Lightning runs through my meq, my balls draw up. I gasp as I come, my meq pulsing within her. The relief is instant. As is the guilt that she enjoyed nothing about this mating.
She draws in a breath and doesn’t move. Her eyes close and I’m sure it’s because she can’t bear to look at me.
“I could’ve drunk that,” Ruby murmurs against my lips.
A laugh gets lodged in my throat. “We have a little water.” But if she wants to drink from me, I will not stop her. “I will make this up to you.”
“You will. We’re going to find some water. I’m going to have a wash and you can lick my pussy all night until I’ve come so many times I’m begging you to stop.” She leans in closer and whispers in my ear. “Because you are much better with your tongue.”
“I like the sound of that.” I will do whatever she asks because there is a part of me that hopes she will choose me, and I won’t have to explain this situation to my brothers.
She kisses me again. “Are you okay to continue?”
“I am.” Though I don’t know how long this clarity will last. Probably not as long as the guilt that is already chewing on my heart.
17
RUBY
I’ve had plenty of average sex, but no man has looked at me as though he was worried that he’d failed. While Aldit’s prickly mood is gone, he is silent and I know it’s because he did a bad job—honestly, I hadn’t expected to enjoy it, so part of the fault is with me for having that attitude. I was often told I had too much of it.
I’d also forgotten that he’s never slept with a woman before.
My mouth is once again dry, and our water has run out, and I’m half tempted to ask if he needs to come so I can wet my lips. I don’t think that will help the tension between us.
“So that big river we saw…how far away is that?” We had decided to head for the river, instead of cutting toward the ship which is in the mouth of the river. Mostly because if we follow the river, we will at least have water.
“We will reach it tomorrow.” He glances up. “If we do not stop to rest, before dawn.”
“I can’t do that. I’m hungry.” So hungry that eating that thing in his hand raw is not looking like such a bad idea. “What about if we stop, eat and rest? And then press on?”
“You can’t see in the dark.”
“I can hold on to you. I’d much rather be near water, instead of knowing that we still have a day of hiking to do.”
He nods, but doesn’t look at me.
I wish we hadn’t done anything while up the mountain. But it had seemed like a good idea. One last fling in case we died. But it made everything worse. A laugh escapes. That makes him turn.
“What is funny?” His large eyes seem to drink me in.
It’s just some kind of alien biological need for a woman, and I happen to be the one who triggered and who is here to soothe it.
How do I even explain it?
“I was thinking about how sex makes everything worse.”
“How so?”
“I hated you at first, then when we started working together I started to like you. We worked well together, and you know what you’re doing.” He’s not the grunting, kidnapping, barbarian I thought he was. “Then we...and you got your rut on, and here we are, lost in the forest with no water. The same as before, only worse.”
He frowns. “None of that is funny.”
“Earth humor.” I shrug. “When I’ve slept with a guy, it’s either ended the friendship, or he loses interest.” The conquest has been made, so there’s no need to keep going.
“How can they lose interest?”
I brush past him. I don’t want to stop yet. But we should make a fire and cook soon. I hear him following.
