Chapter 13
Dave
Shopping was the perfect distraction, though I still couldn’t shake the strangely intense emotions coming off of Zarath in waves. Feeling him like that changed everything. It made me want to protect him, to make sure he had what he needed. It made me want to make him smile, and to make sure that Delilah belonged to us both.
Because the things I’d felt also told me he wanted her.
And if I was being honest with myself, I did too. There was something about her warmth, about the delight she found in everything, that healed a wound inside me. This woman was not Chump Prui. This woman was all heart, an open book, and good beyond anything I’d experienced before. And underneath his gruff exterior, Zarath had a bit of that, too.
Smiling, I watched Delilah's eyes widen as we stepped off the shuttle onto the bustling space station concourse. Her fingers tightened around mine, and I squeezed back reassuringly. This was her first time on a space station — hell, we’d had to rush paperwork through for a passport for her so she didn’t have to stay on the ship. It was wonderful to watch her take it all in.
“Are you sure we can spend money?” she asked. “I don’t have any.”
“Consider it part of your mission,” I said. “No one can know that we’re here on official business. Instead, we want them to think we're space tourists here for a quick shopping trip," I murmured, glancing at Zarath's stoic face. "The senator doesn't want anyone knowing she's hired extra protection."
Zarath sent a wave of worry my way. How he was doing that without realizing it was beyond me. He certainly hit his target every time. I glanced at him and reached out and squeezed his ass. He really liked it when I touched his ass.
“You okay?”
"What if she can’t act?" he whispered. “She is untested.”
"It's her first time off-planet. Look at how she’s gawking. She doesn’t need to act.”
Delilah spun in a slow circle, dark eyes sparkling as she took in the soaring ceilings and diverse alien species bustling past. "It's... magical," she breathed.
My chest tightened with unexpected tenderness. Her sense of wonder was infectious, reminding me of my first trip to a space station years ago.
"Come on, let's find you some new clothes," I said, gently guiding her towards the shopping district. My wings twitched with the urge to cradle her slight form. Humans were the shortest of the species, and most other people towered over a small human woman.
"Ooh, look at that!" Delilah darted towards a glowing holographic display, nearly colliding with a stern-faced Chokreini businessman.
I caught her arm, chuckling. "Easy there, sugar. Let's try not to start an interplanetary incident."
She blushed, biting her lip. "Sorry, I just... I've never seen anything like this before."
Zarath snorted. "Okay, you were right. She’s a prototypical tourist."
Laughing, I put my arm through his and guided him forward. Delilah had wandered ahead, spinning in delighted circles as she entered the main shopping concourse. The joy radiating from her was almost palpable.
"Stars above," I breathed. "She's beautiful."
Zarath made a noncommittal noise, but I now knew what he was really feeling. And from the flushed, heated look Delilah sent us, it was possible that she did, too.
"Come on," I said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Let's go dress up our girl."
As we entered the clothing store, I was struck by how ordinary the offerings seemed. Racks of basic tunics, pants, and dresses in muted colors lined the walls. But Delilah's eyes widened with delight, her fingers trailing reverently over the fabrics.
"Oh, Dave, look at this!" she exclaimed, holding up a shimmering blue dress that caught the light. "It's so... soft."
I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "It's nice, sweetheart. Why don't you try it on?"
She bit her bottom lip, eyes sparkling as she nodded. Then her gaze landed on a rack of more revealing outfits. My breath caught as she reached for a slinky red number with a plunging neckline.
"That's, uh... quite a dress," I managed, heat rushing to my face.
Delilah's cheeks flushed. "Is it... too much?" she asked, voice small.
I cleared my throat. "Not at all. You should wear whatever makes you feel good. But don’t feel like you need to dress any differently than you are now, either. If it makes you uncomfortable to reveal skin, we don’t mind. We get to see plenty of your skin, don’t we?"
She gasped softly. “Maybe for your eyes only.”
"Perhaps we should assist her in the dressing room," Zarath suggested, his tone clipped as hot, intense lust poured off of him in waves. He wanted to fuck our girl in that dress.
A clerk approached, eyeing us suspiciously. "The large dressing room is available, but I must insist on no... inappropriate behavior."
Zarath snorted. "We're merely friends accompanying her shopping. The Chokreini don’t mix with other species." His bald-faced lie probably helped our mission of protecting the senator.
I sensed a wave of unexpected hurt emanating from the Chokreini, catching me off guard. Before I could process it, Delilah grabbed our hands, tugging us towards the dressing room with gleeful determination.
As Delilah disappeared behind the curtain with the small red dress, I turned to Zarath, concern furrowing my brow. "Hey, do you need some relief?" I asked softly.
Zarath frowned, his silvery eyes narrowing. "Relief? Why do you insist on acting as if you can read my mind, Dave?"
I couldn't help but chuckle, shaking my head. "I'm not reading your mind, big guy. You're the one broadcasting all these wild feelings to me, and possibly to her.”
Zarath glared at me, his jaw clenching. But before he could retort, his eyes suddenly widened, fixed on something beyond me.
My heart rate quickened as I turned around, my wings rustling with anticipation. There stood Delilah, looking absolutely radiant and flustered in the figure-hugging red dress. The sight of her sent waves of heat coursing through my body, my cock twitching with interest.
Delilah smoothed the skirt nervously, her dark eyes darting between us. "Is it... is it too much?" she asked.
Before I could respond, Zarath growled, his emotions wildly possessive. "It's far too much for anyone but Dave and me to see."
I rolled my eyes, shooting Zarath a warning look. "Don't listen to him, sweetheart," I said, stepping closer to Delilah. "You look absolutely beautiful. Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable and confident."
Delilah glanced between us again, a blush creeping up her neck. "Maybe... maybe this is just for when I want to f-fuck." She squeaked adorably each time she said the word "fuck," her hand flying to cover her mouth in embarrassment.
I couldn't help but grin, both amused and aroused by her newfound boldness. "Well," I purred, "I'd say it's perfect for that."
Zarath's face contorted with irritation. “Who the hell are you fucking other than us? And there’s no way you need a specific dress to get us to fuck you.”
“Maybe if we’re there watching,” I teased.
To my surprise, a wave of arousal hit me, tinged with... excitement? I realized with a jolt that it was coming from Zarath. Fascinating. I'd never pegged the uptight Chokreini for having such... adventurous tastes.
"Interesting," I murmured, my wings fluttering slightly as I processed this new information. Was I reading him correctly? The emotions flowing from Zarath were a jumbled mess, pure and unfiltered, and without words associated with them, just the raw feelings. It was making me hot and bothered for sure.
Pushing those thoughts aside for now, I stepped towards Delilah. Her warm brown skin seemed to glow under the harsh lighting of the dressing room, and I couldn't resist reaching out to her. I cupped her face gently, planting a soft kiss on her lips.
"Listen, sweetheart," I said, my voice low and husky. "If you want to explore your sexuality, I support you completely. Hell, if you want to fuck a whole lineup of men..." I paused, glancing at Zarath, whose silvery eyes were now dark with poorly concealed lust. "Well, let's just say Zarath and I would be more than happy to... supervise the situation."
Delilah's eyes widened, a mix of shock and intrigue dancing across her features. "You... you'd do that for me?" she whispered, her fingers toying nervously with the hem of her dress.
I grinned, my cock twitching again at the thought. "Oh, sweetheart," I purred, "you have no idea what we'd do for you. Or to you."
Delilah's eyes darted between Zarath and me, her expression unreadable. For a moment, I wondered what was going through her mind. Then, without a word, she slipped back behind the dressing room curtain.
My wings twitched with anticipation as we waited. When she finally emerged, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. Gone was the sultry red dress, replaced by an outfit more reminiscent of her usual attire — black wide-legged pants and a form-fitting grey long-sleeved shirt adorned with a subtle geometric pattern.
"I... I just realized," Delilah stammered, her cheeks flushed. "I don't have any money to pay for these clothes. I'll just take this one outfit, if that's okay." Her eyes flicked nervously towards the exit.
I opened my mouth to protest, ready to offer to buy her anything she wanted, but something in her expression stopped me. She seemed... overwhelmed. I nodded, respecting her choice.
As we made our way out of the store, Zarath suddenly cleared his throat. "There's something I need to pick up," he announced abruptly. "I'll meet you both back at the ship."
Before I could question him, he was gone, leaving Delilah and me alone in the bustling shopping area. I glanced at her, offering a reassuring smile. "Well, looks like it's just us for now. Fancy a snack?"
Delilah's eyes lit up, her earlier discomfort seemingly forgotten. "Oh, yes! What kind of food do they have here?"
I grinned, leading her towards a nearby food stall. "How about we try something Chokreini? I dare you to taste it first."
She giggled, a sound that sent warmth spreading through my chest. "You're on!"
We each grabbed a small, oddly-shaped pastry. Delilah took a tentative bite, her nose wrinkling slightly. "It's... different," she mused. "More nutritious than tasty, I think."
I laughed, taking a bite of my own. "You're right. That's the Chokreini for you — practical to a fault."
Delilah's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Oh, I don't know about that," she said, her voice lowering conspiratorially. "Zarath tasted pretty good to me."
My eyebrows shot up in surprise.
Delilah immediately clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. "Oh my goodness," she squeaked. "I can't believe I just said that!"
I couldn’t contain my smile, watching Delilah's face flush with embarrassment. It was refreshing to see her true personality emerging, unencumbered by the oppressive teachings of her past. My heart swelled with affection for this woman, who was slowly but surely finding her voice.
"You know," I said softly, "it's okay to make jokes like that. You don't have to feel ashamed."
Delilah's eyes met mine, a mix of uncertainty and hope swirling in their depths. "Really? Back home, we never spoke about such things. It feels so... naughty."
I shifted closer to her. "Naughty can be fun, you know. And you're free to explore that side of yourself now."
She bit her lip, considering my words. "I suppose you're right. It's just... everything is so new and different. Sometimes I worry I'm doing everything wrong."
"Hey," I said, reaching out to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. "There's no wrong way to be you, Delilah. You're perfect just as you are."
Her smile was radiant, and I couldn't resist leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her lips. As I pulled back, I murmured, "You look absolutely lovely in your new clothes, by the way."
Delilah blushed again, but this time her smile was more confident. "Thank you, Dave. I feel... pretty. Is that silly?"
"Not at all," I assured her. "You should feel pretty because you are."
She gazed at me for a moment, then her brow furrowed slightly. "Dave," she said hesitantly, "did you... feel anything strange from Zarath earlier? When we were in the dressing room?"
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by her perceptiveness. "Some Chokreini have telepathic and empathic abilities. It seems our friend Zarath might be one of them."
“Oh. Well, I hope he’s not broadcasting to anyone but you and me. That was intense, and I almost climbed into his lap and started riding him.”
I burst out laughing. “This has never happened to him before. It’s definitely something with you ane