"You're so soft," Cael murmured. "Everything about you is soft and gentle to the touch. Except perhaps . . . here."
His fingers brushed over one of her own peaked nipples stiff with desire, and a moan escaped her lips.
"I notice your sensitivity matches mine. Does this please you?" he whispered in her ear, sending another wave of shivers down her spine.
Midori could do nothing more than nod. All understanding of language had completely vanished. Cael's fingers slid under the fabric of her bra and pushed it aside, gaining clearer access. Her nipples felt like diamonds beneath his touch. They were so hard; they ached as his fingers danced across the sensitive peaks.
His other hand slid down her waist and stroked her skin with the back of his knuckles. Midori wondered how far down his fingers might explore on their own, but he stopped probing when he reached the lip of her underwear. Her brain thought it was probably safer that way. The rest of her body hoped he'd continue to explore farther—preferably between her legs.
How far are you prepared to go?
As far as I can, if I'm lucky.
You know this won't end well for you. He's going to send you back home. Then he'll leave. Like everyone else has left. Are you prepared for the grief after you give your heart away?
Then I won't give my heart away. I'll be careful. Keep it tucked deep inside.
Do you honestly believe it will be that simple?
No, but I'm going to do it. And for tonight, I'm going to enjoy whatever comes.
Midori's hand rested on top of Cael's as it stroked the skin of her belly. His hand stopped moving for a second and then followed her lead as she pushed his fingers underneath the fabric of her panties.
"Feel free to explore here too," she whispered.
Cael didn't hesitate. His fingers glided underneath the fabric, his large hand covering her pelvis. When his fingers reached the soft wispy hair of her mound, he gasped.
"You grow hair here, too?"
Midori giggled, her face hot with embarrassment. "Sometimes we remove it, but I never enjoyed doing that, so I just let it grow."
"It's so soft. May I . . . may I see it?" The look on his face was so earnest and full of curiosity, it helped Midori push aside her fear.
"I suppose."
Cael's hand froze for a moment as he searched her face. "If this makes you uncomfortable, I do not need to see. I'm thoroughly pleased by just touching your beautiful body."
Midori's heart skipped a beat. "No one's ever called me beautiful before."
Confusion rippled across Cael's face and ended in a frown. "How can this possibly be? I'm not sure I believe you."
"I promise, it's the truth."
"I noticed your beauty the first moment I saw you. How is it possible others have not seen it, too? I think you must be mistaken. Perhaps they were all like me. So taken with you, they couldn't speak of their genuine desire for fear of rejection."
Midori smiled at his sweet, though inaccurate, endearment. No one had ever seen her beauty and felt too intimidated to speak. Midori didn't consider herself ugly—whatever ugly was. She'd met plenty of flawless-skinned people who instantly seemed ugly once they revealed their true selves. But she knew she wasn't breathtaking, either. She was just plain. She hadn't inherited her mother's tiny Japanese frame. Instead, she took after her father's solid build. His African-American genes mixed with her mother's Asian ones had created a girl who was too black to be Japanese and too Japanese to be black. She didn't look exotic. She looked normal. Average. Unremarkable.
But he certainly thought you were remarkable. Isn't that something?
"Your words are very sweet."
"I only speak the truth. And I'm being truthful when I say I don't want to cause you any discomfort, but I would love to see your body. All of it. If you're comfortable with that."
Midori's heart pounded like a runaway horse, but she managed to give a nod. She sat up, unhooked her bra, and pulled everything off with a few swift motions. When she laid back down, she was naked in the arms of an alien.
At first, Cael's hands were timid with his touches as he trailed his fingers along her skin. Midori sucked in her breath as tingles of pleasure and anticipation ran up her spine. She was equal parts titillated and terrified of what was to come. Her fingers itched to pull the sleeping bag tight around her body, though she wasn't the least bit cold. But Cael had asked to see her—all of her. And she'd agreed. Whether or not this was a bad idea, she was going to see it through. In fact . . .
Midori guided Cael's lower hand down between her thighs. He stroked his fingers through her curls and smiled as he inspected her.
