Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Waiting for Preston to show up for our date had my stomach in knots. Wayne admitted that they told each other everything, which meant that Preston would know that now I’d not only fooled around with Zeke, but I’d also slept with Wayne.
All night I’d gone over what Wayne had said to me.
Did they really think I was their mate? Was that even possible?
I examined my necklace again, the knot design something I had never seen, not in all of my journeys so far. What was it? What did it mean? What did my mother mean that it would unlock my future, that someone could activate it?
“You look upset,” Preston said as he entered the room. “Did Wayne say something he shouldn’t have?”
I put my necklace back inside my shirt and smiled. “No, Wayne was a perfect gentleman yesterday.”
His mouth quirked, but he didn’t let it turn into a smile. He clasped his hands behind his back and asked, “So, what are we doing on our date today?”
Taking a breath for courage I quickly said, “I want you to teach me some fighting moves to help me protect myself should someone get me in a hold or pinned like you did the first day we sparred.”
One of his brows rose. “That’s it? You just want me to teach you some ways to break out of a hold?”
I nodded and felt embarrassed. Did he think it was stupid to do on a date? I supposed I could have asked to do it just during our normal sparring sessions, but …
“If you don’t want to, we can figure out something else to do,” I said, eyes down on the floor.
“I didn’t say I didn’t want to. I just wanted to be sure that’s what you were requesting,” he said quickly. He took his shoes off and walked onto the mat where I stood. “Have you stretched yet?”
I nodded and looked up at him. “Yes.”
“Very well, let’s start with a chokehold escape,” he said.
He stepped behind me, wrapped his arm around my throat, and squeezed just enough to put pressure on my throat. “What would you do in this situation?” he asked, his lips right next to my ear and breath causing some loose strands to blow forward.
An involuntary shiver went through me and I adjusted my stance as my lower body warmed. “I, um, would do this.” I attempted to stomp on his foot and elbow him in the stomach, but he stepped back and turned his body so I missed.
“That’s exactly the first thing they’re going to expect you to do,” he said. “For you, someone they will view as not a threat, go deadweight. It will surprise them and they will stumble. Then you have the advantage.”
“Deadweight?” I asked, brows raised. “Won’t that put me more in their hold?”
“No. Even if they expect it, they have to waste time readjusting their stance, which gives you those precious milliseconds. Try it.”
“Okay,” I said and took a deep, slow breath. When I started my exhale, I dropped, giving him all of my weight.
He stumbled and I was able to twist out of his hold. He smiled at me. “Perfect.”
After another hour of training on getting out of holds, we switched to how to get out of being pinned.
My breath and heart were fast as he pinned me beneath his body, his warmth seeping into me and making me think of all kinds of things.
His brow furrowed as I panted beneath him. “Are you okay? You seem winded, but we haven’t done much.”
“I, uh, I’m fine,” I said as I squirmed beneath him.
A smirk formed and he leaned forward, dropping his face down next to mine. “Are you turned on, pet? Has me manhandling you caused your body to react to mine?”
There was no point in lying, he would know.
“Yes,” I breathed and squirmed again.
He pressed his hips down harder into me. “Would you like to end our session and alter our date plan?”
His erection grew between us, pressing into me.
Even though it made me seem like a horny mess, I nodded and begged, “Please.”
He made a sound close to purring and said, “Oh, I like it when you beg, pet. Say it again and I’ll reward you.” He ground his erection against my folds, eliciting a gasp from me.
“Please, Preston,” I begged.
In two quick movements, he had me flipped over onto my knees and my pants off.
I opened my mouth to ask what he was doing when he flipped onto his back and started licking me.
A moan slipped out and I gripped the mat. Zeke had been good, but Preston’s tongue was amazing. My orgasm hit faster than ever before and I almost collapsed onto him.
He gripped my hips and pulled me backwards, making me yelp in shock. He chuckled as he positioned my hips over his, his erection pressing against my entrance. “Did I startle you?” he guessed.
Leaning up, I placed my hands on his chest and slowly lowered my hips, letting the tip of him slide into my completely drenched core. “A little,” I admitted.
His fingers dug into my hips as I continued to slowly ease down, teasing him and letting my body get used to his width. He reached up and pulled my shirt off over my head, then my bra, though that one was a bit trickier since the sports bra didn’t have a clasp and almost got stuck on my arms.
We laughed as I disentangled from the piece of clothing and slid my necklace to my back, but my laughter quickly changed to a gasping moan as he cupped my breasts and stroked his thumbs across my nipples.
I dropped down so that he was fully sheathed within me up to his knot and I wiggled my hips to grind myself against the hard bulge.
“Have you taken a knot yet, pet?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“Good, that will wait until later. For now, we can all find our releases sans knot.”
“Why is it good?” I asked. Raising my hips up, I stopped with just the tip of him inside of me and waited for the answer.
“I’m going to be the one to give you my knot first,” he said, “but there are some things that we have to confirm before that.”
“You’re being vague,” I said with a scowl. Was this about them thinking I was their mate?
He smiled. “I wish I didn’t have to be, but for now that’s all I can say.”
I rolled my eyes and sat down hard on him, making us both moan. I could try to get answers from him, but I knew Preston was the least likely to give anything away.
Instead of focusing on the worries and questions, I shoved all the thoughts away and rode him like he was a tool for my pleasure. He didn’t seem to mind as he ran his hands along my body and played with my breasts, occasionally making that strange purring, growling sound.
The ridges of his cock felt like they were expanding as I moved faster, but it felt so good I couldn’t even ask a question as my throat was only being used for moans and gasps.
Heat gathered in my lower stomach and I moved even faster as my orgasm built.
Just as my core tightened around him and I threw my head back, crying out his name, he gripped my hips and started slamming up into me.
The orgasm tripled in pleasure and my nails dug into his chest as I experienced the most intense pleasure ever.
He rolled out from under me, pushed my upper back until I was on my knees with my chest on the floor, and slid back into me. He brushed my hair off my face so that I could see him behind me. “Yes, I want to see that beautiful face as I make you orgasm again.”
“I don’t know if there’s another one in me,” I said, but knew it was a lie as he began to thrust into me and the pressure began building again.
“You’re going to come and you’re going to cry out my name again,” he ordered me. “Then I’m going to make you come two more times before I finish. I want to be sure that you can’t walk after this date.”
The point of these dates had been to get to know them better, but perhaps we could do another round of dates for that as I much preferred getting to know their bodies right now.
True to Preston’s word, he made me orgasm three more times before he let go and found his own release.
We lay, panting on the floor, my head on his arm.
“So, what would you like to do next on our date?” he asked.
Laughter burst out of me. “I don’t think I’m very good with these dates.”
“On the contrary, you’re quite good. A big part of relationships is sexual and now we know that we’re definitely compatible.”
Rolling my head to the side to look at him, I asked, “What if I’m not your mate?”
He frowned. “Who said something to you?”
“Never mind, let’s just shower and then get something to eat.” I tried to stand up, but my legs shook too hard and I fell to my knees.
Preston laughed, stood, and picked me up. “I told you that you wouldn’t be able to walk.”
“It’s been a long time since I had sex, so having it multiple days in a row has my body confused.”
He kissed my cheek and said, “Don’t worry, pet, I’ll take care of you.”
Despite being their obvious leader, and aloof, he was quite the gentleman and incredibly kind to me.
After showering and getting dressed, he made sandwiches and took me up to the main deck.
Hitting a few buttons, he activated the screen so that the entire wall before us looked like a window, showing the dark expanse of space, stars, and planets as we continued on our journey.
We sat on the floor, cross-legged, and ate our food together.
“Did you always want to fly in space?” I asked.
He nodded. “I’d always loved the idea of flying from planet to planet, meeting creatures and beings we’d only been taught about from books.”
“Do you ever miss your planet?”
“Sometimes,” he admitted, “but having my brothers with me helps abate that homesickness.”
It had to be nice to have friends with you while you journeyed. I was incredibly jealous of them for that alone.
“We really do just want to help you, you know? If you told us what it is that you’re looking for, we could help.”
“What are you looking for?” I asked back. “You guys keep avoiding answering me as well.”
“We’re looking for our mate,” he answered immediately.
My heart felt like it stopped and a leaden weight settled into my stomach. I set my sandwich down, no longer hungry. “I thought so.”
He tilted his head to the side as he looked at me. “We won’t abandon you if we find her before you find your item, or whatever it is that you’re looking for.”
A sad smile was all I could give in return to that statement. They would definitely abandon me once they found her.
“So, what do you like to do for fun?” I asked him instead of acknowledging his statement.
“I read or play chess.”
“Chess? The human game?” I asked.
He nodded. “Have you played?”
“My father taught me when I was little and made me play against him often,” I said and laughed softly. “I’m awful at it.”
“Would you like to play?”
“Okay,” I agreed, “as long you don’t tease me for being terrible.”
“The quickest way to get better at any game is by repeatedly playing, not being told you’re bad. Don’t worry, I will keep my comments to myself.” He hit a button on the arm of the captain’s chair and music started playing. It was soft, orchestral music that was incredibly relaxing.
“Scout, record,” I ordered.
Scout beeped in acknowledgement.
Preston walked to the side wall and opened a cupboard door I hadn’t noticed, pulling out a chess board. “This was my father’s,” he said and set it on the floor between us. “He also taught me and made me play often. One of the few times we enjoyed each other’s company.”
“Are you any good?” I asked.
He smiled smugly. “Yes.”
“I want white.” The white pieces always went first and it gave a slight advantage. I’d take any advantage I could get.
He dipped his head. “Very well.”
Turning the board, he put the white pieces in front of me and waved his hand to indicate I could start.
We played in companionable silence, the soft music and our pieces sliding across the wooden board the only sounds.
At least until he beat me after only five moves.
“What the crap!” I shouted. “How did you checkmate me in five moves?”
He chuckled. “Would you like to play again?”
“Yes!”
That time he beat me in four moves. Then eight. Then three.
“This is insane,” I muttered as I stared at the board. Not even my father had beaten me so quickly. “I think I’m rusty.”
“We can play as many games as you want,” he promised.
His promise should have made me happy, but that doubt about what would happen when they found their mate resurfaced again. Shoving it down, I focused on the now. If I was going to lose them, then I wanted to enjoy every moment I could.
“Checkmate,” Preston said for the tenth time.
“Frak!” I shouted and moved my pieces back to start again.