“I can walk,” she assured him. “I’m a little tender, not incapacitated.”
He ignored her, leaning over to move Mr. Tiddles to one side before settling down with her in their leafy bed. A girl could get used to this, she decided, snuggling closer as he tucked her against his broad chest.
No, she couldn’t. Their time together was limited. Unexpected tears threatened at the thought, but she resolutely pushed them away. They were together now, and she would think about the future when the time came.
The pale light of dawn glowed through the shelter when Jane felt lips on her breast. She knew she wasn’t dreaming this time. There was no mistaking that rough, tantalizing tongue teasing her nipples into tight peaks.
“Tarax,” she sighed.
He lifted his head and grinned at her, then returned to his task. She arched against his mouth, but he kept his touch frustratingly light until she tangled her fingers in his hair and tugged. Then he growled and clamped down, scraping the edges of his fangs over the taut flesh. The sensation sent streaks of fire straight to her aching clit. She began to wonder if she could come just from his mouth on her breasts, but before she could find out, he kissed his way down her stomach and swiped his tongue firmly across her needy bud. Her body bowed up as her climax swept over her with sudden shocking intensity. He held her in place, his tongue gently circling her sensitive flesh and sending wave after wave of pleasure through her system until she finally pushed weakly at his head.
He looked up and smiled at her again, but his face was taut with desire. He stroked a finger through her folds, stopping as soon as she winced. He pressed a quick, apologetic kiss against her pussy, then rose to his feet. His cock was fully, impressively, erect, and her clit pulsed again.
“We could try,” she suggested, licking her lips.
His eyes gleamed a hungry gold, but he shook his head.
“Rehst,” he insisted, before he left the shelter.
Mr. Tiddles climbed up from the end of the bed and buried his nose in her neck. She stroked his fur as her eyes closed and she gave into exhaustion.
Chapter Nine
Despite his aching cock, Taraxan left the shelter filled with contentment. Bringing Jayn to pleasure was the most satisfying experience he had ever known. He had slept little the previous night, relishing the knowledge that she was safe in his arms. When the sky lightened and he could see the signs of his possession on her skin, he had been filled with a complicated mixture of guilt and gratification. His marks clearly identified her as his female.
And he was identified as her male, he thought with satisfaction, his hand going to the place on his neck where she had marked him with her small teeth.
Content for now to let her sleep, he retrieved the pelt from where it was hanging and began applying a second coat of the brain slurry. He smiled as he envisioned the soft fur cradling her luscious body. It was not perhaps the most common bonding gift, but he was sure she would appreciate it more than jewels or precious metal.
Bonding gift?
The thought stopped him in mid stroke. He hadn’t bonded to her—he couldn’t bond to her. He wouldn’t allow anyone to hold that much power over him.
I am leaving this planet. She is leaving this planet, he reminded himself. This is not about bonding, but about caring for a helpless—and very desirable—female.
But when she finally emerged from the shelter with a shy smile on her face, his argument rang hollow.
This is just temporary, he told himself again as he went to greet her.
She came willingly into his arms, raising her face for one of those delightful kisses. Her response was everything that he could have wished. Only the knowledge that she was still sore from the previous night prevented him from carrying her back into the shelter and reminding her yet again that she belonged to him. For now.
She nestled happily against him as she looked around the clearing, then frowned.
“Arentweleavingtoday?” she asked, pointing to the direction in which they would travel.
“You need to rehst,” he said firmly. “I will pri-pair.”
He gestured at the fur and the rack of smoked meat and she nodded. She didn’t seem bothered by the delay, scooping up Misstuh Tiduhlz and talking to him softly as she fed him one of the strips of meat.
“You spoil him,” he muttered, but he smiled as he returned to his task.
The day passed quietly as he gathered more fruit and she made herself another leaf dress. He gathered more fruit, and they both took advantage of the pool—to Misstuh Tiduhlz’s disgust. Jayn slept again during the heat of the day, but he refused to give in to temptation and join her.
Once the pelt dried, he began stretching and softening it on one of the large rocks surrounding the pool. Jayn watched in fascination, then insisted on taking over. When she refused to give it back, he laughed and decided to try another hunt. He returned with an avian—not large enough to preserve, but enough for a satisfying dinner.
After they ate, he worked with her on the now softened fur. She had him cut several strips from the pelt, then used lengths of vine to create fastenings. To his disappointment, she took it into the shelter with her to try it on.
“I don’t understand this modesty,” he complained to Misstuh Tiduhlz.
The small creature chittered in what seemed like amusement before returning to the bone he was stripping. Taraxan turned his attention back to the cooking pouch he was creating from another section of fur.
“Whatdoyouthink?”
He looked up to find Jayn posing at the entrance to the shelter. All of the blood in his body raced straight to his cock. Soft blue fur cupped her breasts, as if presenting them for
