For me.
That controlled power had me almost whimpering, but I bit my lip to hold it back. I wanted to feel it when they touched me. Kissed me. Fucked me.
A throaty sound escaped.
Nik’s eyes flared. Sam’s narrowed.
They breathed hard. Deep, as if they could scent me, knew that I was wet for them.
That gave me the boldness I needed to continue.
I took Nik’s hand, and I gasped again. His skin was hot to the touch, as if he were an inferno and I was going to get burned. I felt the calluses on his palm, a sign he worked hard with his body. These two weren’t just posh dignitaries who’d come to their queen’s party. Sam was clearly a fighter. A guy in a uniform was hot even in space. As for Nik, I didn’t know what he did, but his muscled physique filled out his Prillon dress clothes in ways a political blowhard from Earth never could. Hell, not one of the males at the party were built anything but huge, fit and hunky.
Nik followed silently over to a plush chair in front of the window. With a hand on his chest, I gave him a push, and he dropped into the seat. He was doing exactly as I wanted, as if I were the aggressor here. If he hadn’t wanted to sit, my little nudge would have had no effect. His hands rested on the arms of the chair, seemingly relaxed. His neck was taut, and I felt his energy, the tension in him, all directed at me.
I glanced over my shoulder at Sam.
Why weren’t they pouncing? Why weren’t they pushing me up against a wall? Bending me over a flat surface? Pressing me into a soft bed? “I thought Prillons were all alpha and bossy,” I said.
Sam approached. For such a huge guy, he was practically silent as he settled beside me, arms crossed over his chest. “Do I not look alpha and bossy?”
I laughed. “You look like you just came from battle.”
He cocked his head to the side, studying me. “Battle, no. Niklas and I only returned from our day’s mission a short time before the party.”
I glanced at the ion pistol strapped to the holster on his thigh. Then the tree-trunk thigh. Then the rest of him in black and with armor, all badass. “Yes, you look very alpha and bossy.”
Sam nodded toward Nik. “As for him, he might not wear armor, but Niklas is an ambassador. This week alone he’s worked with the head of IC to interrogate a Hive Nexus unit, tracked down criminals on Rogue 5 and managed to show up for the queen’s surprise birthing day celebration freshly bathed.”
I’d heard of the IC. Jessica had told me it was like the CIA, only with more power and they had to deal with the Hive as well as all the usual—spies, weapons dealers, drug dealers, slave traders. All of it sounded pretty bad. The fact that Nik had to work with the head of that branch of the Coalition told me a lot about his status and level of responsibility. Although I had no idea exactly what an ambassador did out in space. Didn’t sound like he shook hands and kissed babies. Not by the rippling muscles and calloused hands or the mention of a captured Hive prisoner.
Nik stayed silent as I stared at him, although he did arch a dark eyebrow. The contrast between them was making me swoon. They didn’t look human—their features were too angular, Sam’s gold skin and Nik’s copper-colored eyes not like anything I would have seen on Earth. But God, they were big, muscled bad boys if I’d ever seen one. And I wanted.
Swallowing hard, I compared myself to them. I was average height and a bit too curvy to be fashionable back home. My hair wasn’t just red, it was a dark, curly auburn that I’d been told matched my temper. I was pasty white with my makeup on and burned if I didn’t slather on sunscreen. No one knew what I really looked like under my armor.
Well, no one but Olivia, and she wasn’t here.
I was covered in freckles, especially my face, arms and shoulders. The redhead’s curse. I looked like a speckled freak without the magic of liquid and powders I spread across my skin before I set foot out of my bedroom.
Covered.
I wasn’t smooth-skinned and stunning like the other ladies. Queen Jessica was the perfect, Barbie blonde. Rachel had that dark hair and skin the color of a perfect latte going on. Lindsey, Kristin and Caroline were fair, like me, but they weren’t cursed with a road map of spots covering every inch of their bodies. I shouldn’t even get started about Mikki, with her perfectly straight black hair and petite, athletic surfer’s body. She didn’t have a speck of cellulite.
“That’s… impressive.” I ran my hand over my hair, which had been pulled back into a pretty twist I’d thought would show off my bare shoulders.
No, not bare. Covered in makeup. And the twist had been just as much about hiding the wild curls as about the overall look. Not that my plan had worked. My hair had a mind of its own, and my face was framed with escapees.
Who was I kidding right now? I wasn’t ready to reveal myself to these two godlike warriors.
I was not what these aliens expected from a human female. I didn’t look like any of the others, nor surely any females they might have met in the Coalition. If the freckles weren’t enough, the red curls pushed me over the edge from cute to… odd. Even the queen of Viken had straight, perfect red hair and unmarked skin. I looked like a road map without the roads connecting the dots.
Maybe this wasn’t a good idea after all.
Or maybe I could do this and not get naked? Would they do me in my dress?
Nik held out his hand, and I realized I’d been standing like a mute, staring at him for far too long. Not wanting to give myself time to panic, I stepped closer and placed my hand in his. His huge, warm fingers wrapped around mine, and something inside me settled instantly. Like he’d just unplugged the panic button and set me on a slow, warm simmer.
I could do this. If they didn’t like me, I never had to see them again. One and done.
“We do not have the advantage of a mating collar surrounding your neck, Lady Lucy,” Nik said, his voice calm and even. Yeah, I doubted he was having body image issues right about now. I doubted either guy was modest. “We do not know what you are feeling. You will have to tell us.”
Oh shit. “Mating collar?” I squeaked, then swallowed hard. “I don’t want a mating collar.” Just to make that perfectly clear. This was a one-night stand. Mikki, Kristin and Rachel all had a collar, and I knew what it meant, the power of it. “I have to return to The Colony after the birthday ball. I’m only here for two more days. Two days.”
“You must return there for your work?” Niklas asked.
I put my hand to my chest. “Me? No. On Earth I cut and styled women’s hair. Well, some guys, too. I worked with Olivia on the Bachelor Beast show doing makeup. I’m a makeup artist and hairstylist.”
Sam’s pale brows winged up. “I’ve heard of the Earth comm program. It is fortunate I am not an Atlan, as that did not sound enjoyable for Warlord Wulf.”
I shrugged. “He found his mate, so he thinks it was worth it.”
Both of them looked me over. “Yes, I can understand,” Nik said, glancing at my hair. “Did you style yourself tonight?”
I patted my curls. “Yes.”
“The color is lovely. Everything about you is beautiful. Is styling females necessary on The Colony?”
I held up my hand to stop his words. “Necessary? No. Not on The Colony. There are only a few women. Besides, my goal is bigger than just being a stylist.”