The Alien Commander's Surrogate

Episode Seventeen

Salex

Well, she hadn't immediately thrown herself off my lap, or landed the harsh slap on the face I probably deserved for my stupid wording. Which I would consider a good thing. Because my Suns, I kept screwing this up.

Bright pink skin flushed across her face, making her look all teh more appealing. Her pretty mouth dropped open, then closed, opening once more.

"I, uh, I can do that?"

My hands tightened, the one supporting her across my lap drawing her closer, while the hand I hadn't been able to keep off of her belly caressed the firm flesh there. Distantly I made a note to ask her if she'd felt my son move yet.

I wanted to feel that too. How many Trenzian's had the opportunity that I had sitting across my lap? Since the emperor had banned true mate bonds, how many warriors had had the chance to feel the life they'd made while it still grew.

Hillary might be a surrogate, but she was still important. Beyond important really. So when she took my words to heart and began to shift off of my lap, my grip only tightened. She turned to me, curious eyes wide as she stared up at me.

"Salex," she whispered.

I gripped the edge of her shirt. "Let me help."

Hillary stilled, and after clearing my throat, I gingerly lifted the stretchy material over her belly, to where her breasts were covered in another layer of clothing. This was smaller, barely covering the swollen mounds.

I dropped the shirt to the floor to the side and leaned back, staring over her slowly. She was pale, so soft and pink and delicate that I could barely believe I could touch her without damaging her. As if to test my theory I ran the tip of my claw over the edge of her belly. The skin tihgtend as her muscles clenched under my touch.

My eyes leaped to hers, "Did I hurt you?"

Hillary had a hand across her chest, as if to hide the newly exposed skin, but even so, I could see the red tint to her cheeks. Was she ill? Had I scared her? With a quick thought, I held up my hand, then retracted my claws.

My surrogate shifted on my lap, a gasp on her lips. "Did you just...get rid of your claws?"

My head cocks as I look down at her. The warmth of her across my lap is growing more comfortable by the moment and I find myself more and more intent on finding a reason to keep her there. I'd originally planned on doing some simple skin on skin contact to relieve the need that the surrogacy situation had brought onto us.

But now. I curled my arm around her hips, pretending that I was adjusting her so that she could see my claws better, but it was purely selfish. The hand not covering her breasts, moved, touching my hand gently, then flipping it one way and then the other. My chest rattled again as her touch warmed my skin.

My cock throbbed eagerly between my legs and I was suddenly relieved that she wouldn't be able to feel the effect this simple touch was having on me. It was exposing-this blatant, driving need.

"That's amazing," Hillary said, jolting me out of my thoughts. Her lashes lowered as she released my hands, "You know, Trenzian's are one of the most recognizable species in the universe, but I don't really know that much about you."

Her mouth lifts a little in a smile. "Will you tell me something about yourself?" That warm pink tone returned to her face, "I'm carrying your youngling, but everything I knew about you I read in a file."

"Everything about my life was in those pages, Hillary," I said after a moment, "I'm not sure what else I can tell you."

Hillary seemed to consider my words, and I almost let myself sink back into the simple pleasure of holding her. Then, she spoke again. "What is your favorite Earth food?"

I snorted, "Really?"

Her shoulder moved against me, a tiny shrug. Licking my lips and pretending I wasn't still distracted by the feel of her chest rising and falling against my chest, I tried to remember what I'd eaten when we were stationed on Earth.

"I'm not sure of the name of it, it was," I wrack my memories, "It was a long, pale fruit, that had been taken from its shell, then covered in a coco flavored sauce and frozen dairy product."

Hillary stared at me and for a moment I was almost embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I can't remember the correct name, only the ingredients, I thought–."

The hand previous covering her chest now flew thru the air as she pressed a hand to her cheeks. "Oh my God, a banana split! That's what you had."

My mouth stretched in an unfamiliar way, my cheeks burning a little as I looked down at her. "Banana split. That sounds right."

To my surprise, she laughed a little, her body shaking against me. "Are you laughing at me?"

"I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I just can't imagine you holding a banana split? I thought for sure it would be a turkey leg or curry or something. But dessert?"

Without thinking, I swatted her on the back of her leg, "Don't sass me little one.'

Hillary's laughter died out, but her eyes were still crinkled at the corners. Pleasure blooms in my chest. I'd made her happy with my confession, and suddenly I wanted to do it a hundred more times. Fucking bond.

I dropped my gaze, breaking the connection and staring down at her body once again. I needed to do what I came here for, and then move on. I couldn't keep holding her, not without the inherent risks that came with touching her long term.

"I, uh, wasn't expecting to need new clothes, so I just threw this on." hillary's hand suddenly crept into his vision.Fuck, I was staring down at her breasts like a barbarian. "They're much larger than they were before I was pregnant."

"Oh," I looked pointedly across Ghantlan's room, focusing my attention on a small desk, "I didn't mean to stare."

Hillary swallowed audibly and frustration made the back of my throat itch. I wanted the smile back, the crinkles in her eyes and light feeling in my chest when I was sure I had made her content. But that meant...No, I couldn't have that.

"We should proceed with whatever you were thinking earlier," Hillary said, her voice almost businesslike. Her hands moved jerkily to her waist, where she untied the enclosure of her pants. My body moved before I could think twice, my enormous palms cradling hers easily.

"Wait, Hillary," I took a deep breath in, "Leave them."

"But you said..."

"I know what I said," I can't stop the frustrated growl from leaching into my words, "let's just start small."

"Like what?"

I sighed and after assuring that she was balancing well across my lap, I leaned away and carefully tugged my shirt over my head. My elbows rapped against the underside of Ghantlan's top bunk and I grunted a little at the tightness of the space.

Nonetheless, when my bare skin finally brushed hers, I tasted blood in my mouth. I'd bitten down too hard on my tongue and one of my fangs must've nicked something. I noticed Hillary sighed too, her warm skin sliding along mine.

With uttermost care, I shifted back onto the bed and leaned against the wall, Hillary draped across me. Even with her pants on, this position allowed me to feel even more of her against me. To my pleasure, she didn't seem uncomfortable with the removal of the barrier between us and I even caught her pressing her nose against my chest as we settled on top of the blankets.

"How long do we stay like this?" her breath is hot against my collarbones and I clamp down on the need to pull her closer.

"Rest, little one, I will wake you in a short time."

Her dark hair slid over my shoulder as she nodded. "Thank you, Salex, for everything."

Within moments, her breathing evens out and I can feel her heart beating soundly against my side. "No, little one, thank you."

Peace like I hadn't felt in years surrounds me and even with Ghantlan's scent clogging my nose, I can't help but be a little angry at the universe.

Why would a peace like this be dangled in front of me, when it was only temporary?

AUTHORS NOTE: Don't worry, steamy things are coming...but first...feels!