Page 33 of Tempting Fate

“Are you sure?”

Wait, just how alien are they? For all I knew, it would be nothing familiar at all. “What do I do?”

“Use your hand.” Daiytak curled her fingers and thumb into a circle and jerked her wrist in a familiar motion.

I tried not to wince at the crudeness of it or pay too much attention to the heat in my cheeks. Just a dick of some kind, then. “That’s it?”

“Yes.” She rolled her head in a shrug. “It won’t take long.”

Right.

We walked back to the village in awkward quiet. I’d agreed to jerk off an alien I’d known a few days—and I was strangely okay with it.

In a way, it reminded me of the time I’d hooked up with a woman from another station on an asteroid scouting mission. We’d been working in close proximity, literally, and we used to get each other off in the showers after shift. That was it, nothing more, and we hadn’t even swapped numbers when the job was over. And that had been fun. This was just being helpful.

“Any dos and don’ts?” I asked as we neared Airida’s hut.

“Keep it simple and detached. Like you are changing bandages or washing hands.”

Right.

Simple. Detached.

Grilahki waited outside the door, face pinched, chest heaving—no doubt with the urge to berate or argue with me.

I kept my head high and back straight. “Excuse me.”

Her nostrils flared, but she stepped to one side. “Keep it professional, human.”

“Not a problem.” Give a sexy but snooty alien a handjob and pretend it’s not remotely sexual.

Easy.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Helpful Gal

Imani

MY KNOCK ON the door echoed, the portal already sliding open.

“Come in.” Airida’s voice was strong, but he appeared pale against the dark bedsheets. “I would get up, but…” He gestured at himself, a derisive sneer twisting his chiselled features; as I got closer, I saw the sheen of sweat glistening on them. “Thank you for offering to help me with this. It is not very dignified.”

A lump rose in my throat. Dignity. I could give him that. “Daiytak explained what’s happening to you, and I’m sorry you’re going through this. I just want to help you feel better.”

His smile was genuine, if faint. “Thank you. I’m told it improves, but this part is not my favourite thing.”

I forced down my anger against Orithian society for putting him in this position. “I can imagine. Let’s get you taken care of, then.”

He took a breath and flung the sheet off and, oh, I was not prepared for what lay under it.

Airida wore only undershorts. It was impossible not to notice the huge, hard dick straining at the fabric. That wasn’t the only thing to catch my eye. His expanse of orange and purple skin was tightly muscled. Thick thighs, defined pecs, and my nemesis, the V of obliques that arrowed down to his impressive package. That I had to touch. Because I wanted to help him.

My brain decided now would be a great time to remind me of all the times my ex had tried to ‘coach’ me. “Don’t bother. You’re better with your mouth.”

I picked at my thumbnails. Shut up, Ben. This wasn’t about being good at it or about intimacy.

We were both adults. I could act professional. This was fine.