Devotion (Chosen by the Karal #5)(48)
“I hope it involves lots of rest and no drama. I have had enough drama to last me a lifetime. I’m hoping for a quiet life here on Karal,” she said, leaning forward to watch the planet go by in a blur.
“I’m not sure if you’ll get that, being my mate. The council members have it easy—they are tied to the tower, but I am expected to oversee the new missions. I will have to travel to the new planets too. If any suitable ones are discovered.”
“Really?” Now, that did sound appealing. “Will I be able to come with you?”
“I don’t know. But I hope so. Once we’ve finished exploring Karal, I am all for exploring the universe.” Okil banked the cruiser and headed towards a forest in the distance.
“Trees. Oh my goodness! I have seen pictures of forests, but I never saw a real one. It’s so big.” Her heart began to race with excitement.
“I wanted to have no interruptions.” His face lit up, reds and golds across his skin.
“And why is that?” she asked innocently.
“You know damn well why. I want you all to myself, and this is the ideal place.” He slowed the cruiser, and took them in lower, skimming the tops of the trees.
“Oh, look at the birds,” she said as a flock of small colourful birds took off and flew together round and round, swooping backwards and forwards in front of them before landing in the trees again.
“Honelit. They are particularly colourful and their feathers used to be prized for writing with. On Grenvet some of the artists there use them to paint with. Stunning.”
“So much to see. So much life.” She watched every little movement outside of the cruiser window, trying to spot any other animals or birds. But she only saw fleeting glimpses, as they headed towards their destination.
“There.” He pointed to a tree house. Well, it was more of a platform, with a small hut extending over a third of its area.
“We are landing on that?” she asked.
“Yes. It’s used for research, for the rangers of the forest to assess the tree canopy. I have called in a favour. So it is all ours for the night.”
“You know, Okil, I never realised what an integral part of Karal you were. I thought your behaviour on Earth was because you liked humans. But you like everyone. Don’t you?”
“Except for your Earth President. I find his behaviour unforgivable.”
“Will the Karal do something about him?”
“I don’t know.” He paused in contemplation, and then his colours broke across his skin and he said, “And I do not care. Tonight is ours. Tomorrow is not for us. Not now.” They had landed safely and now he removed his seat belt and held out his hand to her.
Tikki slipped her hand into his, feeling the sensations coursing through her, leaving her in no doubt that Okil intended to make love to her here on top of the forest. Of all the strange and wondrous places she had imagined, this was by far the most beautiful.
They stood for a moment on the edge of the platform, Tikki breathing in great lungfuls of the warm evening air. “Wow,” was all she could say, her mind blown away by the swaying treetops rolling away into the distance as far as she could see.
“This forest has been here since the beginning of time,” Okil said. “There are so many creatures living in it. So much that no Karalian has ever seen. It is a place of mystery.”
“Thank you,” she said and placed her hand on his cheek, watching the colours flash along his skin. Her thumb strayed to brush his lips. He stood looking down on her, and she felt as beautiful as the forest in his eyes. “Make love to me, Okil.”
He lifted her, carrying her inside the shelter, where a simple bed stood.
“Wait, can we make love outside?” she asked.
“Of course. I wasn’t sure if you would like it out there.”
“Are you kidding?” She kissed him. “Anywhere with you would be amazing, but I want to be out there, to know that I am here on Karal with all the life around me, and to look upon the different stars as they come out above our heads.”
Okil took the covers from the bed, while Tikki carried the pillows. He then went to the cruiser and brought out some more cushions and they fashioned a bed. Once satisfied, he turned his attention back to Tikki. She knew there would be nothing to stop him now; he wanted her. And she wanted him more than life itself.
With trembling hands, she stroked his skin, her fingers undoing his cotton shirt, and kissing his flesh. Okil seemed equally shaken, his hands gentle, almost unsure, as he undressed her, even though he had so many times before.
Together they stood naked on the platform, kissing, touching, and breathing in the scent of the forest and each other. They took their time, for now time stood still; everything that mattered was here in the present. When he could bear it no longer, he eased her down onto the blankets and moved to hover over her body.
With one finger he pushed inside her sex, testing her arousal, bringing her to a point where she was so wet, so ready for him, he could plunge straight into her. She gasped in shock when he impaled her on his cock, her sex tight around him, gripping him.
“Oh my goodness,” she breathed as he pulled back out and thrust hard back into her.
“I have wanted to be like this with you, Tikki, from the first time I saw you. You looked so young, so vulnerable, and yet so strong.” His hips moved, pulling back out of her before driving deep inside her.