Her laughter vibrates against me. “Haven’t you ever been hugged before?”
“No,” I admit.
“You’re supposed to hug back,” she says. I encircle her small frame in my arms. She is so tiny, I am afraid squeezing her will be uncomfortable. Nevertheless, I pull her just slightly closer against me.
“Mm,” she hums. “We’ll work on that. Good start. A for effort.”
We stay like that for a moment, chest to chest, my head bent to rest on top of hers. The prospect of pulling away is unthinkable. From here, everything is clear, and I know the risk in coming to see her was merited, if only for this ‘hug’ alone.
Chapter 11
Ella
I am enjoying my time with my repressed alien stalker far too much.
Thanks to a few minutes in the aliens’ microwave box earlier, I am certain that my biology is normal and that the magical Kar’Kali fuck-spirit isn’t making me hormonal. That said, I can’t deny my attraction to Kila. And ooooh boy, does he seem to be affected by the Kali’Ka.
Except, instead of him turning into a wild caveman ready to pin me down as the other scientists would have me believe, he’s turned into a sweet, earnest, and dare I say it—flirtatious guy. His smiles light up his face, changing everything. I’ve always thought him to be handsome, but the stone-like skin and his brooding expressions tended to make him more like a perfectly carved statue, cold and unreal. Now, he is warm and receptive, listening to my stories and telling his own.
I’ve had my fair share of boyfriends, and you might even say I’m easy. I prefer to call it experience. But no one has caught my attention quite like Kila has. It gives me very bad ideas, ideas about poisoning his innocent, robotic little mind with dirty human thoughts. Ideas like—God, I’d love to see his face when he’s inside a woman for the first time in his existence. I have serious whiplash from how fast he’s become utterly devoted to me. The problem is… I’m not sure accepting an invitation to be someone’s breeding mate is such a good idea. I mean, I’m no stranger to finding a man at my door with his mind on one thing and one thing only, but at least with exes and fuckboys I know what I’m signing up for when I let them inside.
After I teach him what a hug is, we go on talking together while I cook. The topic thankfully turns to lighter topics, like his first impressions of Earth and my story of starting work at the facility. He enthusiastically consumes two thirds of a pound of the pasta bolognese I made for him, and then proceeds to suggest that we “hug lying down.” The man thinks he invented cuddling.
So, now, because I’m a pushover, we are entwined on my couch, chatting about nothing and everything. I have never felt more comfortable than I do leaning into him. He cradles me and nestles his nose against my head, sending delicate tingles down my spine.
“Cuddling,” he repeats the word I gave him for what we are doing, his accent turning D’s into T’s. “I like this very much.”
“Kila…”
“Yes?” He leans his head back against the arm of the couch so that I can shift to face him.
“When I spoke with you just yesterday, you said it would be best if you continued to avoid me, and yet here you are. What changed?” I ask.
He tenses up. “The mating call became stronger,” is all he says.
“I know that. It’s just… What’s your plan? Did you come here trying to have sex with me? And if that’s what you’re trying to do, then what are you going to do when it’s over?”
“Over?” He shakes his head. “Unless my suppressor chip is repaired, there will be no over. A breeding mate is made for lifespans. I am aware of some species who have mating calls that only endure until there is offspring, but that is not the way of the Archaic Kar’Kali. Once it begins, it goes on until the mating pair has gone to ashes.”
“I’ll say it again then… What is your plan, Kila?”
He presses his face into my hair, hiding his expression from me. “For the first time in many passings, I do not have one. I only need to be around you, to see you safe and happy, and touch you. That is all my body is telling me to do.”
“And on Monday? If they tell you they can fix the chip, what will you say?” I ask him.
“These are difficult questions. Am I being tested?”
“Yes! Look, I’m trying to be the reasonable one right now. I’d love to throw caution to the wind and start showing you just how fun ‘mating’ can be… but I’m worried that you’ll regret it, hate me for it, get in serious trouble with Pakka and the others…” I turn his face so that I can see him. His lips are worried into a frown, and I know my instincts are correct. There’s guilt here, guilt and conflict.
“You are wise, Ella,” he sighs, hanging his head. “I was driven to find you by my wild lust and need, but I promise you that now we are together I feel it is enough just to be near you. It is helping, keeping the insanity at bay. There is no need to mate, no need to put us in a situation that may cause more problems.”
“Hey,” I whisper, picking up his chin. Those black eyes gaze at me with such intensity. “I didn’t mean to bring you down. It’s okay. We’ll just hang out.”
“I was too busy planning my escape to think ahead,” he admits. “A classic tactical blunder.”
In that moment, he looks so vulnerable. I want to take him into my arms and protect him in this apartment forever. I want to hide him away from everyone who ever told him he’s not allowed to feel what he needs to feel.
And then, because I’m a horrible person with no self-control, I lean forward and kiss him. It’s a soft and chaste peck that lasts for only a moment, but it feels wonderful. When I pull away, he appears shocked.
“What is this?” he asks, lifting a finger to touch his own lips.
I can’t help but laugh. “It’s a kiss, silly.”
His eyes light with acknowledgment. “Ah, yes. I have read about them in reference to a few cultures. I should have known. This kiss appears in all the most basic descriptions of human mating practices,” he states. “I can’t say I understand why it is a method for increasing sexual excitement bec—”
I cover his mouth with mine and press against him gently, letting him grow accustomed to the feeling. His arms snake around me, trapping me close. I tilt my head and break for a moment, to open my eyes and see his face. He swirls with both surprise and utter bliss. I can’t get enough of this fascinating man. His reactions thrill me. A simple kiss is new to him. My stomach flutters just watching him process it.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I couldn’t help it. We should probably stop. Maybe we should just… watch a movie. Have you ever seen an Earth movie?”
His grip tightens. “Just one more kiss,” he says, a coy smile appearing. “Then we’ll do as you say.”
I guess it’s a universal truth—every male life form is ready to bargain for any favor he can get. I chuckle.
“Okay,” I agree. I kiss him, again starting slow and chaste. But soon, I’m ready for more, opening my lips to slip my tongue into his mouth. He opens for me, with a groan of surprise. I sweep my tongue across his, tasting something bittersweet. I wasn’t expecting it, but it’s not unpleasant so I go on exploring his mouth, teasing him with my tongue.
My tongue begins to tingle with warmth, and the feeling spreads over me, skittering down the back of my neck, and all the way to my center. My lips slacken, and he takes control of our kiss. He dives between my lips hungrily, mimicking what I did to him, slicking more of that bittersweet flavor through my mouth. A sensation takes hold of me, like molten metal has replaced the blood in my veins. I am hot all over, and the feeling in every nerve seems to multiply. I feel it between my legs, and I moan into his lips. The sound eggs him on, and we kiss in a hurried daze. Suddenly, every slide of his tongue over mine feels like a shock of pleasure that electrifies every part of me.