Odd Coupling (20 page)
Normally, he didn’t have a problem
completing a shift, but before he’d left his quarters that morning,
his mate had said she’d have a surprise for him when he came back.
She’d warned him to not arrive early. He’d been bursting with
curiosity ever since. He looked at the time. One more minute.
Before he could stop it, the tip of his tail slapped against the
side of his chair. A couple crewmembers looked up from their
workstations, but went back to work as soon as he glared at
them.
When he’d come back to the ship after
he’d attended the meeting on Earth, she’d asked him if she could
order some new furniture for their living space. He’d happily
agreed. Ever since then, she’d avoided talking about what pieces
she’d selected. A week had passed, and now she said she had a
surprise for him.
His mind filled with possibilities. He
hoped she’d ordered a couch like the one they’d coupled on in her
home. The very idea made him uncomfortable and he had to shift his
position in his command chair to ease the pressure. The chronometer
softly chimed, marking the end of his shift. Vren entered the lift
as the last tone sounded.
* * * *
Bethany hurried to the bath
to take a quick look in the mirror. She’d changed her mind at the
last minute and had decided to wear the D’Lyrian clothing instead
of the drab jumpsuit she wore when exploring the ship. The brightly
colored top, called a swara, was similar to a halter top, but much
skimpier. It barely concealed her breasts, but it covered more skin
than the tapa did. The triangular front portion hid the seam of her
pussy and nothing else.
I’m wearing a
hankie and butt floss.
Thank god for hair
removal!
Bethany smiled at her reflection. Vren
would love it, and that was part of her plan. Get him turned-on as
fast as possible, then spring the trap—her surprise. She hurried to
the living room and then sat on her new couch. He’d like it because
it was almost identical to her old one. She heard him enter his
office, and she struck a seductive pose to await his
reaction.
He bolted into the room
almost before the door had completely opened. His green eyes
widened in surprise as soon as he saw her and he purred.
Oh yeah.
Her plan was
working.
“
You’re lovely,” he said in
a soft growly tone. “I like the couch too.”
“
Lose the uniform, my love.
This is just the beginning.”
Bethany loved watching him undress. He
started by kicking off his boots. His uniform top was the next to
go. Each discarded item revealed bold stripes and powerful muscles.
He never looked away from her as he stripped. She’d gotten used to
his unblinking stare. It turned her on. She licked her lips as he
unsnapped his trousers before he slid them down to mid-thigh. He
shimmied out of them and then slowly approached. The only item he
didn’t remove was his tapa.
He pounced on her just as she’d hoped.
Their lips met, and he took charge. He deepened the kiss, and she
moaned as his tongue teased hers with quick thrusts. A jolt of
desire tore through her. If she didn’t stop him, they’d be coupling
sooner than she’d planned. She ran her fingers through his thick
silky mane and stopped when she reached his ears. Slow, gentle
caresses to the bases made him purr louder. He broke the kiss and
shook his head to force her to release him. D’Lyrian males loved to
have their ears scratched, but not during sex. He gave her a
questioning look.
“
I want to show you my
surprise,” she explained.
“
This isn’t it?”
Bethany shook her head and pushed
against his chest. She wasn’t strong enough to actually shove him
away, but he stood and helped her up.
“
Follow me,” she said. She
made sure to exaggerate the sway of her hips as she walked away. A
soft growl sounded behind her. She stopped at the edge of the
alcove that contained the coupling bench.
“
Why did you put a curtain
across the opening?”
“
For some privacy, and I
think it makes the space more intimate,” she explained. “Don’t you
think it’s a good idea?”
He nodded. “I want intimacy right now,
mate.”
Bethany held up a finger. “Give me a
second. Don’t come in until I call you.”
She darted behind the curtain and then
hurried to undress. She tossed her tapa and swara over the curtain,
making sure she threw them hard enough to clear the top.
“
Bethany!” His voice
sounded harsh and impatient.”
“
Not yet,” she yelled, and
he answered with a loud growl.
She gave the king-sized mattress a
hopeful look. It was flat on the floor. She sank to her knees and
crawled to the center. Once there, she stretched out on her side
and tried to look sexy. Vren loved to see her naked. She prayed he
wouldn’t be able to resist her.
“
Come in,” she
called.
He burst through the curtain and came
to an abrupt standstill. He stared at her, then shifted his
attention to the bed. He looked over at the coupling stand that
she’d shoved to the far corner before his gaze finally came back to
settle on her. He swallowed hard.
“
Surprise!” She forced a
smile.
“
What is this?”
Bethany took a deep breath and let it
out slowly. “This is a coupling platform.” She patted the mattress.
“Join me.”
“
It’s a bed,” he
countered.
“
No, it isn’t,” she stated
firmly “Our bed is in the place where we sleep. This isn’t where we
sleep, is it?”
His eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“No.”
“
So this can’t possibly be
a bed, can it?”
He snarled. “Maybe not.”
She held his attention by caressing
her breast. “I think we should try our coupling platform. It’s
softer than the floor,” she said in a sultry tone.
He gave the bench a quick glance, then
looked back at her. “A coupling…platform?” A faint smile appeared.
“It looks comfortable.” He sidled closer and his nose
flared.
He’d smelled her arousal. Bethany
wasn’t certain she’d won him over until he reached down and ripped
off his tapa. In no time, it joined hers on the other side of the
curtain. Vren dropped to a crouch, then growled as he crawled
toward her. She made a weak attempt to escape and screamed
playfully as he captured her and held her down.
“
You’re mine, Bethany. Your
happiness means everything to me. I don’t ever want to lose you. If
you prefer a coupling platform, then that is what we’ll
use.”
“
You’re my mate. I’d be
miserable without you.” She threw her arms around him.
He purred. “I love you.”
“
I love you too.” She
nipped his shoulder. “Now couple with me before I pull your
tail.”
The End
About the Author
In her early teens, if Jaylee wasn’t
perched in front of the TV watching a sci-fi show she was in her
bedroom reading a sci-fi novel. It wasn’t until she discovered her
mother’s secret stash of romance books squirreled away at the back
of a closet that her interests took an abrupt turn.
Jaylee is a retired RN and has been
married to her own wonderful alpha for several years. They live on
the Gulf Coast in southern Texas. When the youngest of three
children left the nest a couple years ago, she decided to follow
her dreams and write full time. Thankfully, her cast of characters
never gave up on her. They remain stuck in her head, waiting for
her to write their stories. They’re an impatient group.
Also by Jaylee
Davis
Training the Warrior
Lord of Capra
Defenders of Capra
Fantasy Warrior