Shadow Read online

  Her breathing changed a little, increasing in pace as her eyes widened. “Do you want to keep me?”

  “Don’t be afraid.”

  “I’m not. I’m asking a question.”

  “I would never force you to stay where you didn’t want to be. I just want you in my bed.”

  “I’m not them, you know.” She swallowed. “I don’t want to have different sexual partners. I’m not opposed to dating you.” Her gaze dropped to his chest and stayed there, her embarrassment showing again in her cheeks. “That is, if you want to try out being my boyfriend. I’d prefer to have a monogamous relationship.”

  He released her hip to cup her face. It was so delicate in his hand. She met his gaze.

  “I mean,” she spoke quickly, anxious. “I don’t want anybody else and I would hope you wouldn’t, you know, sleep around.”

  “You really don’t know much about Species males.” He wanted to pick her up and carry her to his bed so much he actually ached to do it.

  “Is it wrong to hope you won’t have sex with other women and that maybe we could try to have a real relationship?”

  He backed up but kept hold of her, urging her to follow. She did and his dick throbbed, filling with blood. He wanted her so much it hurt.

  “You are telling me that I can have and keep you.” He winced a little at how deep his voice sounded but hormones raged inside him. “Big turn-on,” he admitted, softening his tone. “It makes me want to claim you.”

  Interest sparked in her gaze. “What does that mean?”

  He groaned, wanting to show her instead of vocally detailing it for her. “It means you shouldn’t say that to me unless you really mean it. I’d keep you in my bed, Beauty. You don’t need to worry about me with other females. I already avoid them. You’re the only one who tempts me to the point where I’d face anything to touch you.”

  They stopped by the bed and her lips parted, her surprise clear. “Really?”

  She was so small but she could bring him to his knees. Muscle mass and physical strength had nothing on her when she placed her palm on his lower stomach. Her smooth fingertips rubbed and made him want to howl. Pleasure from such a light touch rushed through his system from his brain to his dick.

  “I could be really bad at this, since we’re being so honest. I’ve read books and watched porn on the internet.” She blushed again but kept eye contact. “Should I, um, take off your boxers? I know guys enjoy oral sex. I’ve never actually done that but I know the basics.”

  It would be a miracle if he didn’t die before morning. He was going to have to kill himself with restraint. A memory flashed of one of the videos he’d been shown. It had been a camera angle panning down with a human woman on her knees taking a male inside her mouth. The sight had been appealing and made him release his seed but he’d never had it done to him. He shook his head quickly, terrified of shocking her by his raw animalistic reaction or losing control if she attempted that.

  “No.” His voice came out as a snarl and he winced. “Let me tend to you.” It would be all about her. He swore that.

  “Are you angry?” She tried to remove her hand but he covered it with his own, holding it against his stomach.

  “No. I’m turned-on. Very much so. My voice deepens and I might make scary sounds. Ignore them.”

  She nodded. “I have heard those sounds through the walls when the women next door had men over. I expected it but I know you’re still upset with me.”

  “I’m not,” he swore, already over her catching him masturbating. Now he was focused on getting her into his bed. “You’re going to need to trust me. Can you do that?”

  “I already do.”

  Yeah, I’m going to die before morning. Beauty was going to kill him. She was so sweet he just wanted to eat her. He smothered a growl at the mental image of her spread out on his bed with his mouth between those pale thighs, licking her pussy. He released her completely to step away.

  “Take off your nightgown and lie on your back in the middle of my bed. There’s no need to feel shy. You’re beautiful.”

  Beauty hoped she wouldn’t faint. She felt lightheaded and her heart raced so fast it felt as if it might explode from her chest. It wasn’t fear she felt but close. Shadow was going to touch her and she’d finally get to understand why the women at the dorm invited men into their rooms.

  Shadow was sexy and big, two things she appreciated. He was the kind of man she’d had fantasies about since she’d gained her freedom. He was strong, intelligent, and she knew he’d actually tend to her, just as he said. She wanted to know what that entailed. First though, she’d have to find the courage to remove the nightgown. He’d already seen her naked but that had been an accident.

  Her hands shook as she gripped the hem of the thin cotton and pulled it up slowly. His gaze riveted on her thighs and the hungry expression on his face encouraged her to just whisk it off. His tongue darting out to wet his lips implied he liked what he saw as he openly stared at her breasts.

  She glanced down, wondering what he was thinking. Her boobs weren’t perfect, a little on the small side, and they were currently showing that his room was a bit chilly since the window was open to allow in the evening breeze. She hoped he didn’t hate the way they looked puckered up tightly.

  It took a lot of restraint not to put a hand down to cover her mound. She had a little hair there, unlike other Species women. Will that matter? Turn him off? She hoped not. It embarrassed her slightly when he looked lower, fixing on that fact.

  “It’s just a little,” she whispered. “Should I shave it off?”

  He shook his head. “No.” His voice came out odd, kind of raspy.

  “Are you okay?” Concern over his well-being overrode some of her shyness. He had issues too, something she wasn’t about to forget.

  “Yes,” he replied more firmly, in a slightly deeper tone.

  She swallowed hard and stepped closer to his bed. The sheets and blankets were tossed at the end where he’d thrown them when he heard her scream. She had to climb up on it—Species’ beds were higher than those she’d slept on before moving to Homeland. Species were tall and they tended to take that into consideration when buying or building furniture. Gift Species just had to make do with hip-high mattresses.

  A deep growl from behind her made her pause and look back as she crawled to the center of the bed. Shadow had turned, his intense stare locked on her bent ass. She hated the way her cheeks warmed, knowing he could see everything from that position. He didn’t look angry though, just really fixated on her body. She glanced at his boxers and it prompted her to roll over onto her back.

  He looked huge down there. His cock was hard, thick, and barely contained inside the material that was pulled taut in the front. The waistband actually wasn’t touching his stomach in the center anymore because he was so aroused. Shadow was well hung, a saying she’d learned in romance novels she’d begun to read. A little anxiety arose but she figured it would be okay. Sex books had also been on her reading list. They claimed a woman’s vagina would stretch to accommodate a penis, even if it didn’t seem possible to her way of thinking.

  She settled flat and waited for instructions, peering at him to see what he’d do next. He didn’t remove his boxers but instead walked to the end of the bed, put a knee on the mattress and it dipped with his weight.

  “Spread your thighs apart and bend your knees up.”

  A shiver ran down her spine at how he growled the words. It was sexy and kind of wicked, in the best way, showing his animal side. Species men were known for being protective of women and she liked that side of him being more prominent than the human one.

  “No kissing first?” She thought that was how sex started.

  His gaze lifted to hers. “You said you’d trust me.”

  Beauty tried to relax but it was difficult. “I do. I’m not turned-on yet and…” She wanted to die from embarrassment. “I, um, I’m not ready for you to go inside me. You’re big. I read that