Excerpt:
Stupid. Jahara was mooning over her first copulation as if she didn’t
have Merenith’s love waiting for her outside these walls. That worry clogged
in her throat. She just couldn’t go there right now. This whole thing was
not her choice. Some food, more breeder well-checks, and then a quiet night
at home, that’s what she needed to focus on. Jahara walked through the
archway into the empty waiting room.
“Collin, would you--” The words stuck in Jahara’s throat. It wasn’t her
receptionist sitting behind the desk waiting to serve her the mid-day meal.
It was Brenimyn’s dimpled grin and piercing eyes that greeted her as she
rounded the corner.
“Collin is taking the afternoon off. If it would please you, I’ve brought
you some food.” Brenimyn didn’t remove his muscular legs from the corner of
the desk spread with the makings of a picnic.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“Why is that, Jahara? Do you not enjoy my company?” He crossed his arms over
his bare chest, tendons and muscles flexing with the movement. “I thought
what happened between us last evening was quite satisfactory for everyone
involved. Maybe you’d like to spend your noon break doing something more
pleasurable?” He lifted a hand and the heat of his touch tingled down her
cheek. Perhaps it was simply the embarrassment over what he intimated.
“No, I... and you.” Jahara rubbed at her face, not knowing what kind of
trick he was playing on her.
He laughed. “You have nothing to fear from me, woman. Please sit. I have
brought you food. We can discuss other recreational activities later.”
A hand pushed her shoulder and her feet stumbled forward. She was losing her
mind. “Why have you come?”
“Can’t a breeder offer services to a woman? After all, that is the purpose
of the Garden of Serenity.”
The warmth of a hand caressed her breast, but she ignored the memory of his
touch. “We have been through this. You belong to Kylie. I will contact
Ishawny and schedule another session in a day or two. I’m sure her partner
is quite skilled as well. My copulation schedule is none of your concern.”
“The problem is Ishawny’s services are no longer available.” He cleared his
throat. “But more importantly, I wish to become your breeder.”
“But I don’t want you! I choose different mates. It does not matter who
sires my offspring.”
Brenimyn rose with great care. His eyes locked on hers. “I don’t believe
that, Jahara. There is something between us.” He stepped toward her.
Fingers trailed down her arm.
“You felt it when you touched me at the demonstration.” He swung the chair
standing between them out of his path. “I saw the awareness in your eyes...”
Hands threaded in her hair.
“You wanted me last night almost as much as I wanted you.” He stood an arm’s
length away, but the air around her pulsed.
Lips pressed tenderly to hers.
“You feel me now even though I am not near.”
“What in the name of Hades is going on, Brenimyn? None of this is making
sense.” She pulled her eyes from his and backed up, the back of her hand
instinctively swiping at her mouth. “I am neither a stupid woman nor a
school girl who needs to be coddled.”
“You’re acting like both right at the moment.” |