Cosmic Castaway (Cosmic Romances #3)

25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

A first date to remember.

We were completely silent as we went to the river, and the silence didn’t bother me, neither did my early climax, well, after we’d talked. Serlotminden had liked it, though I wished our… intimacy, I guessed, had lasted longer. But whatever.

No, what was stressing me out was going to the river when there was an unfriendly alien. God, it was so stupid, but I had a hard time saying no to Serlotminden, especially when he gave me a puppy-dog smile that made me want to kiss and smack him at the same time.

The moment we stepped under the trees, I tugged the blanket off and folded it over my arm. I stayed close to Serlotminden’s side as we walked. I wanted to drag him back to the shuttle where that four-armed alien was unable to hurt him or me, but that would make him sad.

Fuck. Emotions sucked. Romance sucked. Why anyone wanted this was a mystery to me. Why I wanted this was a mystery. I liked Serlotminden. I liked his smile. I liked his laugh. I liked his touch. I liked how he raced about. I liked how his mind worked.

I supposed that was answer enough.

The river gurgled peacefully as steam came off the water in waves. Serlotminden scoured the edge, tail flicking. The crab-rocks were nowhere in sight. They had been freaky as hell, but I didn’t think they’d hurt us.

He pulled out a type of scanner with limited range that I’d seen him use before. Mindy growled. “The scanner doesn’t work well, but from what I can see, the temperature and microbes in the water are safe for me. We shouldn’t drink it. It might make us sick, though more likely you. Maybe if I boiled it. I’m not sure. And I’m not certain if the water is safe for you. Seth is mostly compatible with our environment.” He stared at me, teeth playing with his lip ring.

“I’ll be fine.” I started to pull the hem of my shirt up, and he froze, tail thrashing. He was nothing if not obvious. He’d seen me naked before. He’d licked me all over, for the most part. Thinking of his tongue had me blushing, so I forcefully shoved the memory away.

I wasn’t going to give him a show, nor was there much to see underneath. I was skinny as hell. The nutrition bars kept me alive, but they didn’t help me gain any weight. There was also the fact that Agk had barely fed me or Vince, and I’d given some of my food to Vince. He’d needed it, and I hated the thought of him being hungry.

God. Vince. I hoped he was alright. Safe. As safe as possible in the situation I’d left him in.

Without ceremony, I stripped my clothes off, leaving the briefs where they were. Serlotminden watched with burning eyes. His gaze lingered on my swollen shoulders and elbows as well as the bruises decorating my back. He reached for me but hesitated.

“You can touch me,” I said in a low voice as my dick began to perk up. I fought it; I did not want to pitch a tent in these tight briefs. “You won’t hurt me. No licking, though.”

What world had I stumbled into that I needed to specify that my boyfriend couldn’t lick me?

My mind froze on the word boyfriend. Mindy was my boyfriend. I smiled, but fear ticked in my chest like a doomsday clock. If Mindy lost interest in me, it would hurt like nothing I’d ever experienced before. But more than that, if someone hurt him, I wouldn’t handle it well.

My mouth went bone dry. Someone could hurt him. That alien or… my mind ripped back to the fighting ring. The strong smell of piss and fear that soaked the walls. Me and Vince huddling close. The smacking of flesh as the two aliens in the ring fought. Neither of them wanted to, but collars on their necks forced them to obey or they would deliver painful shocks.

Vince had gripped my hand tightly as people shouted and called out their bets. If Agk had gotten tired of us… that was our fate. To be beaten until we stopped breathing.

Fingers traced my back, and I practically leaped out of my skin.

“Flower, did I hurt you?”

Pulse pounding in my ears, I tried to force the past away. “No.”

He kissed my neck. “Where were you?”

My first instinct was to lie, but Serlotminden had asked me for the truth. He wouldn’t force me to speak of it, and yet… he deserved it, even if it terrified me. I whispered, “Before.”

“Before what?”

“Before you saved me.”

Mindy kissed my neck again. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.” If I opened my mouth, I feared everything would spill out and I’d never stop. What would he think if I told him everything?

“When we get home, you can speak to a doctor if you’d like.”

I didn’t respond. Home meant different things to us, and I wasn’t sure if we’d ever leave this place.

Carefully, he traced the bruises. It didn’t hurt, but the feel of his scales dragging over my skin formed goosebumps on my arms and sent tingles of electricity racing under my skin. My breath turned harsh when he moved to stand behind me, his fingers sliding over my sides and up my stomach. One brushed the edge of my belly button, and I jumped, panting.

“You’re still hurt. Your shoulders are swollen.” He pressed a kiss to each one.

“I’ll be alright.” My voice was sandpaper. My thoughts whirled as he continued to caress me. Every inch of me was alive in a way I’d never felt as he stroked and touched me. The cold air was nonexistent in the face of the warmth of Serlotminden. He bent lower and his breath rushed over my neck as his thumbs rested on the dimples at the base of my spine.

His lips ghosted over my skin at the nape of my neck, and I leaned my head to the side to give him more space. Serlotminden kept his touch whisper-soft as he pressed kiss after kiss against my neck. He kept a hold of my hips, but he did not grip or squeeze me; he simply held me securely.

I melted.

I pressed against him and moaned when his scaled tongue touched the sensitive skin behind my ear. A whimper, a fucking whimper, ripped out of my mouth as he sucked on my earlobe, scraping me with his sharp canines.

“Serlotminden,” I said, breathless.

“Teddy?” He kissed the nape of my neck again.

I was going crazy. If he didn’t stop, I was going to turn around and mash my lips to his. If that happened, this date would probably go a very different way, even though I’d told him no sex. But I could not move away.

No. I’d already decided to wait, and I needed it. I needed more time.

I pulled away, and he instantly let me go.

“Bartholomew?” The question was obvious in his voice.

I did not answer, shaking. I eased into the warm water. My joints practically groaned at the feel. How long had it been since I soaked? I couldn’t remember. I sank in, staying near the bank so the water wouldn’t sweep me away.

Serlotminden entered beside me in nothing but his briefs. He was as beautiful as ever—all lean muscles and purple scales. He hissed when his side hit the water and jerked back up.

“Are you alright?” I asked, getting to my own feet.

“My skin is sensitive, and my scales haven’t regrown yet.” He sat on the edge, not looking at me, and took deep breaths.

God, I was such a tease, but I was unsure of what I wanted. I would get there; first though, I needed to know him better.

I ducked under the water and scrubbed my scalp. When I burst back out, I crouched low enough for my shoulders to be submerged. I released a long sigh at the warm water. I stretched and groaned—the heat was starting to relax my swollen joints.

Mindy scooted closer and held out the bottle of shampoo. “I can wash your hair.”

How was he this nice? Like really? I wanted to say yes, but I took the bottle from him with a slight smile. “I can do it.”

Serlotminden bit his lip, playing with the gold ring.

Turning away from him, I scrubbed my short hair, then dunked underwater again. When I surfaced, sputtering, he presented the bar of soap, which I accepted, trying not to make eye contact.

Not that he had the same problem. Serlotminden watched me the entire time, tail wriggling beneath the water.

From the corner of my eye, I peeked at him, unable to keep my gaze off him for long. He was a magnet, and I was helpless against him. Serlotminden grunted, holding his side as he tried to angle his body correctly to get his hair wet. When that didn’t work, he started bringing water to the top of his head, which wasn’t doing much better.

Since we couldn’t actually swim, and I’d made it weird, though really because I wanted an excuse to touch him, I offered, “I can wash your hair.”

He grinned. “I’m not going to say no.”

It was awkward to get him low enough while keeping his injured side out of the water. We managed with him leaning on one elbow and on his knees. He lowered enough for me to get his hair nice and wet before lifting him out. Starting at the roots, I worked my fingers over his scalp in slow circles. He moaned beneath my touch, making my dick stiffen.

“Bartholomew,” he cried. “Yes, that’s so good. Flower, right there.”

I swallowed.

“ Ungh ,” Serlotminden groaned. “Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.”

Seriously? I was a fucking virgin, but I knew sex noises when I heard them. He had to know what he was doing. It was no accident. When he practically screamed my name, I hardened completely, cock throbbing in the water. Mindy was shameless, and yet, I wasn’t annoyed, at least not completely, just horny.

I thoroughly washed his hair as I tried to ignore my needy cock and his lewd noises. When I was finished, I rinsed the shampoo off, then helped him sit back. The water dripped down his dark purple scales as he stared at me with his deep green eyes. I took a jagged breath.

“Thank you, Teddy.”

I nodded, strangled.

Serlotminden smiled. “You are amazing.”

I shrugged.

He grabbed my hips and lifted me onto his lap. His hard cock pressed into mine, and I gasped.

Serlotminden kissed the corner of my mouth. “Don’t fear. I won’t do anything.”

I grunted, shivering in the air. His wings spread out, glistening with drops of water, and surrounded me. Warmth seeped into me and banished the chill. “I’m not trying to tease you.”

“You’re not, Flower.” He kissed my cheek. “You’re not ready. Yes, I’m… hard.” He paused, and I nodded so he knew it was the right word. “I’m hard because I’m attracted to you and enjoy your touch. It’s not teasing. Besides—” He grinned. “I like to be teased.”

I flushed.

Serlotminden tightened his hold around me, and I pressed against him. We hadn’t gone swimming, and it had gotten awkward at times, but this was a great first date.