Page 53 of 20% Stud 80% Muffin
His reluctance to leave was palpable as he shifted his feet onto the ground. “I’ll just unload these supplies, and you can be on your way.” Geo’s voice puffed against the back of my neck, spreading heat before he walked stiltedly to thetrailer. He lifted the sheets of lamar off before stacking them in neat piles in the storage bay.
With Geo’s warmth gone, I shivered. “Let me help.” I followed his slow steps, his tool bag slung over my shoulder. He turned the corner into the dark storage area, out of sight.
I squeaked when Geo thrust me into the rough wall, hard muscles pinning me there. His nose pressed into my collarbone as he inhaled me in deep drafts. “Fuck, you smell good.”
“Finally,” I gasped, tugging the tool bag from my shoulder until it landed with a thunk at our feet.
“I can’t control myself around you, Makir.” The point of his tongue traced my collarbone, and he nipped me with his square teeth. “Tell me to stop if you don’t want this.” Vulnerability threaded through his deep voice.
My heart thudded against my rib cage. Why did he care so much about control? “I want this so much I’m afraid I’ll scare you away.”
He grasped my chin between his forefinger and thumb and dipped it to face him before his mouth slowly met mine. “Not a fucking chance.”
Geo’s plump lips yielded as I pressed and sucked and pressed again. Then, like a live wire snapping, he took control. His rough tongue massaged past my lips and slid inside.
A purr rattled deep in my chest. My tail brushed along the exposed skin on Geo’s arms, over the curve of his bicep and mingled with the hair on the back of his neck. Not enough. It wanted to be under his overalls and coiled around the girth of the iron bar in his pants. Does it have moisture beaded at the tip already? I purred deeper as I succumbed to the press of his mouth against mine.
“Stop purring. I can’t think,” Geo groaned.
Does he really want me to stop?
“I can’t help it. I don’t have control over it.” I tried to clear my mind and quiet myself. “You’re pumping out pheromones like crazy.”
“Sorry, little lion, purr all you want. I like it,” he whispered into my neck, then suckled. I melted against him as his palms traveled over each bump of my rib cage and pulled me closer.
His lips weren’t on mine, and mine weren’t on his. We just stood and hugged. But the world stopped while we embraced. I wanted to be held like this, safe in Geo’s massive arms forever.
“Wish I had my own place. Want you to be in my bedroom on Earth right now.” His deep voice rumbled against my chest.
I couldn’t help the purr in my voice. “My place is your place.”
He pulled me in tighter, his voice a choked gulp. “Fuck, don’t say that to me.” He pushed away, his fingers still tangled with mine, and led me back to my hoverbike. I was in such a daze that he had to help me on. His brows furrowed, but his eyes were bottomless pools flashing between hunger when they met mine and uncertainty when he stared at his shuffling feet.
What’s happening?
“I’ll see you new week, Makir. Dinner and swimming. We’re on still, right?” His soft grip on my hand contrasted with his brisk voice. Plus, my mind was still stuck on sex in the storage bay. He leaned in for one last deep inhale before he nipped my ear. “Goodnight, little lion. Sleep well.”
He ran his palm down my back, hard and heavy, and smacked my ass, sending me off into the night dizzy with want.
The end week market vibrated with energy. I waved at the enforcer curtained behind colorful swaths of fabric, admiring his Interplanetary Gems sign. Maybe I could do something similar for my mittens. My eyes watered as I dodged the acrid black steam that rose from a table covered in strange orbs where a line of Lizzards stood. Dark-skinned Boolas, white-feathered Nacers and tawny-furred Tigsshopped and socialized along the narrow dirt street. Thrown-together booths built from scraps lined either side.
I shifted my heavy backpack onto my other shoulder. Cold seeped through my linobee vest from the frozen mantu I hoped to trade today. Only a few short weeks ago, I’d been living off rations and meals from Raz. Now I had credits to burn and goods to trade because of D’irk, D’Rasma and D’Argon.
I set the paper-wrapped package on D’ovey’s counter while he bagged my graneth puffs. My wristport flashed green with credits from my trade. “D’ovey, that’s too much.”
The deep brown skin around his eyes crinkled. “Not at all. This mantu will make me many credits. I will bake my mother’s meaty and flaky fire cakes. First one’s free for you.”
I laughed. “I see your strategy.”
I wondered if Geo liked spicy food. As I thought his name, someone called it, and I spun to find him. I bid a hurried goodbye to D’ovey as I rushed to follow my tether. Geo’s overalls did nothing to hide his bulging muscles where he stood in line at D’irk’s grill. The savory aroma of mantu wafted to me, and I crept into the front of the long queue beside Geo, nudging him with my hip. A group of enforcers stood nearby, mingling as they snacked.
Geo’s wide eyes matched his smile, and he hooked his pinky finger around mine, like a chaste kiss, before letting go.
My cheeks hurt, and I knew I must have looked like a lovesick fool, but I couldn’t stop grinning.
“D’irk.” I tipped my chin in greeting and held up three fingers, transferring the credits over and shoving two skewers at Geo before he could blink. Then I turned back to D’irk. “Would you like to join Geo and me for dinner new week?” Geo stiffened beside me, his skewer of mantu forgotten. “I really need to get some recipes from you. Someone…” My eyes rolled. “Left me more mantu than I know what to do with.”
“Never turned down a dinner invite in my life, not about to start now. Com me the details.” D’irk chuckled and nodded to the next person in line.
