Page 34 of Resisting the Alien Commander

I take another step forward, spearing my thigh between hers and forcing her legs farther open as I bring myself even closer. The heat of her cunt warms the flesh beneath my pants and a second, even more intoxicating scent rises from her. A female’s pleasure has never smelled so good. I haven’t even touched her yet, either.

Quinn tips her head back again, but her eyes remain open and intently focused on me. Her mouth parts and the barest hint of her tongue is visible. I want to know if she tastes as good as she smells. Forces more powerful than me guide my movements. I bend forward at the waist and press my palms against the bench’s back support on either side of Quinn’s shoulders. My fingers clench the wood and the splintering sound from my claws piercing it is faint, as if from a distance.

Desire sparks in her gaze, surely a reflection of mine.

“What are you doing?” she whispers at last.

“Exactly what you want me to do.”

To my relief, she doesn’t attempt to deny my words. Not that I would let her. My fangs ache and throb with need. It’s so intense I want to do nothing more than bury them in the soft flesh where her neck meets her shoulder. The blood in my veins is so hot I’m surprised it doesn’t burn me to a cinder. I’m on the edge of madness and yet something—or perhaps,someone—is keeping it from wreaking havoc.

Is it possible that Quinn is my heart’s fire? It’s the only explanation I can come up with for this strong of a reaction.

“I think it is now I who should be asking you the question. What is ityou’redoing to me?” I don’t even recognize my voice.

She shakes her head, but the desire burning in her gaze says otherwise. “I’m not doing anything.”

“Lies. You’ve put some sort of curse on me.”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“There’s no other explanation. I can’t stop thinking about you. Dreaming about you. Even when you’re not around your scent lingers.” I lean in closer and inhale her sweet scent. Pleasure shoots straight through my cock.

“You’re mistaken.” Quinn’s gone breathless.

“The gods have sent you to torment me, haven’t they?”

She opens her mouth—I’m sure to argue again—but I’m done listening. I claim her lips with mine, at last getting my first decadent taste of her. The blood coursing inside my veins sizzles and burns its way through my body. I’m hot enough that it wouldn’t shock me if I burst into flames. A knowing ripples across my mind that Quinn is the only one who can put them out.

I sweep my tongue against hers and she matches each movement with her own. There’s no hesitancy. No fear. We both give and take from each other, neither of us giving up any ground. She passionately battles for control—or at least gives the appearance of it—but I’ll never yield. Nor does Quinn truly want me to. I can sense it in the way there’s something she’s holding back.

A moan tumbles from her and I move to deepen the kiss, but she rips herself away from me. Her hands go to my shoulders and the shock allows for her to push me away with little effort. Quinn jumps to her feet and stares at me with her chest heaving. Her eyes are wide and she gapes. I would chuckle in self-satisfaction, but I bite it back.

“This isn’t real.” Again, she swallows and I want to call her back to me.

“Of course it’s real.”

“No.” She rattles her head. “No, it’s not. What you’re experiencing is mating fever. It’s only because I’m female. Nothing more than that.”

I nearly laugh, but can tell she’s serious. Quinn truly believes I’m overcome by the fever and not by her. Not the insane desire she—and only she—causes. “I admit that the fever is part of it. But only a small part.”

“You can’t help yourself.”

“I have far more control than you’re giving me credit for.” I’m almost offended on her behalf. As though she couldn’t possibly be the reason I want to drag her back to my room and fuck her until she admits there’s more to this attraction than mating fever.

“Maybe, but I also know your people are afflicted with the mating fever and that’s why you need brides. Not just because you want us to give you children.” Quinn crosses her arms over her chest. “Without us, you’ll slowly go insane as the madness takes over. That’s why you did what you just did. The fever needs to be brought down. I just happened to be the closest female.”

Loud, raucous laughter bursts from my chest. “Do you truly think that what just occurred between us is because you were nearby? What if your friend—the one you were with this morning—had been the one I stumbled upon? Can you sit there, look me in the eyes, and tell me I would have behaved the same way with her as I did with you?”

Quinn glances away and briefly I think I’ve gotten through to her. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

Any bit of amusement withers. I stare, waiting for her to meet my eyes, but when she shifts her attention back to me, her gaze fixates on my chest. She won’t look any higher.

“If my excuse is the mating fever, then what’s yours?” Without waiting for an answer, I walk away.

The longer I remain, the more I want to prove to her she’s wrong and that she was more than justconvenient. But I’m disappointed in Quinn and in myself. That I couldn’t control my impulse and now that I’ve had a taste of her, no one else will ever do. That the torture I’ll go through because of that single taste will haunt my dreams.

Chapter17

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