Page 23 of Mated to the Grumpy Alien

She looks up at me and grins. “That is unnecessary, I promise I am perfectly healthy.”

“Scanning,” Cyg’s voice says.

I wait for the process to complete wondering if I should have him report subvocally, but decide against it. I cannot keep secrets from my Shuka, if we are to be partners like she wants.

“Elevated temperature, dilated pupils, elevated breathing rate as well as heart rate,” Cyg says.

I am feeling those same things.

“She appears to be in an aroused state,” he says.

I already knew that as I can scent her need.

“Oh my Hell,” she whispers. She leans forward, her forehead planting against my chest. “How embarrassing.”

“Leave us, Cyg,” I command.

I wait until I can feel the absence of his presence in my head. He doesn’t fully retreat, there are still matters of safety to watch for. But this does allow him to disengage so he is not a silent observer in the room.

“He showed me what you did to the villagers' water source.” She beams at me. “And you figured out how to charge my reading device. Why?” Tears pool in her pretty green eyes. “Why did you do those things?”

I reach up, cupping one side of her face. I will not complete the bonding unless she is in agreement. But, in this moment, I can’t not touch her. “For you. Everything is always for you.”

“I’m ready, Irick.”

“Ready for what?”

“Our bonding. I choose you. I don’t know if I’ll ever believe like you do about the tides and fated mates, but I feel it in here,” she taps on her chest. “You are the man I would want if I had an entire lineup of men to choose from.”

Her words fill my body with unquenchable desire. I want to pin her down and plow into her until we are both weak from the pleasure. But I need her to be certain.

“These things cannot be undone, Shuka. A bond is for life, yours and mine. You will be my one and only.”

“And if I say I need more time?” she asks.

“Then I will wait. You are my one and only.”

“I am certain, Irick. I want you. Not just physically, though I do want that, a lot. Like really a lot. Is that the bonding urge you mentioned?”

I nod.

“So you feel the same?” she asks.

“I have since the moment I laid eyes on you. I knew you were my beloved.”

“Then do it. Let’s complete the bonding. Tell me what I need to do.”

I turn us so that we’re sitting on the bed facing one another. I trail my fingers across the place on her neck where her marks are already beginning to bloom. They match the spots on my wrists.

I knew the moment I saw her that she was my mate. The marks we both bear are proof I was right.

Then I reach up first with one hand and then the second until I’m cupping her face. Our eyes lock and my wrists and hands begin to heat.

“Oh,” she whispers, her eyes growing round with surprise. “It’s like I can feel your heart beating under my skin.”

Then I seal our lips together and kiss her the way I’ve been longing to for weeks. My heart and my love, my be’lahshuk. Her tongue meets mine and together our mouths mate in a carnal dance that only serves to further boil my blood. Our kiss ends and she looks up at me, her eyes shining with moisture and emotion. I can feel it now. She loves me.

Me. Irick, the traitor. Irick, the convict. The tides brought me the most beautiful of women, both of body and face, but also her heart. She finds me worthy and I am ready to shout my joy from the tops of this very mountain.