26. Molly
Afew hours later she wasn’t so sure.
Everything had been fine through dinner—which had been Chicken Piccata for her and some kind of gray and blue stew that was native to the Twin Kindred home world for Torus. The nice thing about using the meal cubes in the cabinet was the variety they offered and the fact that they didn’t have to commit to one single kind of cuisine.
Torus had tried a bite of her chicken and Molly tried his stew—which she found a little too spicy for her—and they had enjoyed a nice dinner together at the table which was a little too small for him and a little too big for her. But they managed quite well and really enjoyed each other’s company. Of course, they drank water—Molly wasn’t going to touch another drop of the Bonding Fruit wine.
Torus talked about the Jorgen Kindred home world—which had unfortunately been destroyed—and his people’s never-ending search for new brides to perpetuate their species. Since the Kindred were 95% male, they always ran out of females within a few generations of intermarrying with a new people and had to move on to find new wives.
Molly found the big Kindred fascinating. She liked hearing him talk because it helped keep her mind off her own situation—which was that she was waiting to see if she was going to become suddenly and unbearably horny. But all through dinner she felt normal, which was good.
After clearing up their supper—(which was easy because when the meal cubes expanded in the rehydrator, the tiny cube became a paper plate which could be thrown away afterwards)—they decided to take a walk on the beach.
“It’s so pretty out tonight,” Molly sighed as they walked barefoot along the sandy strip.
The sand was still warm from the sun which had almost finished setting in the west. Its dying rays painted the ocean waves pink and orange and lavender. The smell of salt permeated the air as the sea breeze whipped playfully through her long hair and ruffled the pretty blue sundress she was wearing. Torus’s big hand felt nice in hers—she liked having his long fingers entwined with her much smaller ones.
“I was wrong about your planet,” Torus rumbled. He was watching as the sun made its final descent into the ocean. “It’s beautiful here.”
“There are pretty parts and ugly parts, like any other planet, I guess,” Molly said, looking up at him. “What’s it like, being so tall?” she asked curiously. “I mean, you can kneel to get down to my level, but there’s really nothing I can do to get up to yours.”
“You really want to know?” He looked down at her, a smile tugging the corner of his mouth.
“Of course.” She nodded.
“Let me show you, then.” He leaned down and put his hands around her waist. “May I?”
“Oh…okay.” Molly nodded and then he was lifting her and placing her securely on his shoulders with her legs on either side of his neck.
“Get ready,” he rumbled. “We’re going up.”
Molly gave a little gasp as he rose into the air and put her hands on his head to steady herself. The sandy beach seemed very far away when Torus had risen to his full height. But he had his hands wrapped around her ankles, holding her in place so she wasn’t afraid.
“Well, do you like it?” he rumbled, tilting his head to glance up at her.
“I think so.” Molly laughed. “I feel so tall.”
“You are—for now.” And Torus started walking along the beach, strolling easily with Molly on his shoulders, as though she didn’t weigh anything at all.
The sensation of the wind whipping through her hair at such a great height gave Molly butterflies in her stomach. It was almost like being at the top of a roller coaster, she thought, just at the peak when you know the coaster is about to rush down that first tall hill…
“Is that what you like? Speed? The sensation of rushing?” Torus sent through their link.
“Oh, I—” Molly began. But before she could finish her thought, he began to run—taking long, smooth strides down the beach that felt more like flying than running.
Molly gave a little shriek of surprise that turned into a giggle of excitement. She leaned forward, weaving her fingers through the big Kindred’s hair but trying not to pull—she just wanted stability. His strides were so smooth and even that she never felt unsafe—he didn’t stumble once.
Up and down the beach they went until Torus finally came to a halt in front of their own bungalow. Molly was still giggling madly as he slid her off his shoulders and he was rumbling laughter himself—a warm, deep sound that seemed to fill her up with joy just to hear it. Zach’s laughter had always been mean—and always at her expense. It was different with Torus—he was laughing with her—laughing with the pure exhilaration of their shared experience.
“That was amazing!” Molly looked up at him with shining eyes. “Thank you for the ride.”
“Any time, sweetheart.” Torus dropped to his knees in the sand and gathered her into his arms.
Molly hugged him back eagerly and somehow her mouth found his and heat and desire were rushing through her as his warm scent filled her senses.
Torus seemed willing to let her take the lead. He parted his lips for her and invited her in and Molly boldly took him up on his invitation. She wound her arms around his neck and darted her tongue between his lips to taste him.
The kiss they had shared at the Joining Ceremony had been closed-mouth, but this was different—more intimate. As their tongues touched, she felt instantly addicted to the big Kindred’s taste, which was spicy and slightly sweet.
“Mmm…” she hummed eagerly, pressing even closer. She liked it when he was down on her level so she could press her breasts against his hard chest and feel his long arms wrapped around her waist possessively. It felt extra good because she wasn’t wearing a bra—the float dots under her large breasts were doing their job and her nipples were tight and aching under her sundress as she pressed against him.
Torus was an excellent kisser. He didn’t shove his tongue down her throat like her ex had. Instead, he let Molly take the lead and do whatever she wanted—which made her feel both safe and hot at the same time.
In fact, she was getting extremely hot, she thought dimly. Her nipples felt extremely sensitive as they rubbed against his chest and between her thighs her pussy was getting wet and needy.
Molly tried automatically to shut down the sexual feelings—as she’d been doing for the last five years—and then decided she didn’t want to. She liked feeling this way—especially now that she was with a man she trusted. It felt good to want him… good to feel his desire in return, which was coming through the TET link in waves—not to mention the fact that his long, hard cock was branding her belly through the light sundress she wore…
“Mmm, sweetheart—I think we’d better stop now.”
His warm, rumbling voice in her head only increased her desire but Molly didn’t agree with his words.
“No, I don’t want to stop! I like kissing you!” she sent back, thinking how nice it was to be able to communicate even when their mouths were busy.
“I don’t want to stop either—your little mouth is the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted,” he sent back. “But I’m afraid we’re going to activate the Bonding Fruit compounds from that wine you drank. We need to take things easy—we don’t want your body to go into a lust cycle you can’t control.”
Reluctantly, Molly stopped kissing him and pulled away.
“But I feel fine,” she protested. “Better than fine! I haven’t felt this good…this turned on in the last five years.”
“Which is exactly what I’m worried about.” Torus cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes. “If I had my way, I’d make love to you and Bond you to me tonight, little bird. But I’m afraid that probably isn’t possible, so we need to take things easy.”
Molly bit her lip.
“Are you sure you can’t Bond me to you?” she asked in a small voice. “I mean, I know we haven’t known each other long—I mean really known each other aside from work. But, well…I feel like there’s something between us. We’re compatible.”
Torus sighed.
“Mentally and emotionally, yes. But physically…given our size difference and my own girth and length, I find it highly unlikely that we could Bond.”
“Oh…okay.” Molly nodded. But inside she couldn’t help feeling extremely sad and disappointed. This was the end of her dream then—the dream that the fake relationship might become real some day. After the court case was over, Torus would probably go his way and she would go hers…
“Hey, don’t think like that, sweetheart,” he murmured and she realized he’d picked up on her thoughts. “Look at me.” He tilted her chin up so their eyes met again. “Let’s live in the now,” he told her. “Let’s enjoy what we’ve been given and not worry about the future.”
“Okay.” Molly blinked away the tears that had gathered and tried to smile. “I’m sleepy,” she said, changing the subject. “I think all that riding up and down the beach wore me out.”
He gave her his one-sided smile.
“All right. Then let’s get ready for bed. It’s been a long day and tomorrow we have to go somewhere the Press can see us being a ‘couple.’”
“Sounds good to me,” Molly said, nodding. But inside, she was wondering where, exactly, she was going to sleep.