Embracing Emily (#7 Warriors of Kelon) (7 page)

Forget flashback attacks, how was he going to keep his hands off her? There was no way she would welcome his advances. She saw how scarred he was on the inside; if she saw how scarred he was on the outside, he had no hope.

“Where would you feel more comfortable, on the couch, or at the kitchen table?”

He opened his eyes to see her waiting, studying him. “Are you alright? Another attack?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I have not had another since last night.”

Her smile stole his breath. “Happy to hear it. So, sofa or table?”

“Table,” he barked, knowing there would be a piece of wood between them and better to hide his desire for her. He moved and took a seat. She already had sheets of human paper, stripped from a tree and used to record data.

She eased herself into the seat. “I’m going to take my translator out, so not to rely on it. I’m a hard task master, so I hope you’re ready.”

His mood completely lightened at her use of words. How could she be a hard task master? She was female and he was a warrior of Kelon. No one was more demanding than a warrior trainer.

“I can handle whatever you choose,” he promised. Already, his chest felt lighter.

She moved to pull the translator from her ear. He reached out. “Wait.” He glanced around her dwelling.

“Where is Lieutenant Simmons, your guard?”

Her cheeks shaded in that most alluring pink. “Off-duty. Sorry, I kind of lied to ease Commander Jyl's worries. I don’t really need a guard. He’s only doing it under my father’s orders.”

“Your father is a good man to want to protect you. We should not be here alone.”

“Why?” Her eyebrow quirked up and she studied him, clearly amused. “Are you going to hurt me?”

“No, I would never harm you.” It was the honest truth.

“I’m safe, so relax. You have other things to focus on.”

Yes, focus on the lesson, not her soft voice, or the way her pink lips moved, or her alluring pale skin, making him want to touch it to examine how soft she was.

These lessons were going to test the very limit of his control. He prayed to Elron for her sake, so he could keep his hands to himself.

How easily five days simply slipped by since she started working on the base, teaching the Kelons and privately tutoring Vallarr. Although she had yet to make a move on the big guy, each day it grew harder to keep her hands off him while she tried to kind of ‘feel him out’. Not experienced with adult relationships, she was certain the signs were there. Playing it safe, she kept things mostly professional. They drifted off into conversation after each lesson, Emily coaxing him into telling her about his home planet.

He wove a beautiful and heart-felt description of planet Kelon. She could almost see the mass of golden, shifting sands above and the full, bustling cities within, protected by massive, unbreakable crystal domes. The more she got to know Vallarr, the more she started to see things through his eyes. He was truly a good man, yet still so scarred underneath.

Often, she caught him staring at her with such desire; it made her heart leap and her body squirm. He would quickly mask his face, turn away and ask a question about the next word or paragraph.

He learned rapidly, but he was still having trouble with some basic pronunciations. Maybe, it was time to push the envelope. The worst which could happen would be he never wanted another private lesson again.

“Earth to Emily.” She blinked, realising Lieutenant Simmons waved his hand in front of her face. “You didn’t hear a word I said, did you?”

Her cheeks heated. She felt guilty for not giving him more attention during their current lunch break. “Sorry, kind of preoccupied.”

“Some of the guys are going off-base to meet with their girlfriends and wives. Everyone’s been working their arse off on this project, they need to get out and relax for a few hours. I thought we could too, do the whole dinner and dance thing. Well, not dance, but a movie?”

Her brow scrunched as she realised what he asked. “Are you asking me out? Like a date?”

“Uh, yes. I think we get along well, why not see if we get along even better.”

“That’s, um, nice of you.” He was nice, but Jon didn’t make any of her girly bits squirm, or her heart race every time she saw him anew each day. He was more like a, well, brother, or more plainly, a friend. She considered how to say no without it sounding like a flat out rejection.

“I was just planning for an early night. Saturday mornings, I go into Melbourne.”

“To do what?” His tone was laced with suspicion.

She huffed, waving her fork at him. “I have a life outside this place, you know, Lieutenant. You think fat, cripple girls don’t have friends and party all night long?”

He had the decency to look embarrassed, knowing she only called him lieutenant when she was annoyed. He shouldn’t be making assumptions about her.

“Can I come with you? To party all night long?” He winked with a wide grin, but his flirting felt...wrong.

She groaned. “If you really have to know, I volunteer at the Melbourne Hospital in the Sunshine Ward.”

A thought suddenly struck her. “Do you think some of the Kelons would come to meet the children?”

Simmons’s smile fell, suddenly serious. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for them to leave the base.”

His attitude towards the Kelons really grated on her nerves. She glared at him and she pushed up from her chair, her crutch clanking while she shoved her arm through the cuff.

“Why? Are they prisoners here?”

“No, it’s just that...”

“Forget it, I’ll ask them.”

“Emily,” Simmons’s tone was low in warning. She ignored him, walking over to the table where several of the men sat.

Immediately, they jumped up, greeting her with warm smiles. She bit back her chuckle when they fought over who would surrender their seat for her.

“No, please, sit down. I only wanted to ask if some of you gentleman would like to accompany me to the Melbourne hospital tomorrow morning to help cheer up some sick children? I know they would love meeting real Kelons.”

Not having her translator with her, she waited till the commander spoke to five men present, before addressing her. In careful English.

“Yes, happy to go. One healer.” He nodded towards Hurr, “I go and Vallarr.”

“Not without me, you don’t.” Simmons stood a foot behind her, his arms folded, his body language making it clear he didn’t like her idea. Well, stuff him. “Clearly, you’ll need a larger vehicle to transport everyone, and you need to clear it with your father.”

She turned to face him, her temper flaring. “I am not military, Lieutenant. I will not be ordered about by my father, or anyone for that matter. The Kelons are our guests, not prisoners. So, if you can’t treat me or them with respect, then go somewhere else.”

Growls from behind her made her turn in surprise to find the men staring at Simmons with clear hostility. It awed her how supportive and caring these men have been, more so than her family.

Vallarr strode into the room, his gaze assessing the situation. He moved to where Emily stood and took up a protective stance.

“Is there a problem?” His English was good and she felt proud of how fast he learned.

“No, no problem.” Simmons smiled, raising his hands in surrender. “I get it, you win. I heard it said arguing with a woman is skydiving without a parachute—you’re always going to end up face first in the dirt.”

“What is a parachute?” Jyl asked.

“Was that an insult?” Vallarr scowled, trying to step between her and the Simmons.

She snorted with laughter. “No, no, be at ease, my friends. It is, as I’ve been teaching you about, a saying which is meant to be amusing.”

“They are confusing. I do not know whether to hit or laugh,” Hurr added.

“Never hit.” Jyl's tone was serious. “Humans softer. We protect them, even stupid ones.”

Emily struggled to hold in the laughter trying to burst free. The Kelons crept into her affections, but one more so than the others.

“Good, settled. You...” Jyl nodded at Simmons. “...arrange transport. We escort Emily to hospital, morning. Time?”

She loved their take charge attitude.

“Zero-six-hundred hours,” she offered.

“Yes, Sir.” Simmons acknowledged Jyl, his gaze on her as he shook his head, turning and muttering something about not letting women rule the earth.

“Are you ill?” Vallarr put his hand on her shoulder, turning her slightly, concern in his dark eyes.

“Oh, no, we’re going to visit other sick children. Help cheer them up. It’s what I do on Saturday mornings.”

“You provide security,” Jyl confirmed.

Vallarr nodded and the others re-took their seats. “I’ll see you later.” She lowered her voice to a soft whisper as she moved past him.

He simply nodded.

Her heartbeat increased in tempo as her mind and body switched gears. Tonight, she would know one way or the other if he was attracted to her or not.

* * * *

Different scents wafting from Emily’s dwelling hit his nose before he knocked on the door.

Every evening, from the moment he left her place, he eagerly looked forward to their next lesson, their next encounter. A need built within—to see her, to be near her—like an addiction.

The door swung in and he was positive by the great god Elron, she grew even more beautiful from the time he saw her at lunch.

Her dress...like a fist to his solar plexus. He stood stunned, winded and unable to move, his gaze riveted on the deep cleavage of her dark purple top, highlighting her full, creamy skin and swell of her breasts.

“Come in, big guy.” The spell broke as she turned away and his gaze dropped to the top of her thighs revealing a shorter than usual skirt. By the fire demons, why did she do this to him? It tempted him beyond all control.

He moved in, closing the door behind him. Walking into the kitchen, he stared puzzled by the patterned table cloth, bowls and eating utensils.

“Emily?” He watched her move about the kitchen, hovering over the stove as several pots simmered away.

“I thought we could use a change of pace. No lesson tonight. Got the translator in, so you can take a break from using English. I hope you’re hungry. I made my best vegetarian pasta recipe.”

Starving, but not for food.

Uncertain of what to make of this change in protocol, Vallarr sat down, the table helping to hide his unruly cock. Lesson after lesson, he endured through it for her sake.

Go with it, be kind, and stay in control.

“You cooked for me?”

On Kelon, only mates, mothers or sisters cooked for family.

You are not on Kelon—human females are different.
His body tingled with a sense of awe she did this for him.

“How have you been feeling? Any more attacks or flashbacks?”

“No.” It was because his mind felt in balance and so much calmer being around Emily. As if she was his cure—the balm to his tormented soul.

I need her, but I can never have her.
It hurt more than he cared to admit.

Her smile became his new sun.

“I’m glad, but just because you haven’t had attacks doesn’t mean the problems go away fully. I don’t know if you have physiologists or mind healers on Kelon, but I think you need to talk to someone about, well, your past and how it troubles you.”

She was right, and he wanted to talk to her about it, but feared a look of horror, disgust and hate in her eyes when he did.
She must never know.

She lifted the pot of bubbling, long white food. She struggled on her leg while she moved to the sink where she poured the steaming substance into another silver thing with holes. The water drained out, leaving the pale, floppy strands.

He rose to his feet before he had given his legs the command to do so. “Can I help?”

Her smile was shy as she backed up. “Thank you. Could you lift the pasta and pour it back into the pot.”

He did as she bade when she moved to her red sauce. He placed the pasta back next to her on the stove. She smiled up at him, and he wanted nothing more in that moment to pull her into his arms and nuzzle in at her throat, lick her skin, and make her moan in pleasure.

He swallowed hard, taking a step back.

“Wonderful.”

He blinked. Did she mean him for the small task he performed for her?

She busied herself, pouring the sauce over what she had called ‘pasta’, mixing until it was completely coated.

His eyes ran down the curve of her spine, admiring the way her waist tucked in, only to flare out at her hips, narrowing again to such lovely legs.

“Taste test?” She turned and held up a fork with the substance wrapped around it.

He leaned down and opened his mouth, meeting her eyes, they were darker than before. He caught her sharp intake of breath and trembling hand while she slipped the food past his lips. Flavour burst over his tongue at the tangy, yet sweet substance. They were so close, within a hair's breadth of each other.

He chewed and swallowed, never breaking eye contact. “Amazing.” It was all he could manage.

“You, uh, have some sauce on your...” She lifted her arm, the heat of her hand pressed against his chin and her fingers swiped over his lips.

His breathing became laboured, his eyes narrowed, his mind swirled and he got dizzy with wanton lust. His hand shot out, gripped her wrist and he sucked her digit into his mouth.

The salty, womanly taste of her skin washed over him, shattering the last of his control and sense of reason.

Her eyelids dropped, pupils dilated, and she moaned softly. “Vallarr...I...oh, what the hell.” She gripped his neck with her free hand and he went willingly down when she pressed her mouth to his.

Mine, take her!
Wrapping his arms around her body, he lifted her, crushing her soft frame against his. Pure instinct driving him, he sucked at her lips before driving in his tongue to take full possession.

This was kissing, he saw it many times on the Earth entertainment box, but never was he prepared for the impact kissing Emily would have on his senses. Her soft whimpers and moans encouraged his deeper exploration. She pushed her tongue back to rub against his, her body fitting against his in soft surrender.