880 listened and relaxed. “What claim does the male Destiny have on you?” He appeared angry.
“None.”
“Have you been mounted by him? I don’t smell him on you.”
“No.” She shook her head. “We’re just friends.”
“Lower your voice,” he demanded.
“We work together.” She whispered. “Why?”
He ignored her question. “Where is your male?”
“I don’t have one.”
He studied her eyes again. He glanced down her body. Alli blushed a little when he hesitated, his gaze lingering over her breasts for a long time before focusing on her skirt.
“You are too small. Males enjoy a sturdy female to mount. You’d break or feel pain being pounded from behind. I doubt you could even brace to stay on your knees. Your arms look too weak. You’d collapse the first time a male entered you.”
She had no words. It astonished her so much her mind even blanked that he’d said something that crude.
His gaze met hers. “You don’t even look big enough to accommodate a male.”
She was glad she had recovered from the astonishment of his bluntness. “I wasn’t created with your hybrid genetics.”
He grunted and his hold eased but he didn’t release her. His thighs loosened their hold on her hips. “Turn around.”
She shook her head. “No. Why?”
He growled. “Turn now.”
She was too afraid to argue and shifted inside his arms. The open door mocked her when she faced it. She never should have left the safety of the hallway. It seemed a really far distance away.
The hand left her throat and she gasped when it cupped one of her ass cheeks. He squeezed, feeling her through the skirt. Her head snapped in his direction.
“Don’t do that!”
His gaze met hers and he growled. “Be silent.”
“Let go of my ass.” She kept her voice low but did try to step away from him to make him quit groping her.
The arm around her middle jerked hard, he let go of her ass, and she landed on his lap. His palm clamped over her lips and he growled against her ear. Alli’s eyes widened as she realized she was sitting on more than just his legs. There was no denying the feel of his rigid cock cradled between her closed thighs.
“Don’t scream,” he ordered. “I am not going to hurt you. I am curious.” His palm eased the pressure over her lower face and slowly released her mouth.
Her gaze followed his hand that fisted the material of her skirt and pulled it up to reveal most of one of her legs. The skirt stayed where he shoved it and rough-textured fingertips explored her outer leg from the knee almost to her hip.
He was breathing against her ear and she noticed when it grew a little labored.
“Soft.”
The arm around her waist adjusted and she watched as he ran his palm over her stomach.
Fingers dug into her belly but it didn’t hurt. He explored the skin under her shirt and slid it higher. She gasped a second time as one hand curved around her breast and he rubbed, feeling the size and shape of it through her bra.
“Softer.”
“Stop molesting me or I’m going to scream,” she threatened.
He paused his exploration of her breast. The hand on her thigh halted too. She turned her head to meet his gaze. Anger flashed in his eyes but he righted her skirt before he eased his hand off her breast.
“I won’t attempt to mount you. You aren’t strong enough to take me.”
She tried to wiggle off his lap but he yanked her back down. He turned her until she ended up sideways across his lap. The feel of his cock became apparent again. There was no missing something that hard or that size. They stared at each other until he frowned.
“I need your scent. Sleep here with me. You are safe.”
Alarm rolled through her. “What?”
“Sleep with me. You did that before. I want you against my side.” He grabbed her hand and held it. “Stroke my chest.”
Alli was beyond shocked. The guy had just felt her up and was obviously interested in sex. It was a bad idea. She shook her head.
“I have to return to my home. I’m under house arrest. This is just a visit.”
“Not anymore. You are staying with me.”
His features hardened as he glanced at the door before he met her wide gaze. She had no idea what else to say. Not that it didn’t stop her from trying to talk sense into him.
“It’s not proper. I mean, we’re not dating.
Strangers don’t just share a bed. I only slept with you because it was cold and—”
“You wanted to save me.” His voice deepened again. “Are you lying about that? You are a healer?”
“I’m a doctor. I—”
“You will stay with me. You will sleep here at my side and you will touch me. I am depressed but not when you stroke my chest.” He looked away to glance at the bed.
Panic struck. No way could she share a bed with a fully recovering New Species. He wasn’t a child as his body fully stated with the hard press of his cock under her. He was an adult male who had molested her.
“They won’t allow it,” she bluffed, pretty sure that would be true.
“They will because I said so.” He reached out and fisted the blankets, dragging them down the mattress closer to them. “Remove your shoes and get in my bed.”
“No.” She squirmed to get up but his arm only tightened.
A soft growl rumbled against her ear as he pressed his mouth against it.
“Keep rubbing my dick that way and I will mount you.”
She ceased struggling.
“You may keep your clothing on for now.”
Her eyes widened. For now? Oh shit. The idea that Destiny might have been right and 880 wanted to engage in sexual intercourse with her sent her heart into overdrive as fear hit.
880 sniffed at her. “Easy,” he rasped. “Don’t fight me and you won’t be harmed. I have no wish to hurt you.” He paused. “I need you right now.”
Her eyes closed and dread pitted inside her stomach. Had he grown addicted to her scent?
How was that possible? New Species only scent imprinted when they took a mate. An emotional bond formed first, before they wanted to take one.
880 could smell the human’s fear. It was an appealing, sweet scent that made his dick harder.
She wasn’t for mounting but his body had other ideas. Alli would break under him if he took her.
His arm anchored around her soft, small waist assured him of that. Her back was narrower by far than the width of his chest. Her weight on him was slight compared to his mate’s. The thought of 46 saddened him.
He’d never see her glare again or hear her soft snarls. He’d known she hadn’t always enjoyed being his mate but he’d tried to make her happy.
The only time she’d wanted his touch had been when she needed him. It seemed no female was attracted to him unless they were going into heat.
He sniffed Alli, certain the female wasn’t even close to that time.
Regret filled him that the human wouldn’t turn to him in her time of need. It wouldn’t be a good idea. He didn’t want to cause her injury now that he had her in his arms. He couldn’t even stay angry. She was too afraid of him to trigger his rage.
The tone of the voices down the hallway changed. The words were lost but one of the males began to snarl. He could guess that Destiny was the source. It was obvious the male wanted to mount Alli and didn’t like her near him. It wasn’t going to happen. The other male would die if he attempted to take the human from his room.
880 turned his face and brushed his nose through Alli’s hair. She smelled of wonderful things and of food. Perhaps that was how humans drew attention from the opposite sex. She’d said she had no male and he didn’t pick up the stench of one. It made sense that she’d try to lure one by making him sniff at her when they were hungry.