A Civilized Mating by Marie Harte Read Free Book Online

boyfriend heaven up in the stars?
    Xaveht took her hand away and wiped it on her own belly, exposed by her cropped tank. “Now you will smell like me.”
    She didn’t smell a thing. Nothing aromatic about the guy, at least not that she could tell amidst the sweet flowers and crisp scent of the tropics around them.
    Xaveht kissed her again, gentling his hold as he slowly pulled back. To her embarrassment, she leaned into him so much she nearly fell when he completely withdrew. He steadied her, and her cheeks blazed with heat. She wanted to look away, but she’d never been one to avoid necessary confrontation.
    She met his gaze, noted that spark of red then blue in the center of his eyes and watched it slowly fade as he watched her. “What are you doing to me?”
    “Doing?” He ran a callused finger over her cheek, looking down on her. Man, he was tall. And hot. And lickable all over. Yeah, I’m apparently hooked on barbarians. And I’m supposed to help Lisa? Get it together, Skye!
    “You know.” She crossed her arms over her chest and regained her balance, breathing evenly. “Making me feel…attracted to you.”
    “I do not know about making you do anything.” Xaveht grinned, and her knees threatened to buckle. “I do know that you’re very interesting, offworlder.”
    “Skye.”
    “Skye.” He seemed to savor her name. “You smell of summer rains and crackle with the power of lightning deep inside. I can feel your energy seething. It calls to mine.”
    She blinked. “Wait. You can feel energy in others?”
    “Of course. All Ussed can, even our weak westerners have such an ability.” He paused. “Are you saying your people cannot? But I felt you earlier. We were tied. Phelthar .”
    She didn’t understand the word. “ Phelthar ?”
    “Yes, the state in which we are tied to all things, or to one thing in particular.” He stared down her body with a grin. “I would be tied to you in other ways as well.”
    Her face burned. “Ah, well, yeah. See, that’s what so weird about you. I don’t normally just kiss anyone, you know.”
    His grin widened. Shoot. “That is good to know indeed.”
    Before she could try to make up for admitting a vulnerability, Lore returned. He looked from his leader to her, took a few subtle sniffs, then shared his own shit-eating grin.
    This is so embarrassing.
    “Our meal is ready.” As they passed, she heard him say to Xaveht, “So she is off-limits?”
    “Yes.”
    A simple answer, and one that felt like an admission of ownership. Slavery had been outlawed on Earth over a thousand years ago. So why did the notion of belonging to the huge barbarian flip her switch like it was Christmas?
    They sat down around a small fire, Lisa practically in Maht’s lap while he fed her from his friggin’ hand.
    “Geez, Lisa,” she muttered and took small bites of surprisingly tasty, tender meat. Those rabbit-pig things tasted pretty good.
    Lisa ignored her, smiling shyly up at Maht.
    “Ah, the play of new mates.” Lore grinned at the couple, then looked at her and Xaveht. He motioned to Zhen, said something she couldn’t make out, then turned with Zehn to stare—and laugh—at her.
    “What?” she snapped.
    “Such spirit.” Zhen nodded, mischief in the small curl of his lips. “I don’t know if Xav can handle her by himself. No doubt Talzec will be needed to tame this one.”
    “Tame who?” A second mention of this Talzec character. Already she didn’t like him. Skye would have stood and forced Zhen to explain himself when Xav put a hand on her shoulder, stilling her.
    “Easy, Skye. Pay no attention to the droning of an akla .” Akla —beelike creatures known for their steady, melodic humming. As far from a hardened warrior as a butterfly was to a hawk.
    “ Akla ? Great leader, such words hurt.” Zhen didn’t look hurt, grinning like a madman.
    Xav scooted closer to her on the downed tree on which they sat, his entire left leg in contact with hers. She moved away,