Taboo by Leslie Dicken Read Free Book Online Page A

shoulders and rested her chin on her knees. Just beyond Andreus, a flock of brilliantly colored birds took flight. She coveted their graceful lifts, their smooth glides. She envied their simplicity in life. Suddenly, being an Aerotaun did not seem so freeing.
    “We all arrived here as one large group, nearly five hundred strong, I believe.”
    Andreus stared at her without a response. He questioned out of more than mere curiosity or lack of conversation. She could easily see that he searched for an answer of some sort.
    Ariana twirled the blades of grass at her feet, marveling at the sharp edges. “The space craft landed elsewhere on the planet, the only place without trees. Then a large ship carried them across the sea.”
    “Who were the people on board?”
    “Scientist of all sorts. Archeologists, chemists, botanists, engineers.”
    “Is that all?” Sharpness sliced through the words.
    She’d insulted him. And his people. “No, of course not. There were the space shuttle staff and crew to man the ship.”
    They were the group that settled at the bottom of the Dwelling after the ship burned. They became the Marimar, a robust stock of hard working people.
    “What else?”
    “The space shuttle became inoperable, even when the crew tried to fix it. And once everyone had finally given up and left the landing pad for the Dwelling, the ship caught fire. We were stranded over here.” She tried to sound as unemotional as possible, but the guilt prickled in her gut.
    She picked up a small pebble and tossed it into the water. Small ripples waved outward. “You know the rest. Your people took up residence at the bottom of the Dwelling and mine moved to the top.”
    Andreus stared at her, waiting. For what, she didn’t know. If he wanted more details, he would not get them from her. What had happened in the past was done. This was their life now. She’d not be the one to disrupt the peace.
    “Have I captured everything? Are you satisfied?”
    His stare lingered, as if he debated an answer within himself. Then, he seemed to make up his mind as a sexy grin spread across his lips. His heated gaze sent shivers to her toes.
    “Hardly.”
     
    She held back.
    Andreus saw it in the way she fidgeted, refused to look him in the eye. Sooner or later he would get the truth. For too long his people had been forced to live at the bottom of the Dwelling, living by rules and policies put in place by the Aerotaun. And though many years had gone by without any interaction, he felt the bitterness swelling within his family and friends.
    It was why he built the boat. His brother Darrius yearned to see what lay on the other side of the horizon from the moment he could talk. Once it was clear that their father would not break the rules, Andreus set out accomplish the task.
    He would not let the scientists claim of the inoperable space craft dissuade him from his purpose.
    Andreus watched as Ariana splashed her feet in the lagoon, her joyful smile twirling in his heart. He was meant to have her. Just as he was meant to build the boat. He would bridge the gap between these two cultures and lead a group of pioneers across the sea. Ariana was the key to make it happen.
    But first things first. His fever was gone, his ankle almost normal. And his cock was impatient for her slick heat.
    Andreus rose to his feet. He tested his leg and found he could put weight on it with only a mild tenderness. Good. He wanted no more painful disasters to thwart his chances of being inside her.
    Ariana did not look up as he slid the cloth from his waist. Naked, he walked past her and over to the pyramid of stones. The grass was warm on his feet, the sun sparkled on the water.
    Andreus climbed up to the highest rock and stood at the top. From the corner of his eye, he could see her now watching him. It aroused him, raising his erection higher. But he was not ashamed. Nothing frightened or embarrassed him.
    A breeze swept past, lifting his hair, making him feel as if