Jacie and the Alien Bodyguard (Intergalactic Brides 6) (7 page)

The bed dipped and he looked over Jacie to find her demented furball on the bed with them. Sugarbutt looked at him as if to ask, “What are you doing with my human?” Barimere narrowed his eyes at the creature, but Sugarbutt merely stuck his nose in the air, rubbed himself along Jacie’s back, and then curled up by their feet. That weird rumbling sound the cat made filled the air and the bed vibrated slightly. He’d never understand her fascination with the cat, but he supposed the beast wasn’t too horrible.

Jacie murmured something in her sleep and burrowed even further into Barimere. He wasn’t sure what to do with her. His body ached to make her his in every way possible, but thankfully his brain was still ruling his body, telling him no, that he should leave her alone. Not that he was exactly leaving her alone right now, not with her curled in his arms like she was.

“I’m offering comfort,” he muttered, not sure if he was able to quite convince himself of that.

Jacie stretched and slowly opened her eyes. They were red-rimmed from her crying and he longed to ask what had brought her such sorrow. She’d been locked in her room, but it was always possible someone had contacted her through the Vid-comm. She didn’t have to necessarily leave her room to receive bad news. But was it his place to ask? He was her bodyguard and nothing more.

She didn’t say anything, but reached up and cupped his scarred cheek in her hand. Her gaze fastened on his as she slowly leaned forward and her lips brushed his, oh, so softly. His lips tingled and craved more. Barimere slid his hand into her hair, cradling her head, as he angled his mouth across hers again. She moaned and opened to him, letting him inside. His tongue flicked out to taste her, then delved deeper. As Jacie’s body molded to his, Barimere fought for control. It would be all too easy to strip her bare and take everything she was offering, but it would also be wrong.

He slowly pulled away. “We need to stop, Jacie. This isn’t right.”

“Please.” Her voice broke. “Don’t leave me, Barimere. I need you. I need to feel something right now, something other than pain and confusion. Being with you feels right. Don’t pull away.”

He watched as tears gathered in her eyes and he felt a piece of his heart break. How could he deny her anything? If she needed his comfort, he would give it to her, no matter how wrong it might be. Barimere knew once he had a taste of her, he’d want more. This might be a one-time occurrence for Jacie, something to ease her mind, but for him, it was so much more.

Barimere shifted and a yowl rent the air as Sugarbutt arched his back and puffed up. Jacie giggled a little and he wondered what was so amusing about the situation.

“You’ll have to put him out and close the door,” she said.

Barimere extracted himself from Jacie’s embrace, gathered the pissed off ball of fluff from the bed, deposited him outside the bedroom door and slammed it shut before the creature could dart back inside. There was an awful yowl from the other side and some scratching at the door, but he turned his back on it and returned to Jacie.

“Is he always like that?” Barimere asked.

“He just wanted to be where we are. Sugarbutt doesn’t like to be alone.”

“And yet I didn’t see him when I came in earlier.”

She smiled. “He’s found a hiding place somewhere. When I came in earlier, I didn’t see him either. He was probably in a dark corner sleeping. Cats sleep a lot.”

There was another yowl outside the door and Barimere winced. “Maybe he can sleep now.”

Jacie giggled and her eyes looked brighter than they had a moment ago. Maybe she was cheered enough that she wouldn’t need…

She reached out and tugged him onto the bed. Or maybe not.

“Jacie, if we do this, it’s going to change things between us. Once we take this step, our relationship won’t go back to the way it was before. Do you understand that?”

“Maybe I don’t want things to be the way they were before.” She licked her lips. “It’s more than just my attraction to you though. I need this, Barimere; I need you. While you were gone, my brother contacted me.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” he asked.

Tears gathered in her eyes once more. “My parents and sister were killed in a car crash. They’re gone. I knew it was doubtful I’d ever see them again, but now… even if I returned to Earth, they won’t be there. I’ll never have my mother’s apple pie again, or argue with my sister over her poor taste in music. I’ll never again hear my dad lecture me on getting pregnant out of wedlock.”

Barimere growled. “He lectured you on being pregnant?”

“My father believes that a woman shouldn’t get pregnant unless she’s married. Since I wasn’t married to Myro, he considered it a sin, and something I should be ashamed of. I think he was a little glad when I left to come here, so he wouldn’t have to explain to his friends that his eldest daughter was pregnant without the benefit of marriage.”

“Jacie…” He gathered her into his arms and smoothed her hair back. “I can give you comfort without us becoming intimate. I don’t know that you need another complication in your life right now, and our sleeping together would definitely complicate things.”

“I have no one here, Barimere, and now I only have my brother left at home. A brother I will probably never see again. I need something more; someone I can hold onto right now. Having your arms around me is wonderful, and I know that if we took things further, that would be wonderful too.”

“Jacie…” Barimere sighed. What she was asking of him was both a blessing and a curse, and he knew that if it were another male standing in his place, he would take her offer. She wasn’t asking to be his mate, just to enjoy an intimate moment with him. While a lot of males, especially human ones, would jump at the chance to be with Jacie even one time, Barimere knew he would want more. And wanting more was dangerous.

Jacie swung around until she was facing him and straddled his hips. His cock pressed tighter against the leather of his pants, wanting out, but Barimere gave himself a mental slap and tried to gain control of his body. Jacie placed her palms against his cheeks and stared into his eyes. He had plenty of time to move away as her lips lowered to his, but he held still, wanting her kiss, regardless of whether or not it was a good idea.

Her lips were soft against his as they tentatively explored. The heat of her body pressing against him had Barimere reaching for her, wrapping her in his embrace. Jacie parted her lips and traced his lower lip with the tip of her tongue. Unable to hold out a moment longer, he opened to her and let her explore further. The kiss was deep and delicious, sending a shiver down his spine. Kissing Jacie was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Even their brief kiss earlier had been enough to bring him to his knees.

Her fingers plucked at his shirt and he realized she wanted him to remove it, dousing his desire in ice. With his hands on her hips, he set her aside and stood abruptly. Barimere ran a hand through his hair and paced a moment before turning to face her.

“This can’t happen, Jacie. I’m not a whole male, not like you deserve. My body…” He shook his head.

Jacie rose to her feet and walked toward him slowly, pausing only when she was mere inches from him, and placed a hand on his chest. She stroked the silvery lines that he knew showed above the vee in his shirt, and her touch ignited something inside him, something he’d never felt before.

It was in that moment that he realized what he felt for Jacie was more than just lust. This was different from the times he’d gone to the brothel.

“Please, Barimere. Trust me,” she said softly. “I won’t turn from you. These scars,” she said, stroking them again, “don’t disgust me. They’re a badge of honor and courage, and you should wear them proudly.”

“You don’t know how I got them.”

“Then tell me.” She took his hand and led him over to the bed. “I still want you, but I don’t just want a piece of you, Barimere. I want all of you. You’ve told me you don’t think we should mate, and I won’t force the issue, but I still want to get to know you, and that means everything about you. I won’t judge you.”

Barimere sat on the side of the bed, his hand still clutched in Jacie’s, and tugged her down beside him. He wasn’t sure where to start, and knew that he could never tell her everything he’d endured. Some things were better left forgotten. Except, he would never forget. The night terrors had finally stopped, but he would always remember his time in captivity.

“What happened?” she asked, almost so quiet that he didn’t hear her.

“We were at war with the Markisites. There is peace between us now, but back then…” He stopped. “My ship was destroyed and I was found in the wreckage. A Markisite female nursed me back to health, and I thought they would ransom me to my people. She made me trust her, but in the end, she betrayed me.”

Jacie was quiet as he thought about that day.

“She sold me to pirates who used me as a fighter in the Karvikian death rings. Every day, sometimes several times a day, I had to fight for my life. My wounds, when they were treated, were sealed with silver dust, leaving me scarred for life. I fought for months before someone got word to my people and a rescue mission was launched.”

“How did you survive for so long?”

“I prayed for death several times, but I always survived. When the Terrans arrived to save me, I had just finished a match and was covered in blood and gore. I was half-wild and out of my mind, but some friends were able to snap me out of it. I nearly cried that day, barely held it together as they loaded me onto a ship and took me home.”

“And because of that you don’t go to war anymore?”

“There are parts of my captivity I will never talk about, Jacie, no matter how much you ask. There are things that aren’t fit for you to know. Those on my council are the only ones who know the truth of what happened during my captivity, and they are the only ones who ever will. It was decided that I had sacrificed enough for my people and I was removed from warrior status. I’m more of a mentor and strategist now.”

Jacie squeezed his hand.

“I’m a broken male,” he admitted. “And not deserving of someone like you, or the gift of your children.”

“Barimere, you are a brave, strong, courageous male, and any woman would be lucky to call you her mate. If you were mine, and I was yours, then my babies would be the luckiest babies in all of Zelthrane-3, because they would have you as their father.”

His eyes widened as he stared at her. “What did you call my world?”

“Zelthrane-3.” A smile ghosted her lips. “Vyrex let it slip that this world wasn’t always known as Terran, and I find I prefer your world’s correct name to the one you assumed before making your presence known to us pathetic humans.”

“There is nothing pathetic about you, Jacie.”

“May I ask you something?”

He squeezed her hand. “You may ask anything, but I can’t promise to answer.”

“Will you make love to me, not just for right now, but for however long we’re together? Will you share my bed at night and hold me tight? I’m not asking you to claim me as your mate, not if you really don’t want to, but I think we’ll be good for one another. Will you at least consider that?”

“Jacie…” He sighed. “What you’re asking goes against everything a Terran warrior knows. We’re raised to respect our females, and that if we have an itch to scratch, we should seek out a brothel. Our females are to be loved and cherished, and mated. While you may be human, you’re still considered one of ours because of the children you carry.”

“But first and foremost, I’m a woman, Barimere. I have needs just like you do, and right now, my need is to be close to you. As close as you’ll allow.”

“One day at a time?” he asked. “I don’t want to make a long commitment when I don’t feel that this is the right thing to do, but if you truly want me tonight, then I can give you that much.”

Jacie stood and pulled off her shirt. Her breasts were full and cupped by some lacy thing -- a bra, if he remembered correctly. His cock hardened painfully again as he watched her shimmy out of her pants and stand before him wearing nothing but her undergarments. Gods help him. He wasn’t sure he had the control he so desperately needed.

Jacie was far from shy and stood confidently before Barimere, despite the stretch marks marring her belly. When he didn’t make a move, she stepped closer to him and reached for his shirt. She paused a moment before pulling it over his head. The scars on his chest and abdomen matched those on his face and made her heart ache for all that he had suffered. Barimere watched her as she caressed his hard pecs and the ridges of his abdomen. Her fingers skated along his firm skin, tracing the lines of his scars.

“Did you really think these would be a turn-off?” she asked. “They’re a part of you, Barimere. To me, they’re a badge of your bravery. Where I come from, many men come back from war with scars. Some come back missing their arms or legs. And many lose their lives. You claim that you’re no longer a warrior, but that’s not how I see it. To me, you’ll always be the bravest, most courageous warrior of all. You were captured, sold, and despite everything they threw your way, you survived and are here with me today.”

She cupped his cheek and pressed her lips to the scars on the other side.

“There are more,” he said in a voice thick with emotion.

“I don’t care,” Jacie said. “You could be completely covered in scars, missing one of your arms, or only have one leg and I’d still want you just as much as I do right now. Don’t you understand? To me, you’re already perfect. You’re not flawed. You’re… extraordinary.”

She thought she saw a sheen of tears in his eyes, but he blinked and it was gone. Barimere rose to his feet and unfastened his pants. She watched as they dropped, her gaze drawn immediately to the hard cock that brushed against his belly. If there was a word to describe Barimere, it was beautiful.

He kicked his pants away and Jacie quickly stripped out of her bra and panties. Her nipples puckered in the cool air of the room, and her breasts swelled under his attentive gaze. The way his hands clenched and unclenched told her that he wanted to reach for her, to touch her, and yet something held him back. Jacie took one of his hands and placed it on her breast, her nipple brushing against his palm.