight spirals.

“My sister is going to be envious of your hair. Never have I seen curls like yours.”

“They’re a pain in the neck most of the time. Growing up, I always wanted straight, flowing hair like the other girls I knew.”

“And when I was a youngling I wanted to be smaller. I was always the biggest of the young males. I hated it. It made me stand out when all I wanted was to be invisible.” He touched his face. “Once I got these it got even worse. People didn’t just notice me, they went out of their way to avoid me.”

She laid her hand over his. “Then they’re idiots. But I do understand. Some humans don’t feel comfortable around anyone different from them. Skin colour. Language. Customs. Scars. I was born with dark skin. It’s not something I chose. But it bothers them anyway.”

He nodded, then turned his head to kiss the inside of her wrist. “My species is much older than yours, but we still struggle with some things. Your skin colour, though, will not be an issue on Pyros.”

“No? Well, that will be a refreshing change.”

“So, if colour and culture aren’t issues anymore, what do Pyrosians struggle with? Is this part of why you wanted to be invisible when you were young?”

“It is. And I’ll tell you about it once I have you back in bed again. The only thing holding you up right now is that counter.”

This time when he lifted her, she didn’t feel a single twinge of concern about her weight. He accepted her as she was. More than that. He cared for her. Somehow, they were going to make this work.

Kash wrapped them both in towels before entering the corridor and making his way to their new quarters. It was only across the hall from their current location, and he had Gwen back behind closed doors in a matter of seconds.

“Wow. We got an upgrade,” Gwen muttered as she looked around.

“These rooms are normally reserved for the royal family and their guests.”

“So, you get practical and utilitarian, and they get…this? I’m afraid to touch anything in here in case I set it on fire. I’m betting those sheets cost more than you make in a month. And is that bedspread velvet?”

“Torel would have ensured that everything in here is fireproof. There’s no risk of damage. We are not the first couple to initiate the Scorching while on a space vessel.” There were protocols in place. Protocols that he had forgotten about.

Her soft hand cupped his cheek. “You look like someone just kicked your puppy. What’s bothering you?”

“I should have initiated certain protocols for us – for you – before I left.”

“If I were Pyrosian, then sure. But how could you have known I was suddenly going to turn into a superhero and fwoosh? And you never lose control, so why would you need it?”

“Is that what you think, that I never lose control?” He carried her over to the bed and settled her carefully atop the sumptuous bedspread.

“Mhmm. You’re the most disciplined man I’ve ever met. You’re all about duty, and honour, and ensuring that everything goes exactly the way it’s supposed to.” She nestled against the soft fabric and then patted the empty space at her side. “Why is that?”

“You’re wrong about that. I used to be disciplined. Then I saw your picture on my monitor. From that moment on, I had no control. I ignored the orders given for the mission and came to Earth. I broke more rules when I told you who I was, and where your friends were. I defied a royal command to take you as my mate, and if I had the chance to do it all over again, I know I’d make the same choices. You have broken me, kaheya. When it comes to you, I have no control at all.”

He stripped away the towels and stretched out beside her on the bed. She curled up beside him before he was even fully settled. He liked how it felt. She didn’t fear him. There was no pity in her eyes when she looked at him. There was only admiration and desire…and occasionally irritation, but he had earned that.

“That might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. But that’s not the answer I wanted. I asked you why you need to control everything. Why are you so concerned with duty? I’ve seen the way the others look at you. They follow your orders without question. They trust and like you. You’ve already earned their respect. Believe me, I know what that looks like. So why are you still trying so hard?”

“My mother asks me the same question. She is going to like you, very much.” He wrapped an arm around her and turned his head to kiss the crown of her hair. “My father is the High Commander of the armies of Pyros. I have lived my life in the shadow of his accomplishments. I had to work twice as hard to prove that I earned every promotion and accolade I was given because there was always someone who would say I only got it because of who my father was.”

“Surely they don’t say that anymore? I mean, look at what you’ve made of yourself.”

“The habits of a lifetime are hard to break. And I’ve never had a reason to try. Not until you came along.” He toyed with her curls as they talked, amazed at how content he felt simply holding her. He never talked to anyone like this. Well, no one but his family.

“I’ll do my best to remind you that you’re already pretty damned amazing so long as you keep saying such sweet things. You make me feel special. Like I…I matter.”

He rose up on one elbow to stare down at her. “Of course you matter. Flames and fury, you’re my mate! No one matters more than you do. Not my parents, or my sister, or even the royal family I’m sworn to defend.” The moment he said the words, he recognized the truth behind them, and something clicked into place deep within his soul. Nothing mattered more than she did. Nothing ever would.

“Let’s not mention that to them, hmm? I love that you feel that way, but if I have to meet your family and the king and queen, I’d rather not have them know where your priorities lie. It might make things awkward, and I really want them to like me.”

“They will like you. You are smart, generous, and your spirit is as beautiful as your smile. You represent the future of our race.”

Her smile faded. “You’re talking about children. I was rejected from the dating site because I’m too old for that. Remember?”

“The Gods brought us together for a reason. Maybe it includes having younglings, or maybe not. We’ll find out the answer to that in time. I have you, and that’s enough for me.”

“Will it be enough for your family?”

“Not even my father would dare question the will of the Gods. You are my mate. That is all they have ever wanted for me.”

She exhaled softly. “You’re probably going to have to remind me of that a fair bit. I’m not used to being what anyone wants. Well, except for Maggie and Lisa, but they’re different. They’re my family.”

“You’re my family now, too.” He wasn’t sure how to do it, but he tried to open his mind to her and let her sense the feelings she stirred inside him. When her smile returned, he knew he’d succeeded.

He had a new mission, now. For the rest of his life, he’d do everything he could to make sure she always smiled at him that way.