Alien (9 page)

“Don’t make me say goodbye to you.”

Tears filled her eyes but she blinked them back. “Don’t make
this any harder. I’m never going to forget you but I can’t just walk away from
my entire life. People would worry about me. I can’t do that to my family and
friends. It’s not like I can call them on the phone from your planet, right?”

“You can’t.”

“I figured. Put me down, Coto.”

He didn’t want to let her go but he lowered her to her feet
and stepped back, breaking their connection. Lynn bent and retrieved the
shotgun. “I’m never going to forget you. Ever. I have to go.” Her voice broke. “Take
care of yourself and don’t get into any more space battles with Collis.”

She spun away and took off down the hill. He tensed, the
urge to go after her almost impossible to resist. He fisted his hands, forcing
his body to remain stiff and still. She’d hate him if he forced her to leave
her planet with him. He just couldn’t hurt her that way, even if watching her
disappear down the hill made his chest hurt.

He heard footsteps behind him and tore his gaze from Lynn’s
retreating back. Vhon spoke first. “She’s not coming with you?”

“It’s too painful for her to leave her world.”

“I’m so sorry, man.” Vhon just stood there, looking at him
sorrowfully. “We could take her. Our brother got away with it. It worked out
for him and Casey. I’ll tell our father that we had to do it to ensure she didn’t
tell anyone about our visit.”

“She won’t do that. I trust Lynn. I’d rather lose her than
make her suffer the loss of all she loves.”

Vhon reached out and gripped his shoulder. “You’re a good,
honorable warrior.”

“It hurts,” he admitted. “I never believed I could become so
deeply attached to a female that fast.”

“Love at first sight. I believe in that. I long for it.”

Holion came out of the house. “Where is the woman?”

“Gone,” Vhon answered.

Holion snarled. “She will tell the humans about us and they
will come to attack us before we leave the surface. Which way did she go? I
will silence her.”

Vhon dropped his hand off Coto’s shoulder. “Kick his ass. It
will make you feel better.”

Coto didn’t need any encouragement. Holion was a threat to
Lynn. He snarled and went after the male.

Lynn hid Avery’s shotgun inside her SUV and barely had time
to close up the back when she heard footsteps and turned. Jimmy trudged toward
her.

“Did you find that beast and take it out?”

“I found what killed your dogs. Problem solved.”

“It took you long enough.” He seemed to notice what she
wore. “What the hell happened to you?”

His question caused memories of Coto to stream through her
mind. “It’s a long story and it’s not one I plan to share with you. I’m going
home.”

She tried to move around him to reach the front of her
vehicle, happy she kept a spare set of keys stashed in the glove box since she’d
lost hers. Jimmy grabbed her arm.

“What was it?”

A really amazing alien man.
“A bobcat with rabies.”

“Shit. I keep telling Avery he needs to pay someone to check
his property. It means it will spread. I’ll have crazy raccoons and squirrels
coming onto my property.”

“I’ll talk to him about it tomorrow.” It would give her a
valid excuse to visit the cabin and “discover” the body. “Right now I want to
take a shower and sleep in a real bed.”

“You can use mine. I’ll even wash your back or anything else
you want.” He leered at her chest.

“In your dreams, dirtbag.” She jerked out of his hold. She
opened the driver’s door and climbed inside but Jimmy grabbed hold of the edge
of it, not allowing her to close it
.

“You might not be such a bitch if you got laid. Face it,
Lynn, I’m probably the best of the bunch. Tim is better looking but he’s a mean
drunk. Craig can’t hold a job so you’d have to support his ass and we all know
he’s nailing Miller’s wife every chance he can. Everyone else is either too old
or way too young, unless you start trolling them right out of high school.
Plus, I can get you high for free. Let’s go in my house.”

“Get out of my way.”

He refused to let go of the door when she tried to close it.
He actually stepped forward, putting his body in the path of it. “You know you
want me. Just do it. Do me.” He licked his lips. “Come on, baby.”

Her temper flared. She was done. “You want me to touch you?”

“Yeah.” He grinned.

“Fine.”

She twisted on the seat and kicked out her foot, nailing him
in the crotch. He cried out and doubled over, stumbling back as he grabbed at
the front of his pants. Lynn leaned out, grabbed the handle, twisted her legs
back inside, and slammed the door. She locked it and leaned across the console,
opened the glove box and retrieved her spare keys.

“You bitch!” Jimmy hit her window. “I’ll get even with you.”

She shoved the key in the ignition and started the engine.
She flipped him off and put on her seat belt.

“I’m going to get you fired.” He tried to open her door but
it wouldn’t budge.

She figured he would call his uncle over that little stunt
but she was fed up with his threats. It was possible the Zorn ways had rubbed
off on her but she didn’t feel an ounce of guilt. It felt good to hit the
creep. She threw the SUV in drive and slammed her foot down on the accelerator,
taking off.

She forgot about the metal gate at the end of the long
driveway. Jimmy probably wouldn’t show up to unlock it to let her out so she
just rammed it. The thin chain snapped and the chain-link gate popped open. She
drove out, merging onto the double-lane road that led into town.

Her little house was a welcome sight as she parked in front
of the garage and locked up the SUV. She had to use the hideaway key under the
planter to let herself in. After locking the door behind her, Lynn stopped, the
utter silence hitting her as she studied her mismatched hand-me-down furniture
and a few pieces she’d managed to buy on her own.

“Damn.” She put the keys on the table and checked her
answering machine. There were no messages. She walked into the kitchen and
opened her fridge, staring at the meager contents. She grabbed a soda, opened
it, and took a sip.

“My life sucks,” she muttered.

She entered her bedroom, rested the soda can on her dresser,
and began to strip. A shower would make her feel better. She stepped inside the
cramped bathroom and turned on the water, taking time to brush her teeth as she
waited for the old water heater to kick in. A few minutes later she tested the
temperature and cursed. It was barely lukewarm.

“Fantastic. It’s out again.”

She clenched her teeth and stepped under the stream of
water. Goose bumps rose along her body but she suffered through it while she
scrubbed her hair and soaped up. She rinsed off and got out of the shower. She
dried off and put on a robe, returning to her room.

She picked up the phone and dialed her father. He answered
on the third ring. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hi, baby.”

“I was just thinking about you.”

“That’s so sweet, honey. I can’t really talk right now. Me
and my buddies are about to go fishing. Kip bought a new boat. You really
should take some time off and come down to Florida to visit me. Retiring here
was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

She might not have a job. That would free up her schedule. “I’d
like that. We haven’t seen each other in two years.”

“Wow. It’s been that long?”

“Yes. Time flies when you’re having fun.”

“I sure am. Just don’t come next month. I’m going on that
senior cruise.” He chuckled. “Not the month after that either. That’s when we’re
going to Mexico.”

He was always busy. She didn’t blame him. There wasn’t much
to do in Green Bend. He’d moved to a retirement community and made a bunch of
friends who liked to travel.

“I gotta go. I love you, honey.”

“I love you too. Have a good time.”

He chuckled. “Always.”

She hung up and took a seat on her bed. She dialed her best
friend and got the machine. “Hi, Michelle. It’s Lynn. I was just checking up—”

“You caught me in time,” her breathless friend cut in. “My
husband and kids are in the minivan waiting for me but I forgot my sunglasses.
Did you call to wish us a good flight?”

Lynn remembered then. “You’re going on your big vacation.”

“I can’t wait to get out of here for two weeks. I’ll call
you when we get home and you can come over to see all the pictures we take. I
can’t believe I’m finally going to see Hawaii. This is a dream come true.”

“I’m so happy for you.”

“Actually, it will be about a week after we return. Mitch’s
parents are coming into town to see the kids. It’s going to be pretty hectic
with them here. Wait. Maybe the week after that. We’re supposed to go to
Indianapolis for that race weekend.”

“Whenever. Have a great time.”

“Thanks. I have to go. Mitch just honked the horn. We don’t
want to miss our flight. Love ya!” She hung up.

Lynn replaced the phone in the cradle and just sat there
staring at it. There was no one else to call. Everyone had a life except her.
She collapsed onto her back, studying the water-stained ceiling from a roof
leak she’d had to patch the year before. The silence got to her and she started
thinking about Coto, reliving every moment they’d shared.

The phone rang a few hours later and she sat up, grabbing
it. “Hello?”

“Miss Reynolds? This is Hilton Morgan’s secretary, Millie.”

She grimaced. “Yes?”

“He’d like to see you in his office at two tomorrow.”

“Why?”

The woman hesitated, then lowered her voice. “He’s angry. I
know he received a call from his nephew, then placed a few calls and asked me
to make this appointment.”

There it was. Jimmy had ratted her out and those calls had
probably been to her boss. “I’ll see him then.” She slammed the phone down.

It rang a few minutes later and she answered. “Hello?”

“What is going on?”

“Who is this?”

“It’s Richard from work. I was just called and asked to
cover for you for the next few weeks. I can’t work weekends. My wife is pissed.
You need to suck it up if you’re sick.”

“I think I’m fired.”

“Oh.”

“Sorry.” She hung up on him. “My life is shit,” she muttered,
collapsing onto her back again. She rolled to her side, staring at the empty
space in bed next to her. She wished Coto were there.

The light faded in her room when the sun went down. She lay
there, thinking about Coto and her life. She’d always wanted to find a man who
could make her feel sexy make her feel as if she were the most important thing
to him. She’d known that with him for their limited time together. The pros and
cons of a future without him waged war inside her mind as the hours passed. She
finally drifted off to sleep.

* * * * *

Lynn jerked awake in her dark bedroom and lifted up, staring
at the clock. It was seven in the morning. She’d dreamed about Coto. They’d
been laughing together, sitting on a couch in a room she didn’t know. He’d
kissed her and something had tugged on her shirt. She’d pulled away from him
and a little boy stood next to her leg. He had to be about two years old and it
was obvious Coto was his father from how similar they looked. The toddler had
smiled at her and climbed onto her lap. She’d known he was her son too.

“What did I do?”

She threw off the covers that she must have pulled over
herself during the night, jumped out of bed and rushed into the bathroom. She
brushed her teeth, splashed water on her face, and yanked open the cabinet
under the sink to grab out a travel bag. She didn’t want to lose Coto. It was
scary insane to leave everything behind but it would be so much worse living
with regret.

“I only hope I’m not too late.”

She packed necessities and rushed into her bedroom, digging
her suitcase out from the back of the closet. She froze, wondering what to take
to another planet. Was it cold there? Warm? She had no idea.

“Son of a bitch.” She opened the case, tossing in some of
her favorite outfits. She’d have to find him and hope he hadn’t already been
picked up. The campsite would have to be taken down. She might find him there.
They could be at the old farmhouse or even where their ship had crashed.

Desperation struck as she located a few family photo albums
and precious mementos she didn’t want to leave behind. One suitcase turned into
two, plus a duffle bag. Lynn kept glancing at the clock. Every minute seemed to
speed by as she rushed around her house.

She finally grabbed a permanent marker and stopped in front
of her fridge, hesitating after she ripped off the cap. “How do you say goodbye
to everyone you love? I’d call them but they aren’t home.”

She finally started to write. No one would be able to miss
seeing it once they came to her house when someone investigated why she was
gone. “This is going to suck if he’s gone already and I have to try to get this
off.”

It became clear she’d packed too much when she lugged the
first suitcase to her SUV and went back for the second one. She lifted it and
carried it out her open front door, still trying to decide where to look for
Coto first. She slammed into something solid and dropped the case.

Coto gripped her hips to steady her. “Are you injured?”

She recovered quickly. He was on her porch. “Coto!”

“I slipped my communicator inside your pocket when I kissed
you goodbye. I came to ask you to leave with me one more time,” he admitted. “I
couldn’t sleep. All I could think about was you. I tracked the signal at first
light. Please come with me.”

She nodded. “I was going to find you. It’s insane but yes.”

He grinned. “Yes?”

“Yes!”

She was so relieved they were together again that she lifted
up on tiptoe and threw her arms around his neck. Coto’s mouth crushed down on
hers, kissing her. She moaned against his tongue. He backed her inside and they
bumped into her couch. He tore his mouth away.

“I want you.”

“I want you too.” She let him go, fumbling to get out of her
clothes.

“I’ll close your door.”

“Don’t bother. Nobody ever comes by. The house can’t be seen
from the road. Strip.”

Coto didn’t hesitate. She loved that about him. He nearly
tripped tearing off his boots. She finished before he did and motioned him to
follow her down the hallway to her bedroom. He threw his uniform top on the
floor, opening his pants as he came after her.

“I missed you last night.” She got on the bed and flipped
over onto her back in the middle.

“I’m here.” He shoved down his pants. “You’ll never sleep
without me at your side again.”

He surprised her when he dropped to his knees, gripped her
ankles, and jerked her down the bed. “I’ve never done this before but I was
given instructions should I ever bound to a human.”

“We had fantastic sex,” she reminded him.

“We’re about to have better.” He spread his hands open on
her thighs, pushing them wider apart and lifting her. “I’m going to master oral
sex.”

Lynn looked down at him. “I’ve never been so enthusiastic
before to say okay.”

Coto bent forward, nuzzling his face against her pussy. “Let
me know if I do this correct.”

She clutched at her bedding. “Right there. That’s the magic
spot.”

He paused. “Magic?”

“You’re supposed to be a leprechaun. I feel lucky. Never
mind. Bad timing for a joke. Don’t stop.”

He resumed licking and suckling her clit. It drove her
mindless. It might be his first time, but he seemed determined to do it right.

She panted encouragement. “Oh yes. Just like that. A little
rougher.”

Coto took orders incredibly well, continuing with the sweet
torment until she cried out his name, climaxing hard. He eased his hold on her
thighs and straightened his upper body. Lynn met his gaze and smiled.

“You’re a keeper.”

He cupped her hips, sliding her ass to the edge of the bed. “Say
yes to being my bound.”

“I’ll marry you.”

He rubbed the crown of his cock against the slit of her
pussy and gently entered her. “I’m claiming you right now.”