Wrong Alien (TerraMates Book 6) (20 page)

I reached for him. His hard, smooth cock made me gasp.

"I need you inside me. Now."

His eyes fluttered closed, and his leg nudged between mine, spreading them. I felt him at my entrance. I spread wider, my whole body on fire. He pushed in, and I felt my heat surround him.

"Ann." My name came out of his lips sounding like a plea or a prayer. I wasn't sure which one. He gave a quick thrust and filled me completely.

We both lay together for a moment without moving, relishing in the sensation of joining again. When Jesse began to move inside of me, a small sound escaped my lips. He kissed me again, long and sweet, while he thrust in and out of my body. My orgasm built until I was right on the edge, my nipples brushing his hard chest as he moved. He was fucking me too slowly for what I needed right now.

"I need you to fuck me hard. Please," I begged. I was close. I needed him to push me over the edge.

He didn't say words but gave a hard, quick thrust that made me gasp.

"Yes. Like that." I pushed my hips toward him at the same time as he drove into me again.

Harder and faster, he pounded into me, and I felt him hitting the spot inside me that I had never noticed until we first made love. I was sure they heard my cries at the main house. I didn't care.

He bent his head and sucked my breast. That was enough to send me over the peak. I cried out and came, the climax shattering me and rocking my body with violent shudders. I held on tightly to Jesse. When I finally lay still, he plunged into me again, faster and faster until he froze and I felt him filling me with his seed.

I lay back, my bones feeling like water. I was so relaxed that I couldn't have moved if I tried.

"I love you, Annalee Beauchene," he whispered in my ear.

I remembered how I had thought my life was going to be. I guess life has a way of turning out differently than we expect.

Jesse pulled out, and I made a small sound of regret. He got out of bed. "I'll be back."

"I've heard that before."

"Really! Just a moment!" He returned almost immediately and jumped into bed. I snuggled up to him, melting into his body even though his skin was cold.

"I have a gift for you," he said. "It's our four month anniversary today."

"It is?" I didn't realize it myself. I was surprised he had remembered and gotten me something.

"It's not much of a present, but I thought you might like it."

He brought out a small thing. It was hidden in his hand until he put it in my palm.

"My phone! Where did you get it?" I had never been more thankful for solar-powered batteries. I turned it on and scanned my retina to unlock it. I flipped through screen after screen. Everything was still there; no one had tampered with anything.

"The Bureau had it. I was there one day when they were going through the confiscated items. For most devices, they can't identify the proper owners, and they're either scrapped or sold. I was lucky to find yours."

I turned it off and tapped it again to wake it up. The lock screen showed the picture of Kyle and me.

"You should thank him." I pointed to my little friend's picture.

"What? Why? I've never seen that child before."

"He's the reason everything's as good as it is right now. Even though we came through some bad shit to get here."

He ran a finger down my nose. "It's over, Ann."

"Yeah," I said. "It felt great to go back to the dungeon and get Jemima out. She never thought I would come back for her."

I smiled warmly at the thought. We had gone to visit her a few times. I would always be thankful for how she had helped me. But Jesse wasn't thinking about Jemima. He stared at the little boy on the screen.

"That's the kid whose picture you promised to keep with you, isn't it."

I nodded.

"Well, then, thanks, little man, for bringing this beautiful woman into my bed and my life," he whispered, kissing my neck.

"Beautiful?" I pushed him away for a minute, ignoring what his kisses did to me. "I remember you thought I was distinctly plain when we first met."

"I don't know why." His kisses moved lower onto my collarbone. "I was a fool."

I pushed him away. "Do you honestly think I'm beautiful now?" I felt skeptical. I took his head in my hands and made him look at me. "I know you think I'm sexy, but that's not the same thing."

He looked at me in consternation. I wondered if he could understand why this was important to me.

"Annalee, your spirit is infectious. It shines through your skin and makes everything around you radiant. Your eyes sparkle, your smile lights up a room, and your curves are perfect. Whoever thought you plain didn't know anything about you."

"Really?" I asked. I wasn't fishing for compliments, but I still couldn't believe his change of heart, no matter how much I knew he loved me.

"You have something that makes people sit up and take notice. You don't even know it, do you? That's part of the charm."

He returned to kissing and made his way down between my breasts.

"Thank you," I said, setting my phone down on the bedside table. I would have time to reacquaint myself with it later.

Right now, my husband was kissing me. He loved me and thought I was beautiful. I realized how far I had come since my days on Earth. I had followed my heart instead of my head. I knew I never wanted to go back to the old me because I wanted to be here forever.

ANNALEE

I walked into the house and saw Mrs. Boyko sweeping up. As I watched, she kicked open a small vent near the floor and pushed against a knot in the wooden paneling on the wall. A soft humming noise sounded through the house as all the dirt she had swept got sucked away into the vent.

"If I had known technology would make my life this easy, I would have joined the Underground a long time ago." she said.

I grinned, shifting the little girl resting against my hip to my other side so I wouldn't have to put her down. She was getting heavy.

"And how is my little angel?" said Mrs. Boyko, jiggling Charlotte's foot until she smiled and pressed her face shyly into my shoulder.

"She's much better now, thanks to you." "She doesn't have a fever anymore. It's a relief."

"I didn't do much," she said. "Just applied some herbs, the same as my Granny used to give me. We don't need science for
everything
."

"You're right, of course." I kissed my daughter on the cheek. "In fact, that's why I came to see you.

"Oh?" She looked surprised and curious.

"I wondered if you could teach me what you know about herbs and plants. I'm interested in learning how to cure my children naturally."

"You only have one child." The woman looked at me accusingly.

"Damn. Jesse's going to be upset. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone yet."

"I would have guessed, dear. I won't say anything if you don't want me to."

I blushed. "Thank you. We'd like to tell people ourselves after I'm in my second trimester."

"Of course. Have you told your mother already?"

I stared down at the brilliantly clean floor while my daughter played with one of my braids. "I don't think I will." I stared off into the distance. "My mother's not too interested in my life these days."

Mrs. Boyko clucked a few times and patted me on the shoulder. I tried to think happy thoughts so I wouldn't look as hurt as I felt.

"I don't know her, but if what you say is true, she seems a foolish woman. She's missing out on a wonderful family and a special daughter."

That made me feel better. A smile broke out on my face.

"I suppose," I said. "I feel like Charlotte has a grandmother in you."

"Stop, Annalee! You'll make me start crying."

I gave her a hug, feeling a little close to tears myself.

"But what about your genetic grandchildren?"

"I try not to make that distinction. I don't talk about
real
or
fake
grandchildren. I have blood grandchildren and the grandchild of my heart. Charlotte is not better or worse than the others."

"Do you have any pictures of them?" I wanted to take my mind off how sweet Mrs. Boyko was before I lost control and broke down into sobs.

She pulled out a computer and touched her thumb on the screen, opening the lock.

I put on my 'Technology Consultant' hat for a moment. "It would be easier if you used a retinal scan, Mrs. Boyko. We can set it up tomorrow evening when Jesse and I come over for Sunday dinner."

"Whatever you say, dear." After some fiddling, beautiful pictures for me to admire appeared on her screen. "I will come by at naptime every day and we can teaching you herbalism. I'm happy to share my knowledge with you, Annalee."

It was like I had found the mother I never had before. And there was life after teaching. I would discover another passion and interest in plant life. I couldn't wait to start my new studies.

I strolled out of the main homestead and into the yard, headed toward the guest house. Unofficially it was my home, but we would always refer to the building as the guest house.

When I reached our steps, I heard a carriage approach behind me. I turned and shaded my eyes from the sun. I saw the profile of Marsaline, the Queen of Yordbrook, poking her head out the window of the carriage.

Charlotte was sleeping in my arms, taking a nap. I hurried into the house and laid her in the middle of our big bed. Jesse's cousin was cleaning the kitchen. I asked her to listen in case Charlotte woke up. The young woman often watched my daughter when I needed a babysitter. I didn't mind leaving my daughter while Marigold was there.

I ran to meet Marsaline emerging from her conveyance.

"Marsaline!" I spoke without thinking and covered my mouth in embarrassment. "I apologize. I mean, your Majesty. Why have you graced us with your presence?"

She looked around to see if anyone was near enough to overhear us. When she had determined to her satisfaction that no one was, she answered me truthfully.

"I want to see him, Annalee."

Marsaline and Porter had been separated for some time. She had been busy, not only changing the laws about science and technology, but also modifying the restrictions on who was eligible to marry royalty. Until they passed new legislation, Porter and Marsaline were pretending they barely knew each other.

"Come with me."

No one in the house had noticed the Queen's arrival. Her driver was rushing to put away the carriage. Without seeing the Queen or her transport, no one would know her whereabouts until she chose to reveal herself.

Porter had a retreat in the woods nearby. He kept himself busy running a technology import business and writing software. Once he had the opportunity, he found out he loved computers.

"How goes your work with the council?"

That was one of the problems with a monarchy combined with a representative democracy. The elected officials were resistant to any change, but Marsaline had royal blood. She was surprisingly effective in getting her way with things that were important to her.

"I believe we have reached an accord." She was barely paying attention to me, focusing on her search of the forest in front of us.

"It's finished? What about the other thing?"

"We can finally get married, if that's what you're implying. Marriage requires two people, however, and I need to find my fiance."

I checked off some boxes in my mental checklist. "What about Controller Kozel?" I wondered if she was still at large.

"We deported the
former
Controller, Annalee. You don't need to be afraid of her anymore."

I was surprised at how relieved I felt to hear those words. I had recurring nightmares she would find me and exact vengeance even though the Queen had removed her from the position. Now that I had confirmation of her departure, I felt myself relaxing.

In another minute, we were at Porter's quarters. It looked like a huntsman's lodge on the outside, but Porter redid the interior to his specifications. We saw him coming out the door.

His eyes were bright. "The computer said it was you, but I didn't believe it."

Jesse appeared behind him and my breath caught in my throat. I felt like he was only looking at me. He ran to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Part of me wanted to run away with him, but I couldn't stop my eyes from looking at the scene unfolding before us. I know I should have left. For some reason, I needed to see how the relationship between Porter and the Queen played out.

"The Queen wants to see you." She pulled back her hood, revealing light brown hair in a simple braid. It was nothing like the elaborate hairstyle she wore at the palace.

Porter was mesmerized by the sight of her bare head. He reached out his hand to gently smooth her hair away from her forehead. They spoke as if we weren't there.

"Enough to leave when the parliament remains in session?"

"I did it, Porter. It's finished. We can get married now."

Porter held her face in his hands and kissed her passionately. Jesse tugged on my hand, pulling me away.

"Porter's going to be the Queen's consort," Jesse said with a laugh.

"It's unbelievable," I said. "Too bad he can't be the king. He'll remind her of the days when she was a commoner and keep her relaxed."

"And she'll help him upgrade his style," Jesse added. "They're perfect for each other."

"Just like us," I said, swinging his hand as we walked through the forest.

He stopped and gently tugged my hand, pulling me into his arms. I happily wrapped my hands around his neck.

"I love you, Annalee. But are you happy here? I worry that our lives are too dull, and I know you miss life on Earth." Concern filled Jesse's eyes as he waited for my answer.

"For the last time, I didn't enjoy my modern life. I worked too hard. I was lonely. I have more time to relax here, and I've got you..." I cupped his cheek with my hand. "And Charlotte. Mrs. Boyko is more of a mother to me than mine has ever been. And everyone. I love my life and my new job."