Prairie

 

 

 

X HADN’T EVEN tried to have his way with me last night. He’d barely kissed me before telling me to go to sleep. He might as well have just patted me on the head like a cute little kamster.

So I was surprised when I woke to find him reclining next to me, that hungry topaz look in his eyes as I stretched beneath the tazek furs covering my body. I’d gotten used to him being gone in the mornings before Jed collected me for training.

He ran his hand through my hair then cupped my cheek. I almost purred into his warmth.

“We’re spending the day together.”

“But I’ve got a date with Jed.” Day five and my fight with the Hippodylka-chick was tomorrow . . .

“Jedrek said you’re ready.”

“Well, he’s clearly full of bullshit.”

“Please, Prairie. Give me one full day.” X’s head dropped, and he linked our fingers together. “To prove myself worthy.”

Him? Worthy? He was the king of an entire planet. I was the one who needed to be worried about being worthy.

I studied him, lying beside me. For such an arrogant man he sometimes seemed unsure how to proceed with me. The small glimpses of vulnerability were as compelling as his overpowering virility.

“Ohhh . . . I suppose so,” I agreed.

The prospect of having X all to myself for an entire day was just too tempting to pass up. And when he glanced up with a breathtaking smile, I knew I was falling deeply for him.

He hurried me through breakfast. I’d become nearly as addicted to the fruit smoothies as I was to X’s panty-dropping, drop-dead, drool-worthy body. He urged me to dress in the clothes he chose, no panties as usual. Because—yep—they’d just melt right off me anyway.

When I was geared up in another pair of tight leggings, boots, a tunic belted at the waist, and the ever-present jewel necklace, he pulled me into his embrace.

His formidable strength awed me once again when he lifted me clean off my feet to give me the kind of kiss I’d hungered for last night. Long, wet, greedy, and full of tangling tongues.

He set me back down, and I trembled from head to toe from that one kiss alone.

X wasn’t unaffected either. I loved the fact he couldn’t hide his body’s reaction, the thick roll of his stiff erection making its presence known in his pants.

I leered.

He tugged me along with the warning we’d never leave the royal chambers again if I kept staring at him like that.

I probably wouldn’t even have complained at that point.

Until I caught sight of the surprise he’d planned.

Dex, Jedrek, and Magnar stood at our backs while X guided me into what could only be explained as a man-cave, fit for an alien king. An extensive hangar or garage, lit in that crystal-like glow, housed bays of vehicles. We walked down aisle after aisle of mother-freaking motorcycles. Not Harleys or Indians or even Ducatis, these sons-of-guns were nothing short of mechanical orgasms—shiny, sleek, and probably powered by some insane Zenithian technology.

“Which one do you want?” X grinned widely, watching my mouth open and close.

I spun in a circle, overwhelmed by the selection. “Is this because you made me ditch my bike back in the hills?”

Walking closer, he pressed a soft kiss to my upturned lips. “Something like that.”

“And I can have one?”

“Fuck. You can have them all if you want.” He shrugged. “But I meant which one do you want to ride right now?”

“That one. Definitely.” Bouncing on my feet, I pointed to the incredibly streamlined, matte silver, space-aged ride.

X chose a glossy low-slung beast with super fat tires that looked encased in black acrylic.

We mounted after strapping on helmets, and I revved my throttle, the roaring engine music to my ears.

Leaving the Valkrane warriors behind, we cruised from the structure out into the bright suns’ light. My tinted visor protected my eyes, but all I cared about was the bike between my thighs and . . . oh holy fuck . . . we were hovering on top of the land!

A giggle pushed from my throat, echoing the thrum surging through my body.

X grinned, tilted his head, and zoomed off. I had no choice and no other thought but to follow him, head low, handlebars in my clasp.

Zipping above land until we hit a road and gently lowered down even though we still rode at screaming speeds, the thrill of a life shot straight through me and just wouldn’t quit.

The road seemed endless, curving steeply, plunging deeply. We zoomed past lights and buildings, the forest . . . and a city shimmered like an oasis in the distance.

“Where are the other vehicles?” I shouted at X, my words streaming to him like wind from my lips.

“I had the highway closed for us.”

“Such a king.”

“Anything for the future queen.”

Whizzing ahead, I laughed. Racing him, I let the sheer velocity of the hyperspeed bike inject me with total vitality.

X overtook me, leading the way off the road so we once again flew through air—down, down, down as the air smelled more and more briny. And finally, we stopped, dismounting on a deserted strand of beach.

“That was so righteous!” Throwing off my helmet, I jumped into X’s arms. “Our very own ocean?”

“The Idris Sea. And that’s not all.” Lowering me, he showed me to a pavilion covered in fluttering white fabric.

Inside, a picnic had been laid—pillows and throws scattered across the sand.

I couldn’t even take it all in. My heart drummed in my chest, not just because of the ride, but because X was showing me something new . . . something sweet.

The white sand glittered, and it was soft as fine silt when I took off my boots to dig my toes in. I breathed deeply, gazing over the azure blue water with gentle white-cresting waves.

X wrapped his arms around me from behind, lowering his chin to my shoulder. I felt his smile as he nuzzled my neck, a touch that made me shiver. The four suns above lit a painterly sky, and the two moons slumbered just off the far horizon.

“Let me guess. The King’s Beach? And the road was the King’s Highway?”

Turning, he pointed out the palace right behind us. “I took us on the long route down. Knew you’d enjoy the ride.”

Speechless, I tilted my head back and back. This was the first time I’d gotten a good look at the palace from the outside. Definitely no medieval castle, the immense building stretched to the sky. The glare from the many spires was so bright I had to shade my eyes, and as I watched the structures . . . shifted?

“Wait. Did it just move?”

“A security measure.” His forearms tightened around me. “To keep the royal chambers always secret in case of invasion.”

A chill went through my veins. “But that hasn’t happened at the new palace, has it?”

“No. And we’re not going to worry about it today.” Lifting me in his arms, he carried me to the pavilion. “Now, meehri, let me feed you.”

I sat between his legs with my back against his chest, and he took his time feeding me succulent morsels of exotic food I was beginning to recognize. When I was finished, I lifted his hand back to my mouth. Slowly licking his fingers clean, I listened to his breathing drop to a low rasp. I couldn’t see his eyes, but I knew they’d be hot, hungry.

X vowed he’d return me to Earth after seven days if I didn’t want to stay. Now, as I leaned against his broad chest, I couldn’t imagine any other life, but I still wasn’t sure I deserved him.

Replete, I lay beside him, a breeze sifting over us like a soft caress. We held hands and kissed gently and watched the ocean lap the shore.

“Is the weather always so perfect?” The air was pleasantly warm, not too hot, not too cold.

“There are some pretty fierce storms during the nusoon season.”

“Nusoon season?”

“The third quarter of the Zenithian year. The weather can get violent.”

“Not today though. It’s almost like Malibu.” I smiled as his arm curled me closer.

 I gazed out over the seashore again then shot up with a shout. “Or maybe not. What the what?”

My brain possibly ’sploded, because not thirty feet away a flock of humongous winged beasts flapped down to the edge of the surf.

“What the fuck are those!” My eyes almost popped out of my head as the creatures drew in their multicolored wings, the crests on their heads speared by a white spiraling horn, their hindquarters all My Little Pony.

No shit. Unless I’d drunk too much liquor again.

Sitting up next to me, X watched the animal-birds caw and gallop along the water’s edge. “They’re called—”

I slapped his shoulder. “Wait! Lemme guess. They’re like a cross between a phoenix and a unicorn so I’m calling them . . . unix.”

“What about phoenacorn?”

“I like unix better.” Grasping his hand, I stared avidly at the beautiful creatures. “Do they shit rainbows?”

“As a matter of fact, they do.”

“Bull.”

X and I laughed, and one of the unix angled its feathered head in our direction.

“Can I have one?” Batting my eyelashes, I pouted prettily.

“No.” Chuckling, X lounged back. “They stay wild and free. Like you, meehri.”

Wild. Free.

The unix galloped along the shore until—as one—they took flight, huge bright wings spread, soaring majestically.

“They’re amazing.” I flopped back.

X flipped above me, running a fingertip down my cheek. “You’re amazing.”

“Am I? Because I thought you were already tired of me. When you didn’t want any sexy times last night . . .”

Wild? More like weak.

His expression sharp, he peered into my eyes. “I just wanted to give you a choice, Prairie.” He clasped my hand against his chest. “I want you more than ever. I’m aching for you every minute, but,” his head lowered, his voice too, “I need to know you want me just as much.”

“You’ve always given me a choice, X.”

I was definitely falling for him.

Who am I kidding? I’m not queen material. I’m nothing more than a delinquent former street kid . . .

“I want you too,” I whispered, shutting away the needling thoughts. “And not just for your super fine body.”

His slow smile sent shivers through me. “Good. Because I was beginning to feel objectified.”

A hunky man-alien king with exactly my sense of humor. I could do way worse.

I hopped to my feet. “Let’s skinny dip so I can objectify you some more.”

X shucked my clothes and his before I even had time to say I’m kidding, which was a good thing because I wasn’t kidding at all.

He towed me along to the water’s edge after a long perusal of my naked body I returned in kind.

Just before we waded in, I asked, “Promise no Loch Ness monsters?”

“Nope. Just me.” He hefted me into his arms then tossed me into the sea.

I rose in a spray of warm water, the waves lapping my waist. “Oh. It’s on, alien boy!”

X dashed into the ocean with a bellow. Then his body arched high before he knifed into the waves.

Plunging under, I swam in his direction, trying to locate him. His hand locked around my ankle first, and he drew me to him before breaking the surface with a roar. His wet hair sent spray across my face, and he lifted me in his arms.

I locked my hands on top of his head and ducked him under. He didn’t come up immediately for air. Damn alien probably didn’t need to breathe anyway. Instead—oh—his shoulders slid under my thighs, and his face burrowed against my pussy. He tongued me underwater, holding my shaking chest above the waves. And the ocean wasn’t the only thing that was wet.

It didn’t take long. My body had been deprived of his touch last night.

Oh My Orgasm.

I was surprised I didn’t cause a tidal wave when X pulsed his tongue against my clit at the same time he drove two fingers inside of me. Drops of water slipped from my hair to my shoulders to my breasts, and I reached below to pull him up.

He surfaced with a fountain of salty water, hauling me into his arms. His slippery hot kiss drew out my climax as I shuddered against him.

“Baby.” Tearing away from his lips, I whimpered.

He strode from the sea with me in his arms, and he lay me down on the blankets. I blinked against the suns, my sight filled with his majestic form as he remained standing.

Every single hard muscle delineated and wet, X looked forbidding. The heat of his gaze set my body on fire again. I crawled toward him and placed my hands on his thighs.

“I still can’t believe you’re three hundred-and-then-some years old.” Not with a cock like his that wouldn’t quit.

“Your aging will start slowing soon too. A benefit of being on Zenithia.” Reaching down, he trailed a finger along my neck.

Unable to resist, I leaned forward to lick a long path up the sturdy rod of hard flesh jutting from his groin. His cock pulsed against my tongue, hot and flushed with blood. At the tip I tasted the clear fluid pumping from the slit. The taste divine, I lapped at him again.

Hands thrust into my damp hair, X yanked my head back. He dragged me to my feet, pinning me against him.

“Enough talking, meehri.”

“I agree.” After slanting a kiss across his mouth, I leaned back. “Now we fuck.”