Mari's Mistake - Ruby Dixon Page 0,9

and touch his hand, and even though his skin is the same shade as mine, he still only has three fingers and the texture of his skin is that soft, delicious suede sensation. As far as I know, the other aliens don't change colors like this. "Is this because we resonated?" I ask him, tapping his hand. "Are you trying to match me?"

He just watches me with a hooded gaze, and I can tell he doesn't know what I'm saying. There's not a single flicker of recognition on his face.

I pull back, but he grabs my hand before I can and puts my palm to his cheek. Even with a language barrier, the message is clear. He wants me to touch him.

It seems like…a bad idea. Or rather, not a BAD idea, but one that will lead to more than I really want to do right now. I don't know this guy. All I know is his name and that he eats fish heads and doesn't like them and he's turned tan instead of blue. But…I can't seem to help myself. I want to touch him. I want to touch him all over. The khui in my chest is singing so insistently that it's making me ache everywhere, and so when the alien rubs my palm against his cheek, I wonder what it could hurt.

Just a little touching. Just enough to take the edge off.

I trace my fingers over his cheek, following the proud lines of his bones and down to the hard edge of his jaw. When I glide my fingertips over his lips, he shudders, groaning, and I catch my breath. Did I think his face was hard and unforgiving? Like this, he's beautiful and not unfriendly at all. Just strong and proud.

He opens his eyes, and before I can realize what he's doing, T'chai pulls me into his lap.

I let out a squeak of distress as he hauls me against him, my breasts colliding with his warm skin and the heat of his cock prodding against my inner thigh.

"No," I protest, putting my hands on his chest and pushing. "No. Too soon!"

His mouth flattens and his eyes narrow, as if my reaction is confusing. "M'rsl?" He taps his chest, indicating his khui, and reaches for me again.

"I said too soon," I emphasize again, and get to my feet. The hut no longer feels comfortingly small but too small and stifling. I pick up the trashed remnants of my tunic and wrap it around my front, then head for the entrance to the hut and peek out.

The other three alien men immediately turn at the sound of the door covering rustling, open curiosity on their faces.

I shrink back inside, letting the hanging hide me again, and press my back against the cool stonework of the hut's walls. What, are they watching because they want their turn? Do they think this is a gang-bang situation? It's not lost on me that there's a cluster of huts but only four people here—zero of whom are women.

I glance over at T'chai, who continues to watch me with an inscrutable expression.

"Where's Lauren?" I ask again. "What did you do with her?"

3

T'CHAI

My female is…confusing. She likes my touch, then she does not like it. I pull her into my lap so we can mate, and she tries to run. Does she not realize that she is resonating? She looks around our clan-home with open-mouthed wonder, and perhaps her clan is different than mine. Perhaps they live in trees, as Strong Arm does, or deep in a cave like Shadow Cat.

"Do you not like my touch, M'rsl?" I ask, getting to my feet.

Her gaze immediately goes to my hard, aching cock, and she shakes her head again. She says something in that strange language of hers, all fluid sounds and breathless noises, and then presses a hand to her brow.

I might not understand her words, but I am not a clueless male. It is obvious that she needs more time this day. Perhaps she is still hungry or feels unwell. She put a hand to her brow—is she overheated? I move to her side and press my fingers to her brow as well. Warm, but not overly so. "Do you want more water? Or would you like to bathe? Eat? Tell me, and I will do it for you." I lift her hand to my cheek, unable to resist brushing her small fingers against my jaw again. I cannot get enough of her touch,