Page 57 of Close Encounters of the Hot Kind

A cream-colored paper sits folded on the dining table, my name written in Varak's precise handwriting. The same handwriting that used to sign those astronomical checks when he tried to buy Papa's place.

I pick up the note, running my finger along the edge of the expensive stationery. The paper feels thick, important. Like something you'd use to propose...

My heart skips a beat.

"Varak?" I call out again, just to be sure. The penthouse stays silent except for the soft hum of the climate control.

I unfold the note, my fingers trembling less when I see Varak's familiar flowing script instead of something dire.

"My little delicacy..." The words make my chest warm. Trust my alien boyfriend to use 'lunar cycle' instead of month.

Paris flashes through my mind - the way he flew us there just because I mentioned wanting a real croissant. The Northern Lights in Iceland when I said I'd never seen them. That insane weekend in Dubai where he rented an entire water park just for us.

But the next line makes my breath catch for a different reason.

"There is another note waiting for you in the bedroom. Follow the instructions EXACTLY. This will be a decidedly X-rated anniversary date."

Heat floods my cheeks. The paper crinkles in my grip as memories of blindfolds and candle wax dance through my mind.

My heels already point toward the bedroom before I finish reading. That commanding tone in his writing sends shivers down my spine. The same tone that makes me melt when he whispers "simmer, little delicacy" in my ear.

I bite my lip, remembering what happened last time I disobeyed his instructions. The delicious sting of his hand, the way he made me beg...

The bedroom door has never looked more inviting.

Rose petals scatter as I push open the bedroom door. The scent hits me first - fresh flowers mixed with my favorite jasmine perfume. A woven basket sits in the center of our king-sized bed, surrounded by a perfect heart of red petals.

My fingers trace the edge of another cream-colored note nestled among bottles of my favorite French shampoo and that ridiculously expensive lotion I mentioned loving last week.

The paper trembles in my hands as I unfold it. Four numbered instructions stare back at me, each one making my pulse race faster than the last.

Take off all clothing.

Use the toys as intended.

Insert Bluetooth earpiece.

Text when ready.

My clothes hit the floor before I finish re-reading the list. The cool air raises goosebumps across my skin as I dig through the basket's contents. Past the fancy toiletries, underneath a layer of decorative grass, my fingers brush against something smooth and definitely not innocent.

"Oh you naughty alien," I whisper, pulling out the first toy. Then the second. And a third. Each one more intriguing than the last. A sleek chrome earpiece sits at the very bottom, gleaming in the late afternoon sun.

My phone chimes with a text: "Found everything yet, little delicacy?"

Heat floods my cheeks. He's watching somehow. Of course he is. That thought only makes my hands shake more as I reach for the first toy.

I pick up the first toy, a pink vibrating nipple clamp. I wince as it pinches my skin, but the sensation quickly morphs into pleasure. I gasp, my body already responding eagerly. I attach the second clamp, and suddenly, they both buzz to life. I clutch my breasts, a moan escaping my lips as the intense sensation courses through me. Just as quickly, the vibrations stop, leaving me panting.

My phone chimes with a text from Varak: "Ready for the next one, little delicacy?"

I look at the third toy, a sleek, high-tech vibrator. I bite my lower lip, anticipation coursing through me. I know it will slide in easily; I can feel the wetness between my thighs. I pick it up, my heart pounding with excitement.

"Almost," I text back, my fingers trembling slightly as I prepare to insert the vibrator. My body is ready, eager for whatever comes next.

I glide the vibrator inside of myself, the cool silicone a stark contrast to my heat. Once it's in place, it hums to life for a split second, sending a jolt of pleasure through me that nearly buckles my knees.

My phone rings, Varak's name flashing on the screen. I answer, putting it on speaker as instructed.

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