Alien Sex 101 (14 page)

What a mistake. The guy had been young—barely nineteen—so she’d assumed he’d be done quickly, which worked better for her physiology. The bathroom setting was also supposed to move things along. Maybe he’d taken less time than some of the older males, but he’d given her about ten strokes too many, none with any finesse. The hard bridges along his shaft had only made it worse. What had started as orgasmic cries ended with her sobbing in pain before he was done. Worse yet, he’d been too inexperienced to tell the difference. She’d left feeling cheap and ill-used, although neither was really his fault.

When Mera had met Whitt at the class last week, she’d barely managed a polite mask. He’d reminded her too much of the young Allurian she’d had terrible sex with, just when she was trying so hard to forget. If it hadn’t been for her promise to model for Xindra and Quinn, she probably would have sworn off men. At least Xindra understood and was looking for a partner who might work for her. Even so, Mera was glad to have an excuse for putting it off an extra week. She was not looking forward to it.

So what was she doing with Trett? She had no idea why she’d agreed to date him, except there was something in his eyes that struck her as very kind. The moment they’d touched, she’d also felt an instant spark of attraction, which hadn’t happened to her in a very long time. Her feelings for him were so unexpected: a combination of excitement and a sense of safety.

After they finished dinner, Trett invited her back to his place. Mera gently turned him down, although she could still see the hopeful glimmer in his eye. She’d tried to keep them from getting to this point by keeping her kisses light and her hands to herself, despite her desire to fist his hair and crush his mouth with her own. By the looks of things, such tactics wouldn’t work any longer.

When they reached her door, she had her tiny keycard in hand, but she couldn’t stop herself from turning to face him. He stared at her hard for a moment and then stepped closer. Before she could think of a way to evade, he leaned forward and caught her mouth with his.

Just that touch, and she was engulfed in solar flares. His lips were smooth and firm, and his breath was scented by a fusion of spices as he tangled his tongue with hers. Mera’s body warmed with the same cozy glow the honey wine had given her, and her thighs felt tingly and weak. She slipped her hands over his strong shoulders and up to his nape. Then his palms registered against her back. When she nipped his lower lip and played her fingertips over the rounded points of one ear, he groaned into her open mouth and took the kiss deeper.

She felt his hands slide up and down her spine. One settled on the curve of her butt and pulled her closer. This brought her pelvis into contact with his raging erection, something that should have jolted her back to reality. Instead it made her vagina prickle. When he broke away to plant kisses across her cheekbone, she thought she was lost.

He whispered temptingly in her ear. “Invite me in. Please.”

Although the sound of his voice stroked her from the inside out, his words finally penetrated the haze of lust blanketing her mind. She took a step back.

“I’m sorry, Trett.” She meant it sincerely. “I can’t do that. Let’s just say good night.”

He returned a confused scowl. “But—”

Humiliation washed over her. How could she have done this to him? To herself? How could she have let things get this far when her last sexual disaster was still so fresh? Maybe in another month or two, she’d forget all her good reasons for not mating with an alien again, and then her usual confidence and prowess would come back.

Except Mera didn’t have that long. She had two weeks, and then she’d be displaying her complicated sex life in front of a class full of strangers. Damn it all.

“Mera?”

She shoved her keycard at the slot and fumbled it. Before she could grab it, Trett bent down to fetch it for her and handed it over.

“Mera, look at me.” His voice was no longer deepened by hunger. He sounded worried. “Talk to me, sweetheart.”

Although Mera wanted to hang her head, she refused to be a coward. Forcing herself to look him in the eye, she accepted her card and opened the door to her apartment building.

“I’m sorry, Trett. Thank you for dinner.” She stepped over the threshold and out of his reach. “Good night.”

The door swung closed just as he drew breath to speak.

* * * *

What the hell happened? That was the question that kept circulating through Trett’s mind the next couple of days. Things with Mera had been so promising. They’d been having a wonderful night, and then
wham!
He knew she wanted him—her kiss couldn’t lie—but she’d frozen up as soon as he’d suggested she invite him in.

Was she ashamed of her apartment? No, she lived in a decent part of town. Did she have roommates? She’d told him she lived alone. It was the idea of sex with him that had scared her, and, yes, his instincts assured him it was fear, not disinterest or uncertainty. From the bold way she talked, he assumed she was fairly experienced, so he doubted it was virgin jitters.

Since she seemed to be best friends with Mera, he considered talking to Xindra about it, but he didn’t know the woman well enough for that. Of course, he hadn’t been with Mera long either, and yet he definitely felt like he knew her. At least he knew the important things: what she believed in, what she liked, what she really cared about. Now he knew he was missing something critical, though.

Fortunately, it looked like he’d get a chance to find out. Although Mera timed her vid-calls when he was out, she did return his messages. She also hadn’t backed out of their plans for the symphony tonight.

When Trett picked her up, he found her looking as breathtaking as ever. He noticed the barest flicker of hesitation when she opened the door and kissed him hello, but that was it. It appeared she wanted to pretend the awkwardness of their last parting hadn’t happened.

“You look sensational.” He devoured her long, slinky dress with his eyes.

If she wanted to deny any misgivings, he’d let her get away with it for now. There would be plenty of time to talk later tonight. Besides, that dress had him nearly tongue-tied.

She beamed at him and let him help her into the car he’d hired for the night. The sleek craft hovered an inch above the street with only the faintest crackle of static. It wobbled infinitesimally as they climbed in.

When they reached the amphitheater, Trett had the pleasure of watching Mera’s face light up. She’d confessed to having never attended the Trilanta symphony, and he couldn’t resist being the first to introduce her to it. Watching her take in the crowd and stage, he felt a swell of pride in his chest. Her expression held the beautiful wonder of a child.

Gently clasping her hand, he held it captive even after they took their seats. Announcements were made, the first chord was struck, and then they were both carried away by a glorious wave of music. In keeping with the area’s multiethnic demographics, the symphony embraced the classics from a range of cultures, from the driving beat of the Nimanian
Ode to the Great Mother
to the gentle melody of a Litting sonata. Mera squeezed his hand during every crescendo, and he brushed his thumb over her knuckles whenever one of the woodwinds let out a sweet vibrato.

It was magical. By the time the concert ended and he took her to a late-night jazz club, Trett felt mellow and vaguely delighted. He had not, however, forgotten his need to talk with her.

They were seated at a small table near the back—far enough away from the other patrons to afford them privacy to talk. He didn’t think she realized it, but she was gently swaying in time to the beat.

“Oh, I like this,” she said. “I’m more of a pop culture kind of girl, but I enjoyed the symphony. Left on my own, I never would have gone, and I would have missed a real treasure. Now we’re here at this club, so I’m getting the best of both worlds.”

He understood. “I only got into the cultural offerings in Trilanta thanks to my work. My first trip to the museum was for a fancy cocktail party to impress some clients. Honestly, I would have preferred staying home and kicking my feet up with a bottle of Ibration malt. I do love music, though, so the symphony is one of my favorites.”

She just smiled.

When Trett slung his arm over the back of her chair and slid closer, he was pleased to see she leaned into him. She started to look at the band playing up front, but he slid his fingers under her chin and made her face him. He planted a passionate kiss on her lips.

“I don’t want this night to end yet,” he said, announcing his desire.

And there it was. First a shadow of conflict in her eyes, followed by a flash of dread.

“Mera, I like you,” he added before she could respond. “I want you. I want to take you home—doesn’t matter whether it’s your place or mine—and I want to make love to you for the rest of the night. You should know I’m not a man who pressures a woman for sex, but I’m getting some mixed signals here. I think you want me too, and yet there’s that look in your eyes. Tell me what’s causing it.”

She huffed out her breath, but she didn’t turn away. “It’s not you.” Then, apparently realizing what a cliché that was, she elaborated. “I really like you too, and I’m seriously attracted. The thing is…the last few times I’ve had sex with alien men, it’s been really bad for me. It’s starting to look like I’m not meant for an interracial relationship.”

She laughed bitterly. “Of course, if that’s true, then I’m really in trouble, because I don’t like Oquaran men very much either. Sure, the sex is great with them, but Oquaran males tend to think they have rights to you after the first time. Like just because you slept with them once, they’re entitled to take you anytime they want. I won’t stand for that.”

“You shouldn’t.” Trett was experiencing an ugly brew of emotions and wasn’t sure what to respond to first. Then the “really bad sex” part took priority. “Define ‘really bad.’ Are we just talking dissatisfaction?”

The look on her face was answer enough, and it got even his easygoing temper heated.

“They didn’t mean to hurt me,” she said flatly. “It’s just one of those things. What the other races consider normal, or even gentle for that matter, is way too rough for me. I have a healthy libido, so believe me when I say I’d love to find a suitable partner. It’s just that I gave it another try not that long ago, and I’m still a little gun shy.”

He closed his eyes for a moment to hide his thoughts. If the situation hadn’t been so sad, he’d be tempted to laugh. Little did she know, they were far more similar than either of them could have guessed.

“I know what it’s like to be hurt that way.” He opened his eyes again so he could study her face. “You’ve obviously never been with an Ibration male, or you’d know we’re different too. I’ve only been with three alien women before, and two of those relationships had sex-related issues. One of them told me she could do better with a vibrating dildo and her hand, and another panicked and hurt us both. There’s a point in an Ibration coupling when you can’t disengage without causing pain to both partners.”

Her face remained blank.

Trett felt his gut twist. He’d never shared that with anyone before, and he certainly hadn’t meant to go into such detail. It was humiliating.

“Is that true, or are you just trying to make me feel better?” she asked.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I wish it weren’t true.”

She searched his face for deception, and then her expression cleared. “You really do understand.”

“Why do you think I’m taking a course in sex education? I thought maybe I could learn something that’ll help me out. There aren’t that many free, single Ibration women in Trilanta, especially not year-round. Out of the ones that are here, there are even fewer I like.”

That made her smile. “What a pair we make.”

This time she was the one who kissed him.

* * * *

Mera made a pact with Trett. Since neither of them knew how compatible their bodies were, they decided to test things in stages. They started with kissing.

Previously, Mera had never kissed anyone for more than a minute or two without indulging in more, but now she got to explore the art. Over the days that followed, she and Trett went from sweet kisses goodnight to make-out sessions at his place or hers. By the fourth night, she went over to his house for take-out and a movie and enjoyed a thirty-minute kiss for dessert. It was…well, not better than sex, but it was wonderful.

There were so many kinds of kisses: light pecks, gentle nibbles, open-mouthed assaults, and tongue-touching dances. Trett tried the full range on her as he stroked her back or massaged her scalp. He used his fingertips to trace her features and caress her lips after he’d rendered them puffy and red, and she discovered just how sensitive his ears were. When she dared to lick the edge of one, she saw his eyes nearly roll back in his head.

She absolutely loved it, and she loved…no, she dropped that thought.

Heavy petting naturally followed. It started as furtive gropes through their clothes, but her blouses gaped further and further open each time. Eventually, her top came off altogether, and she surrendered her bra with barely a whimper. Trett always made sure to stay above the waist, but gods was he talented with that mouth.

Whenever he left hickeys on her neck, shivers of pleasure vibrated down her spine. He’d spend minutes gently circling her breasts with kisses and roving hands, waiting until her nipples looked like blunt antenna. Only after he had her whining and thrashing mindlessly did he put his mouth to them. At first, she’d worried she’d be too small for his liking, but he compared her diminutive breasts to scoops of Nimanian cream with cherries on top. She knew he loved cherries.

When he suckled her, he pulled her in so deep she felt her nipple hit his wet palate. Then he’d pull back and close his teeth just enough to hold her in place. His tongue was his secret weapon. He could flutter it so quickly and so exactly that she felt the tremors quake through her breast like ripples through milk. It was almost enough to make her come all by itself.