When the fabric slips off my shoulders and pools at my feet, Garrik doesn’t move. He justlooksat me—like he’s memorizing the sight, like he’s cataloguing it for safekeeping. Not with hunger, not just—but with reverence.
Like I’m made of stardust and sunlight and sacred things.
“You’resobeautiful,” he whispers.
“I better be,” I say, trying to keep it light, my voice shaky. “You’ve seen me sweaty, grimy, bloody, and rage-caffeinated in three-day survival sweats. This feels like a step up.”
His brow furrows. “You were always beautiful.”
I blink up at him, chest too full, throat too tight.
“Your turn,” I whisper.
He hesitates—just for a second—but then he pulls his shirt off over his head. Slowly, like he’s giving me a gift. Andgod, what a gift. His chest is broad, warm, scattered with moss-green curls and a few scars I recognize from long-ago battles. His stomach ridged, strong, familiar.
Safe.
And then, he undoes the fastenings at his waistband and lets his pants fall.
Holy…
I knew, logically. Iknew. I’dfeltit. But seeing him bare, thick and flushed and already hard,pulsingwith want—it makes something flutter in my chest and drop straight between my legs. And…he’s alien, with a ridge along the top that almost looks like a brush or feather, and it’scolorful.
I step closer on the bed, transfixed, balancing as the mattress gives under my feet. We’re both naked, and I’m not touching him, and that feelswrongbut also right because I just need…well, a second to process. Garrik’s face is turning brighter and brighter pink as I openly stare at his cock, his antennae twitching.
“Can I…?” I ask, gesturing toward his crotch.
Garrik snorts, clearly embarrassed. “Uh…yeah?—”
“I don’t mean to be weird, you just,” I pause. “Humans don’t havethat.”
He chuckles. “Ah…the hasp. It’s—I didn’t realize—gods?—”
He abruptly cuts off when I grasp his cock, my fingers wrapping around him, my thumb grazing the hasp. Garrik’s eyes squeeze shut and his hips rock into my hand, cock throbbing, and the hasp—it’s vibrating. Maybe…holy shit, it’ssuckinga little.
“What the…”
“I’m flattered,” he wrenches out.
I let out an awkward laugh, still utterly obsessed with his cock. “Sorry, this is just…”
His eyes flicker open to meet mine. “...alien?”
I shake my head, biting my lip. “It’s going to feel really good when you fuck me,” I breathe.
Garrik’s hips rock again and I brace myself on his shoulder as I stroke him with my other hand. He’s so hot, heavy, velvet-soft, and the hasp…it trembles, vibrates. Garrik’s fingers thread into my hair and hold me close, his lips parting in a gasp.
“Garrik,” I murmur. “You’re beautiful.”
He lets out a choked laugh. “Not the word I would use.”
“What is?”
His voice drops as his eyes open and he looks at me from beneath his lashes. “Very,veryhorny.”
I grin, and then I keep my eyes on him as I sink slowly to my knees. It puts me right at eye-level with his cock, and I keep stroking it, realizing only now how huge it is. My hand doesn’t even fit around him, I can’t imagine my mouth will…but I want to try.
“Did you happen to bring that magic honey in here?” I ask, looking up at him.
