Educating the Alien: Raedyn (The Azurite Series Book 1) (5 page)

10.

The crowd inside the sport’s stadium was wild. Lexi had never seen so many blue-eyed people in one place at one time before, but it was becoming the norm for her. She jokingly thought to herself that the next time she was in a roomful of humans she might feel uncomfortable with all the people having different eye colors.

Jaime’s inter-office team was playing tonight and he had invited her to attend the event. Lexi didn’t understand the rules. The game was called Plinkersknoff, or something similar, and was a popular sport from another galaxy. There were three hoops and two balls differently sized on a multileveled court. It reminded Lexi of capture the flag and basketball combined utilizing three teams.

Lexi was pleased to find Raedyn playing on Jaime’s Public-Relations team. He looked so much better than he had when she saw him last, sick in bed, three days ago. He was hair free once again and looked handsome in his athletic wear: strong and lean, muscles rippling with his movements.

She sat in the stands with some of the other women from the PR office, drinking malted beverages and munching on crunchy, salty snacks. She felt as though she could have been in any sports stadium back home watching any other game with a group of girlfriends.

The game ended with the PR team winning and erupting into a series of man-grunts. Lexi rolled her eyes, men were men no matter what the planet it seemed. She was admiring a sweaty Raedyn when his eyes met hers in the stands. Surprise registered on his face before a slow smile spread across it. He raised his finger in a ‘just a minute’ gesture as he and his teammates exchanged back slaps before he could make his way down the upper level court to her.

He caught up with her in the stands and Lexi was taken aback by his sexiness. He smelled good, the smell of sweat from good clean exertion, it was so much nicer than the smell of sick he wore the last time she saw him. His skin was its normal healthy tan and had a slight tinge of pink from the exercise.

“Hey,” he said when he finally reached her.

“Hi, Raedyn. Great game.”

“Did you have any idea what was going on?” he asked, his brow ridge raised and a smirk on his lips.

“None at all!” They both laughed.

The smile faded from his face and was replaced with his more normal serious expression. “I wanted to thank you for your help the other day when I was sick.”

Lexi smiled. “It was nothing. I’m glad I could help.”

He ran a hand over his glistening head. “I hope I didn’t say or do anything to embarrass myself when you were there. I was really out of it.”

Lexi bit her lower lip. Should she tell him about his bodily function and her cleanup? Or did he already know?

“I know what you did. It was above and beyond and I appreciate it. I haven’t had anything like that happen since I was a kid and it would have been mortifying if anyone else found me like that.”

“Well,” Lexi began, clearing her throat. “I didn’t want you to get fined or anything.”

Raedyn threw his head back in laughter. “The CR is pretty understanding about wet dreams. But, I still appreciate it all the same.”

They stood in an awkward silence for a few moments before Raedyn spoke again. “I’ve been asked to visit Earth next week, New York precisely. Some PR stuff for the upcoming colony lottery. Would you like to go?” Raedyn knew that Lexi had lived in New York prior to the ship. After the care he received from her the night he was ill, he hadn’t been able to get Lexi off his mind. The meetings he was attending could have very easily been attended on the ship, but he had a niggling feeling that Lexi would want to go visit home. For some reason he couldn’t fathom, he wanted to make her happy.

Lexi’s eyes widened and lit up at his words. He continued, “I thought maybe you could show me around a bit, some of your favorite places, food and such?”

“Yes!” Lexi wrapped her arms around Raedyn’s neck before she processed what she was doing. He was warm from working out and she could feel the sheen of sweat on his skin, and didn’t care. He hesitantly patted her on the back with one hand and Lexi froze. He touched her. Of his own accord.

She released her grip on him and smiled widely. “I would love to.”

“Great. I’ll get the details to you when I have them. It will be a quick trip, just two days and one night.”

“Perfect!”

Raedyn glanced behind Lexi, his face becoming grim. “I’ll see you later,” he said, abruptly turning away and heading back across the court toward the locker rooms.

Someone rudely brushed past Lexi, nearly knocking her over on their way, following Raedyn down to the court. Lexi didn’t pay them any mind. She was going home.

---

Raedyn blanched when he saw Lae watching him from further up in the stands when Lexi wrapped around him like an octopus. He rushed down the court, hoping to lose her attention by hiding in the locker room, but his plan failed. Several of his teammates caught him and invited him out for drinks on his way, slowing down his escape. She reached him just before he could slip through the door, her hand grabbing on to his bicep, burning his skin in a claiming gesture. He shook her off.

“Lae. I need to go get cleaned up.”

“You looked awful comfortable in your present state with your human a moment ago.”

Raedyn cringed. “She’s not my human. She’s a co-worker and a friend. What do you want Lae?”

“You’re overdue. We should have been partnered by now. Your name hasn’t even appeared on the list,” she accused.

“I’ve been busy. A new work campaign I’m in charge of is taking up a lot of my time.”

“You need to make time,” she growled.

“Whoa, retract the claws,” Brahk said, saving Raedyn from what was already an awkward conversation. “You coming man?” he asked, clapping Raedyn on the shoulder in a protective move.

“Yeah, I’m just going to go shower real fast. See you in a few. Bye Lae.”

“We aren’t finished,” Lea responded seeking to get the last word in edgewise.

“Lae?” Brahk asked, looping an arm around her shoulder. “Have you heard of the Earth phrase ‘he’s just not that into you’? I find it might be enlightening in this instance.” Brahk winked at Raedyn as he turned Lae away from the locker room.

Thank the gods for best friends.

---

Lexi paced her apartment, debating whether to alert her mother of her impeding trip or not. She had already been away for a month and there was no telling when she would be able to come back to Earth. Surely she would conduct in-person interviews with candidates should she accept the job as colony representative, but even that wasn’t a guarantee. Lexi was still debating with herself if she would accept the job.

Against her better judgment, she picked up her COM device and phoned home.

“Lexi. I’m glad to hear you haven’t died in space.”

Lexi rolled her eyes. “Thanks mom, it’s good to hear your voice too. I’m glad you haven’t died on Earth.”

“Not that you would know with the lack calls.”

Different orbits and the same mom.

“I’m coming home for a visit next week and wanted to let you know.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t neglect to inform me of your plans. I only wish it was a visit with a man and the news of a baby.”

Wow. Ten seconds and she got right to the point. A new record.

“I’m not sure what my schedule will be yet, but I’d like to see you. There’s no telling when the next opportunity for a visit may come up.”

“You will come to dinner when you’re here. I’ll make a roast,” her mother stated, not asked.

“I won’t be alone and I’m not sure what our schedule will be yet.”

“Well, just bring her along. I always make enough for an army.”

Tell or not to tell, that is the question. If she didn’t tell her mother about Raedyn she’d complain about being ambushed. If she did tell, Lexi would face the Spanish Inquisition.

“I’m sure Raedyn would love a home cooked meal. I’ll let him know.”

“Raedyn,” her mother said quietly, processing. Scheming. “He is your liaison on the ship, isn’t he?”

“Yes, mom.”

“Well. I always envisioned your husband as a human male,” she sighed. “But I suppose I should be happy you’re bringing any man home. I’ll make cheesecake too.”

Lexi closed her eyes and counted backwards from five. She should have had a glass of wine before beginning this conversation. “I’ll let you know when we’re coming. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

She strolled to the small kitchen and started a new bottle of wine anyway.

11.

Raedyn had triple checked this trip that he had an Ambrulian patch for Lexi, no way he would make that mistake again. Lexi was all smiles as he escorted her from her quarters to the launch bay this morning. She rambled on about the sites that she wanted to show him and he didn’t have the heart to remind her that this was a business trip for him and that the majority of his days would be spent in meetings.

Recalling the last time they travelled together, Raedyn remembered the way he scooped Lexi up in his arms and the sensation of her trailing her tongue across his neck. His dick twitched at the memory and he forced himself to relax. He wasn’t due for a deposit for another week with his self-imposed schedule and should be able to control his urges. Lately though, it was becoming harder and harder to resist the feelings being around, or thinking of, Lexi induced.

He started to take the words the old doctor had shared to heart and knew he would have to make a decision to either continue the path he began and trust the partner process, or choose for himself. He didn’t have much time left though and the pressure building both in his body and from Lae were intolerable.

Lae had trapped him in the hallway outside his room yesterday and had molested him, again, nearly bringing him to come in his pants in hopes of driving him to the CR. He shook his head. He felt bad for the poor sap of a man that was going to be stuck with her. She was one hundred percent dominant and he didn’t know of any Azurite males that would tolerate that personality from a woman, himself included.

Perhaps Earthmen were more permissive of such behaviors. He would have to ask Lexi about that.

“Raedyn? Are you listening to me?” Lexi shook her head.

“What? Yes.”

“What did I just say?” she asked with a laughing grin on her face.

“Um. Empire State Building?”

“Nooo. I asked if tonight was good for dinner with my mother.”

Raedyn nodded. This was the only night they would be on Earth and while he would rather spend the time alone with Lexi, he understood the human culture of sharing a meal was an important one, as well as meeting the parents. Not that they were a couple. He was just starting to get used to the way Lexi touched him absently, no longer flinching any time her hand was placed on his arm, shoulder, or knee. She was so different from Lae though, soft where Lae was hard, sweet and kind where Lae was rough and demanding. His vision of the perfect woman was turning into a vision of Lexi.

“I have two meetings, but should be done by 1800.”

Lexi nodded. She was worried about the dinner with her mother and she nibbled on her thumbnail nervously. Raedyn reached over and pulled on her pinky, popping her nail from between her teeth.

“Why do you do that?” he asked, watching her mouth.

“It’s a nervous habit. Don’t you have any of those?”

His eyes widened at her curt reply.

“I’m sorry. I’m worried about dinner with my mother. I feel I should warn you. She will think we’re a couple. Even though we’re not. She wants grandchildren and I’m her only child.”

He smiled at her concern. Earth busybodies were not so dissimilar to Azurite ones. Speaking of mothers.

“My mother would probably do the same. It’s no problem. Trust me, she’ll probably seem like a lamb next to the piranha my mother is.”

“You do that very well. Have you been studying? It’s funny to hear such Earth language spoken in Azurite.”

“Well, if I had said your mother would be a flu’lithho’d compared to the glo’ksh’iha my mother is would you understand?”

Lexi wrinkled her nose. “Did you just compare my mother to the sweet smelling pollen of a type of flower that Azurites use for cleaning toilets?”

Raedyn shrugged, “Hey, your people eat bee vomit.”

Lexi couldn’t argue with that.

The transport to Earth was as quick as the one to the Fier’the’yi Fho’rd had been, though for Lexi, less traumatizing. She and Raedyn parted ways as he headed for meetings and she to explore, promising to meet back up before riding together for dinner.

Lexi didn’t want to tour the city without Raedyn, having lived here for the majority of her adult life, instead choosing to hunker down in the park with a book, eating lunch from a cart stand and enjoying the beautiful day and trying not to think about the dinner ahead. She should give Raedyn more credit. He was turning out to be a great friend. He was loosening up his rigid ways and she was starting to see the humanity inside him, as much sense as that made.

She was still struggling with the decision to take the job as colony representative. But, if she could find a man like Raedyn to call her own, the choice would be simple.
Where had that thought come from?
Sure, he was tall and handsome, ripped and kind, not to mention well hung, but she didn’t consider him anything more than a friend. Not really. Yes, they had shared a very intimate moment when he was ill, but he was practically comatose.

And there was the list.

She found herself scanning the news reports daily, obsessively waiting for the announcement of his name to the partner list and subsequent match. It was silly really. She had seen the way other women looked at him though when he was playing in the sports arena. He was a very nice specimen of Azurite male. The apex between her thighs pulsed when she remembered cleaning his most private parts. Caressing the stubble on his cheek. Wondering if he, too, would someday let her rub oil over his body. His muscles twitching under her touch, his firm and sinewy body, lithe and…

Lexi shook her head. It had been too long since she had been with a man if she was imagining herself with one that could barely tolerate her touch. She didn’t know what she would do.

---

Amazed. That was the only word that could come to mind as Lexi reviewed the dinner she’d just finished with her mother and Raedyn. It was possible her mother had been implanted with an alien, she was behaving so out of character. Of course, Raedyn had charmed the pants off her, and insisted she be called by her first name, Mary.

He began with using his limited English, complimenting her for raising such a competent daughter before he slipped the interpreter bud into his ear. For someone that had never dated, he sure knew how to impress the parents. Raedyn and her mother conversed the entire meal, leaving Lexi feeling like a third wheel.

Raedyn had silently sent a prayer to the gods that he had spoken at length with Jaime over dinner protocol and meeting the parents. He owed the guy a drink. He could tell by Mary’s smiles and familiarity with him that she was impressed. There was more than one reason he was in Public Relations.

Now they sipped their coffee and nibbled at the cheesecake her mother had made from scratch. The night was winding down and Lexi was ready to crash. The Azurite embassy had suites for guests when they were in town and Lexi longed for a hot bath and a soft mattress.

“Well, you two. This old lady needs to get to bed. I made up the guest bedroom for you, but take your time, have another slice of cake,” said Mary.

“Mom, we…”

Mary waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “I’m not so old fashioned that I won’t let a young couple share a room for the night. I’ll see you in the morning.” And with that Mary shuffled off to her own bedroom on the opposite side of the house from the guest room.

“Night Mary,” said Raedyn in English, no doubt earning him further brownie points.

Lexi glared at him.

“Now you’ve done it,” she said. “You are aware there is only one bed in the guest room right?”

Realization dawned on Raedyn’s face and the color leeched from his skin.

“Are you going to vomit?” Lexi asked remembering the conversation with the women from the book club.

Raedyn straightened his shoulders and squared his jaw. “No.”

He did feel his cock pulse and the air in the room began to pressurize. His palms dampened and his pulse raced. He recognized the symptoms. His body was rebelling against his strict deposit schedule and just the thought of sharing a bed with Lexi, her warm, soft body curled up next to him was driving him to arousal.

Lexi raised an eyebrow speculatively. “I’ll show you the room and then we can bring in the luggage,” she said in a sigh.

He followed her through the hall, examining the school pictures of Lexi growing up before his eyes. The house was warm and welcoming, like Lexi herself.

“Here’s the bathroom and the room is here across the hallway.”

They retrieved the luggage from the car in silence before Lexi finally spoke again. “I’ll let you use the bathroom first,” she mumbled taking her bag and going into the bedroom.

Raedyn made quick work of his nighttime routine, brushing his teeth and removing his clothing. He had applied his oil that morning so there was no need for it now. He preferred to sleep in the nude, but tonight that wouldn’t be a good idea, he opted to leave his boxer briefs on. He looked at himself in the mirror.

“You are a grown man. She is an adult female. You are professionals.” Not really feeling better after the pep talk, he grabbed his bag and opened the door.

Lexi was waiting in the hallway for her turn in the bathroom. His arm grazed hers as he walked by. She was wearing more than the last time he saw her ready for bed, of course so was he, though not enough to conceal his semi-erection. He held his bag in front of him like a shield as he passed her in the hallway and entered the room, then threw it in the corner and eyed the bed.

It was a queen-sized bed, not nearly large enough, but he had no desire to sleep on the floor. He recited the mantra from his bathroom talk through his head as he crawled into the bed and laid on his back. Bad idea. His dick was practically providing a tent for a family of twelve. He rolled on his side, back to the door.

Lexi couldn’t believe he was in the bed. She thought he would have grabbed a pillow and headed for the floor with some semblance of a gentleman. But, there was no reason why they couldn’t share a bed. They were both mature adults. She had tried to not ogle Raedyn when he came out of the bathroom, attempting to cover himself as he walked past her. She knew what he was trying to hide and bit her lip to not smile at him. Damn. He really was fine. It was going to be a long night.

When she slipped inside the cool sheets, she felt him shudder at the waft of cool air.

“Sorry,” she murmured before lying on her back. His shivers continued and his breathing was heavy. “Are you okay?” she asked worried. Was he having a panic attack?

“I’m fine,” he groaned. “It’s nothing.”

Men.

“Are you sure?” she probed.

No, he was not sure. What was it about Lexi that drove him to such a state? Being around Lae had never given him these problems before. Of course Lae was about as soft and warm, sweet and kind, as a shark.

“I have a medical condition. I’ll be fine. I just need to rest.” He felt the bed dip as Lexi rolled toward him. Her handed branded his skin where she touched his arm.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked in a small voice.