Chapter Fourteen
Watching Justin sleep calmed a part of Eteriion he hadn’t known existed.
He knew he’d felt lonely, had accepted it because of his situation and had believed no human would ever accept him, but now that he had Justin, he didn’t want to let him go.
How could someone feel this deeply after only a few days?
Rolling onto his back, Eteriion stared up at the ceiling.
It wouldn’t be long until the town rescued everyone trapped in the cabins, including them, and he found he wasn’t so sure if he wanted them to reach him and Justin.
He wanted longer with this human. At least they could celebrate Christmas together.
After spending the previous day decorating the cabin and the tree, they’d enjoyed a nice evening in front of the fire, and Eteriion had enjoyed continuing to learn what made Justin moan and arch in pleasure.
His scent when aroused pushed Eteriion’s own arousal higher, so he’d made sure to keep Justin aroused as often as possible.
He did have one issue.
It was Christmas, and he had nothing to give Justin.
He knew all about giving gifts. The humans who had saved him and helped him adjust to life on this planet had told him about this particular event because children loved it.
Some adults too, and Eteriion had seen the happy excited looks on both children and adults when it came to unwrapping the gifts they’d received.
He could understand why they enjoyed it.
He’d had a good feeling inside when he’d seen how they’d reacted to the small gifts he’d given, so he wanted to do something for Justin.
Talking with him the night before, hearing Justin laugh at the mistakes he’d made, had made him feel good inside. After they had sated their need for one another, Eteriion had brought some drinks into bed, and they’d spent time talking about Eteriion adjusting to life on Earth.
They’d talked most of the following day, as well as learning about each other’s bodies.
They’d also celebrated Christmas, laughing and eating and touching, and as the sun crept into the bedroom, Eteriion knew their time would soon be coming to an end.
He’d seen more signs of movement in the town and knew they would clear the road to the cabins that day.
Once that happened, there would be no reason for Justin to remain in Eteriion’s cabin.
They’d fix whatever the problem was with his generator and then he would go back there or go back home.
There would be nothing to keep him here because they’d only had a few days together and a few days didn’t make a relationship.
Well, not to Eteriion anyway, and not on this planet.
A knock on the door had him lifting his head.
Looked like help was there already. Getting out of bed, Eteriion made sure to move quietly so he didn’t disturb Justin, pulled his jeans on, then left the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
He knew whoever was there would be someone who knew who he was, so he wasn’t concerned when he opened the door.
“You survived,” Ged grunted as he walked inside.
“I did.” Eteriion closed the front door and glanced at the bedroom door. “How is everyone?” He had to think of a way to make Ged leave without upsetting the human. “Do you need any help?”
“No, we all made it through, but it isn’t the first time we’ve been hit.” Ged walked over to the sofa and Eteriion noticed the two glasses. Ged looked at them, then at him as the bedroom door opened and a naked Justin stepped out. “Damn!”
Justin froze, flushed bright red, and shot back into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. “That’s Justin.”
Ged slowly turned to face Eteriion, his lips parted. “He knows?”
“Clearly.” He pointed to his head.
“And you two…” Ged left the question hanging. “You and him…”
“We did.” The bedroom door opened, and Justin stepped through. Fully dressed this time. “This is Justin. He’s staying in the cabin next door, but his generator broke.”
“So, you invited him over, showed him what you are, and had sex?”
“Oh, that happened before I knew he was an alien, and I freaked out when I did find out.” Justin came over to stand next to Eteriion, and Eteriion couldn’t help but let his tentacles trail over Justin’s body.
“You had a meltdown and crawled in the snow,” he reminded him, ignoring the dark look Justin gave him.
“Thanks for reminding me,” Justin muttered. “And there was you with your tentacles waving in the air, trying to convince me you were harmless.” He arched an eyebrow when he said harmless.
“It worked.” Eteriion felt his lips curve into a smile and saw Justin do the same, and knew they would be intimate again as soon as Ged left.
Ged coughed. “I’m still here. Save the sexual stuff until after I’ve gone. I’ll let the guys know you’re safe and happy.”
“Please do. We’ll come down tomorrow for breakfast.”
“Do that or Elise will come here and drag you down.”
“And you boys don’t need anything? I mean, you’re, er, covered?” Ged took his cap off and messed with it. “I mean, er, what you need…”
“We’ve got that covered,” Justin assured him. “But thanks for asking. Has power been restored to everyone in the town?”
“What? Oh yes, it has. Well, you two, er, stay well and warm, and I’ll be going now.” Ged walked to the door and Eteriion hurried over to hold it open for him. Ged paused and gave Eteriion a quick look. “I’m happy you found someone. I know how lonely you’ve felt recently.”
“He won’t be staying.” And it hurt to say those words, but it was the truth.
“Then you’re not doing it right, son. Try harder.
” Ged coughed, shook his head and walked away, mumbled, “I had to say harder, didn’t I?
” Before he shut the door, he looked back at them.
“Merry Christmas.” The door shut and Eteriion looked at Justin, who walked over to the window, and knew what he was seeing.
“They’ve cleared the roads.”
Justin nodded. “I can go home now.”
“Has your time here come to an end?”
“I have another two days before I need to pack and leave.” Justin turned away from the window and pushed his hands into his jean pockets.
“I only booked two weeks. We had a couple of days before the snow came. You slept through three of those days and then I’ve spent the rest with you.
I can have breakfast with everyone tomorrow, but the day after, I have to leave. ”
Eteriion nodded, pursing his lips. “Do you want to shower and then go into the town? I can show you around and we can have a decent coffee.”
“Now you’re talking.” Justin smiled, but it didn’t stay long. “Shower with me?”
“Of course.” He wanted to spend every minute he could with Justin before he left.
Also, a naked Justin? Why would he say no to that?
Soon he would be gone and Eteriion would be alone, so he needed to spend every second he could with this man.
Justin took his hand and walked into the bedroom, then the bathroom.
“Let me check the water.” Eteriion turned it on and waited for it to heat up.
When it did, he smiled. “Everything is up and running.”
“A hot shower with a gorgeous alien is on!” Justin grinned and stripped naked, then stepped under the spray.
Eteriion stood watching, transfixed, until Justin held a hand out to him.
He was naked within seconds and holding Justin.
Justin sighed and rested his head on Eteriion’s shoulder. “This is nice. I don’t want to leave.”
“But you can’t stay. You have a life away from here.”
A soft sigh reached Eteriion’s ears. “I know. There’s so much I want to do with you, but we don’t have the time.”
Eteriion tilted Justin’s face up and kissed him. “I want to show you where I live. The place I call home.”
Returning his kiss, Justin nodded. “Let’s shower, then go into town. I hear there’s a place that does a great breakfast.”
“Elise’s place.” Eteriion eased back and picked up the body wash and poured some on his hands. Lathering it up, he washed Justin’s hair and body. “I don’t have shampoo.”
“Yeah, you’d need hair for that. I should have brought my own, but I wasn’t thinking then.”
“You were still fixated on my tentacles.”
“They kind of attract attention.” Justin stood under the spray as Eteriion washed his own body. “How do you keep them clean?”
“Body wash helps. I make sure to clean around the base of each one, then along their lengths.” Eteriion showed Justin, who then washed one for him. “Faster with both of us.”
“I can see why.” Justin helped him wash his tentacles and he couldn’t help but wish he had this more often, but Justin was leaving, and he was going to enjoy the time they had left together.
Once his tentacles were clean, he switched the water off and dried, then watched Justin dress.
He wanted him again, and he had the day to explore that want.
The following day, Eteriion pulled his hat on and carefully covered his tentacles then turned to Justin, asking, “Ready?”
Justin nodded, and it wasn’t long before they both left Eteriion’s cabin. They went to his truck and Justin got in. “I guess you need a vehicle like this when you live here.”
“You do, and we need to make sure your car will work.”
“It’ll be fine, but if it isn’t, there is a garage here.” Eteriion pulled away and made the drive down to the town. “The people who know about you will be okay with me?”
“They will, and Ged will have told them all by now.” Gripping the steering wheel in his hands, Eteriion guided the truck down the road, noticing where repairs were needed.
His tentacles itched under his hat, but it was needed so he had some freedom of movement.
Justin reached over and adjusted it, and he smiled in thanks. “I like this.”
“Me too.” His stomach rumbled, and he chuckled softly. “I’m hungrier than I realized.”
“Once we’ve parked, we’ll go to Elise’s and get some breakfast. Be prepared for looks and questions.”
“That’s human nature to be inquisitive.”
“Or nosy.” Eteriion grunted. “I have learned that humans have this need to know about everything, even if it doesn’t concern them.”
Laughing, Justin nodded, the hand he had on Eteriion’s thigh squeezing it. “That’s very true. Some humans can be incredibly nosy to the point of being rude.” Eteriion found a place to park and then went straight to the diner and walked inside. Justin stopped and inhaled, then smiled. “Food.”
“Let’s eat.”
“Eteriion!” Elise came over and hugged him, then held her hand out to Justin.
Her silver hair was in its usual style of being piled on the top of her head, and her glasses were perched on the end of her nose.
“You must be Eteriion’s friend. Ged told me about you.
” Once they’d shaken hands, Elise pointed to a booth.
“Get in there. Two breakfasts and coffees? I know what you want on yours, Eti, which just leaves you, Justin.”
“I’ll have everything but thoroughly cooked.” Justin winked at Eteriion, who rolled his eyes.
“I’ll bring your drinks over.” Elise looked Justin up and down, then waggled her eyebrows at Eteriion.
Justin sat down and sucked his lips in as he nodded. “You were right about Ged telling everyone.”
“They mean well, but they also do like to have a gossip now and again.” Eteriion looked over at the counter. “I think she’ll be on the phone to Ged and telling him we’re here.”
“As long as the food is good, I’m not bothered.” Elise brought their drinks over, then peppered Justin with questions about where he lived, and his family, and his job, and his—
“Elise. Is our food ready?”
“Huh? What?” Elise blinked, then her light blue eyes widened. “I’ll check now.” She leaned closer to Eteriion and whispered, “I like him, Eti.”
Eteriion nodded and looked at Justin, who was smiling at them.
“Me too.” Elise disappeared and a couple of minutes later, she returned with their food.
It was as good as always and once they’d finished and paid, Eteriion showed Justin the small town he’d come to call home.
When they’d finished, he drove them back to his cabin and spent the rest of the day in bed with Justin.
Whatever time they had left, Eteriion wanted to burn into his memory, because Justin would be gone, and he would be alone again.