uninvited

chapter thirtythree

unraveled

The sun was warm on her face. She'd been still for so long that a butterfly, vivid orange, yellow, and black played around her unfrighten.

The grass and the wildflowers were so tall she wondered if anyone could see her laying here. The flowers next to her moved in the breeze filling the air with their rich fragrance. She turned her face into the soft wind.

He gave her the wind.

She didn't know how he had managed it, but he had. She didn't know why he'd done it. Why go to so much trouble for a girl who's driving you crazy?

It was like he had a book, 'How to Break Jess Williams and Strip Away her Walls.'

Hearing something, she held her breath and went absolutely still. Oh, good lord, don't let them find her. Not when she'd barely escaped to begin with.

Aliens. Zombies. A swarm of killer bees were nothing on April. She might be young, but she was like a drill sergeant on speed. They've mucked, brushed, and fed everything that moves.

Put the child on a ranch and she became scary.

And mean.

Julian was MIA. Leaving him behind had been the hardest thing she's ever had to do but it had come down to save yourself.

Mel was having the time of her life.

Aunt Sarah had finally played the pregnant card. Underhanded and sneaky. Jess had never been prouder of her.

Taking a deep breath, she raised her head to see if anyone was coming.

Relief at seeing no one filled her and she laid back down.

It wasn't just that she detested manual labor or even that she wasn't fond of anything on four legs, hello, she had an alien who's declared war on her emotions. She needed time here.

He was stripping away all her shields and leaving her weak and defenseless.

His armory, a combination of wow eyes with hot, tender looks. Smothering. And touches that turned her insides to mush.

Star boy wasn't playing fair.

Even worse than that, her own senses were betraying her. Her eyes liked to glaze into his. She liked the feel of his simple, light touches.

Damn it, who liked to just sit around and smell someone?

Okay forget all this, it was time to pull herself together. No more wondering why he'd been pulling her closer. Was he going to kiss her? Could she survive if he did? Would she want to?

With him, even a kiss on the forehead seemed like more than she could handle.

"Okay, Jess. Take a deep breath and concentrate on how much of a stupid dumbass you're being."

Number one, hello a freaking alien. The only problem with that is that she didn't see him as some kind of alien. He was as real as she was.

Okay, new number one, he was too intense. Every look. Every touch. Every thought. Number two, he could be bossy. She didn't do well with bossy. Number three, he wasn't looking for fun. Or even a girlfriend. He was looking for a mate. Straight to the alter for him. She wasn't even eighteen yet! Number four...

Maybe there wasn't a number four. She kind of liked number one about him and number two was manageable. It all boiled down to number three.

She wondered if there was a way around that one.

Jess sighed at the warm tingles that snaked up the back of her neck, then he was standing in front of her.

How did he do that?

If anyone could make a grey candora look good, it was him. Unlike the females, the males were able to choose between long sleeves or short sleeves. They were able to choose between skirt or no skirt.

Today his arms were bare. He wore the skirt today, his legs braced apart.

"You're going to give my position away."

He wore no expression. He seldom did. His eyes could be anywhere from warm to blazing.

But for the first time ever, she could see that she wasn't the only one who was lost. A mess. He was right there with her.

His eyes moved over her slowly.

Her. Rather she was dressed nice or in old sweats and her hair a wild mess.

Could he be meant for her? Why else would he get so lost looking at her? The real her. Plain, very human, and proud of it, her?

If someone was playing with her, if someone had given her a drug to make her feel this way then they were doing the same to him.

"Kellum, they are waiting for you." The computer reminded him.

He offered her his hand but it wasn't so he could zap her away. He helped her stand.

Her senses went crazy and she found herself taking that step that separated them. She was like a sponge trying to soak up his nearness. Like there were invisible hands that pulled her closer.

"Kellum, it is important that________."

"Go away, Dezrick." He ordered slowly.

She rose on her tip toes the same moment he cupped her cheek.

Exactly right where they'd left off last night. Except this time, she didn't care who in the hell wanted her.

"That's quite impossible."

"Shut up, Dez. Or I'm going to find your chip and put it in a blender on high. I swear it."

His breath was on her lips. Time could have stood still like that and it would have been enough.

It was like she'd never been kissed before.

His lips were little more than a thought against hers when her knees gave out. She would have gone down if his arm hadn't gone around her waist.

His eyes were on her lips. He was going to kiss her again. "You shouldn't."

"Why?"

"I think I won't exist anymore. There won't be anything left of me."

Slowly, he put some space between them. He was completely unraveled. His breathing harsh. Yet there was no fear in his eyes. He was sure of her.

Seeing the effect, she'd had on him, her knees went weak once again. His arm went back around her.

"Dezrick, let her people know that she is safe and that I have her."