Page 6 of Abducting the Alien

“Oh, jeez. Let’s get you back inside. Not to brag, but I have a pretty nice first aid kit.”

“Okay,” Clay said. Anticipation and gratitude flooded his veins at August’s concern.

He climbed through the window and watched Clay do the same. August was wide on top, and muscular, and nothing in the galaxy had ever felt more important to Clay than learning what he looked like without fabric covering his body.

When they were both back inside, August headed for the door. He reached out as he passed by, taking Clay’s hand again. He liked the feeling of it. On Zengi, holding tails with a mate was common, but Clay found he loved this, too—their fingers tangled together, a small human gesture that belonged only to them.

“You okay?” August asked.

“Yes,” Clay said. “But my tail hurts. It is squished in there.”

“Let it out. I like your tail,” August said. “Stay put, I’ll be right back.”

That was the second time August had told Clay to stay put. He liked it, knowing August wanted him to be in the same spot to find him again later. His slit pulsed with affection and need, but the feeling in his tail was less enjoyable—a trapped ache he was desperate to relieve.

“August?”

“What’s up?” August asked, poking his head back into the room.

“May I borrow clothing? Something with more room?” Clay asked, pulling on the waistband of his suit.

“Oh, for sure!” August stepped back into the room and pulled a pair of shorts from his drawer. He tossed them in Clay’s direction. “You can change while I find something for your lip.”

Clay pulled them against his body. “Okay.”

He didn’t hesitate to rip off his suit once August shut the door. It had been uncomfortable for a while, too warm and wet from his slick, but now that it strangled his swollen tail, it was almost unbearable.

As August’s absence stretched, Clay felt his scales shimmer, nervous that August wouldn’t return.

As a child, he’d often played with his tail as a self-soothing behavior, a familiar comfort when he was overwhelmed. So, he pulled it free from where it rested behind his legs and held it close, hoping the familiar sensation would calm him.

Instead, he was startled to find that touching it now only intensified his arousal. The tension beneath his skin was pleasurable when August was near, but without him, it became something painful. Something he didn’t know how to endure alone.

“I’m back. I found some antibiotic ointment, I’m not sure if—whoa,” August said. His eyes widened as he stepped forward, tossing the ointment on his bed as he moved to stand directly in front of Clay. “Wow. Sorry, you’re…” August rubbed his hands against Clay’s skin, releasing a deep purr from Clay’s chest.

“I’m… what?” Clay asked, fondling his tail before throwing it down out of frustration. He could smell his arousal permeating the air and focused on August’s face to see any hint of reciprocation. How did humans show their arousal, he wondered?

“You’re smokin’ hot,” August said. His hands rubbed up and down Clay’s body before he stilled. “I can’t stop looking at you. I knew you were hot, but now with your shirt off and wearing my shorts, I feel like…” He blew out a breath. “I don’t even know.”

Clay felt his scales turn muddy and matte. “You are smoking, too,” he said, trailing his own hands up August’s chest. It was a good sign that August wanted to touch him, and his nerves ebbed enough that he found a crumb of confidence. He took a deep breath and said, “You can touch me any time. I feel better when you touch me.”

“I feel better when I touch you too,” August said, grinning.

“And I have a question.”

“Shoot.”

Clay tilted his head curiously.

“I mean, go ahead and ask the question. Anything. I’m an open book. I have a lot of questions I want to ask you, too. About your… home planet? And why you’re here.”

Clay nodded. They should probably start there, but it was hard to focus when he was so needy for other things. Maybe if he got a quick taste of whatever their bond offered, he could answer August’s questions more efficiently.

“You first,” August said. His eyes sparkled as he smiled in the sharp room light.

“Okay.” Clay held August’s hand. “Will you mate with me?”

“Will I mate with you?” August asked, letting out a harsh laugh. “Like, mate?”