Lindsey's Rescue: A World Beyond Book 3 (8 page)

Chapter 12

When Lindsey finished a mini tour on the lower level and returned to her room, undergarments and three dresses lay on what she now dubbed her princess bed. One of Baruk’s disappearing servants must have delivered them. She held each dress up and squealed. One was a rich blue with a scooped neck. Daring holes lined the sides of the skirt to play peek-a-boo with her legs.

She practically drooled and reached for the second dress. Dark green underlining with a mint green overlay. The fabric was thin enough for the two colors to be visible while worn. It also had a revealing panel along the middle. Clearly risqué was the name of the game in clothing on Garulax.

The last, a simple lavender sundress, was perfect for a casual day at home. Since she’d received a few stares in her jeans, Lindsey chose to change into the lavender one, keeping on the black thong and bra beneath. The men seemed very appreciative of her undergarment selection the night before. Once dressed, Lindsey peeked out her door and down the hall. Zumei for once was no where to be seen. She skipped down the spiral split staircase, intent on avoiding him while she learned more about her new home.

Lindsey spent most of the day in the library studying the language disc she discovered among Baruk’s collection. According to the voice activated computer, her accent had improved in the last few hours and her comprehension had increased to ninety percent. Hunger pangs put the rest of her plans on hold. Lindsey closed out the program and made her way to the dining room.

A pretty dark-haired woman in a sky blue dress with three-quarter sleeves stopped watering a floral arrangement in the hall. The entire house sported overflowing vases of flowers in some fashion or another. Lindsey might not be much of a gardener but she liked the effect.

The servant sat down her pail and bowed. “Is there anything I can help you with, my Lady?”

Lindsey grinned. “Call me Lindsey and we can start with your name?”

The woman hesitated and Lindsey wondered if she’d committed a huge error. “It’s Abbi, and Lady Lindsey is a form of respect.”

“Is it alright if I eat in the dining room, Abbi?” Apparently she’d have to accept the Lady title.

Abbi’s lips parted and she stuttered her response. “Why y-yes, Lady Lindsey. It’s your home. Senate Leader Baruk was very clear on his instructions this morning.”

Her words gave Lindsey pause. “Instructions?”

Abbi twisted her fingers together. “He reminded everyone to take care in meeting all of your needs when he called us together before he left. A memo has also been posted in the kitchen and the servants’ dining area in case those of us with different shifts or families couldn’t make it.”

Her husband’s consideration was one more point in the positive column. “Thank you for explaining, Abbi.”

The woman bowed and turned to leave.

“Wait!” Lindsey called and touched Abbi’s wrist. “Servants dining room? I didn’t know there was more than one.”

“It’s off the other side of the kitchen. The Senate Leader wants to make sure no one misses a meal during scheduled shifts.”

Lindsey thought about the spacious dining room and sitting at the long table alone. She nibbled her lip and made her decision. “Can you show me?”

Abbi’s brow crinkled but she led Lindsey to a warmer, relaxed room with small tables scattered about. Buffet tables lined one wall with pastries, fruit, pitchers of ice water and a pan of what looked like pancakes. A freaking miniature café in her house. The women and men present laughed while eating but everything came to a halt when Lindsey and Abbi entered.

The man Baruk had referred to as Chief Everly was first on his feet. “My apologies, Lady Lindsey, did you need something?”

“No, I’m fine.” She headed straight for the food display and started fixing a plate.

Silence echoed behind her, followed by scraping chairs. Another woman appeared at Lindsey’s elbow and tried to take her plate. “Allow me, my Lady.”

Lindsey tugged on the plate, refusing to release it. “I’m good.”

“Um…of course, my Lady.” Another slight tug.

Lindsey held her ground until the woman gave up with a glare and walked away.

Abbi stood off to the side, tapping her foot. Lindsey sat at the first table she reached which happened to be across from Everly. She smiled and promptly ignored him to eat the delicious smelling food on her plate.

Slowly everyone returned to their seats and gradually conversation resumed. Aside from a few stares, Lindsey enjoyed the meal immensely. Afterwards, she roamed the rooms on the upper level of the estate. As soon as lunch time arrived, she headed for the servants’ dining room.

This time the few present didn’t bat an eye at her appearance. Word must have spread. Unlike the morning meal, the buffet was empty but a plate of food appeared along with the attempted plate thief as soon as Lindsey sat at a table.

“Lady Lindsey.” The servant bowed at the waist, tan dress twirling about her ankles.

“Thank you. I’m sorry I didn’t get your name earlier?”

The woman’s green eyes widened. “Meeri, Mistress.”

“Thank you, Meeri.”

Meeri returned her smile and left. Lindsey enjoyed her mystery meat and vegetables until her stomach complained. Pushing back her plate, she stopped in the busy kitchen and came eye to eye with Chief Everly over a boiling pot of water. Steam rose between them.

“Thank you for lunch, Chief. I enjoyed it.” Lindsey waved at the other cooks and left them to their preparations. She ignored their confused looks.

With nothing specific to do, Lindsey made her way outside. She strolled down the path and spent some time enjoying Baruk’s artfully created garden and sat on one of the benches designed for such. While resting her eyes and absorbing the warmth of the sun, she drifted off until a weak cry startled her awake.

Lindsey jerked, almost falling off her stone perch. The wobbly noises sounded again. Curious, Lindsey ventured off the manicured trail and ended up in the heavily wooded portion of the property. The cries sounded like garbled quacks from a duck with a sore throat.

“Hello?”

The rough warbles increased and Lindsey hurried her steps, worried some animal was caught in a trap. What she came upon was a small nest and four little baby…somethings. Lindsey dropped to her knees and the feathered fluffy balls jostled one another to reach her. Leaves, branches and bits of ragged cloth lined the dip in the ground, creating a cozy bed for the babies. Small snouts parted as they mewled.

Lindsey’s heart melted. “Look at you.”

She picked up one, cupping it in the palm of her hand and held it at eye level. Large orbs oversized for the narrow head stared back. Bits of white fur and feathers covered it from torso to thin, hind legs. It looked like a cross between a kangaroo and a duckling. The thought made her giggle.

Chirp, chirp
.

The three siblings tumbled onto her lap. Their snout-beaks opened and closed in an obvious sign. “You’re hungry.”

Lindsey tucked them back into the bowl-shaped nest on the ground, pushing back the one who kept crawling out. She knew exactly where to get food to feed them.

***

Baruk found her after Lindsey finished feeding her baby ducklings and was returning to the house. He looked as handsome as ever in the formal, black robes. He’d undone the clasps on the front and the material parted down the middle to reveal the pants and shirt from this morning.

After meeting with Welsin Lindsey eyed his outfit in a different light. His clothing definitely had a custom fit to the tailoring. The line of the pant leg fell just right, the buttoned shirt gave hints to a muscular chest without being obscene and all of it only increased her attraction to him.

“How was your day, wife?”

So polite and mannerly. Lindsey couldn’t help the way her mood lightened in his presence. “I spent most of it exploring.”

Baruk glanced beyond her to the outside, a frown creasing his brow. “Be careful and don’t go into the woods. There are wild animals and the property isn’t completely fenced off.”

Lindsey hadn’t thought of that. What if something ate the baby chicks? “What sort of wild animals.”

“Paxals.”

She frowned over the word, not getting a clear picture. Another item to add on her look up list when she studied the discs on her new home.

“They’re vicious raptors with scales and razor sharp teeth. They travel in pods of four or five and can take down a grown man in minutes.”

She gripped her elbows and rubbed. “Wow. Okay. Be on the look out for killer reptiles in our backyard.”

Baruk laughed and curved his arm about her shoulders. “I’m sure you’ll be fine as long as you don’t go too far off the property lines.

Lindsey made a mental note to carry a big stick with her on her future trips to feed the baby roo/duckling creatures. And maybe she’d stumble on the mother too and wouldn’t have to worry over them. If the mother never returned, Lindsey decided she’d keep her little secret and care for them until they could fend for themselves.

Chapter 13

Zadal came home to a quiet house.

“Zadal!”

Formerly quiet. Lindsey’s shout drew his attention to the stairs at the center of the foyer. She lightly skipped down the steps, her speed giving his heart slight palpitations until she reached the bottom safely. She grinned in welcome, blonde hair scattered about her shoulders and hugged him without hesitation.

Uncomfortable with the open affection, Zadal stood with his arms at his side while a huge wave of emotion rippled around the center of his chest.

“Running down those stairs could kill you,” he admonished.

Lindsey laughed and released him. Her bright face turned up toward him, blue eyes shining. “Very funny.”

He hadn’t been joking.

“How was your day?” she asked, hopping around him.

Another odd occurrence for him. Zadal wasn’t used to women asking about his day or anyone else for that matter. Certainly, Zumei never did, but Lindsey wanted to know. Did she do the same when Baruk came home earlier? If Zadal asked, his spouse partner would probably claim it another side benefit to marriage.

“It was a work day.”

She snorted on a laugh and looped her arms through his. “Don’t be shy. Tell me more.”

And thus, Zadal found himself ensnared and telling his wife of the mundane details of his role as a Senate Leader. Her avid gaze never strayed from his face and she nodded at certain parts when he paused to explain terms foreign to her.

“That’s wonderful, Zadal.”

Zadal admitted to being caught up in her excitement. She followed him to his home office and propped her hip on the edge of his desk, as she rambled on about discovering new rooms. He had to bite his inner cheek at her astonishment over the size of the home. Since Lindsey wasn’t from Garulax her knowledge of the extent of Baruk’s wealth remained oblivious and from what Zadal could tell, Baruk preferred it this way.

“Now I just need to find my way back to the neat room I discovered,” she concluded, swinging her leg back and forth.

Today’s dress stopped above her calves, the scalloped edges teasing him with a shapely ankle. The thought of spending another night in bed with her taunted him. Memories of her hands and mouth on his body swelled along with another portion of his anatomy.

“Zadal?”

With great reluctance, he dragged his gaze from her slender limbs and cleared his throat. “Yes.”

Her lids lowered and she slid her hips around his desk, disturbing his writing implements. Zadal grabbed at them but Lindsey planted both legs between his open thighs and leaned forward. He flinched when she placed her hands on his shoulders, fingers kneading.

“Listen up, husband.”

Zadal’s breathing shortened. Ringing filled his ears and the sound of flesh smacking flesh invaded the moment.

‘Listen up, stupid, boy.’

‘Listen up, can’t you do nothing right.’

‘Listen up, always crying.’

 Gasping, he shoved to his feet, dislodging Lindsey’s hands. Zadal turned to face one of the opened windows and slammed the door closed on the marauding memories. His fists clenched at his side as he fought the urge to put more distance between him and Lindsey. Chest tight, he waited to see what she’d do.

Once more Lindsey surprised him. Slim arms eased around his waist. Her hands lay flat on his middle as she pressed her face into his back. “You’re alright. Everything’s fine.”

His body trembled and for that revealing weakness alone, Zadal wanted to push her away. Even as the thought crossed his mind, Lindsey’s hands moved. She lowered them until they rubbed his shaft. The past may have dispelled the earlier intimate moment but it seemed his arousal hadn’t faltered.

Zadal snorted and reached for her inquisitive fingers.

“Uh, uh,” she chided and gripped him in a firm hold.

The shock of the raw touch, no teasing or build up sent need coursing through him. Zadal groaned, head bowed and rocked into her hands.

“Hmm. I like this. I didn’t get to play as much with you and Baruk overwhelming me the other night.”

Then Lindsey parted his senate robes further and hooked her fingers in the waist of his trousers beneath. A slight tug and she pulled pants and underwear beneath his butt, freeing his hard length. Zadal’s hips pumped in the cool air, adding a drop of relief to the increasing sexual tension.

“What are you doing, Lindsey?”

***

Lindsey wasn’t sure what she’d done to set her new husband off. Fear and disgust washed over his features before he jumped away. There was so much about both of the men she needed to learn. Lindsey didn’t fool herself into thinking Zadal would be easy to love but every soft touch, tender glance when he thought she wasn’t looking, hinted that he’d be worth the struggle.

She wanted all of him. Just as she wanted all of Baruk and Lindsey planned to have it. There was more than one way to scale a mountain. With Zadal she was going the sex route.

Lindsey stroked the growing erection in her hands. A darkening flush tinted his skin as the heavy weight settled in her palms.

“Lindsey,” he breathed out, head back and teeth locked in a grimace of pleasure.

Lindsey moved to the front of him and dropped to her knees, picking up where she left off. His hands hovered above her head before settling in the thick waves. She moaned to encourage him to feel free to touch her.

Rough fingers dug deep, scraping along her scalp. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Lindsey smiled. She didn’t think her big, gruff husband had it in him to ever hurt a woman.   

“This won’t hurt a bit.” She licked delicately then eased back his foreskin and closed her mouth around him.

Zadal groaned from above. Lindsey concentrated on giving him the most pleasure, putting aside the wetness growing between her thighs. She stroked, caressed and sucked until Zadal panted with each breath.

Pushing him toward a quick climax, she rolled his firm sack in her free hand and massaged the smooth skin behind with her fingers. In no time, he yelled out and bowed over her, hands gripped in her hair as he came in spurts. Lindsey swallowed all of his release and slowed her pumping fist until Zadal barked out a harsh laugh.

“You do have a way about you.”

Lindsey wiped her mouth and rose to her feet on a laugh. She wrapped her arms around his waist, happy to see the dark look gone from his face. “Sometimes it just feels good to let loose every now and then.”

He looked uncomfortable with her declaration. “I sho—”

“Shh,” she cut off his offer and squeezed tighter. “Just accept it, Z.”

“I prefer Zadal,” he huffed.

But Lindsey noticed he rested his head over hers and together they took a moment.

Ping
.