“I understand you don’t hate me for being an M-Switch,” he said, nodding thoughtfully. “But then why didn’t you want to bond with me back on Priima Belle?”
“Well, I mean, we hardly knew each other—we still don’t know each other very well,” Vicky began, but then she realized she was doing what Chain had accused himself of back on Earth—she was being cowardly. “But that’s only part of it,” she admitted, lowering her gaze. “I also thought—and still kind of think—that I’m too old for you. I mean, in my culture, you almost never see a couple with our age difference and when you do, it’s always the man who’s older—not the woman.”
“But why?” Chain looked honestly mystified at this strange human vagary. “How could a male not be attracted to an older female who has life experience as well as beauty?” he asked. “How could he not want a female who knows what she wants and teaches him exactly how she likes to be pleased?”
His eyes went half-lidded as he spoke and Vicky felt a tingle go through her entire body. Still, she tried to keep her voice steady as she replied.
“I guess human men just don’t…don’t see it like that. They all prefer younger women.”
“Then they’re missing out,” Chain rumbled. He stroked her un-hurt cheek again and lifted her chin so that their eyes met. “Victoria,” he murmured, “I told you once that your beauty is ageless. Do you believe me now?”
Vicky bit her lip. “I…I think I’m starting to,” she admitted. “But I still think we should…should take things slow,” she added. “I mean, as incredibly attracted as I am to you, we still haven’t known each other very long.”
“True.” He nodded gravely. “What about if we start with me healing you?”
“Healing me? How?”
“The same way I healed you at your domicile,” Chain murmured.
“Oh! By, uh, licking me?” Vicky bit her lip.
“Exactly.” His voice was a low growl, as though he looked forward to it.
“Shouldn’t we…” Vicky cleared her throat. “Shouldn’t we get out of the tub, er, pool first?”
“Not necessary,” Chain told her. “Just hold still, my beautiful Victoria, and let me heal you.”
Vicky wanted to ask more questions but just then he leaned down and kissed her wounded cheek gently.
The place where his lips touched her skin seemed to tingle and she gasped but didn’t move away as he repeated the tender kiss and added a gentle lick as well.
“You know, you never told me exactly how you can do that,” she whispered breathlessly as he continued down her cheek. “I mean, uh, heal me with your tongue.”
“I’ve had a special serum that allows me to heal my mate from any wounds she might get.” Chain murmured in her ear. “It comes in handy—at least it has since I met you, beautiful Victoria.”
“But…but I’m not your mate,” Vicky protested, her voice coming out breathy and uncertain even to her own ears.
“No…” Chain drew back for a moment to look her in the eyes and she saw that his were burning with lust, though that crooked little smile of his was twitching the corner of his mouth. “No,” he repeated. “Not yet.”
Then he went back to healing her, using long, slow laps of his tongue interspersed with gentle kisses that sent shivers and tingles through Vicky’s entire body.
The whole time he was healing her cheek, she kept telling herself that she needed to be careful—that they had to take things slow and not jump into anything. But when the big Kindred began licking the sensitive side of her throat, all her sensible thoughts flew out the window and she couldn’t help the low moan that escaped her lips.
God…oh, God! Her neck and throat had always been one of Vicky’s most sensitive erogenous zones. The feelings she got when Chain lapped and kissed her so gently, his mouth on her sensitive flesh and his warm breath in her ear, was almost enough to make her come it got her so hot. Her nipples felt tight and seemed to throb as the warm water lapped against them and her pussy was suddenly aching and wet with need.
“Chain!” she heard herself moaning. “Oh my God, if you don’t stop I’m going to…going to…”
“Going to what, beautiful Victoria?” he murmured, pulling back to look in her eyes again. When he saw the state she was in, his own eyes widened. “Didn’t know your neck was such a sensitive area, sweetheart,” he murmured. “I’ll have to keep that in mind in the future.”
“Why?” Vicky demanded breathlessly. “What…what are we going to be doing in the future?”
Chain gave her a slow smile.
“What would you like to be doing?”
“Getting to…to know each other better,” Vicky said, trying to sound stern. “Before we, uh, do anything foolish.”
“Why is it foolish to want to be with the one you love?” Chain asked softly.
Vicky felt shock run through her. She’d been with Kevin for over a year before he’d said the L word and everything she’d read and seen about modern men talked about how careful they were not to say they loved a woman too soon because they were so commitment-shy.
Well, apparently, Kindred are not modern Men, she thought, feeling dazed.
“Chain, you can’t say you love me yet,” she protested. “We don’t even—”
“Know each other?” he finished for her, raising an eyebrow. “No, but we will. After all, I’ve already met your family and they seemed to approve of me.” He grinned.
“Melli and Jodi are sweet girls but of course they’re going to approve of you—you’re
