He raised an eyebrow but continued his careful ministrations. His mind moved in a different direction than her meaning, drifting along a more tantalizing path, kindled by the friction of his hands against her soft skin. Each gentle stroke spurred images of other, more intimate forms of contact.
“I see,” he mumbled, moving closer to her feet. His touch was deliberate, tender, yet provocative, drawing another moan from Polly.
He clenched his jaw, feeling a surge within him, a primal response to her every sound. It wasn’t the pain she felt, but an entirely different ache, one that resonated deep in his core.
As he moved up her ankle, Polly arched her back, unwittingly stoking the fire that burned within him. Her involuntary groans and purrs were like fuel to his smoldering desires.
“Do humans always make such intriguing noises?”
Polly froze, her eyes snapping to his. “What, like this is some intergalactic study on human responses?”
He paused, a slight smile tugging at his lips. “Well, it’s certainly educational.”
Polly pulled her foot back with a smirk. “This is just a massage, not some kind of cross-species pleasure research. And if my sounds are too much for your alien sensibilities, maybe you should keep your hands, and whatever else, to yourself.”
Erzo chuckled, his deep laugh echoing in the room. “Your sounds are not a problem. They are quite entertaining. I was merely contemplating whether such expressiveness is customary during, let’s say, more intimate encounters.”
Her cheeks flushed a deep red. “Intimate encounters? You’re asking if I’m loud during...?”
“In the interest of scientific curiosity,” he added, with a hint of mischief in his eyes.
Polly’s mouth opened and closed, searching for a response. “Well, Mr. Intergalactic Explorer, maybe that’s for me to know and you to find out. Hypothetically, of course.”
Erzo’s expression turned thoughtful, his gaze lingering on her. “Hypothetically, there could be scenarios where discretion is advisable.”
“Like when?” Polly challenged, her tone playful yet charged.
His mind raced with possibilities, his imagination painting scenarios where his touch could remain unseen yet deeply felt—a subtle play of his tail along her leg, a hidden caress just out of sight, teasing the inside of her thigh...
Erzo couldn’t stop himself from sharing his dirty thoughts with her. “Imagine, for instance, a secret caress under a table or a stealthy stroke along your leg. My tail could be quite resourceful. At dinner, for instance.”
Polly’s response was a gulp, her eyes widening in realization. “Your tail?”
“It’s all about adapting to new environments,” Erzo quipped, his voice dropping to a sultry whisper. “And I’m a quick learner.”
Polly’s response was immediate, her eyes alight with a daring challenge. “Is that so?”
Sensing an opportunity to explore this new connection, Erzo leaned closer. “Close your eyes.”
Polly complied, her eyelids fluttering shut, leaving her in anticipatory darkness. Erzo watched her for a moment, her trust in him palpable in the dim light of the room. With deliberate slowness, he allowed his tail to flick gently against the inside of her thigh. The movement was subtle, yet intimate. Her hushed gasp sent a thrill coursing through him.
Just as the tension reached its peak, as his tail threatened to venture further, Erzo stopped. He pulled back, a tumult of emotions warring within him. The desire to continue was powerful, yet he held himself in check, a battle between restraint and longing playing out behind his eyes.
Her eyes slowly reopened. Within their depths, he read a complex tapestry of emotions—a trace of astonishment, a flicker of curiosity, and a current of desire that seemed to resonate with the lingering sensation of his touch. Erzo held her gaze, his own eyes reflecting desire and caution.
Flirting had its place, but as the unresolved issue with Breal loomed in his mind, Erzo knew he had to keep a tight rein on his impulses. He had to navigate the path forward carefully—for the sake of his duty, for Breal, and perhaps most dangerously, for the stirring feelings he harbored for Polly.
14
Delicious, Erzo-centric thoughts spun through her mind as she got ready for dinner, especially that shockingly intimate moment with his tail. Seriously, who knew alien tails could be so adventurous? And when he caressed her rear while carrying Polly back to the apartment after her feet were bothering her, there was the independent part of her that found it annoyingly alpha of him, but she still got hot just thinking about it.
Part of her was still reeling—that was way beyond flirting. It was like a full-on declaration of ‘Hey, look what my tail can do!’ She had to admit, though, it was oddly thrilling in a way she couldn’t quite put her finger on—or tail, for that matter.
She couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Erzo, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Green, had turned out to be quite the charmer, albeit an alien one with a tail that had a mind of its own. And there she was, getting all flustered and giddy about it. What was she going to say to him? ‘Hey, nice tail work there, buddy’? She decided against it, not wanting to encourage or freak him out.
The whole ‘be quiet at dinner’ comment from Erzo was still playing on repeat in her head. It was so cheeky and so infuriatingly enticing. Did he really plan to continue their little game of intergalactic footsie under the table? The thought sent a shiver of excitement mixed with a dash of nervousness through her.
Polly knew his game, the playful innuendos, no different from the flirtations she’d encountered back on Earth. Yet, there was a spark of anticipation within her, a curiosity about what Erzo might do next. She couldn’t deny the flutter it caused in her heart.
