Page 35 of Klaz
“Your turn,” she said, gesturing towards the bathroom.
I paused, my resolve crumbling. Cinta looked up at me, her eyes wide and searching.
Without conscious thought, I leaned down, capturing her lips with mine. She responded instantly, her arms wrapping around my neck as she pressed herself against me. The kiss deepened, years of pent-up longing pouring out in a desperate clash of lips and tongues.
Cinta’s towel slipped, pooling at her waist. My hands roamed her bare skin, memorizing every curve and dip. She moaned into my mouth, the sound sending a jolt of arousal straight through me.
Just as suddenly as it began, Cinta broke away, breathing heavily as she rewrapped the towel around herself.
Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she pushed me towards the bathroom. “Your turn, big guy. You need a shower too.”
I stumbled backward, caught off guard by her boldness. My back hit the bathroom door, and Cinta pressed against me, her hands splayed across my chest. The heat of her body seeped through my clothes, igniting a fire in my veins.
“Cinta,” I growled, my voice ragged. “This isn’t?—”
I shouldn’t be doing this. She deserved someone younger, someone unburdened by a past as dark as mine. But I couldn’t bring myself to stop.
She silenced me with a finger to my lips. “Shh. No more tactical decisions, remember? Just... relax.”
With a wink, she pushed me through the doorway and closed it behind me. I stood there, stunned, my heart racing. The scent of her lingered on my skin, intoxicating and maddening.
My fists clenched at my own absurdity. This was dangerous territory. We were stranded on an unknown planet, in a suspicious lodging, and here I was, acting like a hormone-addled adolescent.
But as I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the shower, I could still feel Cinta’s lips on mine, her body pressed against me. The hot water cascaded over my skin, soothing aching muscles I hadn’t even realized were sore.
I braced my hands against the wall, letting the water run down my back. My mind raced, torn between desire and duty. Cinta was unlike anyone I’d ever met. Her quick wit, heradaptability, her fearlessness in the face of danger – they all drew me to her like a moth to a flame.
But I was Vinduthi. We didn’t form attachments easily, especially not to humans. Their lives were so fleeting, so fragile. To love one was to invite heartbreak.
And yet...
I remembered the feel of her skin under my hands, the taste of her lips. It had been so long since I’d allowed myself to feel anything beyond the cold calculation of survival. Cinta made me want more.
The water began to cool, jolting me out of my reverie. I quickly finished washing, acutely aware that Cinta was waiting just beyond the door. What would happen when I stepped out? The anticipation coiled in my gut, a mix of excitement and apprehension.
I dried off and wrapped a towel around my waist, steeling myself for whatever lay ahead. My hand hesitated on the doorknob. This was the point of no return. If I walked out there, if I gave in to this hunger...
I took a deep breath and opened the door.
CINTA
The sound of running water faded, and I stared at the bathroom door. My heart raced, anticipating Klaz’s return. What was I doing? This wasn’t like me at all. I never got attached, never let myself feel... whatever this was.
I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to shake off these unwelcome thoughts. The claiming bite. It kept creeping into my mind, unbidden. To belong with someone, not to them. A future that wasn’t built on lies and cons.
No. I pushed the idea away. That wasn’t my style. People always let you down in the end. I’d learned that lesson young and hard.
But Klaz... He was different. Wasn’t he?
The bathroom door opened, and suddenly my mouth went dry.
Klaz stepped out, half-naked and glorious. His grey skin glistened with droplets of water, accentuating the curves of his muscular form. The green markings on his skin seemed to dance in the dim light, drawing my eye along the planes of his chest and down his toned abdomen.
My breath caught at the sight of his cock and I flushed. It wasn’t just the size, although that was daunting enough. Thebroad triangular head and flanges running down the sides made me wonder what I was doing. Had I lost my mind?
“Cinta.”
My attention snapped back to his face. I felt the heat of his gaze like a physical touch and the small horns protruding from his temples gave him an otherworldly, dangerous allure that made my pulse quicken.