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So I stroke his chest, letting my fingers trace over his pectorals. His fur is thickest at his neck and shoulders, a lot like a lion’s mane, and it thins out over his chest, leaving a slight fuzz over the rest of his skin. It’s not enough to hide the fact that his muscles are very clearly defined, and it makes him a pleasure to look at, and even more of a pleasure to touch. He’s purring, too. There’s a low rumble in his chest that makes parts of me throb in response.
He drapes one big arm around me, tucking me close against him, and I want to moan with pleasure at the warmth it spreads through my body, and how achingly aware I am of his nearness, his strength, his power.
It’s odd but I really do feel safe with this big, brutal stranger.
Nassakth studies me for a moment, and his thumb brushes against my back, through the borrowed tunic I’m wearing. “The bounty hunter,” he begins slowly, “is hunting for a mesakkah criminal that was last seen in this area.”
I haven’t seen any mesakkah in this area lately. There’s always a few hanging out at port—like Bethiah—but out on farms? Only if they live there. “Do you know the man they’re looking for?”
“Know him? I do not.”
“Then why are we worried enough to call in Bethiah?”
He pauses. His thumb strokes over my back again. “Sometimes…when a bounty hunter is looking for answers, they make the pieces fit the puzzle. If his clients wish to hear a human is responsible for a death, they will make it seem that a human is responsible and turn in the human, because the sooner the bounty is completed, the sooner they are paid.”
The thought’s a distressing one. “So basically because humans are nothing to anyone, I could be in danger if he decides to pin the blame on a human.”
“It is an easy answer,” Nassakth admits. “But you are not in danger because I will not let anyone near you.” He holds me even closer. “Ever.”
In this moment, I’m very, very glad for his protectiveness. “I didn’t mean to be such trouble.”
“You are no trouble at all, my Kim. You are my mate.”
It’s so sweetly reassuring that it makes me feel warm inside. I can tell that he truly believes this—having me here is not a problem for him, no matter what this shitty universe drops on our doorstep. He truly wants me around, not just because I’m a human toy to play with, but because I’m Kim.
Impulsively, I lean in and give him a tiny kiss on the mouth. “Thank you,” I whisper, hovering close as I stroke his jaw.
Nassakth stiffens.
For a moment, I worry I’ve confused him somehow with my actions. I know some cultures out here in space have all kinds of hygiene laws and I worry I’ve violated one. “That was a kiss—”
“I know.”
His gaze meets mine, and I don’t see confusion there, or disgust. His eyes are filled with hunger and he pulls me ever so slightly closer.
And I feel…powerful and sexy. “Let me show you how they work,” I whisper, cupping his jaw. I lean in and brush my lips over his again, peppering his mouth with several slow, tiny kisses. They’re nothing more than a quick caress, but as I touch him, I learn his mouth. His lips are slightly different than my own, split up to his nose just like a cat’s, but it’s not unpleasant looking. Nor is it unpleasant against my mouth. His lips are soft, and his lower one is full and inviting, so I nip at it just a little. “Some people like small kisses before they move on to bigger ones,” I whisper between each buss. “It’s nice to just touch your partner without having it turn into something more.”
He remains perfectly still under me, his big body warm, and I can smell his spicy scent. He doesn’t smell human, oddly enough, but he still smells enticing and I’m starting to associate his scent with comfort. I stroke my fingers over his cheek and lift my mouth from his, gazing into his eyes. I want to tell him that the next part of kissing involves tongues—which might be gross for him. And if it is, that’s fine. Not every culture reacts the same to—
“Is it my turn to kiss you?” he rumbles, and the hand on my back flattens and Nassakth rolls us over until I’m below him and he’s over me.
I lick my suddenly dry lips…and his gaze goes to my mouth. Oh. “Yes, you can kiss me.”
He leans in and I hold my breath for just a moment as his mouth brushes over mine. He nuzzles at my lips, mimicking the gentle pecks I did to his mouth, and it feels good. Achingly sweet, but good. He purrs louder as he kisses me, peppering my face with tiny kiss after tiny kiss.
