Page 18 of Errik

She gasped. Shock and embarrassment flooded her at once, and she instinctively pressed her legs together as tightly as possible. As if that would help. He continued staring at her with that hungry look in his eyes, his nostrils continually flaring as he took deep breaths.

Another low growl emanated from his chest, resounding off the walls of the bridge.

She didn’t have to glance at his crotch to know he was packing a serious bulge again. But she looked anyway, and hello, there it was. Massively huge and straining to escape his pants. Her breath caught as she considered just how large he was.

Heated pulses spread through her as she met his gaze again.

“Can you really smell my… arousal,” she whispered, “or are you just teasing me?”

His eyes darkened. “Yes, I can, my darling mate, and it’s driving me wild with the urge to carry you to my quarters and have my way with you before we’ve even finished passing through Earth’s atmosphere. I am eager for us to consummate our mating union. However, I believe we should talk a bit first. Get to know one another better. I want you to feel comfortable with me, and I want you to enjoy the act of mating.”

Despite her worry about his size, his announcement that he was eager to claim her didn’t scare her. Quite the opposite. After being alone for so long, it was nice to feel wanted. And his little speech about them getting to know one another better first and wanting her to feel comfortable with him and enjoy the act of mating? Be still her heart.

He looked like the most lethal alien warrior in existence. Compared to the more polished Vaxxlian warriors from the VAMOB advertisements, he honestly had the appearance of a brute. She didn’t want to think about what horrors he’d seen and what deadly battles he’d taken part in during the war against the Irrcons. His scars were evidence enough that he’d been through hell. Yet beneath that intimidating exterior was a male who cared about her comfort, her trust, and her pleasure.

The realization brought her hope. She’d expected a warrior like Errik to be dominant and demanding, perhaps even frightening. Instead, he was trying to show her that beneath all those muscles and scars was a male who wanted her to feel safe with him.

It made her want him even more.

“Careful, Errik,” she said with a tiny, flirtatious smile. “If you keep being so accommodating and sweet, I just might become obsessed with you.” She glanced over her shoulder at the rear viewport and watched as Earth grew smaller.

When she turned around a few seconds later, she found Errik staring at her with an intensity that made her head spin.

“I would be honored if you became… obsessed with me, my darling mate. If our bond became that powerful, I would be a happy male.” He sounded completely serious.

Did he really not understand flirting? She mentally kicked herself for blurting out the funny thought that had popped into her mind. Errik was Vaxxlian, and she was human. They were from different worlds and came from vastly different cultures. Perhaps she shouldn’t assume he would get her humor.

But as she replayed what she’d just said, she realized it wasn’t a lie. The truth was, if Errik continued treating her so sweetly and seeing to her comfort, it would be impossible to guard her heart. She really might fall in love—for the first time in her life.

Butterflies flitted in her stomach at the thought.

She couldn’t say why she’d always run from her prior relationships whenever they started to get too serious. Just as she couldn’t say why she’d always felt the need to explore the world even when it meant being away from the people she cared about most.

She’d just never been able to quell the restlessness inside her.

Yes, maybe she’d always been searching for something.

Or someone.

Her gaze drifted to the rear viewport again. Earth had become little more than a blue, green, and white sphere against the backdrop of an endless starry expanse. It was a beautiful sight, but her homeworld was so very far away now. As fast as the ship was going, it would probably disappear completely in a minute or so.

To her surprise, leaving her homeworld didn’t fill her with the uncertainty and sadness she’d expected. Instead, she felt a sweeping sense of peace.

Errik adjusted something on his console, then leaned back in his seat. When he turned toward her, his glowing green eyes were heated with unmistakable desire. The bulge in his crotch was as large as ever, and she supposed he could still smell her arousal.

As he held her gaze, his expression softened a bit. His eyes still gleamed with lust, but she saw a tenderness there that made her heart dance. How strange that one look from him could make her feel so much.

“I just put my ship on autopilot. In a few hours, we will reach the Eshunna Passage. By this time tomorrow, we will be on New Vaxx.”

Holly swallowed hard.

He held her gaze for another long moment. “I believe it is time we became better acquainted, my darling mate.”

Heat rushed through her, and when his nostrils flared again, she knew he was savoring the scent of her increasing arousal. She just couldn’t help it. The anticipation of the night to come was making her feel breathless, not to mention achy between her thighs.

“Okay,” she whispered.

He unbuckled himself and rose to his feet, all seven plus feet of him. God, he was tall, and his shoulders were impossibly broad. She tried to gulp past the sudden dryness in her throat but couldn’t quite do it. Oh, man, did she need a glass of ice water right now. Or maybe she just needed Errik to carry her to his bedroom, kiss her senseless, and have his way with her.