Sharon sat under the tree for quite some time. Several hours passed as thoughts swirled like a storm in her head. Eventually, the pain settled like an aching weight in her chest but her mind had cleared somewhat. She couldn’t reconcile Liken lying to her and making love with another woman while committed to her. He had been honest with her in the past, although not always forthright. She would have bet her life that he was a faithful, honorable man. In a way, she had bet her life. Her new life.
It didn’t make sense. Fury filled her. Since she’d stepped onto this planet, a lot of things hadn’t made sense. It had been one surprise after another. She had found herself and risked everything and been crushed in the end. Well, she could crawl back into her shell and never come out. Or she could get back up, and face him and demand a few answers. If she turned messy, and emotional, and ugly, then he would just have to deal with it. He had broken her heart, but she would survive it.
She wasn’t going back to the person she had been before him. She wasn’t running from anyone or anything ever again. Being cautious and reasonable might produce a safe and comfortable life, but she wanted more than safety. She deserved more. And she would have it. Even without Liken.
Her eyes focused on her surroundings for the first time. She recognized where she was and felt a quick pang of relief that she was in the park and could find her way home. She stood up. Tair stepped out from the shadows of a huge tree to her right. She was startled. “How long have been there?”
He shrugged in response. His face was a remote mask. “I will escort you home.”
“I don’t need an escort.” Her voice was sharper than she meant it to be. “I know the way.”
He stared at her with a coolness that was chilling. “Nonetheless, I will walk with you.”
She had no idea what he was thinking or feeling. He seemed distant and unapproachable. Now it was her turn to shrug. “Fine.”
They turned and began walking. When he remained silent beside her, she angled her head up at him and frowned. She was the injured party here. “What’s your problem?”
Again, he leveled her with that chilling gaze. He remained silent. She said coolly, “Whatever.” She would deal with Tair after she dealt with Liken. She was saving all her energy for the confrontation with Liken.
They walked in silence until they reached the pathway to the house. As they approached the doorway, Tair paused and put a hand on her arm. She stopped and turned to face him with a questioning glance. He searched her face and then said with cool precision, “You never greeted me. You will do so now.”
“What?” She was totally confused.
He smiled grimly. “I am your link. You never greeted me, Sharon.”
Her eyes widened in response and her mouth fell open a little in surprise. He wanted her to kiss him? Now?
His mouth came down on hers ruthlessly before she had a chance to respond. He thrust his tongue past her parted lips and explored her mouth like he owned it. Her hands came to his chest to reflexively push him away. He merely wrapped his arms around her tightly and continued the punishing kiss.
She realized that her heart hadn’t been carved out of her chest. It was beating frantically. She could feel treacherous arousal begin to spread through her body. Without conscious thought, her lips and tongue began a dance of response. She wanted him, but only in a physical sense. She didn’t love him. He wasn’t Liken. Just the thought of Liken and the pain in her chest ached like a dull tooth. The kiss gentled, and finally, he lifted his head. “You will remember this.”
She was totally confused again. “What?” Did he mean remember him after she left for Earth?
His smile was wicked and the warmth had come back into his eyes.This was the Tair she remembered well, not the cold, cruel man from the eatery.“Goodbye, Sharon.” He walked away from her in the direction of town.
Sharon stood there, feeling perplexed. Mentally throwing up her hands, she turned and walked to the front door. She hit the button and it slipped open in immediate response. She braced herself and walked in.
Walking into the living room, she saw Liken casually sitting on the sofa. He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow as she strode to the center of the room. He didn’t look upset. He looked perfectly calm.
How could he look so normal when she was dying inside? It was the last insult to her battered heart. Her voice could have cut glass. “I am going to discuss this morning with you. While we do it, you are keeping your hands to yourself. When we’re done here, you’re packing a few things and staying somewhere else. With Tair or with your girlfriend, I really don’t care. But, you are not touching me again. On the twenty-first, we’ll go back and file incompatible. I deserve better than a faithless liar.”
His face never changed. They might have been discussing the weather. It pushed her fury up a notch.
With infuriating calm, he said, “You want to discuss this morning. What is there to say?”
His voice was soft, so even-tempered, and she could not feel a trace of emotion coming from him.She could feel the dam holding her temper spring several leaks. “I’m your pactmate. How could you be with someone else? You may not love me, but you should have had enough respect for me to…”
He cut her off. “You want to talk of love and respect?” He gave a cynical laugh. “Perhaps we should begin by speaking of trust.”
Her voice rose. “Maybe we should. I trusted you, you bastard!”
Suddenly, she realized Liken was not as calm as she had assumed. He was sitting on the sofa, but the hand resting on the arm was gripping it so hard his knuckles were white. It was the only warning she had of his real state, before he burst into motion.
He sprang from the couch and grabbed her by the arms. She looked up into his face and saw pure fury. He shouted, “You know nothing of trust!”
She felt the dam burst open and white-hot fury broke free. “I know you were kissing that redhead and enjoying it! I know you have feelings for her! I know I feel like a fool and it’s your fault! I know you’re an asshole! Take your hands off of me!”
His face went white. “I will touch you whenever I like. I will do whatever I like! I am your pactmate!”
“And she’s your lover!” The accusation rang in the silence of the room.
He shook her until her teeth rattled, then abruptly let her go. Taking a step back, he said flatly, “I am her link.”
The words took a moment to register. As he stared at her in furious silence, she echoed, “Her link?”
He gave one swift nod. “Yes, her link. Her name is Elana and she has been pledged to my friend, Revka, for over three years now.”
“But you love her…and you were kissing her…” Her anger was fading into confusion.
He told her grimly, “I do not love her, at least not in the sense you mean. I am her link. I care for her as Tair cares for you.”
Suddenly, the little scene with Tair outside the house took on a new meaning. His words ran through her mind again.“I am your link. You did not greet me. Remember this…”
“Are you saying she was greeting you, that you’ve never had sex with her?” She couldn’t keep the doubt from her voice.
He looked exasperated. “Yes, she was greeting me. As for sex with her, it was on one occasion during the initial link.”
When Sharon would have responded, he lifted an eyebrow and said, “Not everyone is as uncomfortable with the thought of a threesome. The linking process is different depending on the participants.”
Sharon felt the color rise in her face. Her heart picked up speed as she suddenly focused on something he said earlier. “You don’t love her.”
She nearly sagged with relief. He wasn’t in love with the redhead. The truth in his voice had been obvious. She believed him.
She thought of Liken’s lack of jealousy regarding her actions with Tair. Shimerian culture was very different from Earth. The linking partners shared intimacy but it was not considered a threat or a betrayal. She felt the last of her anger die. Embarrassment and sorrow rose up in its place.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” She felt guilty as she considered what had happened from Liken’s point of view. She hadn’t trusted him, hadn’t even let him explain. Her hurt and anger had been too great.
He nodded stiffly. “You could not know. You did not wait for an explanation.”
The accusation in his voice was easy to hear, but she could feel anger radiating from him without it. Underneath the anger was a layer of hurt. She had hurt him. She was surprised at how much her distrust had hurt him. She stepped forward and placed a tentative hand on his chest. “Liken, I really am sorry. I couldn’t think, I was just so hurt and angry.” She thought she detected a slight relaxation of his tense shoulders at the sincerity in her voice.
He sighed, and his face lost some of its grimness. “You have no cause for jealousy, Sharon.” He sounded tired now. “Why were you at the office today?”
Sharon swallowed. Here was the tough part. Her emotions felt raw. She had been on a roller coaster of feeling today, and she was worn out by the experience. “I wanted to talk to you.” She wasn’t going to chicken out, but she needed a moment to work up her nerve. His hurt was proof he loved her, at least a little. She had to take the risk and be honest.
He continued to stare at her in silence. Sharon tilted her head back further to get a better look at his eyes. He looked impatient. Taking a deep breath, she let it out in a rush. “I came to the office because I wanted to tell you that I love you. I want to stay. I’ll pledge with you.”
He looked like she had hit him on the head with a shovel. When he continued to stare at her, dumbfounded, she felt her nerves leap. “I mean, if you want me to stay. I…”
He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed the rest of her words right out of her. His voice boomed next to her ear. “How could you think I would not want you to stay?”
The pressure in her chest lightened. He really wanted her to stay. He hadn’t said he loved her, but it was a beginning. She leaned back and peered up at him. “I’m sorry, but I’ve been so confused. When I saw you kissing her, I just…”
He gave her a hard look. “Yes, I know what you thought.” Some of the warmth left his face. “Yet, as always, you were so very controlled. You did not stay and demand answers. You did not make a scene. You might have lost your precious control.”
The accusation hurt. “You have no idea how I felt…”
“No, I do not. How could I? You left.” His hands came up to her shoulders. She could feel a new tension in him. “Tell me,sherree, what would happen if you gave up that control of yours. Why does it frighten you so much? Would it be so terrible?”
Unease spread through her body. Where was he going with his comments? “I don’t know.”
He shook his head. “I think you do. I think you cannot trust enough to give that much of yourself. You say you love me, but do you trust me enough to truly lose all control with me? To show me yourself?”
He was scaring her, but she was honest enough to admit he could be right. The safe thing to do would be to take a step back from him and end this discussion now. She wasn’t going to do it. She was through playing it safe. “I don’t know, but I’ll try.”
His smile held a cruel edge. She knew he wasn’t going to make it easy for her, not when she had hurt him so badly this morning. “Then we shall see.”
Liken turned from her, not wanting her to see the hope on his face. Would she really give him her trust? Thoughts of her dark fantasies flashed through his mind. Walking across the room, he sat down on the couch. “Remove your clothing. Now.” His voice was firm, as if he expected some resistance.
She felt a shimmer of nerves. To her embarrassment, she could feel a growing arousal at his tone. He was going to try to take control and dominate her sexually, she knew. It went against her every feminist principle, but the thought didn’t stop the warmth spreading through her. She wanted him. Even more, she wanted him like this.
Taking a deep breath, she brought her hands to her blouse and drew it over her head. She tossed it to the floor. She could feel his heated eyes watching her every movement. Her nipples tightened under his gaze. She bent down and hurriedly began to take off the skirt.
His voice was cool and distant, a direct contrast to the heat in his eyes. “Turn around. Take it off slowly.”
She turned around and began sliding the skirt over her hips. She was left only in her skimpy panties, facing away from him. She turned around to see his face.
“I did not tell you to turn around,sherree, did I?” He sounded angry.
She shook her head. “I just wanted…”
His smile made her nerves jump again. “I know what you want. I have been inside that mind of yours, remember? You have quite an interesting fantasy life. I believe it is time for us to explore some of those dark little secrets.” He motioned her forward. “Come to me.”
As she walked across the room, she was acutely aware of her exposed body. At the mention of her fantasies, a dark thrill had gone through her. She could feel herself blushing. Stopping in front of him, she waited for his next move.
“So willing,sherree. I am impressed.” His voice was faintly mocking. He grew serious again. “Lay facedown across my lap.”
No, she wasn’t going to do it. She could feel the moistness between her thighs and was mortified. She was not going to lie across his lap. Would he really spank her because she had turned around? Or because of her distrust this morning? Shame warred with arousal. She shook her head.
His eyes were as hard as his voice. “Do it.”
Cheeks burning, she shook her head. “No.”
Reaching out roughly, he pulled her downward until she collapsed on his lap. Squirming, she tried to break free, but he was too strong. Eventually, she found herself draped across his lap, staring down at the floor. She protested. “This is ridiculous. Let me up. What do you think you’re doing? Are you crazy?”
The hard pressure of his hand on her back kept her down. His other hand came down with a light tap on her ass. “Be still.”
She was shocked. He’d actually done it. She went still from surprise.
She heard his low chuckle. “Very good,sherree.” He raised his hand and delivered another couple of smacks. He wasn’t hurting her, but she felt her bottom begin to grow warm. With a sense of embarrassment, she felt the wetness between her legs grow, too. She squirmed.
The hand on her back grew heavier as he kept her in place. “You still think you have some choice, I see. Perhaps I should make myself clearer.” She felt a tug on each side of her panties as he released the strings. Then, cool air brushed against the warm cheeks of her bottom as he lifted the back of the panties away. She was exposed.
She felt his rough hand lightly caress one pink cheek. Suddenly, he moved his hand up and he began lightly spanking her again. The minor sting of his hand was nothing compared to the heat blooming inside her. She couldn’t understand it. She was trembling with excitement and nerves.
Suddenly, he stopped. His hand lightly traced her bottom. His voice sounded husky, but it was still firm. “At this moment, you are wondering what I will do to you. What you will let me do to you.”
His hand moved lower and he trailed one finger along the wetness of her thighs. “You are so wet.” Her body tensed as he lazily drew that finger upward toward her sex. He teased her swollen lips and then probed gently inside. With a moan, she went limp.
“That’s it,sherree. I can feel your walls clinging to me. Tighten around my finger.” He brought the rest of his fingers under her and began circling her clit. It was exquisite torture. She felt him pressing and playing with her. The finger inside her began moving in and out. She let out a whimper of need. It felt so good, but she wanted his hard cock in place of his finger.
Bringing her head up and turning, she could see his hard cock straining within his pants. “I want you inside me.”
He withdrew his finger from inside her and trailed it along her swollen lips again. “Do you?” His finger left a trail of wetness in its wake as it slowly climbed upward between the cheeks of her bottom. Reaching the tight bud of her ass, he lightly touched the knot of nerves. “Where?”
Oh no. She was not into anal sex. No way. Her body tensed instinctively. She made a strangled sound of protest.
He laughed. “Nervous,sherree? I am in control here, remember? You have no control. I can fuck you any way I like.” He continued to tickle that tight ring of nerves with light strokes of his wet finger.
Her sudden twisting motion away from him nearly sent her sprawling to the floor. She landed on her knees and began to stand up. Her panties fell away, and she was naked, standing in front of him. Like lightening, he grabbed her hips and brought her forward to his mouth. Her knees wentweakas she felt the stroking heat of his tongue across her clit. She closed her eyes and her head went back. It was too much. He sucked and circled, and probed delicately until she was moaning with the pleasure. Suddenly, the incredible sensations stopped. She opened her eyes.
Liken stood and looked at her with the eyes of a hungry predator. She took an instinctive step backward in surprise. He smiled. He took a step forward and then grabbed her. His movements were rough, but the hands on her arms were gentle as he turned her and walked her around to the back of the chair. Pushing her facedown over the back of it, he put one hand on her back to hold her down.
The rustle of his clothing as he unbuttoned his pants was the only sound in the room. With no other warning, his hard cock thrust into her aching sex. He began pumping in and out of her roughly. She felt her whole body catch fire. She began to push her hips back against him to meet his strokes. He brought one hand down into stinging contact with her bottom. His voice was firm. “No.”
She stopped in surprise, but let out a moan of protest. He brought one hand forward and began to toy with her right nipple. His rhythm remained ruthlessly steady even when he said softly, “You will not come until I allow it.”
The tug on her nipple was a passionate torment. She ached with it. She was growing frustrated at the slow rhythm of his thrusts. She arched her back to take him deeper. She wanted more, damnit.
He knew what she wanted, but he was the one in control. He had the nerve to laugh. “No,sherree.”
She felt another stinging tap. Anger was beginning to mix with need. “Faster. Go faster and deeper.” She wasn’t sure if it was a demand or a plea.
He responded by slowing and gentling his thrusts. “Ask me nicely and I will consider it.” His mocking tone deliberately provoked her.
She could feel her temper straining and struggled to rein it in. “Go to hell. I don’t want this anymore. Let me up.”
Suddenly, he thrust his cock all the way into her, in one hard thrust. Buried to the hilt, he brought his arm from her nipple down to her sex. He found her clit and began teasing it. “What is wrong,sherree? Will you beg me to continue or to stop?” His mocking tone said he knew she wouldn’t ask him to stop.
She wanted to demand that he stop immediately, but he was filling her and pressing against her clit with such skill. “Bastard.” She muttered it.
He laughed again. “Your language is deteriorating, Sharon.” He gave her a couple of hard, deep thrusts in reward.
She moaned and pushed against him, fighting for each stroke of his cock. The war waged for some time. She was getting desperate for release. Frustration, passion, and anger were raging inside her. Each time she grew close, he would pull back and then change rhythms. It was maddening.
She spat angry words in between strokes. “You’re driving me crazy. Cut it out. I mean it. You fucking tease.”
His only response was another slap to her bottom as he continued the torment. His hand on her hip moved and he trailed one finger between the cheeks of her bottom. Drawing moisture from below, he circled her tight bud with teasing strokes.
She went hot and then cold. He wouldn’t. She had no sooner thought it, then she felt a gentle probing pressure as his finger dipped inside her a small way. It was foreign and scary, and she was ashamed to admit, exciting. It didn’t hurt, but she felt the last shred of her control snap away. She let out a scream of sheer frustration.
As if he had been waiting for that sound, he merged with her in one hard push. The feel of his pleasure mixing with hers sent her right to the edge. She was terrified he would stop. “Don’t stop.”
His voice was dark with need and sex. “Ask me to fuck you harder.” It was an order.
“Please fuck me harder.” Need was clawing at her. She was completely out of control.
“Swear you’ll never leave.”He ruthlessly pounded his cock into her sex.
“I swear it.”She almost screamed the words.
“You’re mine. I can do anything, have anything I want.” His thrustsbecamefaster and she was moaning over and over.
“Yes, anything…”
He spoke through gritted teeth, “Then come for me.” His finger on her clit pressed inward as he arched his spine to add strength to his thrusts. Her scream echoed loudly as she shattered into a million pieces. Her lower body clenched and pulsed around his cockand his still embedded finger.With a loud groan, he lost control and found his own release. He fell forward and leaned against her back, his big body covering hers. His hands came around her to gently stroke her breasts.
Sharon lay beneath Liken, too exhausted to move. She felt hollow inside, as if someone had come in and swept everything away. It was strangely peaceful. She felt totally vulnerable and exposed in a way that had nothing to do with her body’s nakedness. She loved Liken and needed him and had no defenses against it.
She felt tears on her face and realized with a sniff that she was crying. She had lost all control, acted like an animal, and the world hadn’t ended. Liken was still holding her, pressing gentle kisses to the side of her neck. She felt his feelings run through her. His tenderness, his warmth, and his love wrapped around her. Realizing he did love her brought on a flood of fresh tears.
Liken grew aware that Sharon was crying beneath him. He quickly rose up and turned her over with concern. Tears were streaming down her face. Looking horrified, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the couch. “Sharon, did I hurt you?”
She shook her head and tried to say no, but only sobbing sounds came out. She ducked her head into his chest and wept. Liken wrapped gentle arms around her and tried to understand. He was relieved he hadn’t hurt her, but he couldn’t understand why she was crying. Sharon never cried. She had come to his planet and confronted massive changes without shedding one tear. Now, suddenly, she was sobbing as if her heart was broken. He thought about scanning her thoughts, but remembered his promise.
With dismay, he wondered if he had pushed her too far too fast. Rubbing her back as she sobbed in his arms, he ached at the sight and sound of her tears. He whispered, “Sherree, please… you are killing me with your tears… I am sorry… Please tell me what has hurt you. I love you. I cannot bear to see you hurting.”His words of comfort continued, in both Shimerian and English, but Sharon was too shattered to respond.
Finally, she pulled away from his chest and tried to get herself under control. She felt free suddenly. She knew she was naked in the arms of a nearly fully clothed man. Her hair was a tangled mess, and her face was splotchy with tears. Her nose was running and she looked horrible.
Gone was the cautious, tidy, undemanding Sharon. The end result wasn’t as pretty maybe but it was honest. Her life was in shambles, but she had found herself and someone who loved her in the midst of total chaos. It was everything she had avoided, and at the same time, everything she had secretly wanted. “I love you, too. It’s okay. You didn’t hurt me. I just feel relieved and overwhelmed.”
He had been in her mind for nearly two weeks and he could not understand her still. She was a mystery to him, one he hoped to spend his life solving. “I do not understand. You are crying in relief?” It made no sense.
Sharon gave him a shaky smile. “I’m fine.”
He shook his head. “I think you are still hurting because of this morning. I am sorry I did not come after you and explain about Elana.”
“No, really. I do understand. And I’m sorry I didn’t trust you enough to ask for explanations. I had gotten my nerve up to risk telling you about my feelings and seeing you with her just shocked and destroyed me.”
He pressed a gentle kiss to her mouth. “Sherree, there are things in our cultures that are vastly different. I know that there are adjustments we both will have to make. I have been arrogant in thinking all the adjustments would be yours. We will work together to solve any problems that arise.” It was said like a promise.
Sharon placed a hand to his cheek. “We love each other. We trust each other. We can face whatever we have to face together.”
Liken’s arms tightened. “I am so fortunate to have found you,sherree. I want a life with you and children. I want to make you happy.”
Sharon’s smile was blinding. “I wouldn’t mind a few little Likens myself. And you do make me happy.”
Their mouths met in a kiss of wonder and love. When at last they pulled apart, Sharon dropped her hand and began unbuttoning Liken’s shirt. With a playful grin, she said, “Now,let’s talk aboutthis tendency you have to dominate me in bed.”
He let out a satisfied laugh. “I am a Shimerian male, am I not? Do not pretend you dislike it,sherree. I know otherwise. I know all kinds of interesting, dark fantasies you ache to explore. Would you like to discuss them?”
She felt heat rise to her cheeks as she finished the last of the buttons. Spreading his shirt, she leaned forward and swirled her tongue around one of his nipples. She could feel his big body tense. Her husky voice dripped satisfaction as she said, “Nope, I believe it’s my turn for a little revenge.”
She placed teasing kisses in a steady downward path. Peeking up at him through her lashes, she watched his eyes darken with arousal. She paused and unbuttoned his pants. He went completely still under her hands. “You’ll have to adjust…”
Liken watched the dark curtain of her hair lower over his lap. When her mouth closed over his aching cock, he couldn’t stifle his moan. He could feel the blood leaving his head and heading south. Bringing his hands to tangle in her hair, he arched upward helplessly. He had one last thought before his mind went completely blank. She was a librarian, for goodness sake, and she had conquered a warrior.