Hale: Love Me Harder - Alien Paranormal Romance (9 page)

“No. We just swap forms. We are separate yet we are one. When we were on our first planet, we spent more time in our other form than in this form. That form fights better than this form and we were always fighting or waiting in some awful place to fight.”

“What happens to me now that I know your secret?”

“What I always hoped would happen. Stay with me. Let me prove to you we belong together.”

“What happens if I say no?”

“After the threat to you has been neutralized you’re free to leave.”

Tori arched an eyebrow and looked at him.

“Really?”

“Yes, really. As much as I would like to keep you here, you’re right, I don’t own you. It has to be your decision to stay.”

“You’ll abide by whatever decision I make?”

He nodded his head.

“Prove it.”

“How?”

“Get up, lie over there in the grass, put your hands behind your head and spread your legs. Don’t move.”

She wanted to do this since early this morning. It seemed unreal that it was the same day. The thought of touching him made her insides melt with desire, even the voice warning her not to get involved with an alien was beginning to see things her way. She had no idea what tomorrow would bring, but today she needed to taste him.

Tori watched as he laid out spread eagle with his arms tightly behind his head. He look magnificent lying there with his platinum hair spread like a cloud underneath him and his diamond eyes sparkling in the sun.

She smiled as she sat on him leaning over to kiss his lips. “Now it’s my turn to taste.”

She licked the seam of his lips until he opened. She sucked his tongue in her mouth, licking it and rubbing against the texture of it.

“I love your tongue, so thick, and it tastes like you.” She bent closer and kissed him deeply allowing her tongue to penetrate him.

A soft moan of pleasure escaped her lips to mingle with Hale’s low growl. She slid her mouth over the column of his throat as she made her way down to what she’d been thinking of all day.

“All day the picture of you, thick and hard standing at attention, has been in the back of my mind, tempting me.”

She pushed his shirt up and splayed the palms of her hands over his hard chest. She moved her hand allowing his hard nipple to tickle the palm of her hand.

Leaning over she took a hard nipple in her mouth and sucked. “You taste so good. I can’t remember the last time I wanted someone as bad as I want you.”

Her teeth nipped at his nipple and his hips thrust up. She could feel his hardness against her ass. She sucked again, then nipped him again enjoying the feel of him bucking under her.

She switched to his other nipple not wanting to leave it out. “You’re so nice and hard.” She whispered to his nipple before sucking it down causing Hale to gasp for air.

She gave a throaty laugh before going lower, aware that at any moment they could get caught. Her inner voice tried to protest, but she caged it. She would listen to any ‘I told you so,’ later.”

She kissed a trail down his stomach until she reached the band of his jeans. With shaky fingers she undid the button and then zipped it down, gasping at the pleasant surprise. He went commando.

She pushed the material off his lean waist. His hard cock came out to play. She moaned as she got a nice close look at him. He was thick with a small curve to him. The thought of the head hitting against her sweet spot made her hotter.

She licked her lips before her tongue snaked out to lick the pearl of cream sitting on the head of his cock. Umm good. She licked again as he tried to hold his hips still.

Opening wide she took him in her mouth, swallowing as much of him as she could. She could feel him touching the back of her throat and wrapped her hand around the inches she couldn’t take and began to suck.

“Tori.” Her name came out his mouth in a ragged breath as he tried not to thrust his hips up.

She sucked hard loving the flavor of him. He tasted so good. Her cheeks pulled in as she sucked on him trying to get his creamy center. She loved the popping sound as he left her mouth so she could lick him from tip to root.

“You’re driving me crazy, Tori.” Hales voice was unsteady making her feel like a powerful goddess.

She squeezed him with both hands as he pumped his cock between them.

“Tighter.” He groaned, moving faster.

“Tori, I’m going to…”

She cut him off by putting her mouth over him and sucking hard.

“Yes...” His body shook as his hips pushed upward and streams of cream poured into her mouth.

The taste of him had her humming in satisfaction. I could get lost in this. I could want it every day. She told her inner voice who was fuming about being caged up.

Tori sighed with contentment as she felt the warmth of him in her stomach.

Chapter Eleven

Tori snuggled closer to Hale as she traced his jaw line.

“I thought you would be afraid of me,” he said.

“I should be. I should be running for the hills hoping you and your brothers don’t find me. Would it do me any good?”

“Not if we wanted to find you.”

“That’s what I thought. I know I just rocked your world, but I am still leaving after the wedding.”

“Why?”

“I’ll never be safe here. He’ll just keep coming after me. But if I disappear I won’t have to keep looking over my shoulder.”

“Would you still want to leave if he were no longer an issue?”

She leaned over and placed a soft kiss against his jaw line.

Would she still want to leave? She loved Pittsburgh and her business could be a success here, if she just had the right opportunity.

She nibbled on her lower lip. This wasn’t about Pittsburgh or her business, it was about Hale.

“How could I be in a relationship with you? We are very different.”

“You have a saying on earth ‘opposites attract’.”

“True, but they weren’t talking about humans and aliens.”

Hale put Tori to one side before he stood. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes that was making her heart slow down.

“You were just all over me, Tori. Was it just curiosity? Did you just want to see how different I am from a human male?”

“No! That’s wasn’t it. This isn’t coming out right.” She stood up as the silence expanded.

What do you want, Tori? Her inner voice said to her in a soft tone. She sighed, what did she want? How could she want Hale? It’s not like they had a long history together. It’s not like she was in love with him, in lust may be the better way to describe it.

So what, her heart beat faster when she saw him. Really that’s no big deal. Did it matter that she felt safe around him? She hadn’t had that feeling since she lost her parents.

She began to run her hands through her hair as thoughts of what she should do and say came and went.

Hale turned and walked away leaving her standing by the lake. Having no idea what she wanted, she followed him back to the house.

“There you two are,” Lorali said in greeting. “Good news, Sergey was able to secure Heinz Field. One month from today, Tori can you organize a wedding that fast? Tori close your mouth, its hanging open.”

“You actually managed to secure Heinz Field?”

Sergey nodded as he slipped his arm around Lorali’s waist.

“Aran,” Rena walked outside. Her voice rang out breaking the sudden tension. “I want this child born before the wedding.”

“Doll.” Aran’s deep voice held a soothing tone.

“Don’t doll me. I’m about to pop here and still no baby Brian.”

“You’re naming the baby Brian?” Nicolas asked looking at Aran.

“No, we’re not.”

“So now I can’t name my own child?”

“Rena.”

“Oh now it’s Rena? What happened to doll? Not getting your own way? Good, because if I remember it’s your fault I’m big as a house. I waddle!”

“You don’t waddle, Rena.” Dee chimed in.

“Says the best friend who is laughing so hard tears are rolling down her face.”

She walked into the kitchen leaving them all staring at her. With a sigh she sat in a chair.

“Brian, really?”

A soft giggle came from her. “Dante, who let you in.”

“You think I need a key, Rena?”

“No, I know better.”

“That was some temper tantrum.”

“They needed a distraction. I like the name Brian, though. Would it be a bad thing to name the baby Brian? He will be half human.”

“What if he is less human than you think?”

“What do you mean?”

“There is a possibility he will be a shape shifter. If that happens will he be able to call himself human? Will you be able to call him human? Will you still love him if he is more like Aran?”

“Don’t act crazy, Dante, of course I will love him. I love Aran and I already love my child.”

“Do you? Think about it Rena, you’re having the first child of the Created. The first child to actually be born to a mother. Your child will always be special because he was the first. Whatever you name him, he will carry for the rest of his very long life. When you name him remember the three of you will have to live with that name.”

“Dante, will my child be a shape shifter?” He walked over to her and leaned over speaking into her ear. He whispered something and left the room as Aran walked in.

“What did Dante say?” Aran asked her.

“Something I have to think about,” she told him with a lift of her chin.

He sighed and walked over to her. “You’re not big as a house. You’re as beautiful as the first day I saw you, actually you’re more beautiful.

He rubbed her belly as he pulled her closer.

“Rena, you can be contrary, argumentative or downright disagreeable, I will still be here. I love you and I won’t run no matter how hard you try to push me away. If you really want to name the baby Brian, then we will.”

“Hush and kiss me, Aran.”

***

Tori was sitting in a bridal store with Rena, Dee, and Janis. They were waiting for Lorali to come out in her gown. The seamstress was making last minute alterations.

Tori allowed a smile to come over her face as she closed her eyes and thought back to her uncomfortable night. Hale barely spoke to her and she hadn’t spoken to him at all.

When everyone went home, probably earlier than normal because of the way she and Hale were acting, things went from uncomfortable to worse. But in a way she could handle that. At least he wasn’t calling her mate and making her want him.

She could handle whatever happened until it was time to call it a night. He didn’t ask or insist she sleep with him. Why would he do that her inner voice chimed in. Tori was planning on killing her inner voice, she just needed a way to do so without actually hurting herself.

He walked up those stairs with his shoulders slumped and his head slightly bowed. Her proud male who thought he was being used for an experience and discarded like so much trash.

She wanted to go to him and explain, but she still didn’t have the words. ‘You took the coward’s way out.’ Her inner voice chimed in again. Unfortunately she agreed with her.

She went into the bedroom he had given her, took a shower, and hit the bed. It will be ok in the morning she assured herself closing her eyes to sleep. Except she didn’t sleep. She tossed and turned for two hours. Finally she gave up, she wasn’t going to get any sleep. All she wanted, wrong, she more than wanted, she needed Hale to be beside her. She needed to feel the warmth that radiated from his body in waves. She needed to feel the strength that made her feel safe in a world she no longer understood.

She got out of bed taking a deep breath hoping against hope it would give her courage. She concentrated on the feel of the carpet on the soles of her feet as she crossed to the door and opened it.

Sitting with his back against the door was Hale. He must still hold out some hope for them. There were tears in her eyes so she blinked fast to get rid of them. He looked up at her before standing.

Reaching out she took his hand and led him into the room. He never protested, and he never said a word. Silently he climbed into the bed and held her. She fell asleep wrapped in his arms. She knew then, no inner voice needed, he wasn’t a new experience, the alien flavor of the day. He was much more than that. With all that new understanding, she still wasn’t sure she had the courage to tell him.

The gasp of ‘You’re so beautiful’ had her opening her eyes to see Lorali standing before them in her gown.

“Lorali, you’re gorgeous.” Tori added her voice to the others.

The spark that Tori thought she lost, rekindled as she saw Lorali standing there. This was why she loved planning weddings. The horror of how she had been treated in the past faded away as she oohed and ahhed and fawned over Lorali with everyone else.

For a brief moment she could see herself dressed in white standing at the altar. Hale would be dressed in a tux standing by her side. They would be committing their lives to each other. Her heart began to long for all the things she no longer thought she could have. She rubbed her hand against her eyes.

Tori walked up to Lorali. “You’re stunning, but it’s more than the dress. You radiate the love you have for Sergey, he’s not here and yet I can feel it coming from you. You make this dress shine.”

“Thank you, Tori. You need to pick out a dress to wear and I want to see my bridesmaids in their dresses.”

“I don’t need a dress,” Tori protested.

“Yes you do. Go with Angela, she’s waiting by the flowers for you. She will help you pick out something that will knock the socks off of Hale.”

With a sigh Tori walked off in the direction Lorali pointed out.

“Hi, I’m Angela.” Angela was tall with red hair and a willowy shape.

“I’m Tori, nice to meet you, Angela. Lorali says we are looking for a dress.”

“She told me you are the wedding coordinator, but you’re also family and you need a stunning dress. That should be easy with your exotic looks.” A grimace crossed Tori’s face. “I guess you get tired of hearing that.”

“I do. I wonder if anyone ever sees anything else.”

“I know the feeling. I always used to be called tall red. It seemed I would never be anything but that. When I went out even the guys thought of me as that. It was like they couldn’t see the woman inside, until I met Charles.” The smile that came to her face lit her up. “He was actually taller than me. That was a good thing in my book. He started calling me his willowy dancer. I love to dance and do it every chance I get. He saw me and someday a man will see you too, not just your face and body.”