12. Char
12
CHAR
“Everything’s good. Don’t I get a hug?”
Betty knew that was a bad idea, but she nodded anyway. Todd closed the distance between them.
His hand smoothed over her hip as he embraced her with his tentacles. They dragged up her side and wrapped around her arms and shoulders. She’d forgotten how much she missed his touch.
“That’s right, princess. I’m gonna fuck you so deep.”
O ooo-kay. It was getting late, and I didn’t usually write on Sundays. That seemed like a good stopping point for the day.
My novels weren’t clean, but they were fairly tame. Typically one or two curse words in an entire book, with low to medium spice levels. This story was taking a naughty turn. I blamed Ryoch’s dirty talk.
I’ll fuck you with my tongue to get you ready.
His dark voice, listing the things he’d do to me, had become the soundtrack of all my fantasies.
I scrolled up to re-read the last couple of paragraphs and nearly fell off my chair. Tentacles ? I didn’t even remember typing that. Why did I keep writing tenta ?—
It all clicked. Vivid sex dreams. Aliens. The strange, subconscious fascination with tentacles. I slowly closed the laptop and pushed my chair back, as if the keys might try to bite me.
Shit . What was my imagination, and what was real?
Ryoch hadn’t exactly revealed himself. He described Lydaxian sex in explicit detail, but stayed in his human form. It was all academic. I had guesses and impressions, moments when I thought I saw true parts of him, like his eyes. Never anything certain, and never the whole.
If we were going to give this thing between us a chance, that meant seeing what he really looked like. How bad could it be? I could handle tentacles… Probably.
Who was I kidding? Definitely .
Feelings were more complicated.
After we parted ways the day before, I’d thought about it long and hard. I wanted to open myself up to the possibility that it was real. Not the alien part. I believed that already. The relationship part.
Much scarier.
I wasn’t at all sure about the bonding thing. Sharing emotions through some mystical connection was a hard no for me. But we could start with dating. See where it led. I was a little terrified, but also excited, and I was going to trust my gut.
Even though I’d never had a successful romantic relationship with anyone, ever.
This felt different. My heart warmed around Ryoch, tugging me toward him in a way that seemed profound and essential. Some of my instincts must not be faulty, right?
I was still mortified about my reaction when he’d suggested going slow. My walls went up, and I’d assumed the worst. Why? He was showing me respect, but in my head all I heard was rejection and abandonment. It was fucked up, I recognized that.
But I was proud I said something. I’d been very, very vulnerable in front of Ryoch, and I was trying.
Just because I’d never had a good experience with commitment, didn’t mean it wasn’t possible.
I shook myself and picked up my phone. I’d see Ryoch again tomorrow. It was time to call Jess.
When I was at the hospital on Friday night, I’d missed a text from her. She’d gone back to the bar with Annabelle. That was all I knew. I tried calling her Saturday, but it went to voicemail. Then I got distracted by a tour around a spaceship.
What was I going to say? Did you know we both have alien mates? My stomach twisted as I tapped her name. She was going to think I was totally nuts.
The phone barely rang before Jess was talking, her voice breathless. “Oh my god. Do you know?”
Know? Shit. I plunged ahead, hoping she’d say it first.
“Yes. Obviously, so do you.”
“I don’t know what to say. Or to think.” She was giddy.
“Neither do I.” Was she talking about the sex stuff? The mate thing? Aliens in general?
“Do you like him?” she asked.
Maybe the mate thing…
Did I like Ryoch? We could have been thirteen, gossiping by our lockers. I sighed. “Yes. More than like. It’s insane.”
“Yep, totally crazy. We should go on a double date.”
I laughed. She sounded so excited. Was it really that easy for her?
“Yeah, we should. You’re okay, Jess?”
“I am. Work is still…” She paused. “Yeah, I’m good. What about you?”
It didn’t sound like she was good. But then, neither was I. My writing was behind schedule, Naomi was dying, and I’d just found out an alien wanted me as his mate. How could I sum that up?
“I’ve got a lot of shit going on, actually. But I’m okay.”
“Are we worried about our phones being tapped or something here?” she asked.
Shit, was that possible? “Maybe? Yes, I think I am. I’m definitely feeling paranoid.” And I didn’t know what Jess knew and didn’t know, or how to talk about it yet.
“Let’s meet up. How about next Friday after work. At the bar?”
“Sounds good.” Hopefully things would be clearer by then. “Take care, Jess.”
“You too, sweetie.”
As soon as I hung up, I got a text notification. Ryoch.
How does dinner sound tomorrow? I get off at 6. I can pick you up at 7.
7 works. See you then.
Great. Wear comfortable shoes.
Okay—why?
Trust me.
I wanted to. That was something.